Stellar Evolution
Some Elements Arrived on Earth by Surfing Supernova Shock Waves
When stars die, they spread the elements they've created in their cores out to space. But, other objects and processes…
Astronomers Spot Three Interacting Systems with Twin Discs
Using the SPHERE instrument on the ESO's Very Large Telescope, a team of astronomers observed how interaction between disks affects…
The Latest JWST Image Shows a Star in the Earliest Stage of Formation
What's the most exciting thing about the James Webb Space Telescope? The stunning images? The completion of its torturous path…
Hubble saw the Same Supernova at Three Different Times Thanks to Gravitational Lensing
As cosmic events go, supernova explosions epitomize the saying, "Live fast, die young, and leave a good-looking corpse." They're the…
It’s Tough to Find Evidence of Stars Eating Planets
Tragically sometimes stars engulf their own planets. While most stars are able to quickly cover up the evidence for their…
ESO Finds the Ghostly Image of a Dying Star
Astronomical images never cease to delight, and the European Southern Observatory's image of the Vela nebula is no exception. (more…)
Hubble Looks at Newly Forming Stars in a Stellar Nursery
When we look at images of star birth regions, they look both placid and active at the same time. That's…
Two Stars Orbiting Each Other Every 51 Minutes. This Can’t End Well
We don't have to worry too much about our Sun. It can burn our skin, and it can emit potent…
Binary Stars Live Complicated Lives, Especially Near the End
We know what will happen to our Sun. It'll follow the same path other stars of its ilk follow. It'll…
Just 2,000 Years Ago, Betelgeuse Was Yellow, Not Red
Compared to the lifespan of stars, human lives are pretty short. Stars such as Betelgeuse (in Orion) live for millions…