Astronomers learn about the universe by pointing their telescopes to the sky. But what happens when a satellite comes between them and the cosmological objects they hope to study? New cooperative work between the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) and SpaceX shows a way to share this finite resource between radio astronomers and industry.

An international team of astronomers has demonstrated that this persistent radiation originates from a plasma bubble, shedding new light on the enigmatic sources powering these cosmic phenomena.

An international team of astronomers have used a powerful array of radio telescopes to discover new insights about a magnetar that’s only a few hundred years old. By capturing precise measurements of the magnetar’s position and velocity, new clues emerge regarding its developmental path.

The International Astronomy Union (IAU) is General Assembly XXXII in Cape Town, South Africa, August 6 – 15, 2024. This event is one of the world’s largest international gatherings of astronomers, and the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) and the Green Bank Observatory (NSF GBO) will share their latest science and resources through presentations and exhibits. 

Towards the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, in the constellation Sagittarius, astronomers have discovered 10 monstrous neutron stars. Astronomers already knew that 39 pulsars call Terzan 5 home. With the teamwork of the U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Telescope (NSF GBT) and the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory’s MeerKAT Telescope, ten more have been added to the count.

A team of astronomers has found a new tool to discover pulsars. Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars that blast out pulses of radiation at regular intervals ranging from seconds to milliseconds.