Spectacular jets powered by the gravitational energy of a supermassive black hole in the core of the elliptical galaxy Hercules A illustrate the combined imaging power of two of astronomy’s cutting-edge tools, the Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3, and the recently upgraded Very Large Array radio telescope in west-central New Mexico.
Surprising Black-Hole Discovery Changes Picture of Globular Star Clusters
An unexpected discovery by astronomers using the National Science Foundation’s Very Large Array is forcing scientists to rethink their understanding of the environment in globular star clusters, tight-knit collections containing hundreds of thousands of stars.
Astrochemistry Enters a Bold New Era with ALMA
Combining the cutting-edge capabilities of the ALMA telescope with newly-developed laboratory techniques, scientists are opening a completely new era for deciphering the chemistry of the Universe.
Neighbor Galaxies May Have Brushed Closely, Astronomers Find
Two of our Milky Way’s neighbor galaxies may have had a close encounter billions of years ago, recent studies with the National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope indicate.
ALMA Reveals Workings of Nearby Planetary System
A new observatory still under construction has given astronomers a major breakthrough in understanding a nearby planetary system that can provide valuable clues about how such systems form and evolve.
Astronomers Get Rare Peek at Early Stage of Star Formation
Using radio and infrared telescopes, astronomers have obtained a first tantalizing look at a crucial early stage in star formation.