News Release – Page 81 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Artist's conception of Milky Way with labeled distance measurements

Milky Way a Swifter Spinner, More Massive

Fasten your seat belts — we’re faster, heavier, and more likely to collide than we thought. Astronomers making high-precision measurements of the Milky Way say our home Galaxy is rotating about 100,000 miles per hour faster than previously understood.

Astronomers Find Most Distant Water in the Universe

Astronomers have found the most distant water yet seen in the Universe, in a galaxy more than 11 billion light-years from Earth.

Cosmic Lens Reveals Distant Galactic Violence

By cleverly unraveling the workings of a natural cosmic lens, astronomers have gained a rare glimpse of the violent assembly of a young galaxy in the early Universe.

Artist's Conception of Double Pulsar System PSR J0737-3039A/B.

Unique Stellar System Gives Einstein a Thumbs-Up

Taking advantage of a unique cosmic coincidence, astronomers have measured an effect predicted by Albert Einstein’s theory of General Relativity in the extremely strong gravity of a pair of superdense neutron stars.

Radio Telescopes Reveal Unseen Galactic Cannibalism

Radio-telescope images have revealed previously-unseen galactic cannibalism — a triggering event that leads to feeding frenzies by gigantic black holes at the cores of galaxies.

Mining for Molecules in the Milky Way

Scientists are using the giant Green Bank Telescope to go prospecting in a rich molecular cloud in our Milky Way Galaxy.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.