News

Sterre en Planete radio podcast of 21st September 2025 – interview by Willie Koorts with Dr Pierre De Villiers

On Sunday evening Willie Koorts had a fascinating half hour…
CONTINUE READING
(A-D) The first four Supermassive Dark Star spectral candidates. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2513193122

Potential smoking gun signature of supermassive dark stars found in JWST data

This image taken by the James…
CONTINUE READING
This image of the Crab Nebula combines data from NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) in magenta and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in dark purple.

Historic nebula seen like never before with Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explore

This image of the Crab Nebula combines data from NASA’s…
CONTINUE READING
Slim Boom. Credit: Phil Drury, University of Sheffield

Scientists observe flattest explosion ever seen in space

Slim Boom. Credit: Phil Drury, University of Sheffield An explosion…
CONTINUE READING
This illustration shows the ingredients of a long gamma-ray burst, the most common type. The core of a massive star (left) has collapsed, forming a black hole that sends a jet of particles moving through the collapsing star and out into space at nearly the speed of light. Radiation across the spectrum arises from hot ionized gas (plasma) in the vicinity of the newborn black hole, collisions among shells of fast-moving gas within the jet (internal shock waves), and from the leading edge of the jet as it sweeps up and interacts with its surroundings (external shock). Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Brightest gamma-ray burst ever observed reveals new mysteries of cosmic explosions

This illustration shows the ingredients of a long gamma-ray burst,…
CONTINUE READING

SKAO and partners advance support for protection of astronomy at UN

The SKA Observatory (SKAO) and its partners have advanced support…
CONTINUE READING

Astronomers just discovered a comet that could be brighter than most stars when we see it next year. Or will it?

Hot on the heels of the disappointing Green Comet, astronomers…
CONTINUE READING
A large, bright star shines from the center with smaller stars scattered throughout the image. A clumpy cloud of material surrounds the central star, with more material above and below than on the sides, in some places allowing background stars to peek through. The cloud material is yellow closer to the star. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team

Webb captures rarely seen prelude to a supernova

A Wolf-Rayet star is a rare prelude to the famous…
CONTINUE READING