Stars, as physical systems, are self-gravitating, approximately hydrostatic spheres of plasma in which energy is generated predominantly by thermonuclear fusion in their cores and transported outward by radiation and/or convection. Their structure is governed by the equations of stellar structure, balancing gravity, gas and radiation pressure, and energy transport. Stellar properties such as mass, composition, and rotation determine their internal stratification, nucleosynthetic pathways, luminosity, temperature, and evolutionary tracks. Stars interact with their environments via radiation, stellar winds, and mass loss, and they serve as fundamental sites of element synthesis and key components of galactic and cosmological structure.
Across the cosmos, many stars can be found in pairs, gracefully circling one another. Yet one of the most dramatic pairings occurs between two orbiting black holes, formed after their massive progenitor stars exploded in ...
Astronomy
Jun 3, 2025
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Identifying ancient Chinese astronomical events represents a fascinating aspect of modern astrophysics. Chinese astronomers maintained meticulous records of celestial events for more than 2 millennia, documenting everything ...
Astronomy
Jun 2, 2025
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Betelgeuse is one of the most well-known stars in the night sky. Located about 640 light years from Earth in the constellation Orion, it's a red supergiant nearing the end of its life, destined to explode as a supernova. ...
Astronomy
May 30, 2025
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When people think of black holes, they imagine something dramatic: a star exploding in space, collapsing in on itself, and forming a cosmic monster that eats everything around it. But what if black holes didn't always begin ...
The satellite population in low Earth orbit (LEO) is not an open book. While data on many satellites is public, others are shrouded in secrecy, and information is incomplete for others. New research shows how observers can ...
Astronomy
May 20, 2025
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Using a set of ground-based radio telescopes, an international team of astronomers has observed a slowly-spinning pulsar known as PSR J0901−4046. Results of the observational campaign, published on the arXiv preprint server, ...
Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder—as many after them will do—what trickery has made the roof above their heads disappear?
Planetary Sciences
May 7, 2025
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Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island have listened to the music of a nearby star, uncovering surprises that shake our understanding of how stars work.
Astronomy
May 6, 2025
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Stars in the Milky Way tend to form in families, with similar stars springing to life in roughly the same place at roughly the same time. These stars later head out into the wider galaxy when they're ready to fly the nest. ...
Astronomy
Apr 29, 2025
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Using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), Chinese astronomers have discovered a new millisecond pulsar. The newfound pulsar, designated PSR J2129-1210O, was missed by previous searches as its ...
