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Using the Keck Observatory, astronomers have peered into cluster RXC J0032.1+1808 and found a titan in the process of splitting apart—or rather, coming together. The Target: RXC J0032.1+1808, a massive galaxy cluster. In optical light (what Hubble sees), it looks like a single, elongated blob of galaxies. The Reveal: The DEIMOS spectrograph and X-ray data revealed a hidden structure. The cluster isn't one object; it's bimodal.

Astronomers have found a cosmic needle in a haystack: three galaxies merging, each hosting an actively feeding, radio-bright supermassive black hole. The Setup: Three galaxies interacting about 1.2 billion light-years away. The Problem: Optical telescopes saw the galaxies, but couldn't confirm if the black holes were active. Dust obscured the view, and star formation signals mimicked black hole activity.

JWST has looked back 13 billion years to watch a massive star die. What it found challenges our understanding of the early universe. On March 14, 2025, a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB 250314A) flashed across the sky. Following the signal, JWST aimed its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCAM) at the source 110 days later.

From the merging dwarfs of the early universe to the stripping of massive spirals in the Virgo Cluster. New images reveal the violent lives of galaxies. Released Dec 2, 2025, a new James Webb Space Telescope image captures two nearby dwarf galaxies in the act of merging.

JWST needs targets. A new study identifies 5 planets, but only one might be safe from the "sandblasting" fury of its star. We know of over 6,000 exoplanets, but finding one that can support life is a game of elimination. Most don't have atmospheres. Most aren't Earth-sized. New Discovery: A team led by Jonathan Barrientos (Caltech) has confirmed 5 new planets around M-dwarf stars using data from 9 telescopes.

Deep in the Milky Way, ALMA has revealed an S-shaped cloud resembling a dancing dragon. It holds the secrets to how massive stars are born. Researchers studying the massive star-forming region IRAS 19074+0752 found something striking: a 2.8-parsec-long filament bent into a distinct "S" shape. The structure is divided into two parts: the Northern segment (Fn), which is active and bright, and the Southern segment (Fs), which is dark and quiet.

A galaxy's destiny isn't written in the stars—it's written by its neighbors. New research reveals how "galactic bars" can either fuel life or starve it. Many galaxies, including our own Milky Way, feature a massive "bar" structure of stars cutting through their center. For years, astronomers have debated the role of these bars.

New observations of the red giant R Doradus reveal that our understanding of how stars spread the building blocks of life is wrong. Red giant stars are the older, cooler cousins of our Sun. As they die, they act as cosmic engines, pumping out carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen via powerful stellar winds. These elements become the planets and lifeforms of the future.

Supermassive black holes are notorious for gobbling up everything in sight. But new data from ALMA reveals they might actually have a very inconsistent appetite. When two massive galaxies collide, gravity acts like a funnel, driving vast amounts of cold molecular gas toward the center. This should be an "all-you-can-eat buffet" for the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) residing there.

Astronomers have characterized SN 2022ngb, a "faint and slow" supernova that challenges our standard models of stellar death. Type IIb supernovae come from stars that have lost most, but not all, of their hydrogen envelopes. This usually happens in binary systems where a companion star acts as a "parasite," stealing gas.

How did life begin from dead rock? A new study reveals how volcanoes, asteroid impacts, and a surprising mineral ingredient cooked up the first RNA. 4.3 billion years ago, the Earth was bombarded by asteroids. While destructive, these impacts had a silver lining: they chemically "reduced" the atmosphere. This process converted inert nitrogen and carbon dioxide into reactive gases. When these gases dissolved into surface water, they formed the basic sugars (ribose) needed fo

Was Earth's formation a miraculous accident or a common cosmic event? New research suggests supernovas "cook" planetary systems with cosmic rays, making rocky worlds abundant. How do you dry out a wet planet? You heat it from the inside. The supernova accelerates protons to relativistic speeds. These Cosmic Rays slam into the protoplanetary disk, triggering nuclear reactions that turn ordinary silicon and magnesium into radioactive Aluminum-26.