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Keck Observatory

All articles tagged with #keck observatory

science5 days ago•3 min saved

Keck Observatory Leads Global Astronomy with Record-Breaking Discoveries

The W.M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, remains the largest working observatory in the United States, featuring twin 10-meter telescopes that often outperform Hubble in near-infrared imaging. Located at 13,600 feet, the site benefits from stable atmospheric conditions and minimal light pollution. Recent achievements include mapping the Andromeda Galaxy, identifying the distant galaxy EGSY8p7, and observing the forming planet Elias 2-24 b. The facility utilizes advanced adaptive optics and multiple spectroscopic instruments to study dark matter, quasars, and the early universe.

via WorldAtlas|

#astronomy #hawaii #keck-observatory

science14 days ago•4 min saved

Elias 2-24b Confirmed as Youngest Exoplanet, Challenging Formation Models

Astronomers have confirmed Elias 2-24b as the youngest known exoplanet, with an age under one million years. Located 450 light-years away, this Jupiter-mass planet orbits a young star at 55 astronomical units. Its rapid formation contradicts the core accretion model, which predicts such distant giants take millions of years to develop. The discovery, based on reanalyzed Keck Observatory data, suggests current theories underestimate how quickly planets can form in protoplanetary disks. Future observations with NASA’s Roman Space Telescope may reveal more infant planets.

via wired.com|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

science17 days ago•9 min saved

Astronomers Reconstruct Exoplanet Orbits Using Decades of Telescope Data

Astronomer Jason Wang has created visualizations of exoplanet orbits by compiling images taken over 12 to 17 years. Using motion interpolation, a technique common in video editing, he reconstructs the slow, predictable movements of these distant worlds based on Kepler’s laws. This method allows for the direct visualization of exoplanets, a feat previously thought impossible without continuous nightly observation. The work has contributed to scientific papers and highlights the patience required for long-term astronomical imaging.

via Hackaday|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

science1 month ago•1 min saved

Elias 2-24 b Confirmed as Youngest Planet, Defying Formation Models

Astronomers have confirmed Elias 2-24 b as the youngest known planet, with an age under one million years. Located 450 light-years away, this Jupiter-mass world is still actively accreting material within its natal disk. Its rapid formation at a distance far from its host star challenges existing models, which predict such planets take millions of years to develop. The discovery, confirmed using archival data from the W. M. Keck Observatory, resolves a decade-long debate regarding a faint signal first spotted by ALMA and the VLT. This finding highlights the need for updated theories and sets the stage for future detections by NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.

via Gizmodo|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

science1 month ago•104 min saved

Astronomers Confirm 'Baby' Exoplanet Elias 2-24 b as Youngest World on Record

A team led by Andrea Bernardi confirmed Elias 2-24 b as the youngest known exoplanet, aged under one million years. Located 450 light-years away, this Jupiter-mass world was identified in archival data from the W.M. Keck Observatory, resolving a decade-long mystery regarding a gap in its host star's disk. The discovery challenges current planet-formation models, which predict such massive planets take at least five million years to form at this distance. NASA’s recently launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is expected to improve detection capabilities for similar 'baby' planets in the future.

via Space|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

science1 year ago•7 min saved

Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS Reveals Unique Features and Water Activity

Keck Observatory's analysis of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS revealed unusual spectral features, including a rare anti-solar tail and unexpected metal abundances, raising intriguing questions about its composition and origin.

via IFLScience|

#3iatlas #anti-tail #interstellar-object

science1 year ago•9 min saved

Scientists Witness Rare Supernova Core, Unveiling Cosmic Secrets

Astronomers observed a supernova, SN 2021yf, that revealed the star's inner layers of heavier elements like silicon, sulfur, and argon, challenging existing models of stellar death and suggesting a new, more violent pathway for massive stars to end their lives. This discovery supports some theories but also raises questions about the extent of material ejection before supernova explosions, indicating potential new types of stellar explosions.

via SciTechDaily|

#astronomy #keck-observatory #new-supernova-type

science2 years ago•7 min saved

NASA Unveils Catalog of 126 Exotic Exoplanets

NASA's new TESS-Keck Survey catalog has unveiled 126 exoplanets, showcasing a diverse array of extreme and exotic worlds. This catalog, created using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the W.M. Keck Observatory, includes detailed measurements of planet mass and radius, providing insights into their composition and formation. The findings highlight the vast diversity of planetary systems and may help scientists understand the uniqueness of our solar system.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

science2 years ago•5 min saved

"NASA Unveils Catalog of 126 Exotic Alien Worlds"

An international team of scientists has released a NASA catalog featuring 126 newly discovered exoplanets with detailed measurements, enhancing our understanding of planetary diversity and formation. Using data from the TESS and Keck Observatory, the catalog includes planets with extreme environments and potential habitability, contributing significantly to the study of planetary systems and the search for life beyond Earth.

via Phys.org|

#astronomy #exoplanets #keck-observatory

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

"Dark Matter Dominated Micro-Galaxy Unlocks Milky Way Mystery"

Scientists have discovered a micro galaxy, Ursa Major III / UNIONS 1 (UMa3/U1), orbiting the Milky Way, challenging previous knowledge about celestial structures. This cluster of stars, located 30,000 light-years away, is the faintest and lowest-mass satellite ever detected within our galaxy and may be predominantly governed by dark matter. The micro galaxy, made up of approximately 60 ancient stars, defies conventional categorization and its existence may challenge our understanding of galaxy formation and the definition of a galaxy. The discovery was made possible by the Keck Observatory's Deep Imaging Multi-Object Spectrograph, and it may shed light on the influence of dark matter on visible matter in the universe.

via Giant Freakin Robot|

#astronomy #dark-matter #galaxy-formation

astronomy2 years ago•2 min saved

"Discovery of Micro 'Galaxy' Orbiting Milky Way Challenges Galactic Classification"

Astronomers have discovered a faint and tiny collection of stars, Ursa Major III / UNIONS 1 (UMa3/U1), orbiting the Milky Way, possibly dominated by dark matter and challenging our understanding of galaxy formation. The system, located 30,000 light-years away, consists of around 60 10-billion-year-old stars and may be either a dwarf galaxy or a star cluster. The stars are gravitationally bound together, and the team's analysis suggests that dark matter is responsible for holding them in their group. This discovery may have implications for the Lambda Cold Dark Matter (LCDM) model and could potentially redefine the concept of a 'galaxy.'

via Gizmodo|

#astronomy #dark-matter #dwarf-galaxy

astronomy2 years ago•3 min saved

"Scientists Discover Massive 350,000-Mile Comet-Like Tail on Distant Exoplanet"

The exoplanet WASP-69b, located 160 light-years from Earth, is trailing a massive comet-like tail approximately 350,000 miles long as its atmosphere is blown off by its parent star. New observations from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii reveal that the planet's atmosphere is escaping at a rate of 200,000 tons per second, forming an expansive tail not previously seen. This discovery provides a rare opportunity to study atmospheric mass-loss in real time and understand the critical physics that shape thousands of other planets.

via Space.com|

#astronomy #atmosphere #comet-like-tail

astronomy3 years ago•2 min saved

"Groundbreaking Video Captures First-Ever Glimpse of Cosmic Web's Interstellar Light"

Astronomers have captured the faint glow of the cosmic web, the largest structure in the universe that connects galaxies, for the first time. This breakthrough provides valuable insights into galaxy formation, evolution, and the elusive dark matter. By using the Keck Cosmic Web Imager, researchers created a 3D map of the cosmic web by detecting emissions from hydrogen gas. The images reveal the crisscrossing filaments of the cosmic web, which feed galaxies with gas for growth and star formation. This discovery opens up new possibilities for studying the universe and understanding its origins.

via Yahoo! Voices|

#astronomy #cosmic-web #dark-matter

astronomy3 years ago•4 min saved

Solving the Mystery of Missing Twins in the Galactic Center.

Astronomers have found that young supermassive stars near the Milky Way’s black hole are single, not binary, a finding contrary to normal supermassive star formation. The black hole’s extreme environment causes these stellar binaries to merge or disrupt, leading to fewer binary pairs compared to similar stars near Earth. This suggests the black hole’s influence on gravitational waves production and hypervelocity star creation.

via SciTechDaily|

#astronomy #binary-stars #galactic-center

science-and-astronomy3 years ago•5 min saved

Saturn's Rings Being Pulled Inward by Planet's Gravity.

Saturn's iconic rings are disappearing, and the rate at which they are shrinking is still uncertain. To better estimate the lifetime of the rings, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and the Keck Observatory in Hawaii will be part of a long-term observation campaign to study the planet. The telescopes will help monitor how the "ring rain" phenomenon fluctuates during one full season on the gas giant, which lasts about seven Earth-years thanks to its orbit far away from the sun. The new research will help with forecasting the fate of the rings, and astronomers hope to narrow down the range of how much ring material is raining onto the planet.

via Space.com|

#james-webb-space-telescope #keck-observatory #planetary-science