Scientists examining archival observations from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory have identified what appears to be a previously unrecognized class of extremely bright X-ray sources in nearby galaxies. The finding shows how older astronomical data can continue to produce important discoveries when researchers analyze it with new questions and methods. The observations were collected between 1999 and 2017. Jimmy Irwin, a physics and astronomy professor at the University of Alabama, began investigating the data roughly 12 years ago, while graduate student Rafa Muallah led the study described in the article. The researchers found that the sources are both unusually luminous and relatively common in galaxies, making them potentially important for understanding how stars evolve and how extreme cosmic systems form. The objects may have several possible explanations. Some could be precursors to particular kinds of stellar explosions, including supernovae. Others might be unusual multiple-star systems. One possibility is a triple-star arrangement in which two of the stars have collapsed into black holes, although further observations will be needed to determine the objects’ true nature. The sources were identified through their X-ray emissions. X-rays have shorter wavelengths and higher energy than visible light, and astronomers often distinguish between “hard” X-rays, which carry more energy, and “soft” X-rays, which carry less. Studying the balance between these types of radiation can help scientists determine what is producing the emissions. The discovery could help address broader questions about black holes, stellar explosions, and the development of galaxies. However, the research does not yet establish a single explanation for the objects, so follow-up observations and additional analysis will be necessary.

To commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, NASA has presented four cosmic images captured by the Chandra Observatory in red, white, and blue tones. Each image combines X-ray data with infrared and optical observations, accompanied by sonifications that translate…

An international team of astronomers recently found not one, but two of the strangest and rarest of all cosmic objects, and in the same star system no less. Called brown dwarfs, these peculiar objects are invaluable resources for learning about the formation of stars, planets, and systems. These would-be stars fail to accumulate enough mass […] The post The Wild Quadruple Star System Contains Not One, but Two of the Most Illusive Objects in the Galaxy appeared first on Good News Network.