Runaway stars reveal hidden black hole in Milky Way's nearest neighbor
Astronomers have discovered strong evidence for the closest supermassive black hole outside of the Milky Way galaxy. This giant black hole is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, one of the nearest galactic neighbors to our own.
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-....runaway-stars-reveal
Ultra-hot nova observed erupting: Surprising chemical signature
Astronomers have for the first time observed a recurring nova outside of the Milky Way in near-infrared light. The data revealed highly unusual chemical emissions as well as one of the hottest temperatures ever reported for a nova, both indicative of an extremely violent eruption.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/03/2503
Small and large planets have significantly different upbringings
Studying the orbits of thousands of exoplanets shows that large planets tend to have elliptical orbits, while smaller planets tend to have more circular orbits. This split coincides with several other classic features in the exoplanet population, such as the high abundance of small planets over large planets and a tendency for giant planets to only form around stars enriched in heavy elements such as oxygen, carbon and iron. The finding points toward two distinct pathways for forming small and large planets.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/r....eleases/2025/03/2503
Discovery of potential exoplanet companion to hot Jupiter TOI-2818b offers clues to planet formation
Scientists from UNSW Sydney have located a potential new exoplanet—a planet that orbits a star outside of our solar system—using a technique known as "transit timing variation."
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-....discovery-potential-
Astronomer finds gas giant exoplanets formed earlier than previously thought
A fresh look at past data reveals that exoplanets with masses similar to Jupiter formed much sooner than previously thought, according to new research. The Ohio State University study's results provide new information about the timing of accretion—the process of accumulating a large amount of gas as well as solid particles that are rich in carbon and oxygen to make large planets, like Jupiter.
https://phys.org/news/2025-03-....astronomer-gas-giant
