Many stars in our galaxy do not live in solitude. Astronomers estimate that up to half of all stars are part of binary or multiple-star systems, where two stars orbit around a common center of mass. In these systems, the interaction between the companions can drastically alter their evolution compared to stars that live alone….
In early 2025, astronomers using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) discovered Teleios—a remarkably symmetrical, spherical structure in the Milky Way that defies conventional expectations. Unlike typical chaotic supernova remnants, Teleios appears as a near-perfect circle in radio wavelengths yet remains invisible in optical light. Its distance is debated, estimated between 7,175 and 25,114…
Astronomers reveal that powerful energy streams—dubbed quasar tsunamis—are launching from supermassive black holes at galaxies’ cores and sweeping across interstellar space like cosmic shock waves. First-hand observations using Hubble and X-ray telescopes indicate that these outflows are massive—moving at relativistic speeds and heating surrounding gas to billions of degrees. Community reports from astrophysics teams confirm…
Astronomers now recognize that a significant number of stars actually consume nearby planets or planetary debris, altering their chemical makeup and life trajectories. Recent observations, such as those from Gaia and ground‑based telescopes, indicate that roughly 1 in 12 twin-star systems show evidence of iron, nickel, and titanium enrichment consistent with planetary ingestion—affecting stars even…
While the life cycle of stars is often portrayed as a predictable path from birth to supernova or black hole, stellar collisions present a dramatic and lesser-known chapter in the universe’s story. When two stars—especially in binary systems—spiral into each other due to gravitational forces, they merge in a cataclysmic event that can release more…
Venus, often called Earth’s twin due to its similar size and composition, harbors one of the solar system’s greatest mysteries—its retrograde rotation. Unlike most planets that spin counterclockwise, Venus rotates clockwise, making the Sun rise in the west and set in the east. Even more baffling, its rotation is extremely slow: one day on Venus…
Saturn, the gas giant known for its stunning ring system, hides one of the most bizarre and enduring weather patterns in our solar system—a massive hexagon-shaped storm at its north pole. First discovered by the Voyager missions in the 1980s and later studied in greater detail by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, this atmospheric feature spans about…
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, holds many secrets beneath its thick bands of stormy clouds. One of the most bizarre and awe-inspiring phenomena is the presence of silent lightning storms. Unlike Earth, where thunder accompanies lightning, Jupiter’s electrical discharges occur in near silence — at least to human ears — due to…
In the vast expanse of the cosmos, stars typically follow a predictable life cycle—from formation in nebulae to eventual demise as white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes. However, the star SAO 244567, located approximately 2,700 light-years away in the Stingray Nebula, has defied this norm. Over the past few decades, astronomers have observed this…
In the vastness of the cosmos, galaxies are not static—they grow, collide, and sometimes consume others in a process known as galactic cannibalism. This dramatic cosmic event occurs when a larger galaxy gravitationally pulls in and absorbs a smaller one, reshaping its own structure and stellar population. Unlike explosive collisions, this devouring is often slow…
