Read article 'VLT discovers early galactic cluster'
How the first groups of galaxies formed is one of the biggest mysteries in modern cosmology. Now another piece of the puzzle has been identified by the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, with the di...
Read article 'New study takes a dim view of quasars'
Some of the universe’s most luminous objects might not be as bright as they seem. A recent study suggests that around a third of high-redshift quasars may have their emission magnified by a fact...
Read article 'Cosmic Background Imager confirms flat universe observations'
The first results from the Cosmic Background Imager (CBI) were released in May. Observations of the microwave background are the closest astronomers can get to the Big Bang, and fluctuations in this r...
Read article 'Debate sparked on quark stars'
Recent observations of two neutron stars have led to the announcement that a new form of matter might have been found. Astronomers using NASA’s Chandra X-ray observatory claim that one of the st...
Read article 'Major upgrade prepares wizard telescopes for a good spell'
The UK’s 217 km MERLIN array of radio telescopes is undergoing a major upgrade. The array already has a resolution equivalent to that of the Hubble Space Telescope. But once the £2.4 millio...
Read article 'Hubble telescope gets a new look'
So many exciting discoveries have been made using the Hubble Space Telescope that it seems much longer than 12 years since its launch. This run is now being extended thanks to a successful servicing m...
Read article 'VLT identifies white dwarfs with record orbiting speeds'
Two white dwarf stars have entered the record books with the fastest orbital period known for any stellar system. It takes just 5 min for these two Earth-sized stars to orbit each other – that&#...
Read article 'Galaxy redefines reionization epoch'
Lyman alpha emission has been detected from a galaxy of redshift z = 6.56. If confirmed, this discovery pushes back the limits of when reionization could have occurred in the early universe. The dista...
Read article 'The end of the universe may be frozen in time'
The long-term future of extragalactic astronomy could be dark and dreary, according to new theoretical research. Such a prediction might have not have been taken so seriously, had it not originated fr...
Read article 'DESY workshop combines gravity and particle physics'
Gravity and particle physics took centre stage at last year's DESY theory workshop. As chairman of the organizing committee Dieter Lüst reports, there was plenty to talk about.
