#astronomy

New observations are forcing astronomers to rethink models of galaxy formation after discovering massive galaxies that existed when the universe was only 1.4 billion years old. These ancient giants shouldn't exist according to standard cosmological models, prompting a reassessment of how quickly structure can emerge in the early universe.

Astronomers using the ALMA telescope have produced the largest image ever taken of the Milky Way's central region, spanning 650 light-years. The mosaic reveals a complex network of cold gas filaments and dozens of molecules, from simple silicon compounds to complex organics like acetone and ethanol.

A massive international collaboration using the James Webb Space Telescope and ALMA has identified 70 dusty galaxies from the universe's first billion years. These ancient objects appear to have formed stars far earlier than current models predict, potentially forcing a fundamental reassessment of how galaxies evolve.

Astronomers have discovered CDG-2, one of the most enigmatic galaxies ever observed, located 300 million light-years away in the Perseus cluster. Composed of approximately 99 percent dark matter, this ultra-faint object was detected through an innovative technique that searched for clustered groupings of globular star clusters rather than starlight.

The new moon on February 17 brings the darkest skies of the month, creating ideal conditions for observing winter constellations, bright planets, and an annular solar eclipse visible from parts of the Southern Hemisphere.

Astronomers have discovered a rocky planet orbiting far from its star in a position where only gas giants were thought to exist, challenging fundamental assumptions about how planetary systems form.

Astronomers have captured a remarkable heart-shaped outburst from a dying star shedding its outer layers, creating one of the most unusual stellar structures ever observed.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory and JWST are poised to increase the catalog of known Kuiper Belt objects tenfold, revealing hidden structures and possibly unseen planets in the solar system's outer frontier.