Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) have discovered vast reservoirs of water vapor in the disc around HL Tauri, a young star 450 light-years away from Earth, unveiling processes that may lead to the birth of planets rich in water and redefining our search for life in the universe.
Astronomers have discovered the absence of a massive unstable star in the Kinman Dwarf galaxy using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT). One explanation offered is the end of a luminous blue variable (LBV) eruption of a surviving star, with a mild drop in…
The European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) have revealed possible signs of a star system being born. Around young star, AB Aurigae lies a dense disc of gas and dust, where astronomers have spotted a prominent spiral structure with a…
A new study commissioned by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) evaluated the effects of mega-constellations on astronomical observations and scientific research as astronomers recently expressed concerns over its impact. The research considered a total of 18…
The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) has captured the unusual dimming of Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion constellation. The images of the star's surface not only show it losing luminosity but also its shape…
A temperate Earth-sized planet has been discovered only 11 light-years from the Solar System by a team using ESO’s unique planet-hunting HARPS instrument. The new world has the designation Ross 128 b and is now the second-closest temperate planet to be…
ESO’s fleet of telescopes in Chile have detected the first visible counterpart to a gravitational wave source. These historic observations suggest that this unique object is the result of the merger of two neutron stars. The cataclysmic aftermaths of this kind…
The spectacular planetary nebula NGC 7009, or the Saturn Nebula, emerges from the darkness like a series of oddly-shaped bubbles, lit up in glorious pinks and blues. This colorful image was captured by the powerful MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope…
Astronomers have used ESO’s Very Large Telescope to obtain spectacular new infrared images of Jupiter. They are part of a campaign to create high-resolution maps of the giant planet. A team led by Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester in the United…
A €9M contract was announced last week for UK-based engineers and designers to build MOONS (Multi-Object Optical and Near-infrared Spectrograph) that aims to tackle some of the most compelling astronomical puzzles – such as how stars and galaxies form and evo
