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Methane emission from a cool brown dwarf
Methane emission from a very cool brown dwarf, perhaps arising from an aurora, has been detected in James Webb Space Telescope observations.
- Jacqueline K. Faherty
- , Ben Burningham
- & Niall Whiteford
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Article |
Stripped-envelope supernova light curves argue for central engine activity
Analysis of the energy budget of a sample of 54 well-observed stripped-envelope supernovae of all sub-types shows statistically significant, largely model-independent, observational evidence for a non-radioactive power source in most of them.
- Ósmar Rodríguez
- , Ehud Nakar
- & Dan Maoz
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Article |
At least one in a dozen stars shows evidence of planetary ingestion
By analysing the chemical abundance differences of pairs of co-moving stars born together, it is found that about 8% show chemical signatures that indicate ingestion of planetary material.
- Fan Liu
- , Yuan-Sen Ting
- & Fei Dai
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Article |
Buoyant crystals halt the cooling of white dwarf stars
A population of freezing white dwarf stars maintaining a constant luminosity for a duration comparable with the age of the universe can be explained by a solid–liquid distillation mechanism interrupting cooling for billions of years.
- Antoine Bédard
- , Simon Blouin
- & Sihao Cheng
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Matters Arising |
Replying to: Probing supernovae and kicks in post-supernova binaries
- Noel D. Richardson
- & Jan J. Eldridge
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Article |
A shock flash breaking out of a dusty red supergiant
A type II supernova (SN 2023ixf) was observed in the galaxy M101 at a distance of 6.85 ± 0.15 Mpc, at about 1.0 h after the explosion.
- Gaici Li
- , Maokai Hu
- & Eliot Herman
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Article
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A probable Keplerian disk feeding an optically revealed massive young star
The authors suggest that a probable Keplerian disk is feeding an optically revealed massive young stellar object in the Large Magellanic Cloud.
- Anna F. McLeod
- , Pamela D. Klaassen
- & Adam Ginsburg
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Article |
An evolutionary continuum from nucleated dwarf galaxies to star clusters
In the Virgo galaxy cluster, we identified a continuum of objects that maps the morphological transition between nucleated dwarf galaxies and ultra-compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs), providing evidence for the formation of UCDs through tidal stripping of ancient dwarf galaxies.
- Kaixiang Wang
- , Eric W. Peng
- & Mingcheng Zhu
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Article |
15NH3 in the atmosphere of a cool brown dwarf
Observations from the JWST MIRI showed the detection of 14NH3 and 15NH3 isotopologues in the atmosphere of a cool brown dwarf, along with a 14N/15N value consistent with star-like formation by gravitational collapse.
- David Barrado
- , Paul Mollière
- & Gillian Wright
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Article
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A metal-poor star with abundances from a pair-instability supernova
The chemical composition of the Galactic halo star J1010+2358 shows extremely low sodium and cobalt abundances, different from most other halo stars, indicative of a very metal-poor star being seeded with elements from a pair-instability supernova.
- Qian-Fan Xing
- , Gang Zhao
- & Jing-Kun Zhao
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Observing the onset of pressure-driven K-shell delocalization
Experiments at the National Ignition Facility show how delocalization of K-shell electrons is driven by extreme pressure and temperature.
- T. Döppner
- , M. Bethkenhagen
- & D. O. Gericke
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Article |
Atmospheric molecular blobs shape up circumstellar envelopes of AGB stars
The authors report observations of recently formed dust and molecular gas in the atmosphere of IRC+10°216 and interpret HCN, SiS and SiC2 lines as large convective cells in the photosphere, as seen in Betelgeuse.
- L. Velilla-Prieto
- , J. P. Fonfría
- & J. Cernicharo
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Article
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Resolved imaging confirms a radiation belt around an ultracool dwarf
This study presents high-resolution imaging of the ultracool dwarf LSR J1835 + 3259 at 8.4 GHz, demonstrating that its quiescent radio emission is spatially resolved and traces a double-lobed and axisymmetrical structure with properties consistent with radiation belt observations and modelling.
- Melodie M. Kao
- , Amy J. Mioduszewski
- & Evgenya L. Shkolnik
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Article
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A helium-burning white dwarf binary as a supersoft X-ray source
Analysis of a supersoft X-ray source shows an accretion disk whose optical spectrum is completely dominated by helium, suggesting that it is a white dwarf binary accreting helium from a hydrogen-free donor star.
- J. Greiner
- , C. Maitra
- & R. Vanderspek
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A high-mass X-ray binary descended from an ultra-stripped supernova
A recently discovered high-mass X-ray binary has an evolutionary history showing the neutron star component formed during an ultra-stripped supernova, and has orbital elements that should allow for forming a binary neutron star in the future.
- Noel D. Richardson
- , Clarissa M. Pavao
- & Jeremy Hare
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Stellar initial mass function varies with metallicity and time
A direct star-counting method of about 93,000 M-dwarf stars in the solar neighbourhood indicates a variable stellar initial mass function that depends on both metallicity and stellar age.
- Jiadong Li
- , Chao Liu
- & Zhi-Qiang Yan
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Article
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Radiation-driven acceleration in the expanding WR140 dust shell
Multiepoch imagery of the circumstellar dust shell in WR140 is modelled to trace the expansion of the dust plume, which seems to be subject to radiation-driven acceleration.
- Yinuo Han
- , Peter G. Tuthill
- & Anthony Soulain
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Magnetic fields of 30 to 100 kG in the cores of red giant stars
Magnetic fields of 30 to 100 kilogauss are measured in the cores of three giant red stars observed with the Kepler satellite.
- Gang Li
- , Sébastien Deheuvels
- & François Lignières
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Article |
A highly magnified star at redshift 6.2
A massive star at a redshift of 6.2, corresponding to 900 million years after the Big Bang, is magnified greatly by lensing of the foreground galaxy cluster WH0137–08.
- Brian Welch
- , Dan Coe
- & Tom Broadhurst
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Article
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A time-resolved picture of our Milky Way’s early formation history
A sample of approximately 250,000 subgiant stars enables an alternative view of the Milky Way’s assembly history, especially the early formation history of the old disk and halo.
- Maosheng Xiang
- & Hans-Walter Rix
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Article |
A white dwarf accreting planetary material determined from X-ray observations
An X-ray source is detected at the expected position of the white dwarf star G29–38, which enables the calculation of the accretion rate of planetary material without using stellar atmosphere models.
- Tim Cunningham
- , Peter J. Wheatley
- & Dimitri Veras
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Star formation near the Sun is driven by expansion of the Local Bubble
Three-dimensional analysis of the solar neighbourhood shows that nearly all star-forming regions near the Sun lie on the surface of the Local Bubble, which was inflated by supernovae about 14 million years ago.
- Catherine Zucker
- , Alyssa A. Goodman
- & Cameren Swiggum
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A stellar stream remnant of a globular cluster below the metallicity floor
Observations of a stellar stream below the metallicity floor for a disrupted globular cluster are described.
- Nicolas F. Martin
- , Kim A. Venn
- & Alessio Mucciarelli
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A wide-orbit giant planet in the high-mass b Centauri binary system
A direct imaging study demonstrates the existence of a giant planet in a wide orbit around the high-mass b Centauri binary system, and uses measurements of the orbital properties to discuss its formation mechanism.
- Markus Janson
- , Raffaele Gratton
- & Joseph C. Carson
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r-Process elements from magnetorotational hypernovae
Observations of an extremely metal-poor star suggest that rapidly rotating massive stars with large magnetic fields were a source of r-process elements in the early Universe.
- D. Yong
- , C. Kobayashi
- & B. P. Schmidt
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A dusty veil shading Betelgeuse during its Great Dimming
The southern hemisphere of Betelgeuse during its Great Dimming was an order of magnitude darker than usual, owing to a cool patch on the photosphere and associated dust formation.
- M. Montargès
- , E. Cannon
- & W. Danchi
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Article |
All-sky dynamical response of the Galactic halo to the Large Magellanic Cloud
The detection of structure in the distribution of giant stars in the outer Galactic halo shows the substantial global impact of the Magellanic clouds on our Galaxy.
- Charlie Conroy
- , Rohan P. Naidu
- & Benjamin D. Johnson
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Review Article |
Core-collapse supernova explosion theory
The factors affecting how and why supernovae occur are discussed, and the current status of core-collapse supernova explosion theory is reviewed.
- A. Burrows
- & D. Vartanyan
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Article |
Enhanced triple-α reaction reduces proton-rich nucleosynthesis in supernovae
The triple-α reaction rate in proton-rich core-collapse supernovae is found to be enhanced at high nucleon densities, suppressing the formation of proton-rich nuclei from gallium to cadmium.
- Shilun Jin
- , Luke F. Roberts
- & Hendrik Schatz
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Experimental evidence of neutrinos produced in the CNO fusion cycle in the Sun
Direct experimental evidence of the carbon–nitrogen–oxygen fusion cycle in the Sun is provided by the detection of neutrinos emitted during this process.
- M. Agostini
- , K. Altenmüller
- & G. Zuzel
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Article |
A blue ring nebula from a stellar merger several thousand years ago
Observations and stellar evolution models of a blue ring nebula and its central star (TYC 2597-735-1) suggest that the remnant star merged with a lower-mass companion several thousand years ago.
- Keri Hoadley
- , D. Christopher Martin
- & Bradley E. Schaefer
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Stellar clustering shapes the architecture of planetary systems
The architecture of planetary systems is shown to be strongly affected by stellar clustering in position-velocity phase space; hot Jupiters occur preferentially at high density, suggesting that their extreme orbits originate from environmental perturbations.
- Andrew J. Winter
- , J. M. Diederik Kruijssen
- & Mélanie Chevance
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A measure of the size of the magnetospheric accretion region in TW Hydrae
The size of the inner disk of the T Tauri star TW Hydrae is determined using optical long-baseline interferometric observations, indicating that hydrogen emission comes from a region approximately 3.5 stellar radii across.
- R. Garcia Lopez
- , A. Natta
- & G. Zins
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A planet within the debris disk around the pre-main-sequence star AU Microscopii
A transiting planet with a period of about 8.5 days and a radius 0.4 times that of Jupiter is reported within the debris disk around the star AU Microscopii.
- Peter Plavchan
- , Thomas Barclay
- & Perri Zilberman
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Article |
Very regular high-frequency pulsation modes in young intermediate-mass stars
The pulsation spectra of intermediate-mass stars (so-called δ Scuti stars) have been challenging to analyse, but new observations of 60 such stars reveal remarkably regular sequences of high-frequency pulsation modes.
- Timothy R. Bedding
- , Simon J. Murphy
- & Roland K. Vanderspek
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Matters Arising |
Reply to: On the signature of a 70-solar-mass black hole in LB-1
- Jifeng Liu
- , Roberto Soria
- & Hailong Yuan
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Matters Arising |
On the signature of a 70-solar-mass black hole in LB-1
- Michael Abdul-Masih
- , Gareth Banyard
- & Hugues Sana
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Article |
Alfvénic velocity spikes and rotational flows in the near-Sun solar wind
Data collected by the Parker Solar Probe in the solar corona are used to determine the organization of Alfvén waves, revealing an increasing flow velocity peaking at 35–50 km s−1.
- J. C. Kasper
- , S. D. Bale
- & N. A. Schwadron
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Letter |
Stellar mergers as the origin of magnetic massive stars
Simulated mergers of two massive stars provide a solution to the long-standing puzzle of the origin of strong magnetic fields in a subset of massive stars.
- Fabian R. N. Schneider
- , Sebastian T. Ohlmann
- & Volker Springel
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Letter |
Absence of a thick atmosphere on the terrestrial exoplanet LHS 3844b
Phase curve measurements for the small (1.3 Earth radii) terrestrial exoplanet LHS 3844b show absence of a thick atmosphere, in agreement with theoretical predictions.
- Laura Kreidberg
- , Daniel D. B. Koll
- & Roland Vanderspek
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Letter |
General relativistic orbital decay in a seven-minute-orbital-period eclipsing binary system
Observations of an eclipsing double-white-dwarf binary with an orbital period of 6.91 minutes that is decaying as predicted by general relativity are reported; once launched, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) should swiftly detect this binary.
- Kevin B. Burdge
- , Michael W. Coughlin
- & Thomas A. Prince
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Letter |
A massive white-dwarf merger product before final collapse
The merger of two white dwarfs created a massive, hot, luminous, rotating and magnetized star with a lifetime of several thousand years, which will collapse into a type Ic supernova.
- Vasilii V. Gvaramadze
- , Götz Gräfener
- & Olga I. Spiridonova
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Letter |
A distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud that is precise to one per cent
A new calibration of the surface brightness–colour relation of eclipsing binary stars gives a distance to the Large Magellanic Cloud that is precise to one per cent.
- G. Pietrzyński
- , D. Graczyk
- & W. Narloch
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Letter |
Core crystallization and pile-up in the cooling sequence of evolving white dwarfs
Photometry and parallax data from the Gaia satellite provide direct observational evidence of a theoretically predicted pile-up in the cooling sequence of white dwarfs, which is associated with core crystallization.
- Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay
- , Gilles Fontaine
- & Tim Cunningham
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Letter |
A recurrent nova super-remnant in the Andromeda galaxy
A frequently recurring nova is surrounded by an enormous cavity in space, produced as the nova’s ejecta ‘sweeps up’ the interstellar medium around the star after each eruption.
- M. J. Darnley
- , R. Hounsell
- & S. C. Williams
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Letter |
Disruption of the Orion molecular core 1 by wind from the massive star θ1 Orionis C
Wind from the most massive star in the Trapezium cluster in Orion has carved out a large and expanding cavity around the cluster, bounded by a thin, 2,600-solar-mass shell.
- C. Pabst
- , R. Higgins
- & A. G. G. M. Tielens
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Letter |
The merger that led to the formation of the Milky Way’s inner stellar halo and thick disk
A galaxy slightly larger than the Small Magellanic Cloud merged with the Milky Way about 10 billion years ago, thickening the ancient disk and forging the Galaxy’s inner halo.
- Amina Helmi
- , Carine Babusiaux
- & Anthony G. A. Brown
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Article |
Comprehensive measurement of pp-chain solar neutrinos
All components of the proton–proton nuclear fusion chain, in which hydrogen is converted into helium in the Sun, are described, with several implications for fundamental solar and particle physics.
- M. Agostini
- , K. Altenmüller
- & G. Zuzel
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Letter |
Outbursts of luminous blue variable stars from variations in the helium opacity
Three-dimensional simulations of the convective envelopes of massive stars suggest that it is the helium opacity that controls outbursts in luminous blue variable stars.
- Yan-Fei Jiang
- , Matteo Cantiello
- & James Stone
The solar dynamo begins near the surface