The Dark Doodad: Why This Cosmic ‘Void’ Is Actually Full of Stars-to-Be
Dark nebulae like the Dark Doodad are star nurseries, not empty voids. Discover the science behind the APOD image of NGC 4372 and the Dark Doodad, and how to see it yourself.
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The Cosmic Drift: How We Caught a Star Before It Was Born
Astronomers using ALMA have captured the first direct observation of gas drifting inward within a prestellar core—the slow motion that signals the birth of a new star. This cosmic ‘drift’ rewrites our understanding of star formation.
An Island of Calm at the Violent Heart of the Galaxy
Astronomers discover a calm gas filament near the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, where stars are forming despite extreme turbulence. A quiet island in a cosmic storm.
Hubble Captures Crimson Cloud Sparkling with White, Blue Stars
NASA’s Hubble captures a stunning crimson nebula NGC 1333, sparkling with white and blue stars. A window into star formation and our cosmic origins.
Massive Galaxies That Died Young: Astronomers Find a Cause
New research identifies black hole mergers as the cause of massive galaxies that formed stars rapidly then abruptly stopped, solving a long-standing cosmic mystery.