There are a number of regions and objects in outer space that are favorite observation targets for astronomers - often because they are nearby (and therefore easier to observe), and because they are prime examples of an object such as a stellar nursery or black hole.
But sometimes, even the most famous, long-observed and studied objects in this region can have surprises. Recently, observations from the world's most advanced James Webb Space Telescope showed that a star called WL 20S, located in the frequently observed WL20 region, turned out to be not a single star, but actually a pair of twins.
The WL20 star system has been known and studied by astronomers for a long time. But what caught their attention was that one of the stars in the system appeared to be much younger than the others. Using a combination of MIRI and James Webb’s ALMA, scientists were surprised to discover that these were actually twin stars sitting next to each other. Each star is surrounded by a disk of material, and each disk emits jets parallel to the other.
Specifically, the observations were made using Webb's MIRI system and a cluster of ground-based telescopes called ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array). James Webb is tasked with observing the jets of matter escaping from the star, while ALMA targets the disks of matter surrounding them.
“If scientists had not seen two stars before, the observations might have looked like a single disc with a gap in the middle. However, the new data clearly show that the two stars are at a critical point in their lives, when the energy for their formation is running out.”
The disks of material surrounding each star are capable of forming planets, while the jets consist of streams of charged particles ejected from each star's poles. Since the jets are visible at infrared wavelengths, which Webb operates at, and the disks are visible at radio wavelengths, which ALMA does, it took two instruments working together to make this discovery.
This event is extremely rare, but the team hopes to observe more in the future thanks to JWST and other advanced observatories coming online.
What to expect from the world of space and astronomy in 2025? Let's explore the unmissable astronomy moments this year!
Exoplanets are planets located outside the Solar System.
A stunning new image sent back from the world's most expensive space telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, shows the moment two galaxies are about to collide.
The Hubble Space Telescope has continued to demonstrate its irreplaceable importance in the field of astronomical research, bringing back to humanity a unique image showing the brilliant beauty of the Veil Nebula.
This stunning image shows a fiery object called the Rosette Nebula located 5,000 light-years from Earth, and was captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) instrument on the Víctor M. Blanco 4m Telescope in Chile.
The universe is truly amazing, partly because of its enormous size, and also because of the mysteries that are beyond human imagination.
The Hubble Space Telescope has recently encountered some operational problems, forcing scientists to change the way it operates.
The ability to detect X-rays also makes Chandra important for complex astronomical missions.
Exoplanets are planets located outside the Solar System.
Astronomers have discovered a truly ancient monster: a stream of radio waves estimated to be 200,000 light-years wide, thought to have been around since the universe was less than 10 percent of its current age.
New images sent back from the Hubble Space Telescope show a small dwarf galaxy called IC 3430 located 45 million light-years away.
July 12 marked two years since the first images taken by the most expensive space telescope in history, the James Webb Space Telescope, were released.
The Hubble Space Telescope has continued to demonstrate its irreplaceable importance in the field of astronomical research, bringing back to humanity a unique photo showing the rare beauty of the Tarantula Nebula.
Here's how to set up do not disturb mode on Google Pixel phones.
In case you have a Xiaomi phone running MIUI 12 or are just curious about what this software has to offer, here are 10 features you should definitely know about.
MSConfig is a versatile tool that is great for managing the startup process on your computer. It can also be used for more than just troubleshooting performance and stability issues.
Puzzle pieces in PowerPoint can be created manually through Shapes or you can download available puzzle piece templates to use for presentation slides.
The automatic home coffee maker is a modern and professional product, bringing you and your family "delicious" cups of coffee with just a few quick steps.
Wicked, the big screen version of the beloved Broadway musical, has been a huge success. Behind it all, there are some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories that sound unbelievable but are 100% true.
On June 24, the YouTube account of graphic designer Hashem Al-Ghaili posted a video promoting the idea of a nuclear-powered floating hotel called Sky Cruise.
Sometimes, even famous objects, observed and studied for a very long time, contain many surprises.
Hidden away in the app, Photoshop Actions is a beloved feature of the popular photo editing tool, meant to speed up workflows without the need for AI.
Building a reputation, conceptualizing your message, and positioning yourself as your expertise is where these methods used by successful speakers to make money will come in handy.
The English vocabulary is rich with easily recognizable pairs of antonyms. However, there are exceptions, below are English pairs of words that are not antonyms despite containing commonly found opposite prefixes.
By redeeming Kurokus Basket Showdown codes, you will get a lot of free coins to buy decorations or spins for the basketball style game.
All Star Tower Defense Codes allow players to receive rewards for free. From these rewards, you will have the opportunity to interact with your favorite Avengers and Anime characters.
Did you know Microsoft is celebrating its 50th birthday this week?
Recently, many users have reported that they cannot save their edits using Magic Editor.
