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Physicists Discover a New Way to Extract Energy From Black Holes

A remarkable prediction of Einstein's theory of general relativity--the theory that connects space, time, and gravity--is that rotating black holes have enormous amounts of energy available to be tapped.

15 Jan 2021

Gamma-Burst Monitor Detects Signals of Magnetar Flare in Neighbouring Galaxies

Apart from black holes, magnetars may be the most extreme stars in the universe. With a diameter less than the length of Manhattan, they pack more mass than that of our sun, wield the largest magnetic field of any known object -- more than 10 trillion times stronger than a refrigerator magnet -- and spin on their axes every few seconds.

15 Jan 2021

Study Shows Short Gamma-Ray Bursts Came from Another Possible Source

Earth gets blasted by mild short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) most days. But sometimes a giant flare like GRB 200415A arrives at our galaxy, sweeping along energy that dwarfs our sun. In fact, the most powerful explosions in the universe are gamma-ray bursts.

15 Jan 2021

The Dark Energy Survey Releases Astronomical Data and Images

The Dark Energy Survey has released a massive, public collection of astronomical data and calibrated images from six years of work. Containing data on nearly 700 million astronomical objects, this second data release in the Survey's seven-year history is the topic of sessions today and tomorrow at the 237th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.[1]

15 Jan 2021

Study Reveals How Black Holes Grow Rapidly After Galactic Collisions

When three galaxies collide, what happens to the huge black holes at the centers of each- A new study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and several other telescopes reveals new information about how many black holes are furiously growing after these galactic smash ups.

15 Jan 2021

Astronomers Record Rise and Fall of Rare Type of Eclipsing Binary

The sun is the only star in our system. But many of the points of light in our night sky are not as lonely. By some estimates, more than three-quarters of all stars exist as binaries -- with one companion -- or in even more complex relationships. Stars in close quarters can have dramatic impacts on their neighbors. They can strip material from one another, merge or twist each other's movements through the cosmos.

15 Jan 2021