Double detonation: new image shows remains of star destroyed by pair of explosions
For the first time, astronomers have obtained visual evidence that a star met its end by detonating twice. By studying the centuries-old remains of supernova SNR 0509-67.5 with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), they have found patterns that confirm its star suffered a pair of explosive blasts. Published today, this discovery shows some of the most important explosions in the Universe in a new light.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2511/
Astronomers capture most detailed thousand-colour image of a galaxy
Astronomers have created a galactic masterpiece: an ultra-detailed image that reveals previously unseen features in the Sculptor Galaxy. Using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), they observed this nearby galaxy in thousands of colours simultaneously. By capturing vast amounts of data at every single location, they created a galaxy-wide snapshot of the lives of stars within Sculptor.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2510/
'Cosmic joust': astronomers observe pair of galaxies in deep-space battle
Astronomers have witnessed for the first time a violent cosmic collision in which one galaxy pierces another with intense radiation. Their results, published today in Nature, show that this radiation dampens the wounded galaxy’s ability to form new stars. This new study combined observations from both the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), revealing all the gory details of this galactic battle.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2509/
"Big surprise": astronomers find planet in perpendicular orbit around pair of stars
Astronomers have found a planet that orbits at an angle of 90 degrees around a rare pair of peculiar stars. This is the first time we have strong evidence for one of these ‘polar planets’ orbiting a stellar pair. The surprise discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT).
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2508/
Oxygen discovered in most distant known galaxy
Two different teams of astronomers have detected oxygen in the most distant known galaxy, JADES-GS-z14-0. The discovery, reported in two separate studies, was made possible thanks to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner. This record-breaking detection is making astronomers rethink how quickly galaxies formed in the early Universe.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2507/
New ESO analysis confirms severe damage from industrial complex planned near Paranal
An in-depth technical analysis by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has evaluated the impact of the INNA megaproject on the facilities at the Paranal Observatory, Chile — and the results are alarming. The analysis reveals that INNA would increase light pollution above the Very Large Telescope (VLT) by at least 35% and by more than 50% above the south site of the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO-South). INNA would also increase air turbulence in the area, further degrading conditions for astronomical observations, while vibrations from the project could seriously impair the functioning of some of the astronomical facilities, like the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), at the Paranal Observatory.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2506/
ESO observations help almost fully rule out 2024 YR4 asteroid impact
New observations of 2024 YR4 conducted with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) and facilities around the world have all but ruled out an impact of the asteroid with our planet. The asteroid has been closely monitored in the past couple of months as its odds of impacting Earth in 2032 rose to around 3%, the highest impact probability ever reached for a sizable asteroid. After the latest observations, the odds of impact dropped to nearly zero.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2505/
“Out of science fiction”: First 3D observations of an exoplanet’s atmosphere reveal a unique climate
Astronomers have peered through the atmosphere of a planet beyond the Solar System, mapping its 3D structure for the first time. By combining all four telescope units of the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), they found powerful winds carrying chemical elements like iron and titanium, creating intricate weather patterns across the planet’s atmosphere. The discovery opens the door for detailed studies of the chemical makeup and weather of other alien worlds.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2504/
Star cluster reveals its colours in stunning 80-million-pixel ESO image
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released a stunning 80 million-pixel image of the star cluster RCW 38, as captured by ESO’s Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), operating in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2503/
Extreme supersonic winds measured on planet outside our Solar System
Astronomers have discovered extremely powerful winds pummeling the equator of WASP-127b, a giant exoplanet. Reaching speeds up to 33 000 km/h, the winds make up the fastest jetstream of its kind ever measured on a planet. The discovery was made using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) in Chile and provides unique insights into the weather patterns of a distant world.
https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2502/