NASA’s SPHEREx mission is collecting an infrared spectrum for every point in the sky. That data set could revolutionize our understanding of cosmic inflation, galaxy formation, and how ices drive planet formation and surface chemistry.
By measuring both the positions of stars and the times when pulsar pulses reach us, we might identify gravitational waves emitted by exotic processes right after the Big Bang.
Most pulsars gradually spin slower and slower, making weaker and weaker radio pulses until the pulses stop altogether. Today’s paper is about a star that has spun its neutron star companion back up, recycling it into a millisecond pulsar.
No, it’s not illegal! Astronomers have developed a technique called delta-doping to make detectors that are much better at detecting ultraviolet light.