XMM-Newton has detected periodic X-ray emission, or the pulsed heartbeat of a weird new type of star. Collecting the X-rays from the so-called rotating radio transient has confirmed the nature of the underlying celestial object and given astronomers a new insight into these exotic objects. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

Astronomers from SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research have discovered mysterious pulses that are being emitted by an extremely magnetic star. The magnetic star, a magnetar, emits the pulses as very high energy X-rays. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

A dwarf star with a surprisingly magnetic personality and a huge hot spot covering half its surface area is showing astronomers that life as a cool dwarf is not necessarily as simple and quiet as they once assumed. Simultaneous observations made by four of the most powerful Earth- and space-based telescopes revealed an unusually active magnetic field on the ultracool low-mass star TVLM513-46546. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

The Star of Bethlehem is one of the most powerful, and enigmatic, symbols of Christianity. Second perhaps only to the Cross of the Crucifixion, the importance of its role in the story of the Nativity of the Christ child is almost on a par with the birth itself. However, the true origin of the Star of Bethlehem has baffled astronomers, historians, and theologians for the past two millennia. picked by 2manyusernames 3 years ago

Observations from NASA’s Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) have revealed that the youngest known pulsing neutron star has thrown a temper tantrum. The collapsed star occasionally unleashes powerful bursts of X-rays, which are forcing astronomers to rethink the life cycle of neutron stars. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

A developing star wrapped in a black cocoon of dust is seen sprouting giant jets in a new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The stellar portrait, captured in infrared light, offers the first glimpse at a very early stage in the life of an embryonic sun-like star - a time when the star's natal envelope is beginning to flatten and collapse, and streams of gas are escaping. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

A fascinating* chart showing all the people, companies, technologies and other facets of the entertainment business that have been influenced or affected one way or another by the Star Wars films.


*A subjective term, obviously. picked by pocksucket 1 year ago

A team of astronomers from Penn State and Nicolaus Copernicus University in Poland has discovered a new planet that is closely orbiting a red-giant star, HD 102272, which is much older than our own Sun. The planet has a mass that is nearly six times that of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

There are probably some good home made star wars costumes. These are not them. Far from it. These are the ones you have a very bad feeling about.

(Costume pictured is not one of the bad ones) picked by pocksucket 8 months ago

When the world's most powerful laser facility flicks the switch on its first full-scale experiments later this month, a tiny star will be born on Earth. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a spectacular image of NGC 3603, a giant nebula hosting one of the most prominent massive young clusters in the Milky Way, thus supplying a prime template for star formation studies. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

With the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, Wired posts images from The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film picked by Wasabi 3 years ago

NGC 281 is a bustling hub of star formation about 10,000 light years away. This composite image of optical and X-ray emission includes regions where new stars are forming and older regions containing stars about 3 million years old. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

If you combine clips of Star Trek with the music of Queen you get this sort of thing. Also available: the Time Warp. picked by TheStep 2 years ago

Side-by-side photo comparisons of the new Spock, Chekov, Uhura, Scotty, Sulu, McCoy and Kirk. As if that was good enough, you can vote whether it's good or bad casting. picked by TheStep 2 years ago

Remember those silent pictures from yesteryear? Here is what Star Wars would look like if released then. picked by 2manyusernames 2 years ago

Astronomers have found the first signature of complex organic molecules in the dust cloud around a distant star, suggesting that these building blocks of life may be a common feature of planetary systems. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed a dusty star system being soaked with a "steamy rain" of water vapor.
DUPE picked by Neiako 2 years ago

Planets may be present in a quadruple star system 150 light years from Earth, according to Spitzer Space Telescope observations. The system, called HD 98800, consists of two pairs of stars in which the partners in each pair orbit one another closely. The pairs themselves travel around each other on a very elongated path. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

A furious rate of star formation discovered in a distant galaxy shows that galaxies in the early universe developed either much faster or in a different way from what astronomers have thought. The galaxy is forming the equivalent of 4,000 Suns a year. This is a thousand times more violent than our own Milky Way galaxy. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago