Science News
![artist’s rendition of janus, the blue-tinted dead cinder of a star that is composed primarily of hydrogen on one side and helium on the other (the hydrogen side appears brighter). the peculiar double-faced nature of this white dwarf star might be due to the interplay of magnetic fields and convection, or a mixing of materials. on the helium side, which appears bubbly, convection has destroyed the thin hydrogen layer on the surface and brought up the helium underneath. Image credit: K. Miller, Caltech/IPAC](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/LowRes_Still_Close.png)
Two-Faced Star Exposed: Unusual White Dwarf Star is Made of Hydrogen on One Side and Helium on the Other
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – In a first for white dwarfs, the burnt-out cores of dead stars, astronomers have discovered that at …
![an infrared image of the quasar hsc j2236+0032 captured by jwst. Credit: Ding, Onoue, Silverman, et al.](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/quasar-feature-image-final.jpeg)
Starlight and the First Black Holes: Researchers Detect the Host Galaxies of Quasars in the Early Universe
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – An international team of scientists, including Chien-Hsiu Lee, staff astronomer at W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, …
![Life After Death: Hawaiʻi Astronomers Find a Planet that Shouldn’t Exist](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Star-Merger-04_Square_sm.png)
Life After Death: Hawaiʻi Astronomers Find a Planet that Shouldn’t Exist
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – When our Sun reaches the end of its life, it will expand to 100 times its current …
![New Era of Exoplanet Discovery Begins with Images of ‘Jupiter’s Younger Sibling’](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/AF-Lep-b-Animation.gif)
New Era of Exoplanet Discovery Begins with Images of ‘Jupiter’s Younger Sibling’
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers using W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaiʻi Island have discovered one of the lowest-mass planets …
![Rare Gravitational Lensing Warps Light Of Distant Supernova Into Four Images](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/sn-zwicky.png)
Rare Gravitational Lensing Warps Light Of Distant Supernova Into Four Images
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers have captured a bizarre image of a supernova, the powerful explosion of a star, whose light …
![Astronomers Capture Direct Image of Ancient Galaxy Recycling Gas to Make New Stars](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Gas-Recycling.png)
Astronomers Capture Direct Image of Ancient Galaxy Recycling Gas to Make New Stars
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers have found direct evidence showing ancient galaxies were able to sustain star formation by recycling gas …
![First Detection of Radio Waves from a Type Ia Supernova](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Radio-SN_sm.jpg)
First Detection of Radio Waves from a Type Ia Supernova
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – A team of astronomers led by Stockholm University has discovered an unusual Type Ia supernova – or …
![A Strange, Solitary Life for Young Stars at the Milky Way's Center](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/S-stars-Orbits.png)
A Strange, Solitary Life for Young Stars at the Milky Way’s Center
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Stars living closest to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way have no …
![Star Eats Planet, Brightens Dramatically](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Death-Star-Blue_md-scaled.jpg)
Star Eats Planet, Brightens Dramatically
Astronomers Spot First Direct Evidence of a Star Engulfing Its Planet Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – For the first time, astronomers have …
![New Exoplanet-Hunting Technique Leads to Successful Direct Image of a Super-Jupiter](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Keck-NIRC2-HIP-Exoplanet-Image.png)
New Exoplanet-Hunting Technique Leads to Successful Direct Image of a Super-Jupiter
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers have developed a new method for finding exoplanets whose portraits can be taken from Earth using …
![First Ever 3D Map of Messier 87 Galaxy Assembled](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/m87-full_jpg.jpeg)
First Ever 3D Map of Messier 87 Galaxy Assembled
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – A UC Berkeley-led team of astronomers has for the first time measured the three-dimensional shape of Messier …
![A Strange Streak of Young Stars is Evidence of a Runaway Supermassive Black Hole, Study Finds](https://www.keckobservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/fRunaway-Black-Hole-Trail.png)
A Strange Streak of Young Stars is Evidence of a Runaway Supermassive Black Hole, Study Finds
Maunakea, Hawaiʻi – Astronomers have spotted a candidate supermassive black hole running away from its home galaxy, hurtling through space …