Star formation is an intricate process that transforms vast molecular clouds into newborn stars, often accompanied by the formation of circumstellar discs composed of gas and dust. These ...

Scientists studying a nearby protostar have detected the presence of water in its circumstellar disk. The new observations made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) mark the ...

Astronomers have gotten very good at spotting the signs of planet formation around stars. But for a complete understanding of planet formation, we also need to study examples where planet formation ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — New observations of the Orion Nebula at infrared wavelengths reveal that small dust grains located in disks around young stars are growing, taking the initial steps toward forming ...

Astronomers have detected unprecedented levels of deuterium in the water of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, far exceeding any found in Earth’s oceans or solar system comets. ALMA observations suggest the ...

A team of scientists using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to study the young star Elias 2-27 have confirmed that gravitational instabilities play a key role in planet ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...

Stars and their planets form when large molecular clouds collapse in on themselves. Gravity pulls the dust and gas into a violent spiral, which flattens out into a structure known as a protoplanetary ...

New simulations suggest binary star systems may be ideal for planet formation, and may produce more gas giants than ...

A new mosaic shows off protoplanetary systems in stunning detail. The wafting clouds of dust and gas glow in new ground-telescope images have unique appearances, and the different shapes the material ...