stars
Latest about stars
![The Milky Way's central region, where Sagittarius and the group of ancient stars can be found, above Telluride, Canada.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iwGPb76fbv7kHqPzUHYzyY-320-80.jpg)
Mysterious 'ancient heart' of the Milky Way discovered using Gaia probe
By Ben Turner published
Scientists found the ancient core using data from the Gaia spacecraft
![An illustration of a white dwarf star gobbling up matter from its sun-like companion](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/R8U9Mku6D5zPchy2gVvq7R-320-80.jpg)
'Cataclysmic' 50-minute orbit between two stars is the fastest ever recorded
By Brandon Specktor published
Astronomers have discovered a rare binary star system with an orbital period of just 51 minutes – a blazing new record.
![Computer generated image of a dense star formation (quark star)](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/W3NgX9Ap6hstqzM8aZ72pU-320-80.jpg)
Never-before-seen 'strange quark star' may have formed after cosmic collision, physicists say
By Paul Sutter published
A team of physicists has found that the remnant of a neutron star merger observed in 2019 has just the right mass to be a strange hypothetical quark star.
![A white swirl of charged gases detach from Comet Leonard's tail in December 2021. This image took top prize in the 2022 Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nSbh3dms5M7wy6g5NAWiji-320-80.jpg)
Blazing comet tail is whipped by solar winds in astonishing astronomy photo
By Stephanie Pappas published
A never-to-be-seen-again view of Comet Leonard took top prize at the Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.
![A composite image of the Cartwheel Galaxy and two smaller companion galaxies.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Wf7jXqr3FoFeuEJCTyQBnT-320-80.jpg)
James Webb telescope snaps mesmerizing image of Cartwheel Galaxy
By Patrick Pester last updated
The Cartwheel Galaxy shines in never-before-seen detail in the latest James Webb Space Telescope composite image, revealing a violent past.
![The Hubble Space Telescope captured this infrared image of the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula. The light from young stars being formed can be seen piercing the clouds of dust and gas.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NzBTvogZjAsv2VmpzkoVMN-320-80.jpg)
How long do stars live?
By Colin Stuart last updated
Stars are born amid turbulent clouds, and their deaths can be just as explosive. But how long do stars live? It depends on the size of the star.
![An artist's impression of exoplanets orbiting a red supergiant. The bright light in the distance represents a faraway star of a similar size.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UZJUJioPMPA2HfZM7TwvrU-320-80.jpg)
Red supergiant stars 'dance' because they have too much gas
By Harry Baker published
The light they produce wobbles around, making them hard to pin down.
![the antennas of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), set against the splendour of the Milky Way](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YuJohJP9HgfW5NYcLfhbSn-320-80.jpg)
Why do stars twinkle?
By Colin Stuart published
Stars appear to twinkle because the light from these distant objects passes through wobbly air in the atmosphere.
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