Monday, July 13, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_Hubble_Discovers_First_of_Star_Cluster=E2=80=99s_?=Missing Black Holes

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA’s Hubble Discovers First of Star Cluster’s Missing Black Holes

Release date: Monday, July 13, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA’s Hubble Discovers First of Star Cluster’s Missing Black Holes



Call it the case of the missing black holes.

While models suggest globular star cluster Omega Centauri should contain about 10,000 stellar-mass black holes, none have been detected yet.

Recently a team of astronomers located the first stellar-mass black hole in Omega Centauri as it is orbited by a lower-mass visible star. By tracking this star's motion on the sky using hundreds of images taken over 20 years by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and more recent images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, they were able to weigh the unseen companion and determine it is indeed a black hole. However, its long period and low mass were surprising for a black hole in this massive star cluster.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach
 

Thursday, July 9, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: First Completed Rocky Worlds Program Observations Open New Era in Exoplanet Studies

INBOX ASTRONOMY

First Completed Rocky Worlds Program Observations Open New Era in Exoplanet Studies

Release date: Thursday, July 9, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

First Completed Rocky Worlds Program Observations Open New Era in Exoplanet Studies



Learnings pave way for future, more challenging targets

Ever since the first planets beyond our solar system were discovered, astronomers have hoped to study rocky worlds similar in size to Earth. But detecting and characterizing these planets and their atmospheres has proven extraordinarily difficult. Rocky planets are relatively small, their signals are faint, and possible atmospheres can easily be obscured by fluctuations in the stars they orbit. The Rocky Worlds Director’s Discretionary Time (DDT) program was created to confront those challenges directly, using the combined powers of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescopes, to build a clearer picture of how rocky planets behave across the galaxy. The team’s first completed observations are laying the foundation for the program and for the broader astronomical community’s study of exoplanets.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach
 

Monday, July 6, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA Webb Uncovers Unusual Galaxy Shaped by Cosmic Collision

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA Webb Uncovers Unusual Galaxy Shaped by Cosmic Collision

Release date: Monday, July 6, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA Webb Uncovers Unusual Galaxy Shaped by Cosmic Collision



Hidden structures of a galaxy shaped by past collision come into view in infrared light

For more than 200 years, Centaurus A has fascinated astronomers, continually revealing new discoveries as ground- and space-based telescopes have grown more powerful and expanded humanity’s view across the electromagnetic spectrum. First cataloged in the early 1800s, the galaxy later became known as one of the brightest radio sources in the sky and was eventually recognized as the product of a dramatic galactic merger. Today, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is taking astronomers farther than ever in the study of Centaurus A, piercing through thick dust to reveal hidden stars, structures, and activity in extraordinary detail, helping scientists trace how this turbulent galaxy formed and continues to evolve.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach
 

Friday, July 3, 2026

Learn more about our updated Terms of Service

Thursday, July 2, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_?=Webb Reveals Stars Sparking to Life in Cosmic Celebration

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA’s Webb Reveals Stars Sparking to Life in Cosmic Celebration

Release date: Thursday, July 2, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA’s Webb Reveals Stars Sparking to Life in Cosmic Celebration



Outflows reveal characteristics about the region’s protostars and how they influence their environment.

Protostars are often shrouded by the same clouds of dust and gas that they grow in. Astronomers have used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to learn how the protostars that comprise FS Tau, a young star system about 450 light-years away, shape their surroundings. Webb’s high-resolution view also reveals the intricate structures within dense dust clouds, where light scatters and reflects, much like how a fireworks display illuminates the clouds created by these colorful explosions.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach
 

Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_?=Webb Studies How Planet Survived Death of its Star

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA’s Webb Studies How Planet Survived Death of its Star

Release date: Wednesday, July 1, 2026 11:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA’s Webb Studies How Planet Survived Death of its Star



WD 1856 b likely migrated to its current location billions of years after its star became a white dwarf.

Exoplanet WD 1856 b is a world that shouldn’t exist. It orbits a white dwarf star at a separation of less than 2 million miles – well within the “danger zone” where it should have been engulfed when its host star went through a red giant phase earlier in its life. To understand how it survived and learn more about it, astronomers studied this planet with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Their findings could have implications for the future of our own solar system in 5 billion years.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach
 

World’s Fastest High-Throughput Homogenizer: Tough Samples in ≤10 Seconds

͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌    ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­

Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_?=Webb Pinpoints Millions of Stars Within Cigar Galaxy

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA’s Webb Pinpoints Millions of Stars Within Cigar Galaxy

Release date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA’s Webb Pinpoints Millions of Stars Within Cigar Galaxy



By piercing through thick dust, new details of galaxy M82 shine through.

The James Webb Space Telescope has provided an in-depth look at edge-on spiral galaxy Messier 82 (M82), a prototypical starburst galaxy that is forming stars 10 times faster than our own Milky Way galaxy. This dynamic environment has previously garnered observations by many observatories, including the Hubble and retired Spitzer space telescopes.

First imaged by Webb in 2024, a team of astronomers has recently revisited the scene with the telescope as part of an imaging survey, seeking to untangle the complex evolutionary history of this one-of-a-kind galaxy. Their observations reveal millions of stars and powerful outflows of gas and dust.



Find additional resources at www.stsci.edu



  Please do not reply to this message.
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the Inbox Astronomy mailing list.
 
Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute's Office of Public Outreach