Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA's Webb Discovers Hidden Planet in Famous Star System

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA's Webb Discovers Hidden Planet in Famous Star System

Release date: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 8:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA's Webb Discovers Hidden Planet in Famous Star System



Planet found through its atmospheric fingerprint opens new way to uncover worlds hidden in starlight

Few planetary systems have shaped astronomers’ understanding of planet formation as profoundly as Beta Pictoris. Since the discovery of its famous debris disk in 1983, observations with ground- and space-based telescopes, including NASA’s Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, have revealed exocomets, intricate dust structure, giant exoplanets, and evidence of a planetary system still under construction. Now, Webb has uncovered a third giant planet using an entirely new approach: identifying it through the chemical fingerprint of its atmosphere.



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Tuesday, July 14, 2026

Inbox Astronomy: NASA=?UTF-8?Q?=E2=80=99s_?=Roman Telescope Will Spot Distant Black Holes That Shred Stars

INBOX ASTRONOMY

NASA’s Roman Telescope Will Spot Distant Black Holes That Shred Stars

Release date: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 10:00:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NASA’s Roman Telescope Will Spot Distant Black Holes That Shred Stars



Roman’s large tally will help illuminate the origins of supermassive black holes.

Supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies can be messy eaters. Sometimes when a wandering star gets too close, it will get shredded before it is consumed. In the process, the region around the black hole brightens and may outshine its entire galaxy. In that way, otherwise hidden black holes become detectable.

Once it launches as early as Aug. 30, 2026, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is expected to observe up to 100 of these star-shredding events every year. That data will lead to a new understanding of how supermassive black holes first formed, and how they grow and evolve.

Lee esta historia en español.



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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

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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.



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Thursday, July 9, 2026

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

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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.



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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.



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Friday, July 3, 2026

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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.



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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.



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

͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌     ͏ ‌    ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­