New research led by W. M. Keck Observatory Instrument Scientist and astronomer Grant Hill has confirmed what scientists have long suspected—WR 104 comprises two massive stars: a Wolf-Rayet star and an ...

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in partnership with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), has developed ...

We know that regular supernovas pose no existential threat to life on Earth in the near-term. But there are other varieties ...

Decades of W.M. Keck Observatory research on the famed Wolf-Rayet 104 “pinwheel star” system has taken a new turn, revealing more mystery but reducing concerns about its potential as the “Death Star.” ...

"The exploded material of the star is opaque at early times ... "In fact, this was one of the narrowest jets seen for a gamma-ray burst so far, which gives us a hint as to why the afterglow ...

A recent study reveals that the famous Wolf-Rayet 104 "pinwheel star" holds more mystery but is even less likely to be the ...

"We would like to understand the difference between these systems, which holds the clue to understand just how many cosmic rays are produced in the jets of microquasars." ...

ESA’s Integral observed space for 22 years, uncovering gamma-ray bursts, black holes, and gravitational waves.

A new study has shed light on the orbital alignment of the well-known Wolf-Rayet 104 (WR 104) system, long considered a potential threat due to its speculated gamma-ray burst (GRB) risk. Observations ...

The team’s findings, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, show even a black hole eating such a small star could accelerate particles enough to create gamma-ray photons. This suggests ...

An artist’s concept of the famous Wolf-Rayet 104 “pinwheel star,” previously nicknamed the “Death Star.” New research ...