Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Astronomy

Gravitational-wave detectors start next observing run to explore the secrets of the Universe

Gravitational-wave detectors start next observing run to explore the secrets of the Universe

May 24, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Gravitational Waves

Orange ball surrounded by grayish veil against black background

A reluctant exoplanet lifts its veil – a bit

May 10, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics

The James Webb Space Telescope reveals details of the atmospheric composition of the Mini-Neptune GJ 1214 b more

Post from Big Bear Lake, USA

Post from Big Bear Lake, USA

Astronomy International

Hans-Peter Doerr from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research spent three weeks working at the Big Bear Solar Observatory in California. He explains why the solar telescope stands on the water and tells us about anglers, gun enthusiasts, and alternative ways of transporting data. more

Purple disc with rays emanating vertically upwards and downwards from the disc

The digestive system of the mass monster M87

April 25, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes

New observations reveal how a powerful jet forms around a black hole more

Metal-poor stars are more life-friendly

Metal-poor stars are more life-friendly

April 18, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Solar System

A star’s chemical composition strongly influences the chances for life on planets in its neighbourhood more

A Helium-burning white dwarf

A Helium-burning white dwarf

March 22, 2023

Observations in a binary star system give hints in the search for progenitors of certain supernovae more

A coloured network that resembles a vortex with a central tightening. The outer areas of the vortex appear blue-greyish with magenta-white islands, while the circular core area appears in deep blue.

Distant cradles of stars

February 24, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Cosmology Galaxies

James Webb Space Telescope unveils star formation in gas and dust networks of other galaxies more

The picture consists of two square images. On the left are numerous orange spots of different sizes and brightness. On the right is a zoom into the brightest and largest of these spots. There, against the background of many stars, a reddish disc orbits a black sphere lying in the centre. From the surroundings of the black sphere, a violet ray is formed that is directed upwards.

The dance of supermassive black holes

February 23, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies Gravitational Waves

Large-scale observational campaign provides new insights into an assumed black hole binary at the centre of the active galaxy OJ 287 more

Surface of a fictitious planet. It consists of hills of rock. In the background is a lake. The sky has some clouds. Near the horizon a sun shines and bathes the picture in a reddish colour.

An exoplanet that could host life

February 03, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics

Astronomers find rare Earth-mass rocky planet suitable for the search for signs of life more

The airborne observatory SOFIA during its last southern deployment at Christchurch/New Zealand in summer 2022. The 18O observations were performed with the GREAT receiver, built by MPIfR and Cologne University, onboard SOFIA.

Oxygen in Earth’s Higher Atmosphere

February 02, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Earth Sciences Solar System

First detection of the heavy ¹⁸O isotope both in the upper and lower atmosphere of Earth more

Purple disc with rays emanating vertically upwards and downwards from the disc

The digestive system of the mass monster M87

April 25, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes

New observations reveal how a powerful jet forms around a black hole more

Metal-poor stars are more life-friendly

Metal-poor stars are more life-friendly

April 18, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Solar System

A star’s chemical composition strongly influences the chances for life on planets in its neighbourhood more

A coloured network that resembles a vortex with a central tightening. The outer areas of the vortex appear blue-greyish with magenta-white islands, while the circular core area appears in deep blue.

Distant cradles of stars

February 24, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Cosmology Galaxies

James Webb Space Telescope unveils star formation in gas and dust networks of other galaxies more

The picture consists of two square images. On the left are numerous orange spots of different sizes and brightness. On the right is a zoom into the brightest and largest of these spots. There, against the background of many stars, a reddish disc orbits a black sphere lying in the centre. From the surroundings of the black sphere, a violet ray is formed that is directed upwards.

The dance of supermassive black holes

February 23, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies Gravitational Waves

Large-scale observational campaign provides new insights into an assumed black hole binary at the centre of the active galaxy OJ 287 more

Surface of a fictitious planet. It consists of hills of rock. In the background is a lake. The sky has some clouds. Near the horizon a sun shines and bathes the picture in a reddish colour.

An exoplanet that could host life

February 03, 2023

Astronomy Astrophysics

Astronomers find rare Earth-mass rocky planet suitable for the search for signs of life more

View of the sun: This image is a superimposition of two images, taken using the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array in the x-ray range (NuSTAR, green and blue) and the Solar Dynamics Observatory in the ultraviolet range (SDO, reddish). Here, gas is visible with temperatures between 1 and 3 million degrees. In the spectrally fragmented x-rays, the emission lines 3C and 3D of Fe XVII are dominant, as are B and C of Fe XVI.

Confident x-ray analysis

December 12, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics

In future it will be possible to incorporate data from deep space telescopes into the underlying atomic models with a high degree of reliability more

Deepest look yet into the heart of a quasar

Deepest look yet into the heart of a quasar

November 28, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies

International team observes innermost structure of quasar 3C 273 more

Catching the dynamic Coronal Web

Catching the dynamic Coronal Web

November 24, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics Solar System

Researchers discover an important clue as to what mechanism drives the solar wind more

Composition of several individual images. Background: many bright stars and dark clouds; foreground image 1: section with bright star in the centre and other less bright stars around it; foreground image 2: a thin, white ellipse against a black background and a bright dot is on the ellipse; foreground image 3: a dark, almost circular object surrounded by a distorted bright ring.

New method finds black hole closest to Earth

November 04, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes

The finding promises numerous similar discoveries more

A traveler from the edge of the Solar System

A traveler from the edge of the Solar System

October 20, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics Solar System

Iron isotopes in samples from asteroid Ryugu suggest its origin to lie beyond the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn more

Scientific highlights 2022

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

“A wonderful confirmation of our observations”

“A wonderful confirmation of our observations”

May 12, 2022

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies

Reinhard Genzel of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics on the first image of the galactic centre more

The nebula with the dark band

The nebula with the dark band

July 20, 2021

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies

The active galaxy Centaurus A has made history in radio astronomy more

Scientific highlights 2020

Scientific highlights 2020

December 21, 2020

Ageing Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Brain Corona Galaxies Genome Editing (Crispr) Language Materials Sciences (M&T) Neanderthals Neurobiology Quantum Physics Synthetic Biology Evolution Proteins

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2020 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 13 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

"Astronomy became big here"

"Astronomy became big here"

September 16, 2020

Astronomy International

Both partners, Germany and South Africa, benefit from the MeerKAT collaboration more

“The telescope offers enormous potential”

“The telescope offers enormous potential”

June 22, 2020

Astronomy Astrophysics

Peter Predehl from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics on the eRosita mission more

Moon dust is not to be sneezed at

Moon dust is not to be sneezed at

July 15, 2019

Astronomy Cosmology

50 years ago, Max Planck Scientists were among the first to analyze lunar rock samples more

A solar eclipse sheds light on physics

A solar eclipse sheds light on physics

May 29, 2019

Albert Einstein Astronomy Astrophysics

Observations of the cosmic shadow dance on 29 May 1919 substantiated a new scientific view of the world more

The mystery of the dark bodies

The mystery of the dark bodies

April 10, 2019

Albert Einstein Astronomy Black Holes Mathematics

The idea that black holes exist dates back to the 18th century more

The backbone of the night

The backbone of the night

July 27, 2018

Astronomy Astrophysics Black Holes Galaxies

Like a huge spiral, the Milky Way floats in space more