DES tagged posts

Footprints of Galactic Immigration uncovered in Andromeda Galaxy

A team of researchers led by astronomers at NSF’s NOIRLab has uncovered striking new evidence for a mass migration of stars into the Andromeda Galaxy. Intricate patterns in the motions of stars reveal an immigration history very similar to that of the Milky Way. The new results were obtained with the DOE’s Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument reveals compelling evidence of a mass migration of stars into Andromeda Galaxy. Intricate patterns in the motions of stars reveal an immigration history very similar to that of the Milky Way.

Over the course of billions of years, galaxies grow and evolve by forging new stars and merging with o...

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Astronomers Reveal Secrets of Most Distant Supernova ever Detected

Top: Area of sky before the supernova was detected. Bottom: The supernova is detected. Credit: M Smith and DES collaboration

Top: Area of sky before the supernova was detected. Bottom: The supernova is detected.
Credit: M Smith and DES collaboration

An international team led by the University of Southampton has confirmed the discovery of the most distant supernova ever detected – a huge cosmic explosion that took place 10.5 billion years ago, or 3/4 the age of the Universe itself. The exploding star, DES16C2nm, was detected by the Dark Energy Survey (DES), an international collaboration to map several hundred million galaxies in order to find out more about dark energy – the mysterious force believed to be causing the accelerated expansion of the Universe.

As detailed in a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, light from the event has taken 10...

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