This Ancient Galaxy Cluster is Still Forming Stars When it Should be ‘Red and Dead’

This older image of the Phoenix Cluster (SPT-CLJ2344-4243) combines Chandra and Hubble's X-ray, ultraviolet, and optical wavelengths. In this new research, the team of scientists used the JWST's infrared capabilities to try to understand Phoenix better. Image Credit: By X-ray: NASA/CXC/MIT/M.McDonald et al; Optical: NASA/STScI - https://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2015/phoenix/ (image link), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45952066

The Phoenix Cluster is one of the most massive galaxy clusters known. Astronomers have identified 42 member galaxies so far, yet there could be as many as 1,000 in the cluster. Because of its size and its age, it should be finished with the vigorous star formation characteristic of young galaxies. But it’s not. Star … Read more

‘Missing link’ black hole in the Milky Way’s densest star cluster is still missing

New research may have delivered bad news for scientists who thought they had discovered a “missing link” black hole in a dense Milky Way star cluster. The new findings imply that, rather than a rare intermediate-mass black hole, there is a cluster of stellar-mass black holes in Omega Centauri, believed to be the remains of … Read more