Interference to astronomy the unintended consequence of faster internet
Peer-Reviewed Publication
In honor of Global Astronomy Month, we’re exploring the science of space. Learn how astronomy connects us through curiosity, discovery, and a shared wonder for what lies beyond.
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Dec-2025 15:12 ET (22-Dec-2025 20:12 GMT/UTC)
Curtin University researchers have undertaken the world’s biggest survey of low frequency satellite radio emissions, finding Starlink satellites are significantly interfering with radio astronomy observations, potentially impacting discovery and research.
Earth’s magnetosphere protects us from charged particles constantly emitted by the Sun, but intense conditions can breach it through a process called magnetic reconnection. Now, researchers from Japan propose a novel method using soft X-ray imaging to remotely measure the reconnection rate, a key parameter in magnetic reconnection. This study showcases a powerful tool for forecasting hazardous space weather events, paving the way to safer near-Earth space applications and exploration.
Fast X-ray transients (FXTs) are blasts of X-rays from distant galaxies. Astronomers have detected FXTs since the 1970s, but their origins have remained unknown. By studying the closest FXT associated with a supernova ever detected, scientists found it was produced by a geyser of high-energy particles trapped inside the outer layer of a massive star.