The subluminous red nova (SLRN) Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) SLRN-2020 is the most compelling direct detection of a planet being consumed by its host star, a scenario known as a planetary engulfment event. We present JWST spectroscopy of ZTF SLRN-2020 taken +830 days after its optical emission peak using the NIRSpec fixed-slit 3–5 μm high-resolution grating and the MIRI 5–12 μm low-resolution spectrometer. NIRSpec reveals the ¹²CO fundamental band (ν = 1–0) in emission at ∼4.7 μm, Brackett-α emission, and the potential detection of PH₃ in emission at ∼4.3 μm. The JWST spectra are consistent with the claim that ZTF SLRN-2020 arose from a planetary engulfment event. We utilize DUSTY to model the late-time ∼1–12 μm spectral energy distribution (SED) of ZTF SLRN-2020, where the best-fit parameters indicate the presence of warm, K, circumstellar dust with a total dust mass of Log M_⊙. We also fit a DUSTY model to archival photometry taken +320 days after the peak that suggested the presence of a cooler, K, and more massive, Log , circumstellar dust component. Assuming the cool component originates from the ZTF SLRN-2020 ejecta, we interpret the warm component as fallback from the ejecta. From the late-time SED model, we measure a luminosity of L_⊙ for the remnant host star, which is consistent with a ∼0.7 M_⊙ K-type star that should not yet have evolved off the main sequence. If ZTF SLRN-2020 was not triggered by stellar evolution, we suggest that the planetary engulfment was due to orbital decay from tidal interactions between the planet and the host star.

The long-duration Galactic-bulge microlensing event OGLE-2011-BLG-0462 produced relativistic astrometric deflections of the source star, which we measured using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations taken at eight epochs over ∼6 yr. Analysis of the microlensing light curve and astrometry led our group (followed by other independent groups) to conclude that the lens is an isolated stellar-mass black hole (BH)—the first and only one unambiguously discovered to date. There have now been three additional epochs of HST observations, increasing the astrometric time baseline to 11 yr. Additionally, the ground-based OGLE data have been updated. We have reanalyzed the data, including the new HST astrometry, and photometry obtained with 16 different telescopes. The source lies only from a bright neighbor, making it crucial to perform precise subtraction of its point-spread function (PSF) in the astrometric measurements of the source. Moreover, we show that it is essential to perform a separate PSF subtraction for each individual HST frame as part of the reductions. Our final solution yields a lens mass of 7.15 ± 0.83 M_⊙. Combined with the lack of detected light from the lens at late HST epochs, the BH nature of the lens is conclusively verified. The BH lies at a distance of 1.52 ± 0.15 kpc, and it is moving with a space velocity of 51.1 ± 7.5 km s⁻¹ relative to the stars in the neighborhood. We compare our results with those of other studies and discuss reasons for the differences. We also searched for binary companions of the BH at a range of separations, but found no evidence for any.

Technological progress related to astronomical observatories such as the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) allows searching for signs of life beyond our solar system, namely, in the form of unambiguous biosignature gases in exoplanetary atmospheres. The tentative assignment of a 1σ–2.4σ spectral feature observed with JWST in the atmosphere of exoplanet K2-18b to the biosignature gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS; sum formula C₂H₆S) raised hopes that, although controversial, a second genesis had been found. Terrestrial atmospheric DMS is exclusively stemming from marine biological activity, and no natural abiotic source has been identified—neither on Earth nor in space. Therefore, DMS is considered a robust biosignature. Since comets possess a pristine inventory of complex organic molecules of abiotic origin, we have searched high-resolution mass spectra collected at comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, target of the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission, for the signatures of DMS. Previous work reported the presence of a C₂H₆S signal when the comet was near its equinox, but distinction of DMS from its structural isomer ethanethiol remained elusive. Here we reassess these and evaluate additional data. Based on differences in the electron ionization-induced fragmentation pattern of the two isomers, we show that DMS is significantly better compatible with the observations. Deviations between expected and observed signal intensities for DMS are <1σ, while for ethanethiol they are 2σ–4σ. The local abundance of DMS relative to methanol deduced from these data is (0.13 ± 0.04)%. Our results provide the first evidence for the existence of an abiotic synthetic pathway to DMS in pristine cometary matter and hence motivate more detailed studies of the sulfur chemistry in such matter and its analogs. Future studies need to investigate whether or not the present inference of cometary DMS could provide an abiotic source of DMS in a planetary atmosphere.

We investigate a new class of habitable planets composed of water-rich interiors with massive oceans underlying H₂-rich atmospheres, referred to here as Hycean worlds. With densities between those of rocky super-Earths and more extended mini-Neptunes, Hycean planets can be optimal candidates in the search for exoplanetary habitability and may be abundant in the exoplanet population. We investigate the bulk properties (masses, radii, and temperatures), potential for habitability, and observable biosignatures of Hycean planets. We show that Hycean planets can be significantly larger compared to previous considerations for habitable planets, with radii as large as 2.6 R_⊕ (2.3 R_⊕) for a mass of 10 M_⊕ (5 M_⊕). We construct the Hycean habitable zone (HZ), considering stellar hosts from late M to Sun-like stars, and find it to be significantly wider than the terrestrial-like HZ. While the inner boundary of the Hycean HZ corresponds to equilibrium temperatures as high as ∼500 K for late M dwarfs, the outer boundary is unrestricted to arbitrarily large orbital separations. Our investigations include tidally locked "Dark Hycean" worlds that permit habitable conditions only on their permanent nightsides and "Cold Hycean" worlds that see negligible irradiation. Finally, we investigate the observability of possible biosignatures in Hycean atmospheres. We find that a number of trace terrestrial biomarkers that may be expected to be present in Hycean atmospheres would be readily detectable using modest observing time with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). We identify a sizable sample of nearby potential Hycean planets that can be ideal targets for such observations in search of exoplanetary biosignatures.

We present JWST-NIRCam narrowband, 4.05 μm Br α images of the Sgr C H ii region, located in the central molecular zone (CMZ) of the Galaxy. Unlike any H ii region in the solar vicinity, the Sgr C plasma is dominated by filamentary structure in both Br α and the radio continuum. Some bright filaments, which form a fractured arc with a radius of about 1.85 pc centered on the Sgr C star-forming molecular clump, likely trace ionization fronts. The brightest filaments form a "π-shaped" structure in the center of the H ii region. Fainter filaments radiate away from the surface of the Sgr C molecular cloud. The filaments are emitting optically thin free–free emission, as revealed by spectral index measurements from 1.28 GHz (MeerKAT) to 97 GHz (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array). But, the negative in-band 1 to 2 GHz spectral index in the MeerKAT data alone reveals the presence of a nonthermal component across the entire Sgr C H ii region. We argue that the plasma flow in Sgr C is controlled by magnetic fields, which confine the plasma to ropelike filaments or sheets. This results in the measured nonthermal component of low-frequency radio emission plasma, as well as a plasma β (thermal pressure divided by magnetic pressure) below 1, even in the densest regions. We speculate that all mature H ii regions in the CMZ, and galactic nuclei in general, evolve in a magnetically dominated, low plasma β regime.

We report the spectroscopic discovery of a massive quiescent galaxy at z_spec = 7.29 ± 0.01, just  ∼700 Myr after the big bang. RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 was selected from public JWST/NIRCam and MIRI imaging from the PRIMER survey and observed with JWST/NIRSpec as part of RUBIES. The NIRSpec/PRISM spectrum reveals one of the strongest Balmer breaks observed thus far at z > 6, with no emission lines but tentative Balmer and Ca absorption features, as well as a Lyman break. Simultaneous modeling of the NIRSpec/PRISM spectrum and NIRCam and MIRI photometry (spanning 0.9–18 μm) shows that the galaxy formed a stellar mass of log before z ∼ 8 and ceased forming stars 50–100 Myr prior to the time of observation, resulting in . We measure a small physical size of , which implies a high stellar-mass surface density within the effective radius of , comparable to the highest densities measured in quiescent galaxies at z ∼ 2–5. The 3D stellar-mass density profile of RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 is remarkably similar to the central densities of local massive ellipticals, suggesting that at least some of their cores may have already been in place at z > 7. The discovery of RUBIES-UDS-QG-z7 has strong implications for galaxy formation models: the estimated number density of quiescent galaxies at z ∼ 7 is  >100 ×  larger than predicted from any model to date, indicating that quiescent galaxies have formed earlier than previously expected.

This study conducts mineralogical and chemical investigations on the oldest achondrite, Erg Chech 002 (∼4565 million yr old). This meteorite exhibits a disequilibrium igneous texture characterized by high-Mg-number (atomic Mg/(Mg + Fe²⁺)) orthopyroxene xenocrysts (Mg number = 60–80) embedded in an andesitic groundmass. Our research reveals that these xenocrysts were early formed crystals, loosely accumulated or scattered in the short-period magma ocean on the parent body. Subsequently, these crystals underwent agitation due to the influx of external materials. The assimilation of these materials enriched the ¹⁶O component of the magma ocean and induced a relatively reduced state. Furthermore, this process significantly cooled the magma ocean and inhibited the evaporation of alkali elements, leading to elevated concentrations of Na and K within the meteorite. Our findings suggest that the introduced materials are probably sourced from the reservoirs of CR clan meteorites, indicating extensive transport and mixing of materials within the early solar system.

We present James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Near Infrared Camera observations of the massive star-forming molecular cloud Sagittarius C (Sgr C) in the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ). In conjunction with ancillary mid-IR and far-IR data, we characterize the two most massive protostars in Sgr C via spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting, estimating that they each have current masses of m_* ∼ 20 M_⊙ and surrounding envelope masses of ∼100 M_⊙. We report a census of lower-mass protostars in Sgr C via a search for infrared counterparts to millimeter continuum dust cores found with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). We identify 88 molecular hydrogen outflow knot candidates originating from outflows from protostars in Sgr C, the first such unambiguous detections in the infrared in the CMZ. About a quarter of these are associated with flows from the two massive protostars in Sgr C; these extend for over 1 pc and are associated with outflows detected in ALMA SiO line data. An additional ∼40 features likely trace shocks in outflows powered by lower-mass protostars throughout the cloud. We report the discovery of a new star-forming region hosting two prominent bow shocks and several other line-emitting features driven by at least two protostars. We infer that one of these is forming a high-mass star given an SED-derived mass of m_* ∼ 9 M_⊙ and associated massive (∼90 M_⊙) millimeter core and water maser. Finally, we identify a population of miscellaneous molecular hydrogen objects that do not appear to be associated with protostellar outflows.

A new model is proposed in which typical galaxies form most of their stellar mass in a phase with an intrinsically red stellar population. In the standard picture, galaxies with intrinsically red stellar populations are believed to have old stellar populations, so that only galaxies with blue stellar populations have significant star formation, and subsequent changes to the stellar population come predominantly from aging and merging populations that have already formed. However, several observational puzzles have developed that are difficult to reconcile with this standard scenario. The most massive blue star-forming galaxies, presumed to be at the end of their stellar mass growth, are ∼1 dex less massive, have a ∼1 dex lower M_*/M_BH ratio, and have a bottom-lighter IMF than local quiescent galaxies. Here, a new solution is proposed: at low temperature and high metallicity, galaxies can continue to form stars efficiently without being able to form O and B stars. These red star-forming galaxies would have many of the same properties of the population currently described as post-starburst galaxies, allowing a new interpretation of their origin. Finally, additional falsifiable observational predictions of this model are also discussed.

This study presents observations of a large pseudostreamer solar eruption and, in particular, the post-eruption relaxation phase, as captured by Metis, on board the Solar Orbiter, on 2022 October 12, during its perihelion passage. Utilizing total-brightness data, we observe the outward propagation of helical features up to 3 solar radii along a radial column that appears to correspond to the stalk of the pseudostreamer. The helical structures persisted for more than 3 hr following a jet-like coronal mass ejection associated with a polar crown prominence eruption. A notable trend is revealed: the inclination of these features decreases as their polar angle and height increase. Additionally, we measured their helix pitch. Despite the 2 minute time cadence limiting direct correspondence among filamentary structures in consecutive frames, we find that the Metis helical structure may be interpreted as a consequence of twist (nonlinear torsional Alfvén waves) and plasma liberated by interchange reconnection. A comparison was performed between the helix parameters as outlined by fine-scale outflow features and those obtained from synthetic white-light images derived from the high-resolution magnetohydrodynamics simulation of interchange reconnection in a pseudostreamer topology by P. F. Wyper et al. A remarkable similarity between the simulation-derived images and the observations was found. We conjecture that these Metis observations may represent the upper ends of the spatial and energy scales of the interchange reconnection process that has been proposed recently as the origin of the Alfvénic solar wind.

We report the results of a rapid follow-up campaign on the Type IIb supernova (SN) 2022hnt. We present a daily, multiband, photometric follow-up using the Las Cumbres Observatory, the Zwicky Transient Facility, the orbiting Swift observatory, and the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. A distinctive feature in the light curve of SN 2022hnt and other IIb SNe is an early narrow peak prior to the ⁵⁶Ni peak caused by rapid shock cooling of the hydrogen envelope, which can serve as an important probe of the properties of the massive progenitor star in the moments before explosion. Using SN 2022hnt as a case study, we demonstrate a framework of considerations for the application of shock cooling models to type IIb SNe, outlining a consistent procedure for future surveys of Type IIb SNe progenitor and explosion properties. We fit several recent models of shock-cooling emission and obtain progenitor radii between ∼50 and ∼100 R_⊙, as well as hydrogen-enriched envelope masses between ∼0.01 and ∼0.1 M_⊙, both consistent with values for other IIb SNe. One of these models is the model of J. Morag et al., marking the first time this model has been applied to a Type IIb SN. Finally, we evaluate contrasting predictions between shock-cooling models to construct a fiducial parameter set that can be used for comparison to other SNe.

Recent discoveries of primordial black hole (PBH) candidates by means of high-cadence microlensing open the way to a physical understanding of the formation of dark matter as a chapter in the thermal history of the Universe. Two complementary sites of PBH formation are considered, inflation and the early Universe at TeV to MeV energies. In the latter case the Friedmann equation, together with mass measurements, reveal the threshold energy, the mass spectrum, and the likely end point of this epoch. Some of the many recent exoplanet detections may conceivably have been detections of PBHs. When the Universe cools to MeV temperatures, larger-mass PBHs would form similarly, reaching the supermassive regime. The discovery of numerous supermassive black holes at high redshift with JWST fulfils this expectation. We corroborate the idea that Planck mass relics could be an important component of dark matter, and find that these are formed by PBHs with initial mass less than approximately 6 × 10⁻¹⁶M_⊙ and cosmic temperature above 10⁹ GeV. Although in some mass ranges PBHs can only make up a modest fraction of Ω_m, it is possible that all astrophysical dark matter, as distinct from axions and weakly interacting massive particles, is of PBH origin.

We present new Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 G141 grism observations for COBRA 1411+3415, originally identified as a high-redshift cluster candidate in the Clusters Occupied by Bent Radio AGN (COBRA) survey using radio, infrared, and optical data. We spectroscopically identify seven cluster members within a 0.5 Mpc radius with grism redshifts in the range 1.8006 ≤ z_grism ≤ 1.8175, consistent with COBRA 1411+3415 being a high-redshift cluster with a mean redshift of 〈z_grism〉 = 1.8106 ± 0.0006. The detection of seven galaxies within this small redshift range is significant above the background distribution of galaxies at the level of 5σ. The line-of-sight velocity dispersion of the cluster is found to be σ_∥ =  km s⁻¹ with a virial mass of M₂₀₀ ≈  × 10¹⁴M_⊙. However, the mass may be lower if the cluster is still in formation. In projected phase space, we also identify two possible infalling members of COBRA 1411+3415 and two additional structures at z ∼ 1.73 and z ∼ 1.88. The similar spatial distributions and small projected separation from the main cluster suggest they could be a part of the same large-scale filament and together may form a protocluster system that could eventually merge to form a single, massive cluster. COBRA 1411+3415 is the highest-redshift cluster to be spectroscopically confirmed using a bent, double-lobed radio source as a cluster tracer.

Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) ejected from the Galactic center at speeds faster than the Galactic escape velocity are useful tools to provide insight into the Milky Way's dark matter halo. However, most characterizations of HVS orbits assume static models of the Milky Way's gravitational potential. In this work, we assess the influence of the Galactic bar and the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) on HVS trajectories, comparing them with those from an axisymmetric potential. We simulate 28,000 HVSs ejected over the last 100 Myr and find that ignoring the bar and LMC can cause their apparent ejection location to drift by up to 100 pc. Applying two standard HVS potential fitting methods to our sample shows that they are unable to perform as designed when nonaxisymmetric effects are neglected. We calculate the angle between HVS Galactocentric position and velocity, and find the LMC and bar can induce a deflection angle of up to several degrees. Using mock Gaia Data Release 4 observations, however, we show that this deflection is too small in magnitude to be measured in the near future without significantly improved observational uncertainties, particularly in heliocentric distance. Our results emphasize the need to account for the bar and LMC in modeling the Galactic potential using HVSs as a tracer.

The standard ΛCDM cosmological model predicts that a large amount of diffuse neutral hydrogen distributes in cosmic filaments, which could be mapped through Lyα emission observations. We use the hydrodynamical simulation Illustris-TNG50 to investigate the evolution of surface brightness (SB) and detectability of neutral hydrogen in cosmic filaments across redshifts z = 2–5. While the H i column density of cosmic filaments decreases with redshift, due to the rising temperature with cosmic time in filaments, the SB of Lyα emission in filaments is brighter at lower redshifts, suggesting that the detection of cosmic filaments is more feasible at lower redshifts. However, most of the Lyα emission from cosmic filaments is around 10⁻²¹, making it extremely challenging to detect with current observational instruments. We further generate mock images using the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) spectrograph installed on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and a MUSE-like spectrograph on the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). Our finding indicates that while the VLT can only detect filamentary structures made of dense gas in galactic centers, the ELT is expected to reveal much finer filamentary structures from diffuse neutral hydrogen outside of galaxies. Compared to the VLT, both the number density and the longest length of filaments are greatly boosted with the ELT. Hence the forthcoming ELT is highly promising to provide a clearer view of cosmic filaments in Lyα emission.