Astrophysics

The Moon is much older than previously thought. Its crust was reheated after its formation - and has thus misled researchers in determining its age more

New observations with the James Webb Space Telescope no longer rule out the presence of an atmosphere around the Earth-sized rocky planet. However, a geologically active planet also explains the data.  more

A pulsar within a few thousand light-years of Earth could have accelerated electrons and positrons to the extreme energies now measured by the H.E.S.S.-Observatory more

Newly analyzed data from ESA’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft offer the first high-resolution view of the entire solar disk more

A huge thermonuclear explosion 2700 light years away makes the nova T Corona Boralis visible to all in the night sky more

Nested morphology of gas streams confirms a mechanism that helps infant stars to grow by ingesting disk material. more

New all-sky survey by the MeerKAT radio telescope shows the universe as expected at large distances - unlike previous observations by other telescopes more

In young planetary systems, gas giants form more efficiently and faster than previously assumed as shown by new computer simulations. more

An image of the the James Webb Space Telescope shows the oldest and coldest known exoplanet more

With 8200 solar masses, the black hole fills the evolutionary gap between stellar and supermassive black holes more

The sight of a bright comet has fascinated people at all times. But what is behind such a celestial spectacle? It was only in modern times that researchers discovered the phenomenon - by which time the tail stars had already had a long career as bringers of bad luck or divine messengers. more

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2023 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

The Euclid space telescope contains technology from two Max Planck Institutes more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Interview with Reinhard Genzel, director at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and architect of the 30-year programme that led to the discovery of the Schwarzschild precession around the black hole at the heart of our Milky Way. Genzel describes the general relativity effect observed by his team and how it can be used to study the galactic gravity trap.Reinhard Genzel receives the Nobel Prize for Physics 2020
Digital Story: Reinhard Genzel more