An international team of astronomers has discovered the first radio-bright tidal disruption event (TDE) occurring outside a galaxy’s center using the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) Very Large Array (NSF VLA) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), along with several partner telescopes.
Recent News
First-ever Detection of “Heavy Water” in a Planet-forming Disk
The discovery of ancient water in a planet-forming disk reveals that some of the water found in comets—and maybe even Earth—is older than the disk’s star itself, offering breakthrough insights into the history of water in our Solar System.
Astronomers Detect Lowest Mass Dark Object Yet in Distant Universe
An international research team, using a worldwide network of radio telescopes, has detected an enigmatic dark object with a mass about one million times that of our Sun without observing any emitted light. This is the lowest mass dark object ever detected at a cosmological distance using only its gravitational influence.
Groundbreaking Magnetic Field Discovery Near Massive Protostar
Schematic of circular polarization being detected in radio waves from a massive protostar surrounded by a disk and driving a bipolar jet. This is an artistic image, not drawn to scale. Credit: AG Cheriyan/IIST
The U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) proudly announces a major breakthrough in our understanding of star formation, thanks to the unparalleled capabilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (NSF VLA). An international team, led by astronomers from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), has for the first time detected circular polarization in radio emission originating from a massive protostar, IRAS 18162-2048—unveiling fresh clues about the cosmic forces shaping our universe.
Circularly polarized radio waves have been directly observed from a young, massive protostar, a phenomenon previously recorded only near black holes and low-mass protostars, demonstrating a new link between diverse cosmic environments. This rare signal, detected using the NSF VLA, has enabled astronomers to infer magnetic field strengths of about 20–35 Gauss close to the forming star. These values are roughly 100 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field—providing the first direct clues to magnetic field strengths in such extreme environments. The findings reinforce a long-standing theory that the mechanisms launching powerful astrophysical jets are fundamentally similar, from low-mass stars through to supermassive black holes.
NSF NRAO is honored to contribute this critical technology and support to discoveries that deepen humanity’s knowledge of the cosmos. Read the full releases from IIST and IISc.
About NRAO
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
This news article was originally published on the NRAO website on July 18, 2025.
Recent News
Astronomers Discover Fastest-Evolving Radio Signals Ever Observed from Black Hole Tearing Apart Star
An international team of astronomers has discovered the first radio-bright tidal disruption event (TDE) occurring outside a galaxy’s center using the U.S. National Science Foundation National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) Very Large Array (NSF VLA) and Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), along with several partner telescopes.
First-ever Detection of “Heavy Water” in a Planet-forming Disk
The discovery of ancient water in a planet-forming disk reveals that some of the water found in comets—and maybe even Earth—is older than the disk’s star itself, offering breakthrough insights into the history of water in our Solar System.
Astronomers Detect Lowest Mass Dark Object Yet in Distant Universe
An international research team, using a worldwide network of radio telescopes, has detected an enigmatic dark object with a mass about one million times that of our Sun without observing any emitted light. This is the lowest mass dark object ever detected at a cosmological distance using only its gravitational influence.