New research reveals that 3I/ATLAS is packed with an unusually large amount of the organic molecule methanol – more than almost all known comets in our own solar system.
Recent News
10 Questions: Anica Miller-Rushing
Meet Anica Miller-Rushing, STEM education research associate for AUI’s Office of Education and Public Engagement.
A Quintillion-to-One: Giant Stars, Tiny Dust
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered that some of the most massive stars in our galaxy are emitting unbelievably tiny grains of carbon dust—dust that one day could form future stars and planets.
NSF NRAO Hosts SpectrumX Field Experiment at the Very Large Array
The U. S. National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO) recently collaborated with NSF SpectrumX, the Spectrum Innovation Center, to host a large-scale spectrum research experiment at the U.S. National Science Foundation Very Large Array (NSF VLA) in New Mexico.
This week-long effort, conducted in July 2025, brought together researchers, students, and experts from across academia, government, and industry to study spectrum usage in the 7.125 to 7.4 GHz band—frequencies of increasing importance to both science and emerging sixth-generation (6G) communications. Because of the unique sensitivity of the NSF VLA, the experiment provided a vital opportunity to explore how future spectrum allocations may affect radio astronomy and other passive scientific applications. Read the full release.
About NRAO
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
Contact:
Corrina C. Jaramillo Feldman, Senior Public Information Officer
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
[email protected]
(505) 366-7267
public.nrao.edu
About SpectrumX
SpectrumX is funded by the NSF as part of its Spectrum Innovation Initiative, under grant number AST 21-32700. SpectrumX is the world’s largest academic hub where all radio spectrum stakeholders can innovate, collaborate, and contribute to maximizing social welfare of this precious resource.
To learn more about SpectrumX, please visit spectrumx.org.
Contact:
Stephanie Loney, Research Communications Specialist
NSF SpectrumX / Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame
[email protected] / 574.631.7804
spectrumx.org
This news article was originally published on the NRAO website on September 2, 2025.
Recent News
ALMA Detects Extremely Abundant Alcohol in Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
New research reveals that 3I/ATLAS is packed with an unusually large amount of the organic molecule methanol – more than almost all known comets in our own solar system.
10 Questions: Anica Miller-Rushing
Meet Anica Miller-Rushing, STEM education research associate for AUI’s Office of Education and Public Engagement.
A Quintillion-to-One: Giant Stars, Tiny Dust
Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have discovered that some of the most massive stars in our galaxy are emitting unbelievably tiny grains of carbon dust—dust that one day could form future stars and planets.