ESOcast SD

  1. Astronomers identify record-breaking quasar | ESOcast Light2024/02/19

    Astronomers have characterised the most luminous quasar observed to date, which is powered by the fastest-growing black hole. This black hole is growing in mass by the equivalent of one Sun per day. The matter being pulled in toward this black hole forms a disc that measures seven light-years in diameter -- about 15 000 times the distance from the Sun to the orbit of Neptune.
  2. Supernovae give rise to black holes or neutron stars (ESOcast 269 Light)2024/01/10

    Astronomers have found a direct link between the explosive deaths of massive stars and the formation of the most compact and enigmatic objects in the Universe — black holes and neutron stars. This video summarises the discovery.
  3. The furthest ever galactic magnetic field (ESOcast 267 Light)2023/09/06

    Using ALMA, astronomers have detected the magnetic field of a galaxy so far away that its light has taken more than 11 billion years to reach us. Never before had we detected a galaxy’s magnetic field this far away. This video summarises the discovery.
  4. ESO telescopes help solve pulsar puzzle (ESOcast 266 Light)2023/08/30


  5. Mysterious Neptune Dark Spot Detected from Earth (ESOcast 265 Light)2023/08/24


  6. New type of star gives clues to magnetars' origins (ESOcast 264 Light)2023/08/17

    Using multiple telescopes around the world, including European Southern Observatory (ESO) facilities, researchers have uncovered a living star that is likely to become a magnetar, an ultra-magnetic dead star. This video summarises the discovery.
  7. Does this planet have a “sibling” sharing the same orbit? (ESOcast 263 Light)2023/07/19

    Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), astronomers have found the possible ‘sibling’ of a planet orbiting a distant star. This video summarises the discovery.
  8. Hidden views of vast stellar nurseries (ESOcast 262 Light)2023/05/11

    Using ESO's VISTA telescope, astronomers have created a vast infrared atlas of five nearby stellar nurseries by piecing together more than one million images.
  9. Observing the ashes of the first stars (ESOcast 261 Light)2023/05/03

    Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers have found the fingerprints left by the explosions of the first stars.
  10. First image of a black hole expelling a powerful jet (ESOcast 260 Light)2023/04/26

    With the help of ALMA, astronomers have obtained a new image of the supermassive black hole at the
    centre of the M87 galaxy.
  11. Witnessing the Birth of a Distant Cluster of Galaxies (ESOcast Light 259)2023/03/29

    Using ALMA, astronomers have detected a large reservoir of hot gas in the still-forming galaxy cluster around the Spiderweb galaxy –– the most distant detection of such hot gas yet. This further reveals just how early these structures begin to form.
  12. The Missing Link for Water in the Solar System (ESOcast 258 Light)2023/03/08

    Using ALMA, astronomers have detected the chemical signature of gaseous water in the planet-forming disc V883 Orionis. This acts as a timestamp for the water’s formation, allowing us to trace its journey.
  13. Heaviest Element yet Detected in an Exoplanet Atmosphere (ESOcast 257 Light)2022/10/13

    Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, barium has been detected in the atmosphere of two exoplanets.
  14. Hot Gas Bubble Swirling Around our Supermassive Black Hole (ESOcast 256 Light)2022/09/22

    Using ALMA, astronomers have found a hot bubble of gas that swirls around Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the centre of our galaxy, at 30% of the speed of light.
  15. 'Black Hole Police' Spot Extragalactic Black Hole (ESOcast 255 Light)2022/07/18

    The black hole police, a team of astronomers known for debunking black hole discoveries, reported finding a "needle in a haystack". After searching nearly 1000 stars outside our galaxy, they found that one of them has a stellar-mass black hole as a companion. This short video summarises the discovery.
  16. What it Takes to Image a Black Hole2022/05/12

    What does it take to capture an image of the black hole at the centre of our galaxy? This video explains how the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) works, and how astronomers managed to create one massive Earth-sized telescope big enough to “see” at the edge of black holes.
  17. Micronovae – a New Kind of Stellar Explosion (ESOcast 254 Light)2022/04/20

    Astronomers have discovered a new type of explosion occurring on white dwarf stars in two-star systems. This video summarises the discovery.
  18. Largest Molecule yet Spotted in a Planet-forming Disc (ESOcast 253 Light)2022/03/08

    How do the ingredients for life end up on planets? The discovery of the largest molecule ever found in a planet-forming disc is providing clues.
  19. Closest Black Hole or no Black Hole at all…? (ESOcast 252)2022/03/02

    One team found a black hole, the other challenged their results. This is the story of how they got together to find out who was right.
  20. Uncovering a Black Hole in an Immense Dust Cloud (ESOcast 251 Light)2022/02/16

    Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are extremely energetic sources powered by supermassive black holes. This short video provides insights into these peculiar objects by showcasing a new discovery on the AGN at the centre of the Messier 77 galaxy.
  21. Ultralight Planet Found Next Door (ESOcast 250 Light)2022/02/10

    In this short video, we highlight the discovery of planet Proxima d around the star closest to the Sun.
  22. Rogue planets uncovered (ESOcast 249 Light)2021/12/22

    Astronomers have used ESO telescopes to detect at least 70 rogue planets in our Milky Way, the largest group to date. Learn more about these elusive cosmic nomads in this video summarising the discovery!
  23. Watch Stars Move Around our Galaxy’s Central Black Hole (ESOcast 248 Light)2021/12/14

    To learn more about the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, Sgr A*, scientists zoomed in towards our galaxy's centre with the help of ESO's Very Large Telescope Interferometer to watch how stars move around Sgr A*. This video summarises what they found.
  24. Surprise planet found around extreme star pair (ESOcast 247 Light)2021/12/08

    ESO’s Very Large Telescope has captured an image of a planet orbiting b Centauri, a pair of stars that can be seen with the naked eye. Find out why this next-door planetary system is extreme in this short video.
  25. Supermassive Black Holes on a Collision Course (ESOcast 246 Light)2021/11/30

    Using the ESO’s Very Large Telescope, astronomers have revealed the closest pair of supermassive black holes to Earth ever observed. This video summarises the discovery.
ESOcast SD
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ESOcast is a video podcast series dedicated to bringing you the latest news and research from ESO, the European Southern Observatory. Here we explore the Universe's ultimate frontier.