The hidden secrets of our most scrutinized star system
In short: Dr. Becky Smethurst explores why the most studied star system in astronomy continues to surprise scientists, alongside three other major celestial breakthroughs from 2026.
In this episode, astrophysicist Dr. Becky Smethurst discusses a new planet discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope orbiting Beta Pictoris. She also highlights the discovery of the most distant quasar ever found via the Euclid telescope and the identification of a 'missing' black hole within a Milky Way star cluster using Hubble data.
Beyond these specific discoveries, Dr. Smethurst reflects on her primary research: how supermassive black holes influence galaxy evolution. She specifically investigates whether energy from accretion disks can prevent galaxies from forming new stars.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The most studied star system in astronomy has been hiding something... | Night Sky News July 2026
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