A Massive Star Just Disappears in Andromeda

 

For those of us who spend our nights nudging a telescope across the sky, or setting coordinates to image, the Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) is an old friend. We know its dust lanes and its satellite galaxies by heart. Some of us may even know the visual globular clusters that can be seen in a telescope. But while we were looking at the big picture, a massive star in one of Andromeda's spiral arms—M31-2014-DS1—did something revolutionary: it disappeared. 

 

 

Full write up and LINK to the article over at EadsyAstronomy.  

Hubble Space Telescope Revisits Messier 1 The Crab Nebula after 24 years

 

 

Today, we’re stepping away from the telescope for just a moment to look at some data that really hits home for those of us who have spent hours imaging or sketching Messier 1, the Crab Nebula.

Now, if you’ve followed me for some time, here on my blog, you know I love Messier 1, the Crab Nebula. Yep, it’s a supernova remnant, and that explains my fascination and love of this object. Because it's a supernova remnant that means it’s a mess of history and physics. But here’s the thing: this Crab is fast. It’s expanding at 1,500 kilometers per second. If you haven't updated your maps or images or drawings since the late '90s or even early 2000s, you’re looking at a ghost. That object is now long gone. That’s exactly what William Blair and his team of astronomers addressed in their 2026 paper, "The Crab Nebula Revisited." 

Watch the video review and for a more in depth explanation head over to EadsyAstronomy LINK.