Astronomy

Sleeping cuckoo bees, colourful cotton harlequin bugs and a thorny lacewing trapped in amber appear in some of the best entries to the Royal Entomological Society Photography Competition

Sleeping cuckoo bees, colourful cotton harlequin bugs and a thorny lacewing trapped in amber appear in some of the best entries to the Royal Entomological Society Photography Competition

China's Chang'e 6 probe is scheduled to return to Earth on June 25, and scientists are starting to get excited about what its far side moon samples can tell us.

More than 50 million people living near airports in Europe may be at risk of health impacts from a little-studied form of air pollution produced at high levels by aircraft engines

More than 50 million people living near airports in Europe may be at risk of health impacts from a little-studied form of air pollution produced at high levels by aircraft engines

Using the ALMA radio telescope array, astronomers have investigated the disks of gas and dust around young binary stars to better understand how these systems procure planets.

First looks would tell most observers that supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and very young stars have nothing in common. But that’s not true. Astronomers have detected a supermassive black hole (SMBH) whose growth is regulated the same way a baby star’s is: by magnetic winds.

Supermassive Black Holes are so massive that comprehending them is difficult. They can be billions of times more massive than our Sun, a number so easy to say that it trivializes their true magnitude. They grow so large through two mechanisms: mergers and accretion.

Black holes can’t be seen directly, but their existence is confirmed by observing how they alter their surroundings. SMBHs are so massive that they alter the orbits and velocities of nearby stars, a phenomenon astronomers have clearly observed. SMBHs are also visible as active galactic nuclei when they’re actively accreting material. Lastly, when black holes merge, they release gravitational waves that we can detect with facilities like LIGO/Virgo.

But there are lots of unanswered questions about how black holes grow by accretion. To try to understand how an SMBH accretes gas and acquires mass, a team of researchers observed ESO320-G030, a nearby galaxy only 120 million light years away.

Their results are in a paper titled “A spectacular galactic scale magnetohydrodynamic powered wind in ESO 320-G030.” The paper is published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, and the lead author is Mark Gorski, a postdoc at Northwestern University.

One outstanding issue in the study of SMBHs concerns black hole feedback. Not all of the material that enters an SMBH’s accretion disk falls into the hole. Some is released by astrophysical jets. This is part of a process called black hole feedback, and it shapes how the black hole grows and how quickly its galaxy forms new stars.

ESO 320-G030 is interesting not only because it hosts an SMBH but also because it’s forming new stars at a rapid rate, about ten times as fast as the Milky Way. To try to understand all the processes in the galaxy’s nucleus, a team of researchers used the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) to observe molecules being transported from the galaxy’s center outward.

“How galaxies regulate nuclear growth through gas accretion by supermassive black holes (SMBHs) is one of the most fundamental questions in galaxy evolution,” the authors write in their research article. “One potential way to regulate nuclear growth is through a galactic wind that removes gas from the nucleus.”

ALMA’s strength lies in its ability to see through thick gas and dust and to observe light that straddles infrared light and radio waves. It can track cold molecules by the light they emit in these wavelengths. In this research, ALMA tracked HCN (hydrogen cyanide) as it travelled through ESO 320-G030’s nucleus.

“It is unclear whether galactic winds are powered by jets, mechanical winds, radiation, or via magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) processes,” the authors write. By using ALMA to observe HCN, the researchers hoped to bring clarity.

An artist’s conception of a supermassive black hole’s jets. Credit: NASA / Dana Berry / SkyWorks Digital

ESO 320-G030 is a particular type of galaxy. It’s a luminous infrared galaxy with a very compact nucleus obscured by dust. About 30% of these types of galaxies have extremely compact nuclei with growing SMBHs or unusual starbursts. There’s clearly a lot of action in the galaxy’s nucleus, so it’s a critical target for astrophysicists and astronomers.

“Since this galaxy is very luminous in the infrared, telescopes can resolve striking details in its centre,” said Susanne Aalto, Professor of Radio Astronomy at Chalmers University of Technology. “We wanted to measure light from molecules carried by winds from the galaxy’s core, hoping to trace how the winds are launched by a growing, or soon to be growing, supermassive black hole. By using ALMA, we were able to study light from behind thick layers of dust and gas.”

There’s a debate among astronomers over the nature of black hole feedback. Galaxies have AGN-driven outflows that inject gas back into a galaxy’s nucleus, but they can’t agree on the nature of the feedback. It could be jets, mechanical winds, or radiation. Observing ESO 320-G030 with ALMA’s molecule-observing ability is a chance to wade deeply into the debate.

ALMA was able to trace the behaviour of HCN due to excitational vibration. The observations result in maps of the molecule’s movement in the galaxy’s nucleus.

This figure from the research shows an intensity-weighted velocity field of HCN in ESO 320-G030’s nucleus. The authors write, “The rough location and direction of the outflow is indicated by the dashed arrows.” The contours in the figure show that the HCN-vib emission is “extended along the outflow and that the outflow is launched from similarly rotating sides of the nucleus.” Image Credit: Gorski et al. 2024

“We can see how the winds form a spiralling structure, billowing out from the galaxy’s centre. When we measured the rotation, mass, and velocity of the material flowing outwards, we were surprised to find that we could rule out many explanations for the power of the wind, star formation for example. Instead, the flow outwards may be powered by the inflow of gas and seems to be held together by magnetic fields,” said Aalto.

As the SMBH draws material into its rotating accretion disk, the rotation creates powerful magnetic fields. The magnetic fields lift matter away from the center, creating a spiralling MHD (magnetohydrodynamic) wind. As matter is removed by the wind, the disk rotation slows. Slower rotation allows more material to fall into the hole, letting the SMBH grow more massive.

Other winds and jets in the nucleus propel material away from black holes in galaxy nuclei, but this newly discovered wind feeds material into the black hole. “In this Letter, we present compelling evidence that the outflow in ESO 320-G030 is powered by a different mechanism, an MHD wind launched prior to the ignition of an AGN,” the authors write. Since an AGN is observed when an SMBH has accreted material into its disk and the material has been heated by rotation, the wind the researchers observed is likely responsible for feeding material into the black hole’s disk, some of which falls into the hole itself.

To the astronomers behind the work, the ALMA data images are a breathtaking new insight into the winds in ESO 320-G030’s galactic nucleus. “What is spectacular about the outflow morphology is that the launching regions are apparent and connected to the rotating nuclear structure in the innermost ~12 pc,” they write. The patterns revealed by ALMA hint at the presence of a magnetized rotating wind.

The wind’s rotating element is key. “The rotation of outflows is a strong indication of magnetic acceleration,” the authors explain. If magnetic acceleration is driving it, then the other phenomena astronomers debate—AGN, astrophysical jets, or radiation—can’t be responsible.

This newly discovered wind is similar to the winds around young protostars that are accreting material and actively growing.

Artist’s conception of a star being born within a protective shroud of gas and dust. New research shows that magnetic winds aid the growth of both protostars and SMBHs. Credit: NASA

“It is well-established that stars, in the first stages of their evolution, grow with the help of rotating winds – accelerated by magnetic fields, just like the wind in this galaxy. Our observations show that supermassive black holes and tiny stars can grow by similar processes, but on very different scales.” said lead author Gorski in a press release.

This could be a big step in understanding how SMBHs grow, but the authors know it’s only one step. They need to observe more SMBHs and gather more data before anything is conclusive.

“Far from all questions about this process are answered. In our observations we see clear evidence of a rotating wind that helps regulate the growth of the galaxy’s central black hole. Now that we know what to look for, the next step is to find out how common a phenomenon this is. And if this is a stage which all galaxies with supermassive black holes go through, what happens to them next?” asks lead author Gorski.

The post Growing Black Holes Have Much in Common With Baby Stars appeared first on Universe Today.

A Nigerian could soon make it to space for the first time ever, via Jeff Bezos' aerospace company Blue Origin.

After helium leaks and thruster problems with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, NASA has been pushing back the return date from the International Space Station. On Friday, the agency announced they no longer had a planned return date. Instead, they will keep testing the capsule, trying to understand its issues, and seeing if they can make any fixes. Plenty of supplies are on the station, so there’s no urgent need to bring the two astronauts back to Earth.

NASA decided to cancel the planned departure of Wednesday, June 26 because of conflicting timelines with a series of planned spacewalks on the ISS, set for today (Monday, June 24), and Tuesday, July 2. The delay also allows mission teams time to review propulsion and system data.

Boeing’s CTS-100 Starliner taking off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on June 5th, 2024. Credit: NASA

After years of delays and two recent scrubbed launch attempts, Starliner finally launched on June 5, 2024 with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on board. Although two of the spacecraft’s thrusters failed during the flight, the spacecraft managed to reach the ISS and delivered 227 kg (500 lbs) of cargo. Additionally, five small leaks on the service module were also detected, and the crew and ground teams have been working through safety checks.

“We are taking our time and following our standard mission management team process,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program in a NASA blog post. “We are letting the data drive our decision making relative to managing the small helium system leaks and thruster performance we observed during rendezvous and docking. Additionally, given the duration of the mission, it is appropriate for us to complete an agency-level review, similar to what was done ahead of the NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 return after two months on orbit, to document the agency’s formal acceptance on proceeding as planned.”

This first crewed flight of Starliner was supposed to validate the spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP), with the hope of it working alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to make regular deliveries of cargo and crew to the ISS. This mission is the second time the Starliner has flown to the ISS and the third flight test overall. During the first uncrewed test flight (OFT-1), which took place back in December 2019, the Starliner launched successfully but failed to make it to the ISS. After making 61 corrective actions recommended by NASA, another attempt was made (OFT-2) on May 22nd, 2022. That flight successfully docked to the ISS, staying there for four days before undocking and landing in the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

The seven Expedition 71 crew members gather with the two Crew Flight Test members for a team portrait aboard the space station. In the front from left are, Suni Williams, Oleg Kononenko, and Butch Wilmore. Second row from left are, Alexander Grebenkin, Tracy C. Dyson, and Mike Barratt. In the back are, Nikolai Chub, Jeanette Epps, and Matthew Dominick. Photo credit: NASA

Wilmore and Williams are now  working with the Expedition 71 crew, assisting with station operations as needed and completing add-on in-flight objectives for NASA’s certification of Starliner.

Stich said that despite all the issues, Starliner is performing well in orbit while docked to the space station.

“We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner,” he said, “and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.”

Mission managers will evaluate future return opportunities for Starliner and NASA said they will host a media telecon with mission leadership following a readiness review. NASA added that Starliner is actually cleared for return in case of an emergency on the space station that would require the crew to leave orbit and come back to Earth.

The post NASA Doesn't Know When Starliner Will Return From Orbit appeared first on Universe Today.

Astronomers have measured supermassive black hole winds that existed when the universe was less than a billion years old, showing how these cosmic titans shape galaxies.

A Florida family has filed a claim with NASA after discarded components from the International Space Station crashed through their house.

Crews transport NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-U) from the Astrotech Space Operations facility to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida beginning on Friday, June 14, 2024, with the operation finishing early Saturday, June 15, 2024. The fourth and final weather-observing and environmental monitoring satellite in NOAA’s GOES-R Series will assist meteorologists in providing advanced weather forecasting and warning capabilities. The two-hour window for liftoff opens 5:16 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 25, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

It should be possible to combine several quantum states, each with almost no energy, to create a single quantum state containing unexpectedly energy-rich regions

It should be possible to combine several quantum states, each with almost no energy, to create a single quantum state containing unexpectedly energy-rich regions

Scientists won't only study the rocks NASA's Perseverance rover has cached throughout its trek across Mars. They want the fresh Mars air, too.

NASA has long been interested in building bigger and better space telescopes. Its Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) has funded several methods for building and deploying novel types of telescopes for various purposes. Back in 2019, one of the projects they funded was the Dual Use Exoplanet Telescope (DUET), which would use an advanced form of optics to track down a potential Earth 2.0.

So far, the largest telescope launched into space is JWST, with a 6.5m primary mirror. However, even with that big of a mirror, it is difficult to differentiate exoplanets from their stars, which may be only a few milliarcseconds away from each other. Larger telescopes on the ground have slightly higher resolutions, but they suffer from other limitations, such as atmospheric distortion and cloud cover.

A larger telescope in space would solve many of those problems, but launching one that is simply a larger version of JWST is prohibitively expensive or just plain prohibited, depending on whether it would fit in a rocket fairing. Even Starship and other next-generation launch systems couldn’t fit a 10 m assembled primary mirror.

PI Tom Ditto gives a talk at the SETI Institute about the DUET telescope.
Credit – SETI Institute YouTube Channel

So, researchers have started to turn to alternative optical techniques that could solve this problem. One commonly known optical phenomenon is diffraction. The best-known example is the famous “slit” experiment that many kids perform in physics class. Light bends when going around an edge, and engineers can take that principle, scale it up, and build something that bends the light from far-away stars.

That is the underlying principle of DUET – it uses a technique called primary objective grating (POG) to focus specific wavelengths that might be of interest – for example, that wavelength that would show oxygen in an exoplanet’s atmosphere. In particular, DUET uses a type of POG that results in a circular spectrogram. Although this idea is novel in astronomy, it has been used in other fields. Tom Ditto, the PI on the project, was originally an artist before converting into a technologist focusing on optics.

With the NIAC Phase I funding, Ditto and his team developed a bench-top experiment that proved the technology underlying DUET. It consists of a slatted first data collection stage that focuses the light from a star of interest on a secondary stage and, thereby, a collector, which captures the data that could be translated into a circular spectrograph. 

Graphic of deployment of the slits in the outer primary of the DUET telescope.
Credit – Ditto et al.

In particular, the researchers were interested in UV light, as Earth would appear like a bright candle from far away, at least compared to light in other spectra. They tested a violet laser on their bench setup and analyzed the resulting circular spectrograph. It showed great promise for detecting something with a spectrum like Earth’s from very far away.

But there are still hurdles to overcome. One of the bigger concerns was the efficiency of the grating structure used in the experiments. Its 20% efficiency would make it barely feasible to detect the kind of faint objects the telescope is designed for. The deployment mechanism for the grating, which requires the assistance of additional spacecraft separate from the telescope itself, would also be a challenge.

How would we build large telescopes in space? Fraser explains.

That’s where the experiment stands, as NASA has not elected to support the project with a Phase II grant so far. Given the history of exoplanet discovery, it’s only a matter of time before we find Earth 2.0. What technology we will use to do so is up in the air.

Learn more:
Ditto et al. – DUET The Dual Use Exoplanet Telescope
UT – Building Space Telescopes… In Space
UT – Future Space Telescopes Could be 100 Meters Across, Constructed in Space, and Then Bent Into a Precise Shape
UT – Using Smart Materials To Deploy A Dark Age Explorer

Lead Image:
Graphic of the DUET Space Telescope Fully Deployed.
Credit – Ditto et al.

The post Advanced Optics Could Help Us Find Earth 2.0 appeared first on Universe Today.

A final trailer for Apple Original Films' comedy, "Fly Me To The Moon" which premiers in theaters on July 12.

Scientists recently discovered giant viruses infecting algal blooms that dot the Greenland ice sheet

People don't realise just how bad our antibiotic resistance problem is, says Jeanne Marrazzo, the top infectious disease specialist in the US

People don't realise just how bad our antibiotic resistance problem is, says Jeanne Marrazzo, the top infectious disease specialist in the US