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Archive for the ‘cosmology’ category: Page 110

Jun 27, 2023

Researchers detect 14 new active galactic nuclei

Posted by in category: cosmology

Using the Spectrum–RG (SRG) spacecraft and two ground-based telescopes, Russian astronomers have observed X-ray sources in the eastern Galactic sky. The observational campaign resulted in the detection of 14 new active galactic nuclei. The findings were presented June 6 in the journal Astronomy Letters.

An (AGN) is a compact region at the center of a galaxy, more luminous than the surrounding galaxy light. AGNs are very energetic due either to the presence of a black hole or star formation activity at the core of the galaxy.

Astronomers generally divide AGNs into two groups based on emission line features. Type 1 AGNs show broad and narrow emission lines, while only narrow emission lines are present in Type 2 AGNs.

Jun 26, 2023

Nearby Star Cluster May Be Nearly As Old As The Universe

Posted by in category: cosmology

A new technique has been used to estimate the age of globular star cluster M92 at 13.8 billion years, plus or minus 0.75 billion years. This is an almost exact match for the estimated age of the Universe, albeit with wider error bars. Either this nearby collection of stars formed as soon as possible after the Big Bang, or we’ve been underestimating how old the Universe really is.

Globular clusters are, as the name suggests, near-spherical collections of tens of thousands of tightly packed stars sitting outside galaxies. In general, they are very old – but some are considerably older than others, and these attract the most interest from astronomers as they provide us with insight into the universe’s earliest days.

M92 is a favorite object for northern hemisphere amateur astronomers, being easily visible in binoculars, but to professionals it’s particularly significant as a candidate for the oldest globular cluster in our near vicinity. Indeed, as a forthcoming paper notes, M92 is often used as a benchmark against which we measure newly forming galaxies seen soon after the Big Bang.

Jun 24, 2023

Europe’s Euclid space telescope to launch on July 1

Posted by in categories: cosmology, space travel

The European Space Agency said on Wednesday its space telescope Euclid is scheduled to launch on July 1, blasting off on a mission to shed light on the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy.

The mission will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, with the broadcast beginning at 1,430 GMT, the ESA said in a tweet.

Euclid was originally planned to ride into space on a Russian Soyuz rocket, but last year Moscow withdrew its launchers in response to sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.

Jun 24, 2023

Nearest supermassive black hole awakens from dormancy, becomes a million times brighter: Scientists

Posted by in category: cosmology

In a remarkable revelation, scientists have observed that our closest supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, has emerged from a prolonged state of dormancy and intensified its luminosity by a factor of a million.

Situated at the core of the Milky Way, this black hole is approximately four million times more massive than the Sun. Previously considered quiescent, it suddenly displayed heightened activity around 200 years ago, devouring cosmic objects that ventured too close, reported the Independent.

The resulting surge in brightness occurred rapidly, analogous to a hidden glow-worm in a forest instantly radiating sunlight, according to researchers. While the precise cause of this awakening remains unknown, scientists are dedicated to studying the black hole’s behaviour in order to unravel the factors that trigger such transitions from quiescence to activity.

Jun 24, 2023

Time Dilation Experiments Could Upend Einstein, Explain Dark Matter and Expanding Universe

Posted by in categories: cosmology, physics

In an effort to explain the accelerating expansion of the universe as well as the nature of Dark Matter, researchers have zeroed in on an upcoming set of experiments designed to measure time dilation.

According to the researchers behind the pioneering approach, these time dilation experiments should either add support to Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity and the theories of Leonhard Euler regarding the movement of celestial objects or open the door to a whole new understanding of time and matter.

Einstein and Euler Still Unable to Fully Explain Dark Matter and the Expanding Universe.

Jun 22, 2023

A Hint of Dark Matter Sends Physicists Looking to the Skies

Posted by in categories: cosmology, particle physics

After a search of neutron stars finds preliminary evidence for hypothetical dark matter particles called axions, astrophysicists are devising new ways to spot them.

Jun 22, 2023

Hear the melodic singing of a supermassive black hole in the Milky Way… that woke up 200 years ago

Posted by in category: cosmology

Scientists believe galactic musical sounds were emitted from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole at the turn of the 19th century.

Jun 22, 2023

A dynamic form of dark energy may explain strange radiation signal from the early universe

Posted by in category: cosmology

We may have already found evidence of an evolving, dynamic kind of dark energy, in the form of the radiation emitted when the first stars appeared in the universe.

Jun 22, 2023

Chinese researchers used a quantum processor to simulate black hole-like conditions

Posted by in categories: cosmology, mathematics, quantum physics, supercomputing

They created a quantum system with properties analogous to black holes.

A collaborative effort from research teams across multiple organizations in China was successful in using quantum computing technology to test Hawking Radiation, the theory proposed by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, the South China Morning Post.

Quantum computing is a complex field that involves using mathematics, computer science, and physics to solve complex problems. Interesting Engineering recently reported how a quantum computer recently beat a conventional supercomputer at complex math.

Jun 21, 2023

Observations of high-mass star seeds defy models

Posted by in categories: cosmology, evolution

Astronomers have mapped 39 interstellar clouds where high-mass stars are expected to form. This large data set shows that the accepted model of low-mass star formation needs to be expanded to explain the formation of high-mass stars. This suggests the formation of high-mass stars is fundamentally different from the formation of low-mass stars, not just a matter of scale.

High-mass stars play an important role in the evolution of the universe through the release of heavy elements and the produced when a massive star explodes in a supernova. Despite their importance, the way form remains poorly understood due to their rarity.

To better understand massive star formation a team led by Kaho Morii, Patricio Sanhueza, and Fumitaka Nakamura used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to observe 39 infrared dark clouds (IRDCs). IRDCs are massive, cold, and dense clouds of gas and dust; and are thought to be the sites of massive star formation. The team focused on clouds showing no signs of star formation, to understand the beginning of the formation process before ignite. In the 39 clouds, the team found more than 800 stellar seeds, referred to as molecular cloud cores, which astronomers think will evolve into stars.