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    Category Astronomy/Space

    Earth’s Stable Temperature Past suggests other Planets could also Sustain Life

    April 6, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    The study significantly narrows the possible temperature of the early Earth to 0 to 50 degrees Celsius. It also finds the ocean's pH has remained fairly moderate, gradually increasing from a slightly acidic initial value of about 6.6, through the neutral value of 7.0, to today's slightly alkaline seawater of about 8.1. Credit: Joshua Krissansen-Totton/University of Washington

    The study significantly narrows the possible temperature of the early Earth to 0 to 50 degrees Celsius. It also finds the ocean’s pH has remained fairly moderate, gradually increasing from a slightly acidic initial value of about 6.6, through the neutral value of 7.0, to today’s slightly alkaline seawater of about 8.1. Credit: Joshua Krissansen-Totton/University of Washington

    Theories about the early days of our planet’s history vary wildly. Some studies have painted the picture of a snowball Earth, when much of its surface was frozen. Other theories have included periods that would be inhospitably hot for most current lifeforms to survive. New research from the University of Washington suggests a milder youth for our planet...

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    Deep inside Perseus A – A Telescope Larger than the Earth makes a Sharp Image of the Formation of Black Hole Jets in the core of a radio galaxy

    April 5, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Artistic composition of the radio telescopes in space and on the ground observing NGC 1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies at a distance of 230 million light years. This radio image shows a newly forming jet that is about 3 light years long. The central black hole is inside the bright spot at the top of the image. The details visible in the image are smaller than the Oort’s comet cloud around our solar system. Credit: Pier Raffaele Platania INAF/IRA (compilation); ASC Lebedev Institute (RadioAstron image)

    Artistic composition of the radio telescopes in space and on the ground observing NGC 1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies at a distance of 230 million light years. This radio image shows a newly forming jet that is about 3 light years long. The central black hole is inside the bright spot at the top of the image. The details visible in the image are smaller than the Oort’s comet cloud around our solar system. Credit: Pier Raffaele Platania INAF/IRA (compilation); ASC Lebedev Institute (RadioAstron image)

    An international team has imaged newly forming jets of plasma from a massive black hole with unprecedented accuracy...

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    Deep inside Perseus A – A Telescope Larger than the Earth makes a Sharp Image of the Formation of Black Hole Jets in the core of a radio galaxy

    April 5, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Artistic composition of the radio telescopes in space and on the ground observing NGC 1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies at a distance of 230 million light years. This radio image shows a newly forming jet that is about 3 light years long. The central black hole is inside the bright spot at the top of the image. The details visible in the image are smaller than the Oort’s comet cloud around our solar system. Credit: Pier Raffaele Platania INAF/IRA (compilation); ASC Lebedev Institute (RadioAstron image)

    Artistic composition of the radio telescopes in space and on the ground observing NGC 1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster of galaxies at a distance of 230 million light years. This radio image shows a newly forming jet that is about 3 light years long. The central black hole is inside the bright spot at the top of the image. The details visible in the image are smaller than the Oort’s comet cloud around our solar system. Credit: Pier Raffaele Platania INAF/IRA (compilation); ASC Lebedev Institute (RadioAstron image)

    An international team has imaged newly forming jets of plasma from a massive black hole with unprecedented accuracy...

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    Magnetic Hot Spots on Neutron Stars Survive for Millions of Years

    April 5, 2018, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    A tightly wound-up magnetic field used as initial state in the simulation. Credit: K. Gourgouliatos, R. Hollerbach, U. Durham, U. Leeds

    A tightly wound-up magnetic field used as initial state in the simulation. Credit: K. Gourgouliatos, R. Hollerbach, U. Durham, U. Leeds

    A study of the evolution of magnetic fields inside neutron stars shows that instabilities can create intense magnetic hot spots that survive for millions of years, even after the star’s overall magnetic field has decayed significantly. The results will be presented by Dr Konstantinos Gourgouliatos of Durham University at the European Week of Astronomy and Space Science (EWASS) in Liverpool on Wednesday, 4th April.

    When a massive star consumes its nuclear fuel and collapses under its own gravity in a supernova explosion, it can result in a neutron star. These very dense objects have a radius of about 10 kilometres and yet are 1...

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