Recent Comments

    Category Astronomy/Space

    ‘Little Cub’ gives astronomers rare chance to see galaxy demise

    July 5, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    The Little Cub galaxy (circled) which is being stripped of gas by its larger neighbor. Credit: SDSS Collaboration

    The Little Cub galaxy (circled) which is being stripped of gas by its larger neighbor. Credit: SDSS Collaboration

     
    A primitive galaxy that could provide clues about the early Universe has been spotted by astronomers as it begins to be consumed by a gigantic neighbouring galaxy. The Little Cub galaxy – so called because it sits in the Ursa Major or Great Bear constellation – is being stripped of the gas needed to continue forming stars by its larger companion. The find means scientists now have a rare opportunity to observe a dwarf galaxy as its gas is removed by the effects of a nearby giant galaxy to learn more about how this process happens.
     
    As the Little Cub has remained almost pristine since its formation, scientists also hope its elements will reveal more about the che...
    Read More

    Shocking case of Indigestion in Supermassive Black Hole

    July 4, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Left: Image of the Whirlpool galaxy and NGC 5195. Credit: Jon Christensen. Right: False colour image of NGC 5195 created by combining the VLA 20 cm radio image (red), the Chandra X-ray image (green), and the Hubble Space telescope H-alpha image (blue). The image shows the X-ray and H-alpha arcs, as well as the radio outflows from the supermassive black hole at the centre of NGC 5195. Credits: NRAO / AUI / NSF / NASA / CXC / NASA / ESA / STScI / U. Manchester / Rampadarath et al. Right inset: e-MERLIN maps of the nuclear region of NGC 5195 at 1.4 GHz (left) and 5 GHz (right). The images display a partially resolved source with possible parsec-scale outflows. Credit: e-MERLIN / U. Manchester / Rampadarath et al. Click for a larger image

    Left: Image of the Whirlpool galaxy and NGC 5195. Credit: Jon Christensen. Right: False colour image of NGC 5195 created by combining the VLA 20 cm radio image (red), the Chandra X-ray image (green), and the Hubble Space telescope H-alpha image (blue). The image shows the X-ray and H-alpha arcs, as well as the radio outflows from the supermassive black hole at the centre of NGC 5195. Credits: NRAO / AUI / NSF / NASA / CXC / NASA / ESA / STScI / U. Manchester / Rampadarath et al. Right inset: e-MERLIN maps of the nuclear region of NGC 5195 at 1.4 GHz (left) and 5 GHz (right). The images display a partially resolved source with possible parsec-scale outflows. Credit: e-MERLIN / U. Manchester / Rampadarath et al. Click for a larger image

    A multi-wavelength study of a pair of colliding galaxie...

    Read More

    Protecting Astronauts from Radiation in Space

    July 4, 2017, Categories  Physics, Technology/Electronics, Astronomy/Space

    The sample here contains hundreds of thousands of nanoparticles that manipulate the incoming light. Credit: Stuart Hay, ANYWAY

    The sample here contains hundreds of thousands of nanoparticles that manipulate the incoming light. Credit: Stuart Hay, ANUy

    Scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) have designed a new nano material that can reflect or transmit light on demand with temperature control, opening the door to technology that protects astronauts in space from harmful radiation. Dr Mohsen Rahmani from ANU said the material was so thin that hundreds of layers could fit on the tip of a needle and could be applied to any surface, including spacesuits.

    “Our invention has a lot of potential applications, such as protecting astronauts or satellites with an ultra-thin film that can be adjusted to reflect various dangerous ultraviolet or infrared radiation in different environments,” said Dr Rahmani, an A...

    Read More

    Under pressure: Extreme Atmosphere Stripping may Limit Exoplanets’ Habitability

    July 3, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Under pressure -- Extreme atmosphere stripping may limit exoplanets' habitability

    Artist’s impression of HD189733b, showing the planet’s atmosphere being stripped by the radiation from its parent star. Credit: Ron Miller

    New models of massive stellar eruptions hint at an extra layer of complexity when considering whether an exoplanet may be habitable or not. Models developed for our own Sun have now been applied to cool stars favoured by exoplanet hunters, in research presented by Dr Christina Kay, of the NASA Goddard Flight Center, on Monday 3rd July at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Hull.

    Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are huge explosions of plasma and magnetic field that routinely erupt from the Sun and other stars...

    Read More