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    Category Astronomy/Space

    A Bridge of Stars Connects 2 Dwarf Galaxies

    February 9, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Pale white veils and the narrow bridge between the clouds represent the distribution of the RR Lyrae stars. Credit: V Belokurov, D Erkal, A Mellinger

    Pale white veils and the narrow bridge between the clouds represent the distribution of the RR Lyrae stars. Credit: V Belokurov, D Erkal, A Mellinger

    The Magellanic Clouds, the 2 largest satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, appear to be connected by a bridge stretching across 43,000 light years, according to an international team of astronomers led by researchers from the University of Cambridge. The discovery is based on the Galactic stellar census being conducted by the European Space Observatory, Gaia which scientists have been eagerly anticipating for 15 years. The first portion of information from the satellite was released 3 months ago and is freely accessible to everyone...

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    Stars Align in test supporting ‘Spooky Action at a distance’

    February 8, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    (a) The three experimental stations and related acronyms are described in the main text. Stellar photon receiving telescopes (Rx-SP) with primary mirror diameters of 0.2032 m (Meade 8-inch LX200 ACF, f = 2     m ) and 0.254 m (Meade 10-inch LX600 ACF, f = 2.032     m ) were used by Alice and Bob, respectively, although the telescope apertures were each partially covered to limit sky noise. Diameters and focal lengths of the quantum channel telescopes are Alice (Tx-EP: d = 50.8 , f = 100     mm ; Rx-EP: d = 80 , f = 400     mm ) and Bob (Tx-EP: d = 70 , f = 280     mm ; Rx-EP: d = 140 , f = 420     mm ). Latitude, longitude, and elevation for the three experimental sites are Alice ( A : 48.21645°, 16.354311°, 215.0 m), Bob ( B : 48.23160°, 16.3579553°, 200.0 m), and the Source ( S : 48.221311°, 16.356439°, 205.0 m). (b) and (c) For experimental run 1, the setup deviated from the ideal, colinear 1D case by the angles displayed. Site coordinates yield α ≈ 18 0 ° and β ≈ 16 9 ° for both runs. See Table 1 for the azimuth (az) and altitude (alt) of each star observed during each experimental run. (3D graphics taken from Google Earth, 2016.)

    (a) The three experimental stations and related acronyms are described in the main text. Stellar photon receiving telescopes (Rx-SP) with primary mirror diameters of 0.2032 m (Meade 8-inch LX200 ACF, f = 2     m ) and 0.254 m (Meade 10-inch LX600 ACF, f = 2.032     m ) were used by Alice and Bob, respectively, although the telescope apertures were each partially covered to limit sky noise. Diameters and focal lengths of the quantum channel telescopes are Alice (Tx-EP: d = 50.8 , f = 100     mm ; Rx-EP: d = 80 , f = 400     mm ) and Bob (Tx-EP: d = 70 , f = 280     mm ; Rx-EP: d = 140 , f = 420     mm ). Latitude, longitude, and elevation for the three experimental sites are Alice ( A : 48.21645°, 16.354311°, 215.0 m), Bob ( B : 48.23160°, 16.3579553°, 200.0 m), and the Source ( S : 48...

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    Mysterious White Dwarf Pulsar discovered

    February 8, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    This is AR Scorpii, the first discovered white dwarf pulsar. Credit: Mark Garlick/University of Warwick

    This is AR Scorpii, the first discovered white dwarf pulsar. Credit: Mark Garlick/University of Warwick

    An exotic binary star system 380 light-years away has been identified as an elusive white dwarf pulsar – the first of its kind ever to be discovered in the universe – thanks to research by the University of Warwick. Professors Tom Marsh and Boris Gänsicke (University of Warwick’s Astrophysics Group), with Dr David Buckley (South African Astronomical Observatory), have identified the star AR Scorpii (AR Sco) as the first white dwarf version of a pulsar – objects found in the 1960s and associated with very different objects called neutron stars.

    The white dwarf pulsar has eluded astronomers for over half a century...

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    What Happened to the Sun over 7,000 years ago?

    February 7, 2017, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Picture of the bristlecone pine forest in California, the United States where the bristlecone pine sample for this study used to live (taken by Prof. A.J.T. Jull). In this forest, there are many living old trees exceed 1000 years old. Harsh environments make bristlecone pines very dense and long lives. Credit: A.J.T.Jull

    Picture of the bristlecone pine forest in California, the United States where the bristlecone pine sample for this study used to live (taken by Prof. A.J.T. Jull). In this forest, there are many living old trees exceed 1000 years old. Harsh environments make bristlecone pines very dense and long lives. Credit: A.J.T.Jull

    Analysis of tree rings reveals highly abnormal solar activity in the mid-Holocene. An international team led by researchers at Nagoya University, along with US and Swiss colleagues, has identified a new type of solar event and dated it to the year 5480 BC; they did this by measuring carbon-14 levels in tree rings, which reflect the effects of cosmic radiation on the atmosphere at the time...

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