Daily Archives: December 16, 2023

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With the new tech, researchers can gaze into the diffuse light and understand the large scale of the universe

The Abell 85 galaxy cluster surrounded with a hazy teal colored instracluster light. Credit: Astronomical Data/Image: M. Montes (Instituto de Astrofsica de Canarias); Artistic Enhancement: J. Pinto (Rubin Observatory).

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will spot elusive intracluster light radiating from stars ripped away from their original galaxies when it goes online in 2025. Within the soft glow of the free-floating stars is evidence of the galaxies interacting and merging with each other over billions of years. By mapping the light, researchers can infer the history of a galaxy clusters formation and see in a manner of speaking the web of dark matter clumped around galaxies.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is expected to peer into this type of light with the worlds largest digital camera when it begins its decade long Legacy Survey of Space and Time in 2025.

Stars stripped from their galaxies end up populating the space between galaxies in a cluster. These stars are like the dust released from a piece of chalk when you write on a blackboard, said Mireia Montes, an astrophysicist at theInstituto de Astrofsica de Canarias, in a statement. By tracking the stellar chalk dust with Rubin, we hope to be able to read the words on the galaxy cluster blackboard.

Intracluster light is hard to see. It is about 1,000 times fainter than the darkest night skies perceivable with the eye. Most telescopes cant pick it up. The ones that do usually can only capture the light if telescopes focus on one galaxy cluster for an extended stretch of time.The light forms after millions of years of galaxy collisions and mergers. Researchers suspect they may find clues about a galaxy clusters formation history within the faint light.

Theres so much we dont know about intracluster light, says Montes. The power of Rubin is that its going to provide us with lots of clusters of galaxies that we can explore.

Researchers will use the millions of high-resolution images of distant galaxies taken by the Rubin Observatory to see the intracluster light. After the images are stacked, the team will see the largest long-exposure photos of the southern hemisphere sky and potentially reveal more if these lone stars are truly free-standing, how dark matter is distributed, and the universes structure.

Intracluster light may look like something very small and insignificant, but it has a lot of implications, Montes said. It complements what we already know, and will open new windows into the history of our universe.

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Vera C. Rubin Observatory to detect glowing galactic relics - Astronomy Magazine

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Dont miss the Geminids one of the best meteor showers of the year which peak on the night of Dec. 14 and 15th.

Two rock formations known as the Chicken and the Mushroom in Egypts White Desert lie under the Milky Way and the Geminid meteor shower in this mosaic. Credit: Osama Fathi

Its that time of the year when the lights come out not just on the trees but also in the skies as this week, the Geminid meteor shower reaches its peak. The Geminids are one of the best meteor showers of the year, consistently producing meteor rates of dozens per hour. Under a dark sky away from city lights, when activity peaks on the night of Dec. 14/15, you might see in the neighborhood of 120 meteors per hour.

As with all meteor showers, the best time to observe is from around midnight to 4 A.M., when the Earths rotation begins to carry your location into the storm at a higher apparent speed. But the Geminds are a shower were you still stand a chance of seeing some meteors before midnight. Thats because the showers radiant the point from which the meteors appear to originate lies in the constellation Gemini, which rises around sunset.

Unusually, the Geminids are generated not by dust left from a comet, like most meteor showers; instead, they come from an asteroid, 3200 Phaethon. The stream of dust intersects Earths orbit on a path that causes them to strike the atmosphere at a perpendicular angle. This makes the meteors appear to not move as fast as some showers, making them easier to spot.

Another element is in our favor this year: The Moon is only just past New, meaning it shouldnt be a factor.

Click here for more on how to observe the Geminids and everything else in the sky this week.

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Explore the Pleiades: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher - Astronomy Magazine

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JWSTs NIRCam recently captured the supernova remnant in whole new light.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Danny Milisavljevic (Purdue University), Ilse De Looze (UGent), Tea Temim (Princeton University)

In April, the James Webb Space Telescopes (JWST) Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) snapped an eye-catching picture of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (abbreviated Cas A), located 11,000 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. The image was colored green and red to represent different wavelengths of infrared light. Now, a second look at the region is giving more insight into its cosmic composition.

Using JWSTs Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), researchers have mapped out several elements in the region, which appear as purple, pink, and white flecks scattered about the new image. These detailed marks make up the inner shell of Cas A, which is composed of sulfur, oxygen, argon, and neon from the star, whose explosion reached us 340 years ago.

According to a news release from the European Space Agency (ESA), the outer edge of the main shell in the NIRCam image has a ghostly look to it in contrast to the MIRI view, where it shines brightly (colored orange). This is because the dust there is too cool to be seen in near-infrared light, but is picked up better in the mid-infrared light viewed by MIRI.

Another noticeable change from the original image it the missing the swirls of green gas near the center, which had been nicknamed the Green Monster. The unknown blob was picked up in mid-infrared light but NIRCam did not see it. However, both cameras saw circular holes that now hint at an explanation: According to the release, the holes are ringed by ionized gas, generated as debris from the explosion pushes through and sculpts the gas.

NIRCam also made a stunning discovery: a feature researchers are calling Baby Cas A, near the bottom right. This smudge of white scratch marks was so named because it appears like an offspring of the main supernova, according to the ESA release.

This baby, which sits 170 light-years behind the larger supernova remnant, is called a light echo. It appears bright as energetic photons blasted away during the initial explosion are reaching this blob of dust, warming it so it glows in the infrared. It is one of several light echoes in the image.

Other supernovae that will be investigated by JWST include the recent SN 2023ixf and the older SN 1987A, among others. Studying the dust in these regions can help researchers determine the reason for these explosions and how they will continue to evolve over time.

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The newest infrared image of Cas A offers a fresh view and new details - Astronomy Magazine

The Celestron NexStar 130 SLT is a leading pick in the best telescopes for $500 or less. Credit: Celestron

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy a product through the links on this article, we may earn a commission.

Welcome to the world of stargazing! If youre on a quest to find the best telescope for $500 or less, youve come to the right place. Budget telescopes are a fantastic gateway into astronomy, but its essential to know what to expect. In this comprehensive guide, well explore the key factors to consider when buying a budget telescope, as well as provide recommendations for our favorite telescopes for $500 or less.

We understand that each astronomer has unique needs and preferences, so our recommendations cover a range of styles and capabilities. And whether youre looking to explore the Moon, planets, distant galaxies, or all of the above, our guide is here to help you make an informed decision and get the most out of your stargazing experience.

Focus on more than just the price. Factors such as the type of telescope, aperture size, and mount type all play significant roles in the quality of your observing experience.

A good budget telescope should offer a balance between affordability and functionality, providing clear images and ease of use without a hefty investment. Below are just some of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a budget telescope.

So here is our list of recommended telescopes for $500 or less. These have been carefully selected and vetted by our editors at Astronomy.com based on performance, user experience, and overall value for your money. Lets go!

Celestron NexStar 130SLT

Celestron StarSense Explorer 130AZ

Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ

Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ

Meade Infinity 102AZ

Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ

Orion StarBlast II 4.5 Equatorial Reflector Telescope

Galileo FS-80Z

National Geographic Compact 76mm Telescope

Celestron FirstScope Telescope

Celestron NexStar 130SLT

Care and maintenance of your telescope

Regular care extends the life of your telescope. Below are some simple maintenance and storage best practices that you should follow to keep your telescope at its best.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How did we pick these telescopes?

To make our selections, we considered user reviews for real-world insights, expert opinions from the Astronomy staff, and overall value for money. Additionally, we looked at the quality of optics, ease of use, and the versatility of each model to ensure a wide range of options suitable for different needs and experience levels.

What is the best budget telescope for beginners?

The Celestron StarSense Explorer 130AZ is our top recommendation for beginners. Its innovative StarSense technology, which integrates with a smartphone, making it exceptionally user-friendly. This feature, combined with clear views of a wide range of celestial objects, provides an interactive and guided stargazing experience thats perfect for novices.

What is the best budget telescope to see planets?

For planetary viewing, the Celestron AstroMaster 130EQ stands out. It offers high-quality 130mm optics ideal for observing planets, and its equatorial mount provides stability and precision. This telescope is an excellent choice for intermediate astronomers who want to explore the solar system in detail.

What is the best budget telescope for deep space?

When it comes to deep space observation, the Celestron NexStar 130SLT excels. Its large aperture and computerized tracking system make it ideal for viewing details in celestial objects beyond our solar system. Its automated features also make it accessible to beginners while providing the functionality required by more experienced users.

Whether youre a beginner or a seasoned stargazer, theres a budget telescope out there for you. And remember, the best telescope is the one that meets your needs and ignites your passion for the stars. Happy stargazing!

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Best telescopes for $500 or less, picked by experts | Astronomy.com - Astronomy Magazine

Bulletin report

Assistant professor of astronomy Joe Burchett of New Mexico State University has been awarded a research fellowship with NASA and the National Science Foundation, the university recently announced. Burchett is among 10 recipients sharing $2.7 million from the NSFs Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research Track-4 awards, which support researchers from high education institutions with high enrollments among underrepresented populations in science, engineering and technological fields. The aim is to improve diversity in the field and build research capacity at home institutions like NMSU.

In a written statement, Burchett said, Its a way for us to reinforce research opportunities at our institutions by doing things like diversifying our portfolio of scientific methods and that's what I'm doing here.

Burchett will spend about two months at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. in the spring Burchett will be partnering with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he will spend about two months in the spring under the mentorship of the head of Goddards X-ray astrophysics science program, per NMSU.

For his project, Burchett and a graduate student from NMSU will use X-ray techniques to study the gas that appears as a halo around the Milky Way galaxy, explaining in a statement that X-ray telescopes are a superior technology for study of gas exceeding temperatures of a million degrees Kelvin and the interactions of gas between galaxies as well the galaxies themselves.

The success of this year's joint NSF andNASAfacultyfellowships highlights the remarkable dedication and ingenuity within the scientific community, said Kathleen Loftin, project manager ofNASAs EPSCoR Program. Thesefellowships are not just about funding, EPSCoR project manager Kathleen Loftin said in a news release. They are about fostering meaningful, transformative collaborations that enrich the landscape of STEM research.

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Astronomy professor tapped for NASA fellowship - Las Cruces Bulletin

Dr. Jeremy Heyl appointed head, Physics and Astronomy

Dr. Jeremy Heyl, a leading expert on the dynamics of neutron stars and black holes, has been appointed head of UBCs Department of Physics and Astronomy. His term begins January 1, 2024.

The department is one of the largest and most diverse physics and astronomy units in Canada, teaching approximately 250 dedicated undergraduate students, 240 engineering physics students, and more than 3,000 first-year students in other UBC programs. Research in the unitconsistently ranked in the top two in Canadaspans applied physics, astronomy, astrophysics, optics, biophysics, condensed matter, cosmology, gravity, medical physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, and string theory.

This search has been an excellent opportunity to learn even more abouta very strongdepartment, said Dean of Science, Dr. Meigan Aronson. I want to sincerely thank everyone who participated in this search for their very thoughtful comments on the direction of the department, and on the vision Jeremy shared with us.

My thanks as well to Colin Gay for his exceptional service as head over the past ten years.Hes been a steadfast advocate for the department and its people. He has been supportive of the innovation and care that the department brings to its teaching and mentorshipthe renovated Hebb building provides a showplace where students can use their minds and hands to explore physics. Its been my privilege to serve with him, and I wish him the very best as he returns to the faculty.

Dr. Heylwho served as Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Neutron Stars and Black Holes from 2003 to 2013focuses on high-energy astrophysics and understanding extreme astrophysical phenomena. That includes white dwarfs, black holes and neutron stars, galaxy formation, mergers and evolution, and the properties of materials in ultra-strong magnetic fields. His recent work has included leveraging James Webb Space Telescope data to study stars approximately 12,000 light-years away and searching for ancient planetary systems. Dr. Heyl has published nearly 300 research papers.

In addition to holding the CRC, he has been a Chandra Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, National Science Foundation graduate fellow, Marshall scholar, Goldwater scholar, and Watson scholar. Dr. Heyl earned his doctoral degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz in astronomy and astrophysics.

As an educator, Dr. Heyl has developed and delivered innovative and engaging UBC courses on physics and astronomy for undergraduate and graduate studentsincluding one of the departments classes for non-science majors interested in astronomy.

As head, Dr. Heyl will focus on advancing the department as a leader in physics and astronomy research and on fostering excellence in education while growing a culture of innovation, inclusion and collaboration.

The Physics and Astronomyhead search committee consisted ofDr. Alison Lister, Dr. Stefan Reinsberg, Dr. Jess McIver, Dr. James Charbonneau, Dr. Navin Ramankutty, Mladen Bumbulovic, Myles Osenton, and Raelyn Sullivan.

As head, Dr. Heyl will focus on advancing the department as a leader in physics and astronomy research and on fostering excellence in education while growing a culture of innovation, inclusion and collaboration.

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Dr. Jeremy Heyl appointed head, Physics and Astronomy - University of British Columbia

MAUNA KEA, Hawaii Shane Palacat-Nelsens voice drops to a reverent tone as he tells the story of the snow goddess Poliahu who Native Hawaiians believe inhabits the summit of Mauna Kea, the highest point in Hawaii.

The tale, repeated in Hawaiian families over generations, speaks of a chief who yearned to court Poliahu but was stopped by her attendants guarding the sacred mountain top the abode of the gods, cradle of creation and gateway to the divine.

Today, this sublime summit on Hawaiis Big Island is also treasured by astronomers as a portal to finding answers to the universes many mysteries, creating varied and sometimes incompatible views on whats best for Mauna Keas future.

The legendary chief eventually gained access to the summit on one condition: He was to step only on the same set of footprints left by the attendant escorting him up and down, said Palacat-Nelsen. He says its a metaphor for why Mauna Kea must be protected from further human intrusion, pollution and erosion.

You do not go up the sacred mountain unless you are called. You do not go up without a purpose.

Mauna Kea is a dormant 14,000-foot shield volcano. In Native Hawaiian lore, it is the first-born son of the sky father and earth mother. The mountains dry atmosphere and limited light pollution make for a perfect location to study the skies one of just a handful on the planet.

Over the past 50 years, astronomers have mounted a dozen giant telescopes on the summit, with several yielding exalted discoveries, like proving the Milky Way has a supermassive black hole at its center. That particular research led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 2020.

The proliferation of observatories has troubled many Native Hawaiians, who have pushed back. In their view, such construction is polluting the sacred mountain top, eroding the environment and depleting natural resources. In 2019, thousands came out to protest a proposed $2.65-billion Thirty Meter Telescope project near the summit. This protest catalyzed the passage of a new state law transferring jurisdiction of the mountain to a new stewardship authority comprising scientists and Native Hawaiian cultural practitioners.

No side wants to reduce this debate to a culture-versus-science conflict because Hawaiian spirituality embraces science, or studying the physical world, and many astronomers respect Hawaiian culture. Some observatory staff and cultural practitioners are taking small, tentative steps toward new dialogue, but overcoming the cavernous divide will involve difficult conversations and understanding different perspectives.

FOR MANY, THE MOUNTAIN IS A TEMPLE

Mauna Kea, translated literally as white mountain, has the same progenitors Wakea and Papahanaumoku as the Hawaiian people, according to stories, prayers and chants. After volcanic eruptions sent lava bubbling up from the ocean floor, it took more than a million years to form, growing into the tallest mountain on Earth when measured from its base in the Pacific Ocean.

The summit soars 13,796 feet (4,205 meters) above sea level, evoking an ethereal feeling as fluffy clouds swaddle its cinder cones and blanket its reddish, almost Mars-like soil. On a clear day, Mauna Loa, one of the worlds most active volcanoes, is visible.

Climbing Mauna Kea is like peeling the layers of an onion, says Kealoha Pisciotta, a cultural practitioner and longtime activist. The sacred mountains slopes are dotted with ceremonial platforms, ancestral burial sites and Hawaiis lone alpine lake, whose waters are believed to possess healing properties.

The higher you go, the closer your heart is to the heavens, she says. (The gods) can see you, feel you, hear you. The protocol is silence because we dont need to be speaking in akuas (creators) house. We need to be listening.

Building and bulldozing on or near the summit threatens the peoples sacred connection to the land, Pisciotta said. In her spiritual practice, she considers the mountain and all aspects of creation such as fish, coral, trees and animals to be like older siblings.

When they diminish our ancestors and our elder siblings, they diminish us, our life force and our existence. And thats the reason people are saying no, she said, referring to adding more telescopes.

Palacat-Nelsen, who served on the working group that laid the foundation for the new authority, says to protect the mountain and preserve the summits sacredness, people must step out of their silos with open hearts and minds, ready to have uncomfortable conversations.

LOOKING TO THE SKY FOR ANSWERS

John OMeara, who moved to Hawaii to become the chief scientist at Keck shortly before the 2019 protest, is now a key player in that dialogue. Hes learning about the strong connection many Native Hawaiians have to Mauna Kea.

OMeara is fascinated by the similarities between spirituality and astronomy.

We are fundamentally asking the same questions, which are: Where are we? Where did we come from? And where are we going? There is a deep connection to the universewhich is the thing that we should be focusing on, he said.

Doug Simons, director of the University of Hawaiis Institute for Astronomy, points to the opening lines of the Kumulipo, a centuries-old Hawaiian creation chant, which describes a scene strikingly similar to what astronomers believe existed during the Big Bang.

When fundamental space altered through heat/When the cosmos altered, turning inside out, begins the chant, according to a translation by Larry Kimura, a Hawaiian language expert. It continues a few lines later: Then began the slime that established a physical space/The source of impenetrable darkness, so profound/The source of fathomless power, reincarnating itself.

The chant continues for 2,000 more lines, detailing the birth of coral, seaweed, fish, trees and, eventually, people.

The Kumulipos description of a dark, eternal form of energy from which everything emerges sounds to Simons like dark energy, which astronomers believe predated the universe. Scientists can observe dark energy, which is causing the universe to expand at an accelerated rate, by studying dark matter invisible to the naked eye, but detectable through the study of distortions in galaxy shapes.

Mauna Keas telescopes are at the forefront of discoveries about this dark energy thanks to their exquisite image quality, Simons said.

ITS A CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL STRUGGLE

Lanakila Mangauil, a Native Hawaiian spiritual practitioner, was around 9 when he first stepped on the mountain for snow play at the lower elevations. His family never went to the summit.

One of the important spiritual practices on Mauna Kea is our absence, he said. We stay off it because it is sacred.

When he first ascended the mountain for ceremony, he was a high school senior and climbed with two of his friends. They stopped at altars, prayed near the upper cinder cones, offered chants and dance.

Mangauil does not like to use the word religion to describe his spiritual practice. Hawaiians dont have a central religion, he said, but spiritual practices born of different communities, families and environments.

Our spiritual practice is not faith-based, it is knowledge-based, he said. Our gods and goddesses are scientific observations.

For example, to understand the deities of Mauna Kea is to understand the mountains environment and climate, Mangauil said. Poliahu is the snow goddess, sister of Pele, the goddess of volcanoes and denizen of neighboring Mauna Loa. Lilinoe is the goddess of fine mist. Waiau presides over the mountains subterranean reservoirs. Lake Waiau, associated with the god Kane, is where some Native Hawaiians bury their childrens umbilical cords. Its water is collected and used for healing and ceremonies. The summer solstice is an important ritual Mangauil observes on Mauna Kea as is a Makahiki ceremony in the fall, which marks the start of the Hawaiian new year.

This is also a political and cultural issue for younger Hawaiians like Mangauil who considers himself a product of the Hawaiian Renaissance. Prior generations lost their language as well as culture and religious practices after the U.S.-backed overthrow of the monarchy in 1893.

We are reestablishing our spiritual relationship with the land, which was disrupted by colonization.

FINDING A WAY THROUGH DIALOGUE

Not all Native Hawaiians hold Mauna Kea sacred in a religious sense, including Makana Silva, an astronomer who grew up on Oahu and was raised Catholic. He is now a post-doctoral fellow at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico studying black holes and gravitational waves, and visited Mauna Keas summit for the first time three years ago.

Despite his personal religious beliefs, he is certain that the mountain contains what Hawaiians call mana the spiritual life force that permeates the universe. Silva described a moment when he and his friend stood by Lake Waiau in peace, silence and awe.

He believes astronomy on the mountain should thrive so there is a place for Hawaiians to perpetuate their legacy of innovation.

We have a responsibility to future generations to leave behind these new inventions so they can go places you and I have never been able to dream of, Silva said.

The future of astronomy on the mountain will in large part be decided by the Mauna Kea Stewardship and Oversight Authority, which is taking over managing the mountain from the University of Hawaii. It will determine whether to renew the universitys 65-year lease for the summit lands, which is due to expire in 2033, and subleases for lands used by all the mountains telescopes.

Simons is concerned about the consequences if the leases arent renewed in time. The existing master lease says the telescopes must be dismantled and the land under them restored to their original states by 2033 if the lease is not renewed.

The potential loss of Mauna Kea astronomywould be catastrophic, Simons said, adding that this would mean a tremendous loss of knowledge and opportunities for Hawaiis budding astronomers.

Palacat-Nelsen doesnt believe astronomy on the summit will end any time soon. But he does see the lease being renewed at a much higher price than the $1 a year the University of Hawaii pays now.

You have to pay the best price for the best view, he said.

He holds out hope for better understanding between the two communities. He recently invited a handful of Keck astronomers and officials to his familys heiau or place of worship on Big Island.

Rich Matsuda, Kecks interim director and an engineer, was part of that group. He said the experience shed light on the extensive preparation required to enter a sacred space, such as leaving ones everyday troubles and anxieties outside, which can be challenging. He has since followed similar protocols when traveling to the summit and believes they could be shared more broadly with other telescope workers.

Palacat-Nelsen said such efforts by observatories give him hope that people will become more mindful of their footprints on Mauna Kea, like the legendary chief who visited the snow goddess. Palacat-Nelsen is grateful to his ancestors for preserving and maintaining Mauna Kea so current generations have the opportunity to experience the divine. He wonders if he can do that for posterity.

Can they speak about me in that way 200 years from now? he asks. I hope.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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Mauna Kea is sacred to spiritual practitioners and treasured by astronomers - The Garden Island

Astronomers are continuing to unravel the mystery of deep space signals after discovering a never-before-seen quirk in a newly-detected Fast Radio Burst (FRB).

FRBs are millisecond-long, extremely bright flashes of radio light that generally come from outside our Milky Way galaxy. Most happen only once but some repeaters send out follow-up signals, adding to the intrigue surrounding their origin.

A new study published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society has now shed new light on them, after spotting a highly active repeating FRB signal that is behaving differently to anything ever detected before.

Scientists at the SETI Institute in California recorded 35 FRBs from one source, FRB 20220912A, over a period of two months and found that a fascinating pattern emerged.

Like most repeating FRBs, each burst drifted from higher to lower frequencies over time.

But with FRB 20220912A there was also a never-before-seen drop in the centre frequency of the bursts, revealing what sounds like a cosmic slide-whistle when converted into a sonification using notes on a xylophone.

In it, most of the highest notes can be heard in the first few seconds and the majority of the lowest ones in the final seconds, as if the xylophone player is repeatedly hitting the lowest available bar on the instrument.

Astronomers think at least some FRBs are generated by a type of neutron star known as a magnetar the highly magnetized cores of dead stars while other theories point the finger at colliding neutron star binaries or merging white dwarfs.

This work is exciting because it provides both confirmation of knownFRB properties and the discovery of some new ones, said lead author Dr Sofia Sheikh, of the SETI Institute.

Were narrowing down the source of FRBs, for example, to extreme objects such as magnetars, but no existing model can explain all of the properties that have been observed so far.

The researchers made their discovery after carrying out 541 hours of observations using the SETI Institutes Allen Telescope Array (ATA).

They also tried to identify a pattern in the timings between the bursts but none was found, further illustrating the unpredictable and mystifying nature of these intense blasts of radio waves.

Nevertheless, the latest research is another step forward in the quest to unlock the secrets of FRBs, which generate as much energy in a thousandth of a second as our Sun does in an entire year.

It has been wonderful to be part of the first FRB study done with the Allen Telescope Array (ATA) this work proves that new telescopes with unique capabilities, like the ATA, can provide a new angle on outstanding mysteries in FRB science, Dr Sheikh added.

Media contacts

Rebecca McDonald Director of Communications SETI Institute rmcdonald@seti.org

Robert Massey Royal Astronomical Society Mob: +44 (0)7802 877699 press@ras.ac.uk

Sam Tonkin Royal Astronomical Society Mob: +44 (0)7802 877700 press@ras.ac.uk

Science contacts

Dr Sofia Sheikh, Postdoctoral Fellow at the SETI Institute ssheikh@seti.org

Multimedia and captions

Supplied animated gif:https://ras.ac.uk/media/1478

Animation of discovery plots for the 35 FRBs, shown in chronological order. The gradual shift towards the bottom of the observing window can be seen in the dedispersed frequency vs. time plot (top reddish subplot).

Sonification:https://ras.ac.uk/media/1481

This sound bite is a data sonification of the 101 sub-bursts observed with the ATA and analysed in this work. The centre frequency of each sub-burst is mapped to a xylophone note [in a one-octave A Lydian scale]. There is a lot of scatter in the notes, but most of the highest notes appear in the first few seconds, and most of the lowest notes appear in the last few seconds, as if the xylophone player is hitting the lowest available bar on the instrument repeatedly. We use statistical methods to verify that this trend from high to low is significant, and would likely continue if the ATA could observe at even lower frequency ranges (equivalent to adding more notes at the bottom of the xylophone).

Further information

The new work appears in Characterization of the Repeating FRB 20220912A with the AllenTelescope Array, Sofia Z. Sheikh et al., Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,in press.

A pre-print paper is available onarXiv athttps://arxiv.org/pdf/2312.07756

Notes for editors

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organises scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognises outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 4,000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others.

The RAS accepts papers for its journals based on the principle of peer review, in which fellow experts on the editorial boards accept the paper as worth considering. The Society issues press releases based on a similar principle, but the organisations and scientists concerned have overall responsibility for their content.

Keep up with the RAS onX,Facebook,Instagram,LinkedInandYouTube.

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Never-before-seen Fast Radio Burst sheds new light on deep space signals - The Royal Astronomical Society

53 Faculty of Earth Sciences, Geography and Astronomy Working hours:30|Collective bargaining agreement:48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) Limited until:permanent Reference no.:1769

Among the many good reasons to want to research and teach at the University of Vienna, there is one in particular, which has convinced around 7,500 academic staff members so far. They see themselves as personalities who need space for their continuous striving and curiosity in order to be able to be scientifically successful. Does that sound like something for you? Welcome to our team!

Your personal sphere of influence:

TheVienna International School of Earth and Space Sciences (VISESS)is soliciting applications for VISESS Completion Grants.

As humanity is facing grand challenges such as climate change and resource depletion, this doctoral school is addressing these and other challenges through interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary academic research connecting the COSMOS with planet EARTH, its environment and the ANTHROPOSPHERE. We aim our students to become world-leading experts in either of these three branches while also confidently communicate and contribute across all three branches. We want our school to become a central place in the heart of Europe for training and as a resource of knowledge about our place in space and time. For further information see: https://visess.univie.ac.at.

TheVISESS Completion Grantsaim to support VISESS students during the final phase of their doctoral studies to focus on the completion and submission of their thesis. VISESS student members who were employed at the University of Vienna within the last six months before the start of the grant can apply for a short-term finishing contract of up to three months. We are currently offering short-term finishing contracts with start of employment in 2024S.

Please visit our websitehttps://visess.univie.ac.at/phd-programme/funding-possibilities/completion-grants/to apply and to find detailed information on requirements and application documents. Applications must be submitted via the VISESS website.

Your future tasks:

You actively participate in research, teaching & administration in the context of the successful completion of your thesis, which means:

This is part of your personality:

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For observers along a narrow track that includes southern Florida in the U.S., the red giant will vanish for just seconds as asteroid Leona crosses in front of it.

The constellation Orion contains several bright stars, including the red giant Betelgeuse, visible at upper left. Tonight, some regions on Earth will see this star briefly wink out as an asteroid passes in front of it from our point of view. Credit: Jrgen Mangelsdorf (Flickr)

Lucky skywatchers in a narrow path across portions of Asia, Europe, and southern Florida will see an exciting sight tonight: For an instant, one of the most well-known stars in the sky will wink out.

The star is Betelgeuse, the red giant who anchors one shoulder of Orion the Hunter. And for those in the path, it will very briefly disappear for a matter of seconds when the main-belt asteroid 319 Leona passes in front of it in an event called an occultation.

An occultation occurs when a planet or asteroid in our solar system appears to pass in front of a more distant star from our point of view. This happens because nearby objects appear to move more and more rapidly than the distant stars. Occultations are an important way for astronomers to study our solar system, as exactly when and how the background starlight winks out is related to details such as the size and shape of the occulting object. It can even reveal previously unknown features, such as rings.

So, although its Betelgeuse that will disappear during the occultation, Leona is the real star of the show. By watching the way Betelgeuse disappears and reappears, as well as timing exactly how long the event takes, researchers will be able to better pin down the size and shape of Leona a very tricky task, given that its small and dim and difficult to otherwise study.

But Betelgeuse may just reveal some secrets, too the star appears so large even from Earth that we might be able to see features on its surface, such as convective cells.

Based on previous occultations, we know that Leona is roughly oblong and about 50 miles (80 kilometers) across at its widest. Depending on where an observer is in the path, Leonas passage will block Betelgeuse for somewhere between 5 and 15 seconds.

Like eclipses, occultations occur only over narrow tracks determined by where the shadow of the planet or asteroid falls. This is similar to the way the shadow of the Moon passes over only some regions of Earth as it blocks out the Sun during a solar eclipse.

The path for this occultation runs from central Asia through Europe, then crosses the Atlantic to fall over southern Florida and part of Mexico. In the U.S., the path runs from northeast to southwest, covering the southern tip of Florida from just north of Fort Lauderdale to just south of Marco Island. The path also includes all of Key West, terminating just south of the island. The occultation will occur between about 8:24 P.M. and 8:26 P.M. EST for U.S. observers.

You can find an interactive map showing the path on the Occult Watcher Cloud website, which will allow you to click on any location within the path to find out when exactly its predicted to occur.

Note that the map gives the event mid-time, or the middle of the occultation. Again, the entire occultation will last only seconds, so if youre in the path, make sure you are observing Betelgeuse at least several minutes before this time and note that the occultation will start at most some 7 seconds or so before the mid-time from your site.

If you arent in the path, dont worry: The Virtual Telescope Project will livestream the event, beginning at 8 P.M. EST. You can watch the feed below.

If you are in the path and looking up at the right time, Betelgeuses disappearance will be a unique and exciting sight to see. Occultations happen fairly often, but typically they affect dim stars and only astronomers notice. But Betelgeuse, at magnitude 0.7, is the 11th-brightest star in the sky, and a well-known one at that. You might remember that it snagged headlines in 2020, when it noticeably dimmed over the course of weeks before regaining its usual brightness. Researchers now think it may have sneezed out a cloud of plasma that subsequently cooled, blocking a portion of its light for a time.

This aging star will someday (though not imminently) go supernova, resulting in a spectacular show that will be visible from Earth albeit some 600 years after the star actually explodes, given its distance and the time it will take the light from its death to reach us. But for now, its a famous and fabulous staple of our night sky and tonight, Betelgeuse offers its help to give us a peek at the tiny world Leona, much closer to home.

The rest is here:

The famous star Betelgeuse will briefly disappear tonight - Astronomy Magazine