ESOnews (Page 7)

Csillagmaradvány árulja el a radioaktív molekulák eredetét A csillagászok az ALMA és NOEMA műszerekkel először mutattak ki egyértelműen radioaktív molekulákat a csillagközi térben. A molekula radioaktív tagja az alumínium egyik izotópja. A megfigyelések azt mutatják, hogy ez az izotóp két csillag ütközése nyomán szóródott szét a világűrben, aminek a nyomán kialakult a CK Vulpeculae jelű csillagmaradvány. Most először találtak ilyen elemet közvetlen úton, és úgy, hogy annak forrását is azonosítani tudták. Korábban csillagközi radioaktív anyagot csak a gamma-sugárzása révén sikerült érzékelni, ám annak pontos forrását nem tudták feltárni. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Tűéles felvételek a VLT új adaptív optikájával Az ESO Nagyon Nagy Távcsöve (Very Large Telescope – VLT) elkészítette első felvételeit az adaptív optikájának egy új, lézertomográfiai üzemmódjában. A tesztfelvételeken a Neptunusz bolygó, csillaghalmazok és egyéb égitestek láthatóak. Az úttörő MUSE műszer kis látómezejű üzemmódjában a GALACSI adaptív optikai modullal dolgozott együtt. Az új technika révén a légkör különböző magasságaiban kialakuló turbulenciák hatása jobban kiküszöbölhető. Így ma már a látható fény tartományában a földfelszínről élesebb felvételek rögzíthetőek, mint a világűrből a NASA/ESA Hubble-űrtávcsövével. A megdöbbentően éles képalkotást a MUSE spektroszkópiai képességeivel kombinálva az égitestek tulajdonságainak minden korábbinál részletesebb vizsgálatát teszik lehetővé a csillagászok számára. ESO NewsRead More →

Largest Galaxy Proto-Supercluster Found An international team of astronomers using the VIMOS instrument of ESO’s Very Large Telescope have uncovered a titanic structure in the early Universe. This galaxy proto-supercluster — which they nickname Hyperion — was unveiled by new measurements and a complex examination of archive data. This is the largest and most massive structure yet found at such a remote time and distance — merely 2 billion years after the Big Bang. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

A Universe Aglow Deep observations made with the MUSE spectrograph on ESO’s Very Large Telescope have uncovered vast cosmic reservoirs of atomic hydrogen surrounding distant galaxies. The exquisite sensitivity of MUSE allowed for direct observations of dim clouds of hydrogen glowing with Lyman-alpha emission in the early Universe — revealing that almost the whole night sky is invisibly aglow. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Ireland to Join the European Southern Observatory On 26 September, John Halligan T.D., Irish Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development and Xavier Barcons, Director General of ESO signed the Accession Agreement that will lead to Ireland joining the European Southern Observatory (ESO) — the world’s most productive astronomical observatory. ESO is looking forward to welcoming Ireland and will work with the nation’s astronomers and industry to advance the cutting edge of astronomy. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

A Galactic Gem FORS2, an instrument mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, has observed the spiral galaxy NGC 3981 in all its glory. The image was captured as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme, which makes use of the rare occasions when observing conditions are not suitable for gathering scientific data. Instead of sitting idle, the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme allows ESO’s telescopes to be used to capture visually stunning images of the southern skies. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

€17 Million Fund to Power European Detection and Imaging Innovation The pioneering ATTRACT initiative couples world-class research laboratories and business management experts to create a European innovation ecosystem that will accelerate the development of disruptive technologies and their progress to market. The initiative, in which ESO is a partner, will fund 170 breakthrough detection and imaging ideas with market potential, and aims to create products, services, companies and jobs based on new detection and imaging technologies. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Stars v. Dust in the Carina Nebula The Carina Nebula, one of the largest and brightest nebulae in the night sky, has been beautifully imaged by ESO’s VISTA telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. By observing in infrared light, VISTA has peered through the hot gas and dark dust enshrouding the nebula to show us myriad stars, both newborn and in their death throes. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Elliptical Elegance A glittering host of galaxies populate this rich image taken with ESO’s VLT Survey Telescope, a state-of-the-art 2.6-m telescope designed for surveying the sky in visible light. The features of the multitude of galaxies strewn across the image allow astronomers to uncover the most delicate details of galactic structure. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Stellar Corpse Reveals Origin of Radioactive Molecules Astronomers using ALMA and NOEMA have made the first definitive detection of a radioactive molecule in interstellar space. The radioactive part of the molecule is an isotope of aluminium. The observations reveal that the isotope was dispersed into space after the collision of two stars, that left behind a remnant known as CK Vulpeculae. This is the first time that a direct observation has been made of this element from a known source. Previous identifications of this isotope have come from the detection of gamma rays, but their precise origin had been unknown. ESO News Feed Go toRead More →

First Successful Test of Einstein’s General Relativity Near Supermassive Black Hole Observations made with ESO’s Very Large Telescope have for the first time revealed the effects predicted by Einstein’s general relativity on the motion of a star passing through the extreme gravitational field near the supermassive black hole in the centre of the Milky Way. This long-sought result represents the climax of a 26-year-long observation campaign using ESO’s telescopes in Chile. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

Supersharp Images from New VLT Adaptive Optics ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) has achieved first light with a new adaptive optics mode called laser tomography — and has captured remarkably sharp test images of the planet Neptune, star clusters and other objects. The pioneering MUSE instrument in Narrow-Field Mode, working with the GALACSI adaptive optics module, can now use this new technique to correct for turbulence at different altitudes in the atmosphere. It is now possible to capture images from the ground at visible wavelengths that are sharper than those from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The combination of exquisite image sharpness and the spectroscopicRead More →

Colourful Celestial Landscape New observations with ESO’s Very Large Telescope show the star cluster RCW 38 in all its glory. This image was taken during testing of the HAWK-I camera with the GRAAL adaptive optics system. It shows RCW 38 and its surrounding clouds of brightly glowing gas in exquisite detail, with dark tendrils of dust threading through the bright core of this young gathering of stars. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

2019 Total Solar Eclipse Event at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile On 2 July 2019 one of nature’s most impressive phenomena will be visible from ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile — a total solar eclipse. As these are very rare — the next one visible from La Silla will occur in 212 years — ESO is organising a campaign of observing and outreach activities on site, allowing the general public to experience this spectacular event. Tickets to participate will be available from 13:00 CEST/07:00 CLT on Friday 13 July 2018. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

First Confirmed Image of Newborn Planet Caught with ESO’s VLT SPHERE, a planet-hunting instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, has captured the first confirmed image of a planet caught in the act of forming in the dusty disc surrounding a young star. The young planet is carving a path through the primordial disc of gas and dust around the very young star PDS 70. The data suggest that the planet’s atmosphere is cloudy. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

ESO’s VLT Sees `Oumuamua Getting a Boost `Oumuamua, the first interstellar object discovered in the Solar System, is moving away from the Sun faster than expected. This anomalous behaviour was detected by a worldwide astronomical collaboration including ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile. The new results suggest that `Oumuamua is most likely an interstellar comet and not an asteroid. The discovery appears in the journal Nature. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

VLT Makes Most Precise Test of Einstein’s General Relativity Outside Milky Way Astronomers using the MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, have made the most precise test yet of Einstein’s general theory of relativity outside the Milky Way. The nearby galaxy ESO 325-G004 acts as a strong gravitational lens, distorting light from a distant galaxy behind it to create an Einstein ring around its centre. By comparing the mass of ESO 325-G004 with the curvature of space around it, the astronomers found that gravity on these astronomical length-scales behaves as predicted by general relativity. This rulesRead More →

ALMA Discovers Trio of Infant Planets around Newborn Star Two independent teams of astronomers have used ALMA to uncover convincing evidence that three young planets are in orbit around the infant star HD 163296. Using a novel planet-finding technique, the astronomers identified three disturbances in the gas-filled disc around the young star: the strongest evidence yet that newly formed planets are in orbit there. These are considered the first planets to be discovered with ALMA. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

ALMA and VLT Find Too Many Massive Stars in Starburst Galaxies, Near and Far Astronomers using ALMA and the VLT have discovered that both starburst galaxies in the early Universe and a star-forming region in a nearby galaxy contain a much higher proportion of massive stars than is found in more peaceful galaxies. These findings challenge current ideas about how galaxies evolved, changing our understanding of cosmic star-formation history and the build up of chemical elements. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →

A Crowded Neighbourhood Glowing brightly about 160 000 light-years away, the Tarantula Nebula is the most spectacular feature of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy to our Milky Way. The VLT Survey Telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile has imaged this region and its rich surroundings in exquisite detail. It reveals a cosmic landscape of star clusters, glowing gas clouds and the scattered remains of supernova explosions. This is the sharpest image ever of this entire field. ESO News Feed Go to Source Powered by WPeMaticoRead More →