Innehållsförteckning för No. 138 från All About Space

Two puffs of star-making material exude mystical glows in this recently published Hubble Space Telescope image. A young star system produced them, although its fledglings can’t be seen here. They are shrouded in a thick layer of dust at the centre of the image. But from behind the scenes, the system casts out jets of gas at high speeds that then smack into surrounding gas and dust to form the two cloudy blasts seen on the left and right. These structures are called Herbig-Haro objects. In 2002, astronomers found the one on the right of the image, called HH 1, has parts moving at more than 400 kilometres (248 miles) per second, expelled by the jet visible just to the right of the dark central smudge. HH 1 and its…

Scientists have created a lab-grown black hole analogue to test one of Hawking’s most famous theories – and it behaves just how he predicted. The experiment, created by using a single-file chain of atoms to simulate the event horizon of a black hole, has added further evidence to Hawking’s theory that black holes should emit a faint glow of radiation from virtual particles randomly popping into existence near their boundaries. What’s more, the researchers found that most of the light particles, or photons, should be produced around the cosmic monsters’ edges. According to quantum field theory, there’s no such thing as an empty vacuum. Space is teeming with tiny vibrations that, if imbued with enough energy, randomly burst into virtual particles – particle-antiparticle pairs that almost immediately annihilate each other,…

1 I nJune 2010, the Japanese Hayabusa probe succeeded in returning to Earth the first samples from a distant stoney asteroid known as 25143 Itokawa. Until recent years, such missions have rarely been successful because returning samples to Earth is very difficult. But what if the asteroid were closer? Since 2013, NASA scientists have been working on plans to identify and capture a small near-Earth asteroid – anything up to about eight metres (26 feet) in diameter – and then redirect it into a stable orbit around the Moon, where it would be accessible to Earth-based astronauts. Current theories suggest that asteroids are part of the leftover materials from the formation of our Solar System, remaining largely unchanged since then. Having one of these pristine ‘time capsules’ on our astronomical…

Astronomers observing star clusters in our galaxy have found evidence that challenges Newton’s laws of gravity and could upend A our understanding of the universe. The finding could support a controversial idea that does away with dark matter. Researchers found this evidence by observing open star clusters, loosely bound groups of up to a few hundred stars sitting within larger galaxies. Open star clusters have trails of stars, known as ‘tidal tails’, in front of and behind them. The researchers’ observations indicate that such clusters have many more stars sitting in the overall direction of their travel through space than trailing behind. This throws into question Isaac Newton’s law of universal gravitation, which suggests that there should be the same number of stars in both tidal tails. “It’s extremely significant,”…

Ancient solar systems The white dwarfs were analysed using the X-Shooter spectroscopic instrument on the Very Large Telescope in Chile. It can record the entire spectrum of a celestial object in one shot F or nine years, the Gaia spacecraft has been hard at work creating a highly detailed 3D map of the Milky Way. It was launched with the aim of surveying more than one per cent of the galaxy’s 100 billion stars. It has made many crucial discoveries, helping scientists better understand how the galaxy was formed and how it’s changed over time. Although there’s still four years to go, the mission has already found strong non-radial tsunami-like starquakes in thousands of stars as well as quasars, exoplanets and even the first supernova outside of the Milky Way.…

CCD camera One-shot colour charge-coupled devices have red, blue and green filters built in, while monochromatic only work in black and white. One-shots need multiple images through each relevant filter before being composited together to get the finished result. Tripod We mostly associate tripods with telescopes, but if you’re looking to take stable, wide-angle, long-exposure shots, fitting your DSLR camera to a tripod and a suitable mount is a must for great results. Filters You’ll likely come across a variety of different filters – red, green, blue, yellow, polarising, H-alpha, H-beta, SII and O-III. Some can also assist with cutting out light pollution. The idea of a filter is to play up features on planetary surfaces as well as draw out the colours of nebulae and galaxies, picking out the…

We’ve all seen them – those stunning shots that show the world in motion in the form of star trails. These beautiful images are peppered with the stars of the Milky Way, as well as the eerie green glow of the northern lights snaking across the skies. They may look immensely difficult to shoot, but the good news is that this part of astrophotography is perhaps the easiest. Not only that, but you only need the bare minimum kit and know-how to get decent results. Of course, you won’t get perfect images to rival those of seasoned astrophotographers straight away, but with plenty of practice and patience, you too could gradually get to their standard. Many first-time astrophotographers struggle to achieve star-trail images. With the motion of our planet continually…

Further afield there are galaxies and nebulae galore – all perfect subjects for astrophotography Imaging deep-sky objects such as nebulae and galaxies is a little different to bright planets and the Moon. Because these objects are fainter, you’ll need much longer exposures. Some of the most dedicated deep-sky photographers take exposures that last hours, or even days. First, take flat fields and dark frames. Many deep-sky objects are so faint that any noise in the image can ruin the photo. For example, dust on the telescope or the camera sensor can look like huge blemishes in images. By taking a picture of a blank background and then subtracting this from your astro images in Photoshop, it’ll remove any dust effect. Meanwhile, dark frames use a similar trick to remove thermal…

1 Polaris (Alpha Ursae Minoris) Also known as the ‘Pole Star’, Polaris is the star everything else in the northern sky appears to wheel around as the Earth turns. With a magnitude of +1.97, it’s fainter than many people think, but it stands out because there are few other bright stars close to it in the sky. 2 Bode’s Galaxy (Messier 81) Messier 81 is a beautiful spiral galaxy more than 12 million light years away from us. At magnitude +6.9, it’s too faint for the eye to see, but can be seen as a tiny, misty oval through good binoculars on a dark night. 3 Merak (Beta UrsaeMajoris) and Dubhe (Alpha Ursae Majoris) This close pair of bright, blue-white stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper is used…

Whether you just got your first telescope for Christmas or you've long been observing, there are some wonderful targets to seek out in the New Year. Orion (the Hunter) W and Taurus (the Bull) remain prominent in the sky, offering splendid sights including red supergiant Betelgeuse, brilliant blue-white Rigel, the Pleiades star cluster (Messier 45), orange giant Aldebaran and, of course, the Crab Nebula (Messier 1). Look southeast and you’ll spot a celestial Great Dog: a seemingly basiclooking pattern of stars, Canis Major features several binary systems and supergiant stars. It’s also home to open cluster Messier 41, which contains an impressive collection of red giants and white dwarfs, sitting not too far from the bright 'Dog Star' Sirius. Using the sky chart This chart is for use at 22:00…

The newest space telescope on the block has spotted a blazing cosmic hourglass filled with vibrant colours and hiding a fledgling star, or protostar, at its heart. The blazing formation within the Taurus star-forming region and the protostar within it have been hidden to telescopes by a dense, dark cloud of gas and dust known as L1527. The formation is only visible in infrared light, thus making it an excellent target for the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) aboard the James Webb Space Telescope. Astronomers hope that examining the cosmic hourglass will help illuminate the processes occurring around the protostar, which is itself hidden from view at the neck of the formation. The observations could also help explain how infant stars reach adulthood. The protostar within L1527 and the cause of…

Andromeda, the Milky Way’s neighbouring spiral galaxy, may be a cosmic cannibal that has A been growing by chowing down on smaller galaxies. Astronomers reached this conclusion by observing a globular cluster of stars called the Dulais Structure, named after the Welsh term for ‘black stream’, which now dwells in Andromeda but seems to have originated from outside the galaxy. The Dulais Structure is illuminated by star clusters that orbit unlike any other clusters in Andromeda, which means the stream of stars could represent the leftovers from a galaxy-sized meal in Andromeda’s past. The findings support the idea that galactic growth happens violently and sporadically when large galaxies eat their smaller counterparts. “We’ve come to realise over the last few decades that galaxies grow by eating smaller systems – so…

China has completed construction of what is now the world’s largest array of telescopes dedicated to studying the Sun and how its behaviour affects Earth. The Daocheng Solar Radio Telescope (DSRT), located on a plateau in Sichuan province in southwest China, consists of 313 dishes, each with a diameter of six metres (19.7 feet), forming a circle with a circumference of 3.14 kilometres (1.95 miles). The DSRT is focused on observing solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can interfere with or overload electronics and wreak havoc on and above Earth. CMEs are triggered by realignments in the star’s magnetic field that occur in sunspots, and when directed at Earth can threaten power grids, telecommunications, orbiting satellites and even put the safety of astronauts aboard the International Space Station…

Exoplanet hunting has been dominated by NASA’s Kepler and Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, which stare out at the E stars looking for drops in brightness as the members of other planetary systems pass between ourselves and their parent stars. But the first exoplanets were discovered by the ‘wobble’ method, which looks for changes in starlight as the star is slowly dragged around by its accompanying planets. The difference is small, as stars are generally much larger than their collection of planets, and for multi-planet systems the motion is a combination of the influence of all partners. All the bodies involved in an orbital relationship will be influenced by each other to some degree; it’s easiest to envisage the most extreme case, two equally sized objects orbiting each other. If Earth…

Check the weather Keep a close eye on the weather if you’re planning an overnight expedition. If cloud is predicted, you’re likely to have an unsuccessful trip. Take a mobile phone As well as being useful for weather updates, a phone is essential if anything goes wrong – some of the best astronomy sites are lonely places. Use a map Study a map and familiarise yourself with your destination – don’t just trust your sat nav to be able to guide you to some of the recommended locations. Familiarise yourself A simple star chart can be an excellent way of familiarising yourself with what the sky has to offer at each time of year.…

Without question, the Milky Way is one of the most impressive views during an evening of observing, as it weaves its way majestically across the night sky. Since our Solar System is positioned in this galaxy, it’s easy to think that we have the opportunity to see it every night, provided there’s no light pollution and the skies are free of cloud, but this isn’t the case. The Milky Way is best observed and photographed throughout the summer months, and especially in June, July and August. Since the nightly hours are shorter during the summer, the richest and most unhindered views of our galaxy will be very limited. When planning your shoot, you should aim to head out just after midnight for a good two to three hours. If you…

Taking pictures of the Moon and bright planets isn’t as difficult as you may think. Although you won’t produce images as spectacular as the Hubble Space Telescope, with a little practice, patience and the right equipment, you’ll be snapping portraits of lunar craters and the rings of Saturn in no time at all. To shoot the Moon, for instance, you’ll need a small telescope of between four and six inches aperture. You’ll also need a DSLR camera and an adaptor to fix it to the telescope where the eyepiece would normally go. You can use the screen on the back of the camera to check you have the object in focus. Because the Moon moves quite fast across the sky, you’ll find it keeps moving out of the field of…

29 DECEMBER Conjunction between the Moon and Jupiter in Pisces 29 DECEMBER Open cluster NGC 2244 is well placed for observation at +4.8 in Monoceros 1 JANUARY The Moon will pass in front of Uranus, visible from parts of Europe and Canada 29 DECEMBER The Moon and Jupiter make a close approach, passing within 2°02’ of each other in Pisces 1 JANUARY The Moon and Uranus make a close approach, passing within 39.3” of each other in Aries 2 JANUARY Open cluster Messier 41 is well placed for observation at magnitude +4.5 in Canis Major Red-light friendly In order to preserve your night vision, you should read our observing guide under red light 3 JANUARY Conjunction between the Moon and Mars in Taurus 15 JANUARY Open cluster Messier 47 is…

M ars has been our planet of the month for the past few issues, but now it has started to fade and pull away from Earth again, another planet can enjoy the spotlight. During the month ahead, Venus will be a lovely sight in the western sky after sunset, an ‘evening star’ very obvious to the naked eye as a bright silvery-blue spark shining above the roofs and treetops as soon as darkness falls. And it will have company, too. On the evening of 29 December you’ll see a fainter ‘star’ very close to Venus, to its upper right. This will be Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, and on that evening the two worlds will be less than two degrees – or four Moon widths – apart in…

A dramatic new image of the Cone Nebula shows the pillar-like cloud of cold, starforming molecular gas and dust in unprecedented detail. The nebula gets its name from its conical shape and is located in the turbulent seven-light-year-long region of NGC 2264, which is a site of intense star formation located around 2,500 light years from Earth. Because it is relatively close to our planet, the Cone Nebula has been well studied. However, previous images lacked the incredible detail seen in the new observation, made by the Very Large Telescope (VLT) located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. In the VLT image, the nebula – which is found in the constellation of Monoceros, the Unicorn – takes on a dark and impenetrably cloudy appearance, making it look, quite fittingly,…

A nascent off-Earth construction system just got a big funding boost. NASA has awarded the Texas-based company ICON $57.2 million (£47 million) for its Project Olympus, which is working to develop technology that will allow humanity to build outposts on the Moon and Mars using locally available dirt and rock. “To change the space exploration paradigm from ‘there and back again’ to ‘there to stay’, we’re going to need robust, resilient and broadly capable systems that can use the local resources of the Moon and other planetary bodies,” ICON co-founder and CEO Jason Ballard said. “We’re pleased that our research and engineering has demonstrated that such systems are indeed possible, and we look forward to now making that possibility a reality,” he added. ICON is a pioneer in the use…

NASA’s newest rover has roamed multiple miles around the Red Planet’s Jezero crater, searching N for signs of ancient life and hints about Mars’ past. The rover, part of NASA’s ambitious Mars 2020 mission, has been collecting a huge amount of information about the Martian surface and its rocks. The team behind the Perseverance rover has published three new research papers detailing their findings so far. The data reveals a “story of fire and water” in Mars’ history, said Briony Horgan, a planetary scientist at Purdue University in Indiana and co-author of one of the new studies. Perseverance is NASA’s most advanced rover yet and can study Martian rocks in greater detail than any predecessor. Its suite of instruments includes the Mastcam-Z, the ‘eyes’ of the rover that allow it…

This sky map from Gaia is based on measurements of nearly 1.7 billion stars, showing off the galactic plane, interstellar dust and neighbouring galaxies his almost sombrero-shaped spacecraft has been mapping the stars of our galaxy for nine T years. Its first data release contained unrivalled information on nearly 1.7 billion stars, and is to date the greatest catalogue of stars ever produced. The European Space Agency (ESA) initially had the idea of using Gaia as an optical interferometer mission – meaning that Gaia originally would have been a series of smaller telescopes working together to create an image similar to that of a larger telescope – thus the ESA gave the mission its original name: the Global Astrometric Interferometer for Astrophysics, or GAIA. After the mission evolved and the…

Peering deep into the heart of a blazar, astronomers have learned how particles are P being accelerated to close to the speed of light, racing away in a jet emanating from near the blazar’s monstrous supermassive black hole. Blazars are quasars seen head-on; a quasar is an extremely active galactic nucleus (AGN) that is powered by a black hole accreting vast amounts of matter. The matter circles around the black hole in an accretion disc, where conditions are so extreme that the disc shines at millions of degrees. Tightly entwined magnetic fields wrapped up in the disc are able to funnel away some of the material in tightly collimated jets shooting away from the centre of the accretion disc in either direction. The charged particles in these jets spiral around…

Titan presents unique geology for an icy satellite, mainly due to the presence of a thick atmosphere. Previous to the Cassini-Huygens mission, Titan’s surface was hidden by its hazy orange atmosphere. The Cassini spacecraft and the Huygens probe unveiled an exotic but Earthlike world in many respects. Titan was found to possess vast dune fields, equatorial mountains and even lakes and seas at the poles. Titan is the only extraterrestrial body in our Solar System to possess standing bodies of liquid on its surface and is one of only three places in the Solar System, along with Earth and Mars, which we know to possess or have possessed an active hydrologic system, albeit with methane rather than water. In a recent publication, my colleagues and I suggested that Titan’s small…

T he sky at night is one of the most aweinspiring things to view, and whenever a natural spectacle like this amazes us, one of the first urges is to capture an image of it. However, taking great photos of the night sky is harder than it looks. In fact, astrophotography may be more challenging than almost any other kind of photography. As an astrophotographer striving to capture compelling images of the night sky, you need to build up your reserves of patience, be willing to drive for miles when you’d rather be tucked up in bed and be prepared to stay awake all night. Successful shoots will also need a large amount of planning and a good understanding of the equipment you’re using. Then there’s the science. Decent astronomical…

Set up First, ensure your camera is mounted on a solid tripod that’s quick and easy to adjust. It should also be able to resist any wobbles caused by the wind and placed on flat, solid ground that’s away from artificial light. Also avoid the natural light of the Moon and preferably shoot a few days before or after a new Moon. Capture In order to capture the Milky Way, you’ll need to increase your camera’s sensitivity. Ensure that you use a wide aperture, high ISO and shoot in RAW format to ensure quality. You may need to push your ISO up to 1600 or more to avoid long shutter speeds. To work out your shutter speed, divide 500 by your lens’ focal length. Edit You can sharpen up your…

There are two ways to capture star trails. The first is to take a long exposure of usually up to an hour and the second is to capture several shots of a few seconds each. You can then combine these shots in software that enables stacking, such as Photoshop. This second approach is likely to leave you with superior image quality compared to leaving your camera on an hour-long exposure time. Here your star-trail image will be of poorer quality since DSLR sensors are prone to overheating with prolonged use. 1 Prepare your camera Get your camera in the correct position for test shots, ensuring your pole star is roughly at the centre of the frame. 2 Select the widest aperture Set your camera to an aperture of around f/2.8…

If you don’t have a DSLR camera, don’t worry. It’s possible to take a good picture of the Moon through a telescope with just a compact camera or even the camera on your mobile phone. All you need is a telescope and a steady hand to take the shot. Hold the camera up to the telescope eyepiece, zoom in and start snapping. You might find your first attempts are horribly blurred. If you’re using a camera phone there are actually special holders that attach to your telescope that can hold your phone in place while you take the picture. Storage space greater than five megabytes is now common on many phones.…

M any people don’t realise that the full Moons seen throughout the 12 calendar months have names, often rooted in nature. These can be traced back to before the Julian calendar was followed and have ties to Native American culture. For example, May’s full Moon is the ‘Flower Moon’. In November the ‘Hunter’s Moon’ shines over our Bonfire Night celebrations, and as December ends, late-night Christmas shoppers scurry around looking for lastminute gifts beneath the ‘Cold Moon’. This January, the full Moon that will illuminate our frosty grass and windscreens and the snowmen slumping in our gardens is known as the ‘Wolf Moon’, named by Native Americans after the mournful howling of hungry wolves searching for food halfway through winter. Wolves are in quite short supply in the UK these…