Latest news with #GreenBankTelescope
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
This 200-light-year-wide structure could be feeding our galaxy's center: 'No one had any idea this cloud existed'
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Astronomers have discovered a vast cloud of gas and dust stretching out for a staggering 200 light-years and lurking in a poorly explored region of the Milky Way. The structure, named the Midpoint cloud, is an example of a Giant Molecular Cloud (GMC). It was discovered by the team using the Green Bank Telescope. Peeling back the layers of the Midpoint cloud, they found dynamic regions including several potential sites of new star formation and dense lanes of dust feeding the heart of our galaxy. "No one had any idea this cloud existed until we looked at this location in the sky and found the dense gas," team leader and National Radio Astronomy Observatory scientist Natalie Butterfield said. "Through measurements of the size, mass, and density, we confirmed this was a giant molecular cloud." The active region of the GMC and its thick lanes of matter could reveal how material flows from the Milky Way's disk to the very heart of our galaxy. "These dust lanes are like hidden rivers of gas and dust that are carrying material into the center of our galaxy,' Butterfield continued. "The Midpoint cloud is a place where material from the galaxy's disk is transitioning into the more extreme environment of the galactic center and provides a unique opportunity to study the initial gas conditions before accumulating in the center of our galaxy." The gas within the Midpoint cloud exists in a turbulent state, which mirrors conditions found within gas at the Milky Way's center. This chaotic motion could be triggered by material flowing along dust lanes itself or by clashes between the Midpoint cloud and other molecular clouds. Also within the Midpoint cloud are several clumps of dense gas and dust that could be about to collapse and birth new stars. One clump, designated Knot E, appears to be a small but dense cloud of gas that is in the process of being eroded by the radiation blasted at it by stars in its proximity. Formations like this are referred to as free-floating evaporating gas globules (frEGGs). The astronomers also discovered a new source of intense microwave radiation called a "maser" that could be further evidence of intense star formation within the Midpoint cloud. The researchers didn't just discover evidence of stellar birth with this GMC, however. A shell-like structure in the Midpoint cloud appears to have been caused by the explosive supernova deaths of massive stars. Related Stories: —Our Milky Way galaxy may be surrounded by 100 undetected 'orphan' galaxies —Record-breaking Milky Way map showcases 1.5 billion objects: 'We have changed the view of our galaxy forever' —The Milky Way may not collide with neighboring galaxy Andromeda after all: 'From near-certainty to a coin flip' The research conducted by the team suggests the Midpoint cloud is vital to the flow of matter from the disk of the Milky Way to its heart. This would feed star formation in the thick central stellar bar that churns around the center of our galaxy. Similar structures of dense stars are found in other barred spiral galaxies. That means further investigation of this cloud and its surroundings could help develop a clearer picture of how the building blocks of stars gather at the center of galaxies. "Star formation in galactic bars is a bit of a puzzle," team member and Green Bank Observatory scientist Larry Morgan said. "The strong forces in these regions can actually suppress star formation. "However, the leading edges of these bars, such as where the Midpoint is located, can accumulate dense gas and trigger new star formation." The team's research was published on Wednesday (July 16) in The Astrophysical Journal. Solve the daily Crossword
Gizmodo
19-07-2025
- Science
- Gizmodo
‘Ice Cubes in a Volcano': Scientists Baffled by Mysterious Clouds in Center of the Milky Way
In the center of our galaxy, gigantic, balloon-like structures of high-energy radiation extend thousands of light-years above and below the Milky Way's plane. Known as the Fermi bubbles, the massive lobes may have been the result of a violent outburst in our galaxy's recent past. A new discovery of cold hydrogen clouds embedded inside the bubbles adds another level of mystery to the objects, suggesting they're only a few million years old—practically brand-new, by cosmic standards. Using the National Science Foundation's Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, a team of scientists discovered something extremely odd. Lurking inside the hot Fermi bubbles are clouds of cold gas that shouldn't be there, forcing scientists to wonder how the cooler gas manages to survive in the superheated, extreme environment. The new findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, shed light on how galaxies evolve over time. The Fermi bubbles were discovered in 2010 by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. The two orbs form an hourglass structure, one stretching above and another below the center of the Milky Way. Each lobe is around 25,000 light-years tall, made up of gamma rays and high-energy cosmic rays. 'Fermi bubbles are a relatively recent discovery – they were first identified by telescopes that 'see' gamma rays in 2010 – there are different theories about how it happened, but we do know that it was an extremely sudden and violent event, like a volcanic eruption but on a massive scale,' Rongmon Bordoloi, associate professor of physics at North Carolina State University and co-author of the research, said in a statement. The team behind the study was observing the Fermi bubbles to gather high-resolution data about the composition of the hot gas within the structure. The majority of gas inside the Fermi bubbles is super-hot, measuring at around 1 million degrees Kelvin. Surprisingly, the team also found clouds of neutral hydrogen gas dotted within the bubbles around 12,000 light-years above the center of the galaxy and as massive as several thousand Suns. The gas in the clouds, however, is relatively cold compared to the rest of the gas in the bubbles. 'They're around 10,000 degrees Kelvin, so cooler than their surroundings by at least a factor of 100,' Andrew Fox, astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute and coauthor of the paper, said in a statement. 'Finding those clouds within the Fermi bubble is like finding ice cubes in a volcano.' Considering their extreme environment, the clouds of hydrogen should have been destroyed, a process that would take over a few million years. This means that the Fermi bubbles are much younger than expected. 'It wouldn't be possible for the clouds to be present at all if the Fermi bubbles were 10 million years old or older,' Bordoloi said. The scientists behind the study believe that the clouds were swept up from the center of the Milky Way and carried by the hot wind that formed the Fermi bubbles. Jay Lockman, an astronomer at the Green Bank Observatory and coauthor of the paper, compared the system to a more familiar phenomenon: 'Just as you can't see the motion of the wind on Earth unless there are clouds to track it, we can't see the hot wind from the Milky Way but can detect radio emission from the cold clouds it carries along.'
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Ice cube' clouds discovered at the galaxy's center shouldn't exist — and they hint at a recent black hole explosion
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Two of the strangest structures in the galaxy just got even stranger. Ballooning above and below the Milky Way's center like a massive hourglass, the mysterious Fermi bubbles loom large over our galaxy. These enormous twin orbs of superheated plasma have been gushing out of the galactic center for millions of years. Today, they span some 50,000 light-years from tip to tip, collectively making them half as tall as the Milky Way is long. Now, scientists studying the perplexing bubbles with the U.S. National Science Foundation Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia have discovered something shocking: Nestled deep within the superhot bubbles are gargantuan clouds of cold hydrogen gas that have inexplicably survived in an extreme environment. According to the researchers, these bewildering clouds are likely the remnants of much larger structures that puffed out of the galaxy's center several million years ago. "Think of it like dropping an ice cube into boiling water: a small one melts quickly, but a larger one lasts longer — even as it dissolves," lead study author Rongmon Bordoloi, an associate professor in the Department of Physics at North Carolina State University, told Live Science in an email. "We believe these clouds may be remnants of much larger structures that are currently being eroded by the galactic wind." The discovery could indicate that our galaxy's central black hole experienced a violent outburst of matter more recently than previously thought, Bordoloi added. The research describing the clouds was published July 7 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Baffling bubbles Towering over the galactic center, the Fermi bubbles were discovered in 2010 by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. Despite being comparable to our galaxy in size, the bubbles are visible only in gamma-rays, and they overlap with an equally mysterious X-ray counterpart known as the eROSITA bubbles. These bubbles are incredibly hot, with the plasma that makes up the Fermi bubbles reaching more than a million kelvins (nearly 2 million degrees Fahrenheit). It's thought that the bubbles are likely the result of an ancient, violent outburst from the Milky Way's central black hole, which spewed twin jets of matter above and below the galactic plane simultaneously, scooping up nearby matter in the process and flinging it outward into space. Related: Scientists discover rare planet at the edge of the Milky Way, using space-time phenomenon predicted by Einstein The newly discovered cold hydrogen clouds may be remnants of some of that matter, according to the study authors. Spotted with the Green Bank Telescope, the cold clouds range from about 13 to 91 light-years across, making each one many times larger than our solar system. However, for those cold clouds to survive in the superhot environment where they were discovered — well within the Fermi bubbles, about 13,000 light-years above the galaxy's center — they must have been significantly larger when they were first swept up into the thrall of the bubbles, Bordoloi said. RELATED STORIES —Behold, 'The Beast': Gigantic animal-like plasma plume 13 times wider than Earth hovers over the sun —Scientists detect most massive black hole merger ever — and it birthed a monster 225 times as massive as the sun —100 undiscovered galaxies may be orbiting the Milky Way, supercomputer simulations hint "In principle, these clouds shouldn't have survived this long," he added. "Yet they do exist, which gives us a kind of clock: their survival implies that the black hole at the Milky Way's center erupted just a few million years ago. In cosmic terms, that's a blink of an eye." This discovery could help solve a major mystery about the Fermi bubbles by significantly constraining how old they are. This age, in turn, hints that our galaxy's monster black hole may experience violent, sporadic outbursts whenever large amounts of material fall into it, with the last one occurring more recently than previously thought. However, the precise schedule of black hole eruptions in our galaxy remains an open question. "What's clear is that features like the Fermi Bubbles — and more recently, the eROSITA Bubbles — suggest the center of the Milky Way has been much more active in the recent past than we once believed," Bordoloi concluded. Solve the daily Crossword
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Science
- Indian Express
Can aliens spy on Earth? Scientists say our radar systems could give us away
Alien astronomers, even with inadequate technology, could recognise the radio signals from airports on Earth. This was revealed in an upcoming study that shows how aliens may be able to spy on us using our radio signals. According to a study headed by researcher Ramiro Caisse Saide of the University of Manchester, radar systems used to monitor aircraft at major airports like Heathrow in London and JFK in New York may generate radio waves powerful enough to be detected by extraterrestrial civilisations up to 200 light-years away. The researchers examined how radio waves from military and civilian radar operations travelled outside Earth. This was done to predict how they would seem when they reached nearby stars. According to the findings that were presented at the National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) 2025 in Durham, UK, signals emitted from airports across the world are over 2,000 trillion watts. This is powerful enough to detect extraterrestrial planets that are 200 light-years away using the Green Bank Telescope, which happens to be the most sensitive telescope in the world and is located in Virginia, US. By carefully simulating how these radar signals spread out from Earth over time and space, the researchers looked at how visible they would be from nearby stars such as Barnard's Star and AU Microscopii. Out of roughly 1,000 star systems in that range, the nearest potentially habitable world beyond our solar system is Proxima Centauri b which is only 4.2 light-years away. Another key question is whether an astronomer from another planet could comprehend what we are communicating and seeing. The signal wouldn't be artificial because it would seem to rise and fall throughout a 24-hour period when several airports came into view of the extraterrestrial astronomers due to Earth's rotation. Additionally, the study contributes to those on Earth who are searching for evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence in estimating how far away they would be able to spot a civilisation that is comparable to our own. 'By learning how our signals travel through space, we gain valuable insights into how to protect the radio spectrum for communications and design future radar systems,' co-researcher Professor Michael Garret was quoted as saying by the Royal Astronomical Society. Military radar systems, which are more focused, create a unique pattern – like a lighthouse beam. They have an accumulated peak emission reaching about 1×1014 watts in a given field of view of the observer. This, according to the researchers, is weaker than airport radar. Caisse Saide, a PhD student, added, 'In this way, our work supports both the scientific quest to answer the question, 'Are we alone?' and practical efforts to manage the influence of technology on our world and beyond.'
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Aliens could use Heathrow Airport as homing beacon to find us & experts reveal how long it might take them to get here
LONGEST HAUL Aliens could use Heathrow Airport as homing beacon to find us & experts reveal how long it might take them to get here Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HUMANS have been searching for aliens for decades - but all this time, intelligent extraterrestrial life could have found us, according to a new study. Heathrow Airport has been acting as a sort of homing beacon to find us, experts at have revealed at the Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2025) in Durham. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 This artist's impression shows the rocky planet Proxima Centauri b - Earth's closest potentially habitable planet 6 This artist's impression shows the planet Proxima b orbiting the red dwarf star Proxima Centauri But it's not just Heathrow - the largest and busiest airport in the UK, but Gatwick and New York's JFK International Airport, too. All civilian airports and military bases that use radar systems have been inadvertently revealing our existence to potential advanced alien civilizations, new research suggests. If aliens are equipped with state-of-the-art radio telescopes like our own - they would be able to spot hidden electromagnetic leakage from these Earth sites up to 200 light-years away. The study also suggests that 200 light-years is just how far humans would be able to look to spot aliens who have evolved to use a similar level of technology. As airport radar systems sweep the skies for airplanes, they send out a combined radio signal of 2x1015 watts, the researchers said. 6 But it's not just Heathrow - the largest and busiest airport in the UK, but Gatwick and New York's JFK International Airport, too Credit: Getty 6 Airport radar systems sweep the skies for airplanes Credit: Getty That's enough power to be picked up as far as 200 light-years away by telescopes as strong as the Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, the world's biggest fully steerable radio telescope. For context, the nearest potentially habitable world beyond our solar system is Proxima Centauri b, which is 4 light-years away. And while it would take thousands of years to get there with today's technology, there are a number of potentially habitable worlds in that distance. Lead researcher Ramiro Caisse Saide, of the University of Manchester, said these signals would look "clearly artificial to anyone watching from interstellar distances with powerful radio telescopes." First ever bombshell vid of infamous 'Mosul orb' UFO is released The Ph.D student added: "In fact, these military signals can appear up to a hundred times stronger from certain points in space, depending on where an observer is located. "Our findings suggest that radar signals - produced unintentionally by any planet with advanced technology and complex aviation system - could act as a universal sign of intelligent life." By simulating how these radar signals emit from Earth over time and space, the researchers looked at how visible they would be from nearby stars. The research may help guide other scientists on identifying promising technosignatures emitted by alien worlds, Saide explained. Co-researcher, Professor Michael Garrett, of the University of Manchester, added: "By learning how our signals travel through space, we gain valuable insights into how to protect the radio spectrum for communications and design future radar systems. "The methods developed for modeling and detecting these weak signals can also be used in astronomy, planetary defence, and even in monitoring the impact of human technology on our space environment." 6 If aliens are equipped with state-of-the-art radio telescopes like our own - they would be able to spot hidden electromagnetic leakage from these Earth sites up to 200 light-years away Credit: Getty 6 The research may help guide other scientists on identifying promising technosignatures emitted by alien worlds, Saide explained Credit: Getty All you need to know about planets in our solar system Our solar system is made up of nine planets with Earth the third closest to the Sun. But each planet has its own quirks, so find out more about them all... How old is Earth? Plus other facts on our planet How many moons does Mercury have? What colour is Venus? How far away is Mars to Earth? And other facts on the red planet How big is Jupiter? How many moons does Saturn have? Does Uranus have rings? How many moons does Neptune have? How big is Pluto? How hot is the Sun?
