Latest news with #MagellanicClouds
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Science
- Otago Daily Times
Observatory opens to the sky
PHOTO: IAN GRIFFIN After months of preparation, trips to the hardware store, more than a few late-night YouTube tutorials, and a memorable encounter with a Middlemarch nor'wester that sent all hundred kilograms of my first roof cartwheeling more than 30m across my paddock, I'm delighted to report that my dream has finally taken shape. I'm now the proud owner of an observatory. It sits out there now, squat and sturdy, in a corner of a Middlemarch field where the sky still feels wild and the view is to die for. I am pleased to report that the roof rolls off smoothly, powered by a garage door opener that makes a satisfyingly industrial clunk when it opens and closes. A Dunedin firm helped with the design, and after a few hard-earned lessons in wind dynamics, we seem to have got it right. Last week, I experienced first light, that magical moment when a telescope in a new home gets to do what it was made for. As the sky faded to velvet, I aligned the mount to the south celestial pole, checked the cables, took a deep breath, and aimed upwards. One after another, the familiar jewels of the southern sky appeared on my screen — Canopus and Achernar, the Magellanic Clouds smeared like silver brushstrokes across the darkness, the Tarantula Nebula quietly flexing its luminous muscles in the Large Cloud. Inside the warm room I'd built — a refuge against frosty nights — my coffee sat untouched. At 2am, I was lying flat on the floor of the observatory, staring up through the gap in the roof, entranced by the raw, unfiltered night sky and the whispering glow of our galaxy. It was quiet, cold, and absolutely perfect. And now, I face the pleasant dilemma of every new parent: what to name this latest arrival — something fitting, something that speaks to Middlemarch and the sky above it. I'm open to suggestions — if you've got an idea for a name, drop me a line. The only rule is that it must sound good echoing across a frosty paddock at midnight.
National Geographic
02-07-2025
- National Geographic
8 must-do adventures in Namibia
Namibia is a southwestern African nation roughly twice the size of California, known for having the world's oldest desert. The Namib Desert is the scene for many of Namibia's must-do adventures, from hiking up Sossusvlei's distinctive red and orange dunes at sunrise to spending days exploring the Tok Tokkie Trails on foot. Despite the harsh desert conditions, Namibia offers abundant wildlife viewing opportunities. Watch elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, wildebeests, oryx, and other animals congregate at watering holes in Etosha National Park. In other locations, spot desert elephants along dry and ephemeral riverbeds, track rhinos on foot, and learn about conservation work to protect leopards, pangolins, and other species. Travelers should not miss out on these eight experiences when visiting Namibia. (Why you should go to Namibia now.) 1. Hike the Tok Tokkie Trails and sleep under the stars Spend three days hiking and two nights camping under the stars in 'dune beds' along the Tok Tokkie Trails in the NamibRand Nature Reserve. Look up at the Magellanic Clouds, Southern Cross, and Milky Way, including its satellite galaxies, while enjoying some of the planet's darkest and least light-polluted skies in Africa's first International Dark Sky Reserve. Exploring the desert on foot allows visitors to observe wildlife such as oryx, zebras, and giraffes, as well as to appreciate the wind-carved ripples in the dunes and the tiny tracks left by Tok-Tokkie beetles, geckos, moles, jackals, and other animals. While on car-based safaris, Wilderness Travel guide Peter Nuugonya says it's challenging to see all the fine details of the natural environment, such as mysterious fairy circles or tiny insect tracks left in the sand. However, getting out on foot opens up a new world of exploration. 'If you think of the Namib Desert itself, where the Tok Tokkie Trails are located, the Namib Desert is very rich when it comes to the small creatures,' he says. 2. Track desert elephants Namibia is home to a group of fascinating desert elephants that reside in the Kunene Region, and the best way to see them is to join a guide for a desert tracking experience. Explore dry and ephemeral riverbeds looking for signs of elephants, including enormous footprints and fresh piles of dung. If you're lucky and find an elephant—or a group of them—you can watch them munch on trees and even interact in family groups. The area is also breathtakingly quiet, and NamibRand Nature Reserve was designated Africa's first Wilderness Quiet Park by Quiet Parks International in 2024.'You can hear your heartbeat at times,' says Nuugonya. (Desert hikes and camping under the stars on a budget safari in Namibia) 3. Hike the Sossusvlei dunes at sunrise Watch the sun rise while hiking some of the world's most impressive dunes at Sossusvlei. As the sun climbs in the sky, the dunes transform with brilliant shades of red, orange, and ochre, and early morning is the perfect time for hikers to ascend before the day gets too warm. Wind creates an ever-changing array of ripples and shapes in the dunes, which get their distinctive color from iron oxide. After topping a dune, you can head back down and spend some time exploring Deadvlei to see the gnarled camel thorn trees set against the white clay pan and red dunes. 4. See ancient rock art at a UNESCO World Heritage site Travelers should add a visit to the Twyfelfontein rock engraving site in Namibia's Kunene Region to explore the country's Indigenous people and their culture. Photograph by Frans Lanting, National Geographic Image Collection Gaze at ancient rock art that dates back to the Late Stone Age at Twyfelfontein, a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The site is home to an extensive collection of rock art, including engravings and paintings, believed to have been created by the Indigenous San people. See art depicting rhinos, elephants, ostriches, giraffes, zebras, and other wildlife, along with a few images of humans, and an impressive collection of human and animal footprints. Short hiking trails and viewing platforms provide good vantage points for a fascinating peek into this open-air gallery. (Eight ultimate adventures for every ability in Namibia) 5. Track leopards and pangolins at Okonjima Nature Reserve Visit Okonjima Nature Reserve for a chance to track leopards and pangolins and learn about conservation and research projects on-site. The 55,000-acre reserve is a research area for leopards, brown hyenas, pangolins, and other species. Sign up for a leopard tracking excursion to accompany a guide in a vehicle and use telemetry to track leopards. The technology makes spotting them easier. Guides also record data about the animals and their behavior. You can opt for pangolin tracking in the late afternoon or evening, among other options. Several lodging options are available on-site, including Okonjima Luxury Bush Camp and Okonjima Plains Camp. This reserve is also home to the AfriCat Foundation. Since 1991, the foundation has worked to help farmers and wildcats coexist, and today, researchers and veterinarians collaborate to save the cats. 6. Witness world-class wildlife viewing at Etosha National Park The 1,800-square-mile Etosha Pan is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including elephants. Photograph by Chris Schmid, National Geographic Image Collection A lioness and her two cubs rest in the shade at Etosha National Park. Photograph by Chris Schmid, National Geographic Image Collection A young Leopard hides in the tall grass at Etosha National Park. Photograph by Chris Schmid, National Geographic Image Collection The Etosha Pan is so large that it can be seen from space. This 1,800-square-mile salt pan is home to numerous watering holes where wildlife gather in Etosha National Park. Take a tour or drive yourself to this northern Namibia park, but be aware that you will need to remain in your car for your safety, except at designated fenced rest areas. Watch from your vehicle as animals congregate around watering holes, taking the time to enjoy the elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, oryx, zebra, oryx, lions, cheetahs, and more. 7. Take a game drive in Ongava Private Reserve Go for a game drive in the 74,000-acre Ongava Private Reserve to see rhinos, leopards, lions, elephants, jackals, impalas, zebras, and a variety of other wildlife. The reserve is situated near Etosha National Park, and offers sundown game drives, waterholes near accommodations, and is also home to the Ongava Research Centre. 8. Track rhinos on foot with dedicated rangers In Namibia, a group of dedicated rangers from the Save the Rhino Trust works to protect rhinos from poachers in the Kunene Region, and it is sometimes possible to join them on foot to see a rhino. If rangers spot a rhino, guides bring guests—clad in neutral clothing without any shiny objects—to see them, walking low to the ground and stepping as quietly as possible for a peek at the animals. (Learning to protect Namibia's endangered rhinos on a new conservation bootcamp) This trip was created with the support of Wilderness Travel. GO WITH NAT GEO: Travel with National Geographic Journeys and seek out endangered black rhinos through Etosha National Park in Namibia." For more info, check out our Journeys: Wonders of Namibia. Kristen Pope is a freelance writer based near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, who covers adventure travel, outdoor recreation, astrotourism, wildlife, conservation, and science.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists discover nearest galaxy to ours is being destroyed and will change everything we know about space
Scientists have found that our nearest galaxy is undergoing 'gradual destruction' and could change everything that we know about space. Researchers at the Nagoya University in Japan have been studying the motion of stars in a galaxy neighbouring the Milky Way called the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). The group were analysing some 7,000 big stars in the SMC and noticed something strange. On first glance, it appeared that the SMC's 'larger companion', the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), was to causing a bit of an issue. The research team, led by Satoya Nakano and Kengo Tachihara, decided to take a closer look and found that the LMC might be tearing the SMC apart. After analysing their initial findings, Tachihara thought 'there might be an error' with the results. However, they were eventually able to show 'evidence' that the stars in the SMC, which survive for a few million years before exploding, 'were moving in opposite directions' and 'are being pulled apart'. Tachihara said: 'Some of these stars are approaching the LMC, while others are moving away from it, suggesting the gravitational influence of the larger galaxy. 'This unexpected movement supports the hypothesis that the SMC is being disrupted by the LMC, leading to its gradual destruction.' The team also discovered that the stars in the SMC were not following a rotational pattern, unlike stars in our Milky Way. This means that 'previous estimates of its mass and its interaction history with the Milky Way and LMC might need to be revised'. On what this means for space study, Nakano explained: 'This could potentially change our understanding of the history of the three-body interaction between the two Magellanic Clouds and the Milky Way.' For years, scientists have been studying the SMC because of how similar it's supposed to be to the Milky Way. The issue, as Tachihara says, is that we are unable to get a 'bird's-eye view' of the galaxy in which we live'. That's why discoveries on how the SMC and LMC work with one another, are supposed give us a better understanding on the processes that shaped galaxies billions of years ago. 'As a result, the SMC and the LMC are the only galaxies in which we can observe the details of stellar motion,' Tachihara added. 'This research is important because it allows us to study the process of star formation in connection with the motion of stars throughout the galaxy.' The full study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series.
