Latest news with #NOIRLab
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Vera Rubin Observatory glows under recalibration LEDs
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Named in honor of female astronomer Vera Rubin, whose pioneering work on galaxy rotation provided key evidence for dark matter, the Vera Rubin Observatory uses the world's largest digital camera to peer at the night sky, looking for dark matter in our universe. What is it? This state-of-the-art facility houses the Simonyi Survey Telescope, which includes a 27.5 foot (8.4 meters) primary mirror. Inside the dome, Rubin uses special recalibration lights to check and correct for variations in the sensors and other instruments. These lights help engineers map uneven pixel responses and find shadows or other irregularities. Where is it? The Vera Rubin Observatory sits atop the mountain Cerro Pachón in northern Chile. Why is it amazing? The rings in the calibration lights correspond to machining marks from the precision-shaped reflector which helps to spread light more evenly across the screen, according to NOIRLab. As the Rubin Observatory has begun its 10-year long Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), hunting for dark matter in the universe so astronomers can determine what it is, its recalibrations become important to ensure the telescope is functioning properly. The calibration also helps astronomers find what are genuine cosmic anomalies versus instrumental error, allowing them to zero in on reliable data for their research. Want to learn more? You can read more about the Vera Rubin Observatory and its hunt for dark matter. Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Astronomers discover blazing Betelgeuse has companion star
This is an AI generated image. Used for representation purpose only. Since at least the time of the ancient Egyptians, people across the world have gazed up in awe at Betelgeuse , one of the brightest stars blazing in the night sky. Now astronomers have discovered that this red supergiant , known to many as the hunter's shoulder in the Orion constellation , is being orbited by a much smaller companion star , a study said on Monday. It is not the first time Betelgeuse has surprised stargazers. Seemingly out of nowhere, the giant star dramatically dimmed for five months between 2019 and 2020, leading some scientists to suggest it could soon die in an epic supernova explosion. Further observations revealed that this event -- known as the " Great Dimming " -- was actually caused by material ejected from the surface that cooled part of the star, creating a dust cloud that blocked its light. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Swelling and internal bleeding in the brain, help this baby Donate For Health Donate Now Undo But scientists could still not explain why Betelgeuse's brightness changes regularly, both on a 400-day cycle and another that lasts nearly six years. In a paper titled "A Buddy for Betelgeuse" published in December, some researchers theorised that the longer variation could be caused by a hidden small star orbiting the behemoth. Astronomers using the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii have now discovered this elusive companion, according to a new study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. - Little buddy - This companion has a mass around 1.5 times greater than our Sun, the research estimated. That means it is dwarfed by Betelgeuse, which is 1,000 times bigger than the Sun. The companion star is around four times the distance from Betelgeuse as the Earth is from the Sun, which is quite close for a stellar companion. The discovery is the first time such a close companion star has been detected orbiting a supergiant, according to a statement from the US research centre NOIRLab, which operates the Gemini Observatory. Betelgeuse is more than 10,000 times brighter than the Sun, its blinding light making spotting anything nearby difficult. Steve Howell, a NASA scientist who led the research team, said previous "papers that predicted Betelgeuse's companion believed that no one would likely ever be able to image it". However the Gemini North telescope was able to spot the much smaller, dimmer star using a technique called speckle imaging. This involves assembling many images taken with short exposure times to overcome the distortions that Earth's atmosphere causes ground-bound telescopes. According to Greek myth, the giant hunter Orion claimed he would kill all the world's beasts, so Earth goddess Gaia sent a scorpion to kill him. God king Zeus then turned both Orion and the scorpion -- Scorpius -- into constellations. Earlier, ancient Egyptians included Betelgeuse in the constellation Osiris, their god of the dead. Even earlier, research has suggested that Indigenous Australians included Betelgeuse in their own constellations -- and had noticed the star's varying brightness.
BBC News
22-07-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Betelguese: Scientists discover why dazzling star changes brightness
Astronomers say they have confirmed why Betelgeuse, one of the night sky's most dazzling stars, regularly changes brightness. For the first time, they have discovered a much smaller companion star that is orbiting the red to new research, this 'little buddy' has a mass around 1.5 times greater than our say its passage across Betelgeuse's face causes a 400 day cycle of dimming, as well as another one that lasts for nearly six years. What have experts discovered? Betelgeuse is more than 10,000 times brighter than our Sun, and as a result, its blinding light makes spotting anything nearby say that they long suspected that Betelgeuse might have a star nearby and are delighted with the new turned to the the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii to prove their a technique called speckle imaging, they put together many images to overcome issues that Earth's atmosphere causes telescopes that are based on the ground. Steve Howell, a NASA scientist who led the research team, said: "Previous papers that predicted Betelgeuse's companion believed that no one would likely ever be able to image it."The companion star is around four times the distance from Betelgeuse as the Earth is from the to the US research centre NOIRLab, which operates the Gemini Observatory, the discovery is the first time such a close companion star has been detected orbiting a supergiant. What is Betelgeuse? According to the International Gemini Observatory, Betelgeuse is one of the brightest stars in the night sky, and the closest red supergiant to in the constellation of Orion, people have observed Betelgeuse with the naked eye for thousands of years. It has a huge volume, and is around 1,000 times bigger than our Sun. It's thought to only be 10-million-years-old, however, due to its large mass it has evolved quickly and is late in its life.
India Today
22-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
Giant star Betelgeuse, visible to naked eyes, has a smaller sun orbiting it
Astronomers have achieved a historic breakthrough by directly detecting a hidden companion star in a remarkably tight orbit around Betelgeuse, the iconic red supergiant blazing in the constellation the innovative 'Alopeke instrument on the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, researchers have solved a century-old mystery about Betelgeuse's puzzling brightness changes and opened a new chapter in understanding red easily visible to the naked eye and one of the largest stars near Earth, has captured human attention for millennia. Its sheer size, some 700 times the Sun's radius, and fluctuating brightness have long made it a subject of fascination and confusion. Observations revealed that Betelgeuse's glow varies not only in a cycle of about 400 days but also in a pronounced secondary pattern every six years. This discovery answers the millennia-old question of why this famous star experiences a roughly six-year-long periodic change in its brightness. (Photo: NOIRLab) In 2019–2020, astronomers worldwide were riveted by the 'Great Dimming,' a sudden dramatic drop in the star's speculated Betelgeuse was about to explode in a supernova, but further analysis revealed the dimming resulted from a massive veil of dust cast off by the star Triumph: Direct Sight of a 'Betel-Buddy'Despite decades of pursuit and previous unsuccessful searches, including with the Hubble Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory, no companion could be found until the recent by Steve Howell at NASA's Ames Research Center, the team utilised 'Alopeke's 'speckle imaging' technique: a method employing rapid-fire exposures that beat atmospheric blurring and deliver unparalleled coupled with Gemini North's immense 8.1-meter mirror, enabled the dim, tight-orbiting companion to finally come into the Companion StarAnalysis shows that the companion is six magnitudes fainter than Betelgeuse in visible light, and roughly 1.5 times the Sun's companiion is very young, classified as an A or B-type pre-main-sequence star, which is hot, blue-white, and not yet igniting hydrogen in its is orbiting just four times the Earth-to-Sun distance from Betelgeuse, well within the supergiant's extended atmosphere, an unprecedented finding. Photo: NOIRLab This is the first time such a close-in stellar companion has ever been detected around a supergiant star—a feat once deemed impossible to achieve with current discovery not only clarifies the underlying cause of Betelgeuse's six-year brightness variability but also hints that similar companions may shape the behavior of other red supergiants. Tidal forces will ultimately doom the companion, spiraling it into Betelgeuse over the next 10,000 prime opportunity to observe the companion will come in November 2027 when it will be at its greatest separation from Betelgeuse, promising more insights into the evolution of colossal stars.- Ends
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Space photo of the day for July 14, 2025
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A recent unexpected frost graced high-altitude peaks in Chile, dusting the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope with a delicate layer of snow. What is it? The 13.4 foot (4.1 meter) telescope has been a major hub for researchers in the Southern Hemisphere using optical and near-infrared astronomy to study the stars. According to NOIRLab, the telescope was initiated in 1987 by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It's run by an international consortium which includes Brazil, Chile, Michigan State University and the University of North Carolina. Only a short distance away on the same peak is the Gemini South telescope, which also looks at the stars in both visible and infrared wavelengths. Where is it? The SOAR Telescope sits on the peak of Cerro Pachón, part of the Chilean Andes mountain range. Why is it amazing? Recently, a rare winter storm swept across the Atacama desert, bringing snow to the driest place on Earth. While the event created a beautiful landscape, its impact varied among the observatories located in the remote part of Chile. For the SOAR telescope, high up in the Chilean Andes, the snow was a gentle dusting that coated the observatory, making for some stunning images. However, lower down in elevation, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) facility at Chajnantor Plateu faced more severe conditions, forcing all scientific operations to be suspended since June 26, 2025. ALMA's remote location and reliance on sensitive electronics made it especially vulnerable to weather extremes, even brief ones. Want to learn more? You can read more about telescopes like SOAR and astronomy happening in the Atacama desert. Solve the daily Crossword
