Category: NASA

The California Nebula (NGC 1499) is an emission nebula located in the constellation Perseus. It got its name due to its shape, which resembles the outline of the state of California. It is one of the bright deep-sky objects and attracts the attention of both astronomers and sky enthusiasts.

Main Characteristics:

1. Distance from Earth: The nebula is approximately 1,000 light-years away from Earth.
2. Size: It spans about 100 light-years in length.
3. Type: Emission nebula. This means it glows due to ionized hydrogen, illuminated by the energy of nearby hot stars.
4. Coordinates: It is located in the constellation Perseus, near the star Menkhib (ξ Persei), although this star does not illuminate the nebula itself.

Appearance and Glow

The nebula shines due to the ultraviolet radiation from a nearby O-type star, likely the star HD 24189. The energy from the star ionizes the gas, primarily hydrogen, causing it to emit a characteristic red light. This glow results from the recombination of hydrogen atoms and the subsequent emission of photons in the red part of the spectrum.

Discovery

The nebula was first recorded by American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard in 1884. Barnard was known for his deep surveys of the night sky, and it was he who documented this diffuse cloud in the constellation Perseus.

Why is it called the “California Nebula”?

The name of the nebula was given because its shape resembles the outline of the state of California on a map. While this is an unofficial name, it has become widely used among astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts.

Observations

Due to its large size and relatively low brightness, the California Nebula is difficult to observe with the naked eye or through small telescopes. However, it is a popular target for astrophotographers, as long exposures capture its reddish light, typical of emission nebulae. Filters such as Hα (Hydrogen-alpha) are often used to enhance the red glow of the nebula.

Importance for Astronomy

The California Nebula is an important object for studying star formation and the dynamics of interstellar gas. Within and around the nebula, active processes related to the formation of new stars are occurring. It provides a great field for observing the effects of stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation on the surrounding gas.

In general, NGC 1499 is one of the most beautiful objects in the night sky, representing a classic example of an emission nebula and offering many opportunities to study cosmic processes.

The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a unique galaxy where the gas inside shines brighter than its stars.

The galaxy, named GS-NDG-9422, is seen as it appeared just 1 billion years after the Big Bang. What makes it remarkable is that the light captured in the image is not coming from its stars but from the galaxy’s hot gas. Astronomers believe that the stars in this galaxy are so intensely hot—reaching temperatures over 80,000 degrees Celsius—that they heat the surrounding gas, causing it to glow even brighter than the stars themselves.

This discovery might point to a previously unseen phase in galactic evolution. What’s also intriguing about GS-NDG-9422 is its unusual chemical composition for a galaxy of such age. Analysis has revealed traces of heavier elements like oxygen, carbon, and iron, which are typically synthesized in second-generation stars. These elements suggest that the galaxy may have undergone some early stellar processes leading to the enrichment of its gas.

Researchers are now looking for more galaxies like GS-NDG-9422 to gain better insight into what was happening during the first billion years of the universe’s existence. Understanding these early stages of galactic development could help unravel key aspects of cosmic evolution.

Asteroid 99942 Apophis is a near—Earth asteroid that has become the object of attention of scientists and the general public due to its potential threat of collision with Earth. First discovered in 2004, the asteroid has a diameter of about 340 meters and belongs to the class of Apollo asteroids crossing the Earth’s orbit. The history of the study and the threat of collision When the asteroid Apophis was first discovered, calculations showed that it could collide with Earth on April 13, 2029. The probability of a collision was estimated to be quite high, which caused serious concerns. At one point, the probability of impact was estimated as 2.7%, making it one of the most dangerous asteroids known at that time. However, in subsequent years, thanks to more accurate observations and calculations of the asteroid’s orbit, the probability of a collision in 2029 was eliminated. Now scientists are confident that Apophis will pass at a safe distance from Earth — about 31,000 kilometers from the surface of our planet, which by cosmic standards is a very close distance. For comparison, this is closer than geostationary satellites, which rotate at an altitude of about 35,800 kilometers. The flight of Apophis on April 13, 2029 In 2029, the asteroid will pass so close to Earth that it can be seen even with the naked eye. Its brilliance can reach 3-4 magnitude, which makes it visible in the evening sky, especially for residents of the eastern hemisphere.

https://thespacehistory.xyz/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Video-by-Вселенная.mp4

This will be a unique opportunity to observe a large asteroid of this size from Earth. The Apophis flyby itself will give scientists and astronomers a rare chance to study a near-Earth object from a minimum distance. With the help of ground-based telescopes and, possibly, space missions, it will be possible to study its surface, composition and orbital parameters with high accuracy. Why did it get such a name? The asteroid is named after the ancient Egyptian god Apophis, a serpentine deity of chaos and destruction. This name reflects initial concerns about the potential threat that the asteroid could pose to Earth. Future prospects Although the probability of a collision in 2029 is excluded, scientists continue to observe the asteroid. The orbit of Apophis may change under the influence of Earth’s gravity, and there are small chances of a collision in the distant future, in particular, flights in 2036 and 2068 are being considered, but the risks of a collision are very small. Thus, the asteroid Apophis, despite initial fears, does not pose an immediate threat to Earth in the near future. However, its flight in 2029 will remain a significant event for science and for everyone who is interested in astronomy.

Это изображение соединения эллиптической и спиральной галактики, известного под названием Arp 107, комбинирует данные двух приборов: MIRI и NIRCam.

Прибор ближнего инфракрасного диапазона NIRCam показывает старые звезды внутри обеих галактик и связь между ними, например, белую газопылевую область. Благодаря среднему каналу MIRI мы видим снимок ядра спиральной галактики, где расположена сверхмассивная черная дыра. Оранжевым цветом представлены области звездообразования.

A group of researchers has found evidence that two previously discovered exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf are most likely water worlds where water occupies most of the planet’s volume.

https://thespacehistory.xyz/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Hubble-helped-identify-exoplanets-that-are-water-worlds.mp4

These worlds are located in the Kepler-138 system at a distance of 218 light-years from us in the constellation Lyra and are not similar to any planet in the Solar System.

Super-Earth LP 890-9 c is located within the habitable zone of its star, a calm and “soft” red dwarf. According to the authors of the find, this is the second in the list of the most promising candidates for the presence of life outside the Solar system.

Two exoplanets from the class of super-earths have been found near a star located 114 light-years away. One of them is located within the “habitable zone”, in an area where the temperature is moderate enough and allows liquid water to remain on the surface of the planet, which is considered a key condition for the emergence of life.

It was found in the Moroccan part of the Sahara Desert in 2011. Scientists immediately determined that it was a fragment of Martian rock. At the moment, the “Beauty” is recognized as the oldest sample from the surface of Mars!

The basalt that forms its basis froze 4.44-4.48 billion years ago, or just a hundred million years after the birth of the Solar System itself.

She is literally “as old as the world”

The Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from launch pad 40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. She sent an ispace landing platform to the moon with scientific equipment, including a rover from the UAE.

As a passing load, the NASA Lunar Flashlight cubesat was sent, which will search for water ice near the South Pole from the orbit of the Moon. Both vehicles are launched in a low-energy orbit. Hakuto-R will arrive to the moon in four months, and Lunar Flashlight in three.

After the launch, the first stage of the Falcon 9 landed safely on the landing pad.

https://thespacehistory.xyz/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/SpaceX-sent-a-scientific-platform-and-a-cubesat-to-the-moon.mp4

Scientists have recorded minerals in the El Ali meteorite that have never been found on Earth before.

The meteorite was found in Somalia two years ago, it weighs about 14 tons. After its discovery, the 70-gram part was sent to the university for research. As a result, two new minerals were found there — elaliite and elkinstantonite. Experts also reported that they may have found another rock in the samples, which experts have never seen in the natural environment on Earth.

The authors hope that they will be able to discover other unknown minerals if they can take more samples from the meteorite, but the fate of the space object remains unclear — according to the information available to scientists, the meteorite was transported to China in search of a potential buyer.

Astronomers have discovered a rare type of supernova Icn

Scientists have studied the supernova SN 2022ann, which belongs to a rare type of Icn. This is only the fifth such object known to people. Studies show that before the explosion, the flash “inflated” its shell.

Scientists from different countries have studied the supernova SN 2022ann in the visible and infrared spectrum. It is located in the galaxy SDSS J101729.72-022535, 710 million light-years away from us.

Supernovae are giant explosions that occur due to a sufficiently large number of reasons. They are usually divided into two main types. Type I does not have bright hydrogen lines in the spectrum, but type II does. Icn is a variant of the first variant, which does not have not only signs of hydrogen, but also helium, however, oxygen and carbon lines are present.

According to scientists, Icn-type supernovae are formed due to the gravitational collapse of stars, which before that lose their outer shells. SN 2022ann is only the fifth case of observation of this phenomenon.