The Universe's Galaxy Population Just Grew Tenfold - Universe Today Ever since human beings learned that the Milky Way was not unique or alone in the night sky, astronomers and cosmologists have sought to find out just how many galaxies there are in the Universe. And until recently, our greatest scientific minds believed they had a pretty good idea – between 100 and 200 billion. However, a new study produced by researchers from the UK has revealed something startling about the Universe. Using Hubble’s Deep Field Images and data from other telescopes, they have concluded that these previous estimates were off by a factor of about 10. The Universe, as it turns out, may have had up to 2 trillion galaxies in it during the course of its history. Led by Prof. Scientists from the UK have produced new estimates on the number of galaxies in the Universe, which could shed light on cosmic evolution as well. Using these, they then began reviewing how galaxies have evolved over the past 13 billion years. As Prof. Further Reading: HubbleSite, Hubble Space Telescope
eClips™ NASA eClips™ are short, relevant educational video segments. These videos inspire and engage students, helping them see real world connections. Full Site Located: Grades K‑5 The Our World program supplements existing elementary learning objectives not only in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, but also in reading, writing, and visual and performing arts. Grades 6‑8 Real World video segments connect classroom mathematics to 21st century careers and innovations and are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem-solving. Grades 9‑12 Launchpad video segments support project-based and problem-based learning experiences in science, mathematics, and career and technical education classrooms. General Public The NASA 360 thirty-minute magazine style program highlights NASA's impact on daily lives, showcasing some of the 30,000 inventions developed by NASA over the past 50 years.
Dark-matter filament spotted Physicists claim to have reliably detected a mammoth filament of dark matter stretching between two galaxy clusters, for the first time. If the detection is bona fide, it could be one of the best confirmations yet of the "standard model" of the universe's evolution, the so-called lambda cold-dark-matter (ΛCDM) model. The ΛCDM model posits that, in the early universe, dark matter was spread out in a web of filaments. Over time, this cosmic web would have helped all the normal "baryonic" matter to clump together, particularly in the regions where its filaments intersected. Today, we see the result of this clumping at the filament intersections: galaxy clusters and, on a smaller scale, individual galaxies and stars. Universal webbing The ΛCDM model seems to explain most aspects of the universe, from the large-scale structure through to that lasting remnant of the Big Bang – the cosmic microwave background. Astronomers have been searching for it nonetheless. But it was not to be.
New Model Explains the Moon’s Weird Orbit | UMD Right Now :: University of Maryland COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The moon, Earth’s closest neighbor, is among the strangest planetary bodies in the solar system. Its orbit lies unusually far away from Earth, with a surprisingly large orbital tilt. Planetary scientists long have struggled to piece together a scenario that accounts for these and other related characteristics of the Earth-moon system. A new research paper, based on numerical models of the moon’s explosive formation and the evolution of the Earth-moon system, comes closer to tying up all the loose ends than any other previous explanation. The research suggests that the impact sent the Earth spinning much faster, and at a much steeper tilt, than it does today. “Evidence suggests a giant impact blasted off a huge amount of material that formed the moon,” said Douglas Hamilton, professor of astronomy at the University of Maryland and a co-author of the Nature paper. “This large tilt is very unusual. This work was supported by NASA (Award No.
Supermassive black hole A gas cloud with several times the mass of the Earth is accelerating towards a supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way. Top: artist's conception of a supermassive black hole tearing apart a star. Bottom: images believed to show a supermassive black hole devouring a star in galaxy RX J1242-11. Left: X-ray image, Right: optical image.[1] History of research[edit] Donald Lynden-Bell and Martin Rees hypothesized in 1971 that the center of the Milky Way galaxy would contain a supermassive black hole. Formation[edit] An artist's conception of a supermassive black hole and accretion disk. The difficulty in forming a supermassive black hole resides in the need for enough matter to be in a small enough volume. Currently, there appears to be a gap in the observed mass distribution of black holes. Doppler measurements[edit] Gravitation from supermassive black holes in the center of many galaxies is thought to power active objects such as Seyfert galaxies and quasars. See also[edit]
Astronomy Picture of the Day Why are there Black Holes in the Middle of Galaxies? Question: Why are Black Holes in the Middle of Galaxies? Answer: The black holes you’re thinking of are known as supermassive black holes. Stellar mass black holes are created when a star at least 5 times larger than the Suns out of fuel and collapses in on itself forming a black hole. Astronomers are now fairly certain that these supermassive black holes are at the heart of almost every galaxy in the Universe. When large quantities of material falls into the black hole, it chokes up, unable to get consumed all at once. So how do these black holes get there in the first place? Astronomers just don’t know. Related 10 Amazing Facts About Black Holes Imagine matter packed so densely that nothing can escape. January 22, 2015 In "Astronomy" Black Holes Manage Galactic Growth Astronomers have known for a few years now that there's a direct connection between the size of a galaxy and the supermassive black hole that lurks at its centre. February 10, 2005 How Much of the Universe is Black Holes?
Showcasing the Benefits of NASA Technology Here on Earth - Universe Today Every year, NASA showcases how the technology it develops for exploring space and studying other worlds has applications here on planet Earth. It’s what known as Spinoff, an annual publication that NASA’s Technology Transfer Program has been putting out since 1976. Since that time, they have showcased over 2000 examples where NASA technology was used for the sake of creating products that had wide-ranging benefits. For Spinoff 2017, NASA selected 50 different companies that are using NASA technology – which included innovations developed by NASA, those made with the help of NASA funding, or those produced under contract with the agency. For over 50 years, the NASA Technology Transfer Program has share NASA resources with private industries, a process which is colloquially referred to as “spin-offs”. Spinoff is an annual publication exploring the many applications NASA technology has. This year’s spinoffs were certainly numerous, but some are particularly worthy of mention. Related
Supermassive black holes drive the evolution of galaxies Like discovering a neighborhood house assumed to be vacant is actually inhabited, over the past decade researchers realized that most galaxies have at least one black hole in residence in their central regions. But these black holes aren't the stellar variety with three to ten times the mass of our Sun. Their size swamps the imagination- they have millions, sometimes billions, of solar masses. At the heart of virtually every large galaxy lurks a supermassive black hole with a mass of a million to more than a billion times our Sun. We also now know that supermassive black holes are inexorably linked to the galaxies that encircle them. For example, the size of a supermassive black hole appears to have a direct correlation to the galaxy where it exists. Other studies found another strong correlation. Thus it's now believed that black holes are not only common throughout the Cosmos but they play a fundamental role in the formation and evolution of the Universe we inhabit today. End
Saturn's hexagon recreated in the laboratory Posted by Emily Lakdawalla Topics: pretty pictures, Cassini, atmospheres, explaining science, Saturn A lot of readers have expressed interest in the origin of Saturn's north polar hexagon. The hexagon is a long-lived pattern in the clouds surrounding Saturn's north pole, which has been observed since the Voyagers passed by in 1980 and 1981. Unlike Jupiter, whose cloud bands are obvious in visible light, Saturn's cloud features are more subtle in visible wavelengths. The cloud features pop to life when viewed at longer, thermal wavelengths, as in this Cassini VIMS mosaic: NASA / JPL / U. Saturn's north polar hexagon This image of Saturn's north pole was taken by Cassini's VIMS spectrometer at a mid-infrared wavelength of 5 microns. There's an even cooler VIMS view of the hexagon, an animation: Saturn's north polar hexagon (animation) This movie of Saturn's north pole was taken by Cassini's VIMS spectrometer at a mid-infrared wavelength of 5 microns. Wind speeds on Saturn Venus' south pole
Black Holes Black Holes Don't let the name fool you: a black hole is anything but empty space. Rather, it is a great amount of matter packed into a very small area - think of a star ten times more massive than the Sun squeezed into a sphere approximately the diameter of New York City. The result is a gravitational field so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape. In recent years, NASA instruments have painted a new picture of these strange objects that are, to many, the most fascinating objects in space. Although the term was not coined until 1967 by Princeton physicist John Wheeler, the idea of an object in space so massive and dense that light could not escape it has been around for centuries. Scientists can't directly observe black holes with telescopes that detect x-rays, light, or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. One Star's End is a Black Hole's Beginning Most black holes form from the remnants of a large star that dies in a supernova explosion. Babies and Giants
Fifty Years of the Astronomical League Observing Programs The Astronomical League, one of amateur astronomy's best institutional resources, has awarded more than 10,000 observing certificates since 1967. Amateur astronomers love to observe. Sometimes, though, they're not quite sure what to look at in the sky, or they might need a gentle nudge to get them outside under the stars. The Astronomical League's Observing Programs were meant to help with that — giving stargazers direction and encouragement. Most programs consist of a list of specific targets to examine, while a few also require a series of activities to complete. Observers who have their notes and sketches verified by their local astronomy club or the League are recognized with a specially-designed pin and a certificate of accomplishment. This month marks the 50th anniversary of the League's first observing program certificate. Catherine Delaney earned the first observing certificate in 1967. Fast forward 50 years. Not all programs deal with the activity of observing, per se.