Tag: Rubin Observatory
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Astronomers Unveil a 163,000-Light-Year Stellar Stream in Messier 61 After Rubin Observatory Discoveries
New Discoveries from the Rubin Observatory The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has become a powerhouse for modern astronomy, delivering a flood of discoveries since it began wide-field sky surveys. Among the most exciting recent findings are the discovery of numerous distant galaxies and, in a surprising turn, intricate stellar streams in nearby galaxies. These streams—long,…
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Stellar Stream in Messier 61 Mirrors Milky Way Size
Overview: A Grand Stream Unfolds in Messier 61 In a remarkable development for extragalactic astronomy, researchers have identified a stellar stream in the spiral galaxy Messier 61 (M61) that stretches an astonishing 163,000 light-years. This distance rivals the diameter scales typically associated with our own Milky Way, underscoring how galactic outskirts can reveal the history…
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Mathematicians Are Making Earth-Based Telescopes Rival Space Observatories
A Bold Leap for Ground-Based Astronomy For decades, astronomers have known that Earth’s atmosphere is both a blessing and a bane. It protects life, but its ever-changing temperature, pressure, and humidity distort light as it travels to ground-based telescopes. This turbulent blanket causes stars to twinkle and galaxies to smear into blur, especially for faint…
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Binary Stars Illuminate the Milky Way’s Past: A World-First Peek with the Rubin Observatory
Introduction: A New Window into the Galaxy’s History A breakthrough in the study of binary stars could mark a pivotal step toward a more complete picture of how our galaxy formed. Australian National University (ANU) researchers report a world-first discovery within globular clusters, using data from the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) —…
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Binary Stars Reveal New Clues in the Milky Way’s Ancient Clusters
A world-first glimpse into the outskirts of a globular cluster A landmark discovery from the Australian National University (ANU) points to a new way of understanding how our galaxy formed. By tapping into the Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), researchers detected binary stars—pairs that orbit a common center of gravity—in the…
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Binary Stars in 47 Tucanae: Rubin Observatory Advances
A New Window on Galactic History In a landmark stride for astronomy, researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) report a world-first discovery: binary stars tracing the outskirts of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae. Though globular clusters have long fascinated scientists as some of the oldest stellar systems in the Milky Way, the ability to…
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Plan to Reflect Sunlight from Space for Night-Time Solar Power Sparks Astronomers’ Alarm
Raising the Brightness Ceiling: Reflect Orbital’s Night-Sunlight Redirect A California startup, Reflect Orbital, is pursuing a controversial path to extend solar farm operation into the night by reflecting sunlight from space. The company has asked the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to launch a demonstration satellite in 2026, aiming to build a constellation…
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Reflect Orbital’s Night-Sunlight Plan Sparks Astronomers’ Alarm
Overview: A Bold Idea Meets a Storm of Stars and Skepticism A California startup, Reflect Orbital, has proposed a controversial approach to keeping solar farms running after sunset. By deploying mirrors in space to redirect sunlight to Earth on demand, the company aims to extend daytime-level energy production into the night. The concept, if scaled…
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Hidden Planet Y: Evidence Mounts for a World Beyond Neptune
What hints point to a hidden World Beyond Neptune For decades, scientists have speculated about undiscovered worlds lurking in the outer solar system. The latest clues come from precise measurements of distant icy bodies that orbit well beyond Neptune. A team led by Amir Siraj analyzed roughly 50 Kuiper Belt objects—frozen remnants of the solar…
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Hidden Planet Y: Astronomers Find Clues in the Kuiper Belt
New Clues Point to a Hidden World Astronomers are gathering evidence that could point to a hidden planet in our solar system. In a study focusing on icy bodies far beyond Neptune, researchers found unusual tilts in their orbits that standard models cannot explain. The collective tilt pattern has led to renewed interest in the…