SpaceWatch.Global’s Post

🎤 Interview with Sam Ragland 🎤   Sam Ragland, new Adaptive Optics Head at the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory, granted us an interview on adaptive optics and its significance in astronomy. Based on his previous work experience at the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, he highlighted ALPAO's important role in advancing cutting-edge systems for telescopes.   "Technologies have been developed over the last few decades. It’s great that ALPAO is one of the frontliners in the industry that is making part of the Adaptive Optics reality. As astronomers, I am very happy to collaborate with an entity like ALPAO to bring new technology to reality."   ➡️Read the complete interview ! Link in comments   #AdaptiveOptics #Astronomy #ALPAO #leadingthelight

The Ring Nebula, also known as M57, is a planetary nebula in the northern constellation of Lyra. This nebula was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier while searching for comets in late January 1779. M57 is found south of the bright star Vega, which forms the northwestern vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism. All the interior parts of this nebula have a blue-green tinge that is caused by the doubly ionized oxygen emission lines. Image Credit: Hubble, Large Binocular Telescope, Subaru Telescope; Composition & Copyright: Robert Gendler Are you passionate about Space and Astronomy? Visit our website and find out all the available content, for free! #nebula #spaceinfo

#AstronomyKit Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ telescope review: This versatile beginner's telescope is suitable for astronomy and wildlife viewing. It has nice-quality traditional optics but is limited by its tripod and mount.

The Ring Nebula, also known as M57, is a planetary nebula in the northern constellation of Lyra. This nebula was discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier while searching for comets in late January 1779. M57 is found south of the bright star Vega, which forms the northwestern vertex of the Summer Triangle asterism. All the interior parts of this nebula have a blue-green tinge that is caused by the doubly ionized oxygen emission lines. Image Credit: Hubble, Large Binocular Telescope, Subaru Telescope; Composition & Copyright: Robert Gendler Are you passionate about Space and Astronomy? Visit our website and find out all the available content, for free! #nebula #spaceinfo

I recently read about the unintended impact Starlink satellites are having on astronomy. While global internet coverage is a game-changer, the satellites’ bright reflections are disrupting space observations, making it harder for astronomers to study distant stars and galaxies. With thousands of satellites in orbit, concerns about space traffic and debris are growing too. As we push technological boundaries, it’s crucial to find a balance that supports both innovation and scientific research. #Starlink #SpaceExploration #Innovation #Astronomy

From Dark Energy to Exoplanets: The Promise of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope   NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is set to revolutionize our understanding of the cosmos when it launches in 2027. This cutting-edge observatory will peer into the depths of space with unprecedented clarity and width.   At the heart of this mission are two groundbreaking instruments:   1. The Wide Field Instrument (WFI): A 288-megapixel infrared camera that will survey the sky with a field of view 100 times greater than Hubble's, while matching its resolution. This powerhouse aims to help unravel mysteries like dark energy and map the structure of the universe. A team of engineers and technicians at Ball Aerospace have finished assembling the spacecraft’s giant camera.   2. The CoronaGraph Instrument (CGI): Designed to directly image exoplanets, the CGI will push the boundaries of space observation, potentially detecting planets up to a billion times fainter than their host stars! The CGI's development has been an international effort, with crucial contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), who developed the optical element in Germany.   As we count down to the 2027 launch, the Roman Space Telescope promises to open new frontiers in astronomy. From studying distant galaxies to potentially discovering Earth-like planets, this mission will shape our understanding of the universe for years to come.   Image Source: NASA   #NancyGraceRomanSpaceTelescope #Astronomy #SpaceExploration #Exoplanets #CoronaGraphInstrument #WideFieldInstrument

Demonstrating the capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope 🛰️ University of Central Florida researchers Charles Schambeau and Yan Fernandez are part of a team that used the JWST to analyze centaur 29P/Schwassmann–Wachmann 1 ☄️ and detected carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and varied outgassing activity as part of the small space object. Centaurs are transitional objects between primitive trans-Neptunian objects and Jupiter-family comets, and they may possess hybrid properties of both a comet and an asteroid (hence the name “centaur”). Their compositions and activities provide fundamental clues regarding the processes affecting the evolution of and interplay between these small bodies. Although there are no planned missions to 29P, the analysis helps demonstrate the observational power of the JWST as scientists continue to harness its capabilities. Prior to JWST, there were no ground-based or space-based methods able to observe what was detected with JWST. "Since its discovery nearly a century ago, 29P has remained an enigma,” Schambeau says. “Its comet-like activity behaviors are unparalleled in the solar system, marked by frequent explosive outbursts of material ejection. The new JWST observations are providing critical insights into the underlying causes of 29P's unique behavior." The study was recently published in Nature Astronomy (Springer Nature Group) Learn more about 29P and how the JWST detected these properties of this centaur: https://lnkd.in/eaHKMVr5

What does it take to defend Earth from potentially hazardous asteroids? One essential tool is radar: using giant radio telescopes to measure the orbits, size, and shapes of near-Earth rocks to gauge how dangerous they might be. My latest piece for Eos delves into the science and technology of radar astronomy, and why we need to build next-generation instruments: https://lnkd.in/etq4zP7C

"In just a few days, Earth is set to get a mysterious visitor from deep space—but it won’t stay long. First spied on August 7 by a telescope in South Africa as it swooped within about a half-million kilometers of Earth, the 10-meter-wide object, dubbed 2024 PT5, appears to be a relatively run-of-the-mill asteroid—a member of the sparsely populated “Arjuna” family that trails our planet around the sun. But what it’ll do next is rather special. Just after 4 P.M. EDT on September 29, this small outward-bound space rock will be some 1.5 million kilometers away, traversing the far reaches of our planet’s gravitational grasp. Slowed by that distant pull, it will enter a curving, captive path around our world rather than slipping Earth’s surly bonds. At that point, 2024 PT5 will become another satellite of Earth—a so-called mini moon. Its sojourn alongside Earth will be brief, however, not even allowing this interplanetary visitor time enough to complete one full orbit. By November 25, the sun’s gravitational tugging will have overcome that of Earth’s, sending this mini moon back into its default heliocentric orbit with the rest of its Arjuna kin. There’s no need to grab your backyard telescope to glimpse our temporary guest—this mini moon will, alas, be too small and dim to be seen by such a modest kit. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos, co-discoverer of 2024 PT5 and a mini-moon-studying astronomer at Spain’s Complutense University of Madrid, told Space.com that you’d need a telescope at least 30 inches (76.2 centimeters) in diameter paired with a digital detector to image the object." https://lnkd.in/dqmmG7cC