Category Archives: Astronomy

Since time immemorial, Indigenous peoples worldwide have observed, tracked and memorised all the visible objects in the night sky.

This ancient star knowledge was meticulously ingrained with practical knowledge of the land, sky, waters, community and the Dreaming and passed down through generations.

One of the most well-known and celebrated Aboriginal constellations is the Emu in the Sky, which appears in the southern sky early in the year. It is an example of a dark constellation, which means its characterised by particularly dark patches in the sky, rather than stars.

Conversely, space technology companies such as Starlink are increasingly competing to dominate the skies, and potentially change them forever.

The modern-day space race has led to thousands of satellites being scattered through Earths outer orbits. If left unchallenged, these companies risk overpopulating an already crowded space environment potentially pushing dark skies to extinction.

Mega-constellations are groupings of satellites that communicate and work together as they orbit Earth.

Since 2018, the Starlink project, run by Elon Musks SpaceX, has launched about 1,700 satellites into low Earth orbit. The company plans to launch another 30,000 over the next decade.

British company OneWeb has launched nearly 150 satellites, with plans for another 6,000. And Amazon intends to launch an additional 3,000 satellites into multiple orbits.

Each of these companies is taking to the skies to increase internet access across the globe. But even if they deliver on this, sky gazers and especially Indigenous peoples are left to wonder: at what cost?

People across the globe began noticing streaks across our skies not long after the first Starlink launch in May 2019. They were unlike anything anyone had seen before.

Astronomers are very used to viewing the sky and dealing with interference, often originating from aircraft or the occasional satellite. However, the goal of mega-constellations is to engulf the entire planet, leaving no place untouched. Mega-constellations alter our collective view of the stars. And there is currently no known way to remove them.

One mega-constellation has been observed to produce up to 19 parallel streaks across the sky. These streaks disturb astronomical observations, and a significant amount of scientific data can be lost as a result.

As they travel across the entire sky, scattering the Suns light, dark constellations become even fainter further desecrating Indigenous knowledge and kinship with the environment.

Further research on the impacts of mega-constellations have found that as they orbit Earth, the Suns rays are reflected off them and scattered into the atmosphere.

The authors of that study conclude we are collectively experiencing a new type of skyglow as a result: a phenomenon in which the brightness of the sky increases due to human-made light pollution.

Initial calculations indicate this new source of light pollution has increased the brightness of night skies globally by about 10%, compared with the natural skyglow measured in the 1960s.

Currently, the upper limit of light pollution tolerable at observatories is 10% above the natural skyglow, which suggests we have already reached the limit.

In other words, scientific observations of the sky are already at risk of being rendered redundant. If this excess skyglow increases even more, observatories are at serious risk.

Indigenous knowledge systems and oral traditions teach us about the intricate and complex relationships Indigenous peoples have with the environment, including the sky.

For example, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures have no concept of outer space. They only have a continuous and connected reality where coexistence with all things is paramount.

As captured by the Bawaka Country group, based in northeast Arnhem Land:

to hurt Sky Country, to try and possess it, is an ongoing colonisation of the plural lifeworlds of all those who have ongoing connections with and beyond the sky.

Desecrating the sky impacts Indigenous sovereignty as it limits access to their knowledge system, in the same ways desecrating the land has removed First Peoples from their countries, cultures and ways of life.

For example, the Gamilaraay and Wiradjuri peoples of New South Wales observe the Emu in the Sky to gauge when it is time to hunt for emu eggs and most importantly, when it is time to stop. How would the Gamilaraay know when to stop collecting eggs, or when to conduct annual ceremonies signalled by the Celestial Emu, if it was no longer visible?

Similarly, important parts of the Jukurrpa, or Dreaming of the Martu people of Western Australia is embedded in the Seven Sisters constellation. How would they keep this knowledge safe if they cant locate any of the Sisters?

Indigenous histories teach us about the devastating consequences of colonialism, and how the impacts of the colonial agenda can be mitigated through prioritising the health of country and community.

In the words of astronomer Aparna Venkatesan and colleagues:

the manner and pace of occupying near-Earth space raise the risk of repeating the mistakes of colonisation on a cosmic scale.

Active Indigenous sky sovereignty acknowledges the interconnected nature between land and sky, and that caring for country includes sky country. By doing so, it challenges the otherwise unimpeded authority of technology corporations.

By understanding that the world (and indeed the Universe) is interconnected, we see that no living creature is immune to the consequences of polluting the skies.

Currently, native fauna such as the tammar wallaby, magpie, bogong moth and marine turtles are experiencing a reduction in populations and quality of life due to the impacts of light-pollution.

Migratory species are particularly affected by light pollution, which can result in them losing access to their migratory route. This is a crisis Australias fauna has faced since before the introduction of mega-constellations.

With more skyglow and light pollution, positive outcomes for native fauna and migratory species diminish.

Read more: Skyglow forces dung beetles in the city to abandon the Milky Way as their compass

Several companies have made attempts to reduce the impact of mega-constellations on skyglow.

For example, OneWeb has opted to rollout fewer satellites than initially proposed, and has designed them to be positioned at a higher altitude. This means they will produce less skyglow, while also covering a larger area.

Starlink, on the other hand, has not shown any public interest in operating at higher and less impactful altitudes, for fears it will impact the Starlink networks speed and latency.

That said, they have attempted to reduce their satellites luminosity by painting them with a novel anti-reflective coating. Coating techniques have demonstrated a reduction in reflected sunlight by up to 50%. Unfortunately, not all wavelengths of light being scattered are reduced using this method. So multi-wave astronomy, and different species of animals, are still at risk.

Well need more solutions to navigate our increasingly polluted atmosphere, particularly if communication monopolies continue to rein over near-Earth space.

Just as some companies have started considering tactics to avoid increasing skyglow, all space tech companies must be held responsible for adding to an already polluted space.

Guidelines such as those set by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee offer solutions to this problem. They suggest lowering the height of a satellites orbit when its no longer needed, allowing it to disintegrate as it falls down to Earth.

However, these are international guidelines, so theres no legal framework to enforce such practices.

And given that near-miss collisions have already taken place between some mega-constellations, and an estimated 20,000 pieces of space debris already floating above, reducing orbital pollution must also now be a priority.

Reducing air pollutants has also been shown to drastically decrease natural sky brightness, offering a potential solution for improving night sky visibility not to mention cleaner breathing air for all.

In valuing Indigenous knowledge systems, that value must be extended to the natural environment in which that knowledge is embedded and founded upon. In Australia, preserving dark skies is not just vital for the continuation of Indigenous knowledge and astronomers it benefits us all.

A major tenet of life for Indigenous peoples is valuing the sustainability of ones actions. By adopting this at a larger scale, we could create a reality in which were not a threat to our own survival.

Read more: Darkness is disappearing and that's bad news for astronomy

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Thousands of satellites are polluting Australian skies, and threatening ancient Indigenous astronomy practices - The Conversation Indonesia

Congratulations to six graduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy who successfully defended their doctoral theses in April!

The students (with their degree, thesis title, and thesis committee) were:

Evan Abbuhl Ph.D. in Physics.

Thesis Title: "Very Long Baseline Interferometry of Chromospherically Active Binary Stars.

Thesis Committee: Professors Kenneth Gayley (Advisor), Cornelia Lang, Robert Mutel, and Dr. Robert Zavala from the U.S. Naval Observatory"

Arran Gross Ph.D. in Physics (Astronomy subtrack).

Thesis Title: Testing the Radio-Selection Method with Optical Spectroscopy in the Stripe 82 Field

Thesis Committee: Professors Hai Fu (Advisor), Casey DeRoo, Keri Hoadley, Adam Myers (University of Wyoming), and Dr. Andrea Prestwich (Astrophysicist at Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian)

Kwangyul Hu Ph.D. in Physics

Thesis Title: Spin-wave Dynamics in Non-trivial Magnetic Geometries

Thesis Committee: Profs. Michael Flatt (thesis director), Craig Pryor, Yannick Meurice, Markus Wohlgenannt, and Ezekiel Johnston-Halperin

Dylan Par Ph.D. in Physics

Thesis Title: Investigating Properties of Multi-stranded Non-thermal Filaments in the Galactic Center

Thesis Committee: Prof. Cornelia Lang and (Advisor), Professors Phil Kaaret, Ken Gayley, Cornelia Lang, Hai Fu, and Dr. James Green

Joshua Steffen Ph.D. in Physics (Astronomy subtrack)

Thesis Title: The Volume Density of AGN in Interacting Galaxies

Thesis Committee: Professors Hai Fu (advisor), Casey DeRoo, Phil Kaaret, Keri Hoadley, and Julia Comerfield from the University of Colorado, Boulder

Ashok Tiwari Ph.D. in Physics

Thesis Title: Monte Carlo Simulations and Phantom Measurements towards more Quantitative Dosimetry and Imaging in Nuclear Medicine

Thesis Committee: Dr. John Sunderland (advisor), Professors Craig Pryor, Wayne Polyzou, Vincent Rodgers, Dr. Tiwari, and Dr. Ryan Flynn from the Dept. of Radiation Oncology.

Banner photo:Joshua Steffen's thesis defense committee - Professors Hai Fu (advisor), Julia Comerfield (via computer) from the University of Colorado, Boulder, Casey DeRoo, Phil Kaaret, and Keri Hoadley.

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Six Graduate Students Successfully Defend Theses | Physics and Astronomy - The University of Iowa - The University of Iowa

Kathy Kurth has been awarded the 2022 Hancher-Finkbine Staff Medallion, one of the most prestigious honors given at the University of Iowa.

The Hancher-Finkbine Medallions were presented at the annual Finkbine Dinner April 12. The event is an opportunity for members of the University community to recognize their peers for exemplary dedication in leadership, learning, and loyalty. These awards honor and celebrate distinguished students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

Kurth is a secretary in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where she has worked for more than 40 years in the Radio and Plasma Wave Space Physics Research Group primarily assisting the late Professor Donald Gurnett. She supports a team of talented and dedicated faculty, staff, and students developing spaceflight instruments and conducting data analysis studies.

I am honored to be recognized for my many years of supporting the University's mission. Each day when people go to work, they hope to do something worthwhile, make positive contributions, accomplish tasks. Being nominated and selected to receive the Hancher-Finkbine Medallion Staff Award is a recognition that my effort is worthwhile. In the nomination for the award, Departmental Administrator Heather Mineart said Kurth is one of the pillars of the Department, from assisting numerous graduate students with their theses, helping organize and edit Professor Gurnetts various class notes and his Plasma Physics textbook, to helping staff navigate the various University policies and rules.

Kathy exhibits leadership and fortitude in her job duties as well as the work of her research group and the department as a whole, Mineart said. She is consistently thinking outside the box.

In addition to supporting teaching and research, Kurth assists with planning meetings and events that showcase and promote the University of Iowas past, present, and future roles in space science. She helped organize events honoring space pioneers Professor James A. Van Allen and Professor Donald Gurnett, and coordinated exhibits and public outreach across Iowa.

She is also involved in preserving historical material for the University archives, and has recently assembled two book volumes highlighting the department through photos from circa 1936 to the present day.

Banner photo: University of Iowa President Barbara Wilson with Kathy Kurth at the Finkbine Dinner Celebration.

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Kathy Kurth Awarded Hancher-Finkbine Staff Medallion | Physics and Astronomy - The University of Iowa - The University of Iowa

ProfessorIoannis Daglis; University of Athens

Abstract:Electrons in the outer Van Allen belt occasionally reach relativistic energies and therefore become a hazard for spacecraft operating in geospace, leading to significant potential risks. The energy and flux of these electrons can vary over time scales of years (related to the solar cycle), seasons (semi-annual variation), hours (magnetic storms), minutes (sudden storm commencements). Electric fields and plasma waves are the main factors regulating the electron transport, acceleration and loss. Both the fields and the plasma waves are driven directly or indirectly by disturbances originating at the Sun, propagating through interplanetary space and impacting the Earth. We review our current understanding of the response of outer Van Allen belt electrons to solar eruptions and their interplanetary extensions, i.e. interplanetary coronal mass ejections and high-speed solar wind streams and the associated stream interaction regions. We also discuss the magnetospheric processes that link interplanetary drivers with geospace electrons.

Short Bio:Ioannis (Yannis) Daglis is Professor and Head of the Space Physics Group at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and President of the Hellenic Space Center. His scientific expertise pertains to space physics and space applications. He is a Full Member of the International Academy of Astronautics and Editor-in-Chief of Annales Geophysicae. He has been a co-investigator of several ESA and NASA space missions and the Principal Investigator of a number of EU-funded and ESA-funded projects. He currently leads the Horizon2020 project SafeSpace (https://www.safespace-h2020.eu), which aims at advancing space weather nowcasting and forecasting capabilities through the development of a sophisticated model of the Van Allen electron belt and of a prototype space weather forecast service with a target lead time of 2 to 4 days.He has published 110+ papers and has edited and co-authored 6 textbooks on space physics and space weather.Prof. Daglis served as a Member of ESA's advisory Solar System Working Group (2005-2010) and as scientific advisor and technical expert for (among others) NASA, the Academy of Finland, Research Council of Norway, BELSPO (Belgian Federal Science Policy Office), Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres, and the European Commission.

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Physics & Astronomy Colloquium - Professor Ioannis Daglis | Physics and Astronomy | The University of Iowa - The University of Iowa

Dr. Sohini Sastri, the best astrologer in India, is known for her accurate prediction and effective guidance with vast knowledge of astrology and occult science. She is a KP Astrologer with 15+ years of experience in Vedic astrology, palmistry, vastu etc.

Dr. Sastri is rewarded by President of india, Vice President of india and Governors of three states. She has written many books about astrology and regular columnist of many popular magazines and a very popular face in different TV shows.

Dr. Sastri, today we have another interesting yet debateful topic for you. Are astrology and astronomy two different notions?

Have you ever considered that the stars you enjoy looking at may have an impact on your future predictions? We've all been obsessed with checking out zodiac sign forecasts in newspapers to see what lays ahead of us during the day at some point in our lives. From here, we may make life decisions about our business, love lives, marriages, finances, careers, and even health predictions. The concept of planets and celestial bodies lie just under astronomy and astrophysics, taught to us in schools until we realized its importance in our life events.

Ancient astronomy and astrology were taken under the same branch of knowledge. But after the 17th century, the two concepts were separated with an important distinction.

Astrology and astronomy were once viewed as one, and it was only with the rejection of astrology that they were eventually divided in Western 17th century thought. Astronomy was seen as the foundation upon which astrology might function during the latter half of the mediaeval period. They have been considered wholly independent fields since the 18th century. Astronomy is a science that studies objects and phenomena that originate outside of the Earth's atmosphere. It is a widely studied academic discipline. While Astrology is a form of divination that uses the apparent positions of celestial objects to predict future events. It is a pseudoscience with no scientific validity, yet vast acceptance.

Overview

Most cultures did not draw a clear distinction between the two disciplines before to the modern era, lumping them together as one. There were no separate duties for the astronomer as predictor of celestial occurrences and the astrologer as interpreter of celestial phenomena in ancient Babylonia, which was famous for its astrology. This does not imply that astrology and astronomy were always considered synonymous. Pre-Socratic intellectuals including Anaximander, Xenophanes, Anaximenes, and Heraclides pondered the nature and substance of the stars and planets in ancient Greece. Eudoxus, for example, observed planetary motions and cycles and developed a geocentric cosmology model that Aristotle accepted. This hypothesis was universally accepted until Ptolemy added epicycles to account for Mars' retrograde velocity. Aristarchus of Samos proposed a proto-heliocentric theory in 250 BC, which was not revisited for nearly two millennia. Because the motions of the heavens indicate an organized and harmonious cosmos, the Platonic school advocated astronomy as an element of philosophy. Babylonian astrology began to make an impact in Greece in the third century BC. Hellenistic philosophers such as Carneades, the Academic Skeptic, and Panaetius, the Middle Stoic, both condemned astrology.

The Stoic beliefs of the Great Year and everlasting recurrence, on the other hand, enabled divination and fatalism.

Astrological literature from Hellenistic and Arabic astrologers were translated into Latin, astrology became extensively respected in mediaeval Europe. Its acceptability or rejection in the late Middle Ages was frequently determined by its reception in European royal courts. Astrology was not rejected as a part of scholastic philosophy rather than empirical observation until the time of Francis Bacon. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when astrology was increasingly regarded as an arcane science or superstition by the intellectual elite, a more definitive divide between astrology and astronomy emerged in the West.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Astronomy's main purpose is to comprehend the physics of the universe. Astrologers utilise astronomical calculations to determine the positions of celestial bodies along the ecliptic and try to link celestial occurrences to earthly events and human problems. To examine or explain occurrences in the universe, astronomers continuously apply the scientific method, naturalistic presuppositions, and abstract mathematical reasoning. Astrologers explain happenings in the cosmos using mystical or religious reasoning, as well as traditional folklore, symbolism, and superstition mixed with mathematical forecasts. Astrologers do not always follow the scientific method.Astrologers perform their profession geocentrically, believing the cosmos to be harmonic, changeless, and static, but astronomers have used the scientific method to conclude that the universe has no centre and is dynamic, spreading outward as predicted by the Big Bang theory. Astrologers think that a person's personality and future are determined by the location of the stars and planets. Astronomers have studied the actual stars and planets, but no evidence has been found to support astrological notions. Personality is studied by psychologists, and while there are many theories of personality, none of them are founded on astrology. This theory of personality is used by career counselors and life coaches but not by psychologists.

Astrologers and astronomers both believe the Earth is a vital part of the universe, and that the Earth and the universe are intertwined as one cosmos. Astrologers, on the other hand, present the universe as having a supernatural, metaphysical, and divine essence that actively influences world events and people's personal lives. Regardless of their personal opinions, astronomers, as members of the scientific community, cannot utilise in their scientific writings interpretations that are not drawn from scientifically replicable conditions.

Historical Divergence

Astrology financing supported certain astronomical study, which was then utilised to create more accurate ephemerides for astrological usage. Astronomia was one of the original Seven Liberal Arts in Medieval Europe, and it was widely used to embrace both fields because it included the study of astronomy and astrology together and without difference. Court astrologers were commonly engaged by kings and other rulers to assist them in making decisions in their kingdoms, thereby sponsoring astronomical study. Astrology was taught to university medical students since it was commonly employed in medical practice.During the 17th through 19th centuries, astronomy and astrology diverged. Although Copernicus did not practice astrology (or empirical astronomy; his work was theoretical), the most significant astronomers prior to Isaac Newton were astrologers by trade: Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Galileo Galilei.

I believe, I have given enough information and facts. But the debate must stays on as our history is vastly connected to this.

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Are Astronomy And Astrology Two Different Notions? - Outlook India

The Australian National University (ANU) is seeking to appoint an outstanding Director of the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics (RSAA).

RSAA is recognized both nationally and internationally as a leading research institute in astronomy and astrophysics. Itoperates two world-famous observatories and has a long history of research and technical development at the forefront of the field. The Schools mission is to advance the observational and theoretical frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics and their enabling technologies.

Reporting to the Dean of the ANU College of Science, the School Director provides leadership and fosters excellence across the range of the Schools activities including research, educationtechnology development, and external engagement.The appointee will lead the School in the next phase of its evolution, facilitating and promoting a culture of high-performance and collegiality. They will be an effective advocate for the School, and will work collegially with other senior staff of the university to achieve the strategic aims of the College and the University.

The successful candidate will have: an understanding of current issues, challenges and opportunities in research and education in the astronomy and astrophysics disciplines; strong communication skills; the capacity to develop sustainable and productive teams, and relationships with internal and external stakeholders; good judgement and a collegial leadership style that encourages ideas, initiative and research excellence in others. They will havea respectful interpersonal style and high levels of energy, passion and resilience.

The successful candidate will hold a PhD or have equivalent professional experience, and will have an internationally-recognised, academic career in astronomy, astrophysics or a related field. They will haveproven experience in research leadership and in leading an academic school, department or institute and have the capacity to develop and implement a compelling vision and strategy, including innovation in the latest teaching and pedagogy across large scale research and education programs.

For further information and a copy of the information booklet, please contact Kent Vidler, Deputy Manager, ANU Executive Search on +61 408 421 119 or executivesearch@anu.edu.au

Please note advertising closes on Sunday 22 May, 11:55 pm AEST.

ANU values diversity and inclusion and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to those of all backgrounds and identities. For more information about staff equity at ANU, visithttps://services.anu.edu.au/human-resources/respect-inclusion

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a background check during the recruitment process. An offer of employment is conditional on satisfactory results.

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Director, Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics job with AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY (ANU) | 289685 - Times Higher Education

Markarians Chain is a string of eight galaxies straddling the boundary between Virgo and Coma Berenices. Messier 84 and 86 (farthest right [west]) dominate together with The Eyes, interacting NGC 4435 and 4438, lying to the left (east) of Messier pairing. Image: Terry Hancock.When: all night throughout April.

Whats special: The Virgo Cluster of galaxies reigns supreme for galaxy enthusiasts on spring nights. Its teeming galaxy fields, centred either side of the boundary between Virgo and Coma Berenices, are crammed with any number of outstanding individual galaxy gems, but if youre wanting more bang for your buck, then track down Markarians Chain, a string of galaxies that includes Messier 84 and 86 and the interacting pair NGC 4435 and 4438, popularly called The Eyes.

How to observe: Markarians Chain consists of a line of at least eight galaxies that curves north and east from Messier 84 and 86, just inside Virgo, and extends for about 1.5 degrees to NGC 4477 in Coma Berenices. All of the chain gang should be within range of a 150mm (six-inch) telescope.

Dominant at the western end of the chain are Messier 84 and 86, a pair of ninth-magnitude elliptical galaxies (classed as E1 and E3, respectively) lying around 17 apart. The next two links in the chain, NGC 4435 and 4438 (also catalogued as Arp 120), the interacting starburst pair known as The Eyes, are the most interesting. NGC 4435 is the smaller, more northerly galaxy of the pair, a barred lenticular that, shining at magnitude +10.8, is fainter than NGC 4438, its larger and much-disrupted neighbour (+10.0), though it exhibits a higher surface brightness.

Moving further north and east but staying in Virgo sees NGC 4461, a 4 1 eleventh-magnitude spiral, with NGC 4458, a smaller and round elliptical. The last links in the chain lie across the boundary in Coma. NGC 4473 is a magnitude +10.2 class E5 elliptical spanning 5 3 and, finally, lying around 12 north is magnitude +10.4 NGC 4477, another spiral which covers 4 3.

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Markarian's Chain -the eyes have it! Astronomy Now - Astronomy Now Online

The frustrating quest for dark-matter continues. An unidentified X-ray signature recently observed in a nearby galaxy clusters is not due to the decay of dark matter, researchers report. The findings ruled out previously proposed interpretations of dark matter particle physics. But the near future for solving this great mystery of 21st-century astronomy looks bright.

Despite its cosmological abundance and the well-established astrophysical evidence of its existence, little is known about the mysterious, invisible dark matter particles. Some models of dark matter predict that they might slowly decay into ordinary matter. If so, the process of dark matter decay would produce faint photon emissions detectable by X-ray telescopes.

The Empty-Sky Gamma-Ray Mystery -Evidence of Dark Matter?

Unidentified X-ray Emission Line

Recent X-ray observations of nearby galaxy clusters have detected an unidentified X-ray emission line at 3.5 kiloelectronvolts (keV), which has been interpreted by some as a signature of dark matter decay. Specifically, the X-ray emission was linked to a hypothetical dark matter particle known as a sterile neutrino a theoretical particle that is believed to interact only via gravity and not via other fundamental interactions of the Standard Model. If this is correct, dark matter surrounding our Galaxy should decay and produce a similar X-ray emission line, spread faintly across the entire night sky.

Physicists have suggested that dark matter is a closely related cousin of the neutrino, called the sterile neutrino. Neutrinos subatomic particles with no charge and which rarely interact with matter are released during nuclear reactions taking place inside the sun. They have a tiny amount of mass, but this mass isnt explained by the Standard Model of Particle Physics. Physicists suggest that the sterile neutrino, a hypothetical particle, could account for this mass and also be dark matter.

Searching the Milky Ways Dark-Matter Halo

Christopher Dessert and colleagues searched for the 3.5 keV signal within the ambient halo of the Milky Way using data from the European Space Agencys XMM-Newton space telescope. Everywhere we look, there should be some flux of dark matter from the Milky Way halo, said Nicholas Rodd, currently a particle phenomenologist at CERN, because of our solar systems location in the galaxy. We exploited the fact that we live in a halo of dark matter. Rodds research focuses on the search for dark matter in astrophysical datasets, an approach known as indirect detection.

Dessert, Rodd and colleagues analyzed blank-sky observations (parts of the sky away from large X-ray emitting regions) with a total exposure time of roughly a year, finding no evidence for the predicted 3.5 KeV line. According to the authors, the findings rule out the predicted signal strength by over an order of magnitude.

Is Dark Matter Only the Tip of an Invisible Universe of Unknown Forces?

The Last Word New Technologies will Detect the 3.5 keV Line Far More Accurately

When searching for X-ray photons coming from dark matter, arguably the two most important parameters of your telescope are: 1. How well it can determine the photon energy; and 2. How many photons it collects. It is very challenging to make strides on the second of these, Nicholas Rodd wrote in an email to The Daily Galaxy. We already have instruments like XMM-Newton that have been collecting X-rays for over two decades, giving them a significant head start on any new telescope, he explained.

But technological improvements will allow new instruments to determine X-ray energies far more accurately, Rodd observed in his email. This matters for a potential dark-matter signal like the 3.5 keV line, because as the name suggests, it is expected to be a very narrow line in X-rays. Future instruments including the NASAs X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission

(XRISM), due to launch within a year, and in the longer term Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics (Athena) should start to see a very narrow feature coming from dark matter, if thats where the anomaly originates, and play a key role in resolving this dark-matter mystery.

Maxwell Moe, astrophysicist, NASA Einstein Fellow, University of Arizona via Nicholas Rodd, University of Michigan, Science/AAAS, PubMed and ArXiv,org

Image credit: Data gathered by the Hubble Space Telescope creates a map of dark matter.

( NASA/ESA/Caltech)

Maxwell Moe, astrophysicist, NASA Einstein Fellow, University of Arizona. Max can be found two nights a week probing the mysteries of the Universe at the Kitt Peak National Observatory. Max received his Ph.D in astronomy from Harvard University in 2015.

Link:

The Missing Photons Astronomers Hopeful in Search for a Dark Matter Signal - The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel

Hundreds of millions of people read their horoscopes every day. Seekers scan the skies for answers to lifes challenges, believing that the planets, and their alignments relative to constellations, have something direct to say to each of us. Many still confuse astrology with astronomy. Even with all my scientific training, I cannot say that I blame them. Would it not be wonderful if the cosmos indeed spoke to us, acting as an oracle? If somehow it could help us find answers for lifes troubles and tribulationsanswers coded in the arrangements of planets and stars?

The better we know the heavens, the better we know ourselves. Even though modern science has stopped seeing the stars as an oracle, we still search for answers in the skies, albeit answers to different questions. As we study the skies scientifically, we are trying to explain our cosmic origins, the beginnings of life on Earthand to know whether we are alone in the vastness of space.

This impulse is as old as civilization. We have been seeking the stars guidance at least since the earliest agricultural gatherings along the Tigris and the Euphrates Rivers, and probably before that. The Babylonians had a serious observational program. They mapped in great detail the motions of planets along the Zodiacthe belt about 8 degrees to either side of the ecliptic, and divided into 12 constellations. For example, the Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqa, dating from about the mid-17th century BCE, recorded the risings and settings of Venus for a period of 21 years. The main goal was astrological. The Babylonians tried to interpret the planets positions as omens for the king.

We have to wonder what inspires this prevalent and constant fascination with the skies. Why, from astrology to astronomy, does it endure?

In ancient times and for many indigenous cultures, the skies were (and still are) sacred. Countless religious narratives and mythical tales from across the planet attest to this. To know the skies was to have some level of control over the course of events that affected people, communities, and kingdoms. The gods wrote their messages on the dark canvas of the night sky, using the celestial luminaries as their ink. The shaman, the priest, the holy man or woman were the interpreters, the decoders. They could translate the will of the gods into a message the people could understand.

Fast forward to the 17th century CE, as Galileo and Kepler were establishing the roots of modern science and astronomy. To them the skies were still sacred, even if in different ways from their predecessors. Theirs was a Christian god, creator of the universe and everything in it. Galileos feud with the Inquisition was not one of the atheist versus the faithful, as it is often depicted. Instead, it was a struggle for power and control over the interpretation of the Scriptures.

The urge to understand the skies, the motions of the planets, and the nature of the stars only grew stronger as science evolved.

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The stars may be way out there, distant and unreachable, yet we feel a deep connection to them. Walking through an open field on a clear, moonless night speaks to us on many different levels. In the modern scientific attempt to study the skies, we identify the same desire for meaning that drove our ancestors to look up and worship the gods. Our most advanced telescopes, such as the Very Large Telescope and the ALMA facility operated by the European Southern Observatory in Chile, or the cluster of amazing telescopes atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, are testimonies of our modern urge to decipher the heavens. Now we add the spectacular James Webb Space Telescope and its promise to shed some light on many current mysteries of astronomy, including the origin of the first stars when the universe was still very young. We know the answers are there, waiting.

The circle closes when we realize that we ourselves are made of star stuff. The atoms that compose our bodies and everything around us came from stars that died more than five billion years ago. To know thisto know that we can trace our material origins to the cosmosis to link our existence, our individual and collective history, to that of the universe. We have discovered that we are molecular machines made of star stuff that can ponder our origins and destiny. This is the worldview modern science has brought about, and it is nothing short of wonderful. It celebrates and gives meaning to our ancestors urge to decipher the skies. They were looking up to find their origin; we looked up and found it.

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From astrology to astronomy, humans always look to the skies - Big Think

The newest deep space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope, will give us a deeper view into the infrared universe than the iconic Hubble.

A new video from the European Space Agency (ESA) showcases how Webb will open new vistas into astronomical objects across the universe, ranging from galaxies formed billions of years ago to clouds of gas and dust surrounding newborn stars.

Infrared light is the heat-carrying part of the electromagnetic spectrum with longer wavelengths than visible light. The Hubble Space Telescope is optimized for visible light but can also detect some ultraviolet (shorter wavelengths than visible) and some infrared. Webb, however, was developed as an infrared specialist and can take on a much larger span of infrared wavelengths. That, for example, means seeing even deeper into the universe than Hubble does.

Since the universe is expanding, the galaxies farther away from us are moving away at greater speeds than the closer ones. The light these galaxies emit is shifted into longer, redder, wavelengths, as a result of the Doppler effect (the same effect that distorts the sound of a passing ambulance), also known as redshift in astronomy.

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With better views of the early universe, NASA said in a separate release last year about Webb's infrared capabilities, astronomers hope to gain more insight about how galaxies formed and evolved.

As infrared light is less subject to interference from dust, Webb will also enable astronomers to see what's going on inside of dust clouds in the nearer universe. "We can penetrate the dust and see the processes leading to star and planet formation," ESA said in a statement.

This means that, for example, Hubble's 2020 view of the iconic Eagle Nebula "Pillars of Creation" in infrared could look different with Webb's infrared gaze. The Pillars are a famous zone of star formation, for which Webb may provide more insight.

"Star formation in the local universe takes place in the centers of dense, dusty clouds, obscured from our eyes at normal visible wavelengths," ESA said in the statement.

Peering into objects in the nearer universe will provide additional answers that will further help astronomers build up their understanding of the universe's evolution.

"We really need to understand thelocaluniverse in order to understandallof the universe, Martha Boyer, deputy branch manager of Webb's near-infrared camera (NIRCam), one of the two cameras on board of Webb that will perform the infrared observations, said in the NASA release.

Speaking of the galaxies closest to our own, the Milky Way, Boyer said the so-called 'Local Group' will be a mini-laboratory allowing astronomers to look at galaxies in high definition.

The Local Group consists of three main galaxies, the Milky Way included, which are all located within 5 million light-years from Earth, according to EarthSky. The largest of these galaxies is Andromeda, the Milky Way is the middle one, and a galaxy known as Triangulum is the smallest of the three. The group also includes about 50 dwarf galaxies that mostly orbit the large ones.

Further-away galaxies, Boyer added, "cant resolve much detail, so we dont know exactly whats going on. A major step towards understanding distant or early galaxies is to study this collection of galaxies that are within our reach."

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How the James Webb Space Telescope's infrared detectors will open new vistas in astronomy - Space.com