Category: astrophysics

Almost every galaxy that we have observed has a black hole at its centre

January 22, 2022

Hubble first determined using a spectrograph attached to a telescope that the universe is expanding. More recently, astronomers have been observing black hole at the centre of galaxies. Perhaps more importantly, almost every galaxy that we have observed has a black hole at its centre. The launch of the infrared James Webb Space Telescope would … More Almost every galaxy that we have observed has a black hole at its centre

Infrared space telescopes provide a peek into star formation beyond the dust clouds

September 4, 2021

Different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum afford different windows into the cosmos. For example, visible wavelengths provide a glimpse into the universe in a dimension familiar to us. But, much of the universe remain obscure due to the effects of dust clouds. One method capable of peering beyond the dust clouds is infrared astronomy. Specifically, … More Infrared space telescopes provide a peek into star formation beyond the dust clouds

Exoplanets could be detected by gravitational microlensing effect

August 28, 2021

Currently, transit of exoplanet in front of its host star is the dominant technique for the detection and discovery of exoplanets. But, there exists other approaches for exoplanet discovery, particularly on a serendipitous basis. One approach is gravitational microlensing effect. Specifically, in gravitational microlensing, the brightness of the star under observation brightens due to the … More Exoplanets could be detected by gravitational microlensing effect

Most exoplanets detected by radial velocity methods are gas giants orbiting close to the host star

June 25, 2021

Transit method is the predominant technique for detecting exoplanets orbiting stars. Based on detecting the small dip in starlight as an exoplanet pass in front of the host star, development of sensitive detectors has afforded the detection of a large number of exoplanets hitherto thought not to exist. But, there exists other methods for the … More Most exoplanets detected by radial velocity methods are gas giants orbiting close to the host star

Ability to observe the universe at multiple wavelengths has enabled XMM-Newton space telescope to make important discoveries

May 8, 2020

Astronomical objects such as stars emit radiation at multiple wavelengths. Each emission source within the astronomical object represents a facet of the celestial body. This meant that observation of an astronomical object would not be complete if it is done at one wavelength. Using multispectral imaging capability, the XMM-Newton space telescope has afforded an unprecedented … More Ability to observe the universe at multiple wavelengths has enabled XMM-Newton space telescope to make important discoveries

Lab experiments helped unveil the planetary secrets of inaccessible Neptune and Uranus

November 10, 2019

Neptune and Uranus are relatively inaccessible outer planets of the Solar System. Having been visited by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in the 1980s, research on both planets rely on imaging from both ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope. However, spectroscopic measurements could not yield deep planetary secrets such as the possible formation of diamonds … More Lab experiments helped unveil the planetary secrets of inaccessible Neptune and Uranus

Large ground-based telescopes complement space-based observatories

June 9, 2019

Until the advent of space telescopes, ground-based telescopes are the only means by which humans could peer into the distant cosmos. But inability to completely remove atmospheric blurring effects meant that developing space telescopes able to observe distant galaxies in space without distortion from atmospheric turbulence is a top priority. To this end came the … More Large ground-based telescopes complement space-based observatories

Increasing amount of supercomputer time is devoted to data analysis

May 25, 2019

Supercomputers are typically used for data intensive and computationally expensive complex simulations in the geosciences, structural biology, meteorology and cosmology. But, increasingly, supercomputers are used for data analysis of large datasets in myriad fields such as astronomy, genomics, and proteomics. More importantly, the advent of machine learning and the desire to find otherwise hidden patterns … More Increasing amount of supercomputer time is devoted to data analysis

Utility of large telescopes in astronomy

May 11, 2019

With the planning and construction of three extremely large telescopes at various sites around the world, astronomy has entered a new age where large telescopes would extend the reach of our observation into earlier parts of the universe. Specifically, European Extremely large telescope, Thirty meter telescope, and Giant Magellan Telescope would see first light sometime … More Utility of large telescopes in astronomy

Adaptive optics help reduce atmospheric blurring effects in modern optical astronomy

May 7, 2019

Light from distant stars and galaxies have to pass through our atmosphere on the way to the mirrors of our telescopes. However, atmospheric turbulence and other factors would result in a phenomenon known as atmospheric blurring effect that impacts on the resolution of images produced. This hampers the accurate observation of distant galaxies and stars, … More Adaptive optics help reduce atmospheric blurring effects in modern optical astronomy