Telescopes

The interstellar comet 2I/Borisov seen by ALMA

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An article published in the journal “Nature Astronomy” reports a study on the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov focused in particular on its chemical composition which highlights the abundance of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. A team of researchers led by Martin Cordiner and Stefanie Milam of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center used the ALMA radio telescope to examine the comet’s emissions detecting that carbon monoxide is present in its coma in an amount that is between 9 and 26 times that estimated for the solar system’s comets. This suggests that it formed in a very cold area of ​​its origin system.

Artist's concept of the exoplanet Kepler-1649c and its star (Image NASA/Ames Research Center/Daniel Rutter)

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An article published in “The Astrophysical Journal Letters” reports the discovery of the exoplanet Kepler-1649c, which has a size very similar to the Earth’s and orbits in ​​its system’s habitable zone. A team of researchers led by Andrew Vanderburg of the University of Texas, Austin, reanalyzed data collected by NASA’s Kepler space telescope and subsequently analyzed using software written for that task. Initially, only one exoplanet was confirmed in that system while another candidate was discarded. A human verification led to the confirmation of the planet that was cataloged as Kepler-1649c. The two planets’ orbital characteristics suggest the possibility that a third one exists, even if for now the researchers haven’t been able to find any traces of it.

Artistic concept of the quasar SDSS J135246.37+423923.5 and the galaxy that hosts it

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An article published in “The Astrophysical Journal” reports the discovery of the most energetic outflow from a distant quasar, to be precise from the one classified as SDSS J135246.37+423923.5. A team of researchers used the Gemini North telescope, Hawaii, to conduct the observations they needed and a new computer modeling system had to be used to interpret what was called an extragalactic storm hidden in plain sight for 15 years. The outflow, a sort of cosmic wind, travels at a speed that is almost 13% of the speed of light with a strong impact on the star formation in the galaxy hosting the quasar.

Artist's impression of a supernova (Image Aaron Geller (Northwestern University))

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An article published in the journal “Nature Astronomy” reports a study on the supernova cataloged as SN2016aps, which was found to be at least twice as bright and probably much more massive than any other registered supernova. A team of astronomers led by Dr. Matt Nicholl of the British University of Birmingham observed the evolution of the supernova for about two years until it faded to 1% of its peak brightness. The conclusion is that the initial mass of the exploded star might have been even more than 100 times the Sun’s and this suggests that it was a very rare type called a pulsational pair-instability supernova.

Illustration of brown dwarf and Jupiter

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An article published in the journal “Science” reports the first measurement of the winds blowing in the atmosphere of the brown dwarf cataloged as 2MASS J10475385+2124234. A team of researchers led by Katelyn Allers of Bucknell University combined observations conducted with the Very Large Array (VLA) and NASA’s Spitzer space telescope to achieve this result. The method was already used for planets like Jupiter, so the news is its extension to a brown dwarf, and could also concern gaseous exoplanets.