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Astronomy (General/Chat)

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  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Milky Way Through Otago Spires

    07/02/2025 11:28:11 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 6 replies
    NASA ^ | 2 Jul, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Kavan Chay; Text: Ogetay Kayali (Michigan Tech U.)
    Explanation: Does the Milky Way always rise between these two rocks? No. Capturing this stunning alignment took careful planning: being in the right place at the right time. In the featured image taken in June 2024 from Otago, New Zealand, the bright central core of our Milky Way Galaxy, home to the many of our Galaxy's 400 billion stars, can be seen between two picturesque rocks spires. For observers in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, the core is only visible throughout the summer. As Earth orbits the Sun, different parts of the Milky Way become visible at different angles at different times...
  • Scientists Achieve Teleportation Between Quantum Computers for the First Time Ever

    07/01/2025 11:08:24 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 32 replies
    Daily Galaxy ^ | July 01, 2025 | Lydia Amazouz
    In a groundbreaking achievement, researchers at Oxford University have successfully demonstrated quantum teleportation between quantum computers, a feat that was previously confined to theoretical discussions and early-stage experiments. The team, led by physicist Dougal Main, managed to create a functioning logic gate between two quantum processors located about six feet apart. This represents a significant advancement in quantum computing, opening new possibilities for quantum networks and the realization of scalable quantum systems. Their work is featured in a study published in Nature, and it marks a pivotal moment in the race to create powerful, distributed quantum computers. Quantum Teleportation: A...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Eye Sky a Dragon

    07/01/2025 11:18:00 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 11 replies
    NASA ^ | 1 Jul, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Anton Komlev
    Explanation: What do you see when you look into this sky? In the center, in the dark, do you see a night sky filled with stars? Do you see a sunset to the left? Clouds all around? Do you see the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running down the middle? Do you see the ruins of an abandoned outpost on a hill? (The outpost is on Askold Island, Russia.) Do you see a photographer with a headlamp contemplating surreal surroundings? (The featured image is a panorama of 38 images taken last month and compiled into a Little Planet...
  • Astronomers Find Universe’s “Missing” Matter

    07/01/2025 7:08:47 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 26 replies
    Scitech Daily ^ | June 30, 2025 | European Space Agency
    A simulation of the ‘cosmic web’, the vast network of threads and filaments that extends throughout the Universe. Stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters spring to life in the densest knots of this web, and remain connected by vast threads that stretch out for many millions of light-years. These threads are invisible to the eye, but can be uncovered by telescopes such as ESA’s XMM-Newton. Credit: Illustris Collaboration / Illustris Simulation ======================================================================== A vast filament of gas stretching across the cosmos may help solve the mystery of the Universe’s missing matter. Astronomers have identified a massive filament of hot gas connecting...
  • Unreal. CNN is now promoting an app which tracks the movement of ICE agents to warn illegals.

    07/01/2025 4:58:22 AM PDT · by Racketeer · 43 replies
    X ^ | June 30, 2025 | Libs of TikTok
    Unreal. CNN is now promoting an app which tracks the movement of ICE agents to warn illegals. ICE agents face a 500% increase in assault and threats. CNN knows exactly what they’re doing.
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - NGC 4651: The Umbrella Galaxy

    06/30/2025 12:59:09 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 11 replies
    NASA ^ | 30 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit: Rabeea Alkuwari & Anas Almajed
    Explanation: It's raining stars. What appears to be a giant cosmic umbrella is now known to be a tidal stream of stars stripped from a small satellite galaxy. The main galaxy, spiral galaxy NGC 4651, is about the size of our Milky Way, while its stellar parasol appears to extend some 100 thousand light-years above this galaxy's bright disk. A small galaxy was likely torn apart by repeated encounters as it swept back and forth on eccentric orbits through NGC 4651. The remaining stars will surely fall back and become part of a combined larger galaxy over the next few...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Dark Sand Cascades on Mars

    06/29/2025 5:09:38 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 25 replies
    NASA ^ | 29 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit: NASA, HiRISE, MRO, LPL (U. Arizona),
    Explanation: Are these trees growing on Mars? No. Groups of dark brown streaks have been photographed by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on melting pinkish sand dunes covered with light frost. The featured image was taken in 2008 April near the North Pole of Mars. At that time, dark sand on the interior of Martian sand dunes became more and more visible as the spring Sun melted the lighter carbon dioxide ice. When occurring near the top of a dune, dark sand may cascade down the dune leaving dark surface streaks -- streaks that might appear at first to be trees...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Lunar Farside

    06/28/2025 1:18:29 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 14 replies
    NASA ^ | 28 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit: NASA / GSFC / Arizona State Univ. / Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter
    Explanation: Tidally locked in synchronous rotation, the Moon always presents its familiar nearside to denizens of planet Earth. From lunar orbit, the Moon's farside can become familiar, though. In fact this sharp picture, a mosaic from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's wide angle camera, is centered on the lunar farside. Part of a global mosaic of over 15,000 images acquired between November 2009 and February 2011, the highest resolution version shows features at a scale of 100 meters per pixel. Surprisingly, the rough and battered surface of the farside looks very different from the nearside covered with smooth dark lunar maria....
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Messier 109

    06/27/2025 12:37:47 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 5 replies
    NASA ^ | 27 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Robert Eder
    Explanation: Big beautiful barred spiral galaxy Messier 109 is the 109th entry in Charles Messier's famous catalog of bright Nebulae and Star Clusters. You can find it just below the Big Dipper's bowl in the northern constellation Ursa Major. In fact, bright dipper star Phecda, Gamma Ursa Majoris, produces the glare at the upper right corner of this telescopic frame. M109's prominent central bar gives the galaxy the appearance of the Greek letter "theta", θ, a common mathematical symbol representing an angle. M109 spans a very small angle in planet Earth's sky though, about 7 arcminutes or 0.12 degrees. But...
  • Massive Fireball Spotted Streaking Across Southeastern U.S. Skies (VIDEO)

    06/27/2025 6:36:49 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 32 replies
    Gateway Pundit ^ | June 27, 2025 | Anthony Scott
    Screenshot of fireball via Collin Rugg on X This isn’t something you see every day! Residents in the southeastern part of the United States spotted a massive fireball streak through the skies on Thursday afternoon. The American Meteor Society reported receiving over 140 reports from residents of Georgia, Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina who had spotted a fireball. Residents in Georgia reported feeling an earthquake as the fireball crossed the sky. The National Weather Service assured residents in Georgia that the earthquake they felt was “the result of the sonic boom from the meteor or space junk.” WATCH:...
  • Meteor Hits in NE Georgia

    06/26/2025 8:36:58 PM PDT · by Robert A Cook PE · 36 replies
    Radio, 11 Alive News GA | 12-26-2025 | RACookPE1978
    A meteorite, complete with shock wave, light trail, and flight noises (rumbles, light a train or close airplane) struck the ground northeast of Atlanta this afternoon, 26 June 2025. Impact was visible from dash cameras in vehicles on I85 near the South Carolina border. Meteor is any solid object hitting the atmosphere but burning up before it hits the ground. A meteorite is a rocky solid that survives its flight through the atmosphere and hits the ground as a solid. Damage is unknown, some reports claim a house was struck.
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Seagull Nebula

    06/26/2025 12:27:29 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 18 replies
    NASA ^ | 26 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit & Copyright: Timothy Martin
    Explanation: An interstellar expanse of glowing gas and obscuring dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker, the Seagull Nebula. This broadband portrait of the cosmic bird covers a 3.5-degree wide swath across the plane of the Milky Way, in the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major). The bright head of the Seagull Nebula is cataloged as IC 2177, a compact, dusty emission and reflection nebula with embedded massive star HD 53367. The larger emission region, encompassing objects with other catalog designations, is Likely part of...
  • NASA Unveils Breathtaking New Images of Andromeda Galaxy

    06/26/2025 11:19:30 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 25 replies
    Daily Galaxy ^ | June 26, 2025 | Jessica Bennett
    NASA’s new Andromeda images unveil stunning insights into dark matter and black holes. Image credit: NASA | The Daily Galaxy --Great Discoveries Channel In the latest release from NASA, stunning new images of the Andromeda galaxy (M31) have captured the attention of the global scientific community. Andromeda, located around 2.5 million light-years from Earth, is the closest spiral galaxy to our Milky Way. These new images, which include data from multiple advanced telescopes, offer fresh insights into the complex dynamics of this galactic neighbor. The images were made possible through a collaboration of some of the world’s most powerful space-based...
  • Don't Miss the Stunning Alignment of Mercury, the Moon, and the Gemini Twins This Week

    06/25/2025 1:01:51 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 13 replies
    Daily Galaxy ^ | June 25, 2025 | Jessica Bennett
    Mercury’s Spectacular Return to the Evening SkyMercury, the smallest and fastest-moving planet in our solar system, is currently making its evening apparition. This occurrence, visible from June 20 to July 11, presents a rare chance to spot the elusive planet as it moves across the evening sky. On June 26, Mercury will be particularly prominent, positioned in the west-northwest sky about 45 minutes to an hour after sunset. During this period, Mercury will shine brighter than most of the surrounding stars, making it an easy object to spot, even without binoculars. However, as the planet moves away from the Sun,...
  • James Webb Space Telescope Captures First Direct Image of Mysterious Alien Exoplanet Lurking in Dusty Debris Disk

    06/25/2025 12:56:45 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 18 replies
    The Debrief ^ | June 25, 2025 | Micah Hanks
    Exoplanet TWA 7 b (Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, A.M. Lagrange, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)). In a groundbreaking first, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured its first direct image of a distant exoplanet unrecognized from past astronomical surveys. The milestone achievement was made possible with help from a special coronagraph aboard Webb’s MIRI instrument that allows Webb to capture imagery under conditions that mimic those which occur naturally during an eclipse. The discovery made in research lead by researcher Anne-Marie Lagrange with the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and the Paris Observatory, in collaboration with Grenoble Alpes University....
  • Astronomers Discover Hundreds of Unknown Asteroids Orbiting Venus

    06/25/2025 12:11:35 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 26 replies
    Daily Galaxy ^ | June 25, 2025 | Lydia Amazouz
    Astronomers are making a surprising breakthrough in the study of Venus, as new simulations suggest there may be a hidden family of asteroids quietly orbiting the Sun alongside the planet. This discovery, detailed in a recent study by Valerio Carruba and his team at São Paulo State University, is like uncovering an entire continent that was previously unknown. The research, published on the preprint server arXiv, uncovers important insights about the dynamics of Venus’ orbit and could have significant implications for our understanding of the solar system. Venus has long been one of the most mysterious planets in our solar...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Rubin's First Look: A Sagittarius Skyscape

    06/25/2025 11:35:09 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 9 replies
    NASA ^ | 25 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit & License: NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory
    Explanation: This interstellar skyscape spans over 4 degrees across crowded starfields toward the constellation Sagittarius and the central Milky Way. A First Look image captured at the new NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, the bright nebulae and star clusters featured include famous stops on telescopic tours of the cosmos: Messier 8 and Messier 20. An expansive star-forming region over a hundred light-years across, Messier 8 is also known as the Lagoon Nebula. About 4,000 light-years away the Lagoon Nebula harbors a remarkable cluster of young, massive stars. Their intense radiation and stellar winds energize and agitate this cosmic lagoon's turbulent...
  • LSU Baseball singing along to “Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue” by Toby Keith in front of Charles Schwab Field in Omaha

    06/24/2025 5:47:37 PM PDT · by Racketeer · 31 replies
    X ^ | June 22, 2025 | Noah Bieniek
    LSU Baseball singing along to “Courtesy Of The Red, White, And Blue” by Toby Keith in front of Charles Schwab Field in Omaha where the Tigers just secured their program’s 8th National Championship
  • SETI breakthrough! NASA scientist discovers three repeating ET signals coming from nearby stars! [19:57]

    06/24/2025 1:39:59 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 111 replies
    YouTube ^ | June 24, 2025 | The Angry Astronaut
    After spending decades listening for radio signals, Optical SETI has made a remarkable discovery! Repeating optical signals have been detected coming, not from one star, but three! Natural explanations have come up blank, and Aliens are actually being discussed! SETI breakthrough! NASA scientist discovers three repeating ET signals coming from nearby stars! | 19:57 The Angry Astronaut | 195K subscribers | 11,074 views | June 24, 2025
  • Theory Proposing Three-Dimensional Time as the “Primary Fabric of Everything” Could Unify Quantum Physics and Gravity

    06/24/2025 12:38:15 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 35 replies
    The Debrief ^ | June 24, 2025 | Christopher Plain
    Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay A University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) scientist has proposed a “three-dimensional time” theory that replaces the traditional model of one dimension of time and three physical dimensions as the primary fabric of everything. Unlike previously proposed, purely mathematical ‘3D time’ constructs where space emerges as a secondary manifestation, Professor Gunther Kletetschka at the UAF Geophysical Institute says his theory of everything, which could unify quantum physics and gravity, is testable and verifiable. “Earlier 3D time proposals were primarily mathematical constructs without these concrete experimental connections,” Professor Kletetschka explained. “My work transforms the concept from...