Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Mysterious Neptune dark spot detected from Earth for the first time      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have observed a large dark spot in Neptune's atmosphere, with an unexpected smaller bright spot adjacent to it. This is the first time a dark spot on the planet has ever been observed with a telescope on Earth. These occasional features in the blue background of Neptune's atmosphere are a mystery to astronomers, and the new results provide further clues as to their nature and origin.

Computer Science: Quantum Computers Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Offbeat: Computers and Math Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
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Do measurements produce the reality they show us?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The measurement values determined in sufficiently precise measurements of physical systems will vary based on the relation between the past and the future of a system determined by its interactions with the meter. This finding may explain why quantum experiments often produce paradoxical results that can contradict our common-sense idea of physical reality.

Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Rewriting the past and future of the universe      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New research has improved the accuracy of the parameters governing the expansion of the Universe. More accurate parameters will help astronomers determine how the Universe grew to its current state, and how it will evolve in the future.

Offbeat: Space Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

New type of star gives clues to mysterious origin of magnetars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Magnetars are the strongest magnets in the Universe. These super-dense dead stars with ultra-strong magnetic fields can be found all over our galaxy but astronomers don't know exactly how they form. Now, using multiple telescopes around the world, researchers have uncovered a living star that is likely to become a magnetar. This finding marks the discovery of a new type of astronomical object -- massive magnetic helium stars -- and sheds light on the origin of magnetars.

Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Hundred-year storms? That's how long they last on Saturn      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Megastorms regularly appear on Saturn, marring the relatively bland surface before disappearing. But radio observations show that the storms have long-lasting effects deeper in the atmosphere, in particular in the distribution of ammonia. Using NRAO's Very Large Array, astronomers see such impacts from storms that happened hundreds of years ago. The findings will help explain the differences between storms on the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Arrays of quantum rods could enhance TVs or virtual reality devices      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Using scaffolds of folded DNA, engineers assembled arrays of quantum rods with desirable photonic properties that could enable them to be used as highly efficient micro-LEDs for televisions or virtual reality devices.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Webb reveals colors of Earendel, most distant star ever detected      (via sciencedaily.com) 

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has followed up on observations by the Hubble Space Telescope of the farthest star ever detected in the very distant universe, within the first billion years after the big bang. Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument reveals the star to be a massive B-type star more than twice as hot as our Sun, and about a million times more luminous.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Computer Science: Virtual Reality (VR) Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Modified virtual reality tech can measure brain activity      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The research team at The University of Texas at Austin created a noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor that they installed in a Meta VR headset that can be worn comfortably for long periods. The EEG measures the brain's electrical activity during the immersive VR interactions.

Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geology Geoscience: Geomagnetic Storms Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Geomagnetic field protects Earth from electron showers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Geophysicists studied the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected protective role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth.

Space: General Space: Structures and Features
Published

Gas streamers feed triple baby stars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

New observations and simulations of three spiral arms of gas feeding material to three protostars forming in a trinary system have clarified the formation of multi-star systems.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Scientists discover the highest-energy light coming from the sun      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New research details the discovery of the highest-energy light ever observed from the sun. The international team behind the discovery also found that this type of light, known as gamma rays, is surprisingly bright. That is, there's more of it than scientists had previously anticipated.

Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: General Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

New exoplanet discovery builds better understanding of planet formation      (via sciencedaily.com) 

An international team of scientists have discovered an unusual Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a low-mass star called TOI-4860, located in the Corvus constellation.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning images of the Ring Nebula      (via sciencedaily.com) 

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has recorded breath-taking new images of the iconic Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57.

Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Cosmology Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Gravitational arcs in 'El Gordo' galaxy cluster      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new image of the galaxy cluster known as 'El Gordo' is revealing distant and dusty objects never seen before, and providing a bounty of fresh science. The infrared image displays a variety of unusual, distorted background galaxies that were only hinted at in previous Hubble Space Telescope images.

Space: Astronomy Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Hubble sees evaporating planet getting the hiccups      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A young planet whirling around a petulant red dwarf star is changing in unpredictable ways orbit-by-orbit. It is so close to its parent star that it experiences a consistent, torrential blast of energy, which evaporates its hydrogen atmosphere -- causing it to puff off the planet.

Offbeat: Space Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

Listen to a star 'twinkle'      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Many people know that stars appear to twinkle because our atmosphere bends starlight as it travels to Earth. But stars also have an innate 'twinkle' -- caused by rippling waves of gas on their surfaces -- that is imperceptible to current Earth-bound telescopes. In a new study, researchers developed the first 3D simulations of energy rippling from a massive star's core to its outer surface. Using these new models, the researchers determined, for the first time, how much stars should innately twinkle.

Offbeat: Space Space: Astronomy Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features Space: The Solar System
Published

Using cosmic weather to study which worlds could support life      (via sciencedaily.com) 

As the next generation of giant, high-powered observatories begin to come online, a new study suggests that their instruments may offer scientists an unparalleled opportunity to discern what weather may be like on far-away exoplanets.

Offbeat: Space Space: Astrophysics Space: Exploration Space: Structures and Features
Published

Webb snaps highly detailed infrared image of actively forming stars      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Young stars are rambunctious! NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the 'antics' of a pair of actively forming young stars, known as Herbig-Haro 46/47, in high-resolution near-infrared light. To find them, trace the bright pink and red diffraction spikes until you hit the center: The stars are within the orange-white splotch. They are buried deeply in a disk of gas and dust that feeds their growth as they continue to gain mass. The disk is not visible, but its shadow can be seen in the two dark, conical regions surrounding the central stars.