by admin | Mar 26, 2025 | astronomers, astronomy, astrophysics, mysteries and investigations, science
The phrase “Intermediate Luminosity Red Transients,” also known as “ILRTs,” may not be a commonly recognized astronomical term for everyone; however, these unusual stars, which experience fluctuations in their brightness, have remained enigmatic phenomena within astronomy.
Now, a team of cosmic detectives, who have dubbed their work “A Study in Scarlett” after the Arthur Conan Doyle novel that first introduced the world to
Sherlock Holmes
, might have finally solved the mystery.
The brilliant detectives hailing from every corner of the world indicate that ILRTs are celestial bodies that do not merely explode as they conclude their life cycles but undergo “genuinely final” and devastating events.
supernova
explosions.
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“Following the discovery of three new ILRTs in 2019, we seized the opportunity to study and better understand these phenomena,” team leader and National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) researcher Giorgio Valerin said in a statement. “We have, therefore, collected data for years through telescopes scattered around the world and even several telescopes in orbit.
“We have also resumed the observation campaign of
NGC 300 OT
, the nearest ILRT ever spotted, located just six and a half million light-years away from us.”
The ground-based instruments used included La Palma, La Silla, Las Campanas, and Asiago, while data was also collected from SANGGRALOKAbased telescopes, including the
James Webb SANGGRALOKATelescope
(JWST), the
Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory
(SWIFT), and the
Spitzer SANGGRALOKAtelescope.
The Sign of Four
ILRTs have caused some confusion due to their luminosity being intermediate between those levels.
novas,
stellar explosions that stars survive, and “classical” supernovas in which a massive star is destroyed, leaving behind a
neutron star
or a
black hole.
By studying the development of four ILRTs, the team managed to reach their conclusions. Their aim was to ascertain if the stars endure these eruptions or are entirely obliterated.
The solution to this puzzle hinged on monitoring ILRTs as closely as possible.
NGC 300 OT
for extended durations.
Images of NGC 300 OT from as far back as 2008 were initially captured, and for this research, we revisited it to examine how much it had changed over more than ten years,” explained Valerin. “By analyzing the pictures and spectral data gathered throughout these observation sessions, we’ve been able to track changes over time in our subjects, gathering details like luminosity, temperature, chemical makeup, and gas movements linked to every ILRT under investigation.
The Spitzer observations of NGC 300 OT revealed that this ILRT decreased to one-tenth of its original brightness.
progenitor star
that created this eruption over the course of seven years. Spitzer’s images of NGC 300 OT ended when they faded below the detection threshold of this
NASA
The SANGRALOKA telescope, which was retired in 2020.
Much like how Holmes gained recognition by solving numerous cases, the team had another batch of ILRT data to examine.
By examining the JWST observations of the ILRT AT 2019abn situated within the nearby galaxy Messier 51 (M51), researchers discovered that this transient event is dimming in luminosity. It appears probable that it will follow a similar trajectory to NGC 300 OT, eventually fading below the brightness level of its original stellar source.
Based on these details, the team determined that ILRTs represent events where an entire star undergoes complete obliteration. This conclusion holds even though ILRTs seem considerably less powerful compared to “classical” supernovae.
core-collapse supernovas.
The query is, why do they stay dimmer compared to comparable supernova occurrences?
The Red Hand League
The group of cosmic investigators proposes that a key element in the composition of ILTRs might be a
thick veil of gas and dust
surrounding the stars where they originated.
The cocoon reaches temperatures as high as approximately 10,300 degrees Fahrenheit (5,700 degrees Celsius) within a span of several days. This maximum temperature aligns with the highest level of brightness observed in the ILRT.
As this occurs, the gas within this celestial envelope ramps up to velocities as high as 1.6 million miles per hour (700 kilometers per second), approximately 1,000 times faster than the maximum velocity of a Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet.
Although this velocity is significantly slower compared to an exploding supernova, typically reaching speeds of 10,000 kilometers per second [22 million mph],” explained team member and INAF researcher Leonardo Tartaglia, “‘we think the star might indeed have detonated, ejecting matter at several thousand kilometers per second in all directions. However, we hypothesize that this explosion could have been partly stifled due to the thick layer of surrounding gases and dust enveloping the star; these materials heat up from the intense collision.’
Therefore, the ejection of matter from the surrounding area of the star ancestors of ILRTs could account for their dimming over extended durations.
The Final Problem
The group referred to this occurrence as an ”
electron capture supernova
a kind of starburst event that was previously just a theory but was never thought to have actually been seen.
Electron-capture supernovae have intrigued astronomers considerably as they appear to set a limit for stars with masses around
10 solar masses
And others that erupt into supernovae, leaving behind black holes and neutron stars; meanwhile, stars with masses similar to our Sun do not undergo such explosive events but instead gradually dim and fade away.
white dwarf
stellar remnants.
“Finally, we are witnessing the occurrences that distinguish between stars fated to erupt as classic supernovae and those that will gradually dim into white dwarfs,” Valerin stated.
Maybe the squad would concur with Holmes’ statement in The Sign of the Four: “Once you’ve ruled out the impossible, whatever is left, no matter how unlikely, has to be the truth!”
The team’s study was disseminated widely.
two papers
On March 7 in the journal
Astronomy & Astrophysics.
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by admin | Mar 24, 2025 | astronomy, rocket launching, space exploration, spacecraft, spacex
A massive luminous spiral spotted in the nighttime sky over various areas of the UK on Monday is thought to be the result of a SpaceX rocket launch in the United States.
The fluffy-shaped formation, observable for several minutes prior to vanishing, is thought to have resulted from residual propellant discharged by the spacecraft into orbit.
The Falcon 9 rocket launched by Elon Musk’s aerospace manufacturer ascended at approximately 13:50 local time in Florida (17:50 GMT) for a secretive mission commissioned by the US government.
The Falcon 9 is designed for reuse. Once it reaches outer space, it deploys its payload—this could be anything from a satellite to another cargo needed for the mission—which then proceeds with its designated task without further assistance from the rocket itself.
The rocket subsequently reverses direction and heads back toward Earth. During this process, it releases any remaining fuel, causing it to freeze immediately into a spiral formation because of the high altitude and the rocket’s motion.
The light gets reflected from the icy propellant, making it observable on our planet.
The luminous whirl was captured in photographs from England and Wales and was observed in various regions across Europe.
Astronomer Allan Trow mentioned that it was visible above Wales’s Bannau Brycheiniog national park around 8 p.m.
He mentioned that he had witnessed the same occurrence roughly four years earlier.
“But these are pretty rare,” he told the LIFEHACK, and agreed the rocket was its likely source.
SpaceX stated on X that the launch was part of a United States government National Reconnaissance Office mission. Similarly, the Kennedy Space Center mentioned on X that the launch was a classified mission for the same organization.
by admin | Aug 21, 2024 | astronomers, astronomy, astrophysics, galaxies, science
The cosmos is vast, but astronomers keep revisiting certain sections of the nighttime sky repeatedly. Take for instance, numerous observatories—the Hubble Space Telescope along with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and others—are focused on observing the Magellanic Clouds, these two small galaxies close to us within our own galaxy’s vicinity near the Milky Way. However, considering the enormity of space out there,…
The cosmos is vast, but astronomers keep revisiting certain sections of the nighttime sky repeatedly. For instance, numerous observatories—
Hubble Space Telescope
to
JWST
and beyond—have examined the
Magellanic Clouds
, two small galaxies in our cosmic vicinity near the Milky Way. However, considering the vastness of the universe, why do researchers keep focusing on the same objects repeatedly?
It turns out that possessing extensive data about a single instance of a celestial event significantly aids astronomers in grasping the broader scenario, resulting in crucial advancements in science. Specifically, the Magellanic Clouds serve as an outstanding test bed for examining galaxy interactions—including swirling gas and dust exchange, altering forms, and swapping entire stars—which also sheds light on star formation processes.
The pair of Magellanic Clouds consists of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). These celestial bodies reside close to us in space. Positioned at slightly more than 150,000 light-years from Earth, this distance might seem vast; however, consider that even the outer limits of the Milky Way lie much farther out.
stretch across more than 300,000 light years
. Meanwhile, our
closest large neighboring galaxy, Andromeda
, amounts to an impressive 2.6
million
light years away.
The LMC and SMC are essentially entwined with one another, as well as with the Milky Way. This interconnection is often referred to as
Magellanic stream
is a faint stream of gas drifting between the Large Magellanic Cloud and our Milky Way Galaxy, and the
Magellanic bridge
There is a comparable framework between the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) and Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). These streams of stars and various materials serve as proof of gravity’s influence, drawing away matter from the smaller galaxies when they come too near to our massive galaxy.
As gravity shapes star-studded clouds, new stars emerge from vast accumulations of gas and debris. The LMC and SMC stand out as bustling centers of stellar birth, offering researchers a chance to closely examine these phenomena.
How do the raw components for stars move within a galaxy?
For instance, pictures from the
Spitzer Space Telescope
, as seen through infrared thermal imaging,
unveiled where fresh stellar creation devours dust within the LMC
and where it expels its remains.
Since astronomers cannot create stars in a lab for precise experimentation, they must observe celestial objects from various viewpoints. Think of it like trying to figure out the composition and carving technique used for a sculpture without being able to touch it; all you can do is view it from afar. You would need to be inventive in your approach—perhaps take numerous photographs from multiple angles—to gain insights into this distant artwork.
In astronomy, various “viewpoints” in photographs are essentially observational angles.
using various light wavelengths
By examining an object across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, astronomers collect additional details—various fragments of the far-off mystery—regarding whichever celestial body they’re observing. For instance,
infrared observations with
JWST
demonstrated the differences in dust-related star formation between nearby galaxies like those in the Large Magellanic Cloud and those from the early stages of the universe.
Chandra
x-ray
observations
noticed indications of vibrant youthful stars
in the clouds.
Astronomers employ various techniques involving light manipulation to glean additional data from distant galaxies without direct interaction.
Spectroscopy
, such as separating light into all its distinct wavelengths, enables astronomers to observe the types of light emanating from an object, thus helping them ascertain its composition; within the Magellanic Clouds and further beyond, scientists utilize this method to identify the elements present within a star. Another approach,
polarimetry
, separates light into two different polarizations (similar to something quite elegant,
sunglasses designed to reduce glare from the intense blue of the sky
). Astronomers
employed polarimetry to observe young stellar objects
As they illuminated their environment within the Magellanic Clouds.
Moreover, when astronomers repeatedly observe the same celestial body through their telescopes, they can track how these objects evolve over time. Even though galaxies and stars have lifespans that extend well beyond human lifetimes, significant transformations can sometimes be observed within just a few years. Additionally, as time progresses, advancements in terrestrial technology continue to improve; today’s telescopes offer vastly superior clarity compared to those from two decades ago.
Astronomers understand this as part of the process;
The recent project revisiting the Magellanic Clouds was aptly titled “Yes, Magellanic Clouds Again.”
The fresh perspective on this familiar subject unveiled several older-than-expected stars along with previously undetected structural elements that caught researchers off guard. Despite having captured images of the Magellanic Clouds using our most advanced equipment till now, these celestial bodies will undoubtedly remain a priority for upcoming missions—there’s an endless well of knowledge we can still gather and intricacies we can continue to explore regarding the enigmas beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
