Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 121 i All About Space

WELCOME © Getty The hunt for life elsewhere in the universe still rages on, as you’ll discover in our cover feature this month. Turn to page 14 for full details on the missions, techniques and plans in our search for life beyond planet Earth. Are we any closer to finding it? Elsewhere in the issue, your regulars are all here, including mysteries of the universe – where we go back to 1054 and reveal what caused the explosion that formed the Crab Nebula – your burning questions answered in Ask Space and this month’s guide to the night sky, where we tour Clavius crater on the surface of the Moon. There’s also naked-eye and binocular tours of some of the brightest stars in the constellations of Auriga, Taurus and their…

THE MILKY WAY HAS A ‘BROKEN’ ARM THAT COULD REVEAL ITS GALACTIC HISTORY Words by Elizabeth Howell Scientists have found a strange ‘break’ in the spiral arms of our Milky Way. The grouping of young stars and gassy regions is described by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) as looking like “a splinter poking out from a plank of wood” from the plane of the spiral Milky Way’s arms. Researchers found the feature using the infrared eyes of NASA’s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope and the European Space Agency’s Gaia, which measures stellar distances and motions. The new study focused on a nearby region of one of the Milky Way’s arms, the Sagittarius Arm, which is full of young stars that move in space at nearly the same velocity and direction. “A…

A MALAYSIAN SATELLITE HAS DIED IN SPACE AND WILL MEET A COLD GRAVE Words by Elizabeth Howell A Malaysian satellite will settle into a graveyard orbit following a mysterious ‘anomaly’ that struck it down in space. The nearly 15-year-old MEASAT-3 communications satellite suffered an unexplained issue on 21 June, knocking out service for its customers. It was brought under ground control on 24 June, but hasn’t been operational since. With the satellite playing dead and a ‘root cause’ investigation still ongoing by MEASAT and satellite maker Boeing, MEASAT announced it has decided to proceed with a deorbit. “Further testing and recovery efforts found that the satellite could not re-enter service. The satellite will be deorbited in the following weeks,” said MEASAT. Because of the satellite’s previous altitude, that likely means…

EXPLORING THE UNIVERSE WITH THE GIANT MAGELLAN TELESCOPE Ten times more powerful than Hubble, this ground-based observatory is due to become operational in 2029 1 SECONDARY MIRRORS Light reflected from the primary mirrors will reflect off seven smaller mirrors, each of which is flexible. Beneath them lie hundreds of actuators that adapt the optics to compensate for atmospheric distortion, allowing for sharper images. 2 THE CENTRAL HOLE Light from the secondary mirrors is reflected down through a hole in the central primary mirror, where the concentrated light can be measured by advanced scientific instruments. 3 TELESCOPE MOUNT Beneath the telescope is a mount, standing 36 metres (118 feet) above the observing floor. It holds the secondary-mirror support system and moves on two near-frictionless bearings. 4 THE DOME The 22-storey enclosure,…

Focus on NASA’S PERSEVERANCE ROVER TAKES ITS OWN WHEEL FOR MARS DRIVES Auto-navigation on the Red Planet: “It’s a rover driver’s paradise” Reported by Meghan Bartels NASA’s Perseverance rover is picking up the pace on Mars thanks to technology that helps the robot avoid running into trouble on its otherworldly drives. That technology, called AutoNav, is a navigation system that maps terrain and plans routes without the rover needing to rely as heavily on guidance from Earth. AutoNav is four or five times more powerful than equivalent technology tested on NASA’s previous Mars rover, Curiosity, which means Perseverance will be able to take more direct routes and travel faster, in turn allowing the rover to do more science in the same amount of time. “We’re going to be able to…

Neptune PLANET PROFILE NEPTUNE The isolated azure giant remains a relative mystery Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. It was the first planet to have its existence predicted by mathematical calculations before it was actually seen through a telescope on 23 September 1846. Irregularities in the orbit of Uranus led French astronomer Alexis Bouvard to suggest that the gravitational pull from another celestial body might be responsible. German astronomer Johann Galle then relied on subsequent calculations to help spot Neptune via telescope. Previously, astronomer Galileo Galilei sketched the planet, but he mistook it for a star due to its slow motion. In accordance with all the other planets seen in the sky, this new world was given a name from Greek and Roman mythology: Neptune, after the Roman…

SN 1054 WHEN STARS EXPLODE Why an electron-capture supernova is different © Tobias Roetsch 1 MASS RANGE OF ELECTRON-CAPTURE SUPERNOVAE Howell says astronomers aren’t sure of the exact mass range for electron-capture supernovae, but it’s larger than Type Ia and smaller than Type II supernovae: “It could be anything in between eight and ten solar masses.” 2 OXYGEN AND NEON An electron-capture supernova needs a core made of oxygen, neon and magnesium, and that’s why it has to be between eight and ten solar masses. “Heavier stars make iron cores, and lighter ones make carbon-oxygen cores,” Howell explains. 3 FUSION STOPS Ongoing fusion prevents a star from collapsing. If fusion has ceased, then the star won’t collapse if the atoms cannot be any more tightly packed. In electroncapture supernovae, fusion…

STARGAZER WHAT’S IN THE SKY? IN THIS ISSUE… 78 What’s in the sky? The skies are darkening as the constellations of autumn rise from the horizon 84 Moon tour Find one of the largest lunar impacts, made famous in a science-fiction film 86 Deep sky challenge Explore obscure deep-sky wonders lurking far beyond the stars of the Great Bear 90 Astroshots The best of our readers’ astrophotography 96 In the shops Our pick of the best products for astronomy and space fans 82 Month’s planets Jupiter and Saturn are a dazzling duo from September through to October 85 Naked eye and binocular targets Spot bright, weird and dead stars in September’s skies 88 The Northern Hemisphere You can enjoy both Solar System and deep-sky objects 92 Telescope review We put…

LAUNCH PAD YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE UNIVERSE © NASA 12 AUGUST 2021 Window to the world The International Space Station’s seven-windowed Cupola gives astronauts an incredible view of Earth; it’s the ‘go-to’ place to capture awe-inspiring photos of our planet. However, in this impressive photo, it’s the Cupola module itself that is the centre of attention for once. The Cupola’s windows are protected from orbital debris and micrometeorites by shutters, and the module houses the robotic workstation that controls the Canadarm2. This image was taken from the Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module, Russia’s latest addition to the ISS. © ESA/Hubble&NASA 16 AUGUST 2021 Cosmic furnace This glowing galactic jewel, NGC 1385, is around 70,000 light years in diameter and is located approximately 68 million light years away from Earth within…

SPACEX STARLINK SATELLITES RESPONSIBLE FOR OVER HALF OF CLOSE ENCOUNTERS IN ORBIT Words by Tereza Pultarova Operators of satellite constellations are constantly forced to move their satellites because of close encounters with other spacecraft and pieces of space junk. And thanks to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, the number of such dangerous approaches will only continue to grow. Starlink satellites alone are involved in about 1,600 close encounters between two spacecraft every week, according to Hugh Lewis, the head of the Astronautics Research Group at the University of Southampton. These encounters include situations where two spacecraft pass within a distance of one kilometre (0.6 miles) from each other. Lewis, Europe’s leading expert on space debris, makes regular estimates of the situation in orbit based on data from the SOCRATES (Satellite Orbital Conjunction…

ROCKET LAB WILL LAUNCH A FINNISH CUBESAT THIS YEAR TO TEST SPACE JUNK CLEANUP TECH Words by Mike Wall Technology that could ease humanity’s space junk problem is about to get an orbital test. A tiny cubesat called AuroraSat-1 will launch atop a Rocket Lab Electron booster in the fourth quarter of this year. AuroraSat-1, which will be operated by Finnish company Aurora Propulsion Technologies, will take off from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site on the North Island’s Mahia Peninsula. After deploying in low-Earth orbit the cubesat will demonstrate systems designed to help operators maintain control of small satellites and bring them down to Earth before they become space junk. “The cubesat will validate the water-based propellant and mobility control of its resistojets that can assist cubesats with detumbling capabilities…

Flat Earth WHAT IF EARTH REALLY WAS FLAT ? Earth is spherical, but what would happen if our planet were flat? We explore some of the bizarre implications of such a world, which would make life as we know it virtually impossible Reported by Daisy Dobrijevic © Getty NO MORE AURORAE, AND WE’D ALL BE ROASTED On spherical Earth, the swirling molten metal surrounding our iron core generates electric currents, which in turn create our protective magnetic field, curving around the planet from one pole to the other. But on a flat Earth, without a solid core generating a magnetic field, we would lose our protective layer – the magnetosphere. Charged particles from the Sun would no longer interact with our magnetosphere to create incredible auroral light shows. Though the…

Focus on WATER VAPOUR DETECTED ON HUGE JUPITER MOON GANYMEDE FOR THE FIRST TIME This could be a trend for icy bodies throughout the Solar System and beyond Reported by Charles Q. Choi © Getty In the wisp-thin sky of Ganymede, the largest satellite in the Solar System, astronomers have detected evidence of water vapour for the first time. The discovery could shed light on similar watery atmospheres that may envelop other icy bodies in the Solar System and beyond. Research has suggested that Ganymede – which is larger than Mercury and Pluto and only slightly smaller than Mars – may contain more water than all of Earth’s oceans. However, the Jovian moon is so cold that water on its surface is frozen. Any liquid water would lurk about 160…

Astroshots STARGAZER ASTROSHOTS OF THE MONTH Get featured in All About Space by sending your astrophotography images to space@spaceanswers.com Terry Hancock Location: Michigan Telescope: Takahashi 130 FSQ “My interest in astronomy began some 40 years ago in Australia. My first telescope was a 4.5-inch Newtonian, and I enjoyed many nights in the pollution-free, dark southern night skies of the hot Australian outback. It was often so dark that the Milky Way cast a shadow on the ground. I pride myself in taking really long exposures of deep-sky objects and always try to maintain a natural look.” Cristo Sanchez Location: Yantis, Texas Telescope: Celestron Advanced VX 8 Reflector “My passion for astronomy began at the age of 12. From that point on I have studied, observed and photographically captured the cosmos.…

STARGAZER IN THE SHOPS The latest books, apps, software, tech and accessories for space and astronomy fans alike FOR TEATIME ROCKET TEA INFUSER Cost: £3.00 / $4.16 From: therefilljar.co.uk 1 Add some fun to your morning brew with this charming rocket-shaped tea infuser. Simply add the loose tea and leave it in a cup of water – hot or cold – to infuse for as long as you need to create the perfect strength cup of tea. The lightweight stainless-steel rocket infuser is easy to clean due to the hinged design, and also comes with a handy drip tray. FOR YOUR WARDROBE SCIENCE MUSEUM SPACE JUNK T-SHIRT Cost: £25 (approx. $34.15) From: shop.sciencemuseum.org.uk 2 There are currently over 170 million pieces of space debris in orbit around Earth; it is…

LAUNCH PAD YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE UNIVERSE SATURN’S RIPPLING RINGS POINT TO A MASSIVE, SOUPY CORE HIDDEN INSIDE Words by Tereza Pultarova © Tobias Roetsch Saturn’s rings aren’t just a beautiful adornment; scientists can use them to understand what’s happening deep inside the planet. By using the famous rings like a seismograph, scientists studied processes in the planet’s interior, determining that its core must be ’fuzzy’. Instead of a solid sphere like Earth’s, the core of Saturn appears to consist of a ‘soup’ of rocks, ice and metallic fluids that sloshes around and affects the planet’s gravity. Scientists used data from NASA’s Cassini mission, which orbited Saturn and its moons between 2004 and 2017. In 2013, data from the mission revealed that Saturn’s innermost ring, the D Ring, ripples…

LAUNCH PAD YOUR FIRST CONTACT WITH THE UNIVERSE HOW BIG IS A BLACK HOLE? HOW MESSILY IT ‘EATS’ MAY BE A CLUE Words by Meghan Bartels © NASA Scientists have long noticed flickering patterns in the brightness of accretion discs, rings of matter pulled in by black holes’ gravity. But researchers weren’t sure what caused the flickering. But by studying dozens of known supermassive black holes, a team of astrophysicists has determined that the flickering of an accretion disc relates to the mass of the black hole swathed inside it – and the scientists believe that the same technique also applies to much smaller objects as well. “These results suggest that the processes driving the flickering during accretion are universal, whether the central object is a supermassive black hole or…

USER MANUAL James Webb Space Telescope © NASA Ever since NASA launched the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 2 spacecraft in December 1968, the scientific world has gazed out into the depths of the universe through many a generation of space telescope. For decades, two observatories have provided the most prolific and in-depth imagery of space: the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has become an integral part of NASA’s – and, by extension, the wider scientific community’s – understanding of the cosmos, and in conjunction with the infrared capabilities of Spitzer, launched in 2003, our views of the starladen skies around us have changed forever. But like any great pioneer or innovator, the older telescopes must eventually step aside to make way for…

HOW TO… Take photos from the L2 Lagrange point 1 Building up energy After around 30 days of travel, the JWST will need to build up enough energy to break into the gravitational pocket created between Earth and the Sun. To do this it will perform a small loop – this will create a slingshot that will launch the rocket into orbit at the L2 point. 2 Staying in place Now that it’s breached the gravitational pocket of the L2 point, the JWST has to keep itself in place so that it can commence searching for the first light of the universe. 3 Maintaining direction The back of the craft must always be facing the Sun to protect the sensitive instruments and mirrors at the front. This positioning is also…

Stephen Hawking THE THEORIES OF STEPHEN HAWKING Some of the late physicist’s theories revolutionised the way we view the universe, but others still leave scientists scratching their heads Reported by Andrew May Stephen Hawking was one of the greatest theoretical physicists of the modern age. Otherwise known for his appearances in popular media and his lifelong battle against a debilitating illness, his true impact on posterity comes from his brilliant five-decade career in science. Beginning with his doctoral thesis in 1966, his groundbreaking work continued nonstop right up until his final paper in 2018, completed just days before his death at the age of 76. Hawking worked at the intellectual cutting edge of physics, and his theories often seemed bizarrely far out at the time he formulated them. Yet they’re…

SN 1054 WHAT LIT UP THE SKY IN 1054? The Crab Nebula was formed by a supernova, and astronomers now think they know which type caused it Reported by David Crookes MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE © Tobias Roetsch In 1054 CE, Chinese astronomers looked towards the sky and discovered a star which had suddenly appeared in a position 6,500 light years away where no star had previously been observed. They watched as it shone six times more brightly than Venus in the constellation of Taurus for 23 days from 4 July, and their observations were backed by astronomers in Japan and the Arab world. Reported as a ‘guest star’ by the chief of the astronomical bureau at K’ai-feng, it remained visible until 17 April 1056. It would then be another…

Planets STARGAZER THIS MONTH’S PLANETS Jupiter and Saturn are a dazzling duo from September through to October PLANET OF THE MONTH JUPITER Constellation: Capricornus Magnitude:-2.8 AM/PM: PM Jupiter will be visible all through the night, a lovely sight to the naked eye, through binoculars or in the eyepiece of a telescope. Finding it will be easy: as the western sky begins to darken, turn your back on the deepening twilight so you are facing the southeast and you’ll see a blue-white ‘star’ glinting above the horizon. That’s Jupiter, and as the sky darkens the planet will become brighter and more obvious until it’s impossible to miss. Jupiter will be very obvious, looking like a bright ‘star’ to the left of fainter, more yellowhued Saturn. At the start of our observing…