Saraswathy Cluster by Indian Scientists

Saraswathy Cluster discovered by Indian Astronomers

Indian Astronomers have made a significant discovery by identifying extremely large superstar cluster known as Saraswathy cluster which is located in the direction of Constellation Pisces.

This Supercluster is located about 4 billion light years away from our Earth and consists of nearly 43 large galaxies. Indian astronomers named this super-cluster galaxy as "Saraswathy". Scientists predict that this galaxy may have mass equivalent to 20 million billion Suns.

What is Super-Cluster?

     A supercluster is chain of galaxy and a galaxy approximately consisting of ten thousand galaxies and this saraswathy cluster is about 600 million light years stretched over the universe

Discovery:

     This discovery was made by Indian Astronomers from Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) and two other members of Indian Universities. 

Published Journal:

     This amazing discovery is being published in latest isssue of The Astrophysical Journal, the premier research journal of American Astronomical Society.

About Saraswathy Cluster:

     The long cold and dark matter model predict the evolution of the Universe by assembly of all the small structures of galaxies. Most forms of this model do not predict the existence of large structures such as the Saraswathy Cluster with the current age of the universe. The discovery of this super mass cluster force astronomers to think about the evolution and current stage of the universe starting from Big-bang to current stage.

     The supercluster is clearly embedded in a large network of cosmic filaments traced by clusters and large voids. Previously only some of few clusters have been reported. An example for the previously reported cluster is known as Shapley concentration or Sloan Great wall in the nearby universe. From these Saraswathy is most distant one and far too.This research will help to find answers for the unanswered question about the universe of past, when the mysterious dark energy had just started to dominate structure formation. 

Read More

Libya Montes on Mars

Libya Montes on Mars Image Credit: ESA

The colour coded image of highland terrain Lybia Montes on Mars. The coloured image shows various depths and heights of the terrain. Image was taken by ESA's Mars Express (orbiter around Mars) on 21 February 2017.

Colour Code Indicating various heights..

• Red - highest terrain
• Blue - lowest terrain
• Purple - lowest terrain

Libya Montes Image by NASA

About Libya Montes:

      Libya Montes is a highland terrain on Mars which uplifted by a giant Isidis imapact, this spot was once chosen for the landing site of Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander in 1999. This site has oldest rocks on Mars ever and it can provide lots of information about early life and early condition of Mars.After the Isidis impact, it formed by various processes like wind action, surface run-off, fluvial deposits.

Image Details:

Title                            :  Libya Montes Topography

Released date           : 13/07/2017 at 11:00 am

Image ID                     : 380974

Copyright                   : ESA/DLR/Berlin

Image Credit              : European Space Agency
Second Image credit : NASA

Read More

Space Cloud W51

Space Cloud W51

      Chandra X-Ray Space Observatory has spotted a space gas molecular cloud which was named as W51 cloud and it is very closest to our earth. It is something about 17,000 light years far away from us. Its image provides excellent opportunity to study the forming of stars in our Milkyway Galaxy.

Image shows high energy stellar output. The above image is captured after a exposure about 20 hours using chandra x-ray. Similarly Spitzer space telescope also took infrared image of this cloud.The cloud was mostly surrounded by cool materials and vast gas molecules of hydrogen and helium, it may have more gases which stretched over the space.This image cloud consists of million of new stars.

Read More

Juno Flyby near Red Spot of Jupiter

Great Red Spot of Jupiter. Image taken by Cassini Spacecraft 

National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Juno Spacecraft flied over Jupiter's great Red Spot on 10 July 2017. The above image was taken with Cassini's Narrow Wide Angle Camera on 29 December 2000. Red spot of Jupiter is one of the interesting feature of planet Jupiter to observe.

Robert Hooke and Giovanni Cassini in 17th century discovered the red spot of Jupiter and they suggested that the spot had been existing since four centuries and have persisted for a long period.Scientists suggest that the red spot has been shrinking. In 1979 Voyager spacecraft measured the diameter of red spot was 25000 km, but the modern Hubble Space Telescope image reveals that the red spot is shrunken to 15000 km. The red spot is very cold but have warm cyclone. The cyclone is almost equals to hurricane in our Earth` The reason for the redness of spot is still a mystery. Cyclones mostly consist of inert gases like Hydrogen and Helium. We can find many lightning storms like auroras in the poles.

For More information on Juno is available at https://www.nasa.gov/juno or https://www.missionjuno.org/

Read More

Hubble Hidden Galaxy

Hidden Galaxy Image captured by Hubble Space Telescope

     IC 342 Cluster is a hidden galaxy because it is difficult to see and image. This star cluster or galaxy is located near the equator of our Milkyway galaxy. This cluster has bright glowing gases, brightest stars and dust around it.The galaxy was very much active which wass indicated by colours of stars. Blue colour of stars shows the birth of new stars,red coloured stars shows the hotter stars and some darker regions. In the above image it looks like the brightest galaxy is covered with dark blanket around galaxy. Hubble Astronomers confirmed this core to has specific central region known as Hll nucleus. It mostly consists of ionized hydrogen which is likely to be creating many new stars.

Read More

Hubble Spotted Clumps of New Stars

Clumps of New Star | Image Credit : NASA Hubble Space Telescope

     This image reveals the formation of new stars in galaxy which are spinning each other at a distance of 200 to 300 light year away from Earth. Hubble Space Telescope team were trying to understand the formation of universe with its galaxies and planets. The study of Evolution of universe is a mystery, but still scientists ding their best to understand since decades. Hubble images make the galaxy to shrink to a small size due to its far distance. Shrinking of images hide much details about sky objects. The above image is filtered with modern technologies to achieve image at a greater resolution and this image is 10 times better image than hubble can't achieve itself.

Gravitational lens are very much useful in this case or anything like this. Scientists predict that this galaxy had formed 2.7 billion years after the big bang. Other telescopes will image the red stars like James Webb space telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, Kepler Space Telescope and some ground based observatories. Ground based observatories do not have imaging capability at such a distance defeating the bad weather.

The image of this clumps of new stars was taken and processed with several technologies and the distortion of gravitational lens was removed with programming codes.

Read More

India's GSAT-17 Successfully Launched

GSAT-17 Indian Communication Satellite

GeoStationary Satellite GSAT-17 India's communication satellite successfully launched on 29 June 2017 from Kourou, French Guiana Space Center by Ariane - V238 Rocket. It weighted 3477 kilogram on lift-off and have some payloads,

Special Instruments:

• C- Band
• Extended C - Band
• S - Band
• Meteorological Data Relay

Meteorological data relay for weather and rescue purposes during natural disasters. After successful injection into Geostationary Transfer Orbit, GSAT-17 was fully controlled by Mastet Control Facility at Hassan. This sat will be maneuvered for its position from this center. GSAT-17 was expected to be active for next 15 years ( lifespan).

References:-

• Insat/ Gsat Brochure
• Gsat-17 official webpage

Read More

New Horizons to a New Flyby to MU69 Object

 NASA's New Horizon targets to a next flyby on 1 January 2019 beyond dwarf planet Pluto. It will reach Kupier Belt after successful flyby around Pluto.Horizons aimed to perform flyby around most smallest object in the Kupier Belt which was called MU69. Ground based occultation estimated that the diameter of MU69 will be 20 to 40 kilometer after the discovery of Kupier Belt Objects in 2014.

MU69 occultation will occur on July 10 and 17 July. On 10 July 2017, Nasa's Airborne Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy SOFIA will use its 100 inch powerful telescope to probe the space debris around MU69 object in the Kupier Belt.

On 17 July 2017, Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope will check for the debris around the object MU69 in the same kupier belt. And other than this ground based small fencing telescopes will also check for the debris.

References:

• 10 July 2017 Occultation.
• 17 July 2017 Occultation.
• MU69 Occultation.

Read More

Successful test of Scramjet Engine

Scramjet - Air Breathing Propulsion System. Indian Space Research Organisation successfully tested its experimental launch of air breathing ticket "Scramjet Engine" on 28th August 2016 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikotta. The fight duration was 300 seconds, after its flight it reached Bay of Bengal nearly 320 km from Sriharikotta. It was successfully tracked and recovered during its first flight. Air Breathing Propulsion, holding flame at supersonic speed, ignition of engines, air injection mechanism and fuel intake process was successfully demonstrated by scientists of ISRO.

This engine was designed in such a way, so that it uses Hydrogen as fuel and atmospheric oxygen as oxidizer. This engine get design from ISRO Advanced  Technology Vehicle. This is a short duration experimental launch of Scramjet on March 6. It weighted 3277 kilogram while lift-off.

Tags: SLV, ASLV, PSLV, GSLV, GSLV MARK-II, GSLV-MARK-III

Read More

Viking-2-Orbiter

Viking-2 Orbiter (One of the mission of Viking Program)

    Viking-2 Orbiter is a part of Viking Program and similar to Viking-1-Program  sent to Mars.This mission consist of a Orbiter and a Lander. It was the second landing on the surface of Mars.Viking-2 was launched on 9 September 1975 carried by Titan IIIE Rocket with a launch mass of 1455 kilogram.

MISSION OVERVIEW:

     Viking-2 Orbiter started to beam images of Mars after the successful orbital insertion on 7 August 1976. The lander separated from the orbiter on 3 September 1976 and landed at Utopia Planitia.

RESULTS OF VIKING-2 MISSION:

ORBITER:

• It created an idea for Huge water on Mars
• River Valleys were found in many areas on the surface of Mars
• It discovered flow of water in carved deep valleys, eroded grooves, cracks of bed-rock
• It found Ravi Vallis which formed from catastropic floods came from ground.

LANDER:

• After analysing soil it found the presence of magnesium, aluminium, sulphur, calcium, titanium, strontium and yttrium.
• These minerals were the products of Igneous rocks 
• VIKING-2 BIOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT: It consist of instruments like
• Pyrolytic Release Experiment
• Labeled Release Experiment
• Gas Exchange Experiment
• Gas Chromatograph 
• Mass Spectrometer

• Scientists found that Viking Program gave positive results to the search of life, but still it is not confirmed

Read More

Hubble Space Telescope

Hubble Space Telescope to Observe night sky objects from the Space

     Hubble Space Telescope is a American (National Aeronautics Space Administration) space telescope launched into space to observe night sky objects which are invisible from our Earth telescopes. The most largest and versatile among all telescopes is Hubble Space Telescope. Nowadays Hubble plays a major role and a powerful scientific tool for Astronomers in the field of Research and discoveries. Since its launch from 1990 it had made millions of discoveries like Galaxies, Stars, Dual Stars, Gas Nebulae, Exoplanets, Comets, Star clusters, Supernovas, Active Black Holes producing a good quality and high resolution images on computer screen. It helps astronomers to understand the phenomenon and evolution of universe easily.

TELESCOPE IN SPACE:

     On 24th April 1990 NASA's Hubble Space Telescope was parked into Low Earth orbit, which was carried by Space Shuttle Discovery from Kennedy Space Center of Florida. It took Eight years to construct and complete the Hubble project starting from 1977 to 1985. Hubble was named in the honour of a famous Astronomer Edwin Hubble.

PROPERTIES OF TELESCOPE:

     The telescope basically consist of a mirror reflector of 2.4 meter and imaging instrument which will give astronomers a clear and magnificent view of Universe with greater resolution in the presence of visible, infrared and ultraviolet light. It orbits Earth at a distance of 568 kilometers from Earth.The total cost to complete the Hubble project was $1.5 billion dollars. It has mind-blowing feature to image (Deep Field Image) the sky objects to a distance of 13 billion light years away from our Earth which is impossible to imagine and image through ground based telescopes. 

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE'S INTERESTING FACTS:

•  Hubble Astronomers have published nearly 14,000 scientific papers after 1.3 million observations since its year of launch1990.
• Hubble uses Spinning wheels to change its position by applying Newton's Thrid Law instead of using thrusters
• Hubble has an accuracy point of 0.007 arc seconds and can see objects with an angular size of 0.05 arc seconds.
• It can image and locate objects to a far of more than 13.4 billion light years away from our Earth.
• It had archived more than 140 Terabytes of data by generating 10 Terabytes of New data per year.

 TECHNICAL DETAILS:

• Hubble Telescope has 1.25 MHz DF-224 Processor CPU, it intel based 80486 processor.
• It has Multiple Access Transponder components MAT-1 and MAT-2
• The wide-field camera uses RCA 1802 microprocessor.

INITIAL INSTRUMENTS:

• Planetary Camera
• Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph
• High Speed Photometer
• Faint Object Camera
• Faint Object Spectrograph

HUBBLE INSTRUMENTS:

• Advanced Camera for Surveys
• Cosmic Origins Spectrograph
• Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement
• Faint Object Camera
• Faint Object Spectrograph
• Fine Guidance Sensor
• Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph
• High Speed Photometer
• Near Infrared Camera
• Multiple-Object Spectrometer
• Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph
• Wide Field and Planetary Camera
• Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2
• Wide Field Camera 3

SERVICING MISSIONS:

• Servicing Mission-1 - STS-61 December 1993
• Seven Astronaut in Endeavour replaced High Speed Photometer with COSTAR
• Wide Field Planetary Camera was replaced with Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2
• Solar arrays and electronic components was replaced
• Four Gyroscopes was also replaced and the onboard computers were upgraded to coprocessors  

•  Servicing Mission-2 - STS-82 February 1997
• STIS and NICMOS was replaced and a New Solid State Recorder was mounted

• Servicing Mission-3A - STS-103 December 1999
• Four new gyroscopes were replaced with Fine Guidance Sensor and new computer systems were upgraded with more memory.
• Voltage/Temperature Improvement Kit was replaced with Thermal Insulation Blankets.

• Servicing Mission-3B - STS-109 March 2002
• Fine Guidance Sensors was replaced by the Advanced Camera for Surveys
• Solar panels was replaced for the second time for more power

• Servicing Mission-4 - STS-125 May 2009
•  New Nickel-Hydrogen Battery was installed and also Wide Field Camera 3 and Cosmic Origins Spectrograph

DISCOVERIES:

Eagle Nebulae Image Captured in 2014

Hubble Studies New Frontier's Program

Pismis 24 Star Cluster

Carina Nebulae

 

Hubble Detecting Early Universe with Various Space Telescope and Ground based telescope

FURTHER REFERENCES:

• Hubble Essentials
• Nuts and Bolts
• Hubble Highlights
• Hubble Wesite 

Read More