Wisley’s Astronomy Briefing
Chapter 6
Universe Q&A 2
More answers to the most relevant, debatable, and interesting questions in astronomy.
What are gravitational waves?
Gravitational waves don’t act like normal waves like that you see on the beach, that is because they are ripples (or curvatures) in space-time that are caused by the extreme acceleration of massive objects. In this context, the massive objects we are referring to are not planets or stars the size of the sun, gravitational waves are usually generated with two black holes or neutron stars orbiting each other at increasing rates, or they could be generated in supernova explosions. The first gravitational wave was detected in 2015. And scientists have discovered more since.
How did scientists capture the images of a black hole?
In May 2022, scientists announced they have successfully photographed the image of Sagittarius A (one on the right), the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy, that news comes just three years after the photo of a black hole in the galaxy M87. The photos were created by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), scientists connected eight radio telescopes from countries like the USA, Chile, Spain, Mexico, and even one in Antarctica, essentially forming an Earth-sized telescope. Although we cannot directly observe a black hole, we can visualize it with the glowing gas orbiting it, creating a shadow region that indicates the existence of a black hole.
Why does Io have so many active volcanoes?
A forever tug of war, Jupiter’s moon Io is being pulled by the gravitational attraction of both its host planet and other moons like Europa and Ganymede. This constant pulling and squeezing generate friction deep within the planet, and when these pressures get too high, the heat is released in the form of magma from inside the planet to its surface.
What do astronauts do if one of their crew members is sick with an infectious disease?
Rarely do astronauts get sick in space, but there were previous cases. Notably, the Apollo 7 mission oversaw the whole crew getting infected with the common cold after Cmdr. Wally Schirra was first infected with a mild cold then it spread to the rest of the crew. Scientists have discovered it might be easier for viruses to be spread in astronaut quarters, but more research needs to be done on how astronauts’ bodies react and how space affects viruses or bacteria that make people sick in general. But if someone does get sick in space, due to the limitations in living areas, a quarantine like what we are doing here on Earth probably won’t work. Astronauts that get sick would be isolated in their sleep quarters and wear a mask for containment.
Bibliography:
Opmerkingen