Discoveries using the telescopes on Mauna Kea

[TomK]

Really interesting study using the Keck on Mauna Kea and the VLT in Chile. For those wondering why the TMT needs to be in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope you understand thes reason discussed in this article.

“Quirk in the Cosmos?” –‘Alpha Factor’ has Profound Implications for Physics and Life

https://dailygalaxy.com/2020/02/a-quirk-...d-feature/

"“My colleagues and I have looked out into the universe all over the sky, probing physics in 300 different places,” Webb added. “We’ve found the strength of electromagnetism changes gradually from one “side” of the universe to another – a slow spatial gradient in physics. If the laws of physics gradually change from one region of the universe to another, it may simply be that we happen to reside in that part of the universe where the local “by-laws” are perfect for life as we know it.”

“Elsewhere,” Webb observes, “that may not be the case and the universe may be radically different, with a different periodic table, different chemistry, and biology, or even no biology at all."

My gut feeling is there is something else going on or the results have been misinterpreted. Having the laws of physics change depending on where you are in the universe just feels wrong but of course, that's no reason to think that might not be the case. If it turns out to be the case then it's a game-changer but this really needs more testing.

In any case, it's a fascinating study with a potentially new outlook on physics, our universe and our place in it.

[TomK]

This is an interesting and informative article about the use of interferometry in astronomy, especially for the layperson, and ends with the decade long work needed to create the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). This was the "telescope" that gave us our very first view of a black hole, Powehi, and the JCMT and SMA on Mauna Kea were the most important link in the chain of telescopes used. Without them the image would have been impossible.

https://phys.org/news/2020-02-interferom...onomy.html

"In 2009, radio observatories across the world agreed to work together on an ambitious project. They used interferometry to combine their telescopes to create a virtual telescope as large as a planet. It is known as the Event Horizon Telescope, and in 2019, it gave us our first image of a black hole."

[TomK]

Earth's new mini-moon

A small object is currently orbiting the Earth and astronomers are call it a "mini-moon". However, its orbit suggests it will soon leave Earth orbit and be ejected into the solar system.

The Gemini telescope on Mauna Kea recently had a chance to observe the small object as reported here:

https://www.nationalastro.org/news/gemin...-in-color/

"Astronomers using the international Gemini Observatory, on Hawaii’s Maunakea, have imaged a very small object in orbit around the Earth, thought to be only a few meters across. According to Grigori Fedorets, the lead astronomer for the observations, the object could be a rare natural rocky object, or it could be something humans put into space decades ago — essentially space debris. “Either way this is a very compelling object and needs more data to determine what it is,” said Fedorets."

Unfortunately, UKIRT is currently in wide-field mode and there isn't much we can add to the research. If we'd been in our other mode, Cassegrain, then we would have been observing this with Michelle, a 10-25 micron imaging spectrometer which we have used in the past to observe and characterize orbital debris (among other things). One thing we probably would have been able to determine quickly is whether the object was a small asteroid or orbital debris based on how it warmed and cooled as it orbited the Earth. However, hopefully other telescopes will eventually be able to get the relevant data and astronomers will be able to figure out what it is.

[PaulW]

Thanks for keeping us updated, TomK. Nice to hear other news.

[Chas]

"...If we'd been in our other mode..."

What does it take to switch modes? How many modes are there?

Also, I'm assuming that observation time is booked ahead. If something interesting "comes up" (or should I say, "comes by"?), can you bump people off to observe it?

Thanks

[lisa]

A mini moon! How amazing is that!?! Will we get a close up somehow before it's ejected?

[TomK]

Chas - UKIRT has two modes of observing - wide-field and Cassegrain. Wide-field means we use only one instrument, WFCAM, which sits on top of the primary mirror. This blocks the light path to the Cassegrain instruments so we can't use them in this mode. Also, the secondary mirror is different so that would have to be changed as well.

To change between modes takes about four to five days as WFCAM has to be removed from the telescope and the secondary mirror replaced, then we have to calibrate the instruments. This involves expensive heavy engineering for three days and then a couple of nights calibrating the instruments. So we plan these changes well ahead of time when we know there is a demand for Cassegrain time. It's not something we can arrange to do at short notice.

As for "bumping people off", yes we do that regularly, although we don't actually tell observers to leave because we don't normally have observers here. We carry out their programs ourselves and observe them when conditions and their scientific priorities allow, i.e., we give a preference to the higher priority projects if the weather conditions allow them to be observed. We have a few projects that are already set up to observe transient sources, i.e., gravitational wave events, gamma ray bursts, supernovae, comets and asteroids etc. If they get triggered then we "override the queue" and immediately observe those targets ahead of anything else. However, in general, the projects that are overridden tend not to lose any time, we'll either observe them later that night or in the next few nights.

The system works very well. We end up being able to observe things that occur out of the blue while also making sure we get the best science projects completed.

Lisa - I doubt we'll get a close-up view, the thing is about the size of a car, so is very small. I do think we'll figure out what it is though, either the body of an old rocket or an actual asteroid.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Grad student Michelle Kunimoto has discovered 17 exoplanets, and 4 more previously as an undergrad. One of them may be habitable:

"I took images of the stars as if from space, using adaptive optics*," she said. "I was able to tell if there was a star nearby that could have affected Kepler's measurements, such as being the cause of the dip itself."
They made observations using the Gemini North 8-meter Telescope in Hawaii and its Near InfraRed Imager and Spectrometer instruments, allowing for a sharp, detailed look to follow up on their findings in the data.
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/28/world/ast...index.html

Stay in school kids.
Explore strange new worlds.

* adaptive optics, not always a military application

[Chas]

Thank you Tom. Interesting.

I figured it was "a process". Didn't realize it was THAT involved.

[TomK]

No problem, Chas. Note I was only talking about how UKIRT works. Not all the MK telescopes have the same procedures, we all have different ways of doing things.