Discoveries using the telescopes on Mauna Kea

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Beautiful!  
Shows what we can accomplish when we work together, linking observatories and scientists without boundaries across the planet.

[TomK]

Here's a remarkable image taken by Subaru on Mauna Kea of Jupiter's rings. We've known it has rings for decades, they are just much less spectacular than Saturn's. The combination of filters used in creating the image shows that the composition of the rings are different and doesn't have water ice, unlike Saturn's rings. I'll have to read up on why that is, but Jupiter is likely massive enough to create its own heat plus its own radiation which prevents the formation of water ice in its ring.

[TomK]

"Astronomers Image Lowest-mass Exoplanet Around a Sun-like Star"

This is another discovery from Subaru on MK. In this case, the lowest-mass exoplanet around a star similar to our sun was discovered using imaging techniques. Now, we have discovered much smaller exoplanets, some are rocky planets the size of the Earth, but they orbit much lower mass stars which are much fainter and are easier to detect, if not easy. Even though in this case the exoplanet is quite large, i.e., several times more massive than Jupiter, it's further indication that planets exist around all types of stars.

https://science.nasa.gov/resource/astron...like-star/

"GJ 504b is about four times more massive than Jupiter and has an effective temperature of about 460 degrees Fahrenheit (237 Celsius). It orbits the G0-type star GJ 504, which is slightly hotter than the sun and is faintly visible to the unaided eye in the constellation Virgo. The star lies 57 light-years away and the team estimates the system is about 160 million years old, based on methods that link the star's color and rotation period to its age."

['elepaio]

Google space view with largest map pin ebar ...

[TomK]

Two supermassive black holes are in a standoff

Using archived data from the Gemini North Telescope on Mauna Kea, astronomers have managed to estimate the mass and distances between two supermassive black holes that were once the center of two galaxies that collided. They now orbit each other about 24 light years apart and between them, the system's mass is about 28 billion solar masses. For some reason, the two black holes are not merging, rather, they are in a standoff right now which is a puzzle to theorists. However, the current idea is that the orbital energy that would be lost as they orbit each other is due to gravitational interactions with nearby stars, but these have now all been cleared out of the system so there are no longer any energy losses.

More info here: https://www.gemini.edu/pr/astronomers-me...ever-found

"The merging of two supermassive black holes is a phenomenon that has long been predicted, though never directly observed. One theory put forth by astronomers is that these systems are so massive that they deplete their host galaxy of the stellar material needed to drive their merger. Using archival data from the Gemini North telescope, a team of astronomers have found a binary black hole that provides strong evidence supporting this idea. The team estimates the binary’s mass to be a whopping 28 billion times that of the Sun, qualifying the pair as the heaviest black hole binary ever measured. Not only does this measurement give valuable context to the formation of the binary system and the history of its host galaxy, but it supports the long-standing theory that the mass of a supermassive black hole binary plays a key role in stalling supermassive black hole mergers."

[HiloJulie]

Hey Tom!

What do you think about this:

https://bigislandnow.com/2024/05/07/hawa...-maunakea/

It’s refreshing to see some of Hawaii’s native youth can go beyond the ignorance!

[TomK]

We already know many native Hawaiians have studied and worked at the observatories and many still do. Countless students from Hawaii have used that opportunity to travel the world taking on other roles and careers that would not have been available to them otherwise. Hawaiian names have been given to astronomical objects over the years, so it's great to see those studying the Hawaiian language are also involved and included. It demonstrates the potential talent pool available in Hawaii if only the old curmudgeons let them learn about the world and our universe.

['elepaio]

i was thinking u let A.I. post for you tom until that last bit. So who ARE those curmudgeon exactly. I know, they may not like a peer:peer review, but support that next gen bro.

Lets hope next gen thinks more practical than grasping for x year old / first time ever bla blas .. In lieu of, let them perfect that spinner thing and fling our waste to space(t) .. Make the rockets FROM those useless turbine blades. Oh and ride bikes too.

Indeed escape from the ignorant.

[TomK]

i was thinking u let A.I. post for you tom

The fact that you even think I require AI to write something coherent says a lot about you. The island has so many bright kids that given the right encouragement have gone on to do great things, many of them mentored by the observatories. Many have stayed here, and lots of them have remained at the observatories as they are involved in cutting-edge discoveries. Others have made their fortunes elsewhere in the world. Perhaps some of them are involved in developing AI and have left people like you behind because they know when it comes to you AI means nothing other than A.

What's your role? Posting online gibberish? Your parents must be proud.

['elepaio]

A(i) / we / them / many +++ attack the messenger ..Not the question .. Whose the " curmudgeon " you speak tom ? And how exactly they holding anyone back ?

For once bro, grow some balls and not hide ..You made a statement against curmudgeon ...So who are they ? Maybe your bosses ?

Actual, real time edit .. not to change anything but to add on. >> @Tom,,, Since it seems you cannot reply to multiple ... I'll wait for your triggered reply and curmudgeon first. end