Oversættelsen af ESOs pressemeddelelser laves af ESOs Science Outreach Network, der udgøres af formidlings specialister og videnskabelige formidlere i alle ESOs medlemslande. Den danske afdeling af dette netværk har hjemme på Tycho Brahe Planetarium.
Pressemeddelelse
Spiral skønhed prydes af falmende supernova
20. marts 2013
Omkring 35 millioner lysår fra Jorden i stjernebilledet Eridanus (Floden), ligger spiralgalaksen NGC 1637. Tilbage i 1999, blev det fredfyldte udseende af denne galakse knust, af fremkomsten af en klar supernova. Astronomer der studerer eftergløden af denne eksplosion med ESOs Very Large Telescope på Paranal-observatoriet i Chile, har frembragt nogle fantastiske billeder af denne relativt nærliggende galakse.
Supernovaer er iblandt de mest voldelige hændelser i naturen. De markerer de blændende dødsfald af stjerner, og kan overstråle det samlede lys fra milliarder af stjerner i deres hjemgalakser.
I 1999 rapporterede Lick observatoriet i Californien fundet af en ny supernova i spiralgalaksen NGC 1637. Den blev fundet ved at bruge et teleskop, der blev specielt bygget til at lede efter disse sjældne, men vigtige kosmiske objekter [1]. Opfølgene observationer blev ønsket, så opdagelsen kunne bekræftes og studeret yderligere. Denne supernova blev vidt observeret og fik navnet SN 1999em. Efter sin spektakulære eksplosion i 1999, blev supernovaens lysstyrke fulgt nøje af forskere, og viste en relativ mildt aftagning i gennem årene.
Stjernen der blev til SN 1999em var meget tung – mere end otte gange Solens masse – før den døde. I slutningen af dens liv, kollapsede den kerne, der da skabte den kataklysmiske eksplosion [2].
Da de lavede de opfølgende observationer af SN 1999em tog astronomerne mange billeder af dette objekt med VLT, hvilke de kombinerede for at give os et klart billede af dens hjemgalakse, NGC 1637. Spiralstrukturen ses i dette billede som et meget tydeligt mønster af blålige spor af unge stjerner, glødende gas og tilslørende støvbaner.
Selvom NGC 1637 ved første øjesyn, fremstår som værende et rimeligt symmetrisk objekt, har det nogle interessante egenskaber. Den er vad astronomerne kalder for en skæv spiralgalakse: den relativt løst viklet spiralarm, øverst til venstre for kernen strejker sig meget længere rundt, end den mere kompakte korte arm nederst til højre, der ser ud som om den er skåret over på midten af dens rute.
Resten af billedet er fyldt med stjerner der ligger tæt på, og mere fjerne galakser der tilfældigvis ligger i samme retning.
Noter
[1] Supernovaen blev opdaget af Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope, på Lick-observatoriet på Mount Hamilton, Californien.
[2] SN1999em er en kerne-kollapset supernova, der klassificeres mere præcist som en Type IIp. ”p” står for plateau, der betyder af supernovaen forbliver klar (på et plateau) i en relativ lang tidsperiode efter den maksimale klarhed.
Mere information
ESO er den mest fremtrædende internationale astronomi-organisation i Europa og verdens mest produktive astronomiske observatorium. ESO har i dag følgende 15 medlemslande: Belgien, Brasilien, Danmark, Finland, Frankrig, Holland, Italien, Portugal, Schweiz og Storbritannien, Spanien, Sverige, Tjekkiet, Tyskland og Østrig. ESOs aktiviteter er fokuseret på design, konstruktion og drift af jordbaserede observationsfaciliteter for at muliggøre vigtige videnskabelige opdagelser inden for astronomi. ESO spiller også en ledende rolle for at fremme og organisere samarbejdet inden for astronomisk forskning. I Chile driver ESO tre unikke observatorier i verdensklasse: La Silla, Paranal og Chajnantor. På Paranal driver ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT), der er verdens mest avancerede astronomiske observatorium til observationer i synligt lys samt to kortlægningsteleskoper. VISTA arbejder i infrarødt lys og er verdens største kortlægningsteleskop, mens VLT Survey Telescope (VST) er det største teleskop, der udelukkende er bygget til at kortlægge himlen i synligt lys. ESO er den europæiske partner i et revolutionerede astronomisk teleskop kaldet ALMA, det største igangværende astronomiske projekt. ESO planlægger i øjeblikket et 39 meter optisk/nær-infrarødt teleskop kaldet European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), der vil blive ”verdens største øje mod himlen”.
Links
Kontakter
Richard Hook
ESO, La Silla, Paranal, E-ELT & Survey Telescopes Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 3200 6655
Mobil: +49 151 1537 3591
E-mail: rhook@eso.org
Ole J. Knudsen (Pressekontakt Danmark)
ESOs formidlingsnetværk
og Aarhus Space Centre, Aarhus Universitet
Aarhus, Danmark
Tel: +45 8715 5597
E-mail: eson-denmark@eso.org
Om pressemeddelelsen
| Pressemeddelelse nr.: | eso1315da |
| Navn: | NGC 1637, Supernova |
| Type: | Local Universe : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Supernova Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Spiral |
| Facility: | Very Large Telescope |
| Instruments: | FORS1 |
Billeder
Videoer
Our use of Cookies
We use cookies that are essential for accessing our websites and using our services. We also use cookies to analyse, measure and improve our websites’ performance, to enable content sharing via social media and to display media content hosted on third-party platforms.
ESO Cookies Policy
The European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO) is the pre-eminent intergovernmental science and technology organisation in astronomy. It carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities for astronomy.
This Cookies Policy is intended to provide clarity by outlining the cookies used on the ESO public websites, their functions, the options you have for controlling them, and the ways you can contact us for additional details.
What are cookies?
Cookies are small pieces of data stored on your device by websites you visit. They serve various purposes, such as remembering login credentials and preferences and enhance your browsing experience.
Categories of cookies we use
Essential cookies (always active): These cookies are strictly necessary for the proper functioning of our website. Without these cookies, the website cannot operate correctly, and certain services, such as logging in or accessing secure areas, may not be available; because they are essential for the website’s operation, they cannot be disabled.
Functional Cookies: These cookies enhance your browsing experience by enabling additional features and personalization, such as remembering your preferences and settings. While not strictly necessary for the website to function, they improve usability and convenience; these cookies are only placed if you provide your consent.
Analytics cookies: These cookies collect information about how visitors interact with our website, such as which pages are visited most often and how users navigate the site. This data helps us improve website performance, optimize content, and enhance the user experience; these cookies are only placed if you provide your consent. We use the following analytics cookies.
Matomo Cookies:
This website uses Matomo (formerly Piwik), an open source software which enables the statistical analysis of website visits. Matomo uses cookies (text files) which are saved on your computer and which allow us to analyze how you use our website. The website user information generated by the cookies will only be saved on the servers of our IT Department. We use this information to analyze www.eso.org visits and to prepare reports on website activities. These data will not be disclosed to third parties.
On behalf of ESO, Matomo will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.
Matomo cookies settings:
Additional Third-party cookies on ESO websites: some of our pages display content from external providers, e.g. YouTube.
Such third-party services are outside of ESO control and may, at any time, change their terms of service, use of cookies, etc.
YouTube: Some videos on the ESO website are embedded from ESO’s official YouTube channel. We have enabled YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode, meaning that no cookies are set unless the user actively clicks on the video to play it. Additionally, in this mode, YouTube does not store any personally identifiable cookie data for embedded video playbacks. For more details, please refer to YouTube’s embedding videos information page.
Cookies can also be classified based on the following elements.
Regarding the domain, there are:
- First-party cookies, set by the website you are currently visiting. They are stored by the same domain that you are browsing and are used to enhance your experience on that site;
- Third-party cookies, set by a domain other than the one you are currently visiting.
As for their duration, cookies can be:
- Browser-session cookies, which are deleted when the user closes the browser;
- Stored cookies, which stay on the user's device for a predetermined period of time.
How to manage cookies
Cookie settings: You can modify your cookie choices for the ESO webpages at any time by clicking on the link Cookie settings at the bottom of any page.
In your browser: If you wish to delete cookies or instruct your browser to delete or block cookies by default, please visit the help pages of your browser:
Please be aware that if you delete or decline cookies, certain functionalities of our website may be not be available and your browsing experience may be affected.
You can set most browsers to prevent any cookies being placed on your device, but you may then have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit a site/page. And some services and functionalities may not work properly at all (e.g. profile logging-in, shop check out).
Updates to the ESO Cookies Policy
The ESO Cookies Policy may be subject to future updates, which will be made available on this page.
Additional information
For any queries related to cookies, please contact: pdprATesoDOTorg.
As ESO public webpages are managed by our Department of Communication, your questions will be dealt with the support of the said Department.