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Nasa’s 31-year-old Hubble Space Telescope has made another incredible discovery — it has found a “lopsided” spiral galaxy that has been deformed by the gravitational tug of another nearby galaxy. NASA has shared the stunning image of the galaxy called “NGC 2276”, which is located in the constellation Cepheus, about 120 million light-years away from the Earth. In the image, dust of blue stars surrounds the yellowish core just like the scene from the Avengers: Age Of Ultron movie when the AI Ultron attacks and tries to swallow another AI Jarvis developed by Tony Stark, aka Iron Man.

NASA said the spiral galaxy looks a bit lopsided because of the “galactic game of tug-of-war”. “A neighbouring galaxy is gravitationally tugging on its disk of blue stars, pulling the stars on one side of the galaxy outward,” NASA captioned the post on Instagram.

In a statement on its website, NASA said that a bright hub of older yellowish stars normally lies directly in the centre of most spiral galaxies, and added ”but the bulge in NGC 2276 looks offset to the upper left”.

“In reality, a neighbouring galaxy to the right of NGC 2276 (NGC 2300, not seen in the image) is gravitationally tugging on its disk of blue stars, pulling the stars on one side of the galaxy outward to distort the galaxy’s normal fried-egg appearance,” said NASA. This gravitational pull between galaxies that pass close enough is not uncommon in the universe, but all such close encounters look differently.

Commenting on the image on Instagram, a user, Ilaibaah, wrote, “That’s the most gigantic tug of war I’ve seen.”

“Is that other galaxy the main cause of those blue stars,” asked a person with the username Geejay1976.

Another user, Astro.nor, said that the colour of a star was due to its temperature. “Blue stars are hotter, red stars are cooler (but still very, very hot),” the user added.

Spiral galaxy

A spiral galaxy is a twisted collection of hot young stars and gas. Most of the galaxies that scientists have discovered, roughly 72 per cent of all the galaxies, are spiral, as opposed to elliptical and irregular galaxies. Our Milky Way is an example of a spiral galaxy.

Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. To celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope in April this year, NASA had released a celebratory image of one of the brightest stars in our galaxy, named AG Carinae, located approximately 20,000 light-years away.

Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has made more than 1.4 million observations as it has an “unobstructed view” of the universe, according to NASA.

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India’s Landmark Deal with Publishers Secures Free Access to 13,000 Journals

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December 3, 2024

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India’s Landmark Deal with Publishers Secures Free Access to 13,000 Journals

Indian scholars and students will gain unprecedented access to nearly 13,000 scientific journals under a monumental agreement announced by the Indian government. Starting January 1, 2025, the One Nation One Subscription scheme will provide an estimated 18 million students, faculty and researchers with free access to leading paywalled journals through a unified platform. According to official reports, this initiative is set to transform access to academic resources across India’s 6300 government-funded institutions.

Largest Global Subscription Deal Finalised

Reports indicate that the three-year deal, negotiated with 30 major publishers such as Elsevier, Springer Nature, Wiley and others, will cost India approximately $715 million. This amount surpasses the $200 million that government-funded institutions spent annually on subscriptions as of 2018, as noted by Devika Madalli, Director of the Information and Library Network Centre. However, Madalli stated in Science that the agreement encompasses more journals and benefits more readers, making it cost-effective.

Benefits for Underfunded Institutions Highlighted

In an interview with Science, Aniket Sule of the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education expressed optimism about the plan, highlighting its impact on underfunded institutions. He explained that universities and colleges lacking resources for diverse journal subscriptions would now have access to a broader range of academic materials. Institutions with specialised subscriptions could expand their reach beyond discipline-specific resources, he added.

Concerns over Costs and Open Access Strategies

Criticism of the deal has been noted from advocates of alternative publishing models, as per sources. Sridhar Gutam, a scientist at ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research and founder of Open Access India, expressed concerns in Science about the high costs, suggesting the money could be better allocated to research infrastructure. Gutam also emphasised the need to adopt the diamond open-access model, which eliminates fees for authors and readers.

Inclusion of Open Access Fees Under Review

According to reports, part of the agreement will cover article processing charges (APCs), allowing authors to publish open-access articles free of cost. Rahul Siddharthan from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences pointed out in Science that APCs, averaging $2000 per article globally, are prohibitive for many Indian scholars.

This deal has been viewed as a step towards bridging gaps in academic access, though calls for long-term systemic reforms in scientific publishing continue to emerge.

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T Coronae Borealis’ Nova Outburst May Happen Soon, Experts Suggest

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December 3, 2024

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T Coronae Borealis' Nova Outburst May Happen Soon, Experts Suggest

Astronomers continue to monitor the Corona Borealis constellation for a rare celestial event — the expected eruption of T Coronae Borealis (T CrB), as per sources. This binary star system, home to a white dwarf and a red giant, is predicted to produce a nova, briefly illuminating the night sky with a brightness comparable to Polaris, the North Star. While initial predictions placed the event as imminent by September 2023, observations suggest the outburst could occur later than anticipated.

A History of Eruptions

According to a report by Space.com, T CrB has a history of dramatic eruptions, with confirmed events in May 1866 and February 1946. These outbursts occur when the white dwarf accumulates sufficient material from the red giant, triggering a nuclear explosion. Previous eruptions have followed an 80-year cycle, suggesting the next event might occur by 2026. However, brightness changes observed in 2015 and dimming patterns similar to those preceding the 1946 eruption have led to revised estimates, prompting predictions for 2023 or 2024.

Monitoring the System

As per the report, data is being gathered using an array of space and ground-based telescopes, including NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the Very Large Array in New Mexico. Elizabeth Hays, an astrophysicist monitoring T CrB with Fermi, indicated to Space.com that while signs point to an impending eruption, pinpointing the exact timeline remains elusive.

Edward Sion, professor of astronomy at Villanova University, highlighted the complexities of the accretion process. He told the publication that the challenges posed by fluctuating rates of material transfer between the stars, which add uncertainty to the prediction.

The Wait Continues

Until the eruption occurs, astronomers are using this opportunity to collect unprecedented data. Observations across multiple wavelengths are being conducted to better understand the behaviour of novae. Experts suggest these findings will enhance future predictive models and deepen insights into stellar phenomena.

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Fruit Fly Experiment on Tiangong Space Station Explores Effects of Microgravity

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Fruit Fly Experiment on Tiangong Space Station Explores Effects of Microgravity

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December 3, 2024

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Fruit Fly Experiment on Tiangong Space Station Explores Effects of Microgravity

Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong space station are conducting a groundbreaking experiment involving fruit flies to explore the effects of microgravity and sub-magnetic fields on living organisms, according to reports. The experiment, part of the crew’s six-month mission, is being conducted by the Shenzhou 19 astronauts who arrived at the station on October 29. The fruit flies—15 adults and 40 pupae—were delivered on 15 November by the Tianzhou 8 resupply mission.

Study Aims to Assess Impact on Biological Rhythms

The research, carried out under the supervision of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, aims to understand how sub-magnetic environments combined with microgravity influence biological processes. Zheng Weibo, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, explained to China Central Television (CCTV) that the study investigates molecular mechanisms and movement patterns in fruit flies under these conditions. The goal is to uncover potential changes in their biological rhythms, providing insights that could be valuable for future deep-space exploration.

Simulating Space Environments

The experiment involves creating two distinct environments aboard Tiangong: one replicating Earth’s magnetic field and the other a sub-magnetic field. Zheng noted that understanding the role of magnetic fields on living organisms is critical for space exploration. He explained in an interview with CCTV that we remain under Earth’s magnetic influence in low Earth orbit. However, in deep space, this would not be the case.

Comparative Analysis to Follow

Frozen fruit fly samples will be returned to Earth for analysis, according to Li Yan, the project’s lead researcher, in his statement. Gene expression in these samples will be compared with parallel groups to assess the individual and combined effects of microgravity and sub-magnetic environments.
Fruit flies, widely used in genetic studies due to their short life cycle, have a long history in space experiments. Researchers are hopeful this study will contribute valuable data for advancing human understanding of space’s effects on biological systems.

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Honor 300 Ultra, Honor 300 Pro, Honor 300 Launched With 5,300mAh Batteries: Price, Specifications

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