A $32 million class action settlement has been approved by the U.S. District Court in San Jose following allegations of market manipulation by leading telescope manufacturers. The settlement affects customers who purchased telescopes in the U.S. between 2005 and 2023, covering brands like Celestron, Meade, Olivon, and Sky-Watcher. Claims can be filed until May 20, 2025, by eligible buyers, as per reports detailing the outcome of the legal proceedings.

According to the Class Action Complaint

Documents from the Telescopes Antitrust Litigation highlight accusations against Synta Technologies and Ningbo Sunny, companies controlled by Chinese family-owned entities. As per space.com, allegations include conspiring to monopolise the U.S. amateur telescope market, fix prices, and eliminate competition. The complaint notes that former competitors struggled to survive, with some shutting down due to an inability to achieve sustainable sales and margins.

Impact on the Telescope Market

The lawsuit was initiated in 2016 by Orion Technologies, a California-based telescope maker, which accused the firms of violating U.S. antitrust laws. Despite winning the case in 2019 and receiving a $50.4 million settlement from Ningbo Sunny, Orion ceased operations in 2024. Meade, acquired by Orion in 2021, also failed to survive, while Olivon’s website has gone offline.

Federal Oversight and Market Division

Reports indicate that Synta Technologies acquired Celestron in 2005 and aided Ningbo Sunny in acquiring Meade in 2013, circumventing Federal Trade Commission restrictions. It is stated that the firms agreed to divide the market, with Synta focusing on high-end products through Celestron, while Ningbo Sunny targeted budget-friendly options via Meade. This alleged collusion reportedly led to inflated prices, costing U.S. consumers hundreds of millions of dollars over two decades.

Next Steps for Consumers

While the settlement does not determine legal violations, earlier judgments against the firms under the Sherman and Clayton Acts were documented. A final approval hearing for the class action settlement is scheduled for April 2025, after which affected customers can access compensation.

A supermassive black hole located at the center of a distant galaxy has been observed turning back on after a period of dormancy, emitting jets of hot gas into space. This event, which occurred in the galaxy 1ES 1927+654, roughly 270 million light-years away, marks the first time such an event has been witnessed in human history. The black hole had been quiet since a flare-up in 2018 before suddenly resuming activity, captivating astronomers with its unusual behavior.

Jets Erupt from Supermassive Black Hole

According to a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, radio telescopes detected intense bursts of radio waves, signaling the black hole’s activation. As reported by Live Science, images captured from a network of telescopes in the U.S. revealed jets of plasma erupting from both sides of the black hole, traveling at approximately one-third the speed of light. The appearance of these jets has left researchers intrigued, as such an event was unexpected following years of inactivity. Eileen Meyer, associate professor of physics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, who led the radio observations, mentioned during an American Astronomical Society (AAS) press conference. On January 13, the black hole’s sudden transformation from “radio quiet” to “radio loud” was a surprising and unprecedented development.

Unexplained X-ray Activity and Possible Star Interaction

Astronomers have been monitoring this particular black hole since its unexpected flare in 2018. During this time, its X-ray emissions became extraordinarily intense, but these fluctuations were followed by an equally sudden decline. In 2022, however, the X-ray signals started oscillating at regular intervals. Researchers speculate that a white dwarf star, possibly orbiting close to the event horizon of the black hole, could be interacting with it, shedding material that fuels the black hole’s activity. These findings were also discussed during the American Astronomical Society (AAS) conference.

Future Studies and Potential Discoveries

The continued behavior of this black hole could yield valuable insights into the interactions between black holes and nearby stars. The presence of a potential white dwarf might also lead to the detection of gravitational waves, which could be captured by the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) set for launch in 2035. These observations will be critical in unraveling the mysteries surrounding black hole dynamics.

The Hubble Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary view of the Orion Nebula, the closest star-forming region to Earth, located approximately 1,500 light-years away. This new image highlights protostars HOPS 150 and HOPS 153, which are playing a significant role in reshaping their surrounding environment. The nebula, visible to the naked eye near the constellation Orion’s belt, is illuminated by the activities of these young stars, offering scientists a glimpse into the earliest stages of star formation.

Protostars and Their Evolution

According to the Herschel Orion Protostar Survey, conducted using ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory, HOPS 150 is a binary star system comprising two young stars encircled by dusty disks. These protostars are still accumulating material from their surroundings, with a massive cloud of gas and dust extending over 2,000 times the distance between Earth and the Sun feeding their growth. As reported by NASA, observations of the emitted infrared light suggest that HOPS 150 is midway through its evolution into a mature star system.

Jets from HOPS 153 Transforming the Nebula

The narrow jet seen in the image originates from HOPS 153, another protostar situated nearby but still embedded in dense gas. Though HOPS 153 remains obscured by its birth nebula, the jet’s impact on the surrounding material is clearly visible. This jet carves out regions in the interstellar medium, releasing energy and creating disturbances that may influence the formation of nearby stars. The interactions between the gas inflows and outflows are crucial for understanding how young stars shape their environments.

The findings, supported by data from NASA and ESA, provide insights into how protostars transition into fully developed stars, altering their surroundings and impacting the interstellar medium. These processes hold vital clues about the dynamics of star formation in our galaxy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a press release)