Exploring Meitei Astronomy: A Glimpse into Ancient Celestial Wisdom

Welcome to a fascinating journey through the celestial realm, as we delve into the captivating world of Meitei astronomy. This ancient tradition offers insights into the understanding of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe itself.

The Meitei language term for astronomy is “Khenchanglon,” derived from its original form, “Khenchonglon.” In literal terms, it means “the growing up, evolving or emergence of natural or celestial bodies and energy.” However, in colloquial usage, it refers to the study of astronomical bodies such as stars, constellations, planets, satellites, comets, meteors, and more.

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James Webb Space Telescope: Unveiling the Universe’s First Light

Welcome to our exploration of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an extraordinary infrared space observatory that promises to reveal mysteries of the cosmos beyond the reach of traditional telescopes.

Introduction

The JWST, launched on December 25th, 2021, is a collaborative venture between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). This monumental instrument, which cost approximately $10 billion to build and launch, represents one of the most ambitious space projects in history.

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Evaporating Gaseous Globules: Birthplaces of Stars and Brown Dwarfs

Welcome to our exploration of the fascinating celestial objects known as Evaporating Gaseous Globules (EGGs). These are vast regions of hydrogen gas, approximately 100 Astronomical Units in size, that provide a shield for surrounding gases against harmful UV radiation.

Understanding EGGs

First identified through the stunning photographs of the Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995, EGGs are believed to be the precursors of new protostars. Inside an EGG, the gas and dust are denser than in the surrounding dust cloud, with gravity pulling the cloud even tighter together as it continues to draw material from its surroundings.

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96P Sungrazer Family: A Fascinating Group of Solar-Grazing Comets

Welcome to our exploration of the intriguing world of the 96P sungrazer family! This unique group of comets, born from the comet 96P/Machholz, has captured the attention of astronomers since its discovery.

Origins and Subgroups

The 96P sungrazers are a small but significant family, observed primarily by LASCO corongraphs onboard the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) probe. They consist of three subgroups: Marsden, Kracht, and Kracht II. The Marsden group was first identified by British astronomer Brian G. Marsden in 2002, followed by the discovery of the Kracht I and II subgroups by Rainer Kracht.

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Star Basics: The Celestial Globes That Illuminate Our Night Sky

Stars, the radiant beacons that punctuate our darkened heavens, are estimated to number up to one septillion. That’s a staggering figure, equivalent to a 1 followed by 24 zeros. Our very own Milky Way is home to over 100 billion stars, with the Sun being the most familiar among them.

The Starry Origins

Stars are born within immense clouds of gas and dust called molecular clouds. These cosmic wonders can reach sizes as vast as hundreds of light-years and weigh from a thousand to a million times that of our Sun. The cold temperatures in these clouds cause the gas to clump together, forming high-density pockets. As more matter collides or accumulates, some of these dense areas become even stronger under the force of gravity, eventually leading to their collapse. This collapse generates heat through friction, resulting in the formation of a protostar - a star’s embryonic phase. These stellar clusters and molecular clouds teeming with them are often referred to as ‘stellar nurseries.’

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Zanstra Method: A Tool for Measuring Stellar Temperatures in Planetary Nebulae

In the vast expanse of space, we encounter phenomena that challenge our understanding and require innovative methods to decipher their mysteries. One such method is the Zanstra method, developed by Herman Zanstra in 1927, which allows us to determine the temperature of central stars found within planetary nebulae.

How it Works

The Zanstra method assumes that the nebula is optically thick in the Lyman continuum. This means that all ionizing photons emitted by the central star are absorbed within the nebula itself. By utilizing the intensity ratio of a stellar reference frequency to a nebular line such as Hβ, we can estimate the central star’s effective temperature.

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Black Hole Stability Conjecture: A Cosmic Puzzle Solved?

Welcome to our deep dive into the world of black hole physics! Today, we’re delving into a fascinating conjecture that has puzzled astronomers and mathematicians for decades - the Black Hole Stability Conjecture. This intriguing hypothesis revolves around the behavior of black holes when perturbed.

The Genesis of the Conjecture

The seeds of this conjecture were sown in 1952 by French mathematician Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat, whose groundbreaking work sparked a series of investigations into the stability of black holes. The conjecture’s aim is to determine whether a perturbed Kerr black hole will return to a stable state within Minkowski space.

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Exoplanets: Our Galactic Neighbors Beyond the Sun

Welcome to a fascinating journey through the cosmos, as we explore exoplanets - planets orbiting stars outside our solar system. These celestial bodies have captured the imagination of scientists, futurists, and dreamers alike, with more than 6,000 confirmed by NASA so far.

6,000 Exoplanets!

The milestone of extra-solar planets confirmed by NASA is a testament to the accelerating rate of discoveries, just over three decades since the first exoplanets were found.

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Protoplanetary Nebula: A Transient Cosmic Phenomenon

Welcome to our latest exploration into the cosmos! Today, we delve into the captivating world of protoplanetary nebulae (PPNe), celestial objects that play a crucial role in the life cycle of intermediate-mass stars.

What are Protoplanetary Nebulae?

Protoplanetary nebulae, also known as preplanetary nebulae, are temporary astronomical entities that bridge the gap between a star’s late asymptotic giant branch (LAGB) phase and its subsequent planetary nebula phase. These objects are particularly renowned for their strong infrared radiation emissions, making them a unique type of reflection nebula.

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