Explore the universe with TecMundo! Every week we and #AstroMiniBR We’ve selected the latest astronomy news and curiosities to share with you a little more about our fantastic and vast universe. Check this out!

1. Unusual jets from a supermassive black hole

Astronomers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have observed unusual X-ray bursts coming from space. 1ES 1927+654 supermassive black hole, located approximately 270 million light-years from Earth.

The frequency of these explosions increased over two years; The event went from occurring every 18 minutes to occurring every 7 minutes, a behavior that has never before been documented in black holes.

Artist’s representation of the jets emitted by a supermassive black hole. (Source: Getty Images)

The research team suggests that a white dwarf, a dense stellar remnant, could orbit dangerously close to the black hole’s event horizon. This proximity could explain periodic X-ray emissions; This suggests that white dwarfs can survive near black holes for long periods of time without being consumed.

Detection of gravitational waves from this system could provide further evidence of the existence of a white dwarf. Although current detectors such as LIGO do not have the necessary sensitivity, future instruments such as NASA’s planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) could perform these measurements. will open up new possibilities for understanding the dynamics of black holes and their interactions with nearby objects.

2. Orphan planets of the Milky Way

Also known as orphan planets They are celestial bodies that move through space without being gravitationally bound to a star, such as interstellar planets..

Unlike traditional planets orbiting a central star like the Sun in our Solar System, these planets follow independent orbits, roaming freely in the darkness of interstellar space.

It is believed Many of these planets were removed from their original systems due to gravitational interactions with other massive bodies.Such as nearby stars or other giant planets in the early stages of planetary system formation.

These planets are difficult to detect because there is no light source nearby to reflect light and reveal their presence. But scientists use techniques such as gravitational microlensing to identify them.

This technique is based on the prediction of the General Theory of Relativity. This indicates that a massive object can bend light from distant objects by acting like a natural lens.. When an orphaned planet passes in front of a distant star, its gravity distorts the star’s light, allowing astronomers to infer the planet’s presence.

Predictions suggest that our galaxy, the Milky Way, may contain billions of these lonely worlds. Some studies even suggest that giant orphan planets with moons around them could create habitable conditions on their moons due to the heat produced by tidal interactions.

3. New molecular oxygen reaction discovered

Scientists have discovered a new chemical reaction that creates molecular oxygen (O2) In atmospheres rich in carbon dioxide (CO2), such as Mars and Venus.

Traditionally, the presence of O2 in a planet’s atmosphere is considered a possible indicator of life, as it is produced mostly by photosynthetic organisms on Earth. But this study reveals that O2 can also be produced by non-biological processes, challenging the idea that its presence is necessarily a sign of extraterrestrial life.

Molecular oxygen can also be synthesized by means other than the presence of living organisms.
Molecular oxygen can also be synthesized by means other than the presence of living organisms. (Source: Getty Images)

Research led by Shan Xi Tian and Jie Hu from the University of Science and Technology of China determined that helium (He) ions can react with CO2 molecules to produce O2.

These helium ions They form when alpha particles from the solar wind interact with molecules in the upper atmosphere, reacting with CO2 to form charged particles.. This mechanism may occur in the upper atmosphere of Mars, which has abundant CO2 and is constantly exposed to the solar wind; This suggests that the O2 detected there may originate from this abiotic process.

This discovery has important implications for astrobiology; It shows that the detection of oxygen on exoplanets with CO2-rich atmospheres should not be immediately interpreted as evidence of life, since non-biological chemical processes can produce O2 under similar conditions.

Did you like knowing these curiosities about the universe? Follow #AstroMiniBR every Monday on TecMundo. Until later!

Source: Tec Mundo

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I'm Blaine Morgan, an experienced journalist and writer with over 8 years of experience in the tech industry. My expertise lies in writing about technology news and trends, covering everything from cutting-edge gadgets to emerging software developments. I've written for several leading publications including Gadget Onus where I am an author.

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