Back in Time
The further we look into space, the further back in time we see. This simple statement is very counterintuitive for...
Tag: Molecular
A Ticking Time Bomb
There are many types of objects in space that just can’t be seen with visible light, and many more that have very different features when observed across the electromagnetic spectrum. A prime example of the former is a molecular cloud. Cold, incredibly huge, and full of low density Hydrogen, these clouds are the raw material for star forming galaxies. If stars begin to form within them, they can be seen as gorgeous nebulae, but when alone in the darkness of space we need to look for the dim signature of radio waves they emit. The Smith cloud, named after it’s...
Strange Breakup of Comet Molecules Discovered by Rosetta
The Rosetta orbiter, currently studying comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as it orbits the Sun, has been watching how the comet has changed as it moves toward its perihelion (point of closest approach to the Sun) in August of 2015. As the comet heats up from the increasing intensity of the Sun’s rays, it releases surface gases and dust into what eventually becomes the atmosphere-like coma surrounding the comet. As the comet moves the material produces the visible tail that we usually associate with a comet. With 67P specifically, Rosetta has recently made a surprising discovery: That the water and carbon dioxide streaming...