The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) has released the highest-resolution images to date of a star in its final stages of evolution.
alma telescope is a ground-based telescope array located on the Chajnantor Plateau in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the world’s largest millimeter-wave telescope with 66 receivers. Its latest observations and highest-resolution snapshots to date provide an up-close look at the evolved star inside our planet, called R. lepolis. milky way A galaxy approximately 1,350 light years away from Earth.
“This remarkable achievement in high-resolution imaging with ALMA’s advanced capabilities marks an important milestone in our quest to understand ALMA. macrocosm” said Yoshiharu Asaki, lead author of the study. statement.
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To capture this unprecedented view, researchers developed a new calibration technique called the band-to-band method. This strategy compensates for atmospheric fluctuations by observing the target using high-frequency radio waves while observing a nearby calibrator using low-frequency radio waves.
“By achieving this unparalleled resolution in a band-to-band manner, ALMA capabilities “We have reached the absolute limit and opened a new window in astrophysics,” Antonio Hales, deputy director of the ALMA Regional Center for North America and a member of the scientific team, said in a statement. “We will now be able to investigate phenomena with precision that was previously beyond our limits.” arrival. “
The new image, released on November 15, was taken using ALMA’s highest frequency band 10 receiver and an array configuration spanning 10 miles (16 kilometers). The band-to-band method greatly enhances ALMA’s high-frequency capabilities, allowing the telescope to observe astronomical objects with an angular resolution of 5 milliseconds. This is the equivalent of observing a bass that is 33 feet (10 meters) long. Month From Earth, according to the statement.
This resolution: alma telescope Submillimeter-wave radiation from the star’s surface, shown in orange, and a bright ring-like structure of gas leaking from the star were observed. Star It is then radiated into the surrounding space (called maser emission), shown in blue. Previous observations of R Lepolis did not have sufficient resolution to distinguish between the locations of the two emissions.
“Successful high-resolution observations in Band 10 demonstrate our commitment to innovation and strengthen ALMA’s position as a leader in astronomical discovery. We are excited about the new possibilities for the scientific community. ,” Asagi said in a statement.
Their discovery is Published on November 15th Published in Astrophysical Journal.