#cosmic_dust

[phonemantra-blog]

The unexpected discovery has given rise to new theories about the mechanism by which phosphorus is formed without the outbursts of massive stars. The origin of life from “organic soup” is a complex process. This requires many different components assembled in one place and under the right conditions. Although the exact conditions are still a matter of debate, scientists have an idea of ​​what elements of the periodic table are needed. One important component is phosphorus, which was recently discovered on the outskirts of the Milky Way. The presence of this element among others is considered necessary for the formation of basic biochemical molecules. Therefore, the presence of phosphorus determines the boundaries of habitable zones in galaxies. Phosphorus is typically produced by the death of massive stars, making its presence at the outskirts of a galaxy a rare occurrence. However, the recent discovery of phosphorus in this area suggests that other mechanisms for its formation may exist. [caption id="attachment_85298" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Milky Way galaxy[/caption] “Phosphorus is an element that requires a special, catastrophic event to form. According to popular belief, phosphorus is formed as a result of supernova explosions of stars with a mass of at least 20 solar masses. They are the source of strong energetic emissions and a series of nucleosynthesis reactions that form not only phosphorus, but also many other heavy elements,” says astronomer and chemist Lucy Ziouris, who works at Arizona State University and Steward Observatory. This is the generally accepted view, and the discovery of phosphorus far from massive stars or supernova remnants suggests that there are other ways this element can be formed. All the elements we see around us are formed in stars. After the formation of the first atoms of the Universe from the primordial plasma, the atoms were mainly composed of hydrogen and helium, and all other elements appeared after the birth of the first stars. Stars play an important role in the fusion and combination of atoms in their cores, resulting in the formation of heavier elements. On the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy The formation of elements in a star depends on its mass. Stars are the size of our Sun and are smaller able to support reactions that create light elements such as lithium and beryllium when hydrogen and helium combine. More massive stars can produce heavier elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. However, phosphorus is not produced during such reactions inside the star. Supernova explosions, accompanied by the death of massive stars, are one of the known mechanisms for the origin of phosphorus. Flares eject elements into space, scattering astromaterials into the interstellar medium, where they can be absorbed by new generations of stars, as well as comets and planets. Massive stars can only form in regions where there is enough material to feed them. As you move away from the center of the galaxy, the density of matter decreases - the outskirts of galaxies are usually populated by massive stars. So the presence of phosphorus in a cloud called WB89-621, located about 74,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way, poses a mystery to astrochemists. “The discovery of phosphorus at the edge of the galaxy raises questions and adds an additional piece to our puzzle. The presence of phosphorus in this area suggests that the process of its formation is more complex and is not limited only to supernova explosions,” explains chemist Liliya Koelemey, collaborating with Arizona State University. There are two main explanations for this phenomenon. One of them is associated with the “galactic fountain” model, which assumes the movement of elements from the inner regions of the galaxy to the outer through supernova explosions, ejecting matter from the galactic disk into the halo and its subsequent cooling and return. However, this explanation is questionable, since observational data on galactic fountains is not yet sufficient. Another explanation involves the possibility of phosphorus being formed in the region around the core of less massive stars by capturing neutrons. Here, silicon isotopes can capture additional neutrons to form phosphorus. The discovery of phosphorus on the outskirts of the Milky Way is an exciting and important study, valuable for understanding the formation of life in the Universe. This element is the last of the NCHOPS - nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur - essential building blocks for the emergence of life and which define the habitable zones of a galaxy. Previously, astronomers had not paid much attention to the outskirts of galaxies in search of exoplanets with biomarkers, because they believed that regions far from the center of galaxies did not have enough phosphorus. However, this discovery allows us to expand the scope of searches.

[wiki-wormhole]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_dust

[apod]

2020 April 14

NGC 253: The Silver Coin Galaxy Image Credit: NOAJ: Subaru, NASA & ESA: Hubble, ESO: VLT & Danish 1.5-m; Processing & Copyright: Robert Gendler & Roberto Colombari

Explanation: NGC 253 is one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible, but also one of the dustiest. Dubbed the Silver Coin for its appearance in smalltelescopes, it is more formally known as the Sculptor Galaxy for its location within the boundaries of the southern constellation Sculptor. Discovered in 1783 by mathematician and astronomer Caroline Herschel, the dusty island universe lies a mere 10 million light-years away. About 70 thousand light-years across, NGC 253, pictured, is the largest member of the Sculptor Group of Galaxies, the nearest to our own Local Group of galaxies. In addition to its spiral dust lanes, tendrils of dust seem to be rising from a galactic disk laced with young star clusters and star forming regions in this sharp color image. The high dust content accompanies frantic star formation, earning NGC 253 the designation of a starburst galaxy. NGC 253 is also known to be a strong source of high-energy x-rays and gamma rays, likely due to massive black holes near the galaxy's center. Take a trip through extragalactic space in this short video flyby of NGC 253.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200414.html

[ellobedhq]

#giftsofuniverse

Every year thousands of tonnes of material enters earth's atmosphere from outer space in the form of cosmic dust. This has been happening for as long as earth has been in existence (billions of years)

It is quite difficult to determine the exact composition of dust particles but they are usually made of carbon,silicon and small amounts of other elements like sodium,potassium,calcium,aluminum,nickel,iron etc. The exact composition depends upon the source from which the dust is generated and its intermixing with other dust particles.

The dust particles are rarely present in their pure elemental form and instead occur as compounds. For example carbon monoxide,silicon dioxide,water,silicon carbide, iron oxide,alumina etc

As it is to be expected carbon with its rich chemistry takes many different forms. As in Graphite, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and complex carbon compounds.

"Discovery: Cosmic Dust Contains Organic Matter from Stars

http://www.space.com/13401-cosmic-star-dust-complex-organic-compounds.html"

The size of these particles varies widely from just a few nanometers (in elementary or compound molecular form) to a few micrometers (in aggregate form)

"NASA Simulator Successfully Recreates Space Dust

https://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-simulator-successfully-recreates-space-dust/"

"Nano dust in space and astrophysics

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-international-astronomical-union/article/abs/nano-dust-in-space-and-astrophysics/144F653E5F99EDDEA4002519B93E3870"

Beside chemical composition,size has effect on their physical properties especially the radiative properties. The size of these particles ,along with its composition determines the kind of radiation the particle emits/absorbs.

"Herschel Space Observatory

https://herscheltelescope.org.uk/science/infrared/dust/

"

"Herschel confirms the origin of cosmic dust

https://phys.org/news/2013-01-herschel-cosmic.html"

For simillar dust particles (which have the same chemical composition) smaller particles will emit shorter wavelengths and larger particles will emit longer wavelengths.

"SCIENTISTS RECREATE OUR DUSTY ORIGINS

https://erc.europa.eu/projects-figures/stories/scientists-recreate-our-dusty-origins"

In a dust cloud, particles of different sizes maybe present. Furthermore radiation from different sources as well as temperature of the dust cloud will also have an effect the emission/absorption spectrum. Therefore single particle emission models may not give accurate results, instead inter particle energy transfer may also need to be taken into account.

"Optical properties of cosmic dust analogs: a review

https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/journals/journal-of-nanophotonics/volume-4/issue-1/041580/Optical-properties-of-cosmic-dust-analogs-a-review/10.1117/1.3417067.short?SSO=1"

"Quenched Carbonaceous Composite: Fluorescence Spectrum Compared to the Extended Red Emission Observed in Reflection Nebulae

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1992ApJ...393L..83S/abstract"

Nevertheless emission spectrum is the most commonly used method of identifying dust particles,either elementary or compound.

These dust particles eventually diffuse into oceans or settle onto land.

Cosmic dust is proof of the limitless matter and energy contained within the universe and challenges the view of finite resources avalible to us. Limitations exist only in our mind.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_dust

[wigmund]

From Astronomy Picture of the Day; June 26, 2018:

Dark Nebulae across Taurus Oliver Czernetz; Data: Digitized Sky Survey (POSS-II)

Sometimes even the dark dust of interstellar space has a serene beauty. One such place occurs toward the constellation of Taurus. The filaments featured here can be found on the sky between the Pleiades star cluster and the California Nebula. This dust is not known not for its bright glow but for its absorption and opaqueness. Several bright stars are visible with their blue light seen reflecting off the brown dust. Other stars appear unusually red as their light barely peeks through a column of dark dust, with red the color that remains after the blue is scattered away. Yet other stars are behind dust pillars so thick they are not visible here. Although appearing serene, the scene is actually an ongoing loop of tumult and rebirth. This is because massive enough knots of gas and dust will gravitationally collapse to form new stars -- stars that both create new dust in their atmospheres and destroy old dust with their energetic light and winds.

[phonemantra-blog]

The unexpected discovery has given rise to new theories about the mechanism by which phosphorus is formed without the outbursts of massive stars. The origin of life from “organic soup” is a complex process. This requires many different components assembled in one place and under the right conditions. Although the exact conditions are still a matter of debate, scientists have an idea of ​​what elements of the periodic table are needed. One important component is phosphorus, which was recently discovered on the outskirts of the Milky Way. The presence of this element among others is considered necessary for the formation of basic biochemical molecules. Therefore, the presence of phosphorus determines the boundaries of habitable zones in galaxies. Phosphorus is typically produced by the death of massive stars, making its presence at the outskirts of a galaxy a rare occurrence. However, the recent discovery of phosphorus in this area suggests that other mechanisms for its formation may exist. [caption id="attachment_85298" align="aligncenter" width="780"] Milky Way galaxy[/caption] “Phosphorus is an element that requires a special, catastrophic event to form. According to popular belief, phosphorus is formed as a result of supernova explosions of stars with a mass of at least 20 solar masses. They are the source of strong energetic emissions and a series of nucleosynthesis reactions that form not only phosphorus, but also many other heavy elements,” says astronomer and chemist Lucy Ziouris, who works at Arizona State University and Steward Observatory. This is the generally accepted view, and the discovery of phosphorus far from massive stars or supernova remnants suggests that there are other ways this element can be formed. All the elements we see around us are formed in stars. After the formation of the first atoms of the Universe from the primordial plasma, the atoms were mainly composed of hydrogen and helium, and all other elements appeared after the birth of the first stars. Stars play an important role in the fusion and combination of atoms in their cores, resulting in the formation of heavier elements. On the outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy The formation of elements in a star depends on its mass. Stars are the size of our Sun and are smaller able to support reactions that create light elements such as lithium and beryllium when hydrogen and helium combine. More massive stars can produce heavier elements such as oxygen and nitrogen. However, phosphorus is not produced during such reactions inside the star. Supernova explosions, accompanied by the death of massive stars, are one of the known mechanisms for the origin of phosphorus. Flares eject elements into space, scattering astromaterials into the interstellar medium, where they can be absorbed by new generations of stars, as well as comets and planets. Massive stars can only form in regions where there is enough material to feed them. As you move away from the center of the galaxy, the density of matter decreases - the outskirts of galaxies are usually populated by massive stars. So the presence of phosphorus in a cloud called WB89-621, located about 74,000 light-years from the center of the Milky Way, poses a mystery to astrochemists. “The discovery of phosphorus at the edge of the galaxy raises questions and adds an additional piece to our puzzle. The presence of phosphorus in this area suggests that the process of its formation is more complex and is not limited only to supernova explosions,” explains chemist Liliya Koelemey, collaborating with Arizona State University. There are two main explanations for this phenomenon. One of them is associated with the “galactic fountain” model, which assumes the movement of elements from the inner regions of the galaxy to the outer through supernova explosions, ejecting matter from the galactic disk into the halo and its subsequent cooling and return. However, this explanation is questionable, since observational data on galactic fountains is not yet sufficient. Another explanation involves the possibility of phosphorus being formed in the region around the core of less massive stars by capturing neutrons. Here, silicon isotopes can capture additional neutrons to form phosphorus. The discovery of phosphorus on the outskirts of the Milky Way is an exciting and important study, valuable for understanding the formation of life in the Universe. This element is the last of the NCHOPS - nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur - essential building blocks for the emergence of life and which define the habitable zones of a galaxy. Previously, astronomers had not paid much attention to the outskirts of galaxies in search of exoplanets with biomarkers, because they believed that regions far from the center of galaxies did not have enough phosphorus. However, this discovery allows us to expand the scope of searches.

[apod]

2019 May 15

Anemic Spiral NGC 4921 from Hubble Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing & Copyright: Kem Cook (LLNL) & Leo Shatz

Explanation: How far away is spiral galaxy NGC 4921? It's surpringly important to know. Although presently estimated to be about 300 million light years distant, a more precise determination could be coupled with its known recession speed to help humanity better calibrate the expansion rate of the entire visible universe. Toward this goal, several images were taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in order to help identify key stellar distance markers known as Cepheid variable stars. Since NGC 4921 is a member of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies, refining its distance would also allow a better distance determination to one of the largest nearby clusters in the local universe. The magnificent spiral NGC 4921 has been informally dubbed anemic because of its low rate of star formation and low surface brightness. Visible in the featured image are, from the center, a bright nucleus, a bright central bar, a prominent ring of dark dust, blue clusters of recently formed stars, several smaller companion galaxies, unrelated galaxies in the far distant universe, and unrelated stars in our Milky Way Galaxy.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190515.html

[apod]

2018 December 12

M43: Orion Falls Image Credit & Copyright: Zhuoqun Wu, Chilescope Telescope 2

Explanation: Is there a waterfall in Orion? No, but some of the dust in M43 appears similar to a waterfall on Earth. M43, part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, is the often imaged but rarely mentioned neighbor of the more famous M42. M42, which includes many bright stars from the Trapezium cluster, lies above the featured scene. M43 is itself a star forming region and although laced with filaments of dark dust, is composed mostly of glowing hydrogen. The entire Orion field, located about 1600 light years away, is inundated with many intricate and picturesque filaments of dust. Opaque to visible light, dark dust is created in the outer atmosphere of massive cool stars and expelled by a strong outer wind of protons and electrons.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap181212.html

[apod]

2019 March 26

AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Amir Abolfath (TWAN)

Explanation: Is star AE Aurigae on fire? No. Even though AE Aurigae is named the flaming star, the surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula, and the region shape gives the appearance of fire, there is no fire. Fire, typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen, happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments such as stars. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen, but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains. The bright star AE Aurigae, visible just to the lower right of the image center, is so hot it glows blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks electrons away from surrounding gas. When a proton recaptures an electron, light is emitted, as seen in the surrounding emission nebula. Featured here, the Flaming Star nebula lies about 1,500 light years distant, spans about 5 light years, and is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Charioteer (Auriga).

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190326.html

[apod]

2018 June 26

Dark Nebulas across Taurus Image Processing & Copyright: Oliver Czernetz - Data: Digitized Sky Survey (POSS-II)

Explanation: Sometimes even the dark dust of interstellar space has a serene beauty. One such place occurs toward the constellation of Taurus. The filaments featured here can be found on the sky between the Pleiades star cluster and the California Nebula. This dust is not known not for its bright glow but for its absorption and opaqueness. Several bright stars are visible with their blue light seen reflecting off the brown dust. Other stars appear unusually red as their light barely peaks through a column of dark dust, with red the color that remains after the blue is scattered away. Yet other stars are behind dust pillars so thick they are not visible here. Although appearing serene, the scene is actually an ongoing loop of tumult and rebirth. This is because massive enough knots of gas and dust will gravitationally collapse to form new stars -- stars that both create new dust in their atmospheres and destroy old dust with their energetic light and winds.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180626.html

[apod]

2018 February 25

AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

Explanation: Why is AE Aurigae called the flaming star? For one reason, the surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula because the region seems to harbor smoke, even though nothing is on fire, including interior star AE Aurigae. Fire, typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen, happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen, but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains. The bright star AE Aurigae is visible near the nebula center and is so hot it is blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks electrons away from atoms in the surrounding gas. When an atom recaptures an electron, light is emitted creating the surrounding emission nebula. The Flaming Star nebula lies about 1,500 light years distant, spans about 5 light years, and is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Charioteer (Auriga).

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180225.html

[wigmund]

From Astronomy Picture of the Day; February 25, 2018:

AE Aurigae and the Flaming Star Nebula Martin Pugh

Why is AE Aurigae called the flaming star? For one reason, the surrounding nebula IC 405 is named the Flaming Star Nebula because the region seems to harbor smoke, even though nothing is on fire, including interior star AE Aurigae. Fire, typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen, happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen, but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains. The bright star AE Aurigae is visible near the nebula center and is so hot it is blue, emitting light so energetic it knocks electrons away from atoms in the surrounding gas. When an atom recaptures an electron, light is emitted creating the surrounding emission nebula. The Flaming Star nebula lies about 1,500 light years distant, spans about 5 light years, and is visible with a small telescope toward the constellation of the Charioteer (Auriga).

[apod]

2017 August 2

The Dust Monster in IC 1396 Image Credit & Copyright: Anis Abdul

Explanation: Is there a monster in IC 1396? Known to some as the Elephant's Trunk Nebula, parts of gas and dust clouds of this star formation region may appear to take on foreboding forms, some nearly human. The only real monster here, however, is a bright young star too far from Earth to hurt us. Energetic light from this star is eating away the dust of the dark cometary globule near the top of the featured image. Jets and winds of particles emitted from this star are also pushing away ambient gas and dust. Nearly 3,000 light-years distant, the relatively faint IC 1396 complex covers a much larger region on the sky than shown here, with an apparent width of more than 10 full moons.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170802.html