Articles tagged with Brightness
Researchers develop first complete reference method to measure natural brightness of night sky, revealing complex factors affecting glow in upper layers of atmosphere. The study uses network of low-cost photometers to analyze data from 44 darkest places worldwide.
KAUST researchers create a new approach to capture evolving periodicity in variable star brightness, expanding cyclostationary theory. This allows for modeling of phenomena like solar irradiance and climate change.
A new estimate of the local expansion rate, using a relatively new technique for measuring cosmic distances, finds that the universe is expanding at 73.3 km/sec/Mpc, in the middle of three other good estimates. This discrepancy between estimates raises concerns about understanding the physics and evolution of the universe.
Researchers have discovered that squids can not only change the color of their skin but also its brightness, achieved through the action of 'osmotic motors' driven by reflectin proteins. This complex mechanism allows for a wide range of iridescent colors and brightness levels.
Using a new combination of emitter molecules, researchers achieved devices that produce pure-blue emission with high efficiency, maintain brightness for relatively long times, and lack expensive metal atoms. The approach uses a tandem structure to effectively double the emission, leading to nearly doubled lifetime at high brightness.
The Stingray nebula has faded precipitously over the past two decades due to a temperature drop in its central star, SAO 244567. Researchers have observed unprecedented changes in the nebula's structure and brightness, with the oxygen emission dropping by nearly 1,000 times between 1996 and 2016.
Researchers measured streetlight contribution to urban lighting for the first time using smart city technology and satellite imagery. The study found that only around 20% of nighttime light emissions come from streetlights.
A team of scientists developed a mathematical model simulating the disruption of heat distribution by strong magnetic fields, creating hotter and cooler regions that emit x-rays of differing intensity. The findings help explain the observed changes in brightness of magnetars studied over several decades.
Hubble Space Telescope images reveal comet NEOWISE's intact nucleus and intricate coma structure. The telescope's high resolution allows for the detection of dust and gas jets emanating from the nucleus, providing valuable insights into the comet's composition and behavior.
A new design for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) developed by NIST scientists achieves a significant increase in brightness and the ability to create laser light, overcoming a long-standing limitation in LED efficiency. The device shows an increase of 100 to 1,000 times in brightness over conventional tiny LEDs.
Researchers discovered that the unexpected dimming of supergiant star Betelgeuse was most likely caused by an immense amount of hot material ejected into space, forming a dust cloud that blocked light from about a quarter of the star's surface. The resulting dust cloud led to the star returning to normal brightness in April 2020.
New observations by Hubble reveal a massive dust cloud formed when superhot plasma was unleashed from an upwelling of a large convection cell on the star's surface, blocking light from about a quarter of Betelgeuse's surface.
Astronomers have discovered a Neptune-sized planet, AU Mic b, orbiting a young and nearby star, AU Microscopii. The discovery provides an opportunity to study the early days of planetary formation and migration in a solar system's early stages.
Astronomers using TESS and Spitzer data report the discovery of AU Mic b, a Neptune-like planet that orbits its young star in under 10 days. The system offers a unique laboratory for studying planetary atmospheres and interactions with stars.
Scientists have discovered a planet about as large as Neptune that orbits the young star AU Mic in just over a week, providing valuable insights into planetary formation and evolution. The planet, named AU Mic b, was detected using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and retired Spitzer Space Telescope.
A team of Indian scientists has detected a broad-energy X-ray pulsation in the new source, classifying it as an ultra-luminous X-ray pulsar (ULXP). The object is thought to be a neutron star with a rotation period of up to 100 times per second.
Astronomers have detected elusive pulsation patterns in dozens of young Delta Scuti stars using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The discovery will revolutionize scientists' ability to study the ages, sizes and compositions of these stars.
Researchers used TESS data to detect regular patterns in delta Scuti star pulsations, allowing them to understand the internal structure of massive nuclear furnaces. The findings provide a window into the past, enabling scientists to study how stars and their planets form and change over time.
A study of 369 solar-like stars reveals that the Sun's solar brightness variations are among the weakest, with fluctuations typically about 5 times stronger in other stars. The research suggests that our star may have been unusually inactive over the past 9000 years.
Researchers analyzed 369 solar-like stars and found that the Sun is less magnetically active and variable than similar stars. The study suggests that most stars are five times more variable than the Sun over the last 140 years, with potential explanations including long-term variability or unrecognized differences.
Researchers report a catastrophic collision between two large asteroids in the Fomalhaut system, producing a large dust cloud that gradually dispersed over time. The observations suggest rare collisions of this magnitude are expected to be rare in dynamically quiescent systems.
A team of international astronomers led by MSU's Elias Aydi found that shocks power most of a nova's brightness, contradicting previous theories. The research uses unprecedented space observations to provide direct evidence for shock-powered optical emission in a nova.
A team of researchers has found that shocks from a nova explosion cause most of its brightness, rather than nuclear burning on the surface of the white dwarf. The study, published in Nature Astronomy, used unprecedented space observations to detect bright gamma-rays and optical data from the star V906 Carinae.
Astronomers at Kazan Federal University used a powerful space exploration tool to discover a new binary star system. The team employed the gravitational lensing method to track changes in brightness and confirm the presence of two stars.
Superluminous supernova SN 2006gy was found to be a Type Ia explosion that interacted with a dense shell of circumstellar material, producing an unusual spectrum with unidentified emission lines. The iron lines were identified as evidence of the interaction, which is consistent with observations and simulations.
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered the first planet to orbit two stars, TOI 1338 b. The exoplanet orbits a binary system consisting of a larger and smaller star, with the latter being only one-third the mass of our Sun.
LSU astronomers predict that binary star V Sagittae will become the brightest in the Milky Way galaxy, outshining Sirius and Venus, around 2083. The star is currently faintly visible but will brighten rapidly due to its rapid orbital decay.
A study by Bruce E. Lyon and Daizaburo Shizuka found that juvenile ornamentation in American coots helps parents determine which chicks will benefit most from care and nutrition. The researchers discovered that later-hatched, redder chicks received preferential treatment and increased food portions from their parents.
Using dimmer, cooler lights in the evening and brighter, warmer lights during the day may be more beneficial to health than previously thought. The body clock uses a specialized protein to measure brightness, and blue colors have a weaker impact on the clock than white or yellow light of equivalent brightness.
Researchers from DUT and SUTD developed novel rhodamines to overcome fluorophore brightness limitations in SMLM, enabling clearer resolution and analysis of cellular structures. The new dyes show increased fluorescence brightness and 'photon budget', crucial for high-resolution imaging.
Using anesthetics to study fish colors can be misleading due to altered coloration. Researchers studying colorful patterns in small fish species found that common anesthetics affected hue, saturation, and brightness.
A team of astronomers has observed the aftermath of a star violently ripped apart by a supermassive black hole, providing unprecedented detail and insights into these mysterious phenomena. The observations, made possible by NASA's TESS satellite, reveal new features of tidal disruption events (TDEs) that were previously unknown.
Researchers propose that Tabby's Star is experiencing long-term dimming due to a disk of debris from an exomoon accumulating around it, blocking its light. The exomoon's outer layers are being torn apart by stellar radiation, creating dust clouds that periodically pass between the star and Earth.
Researchers analyzed 13,000 observations of the black hole from 133 nights since 2003 and found extreme variations in brightness, with one night seeing an area twice as bright as the next-brightest observation. The team is unsure whether this is an extraordinary singular event or a precursor to significantly increased activity.
Researchers at the University of Bristol discovered that fiddler crabs separate polarisation and brightness channels to detect approaching objects. This method provides a greater range of information for the crab, with polarisation offering a more reliable source of information than brightness in detecting predators.
Researchers isolated melanopsin cell functions and demonstrated their importance in perceiving visual environment. The study showed that melanopsin plays a crucial role in detecting light intensity, contributing to a new understanding of the biology of the eye.
A study published in Acta Psychologica found that subjects' pupils constricted significantly when viewing a blue glare illusion, outperforming other colors. The research team hypothesized that the human visual system relies on ecologically-based predictions to interpret visual input, and this effect is unique to glare illusions.
A team of researchers identified 5 super luminous supernovae and about 400 Type Ia supernovae using the Subaru Telescope's Hyper Suprime-Cam. The discovery includes 58 Type Ia supernovae 8 billion light years away, revealing new insights into the expansion of the Universe.
Researchers discovered that almost all blue supergiants shimmer in brightness due to waves on their surface, enabling the study of their internal physics and chemistry. This breakthrough enables astronomers to probe the progenitors of supernovae from a novel perspective.
The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a stunning image of Messier 3, a massive globular cluster containing over half a million stars. The cluster features 274 variable stars, including the rare RR Lyrae type, which can be used as standard candles to measure vast celestial distances.
Researchers at MIT have developed a new way to measure atomic-scale magnetic fields, not only up and down but also sideways. The technique uses nitrogen-vacancy defects in diamond to detect tiny variations in magnetic fields, providing high precision in multiple dimensions.
Researchers found that the Wild Duck Cluster's stars are older than initially thought due to their rotational periods, which affect their hydrogen core mixing and lifetime. This discovery sheds light on how stars form and evolve, challenging previous assumptions about open clusters.
Astronomers have found a new type of gamma-ray burst that could not be detected by traditional telescopes. The discovery was made using archived radio data and suggests that these 'orphan' bursts may be related to the collapse of massive stars.
Researchers developed an app to reduce device brightness and extend battery life by 10-25%, eliminating excessive energy consumption and prolonging battery lifespan.
New research reveals that night-time lighting from streetlights and other sources can change the way different species interact. Low levels of artificial lighting enhance the hunting advantage of parasitoid wasps, leading to a reduction in aphid populations.
NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite observed Tropical Cyclone 15W using brightness temperatures, revealing strong thunderstorms around the low-level center. The typhoon is expected to intensify to 90 knots over three days before weakening and making landfall near Tokyo.
New observations of Tabby's Star by the Canary Island Observatories suggest that interstellar dust is causing the star's unusual brightness fluctuations, rather than an alien megastructure. The data, published in two articles, show that different colors in the star's light are being attenuated at varying rates.
Researchers have developed LECs that emit bright light with a high brightness of 2,000 cd/m2 and an electron-to-photon efficiency of 27.5 percent, surpassing existing technologies like fluorescent tubes and LEDs. This breakthrough enables efficient and practical operation of LEC components in various fields.
Researchers found that spots on the surface of Zeta Puppis, a supergiant star, create large-scale spiral structures in its stellar wind. The team observed periodic signals in the star's light and wind behavior, indicating a link between surface variations and wind clumping.
Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have discovered that the unique binary star system AR Scorpii exhibits variability on a timescale of decades, contrary to initial expectations. The study found that the system's brightness more than doubled in minutes and hours, but also showed long-term changes over decades.
Researchers have used archival data from NASA's New Horizons mission to measure visible light from other galaxies, giving an upper limit to the amount of light in the cosmic optical background. The findings offer promise for future astronomy measurements from the outer solar system.
Scientists have identified a neutron star consuming material at an incredible rate, producing x-rays that exceed the Eddington limit by 1,000 times. The star's strong, multipolar magnetic field is believed to be responsible for its extreme properties.
Astronomers have discovered a rare pulsating delta Scuti star 7,000 light years away in the Pegasus constellation. The star's unique pattern of expansion and contraction every 2.5 hours is the result of its heating and cooling hydrogen fuel at its core.
Scientists have developed new retroreflective materials inspired by insect compound eyes, offering improved color and effectiveness for safety measures. These new materials can be adjusted to change color and brightness, reducing fading over time.
Researchers created simple microswimmers with a phototaxis system, enabling them to move towards darker areas. By using a laser-generated light field with saw-tooth profiles, the microswimmers can be steered reliably over long distances.
Astronomers analyze Kepler observations of KIC 8462852 and find the star dimming slowly for almost three years before suddenly losing 2% of its brightness. The star's unusual behavior has sparked speculation about comets, alien megastructures, or planetary collisions, but the new findings will make it harder to explain.
Researchers used the Gran Telescopio CANARIAS to observe a superluminous supernova almost from its occurrence, revealing surprising behavior including an initial increase in brightness followed by a decline and later stronger increase. The study sheds new light on these rare events, which are up to 100 times more energetic than Type 1a's.
Astronomers have reclassified UGC 1382 as a colossal Giant Low Surface Brightness disk galaxy that rivals Malin 1 in size, with spiral arms visible in ultraviolet light. The galaxy is about 7 times the diameter of the Milky Way and has similar amounts of stars and gas to Malin 1.
The Carnegie Institution for Science has published a study on the distances of brown dwarfs and low-mass stars, using the CAPSCam instrument. The study reveals accurate distance measurements for 134 objects, including 38 previously unmeasured brown dwarfs.
The new atlas documents the world's level of artificial skyglow, affecting nocturnal organisms and ecosystems. The study found that Italy and South Korea have the most polluted skies, while Canada and Australia have the least, with residents in India and Germany being more likely to see the Milky Way.