[ad_1]
This is a telescopic ground-level photo of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. The galaxy is one of several selected targets of a new initiative with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope called ULLYSES (UV Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards). The program is examining over 300 stars to build a catalog of ultraviolet light to capture the diversity of stars, from young to old. The goal of the program is to provide astronomers with a better understanding of the birth of stars and how it relates to everything from planets to the formation and evolution of galaxies. The LMC contains hot, massive blue stars similar to the primitive composition of early galaxies, so astronomers can gain insight into how their outflows may have influenced the evolution of early galaxies billions of years ago. The target stars come from Hubble archival observations (yellow circles) and new observations (blue circles) under the ULLYSES program. Credits: NASA, ESA, J. Roman-Duval (STScI), ULLYSES program and R. Gendler
Hubble launches a large ultraviolet light survey of nearby stars
Hundreds of stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies are scrutinized to build a valuable library of spectral models for future research.
Stars are not created equal. They cover a wide range of sizes, ages and temperatures, from small red, cold and low mass stars to opulent, hot and massive blue stars. Our Sun is roughly halfway between these populations. Since stars are the LEGO building blocks of the universe for building immense galaxies, astronomers are always looking for a much better understanding of their birth and death. The behavior of stars throughout their lives refers to everything from planets to the formation and evolution of galaxies.
To better understand the stars and their evolution, the Space Telescope Science Institute has launched an ambitious new initiative with the Hubble Space Telescope called ULLYSES (UV Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards). The complete program will build a dataset that can be used to create a spectral library of stellar “models” to capture the diversity of stars. This ensures a legacy dataset for a wide range of astrophysical topics. Located above the darkening atmosphere, Hubble’s ultraviolet sensitivity makes it the only observatory currently capable of studying stars at those wavelengths of light. Young low-mass stars and huge monstrous stars radiate much of their energy in ultraviolet light.
The universe would be a rather boring place without stars. Without them, the universe would remain a diffuse one plasma mainly hydrogen and helium from the big bang.
As the basic building blocks of the cosmos, stellar nuclear fusion furnaces forge new heavy elements, enriching their mother galaxy. The radiant energy of the stars potentially fuels the emergence of life on the most favorably located planets, as it did on Earth.
To better understand stars and stellar evolution, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland, has launched an ambitious new initiative with NASAthe Hubble Space Telescope, called ULLYSES (UV Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards).
This is a telescopic ground-level photo of the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way. The galaxy is one of several selected targets of a new initiative with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope called ULLYSES (UV Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards). The program is examining over 300 stars to build a catalog of ultraviolet light to capture the diversity of stars, from young to old. The goal of the program is to provide astronomers with a better understanding of the birth of stars and how it relates to everything from planets to the formation and evolution of galaxies. The SMC contains massive, hot blue stars similar to the primitive composition of early galaxies, so astronomers can gain insight into how their outflows may have influenced the evolution of the initial galaxy billions of years ago. The target stars come from Hubble archival observations (yellow circles) and new observations (blue circles) under the ULLYSES program. Credits: NASA, ESA, J. Roman-Duval (STScI), ULLYSES program and S. Guisard
ULLYSES is the largest Hubble observation program ever built in terms of time Hubble will devote to it. More than 300 stars will be included. Ultraviolet (UV) light from target stars is used to produce a library of spectral “models” of young, low-mass stars from eight star-forming regions in the Milky Way, as well as fully mature, high-mass stars in several nearby dwarf galaxies. including the Magellanic Clouds.
“One of the key objectives of ULLYSES is to form a comprehensive reference sample that can be used to create spectral libraries that capture the diversity of stars, ensuring a legacy dataset for a wide range of astrophysical topics. ULLYSES is expected to have a lasting impact on the future research of astronomers around the world, ”said Julia Roman-Duval of STScI, program manager.
The Institute is now releasing the first set of ULLYSES observations to the astronomical community. These early targets are hot, massive blue stars in several nearby dwarf galaxies.
Annotated version of the image above. Credits: NASA, ESA, J. Roman-Duval (STScI), ULLYSES program and R. Gendler
Hubble sits above Earth’s atmosphere, which filters out most of the UV radiation from space before it reaches Earth’s telescopes. Hubble’s ultraviolet sensitivity makes it the only observatory up to the task because young stars radiate much of their energy into the UVs as they grow chaotically in jumps and feed on falling gas and dust.
The goal of the program is to provide astronomers with a better understanding of the birth of stars and how it relates to everything from planets to the formation and evolution of galaxies. Astronomers want to learn how young, low-mass stars affect the evolution and composition of the planets that form around them. The intense UV radiation separates the molecules and penetrates the circumstellar discs, where planets are formed, affecting their chemistry and affecting the survival time of the discs. This has a direct impact on the planet’s habitability, atmospheric escape, and chemistry. “This unique collection allows for diverse and exciting astrophysics research in many fields,” said Roman-Duval.
Furthermore, torrential streams of hot gas from fully mature stars that are much more massive than our Sun shape their environments in dramatic ways. By targeting massive stars in nearby galaxies with low abundances of heavy elements, similar to the primitive composition of early galaxies, astronomers can gain insight into how their outflows may have influenced the evolution of early galaxies billions of years ago.
Annotated version of the image above. Credits: NASA, ESA, J. Roman-Duval (STScI), ULLYSES program and S. Guisard
The design and objectives of these observations were selected in collaboration with the astronomical community, allowing researchers from around the world to help develop the final program and have the opportunity to organize coordinated observations from other space and ground-based telescopes to different wavelengths of light.
The technical and scientific staff of STScI is designing software specifically related to the development of databases and web interfaces to ensure broad access to the library by the astronomical community. Instruments for high-level scientific products and spectroscopic analyzes are under development. All data is archived in STScI’s Mikulski archive for space telescopes (MAST).
The ULLYSES program is building a legacy for the future by creating a comprehensive database that astronomers will use for research for decades to come. The archive also completes parts of the star formation history that will soon be obtained with infrared light observations from NASA’s near future. James Webb space telescope. Working together, both Hubble and Webb will provide a holistic view of the stars and the history of the universe’s star formation.
The Hubble Space Telescope is an international cooperation project between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland operates the telescope. The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, Maryland conducts Hubble’s science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy in Washington, DC
[ad_2]
Source link
