Using powerful telescopes peering into deep space, astronomers have drawn back the veil on one of the mysteries of the universe to confirm a key theory about the formation of massive stars, the journal Nature reported last week.
Images obtained by NASA’s orbital Spitzer Space Tele-scope and from a ground-based European telescope showed a dusty disc closely encircling a newly-born but huge star.
It is the first direct evidence that very large stars — those with masses at least 10 times that of the Sun — are born in the same way as their smaller brethren, from a disk-shaped cloud of dust and gas.
A competing theory was that massive stars were formed from smaller stars that merged.
“This is the first time we could image the inner regions of the disc around a massive young star,” said Stefan Kraus of the European Southern Observatory.
“Our observations show that formation works the same for all stars, regardless of mass.”
The astronomers looked at a large star known as IRAS 13481-6124, about 20 times the mass of the Sun, located about 10,000 light years away in the constellation of Centaurus. (AFP)
《自然》科學雜誌上周報導，天文學家使用大型天文望遠鏡觀測外太空，證明了「巨星」形成的某個重要理論，為這個神秘的領域掀開面紗。
美國航太總署安置在軌道上的史匹哲太空望遠鏡，及歐洲地面望遠鏡所得到的影像顯示，某個新生的龐大星體周圍緊緊環繞著盤狀星塵。
這是首次發現直接證據證明這種超大星體（質量至少是太陽十倍）的誕生，和較小的星體一樣，都是由盤狀的氣塵雲組成。
持相反論點的理論認為，「巨星」是由較小的星體集結而成。
歐洲南天文台的史蒂芬•克勞斯說：「這是我們首次成功取得環繞新生巨星盤狀霧團內部的影像。」
「依照我們的觀察，無論其質量大小，所有星體都是這樣形成的。」
天文學家觀察的這個龐大星體名為IRAS 13481-6124，位於人馬座內，距離地球約一萬光年，質量約比太陽大二十倍。
（法新社╱翻譯：吳岱璟）
Noise pollution is a frequently underestimated environmental hazard. While hearing loss is the best-known outcome associated with noise, emerging research is uncovering how noise affects our health in other ways. From impaired memory and sleep disturbances to cardiovascular problems, the impact of noise is profound. For a start, unpleasant or excessively loud sounds can lead to stress and divert attention. Even everyday noises, such as those caused by traffic, lawnmowers, and construction work, can interfere with cognitive functions and elevate stress levels. “Our ears capture sound, but we hear with our brains,” explains Wei Sun, an audiology researcher at
A: Apart from singer Daniel Kang, more South Korean stars are coming to Taiwan in March. B: Really? Like who? A: Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation will hold a concert at the Taipei Dome on March 16. B: So she’ll set a milestone by becoming the first K-pop artist to stage a show at the venue. A: Singer Lee Mu-jin, boy group NCT 127 and girl group GFRIEND are also visiting Taiwan. I can’t wait. A: 除了姜丹尼爾，3月有不少韓星訪台。 B: 真的嗎？有誰啊？ A: 像是少女時代的太妍，3月16日即將唱進大巨蛋。 B: 成為首位破蛋的韓流歌手，這可真是一項里程碑！ A: 歌手李茂珍、男團NCT 127、女團GFRIEND 3月也要來，真是令人期待。 （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
In the digital age, where communication revolves around text messages, “telephone phobia” (also known as “telephobia”) has become increasingly common, especially among young adults. Despite the ubiquity of smartphones, a significant number of individuals experience anxiety when __1__ making or receiving a phone call. Telephobia, in essence, is a fear or reluctance related to speaking on the phone. __2__ other communication methods, phone conversations require spontaneous responses and lack visual feedback such as body language and facial expressions. In such a real-time situation, telephobia sufferers are concerned about their inability to respond or express themselves appropriately, which can lead
A: My favorite K-pop superstar, Daniel Kang, will hold a concert at the Taipei Music Center. B: Wow, I’ve also been a fan since he debuted in 2017 as the “center” of the two-year limited boy group Wanna One. A: Since Daniel went solo in 2019, he has continued to shine internationally. B: When is his show taking place? A: It’s scheduled for March 1, which is my birthday. It’s the best birthday gift ever. A: 我最愛的韓星姜丹尼爾要在台北流行音樂中心開唱啦。 B: 哇，自他在2017年以2 年限定男團Wanna One「C位」出道時，我就 一直是他的粉絲。 A: 而他在2019 年單飛後，還是持續在國際上發光發熱。 B: 演唱會是哪天？ A: 日期訂在3月1日，也是我的生日。這真是最好的生日禮物！ （By Eddy Chang,
RSS