TYB
https://www.space.com/first-triple-black-hole-system-gentle-formation
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08120-6
1st triple black hole system discovered in 'happy accident'
October 23, 2024
Astronomers have discovered the first "black hole triple" system, consisting of a black hole hungrily feeding on a companion star while being orbited by a more distant, cautious star.
Black holes form during the violent death of massive stars in supernova explosions, but this surprising discovery could indicate a more gentle black hole birthing process called "direct collapse."
That is because if the origin of this black hole had been more violent, it would have supplied a "pre-natal kick" that would have launched the loosely bound distant star out of this triple star system.
The system in question is V404 Cygni, located within the Milky Way and around 8,000 light-years from Earth.
This so-called "X-ray binary" of the black hole and its victim star were previously known, and the system has been well-studied.
However, a deeper investigation performed by a team led by Kevin Burdge from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) revealed that this binary actually sits at the heart of a triple star system.
Scientists think most black holes form from violent explosions of stars, but this discovery helps call that into question.
"This system is super exciting for black hole evolution, and it also raises questions of whether there are more triples out there," Burdge told Space.com via email.
"The fact that this star is still bound is surprising because it implies it received a low-energy natal kick.
"Overall, it's not surprising that black holes should be in triples because a large fraction of massive stars are in triples, but what's surprising is that this system held onto the triple after forming the black hole."
The team has found that while the "victim star" of this black hole orbits it in just 6.5 Earth days, the newly uncovered third star in the system orbits the greedy cosmic titan so far away it only completes an orbit once every 70,000 Earth years.
"This discovery was just a happy accident, actually! I was just looking at a picture of V404 Cygni and noticed it was in a triple," Burdge said.
"What we then discovered is that the black hole in V404 Cygni likely was born without a natal kick.
"That doesn't mean all black holes don't get natal kicks, but it does demonstrate that at least some can form without them."
The team's research was published on Wednesday (Oct. 23) in the journal Nature.
Astronomers have known about the supernovas that accompany the death of a massive star after it has run out of nuclear fuel at its core and can no longer support itself against their own gravity for centuries.
When Einstein's theory of general relativity set scientists on a path that led to the discovery of black holes and neutron stars, these bright and violent cosmic explosions were quickly linked to the birthing process of these ultradense stellar corpses.
The sheer power of these events means that they are often brighter than the combined light of every star in the galaxy that surrounds them. It also means that they supply any orbiting stars with an energetic kick when they erupt.
"The prenatal kicks are net momentum the black hole receives after its birth. So, for example, if you have a supernova and the matter gets ejected asymmetrically, to conserve momentum, the black hole gets kicked in the opposite direction of the matter," Burdge said.
"It's really hard to constrain these pre-natal kicks partially because we have so few known black holes in the Milky Way, and also, because there aren't many good ways to measure them other than through a wide triple companion like is seen in this system."
A close star that is tightly bound gravitationally to the new black hole may survive the energy it receives from this supernova explosion and remain in the system.
Gravity's strength falls off quickly over large distances, however, meaning any distant stars not tightly held by the black hole should be ejected to wander the cosmos as a "rogue star."
"Imagine you’re pulling a kite, and instead of a strong string, you’re pulling with a spider web," Burdge explained in a statement from MIT.
"If you tugged too hard, the web would break, and you'd lose the kite. Gravity is like this barely bound string that's really weak, and if you do anything dramatic to the inner binary, you’re going to lose the outer star."
So why didn't that happen in this black hole triple?
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Before answering this question, the team first had to confirm that this distant star is definitely orbiting the inner binary of V404 Cygni.
They did this using 10 years of observations from the Gaia space telescope, a spacecraft that precisely monitors the motion of billions of stars in the Milky Way.
The team found the stars do indeed move in tandem, finding that the odds of this kind of motion resulting from the stars not sharing the same system are about one in 10 million.
They also determined that the outer star is 3,500 times farther from the central black hole than Earth is from our sun.
"The fact that we can see two separate stars over this much distance actually means that the stars have to be really very far apart," Burdge said in the statement.
"It's almost certainly not a coincidence or accident. We're seeing two stars that are following each other because they’re attached by this weak string of gravity. So this has to be a triple system."
To determine why the outer star of this system hadn't been kicked away into space, Burdge ran a number of simulations to see how such a black hole triple system could have evolved to its present state and still retain its outer star.
Each simulation began with three stars, one of which then transformed into a black hole.
A supernova explosion is introduced to the simulations, which Burdge conducted tens of thousands of times, varying the amount of energy released and the direction in which the energy was released.
Few of these simulations resulted in a black hole triple system.
For the most part, the only simulations that replicated the team's observations of this system were those that eliminated a supernova explosion and saw the black hole created by direct collapse.
"The vast majority of simulations show that the easiest way to make this triple work is through direct collapse," Burdge said.
Finding that this outer star is linked to V404 Cygni has also helped the team determine the age of the black hole triple system.
That's because the distant star is in the process of transforming into a red giant star, something that occurs as stars move out of their main sequence phase and puff out to as much as 100 times their original width.
"The third body is actually quite interesting! In addition to its super wide orbit, the star happens to be evolving into a red giant right now, which lets us get the age of the system," Burdge said via email.
The team determined from this transformation that the outer star is around 4 billion years old and concluded that the entire system shares its age.
This is the first time scientists have performed such an aging process.
"We've never been able to do this before for an old black hole," Burdge said. "Now we know V404 Cygni is part of a triple; it could have formed from direct collapse, and it formed about 4 billion years ago, thanks to this discovery."
The team still has questions about the nature of this system, which they will investigate in addition to searching for more black hole triples.
"One of the biggest questions is what the orbit of the outer companion looks like — is it circular or eccentric?
We will try to measure this using an instrument called GRAVITY on the European Very Large Telescope (VLT)," Burdge concluded in his email.
"As of right now, it's the only known black hole triple, but we are conducting an ongoing campaign to find more of them!"
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NASA astronaut makes dazzling 'Jupiter-like planet' on ISS using water and food coloring
October 23, 2024
An astronaut just created a colorful little world with the help of microgravity.
NASA astronaut Don Pettit used water and food coloring to make a "Jupiter-like planet" on the International Space Station.
Bold orange, blue and red shine in the ball, which he captured on camera and posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Pettit added that he's ready to keep experimenting in his spare time.
"With Halloween coming up, I am going to see about making a jack-o-lantern," Pettit wrote in his Sunday (Oct. 20) post.
Drops of water are popular play items on the ISS, given that they form spheres up there instead of drops.
Because the orbiting complex is in constant freefall, the astronauts experience microgravity, and everything — water included — floats.
The floating environment means all physical forces are treated the same, since there is no "gravity to tug downward," the United States Geological Survey wrote of why water becomes a sphere in space.
The water naturally collects into a shape that has the least surface area: a sphere.
On the commercial side, companies have been studying fluid behavior in microgravity to improve the performance of shampoo, medicine and even salad dressing, NASA officials wrote in a 2022 article.
Even space systems benefit from more examination of fluids, since these are key to the operation of machinery such as reactors that purify water or air, the agency noted.
https://www.space.com/nasa-astronaut-don-pettit-jupiter-water-ball-iss
https://x.com/astro_Pettit/status/1847989625807065337
Aptos Orbital unveils device for onboard processing, communications and cloud services
October 22, 2024
Silicon Valley startup Aptos Orbital unveiled Oct. 22 an artificial intelligence device for space-based processing, communications and cloud services.
“Today’s satellites are siloed from modern cloud environments, hampered by the lack of onboard compute power and multi-hour coverage gaps,” Aptos co-founder Yonatan Winetraub, said in a statement.
“Our goal is to make satellites as intelligent and accessible as any computer on Earth.
By putting AI onboard, we can process live satellite data at the source and transmit the processed, actionable information back to Earth.”
Aptos, based in Palo Alto, Calif., is working with Amazon Web Services. While Aptos is a new company, its terminal has been flight tested.
“It was used in a maximum-security environment for sensitive data transactions, but it soon became evident that the implications of orbital computing and connectivity were much broader than security,”
Aptos said by email in response to questions from SpaceNews. “In the past 2 years, terminals have been launched and have been operating on orbit for a total of over 5 cumulative processing years.”
Aptos’ modular terminals come in two versions: Mini for cubesats and Max for larger small satellites.
Satellites communications terminals usually are distinct from radiation-hardened processors for AI applications.
In contrast, Aptos “integrates space-hardened compute, persistent communication, and cloud services, all into one small device that’s offered with a simple subscription service,” the company said by email.
“This holistic approach is both the highest performance and the most practical solution for satellite operators, saving satellite operators years of integration and validation.”
https://spacenews.com/aptos-orbital-unveils-device-for-onboard-processing-communications-and-cloud-services/
Crew-8 To Return To Earth
October 23, 2024
SpaceX and NASA are targeting Wednesday, October 23 at 5:05 p.m. ET for Dragon to autonomously undock from the International Space Station.
After performing a series of departure burns to move away from the space station, Dragon will conduct multiple orbit-lowering maneuvers, jettison the trunk, and re-enter Earth’s atmosphere for splashdown off the coast of Florida approximately 34 hours later on Friday, October 25.
A live webcast of undocking will begin about 15 minutes prior to Dragon departing the International Space Station, and will resume one hour before splashdown.
You can watch both webcasts here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
Aboard the spacecraft will be Crew-8 NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who flew to the space station on Dragon when Falcon 9 launched the spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sunday, March 3.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=crew-8-return
SpaceX Starlink Mission
SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, October 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Liftoff is targeted for 5:47 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 9:23 p.m. ET. If needed, additional launch opportunities are available on Thursday, October 24 starting at 5:21 p.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about five minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the new X TV app.
This is the 18th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Ispace M1, CRS-27, SES 22, Amazonas-6, Bandwagon-1, and 12 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-6-61
Working With Indo-Pacific Allies Key to Maintaining Rules-Based Order, Space Force Leader Says
October 22, 2024
The commander of United States Space Forces Indo-Pacific today discussed the importance of working with regional allies in order to deter adversaries and maintain a rules-based international order.
While participating in a morning conversation about the Space Force at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies just outside of Washington, Space Force Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir said that U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific region are working to transition from numerous bilateral exercises with partners and allies in the region to more multilateral engagements.
"Demonstrating on a daily basis with your allies and partners that you're prepared to fight and win a war, should you need to, is really the ultimate way to deter a war; so that's really important," Mastalir said.
To that end, he said that Space Force and U.S. Space Command actively work to engage with partners and allies, regardless of the level of space-related capability they are at.
"The interesting thing about Space Force [and] Space Command in terms of military operations is our partners and allies are in different places in their own journey; and we can engage with those partners where they're at, and really kind of bring them along," Mastalir said.
He explained how the Space Force is making progress with its partners and allies in Asia, with U.S. Space Forces Korea having been activated in December of 2022 and plans to activate U.S. Space Forces Japan by the end of the calendar year.
"Having the [U.S. Space Forces Korea] component really allows a tighter integration with the other components and U.S. Forces Korea," Mastalir said.
"And we're going to put the same construct in Japan when we activate," he added.
Mastalir said that having Space Force components in both South Korea and [soon] Japan helps drive integration not just with other U.S. military components, but also with host nation militaries.
"As [South Korea and Japan] build their [space] capabilities, having a [Space Force] component right there in country — working with them [and] having them exercise with us — is really great [for] awareness of how they might consider building [space] capabilities so that they can integrate across the joint force," Mastalir said.
Touching again on the U.S. military's efforts to shift from bilateral to more multilateral exercises in the Indo-Pacific region, Mastalir said that partner and ally countries also have a vested interest in protecting the rules-based international order.
"All of those nations — and Japan and South Korea specifically — [when you] think about where they were in terms of their own development as a nation at the conclusion of World War II, and where they are today … it's absolutely amazing," Mastalir said.
"So, they of course have a vested interest in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific. Absolutely."
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3942884/working-with-indo-pacific-allies-key-to-maintaining-rules-based-order-space-for/
Space Systems Command releases Command Plan outlining organizational priorities
Oct. 23, 2024
Citing the growing criticality of effective, ready and reliable space capabilities in an era of Great Power Competition, Lt. Gen. Philip Garrant, Space Systems Command commander, has authored and released his command plan highlighting the organizational improvements necessary to pave the way forward for excellence.
Garrant, joined by U.S. Space Force Chief Master Sgt. Jacqueline Sauvé, SSC senior enlisted leader, introduced his plan to the broader field command workforce today as part of his Ask Me Anything (AMA) forum series, which focuses on two-way communication on various topics such as changes, challenges and improvements to the command.
“What you’ll see when you read this plan is that everything is aligned to focus on our culture and our stakeholders, both within and outside of the command, so that we can maintain our vigilance towards the future,” Garrant said.
“The people of this command are the drivers behind the mission, and it’s important that we know how we need to collectively work together to get after it.”
Built on input from leadership across the command and program offices, the plan places emphasis on improving foundational organizational aspects rooted in three guiding tenets—deliver combat-credible, ready and resilient capabilities; establish a world-class culture to recruit, develop and retain exceptional people and modernize the command structure to maximize effectiveness.
“I am shifting the command’s strategic focus to optimize the way we organize, train and equip you for the effective delivery of dominant space capabilities on operationally relevant timelines,” Garrant stated.
“We will further the excellence of our organization and people by improving foundational competencies like warfighting culture, talent development, resource allocation, quality of life and connection.”
As part of improving connections, the plan also stresses the importance of relationships between SSC and its broad array of stakeholders including SSC’s military, civilian and contractor workforce; national-level government; combatant commands and service components; Department of Defense and Allied nation development partners; host facilities; industry development partners and service providers.
“SSC must invest our time and attention toward purposeful engagement with stakeholders,” Garrant said.
“Efforts across the command have been doing just that but we must continue to find ways that generate valuable avenues to deliver against the toughest problem sets together.”
Garrant closed out the AMA forum with a call-to-action to the SSC workforce, charging them with the task to determine what their role is within the command plan’s path forward.
“Find yourself in this plan,” Garrant stated. “Know how, where and why you fit into the greater picture of SSC.
Being able to connect to that is an important part of how we collectively drive the organizational change and culture we want to see.”
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3943559/space-systems-command-releases-command-plan-outlining-organizational-priorities/
https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/SSC-Command-Plan
Video Shows Apparent UFO Encounter Near Indiana Air Force Base
October 23, 2024
Look familiar?
An observant TikTok user recently captured some strange lights in Indiana's night sky.
While viewers were quick to dismiss the possibility of UFOs, I can't help but draw comparisons to a similar case that drew national attention to West Michigan.
As a '90s kid my fascination with the paranormal began with the show Unsolved Mysteries.
I was thrilled when Netflix rebooted the show in 2020 and even more excited to see my own home featured in the 2022 episode titled Something in the Sky, which covered the mysterious lights seen across the West Michigan lakeshore in March 1994.
Personally, I have noticed the eyewitness accounts from the events of March 1994 are eerily similar to stories I've heard firsthand from friends and family who have seen peculiar objects in the Michigan night sky: they all mention groups of lights which separate as individuals and move incredibly fast.
I could never quite picture such a phenomenon in my mind– until now. TikTok's @christina.sharp18 may have captured the whole thing on video!
In Christina's video you'll see groups of lights separate and then rejoin, flicker on and then flicker off, what could cause something like that?
Have you ever seen anything like that? I don't believe I have.
Disclaimer: I do realize Grissom Air Reserve Base is only 12 miles north of Kokomo, Indiana city limits but even with aircraft flying in and out each day, do those look like typical aircraft to you?!
https://wkfr.com/ufo-video-kokomo-indiana/
Unidentified Flying Object Spotted Floating Above San Diego
October 22, 2024
San Diego is best known for its gorgeous beaches, insanely good Mexican food and, of course, serving as the home of legendary anchor Ron Burgundy.
But it also may be the future home of our alien overlords, as a recently shared video shows an unidentified flying object hovering above downtown San Diego.
The video was shared on the r/UFOs subreddit by someone who said they had been “reluctant to show these due to the bad video footage.”
In the 68-second video, you can clearly see some kind of vehicle flying above San Diego’s skyline. It’s a bit blurry, but it certainly doesn’t look like any plane I’ve ever seen.
"Happened in San Diego on February 10th a little after 7 pm,” the user wrote. “A very bright ball in the sky caught my eye as I was outside with my mom and when I turned to look at it, more started to suddenly appear and form the crescent shape you see in the video.
They were there for the better of 30 minutes until they all vanished at the same time. At first, I was thinking flares, but there was absolutely no movement in them.
Then I suspected drones, but these were way too out in the ocean for that to be feasible.”
The OP said they sent the video to a friend who is “higher up in the navy” and that he had “no answer to them being anything the military would have,” though he didn’t rule out “the possibility of it being some kind of military experiment.”
Commenters noted the heavy military presence and wondered if the mysterious flying object may have been flying near the naval base that is located in the downtown area.
This is something that’s become worryingly common, with a fleet of unidentified drones flying over a military base in Virginia a few months before this San Diego sighting.
If the aliens are here, they may be looking for an ideal spot to settle down once their (hopefully peaceful) invasion is complete.
And if that’s the case, these extraterrestrial visitors have great taste, as it’s tough to find many places on Earth more beautiful than sunny San Diego.
I’m admittedly biased because San Diego is my hometown but when a city’s beaches get not one, but two shoutouts from the Beach Boys on “Surfin’ USA,” you know it’s a special place.
https://www.ebaumsworld.com/articles/san-diego-ufo-aliens-video/87622589/