An international team of astronomers used ALMA to capture high-resolution images of eight protoplanetary disks in the Sigma Orionis cluster, which is irradiated by intense ultraviolet light from a massive nearby star. To their surprise, they found evidence of gaps and rings in most of the disks—structures commonly associated with the formation of giant planets, like Jupiter.
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There should be a lot of carbon in space, but surprisingly, it’s not always easy to find. While it can be observed in many places, it doesn’t add up to the volume astronomers would expect to see. The discovery of a new, complex molecule (1-cyanopyrene), challenges these expectations, about where the building blocks for carbon are found, and how they evolve.
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AUI Sponsors Student Outreach Event at 232nd AAS Meeting
Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) sponsored the American Astronomical Society (AAS) local student outreach event at the AAS 232nd summer meeting held this June in Denver, CO.
As part of AUI’s role in serving as ambassadors of science and encouraging the next generation the next generation of scientists and engineers, the event provides middle and high school students in underserved populations an opportunity to spend a day learning about STEM.
The society welcomes local student groups, STEM program participants, home schooled students, and families for an interactive afternoon of science.
Students had the opportunity to participate in hands-on demonstrations and speak with world famous scientists and engineers at the forefront of astronomy research.
At the 232nd AAS meeting, the students received a welcome talk by Dr. Keivan Guadalupe Stassun, Professor of Astronomy at Vanderbilt University, and were chaperoned into the AAS Exhibit Hall to meet with several exhibitors for exciting hands-on activities covering topics such as discovering exoplanets, building an interferometer, dark matter, infrared cameras, light spectrum, radio astronomy, and more.
As the students departed, they received an AUI backpack full of resource materials from numerous exhibitors to further their exploration. There were more than 150 students in attendance from the Denver area.
Recent News
ALMA Reveals Planets Can Form Under Harsh Radiation
An international team of astronomers used ALMA to capture high-resolution images of eight protoplanetary disks in the Sigma Orionis cluster, which is irradiated by intense ultraviolet light from a massive nearby star. To their surprise, they found evidence of gaps and rings in most of the disks—structures commonly associated with the formation of giant planets, like Jupiter.
Astronomers Discover New Building Blocks for Complex Organic Matter
There should be a lot of carbon in space, but surprisingly, it’s not always easy to find. While it can be observed in many places, it doesn’t add up to the volume astronomers would expect to see. The discovery of a new, complex molecule (1-cyanopyrene), challenges these expectations, about where the building blocks for carbon are found, and how they evolve.
Massive Stars Born from Violent Cosmic Collapse
An international team of astronomers has observed evidence that massive stars can be born from rapidly collapsing clouds of gas and dust, challenging long-held assumptions about star formation.