The textbook defines a reflection nebula as a comparatively dense cloud of gas and dust in the interstellar space that is illuminated by a star between it and earth. It is the bluish haze or the scattered starlight caused by the interstellar gas and dust.
It depends on how it is observed. If you observe it with anything but infrared then it will appear kind of fog like in space, if at all. The particles and dust are spread out and so small and thin that the naked eye can barely see them at all, even using other types of telescopes.
During your video, you said that most of the interstellar medium is too cold to see. Why does the temperature of the interstellar medium effect your ability to see it?
Things that are cold are extremely difficult to see because most things give off heat. For example, infrared has the ability to see even objects that are colder, where other instruments would need a greater heat source in order to detect interstellar objects and dust. Heat gives off signatures that are easier to see, whereas things that are cold give off little to no signature. Compare fire to ice, you can see both, but you can see and feel fire farther away than ice, can you not? Animals that have nightvision see heat signatures better than cold, and sometimes can not even see cold objects.
During the video, it was stated that we can see more interstellar medium with infrared and radio telescopes. You explained how we can see it with infrared telescopes, but not radio telescopes. Is it the same kind of idea as the infrared telescopes? If not, then how can we see interstellar medium with radio telescopes?
Astronomical objects that have a changing magnetic field can produce radio waves. By studying the radio waves originating from these sources, astronomers can learn about their composition, structure, and motion. Therefore, the information received from the radio waves, along with the visual from the infrared, give us a more accurate depiction of what lies behind and within the interstellar medium.
The cloud and star cluster at the end of simulation show some stars and brown dwarfs have been ejected to large distances from the regions of dense gas in which the star formation occurs.Gas filaments and discs form stars and brown dwarfs. Some of the remaining gas falls in around these protostars forming protoplanetary discs and building up the masses of the protostars.
The interstellar medium is large and spreads across the entire universe, therefore we say that it contains 10% of the observable mass of the universe. But the particles are small and spread out, and most of space is empty. There is no true concept we can imagine to describe the emptiness even between the interstellar clouds.
After the protostar phase, you have the pre-main-sequence star, which is when the star has been formed but has not started the Hydrogen burning. And then after that it becomes a main sequence star, where it begins the process of Hydrogen burning to Helium.
What is a reflection nebula?
ReplyDeleteThe textbook defines a reflection nebula as a comparatively dense cloud of gas and dust in the interstellar space that is illuminated by a star between it and earth. It is the bluish haze or the scattered starlight caused by the interstellar gas and dust.
DeleteWhat does a star cluster show when its observed?
ReplyDeleteIt depends on how it is observed. If you observe it with anything but infrared then it will appear kind of fog like in space, if at all. The particles and dust are spread out and so small and thin that the naked eye can barely see them at all, even using other types of telescopes.
DeleteDuring your video, you said that most of the interstellar medium is too cold to see. Why does the temperature of the interstellar medium effect your ability to see it?
ReplyDeleteThings that are cold are extremely difficult to see because most things give off heat. For example, infrared has the ability to see even objects that are colder, where other instruments would need a greater heat source in order to detect interstellar objects and dust. Heat gives off signatures that are easier to see, whereas things that are cold give off little to no signature. Compare fire to ice, you can see both, but you can see and feel fire farther away than ice, can you not? Animals that have nightvision see heat signatures better than cold, and sometimes can not even see cold objects.
DeleteDuring the video, it was stated that we can see more interstellar medium with infrared and radio telescopes. You explained how we can see it with infrared telescopes, but not radio telescopes. Is it the same kind of idea as the infrared telescopes? If not, then how can we see interstellar medium with radio telescopes?
ReplyDeleteAstronomical objects that have a changing magnetic field can produce radio waves. By studying the radio waves originating from these sources, astronomers can learn about their composition, structure, and motion. Therefore, the information received from the radio waves, along with the visual from the infrared, give us a more accurate depiction of what lies behind and within the interstellar medium.
DeleteDuring the animation, we see a bunch of small yellowish orbs flying away from the star being created. What are those?
ReplyDeleteThe cloud and star cluster at the end of simulation show some stars and brown dwarfs have been ejected to large distances from the regions of dense gas in which the star formation occurs.Gas filaments and discs form stars and brown dwarfs. Some of the remaining gas falls in around these protostars forming protoplanetary discs and building up the masses of the protostars.
DeleteIf the interstellar medium contains 10% of gas and dust in our galaxy what is the other 90%?
ReplyDeleteIf the interstellar medium contains 10% of gas and dust in our galaxy what is the other 90%?
ReplyDeleteThe interstellar medium is large and spreads across the entire universe, therefore we say that it contains 10% of the observable mass of the universe. But the particles are small and spread out, and most of space is empty. There is no true concept we can imagine to describe the emptiness even between the interstellar clouds.
DeleteWhat other phases can be listed of a star other than than the Protostar phase ?
ReplyDeleteAfter the protostar phase, you have the pre-main-sequence star, which is when the star has been formed but has not started the Hydrogen burning. And then after that it becomes a main sequence star, where it begins the process of Hydrogen burning to Helium.
Delete