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Astronomers Are Freaking Out over Bizarre Rectangle-Shaped Rings in Space

38 points by isaacfrond 4y ago

JPLeRouzic 4y ago
In a telescope with a deformed mirror, you have weird diffraction rings (Airy rings) Four lobes: https://telescope-optics.net/images/4v_spider2.png https://telescope-optics.net/images/4v_spider2.png Three lobes: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/11-Diffraction-pattern-of-a-telescope-with-deformed-optics-showing-a-three-lobed_fig19_305768831 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/11-Diffraction-pattern-o...
mrlonglong 4y ago
This kinda reminded me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Engines_of_God https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Engines_of_God
pyinstallwoes 4y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-ring_resonator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-ring_resonator Negative refractive phenomonea and the ability for metameterials to be tuned to specific frequency bands and potentiate the effective mass density. Or something cooler I guess :P
nicbou 4y ago
Good on them to start with a picture of what they're talking about. This is surprisingly not something you can take for granted.
egberts1 4y ago
I am ignoring the 9-point standard refraction disclosure here. Rectangular markings can be recreated by moving the 9 regular-pulsating jet streams emanating outward at various Cartesian directions: - the four corners of their “rectangle” are comprising of pulse streams emanating outward but directly perpendicular to our view. - their rectangular sides are painted by pulsating jet streams whose trajectory angle are further/closer with our reference (perpendicular)to our POV. That’s one way to explain rectangular aspect. Haven’t got a clue as to what the odds are of such stream placements to make an appearance of a “rectangle”. But I could envision 6 or 9 asymmetrical jet streams from a gravity well (such as a star), but not ones caused by binary star pairs. Guessingly so, pulsating effect would be easily explained by a strong elliptical orbit between stars of similar size, one where closest encounter would grab all the dust clouds. Note: I am not an astronomer, just a hobbyist for plotting trajectories between multiple celestial bodies thru space.
QuadmasterXLII 4y ago
the standard explanation for effects like this is rapidly periodic brightness of star + different light delays along various star ->dense point in non-uniform dustcloud -> earth paths. Its easily tested, just take a few more pictures of the star and see of it blinks in sync with rings propagating out.
- QuadmasterXLII 4y ago
  Here’s a link to another case of the effect I’m describing- the rings aren’t nearly as perfect, so perhaps I am wrong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhlmc7xLAII https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhlmc7xLAII
Jemm 4y ago
Rectangular like the shape of image sensors?
- SideburnsOfDoom 4y ago
  This is from the JWST, that often has 8 points, not rectangles, due to the diffraction. https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/diffraction-spikes-jwst/ https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/diffraction-spikes-jwst/

38 points by isaacfrond 4y ago

In a telescope with a deformed mirror, you have weird diffraction rings (Airy rings) Four lobes: https://telescope-optics.net/images/4v_spider2.png https://telescope-optics.net/images/4v_spider2.png Three lobes: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/11-Diffraction-pattern-of-a-telescope-with-deformed-optics-showing-a-three-lobed_fig19_305768831 https://www.researchgate.net/figure/11-Diffraction-pattern-o...

mrlonglong 4y ago

This kinda reminded me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Engines_of_God https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Engines_of_God

pyinstallwoes 4y ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-ring_resonator https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-ring_resonator Negative refractive phenomonea and the ability for metameterials to be tuned to specific frequency bands and potentiate the effective mass density. Or something cooler I guess :P

nicbou 4y ago

Good on them to start with a picture of what they're talking about. This is surprisingly not something you can take for granted.

egberts1 4y ago

I am ignoring the 9-point standard refraction disclosure here. Rectangular markings can be recreated by moving the 9 regular-pulsating jet streams emanating outward at various Cartesian directions: - the four corners of their “rectangle” are comprising of pulse streams emanating outward but directly perpendicular to our view. - their rectangular sides are painted by pulsating jet streams whose trajectory angle are further/closer with our reference (perpendicular)to our POV. That’s one way to explain rectangular aspect. Haven’t got a clue as to what the odds are of such stream placements to make an appearance of a “rectangle”. But I could envision 6 or 9 asymmetrical jet streams from a gravity well (such as a star), but not ones caused by binary star pairs. Guessingly so, pulsating effect would be easily explained by a strong elliptical orbit between stars of similar size, one where closest encounter would grab all the dust clouds. Note: I am not an astronomer, just a hobbyist for plotting trajectories between multiple celestial bodies thru space.

QuadmasterXLII 4y ago

the standard explanation for effects like this is rapidly periodic brightness of star + different light delays along various star ->dense point in non-uniform dustcloud -> earth paths. Its easily tested, just take a few more pictures of the star and see of it blinks in sync with rings propagating out.

QuadmasterXLII 4y ago
Here’s a link to another case of the effect I’m describing- the rings aren’t nearly as perfect, so perhaps I am wrong. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhlmc7xLAII https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhlmc7xLAII

Jemm 4y ago

Rectangular like the shape of image sensors?

SideburnsOfDoom 4y ago
This is from the JWST, that often has 8 points, not rectangles, due to the diffraction. https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/diffraction-spikes-jwst/ https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/diffraction-spikes-jwst/