- Elon Musk says San Francisco’s ‘doom spiral’ isn’t enough to force him to move Twitter’s HQ—but he’s getting a lot of good offers Fortune
- Musk says X won’t leave San Francisco despite city facing ‘doom spiral’ Fox Business
- Elon Musk Sends Surprising Love Letter to a Right-Wing Target TheStreet
- Daily Digest: Elon Musk commits ‘X’ headquarters to San Francisco; SoFi stock soars – San Francisco Business Times San Francisco Business Times
- Twitter won’t move out of San Francisco despite ‘doom spiral’: Musk Business Insider
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: Spiral
US defense secretary says ongoing lack of communication with China could lead to incident that could ‘spiral out of control’ – CNN
- US defense secretary says ongoing lack of communication with China could lead to incident that could ‘spiral out of control’ CNN
- Defense Secretary Austin warns of Chinese provocation and calls for open communication NBC News
- US Defense Secretary Austin says China’s meeting snub unfortunate Reuters
- US defense chief calls China’s refusal to meet unfortunate during visit to Tokyo for talks The Associated Press
- China Watcher: Austin-Li derailed — Pill peddlers punished — Dutch chip cliffhanger POLITICO Europe
- View Full Coverage on Google News
US defence chief warns incidents with China’s military could ‘spiral out of control’ – Financial Times
- US defence chief warns incidents with China’s military could ‘spiral out of control’ Financial Times
- US defense secretary says ongoing lack of communication with China could lead to incident that could ‘spiral out of control’ CNN
- US defense chief calls China’s refusal to meet unfortunate during visit to Tokyo for talks The Associated Press
- US Defense Secretary Austin says China’s meeting snub unfortunate Reuters
- U.S. bears “full responsibility” for difficulties in military exchanges: Chinese defense spokesperson Xinhua
- View Full Coverage on Google News
The James Webb Space Telescope image shows spiral galaxy in stunning detail
A newly released image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope shows a crowded field of galaxies and stars, with a distant spiral galaxy standing out in stunning detail.
The large galaxy that sits at the bottom of the image, LEDA 2046648, is so clear in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST or Webb) image that its individual spiral arms are visible. This level of detail is even more impressive considering that the galaxy in question, which is in the constellation of Hercules, is more than 1 billion light-years away from Earth and JWST.
This particular image also shows a host of other galaxies and stars, all marked by the six-pointed diffraction spikes that are a signature of JWST observations. The image was captured by JWST’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) while the telescope was observing the white dwarf WD1657+343, a well-studied object that JWST was observing in order to calibrate its Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS).
Related: James Webb Space Telescope’s best images of all time (gallery)
(The image, released on Tuesday (Jan. 31), presumably comes from before Jan. 15, when NIRISS experienced a glitch that took the instrument out of commission. NIRISS resumed normal operations on Monday (Jan. 30), NASA officials said.)
Not only are the other galaxies in the image smaller than LEDA 2046648, but some of them are also more distant, offering a deeper view of the universe‘s history. One of the main aims of JWST is to observe distant galaxies, some located much further away than LEDA 2046648, in order to look back in time at the universe when it was in its infancy.
This historical insight is possible because light takes a finite time to travel to Earth from distant galaxies, so looking at these galaxies is akin to seeing them at the time when the light left, sometimes as early in the 13.8-billion-year history of the cosmos as around 300 million years after the Big Bang.
Light from these galaxies doesn’t remain unchanged over the course of its many-billion-year journey to the 21-foot-wide (6.5 meters) gold-plated primary mirror of JWST, however.
The expansion of the universe stretches the wavelengths of this light, reducing its energy from the visible spectrum to infrared light. This process is known as “redshift,” as it moves light toward the red end of the electromagnetic spectrum.
The phenomenon makes JWST’s infrared-detecting capabilities ideal for studying the red-shifted light from ancient galaxies, and thus for identifying details of their formation, evolution and composition.
Astronomers can then compare the structure of these distant ancient galaxies to those we see closer to our own galactic home, the Milky Way, that exist in a more contemporary epoch of the universe.
The comparison could help to reveal how galaxies grew to form the structure we see in the universe today. Additionally, the light from distant galaxies helps reveal their chemical composition, showing astronomers how and when heavy elements formed and how they have become more abundant in later galaxies thanks to enrichment from exploding stars.
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‘Mysterious flying spiral’ above Hawaii likely caused by SpaceX launch : NPR
A Japanese telescope captured images and video of a flying blue whirlpool shape over Hawaii on Jan. 18.
“The Subaru-Asahi Star Camera captured a mysterious flying spiral over Maunakea, Hawaii” which “seems to be related to the SpaceX company’s launch of a new satellite,” the Subaru Telescope tweeted on Jan. 19.
The telescope is mounted atop Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii, and is operated by The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
In the video, the object starts as a small white sphere flying through the night sky. It then widens into a spiral as it travels before fading into a ring shape and disappearing.
According to the telescope’s YouTube channel, a livestream viewer first noticed the event and brought it to staff’s attention. The livestream is jointly run by the telescope and Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper company.
SpaceX launched a global-positioning satellite into medium orbit at 7:24 a.m. that same day from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The launch used a Falcon 9 rocket.
This isn’t the first time a SpaceX launch has created a mysterious swirl in the night sky. One was spotted above New Zealand in June on the same day as a Falcon 9 launch from the same Florida location. After another launch in April, the Subaru Telescope captured a similar image above Hawaii.
Space communities online have suggested that the spirals — and other formations, like the “space jellyfish” — occur when rockets vent their leftover fuel. The gas is expelled at a higher pressure than the atmosphere. It is then illuminated by sunlight, creating the shapes we see from down below.
SpaceX and the Subaru Telescope did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mysterious moving spiral appears among stars above Hawaii
A mysterious spiral formation was spotted in the night sky above Hawaii earlier this month, sparking curiosity among observers.
The spectacle, initially spotted by an observatory in Mauna Kea on Jan. 18, first looked like a traveling bright star before it morphed shapes.
It grew into a larger blob before it transformed into a dot with a spinning spiral around it, footage from the Subaru-Asahi STAR Camera shows.
The night sky whirlpool, however, is not a UFO or spaceship — but reportedly the work of billionaire Elon Musk.
The rare sighting is believed to be connected to the launch of a satellite by Musk’s Space X.
Subaru Telescope, one of the camera operators, said it believes the dazzling phenomenon is related to the satellite’s orbital deployment operation.
Blue ‘flying spiral’ captured by telescope over Hawaii
An astonishing blue spiral, spinning in a perfect “whirlpool,” was recently spotted in the night sky over Hawaii. But there’s no need to fear an alien invasion just yet.
The unearthly sight was caught by the Subaru Telescope at the summit of Maunakea on the Big Island of Hawaii. Shortly before 4:45 a.m. on Jan. 18, a small blue dot could be seen amid a blanket of stars. The dot rapidly expanded until it formed into a spinning mass with bright blue tendrils of light emanating from its center. It slowly disappeared over the course of about 15 minutes.
Scientists who help operate the telescope said the “mysterious whirlpool” was likely due to a SpaceX launch. “Earlier that day, the SpaceX launched a satellite into a medium-earth orbit,” the telescope’s YouTube channel posted. “We believe this phenomenon is related [to] its orbital deployment operation.”
Hours before across the country, SpaceX had launched a Falcon 9 GPS rocket from the U.S. Space Force’s station in Cape Canaveral, Florida. SpaceX, which is owned by Elon Musk, has government contracts with the Space Force. According to Space.com, spirals have been seen in the sky after other SpaceX launches too. It may be because extra fuel is being vented from the craft.
The Subaru Telescope is operated jointly by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences. Because Maunakea’s summit is above the clouds and there isn’t much light pollution on the Hawaiian Islands, scientists can capture remarkably clear images of space; Hawaii officials allow countries across the globe to operate telescopes atop Maunakea. This week, professional and amateur astronomers alike will be watching for a rare green comet passing by Earth.
Camera captures night sky spiral after SpaceX rocket launch
HONOLULU — A camera atop Hawaii’s tallest mountain has captured what looks like a spiral swirling through the night sky.
Researchers believe it was from the launch of a military GPS satellite that lifted off earlier on a SpaceX rocket in Florida.
The images were captured on Jan. 18 by a camera at the summit of Mauna Kea outside the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan’s Subaru telescope.
A time-lapse video shows a white orb spreading out and forming a spiral as it moves across the sky. It then fades and disappears.
Ichi Tanaka, a researcher at the Subaru telescope, said he was doing other work that night and didn’t immediately see it. Then a stargazer watching the camera’s livestream on YouTube sent him a screenshot of the spiral using an online messaging platform.
“When I opened Slack, that is what I saw and it was a jaw-dropping event for me,” Tanaka said.
He saw a similar spiral last April, also after a SpaceX launch, but that one was larger and more faint.
SpaceX launched a military satellite the morning of Jan. 18 from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The location of the spiral matched where the second stage of the SpaceX rocket was expected to be after its launch.
SpaceX didn’t respond to an email sent Friday seeking comment.
Tanaka said the observatory installed the camera to monitor the surroundings outside the Subaru telescope and to share Mauna Kea’s clear skies with the people of Hawaii and the world.
Someone watching the sky in less clear conditions, for example from Tokyo, might not have seen the spiral, he said.
The livestream is jointly operated with the Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper, and frequently gets hundreds of viewers. Some tune in to watch meteors streak across the sky.
The summit of Mauna Kea has some of best viewing conditions on Earth for astronomy, making it a favored spot for the world’s most advanced observatories. The summit is also considered sacred by many Native Hawaiians who view it as a place where the gods dwell.
“Mysterious Flying Spiral” Spotted In Night Sky Over Hawaii. Here’s What It Is
The video was taken from Subaru-Asahi STAR Camera.
A Japanese telescope camera has captured a bizarre blue “flying spiral” in Hawaii. Taking to YouTube, the official account of Subaru Telescope, which is operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, shared the eerie video, which showed the “mysterious” whirlpool of light in the shape of a spiral galaxy briefly appearing in the night sky above Maunakea, Hawaii on January 18.
“A “Mysterious” Flying Spiral was seen over Maunakea. 2023-01-18 UT. Really unusual view! Any idea about what it is? Our keen viewers discovered this rare event… The video was from our “Subaru-Asahi STAR Camera” which is jointly operated by NAOJ (Subaru Telescope) and Asahi Shimbun (Japanese newspaper company),” the caption of the YouTube post read.
Watch the video below:
Internet users were quick to react to the video. They were intrigued by the mysterious flying spiral and sought the reason behind the formation. Some users even made “alien” and spaceship” jokes.
“OMG, Andromeda has arrived 4 billion years early!!” wrote one user. “Hey @elonmusk, this you or aliens?” commented another.
Also Read | Uranus To Hide Behind The Moon This Saturday. See Details
Meanwhile, according to the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ), it turns out the stunning spiral was comprised of frozen rocket fuel that was ejected during a SpaceX launch. “The spiral seems to be related to the SpaceX company’s launch of a new satellite,” the Japanese space agency wrote on Twitter.
As per Space.com, the SpaceX launch in question was a Falcon 9 rocket that was lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on January 18. The report also mentioned that such spirals have been seen in the past as well. It usually appears as the upper stage of Falcon 9 dumps excess fuel into the ocean.
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Eerily perfect galaxy-shaped spiral appears over Hawaii. What is it?
(opens in new tab)
An eerily-perfect “whirlpool” of light in the shape of a spiral galaxy briefly appeared in the night sky above Hawaii.
But what was it?
It turns out the stunning spiral was comprised of frozen rocket fuel that was ejected during a SpaceX launch.
A video (opens in new tab) of the ethereal light show was captured Jan. 18 by the Subaru-Asahi Star Camera — co-owned by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and Japanese news agency Asahi Shimbun — attached to the Subaru telescope on top of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on Hawaii’s Big Island. In the sped-up footage, a small blob of light unfurls into a perfect glowing whirlpool that moves across the sky for several minutes before fading away into nothingness.
“The spiral seems to be related to the SpaceX company’s launch of a new satellite,” NAOJ representatives wrote on Twitter (opens in new tab).
Related: Bizarre blue blobs hover in Earth’s atmosphere in stunning astronaut photo. But what are they?
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The SpaceX launch in question was a Falcon 9 rocket that successfully lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 7:24 a.m. EST (1224 GMT) carrying a new GPS satellite for the U.S. Space Force, Live Science’s sister site Space.com reported.
The rocket’s first stage, which provides the main propulsion for lift off, separated from the payload-carrying second stage around 3 minutes after launch and eventually returned to Earth. After separating from the first stage, the second stage used its small engine to propel itself into position to deploy the satellite. Once the satellite was deployed, any remaining fuel was then ejected before reentry, which caused the second stage to enter a spin before deorbiting and falling down to Earth in the Pacific ocean. The result was a cloud of frozen fuel crystals in the shape of a spiral, which were illuminated by sunlight, according to Spaceweather.com (opens in new tab).
This is not the first time that SpaceX rockets have caused dazzling light shows. In April 2022, the Subaru-Asahi Star Camera captured a shimmering spiral of light after SpaceX launched a spy satellite into orbit on another Falcon 9 rocket.
The so-called “SpaceX spirals” are becoming “commonplace over the Pacific” because this is where most Falcon 9 rocket stages fall back to Earth, Spaceweather.com representatives wrote.
Frozen rocket fuel has also created several other stunning visual anomalies in other parts of the globe. In March 2022, frozen fuel from a Chinese rocket created a large spinning orb of light that photobombed an aurora borealis in Alaska. In October 2017, an even larger blue orb was seen in the sky above Siberia, according to ScienceAlert (opens in new tab). On that occasion, Russian military rocket tests left the frozen fuel in the area.