Astronomy

In 1990, we only knew of the planets in our own Solar System. Today, the exoplanet count is more than 5000. Here's what we've learned.

To mark the significant occasion, the global astronomy community - including a consortium of Swiss universities representing the latest organisations to join the international project - has gathered in Perth for the milestone.

Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne said the MWA project was making new discoveries about the Universe while upskilling our workforce, training future leaders through PhD research, stimulating advanced industries and delivering national economic benefits.

"Not only is the MWA telling us more than we've ever known about the first stars and galaxies formed more than 13 billion years ago, but it's also an international success story that demonstrates what can be achieved when the world's best collaborate across science, engineering, computing and education," Professor Hayne said.

"In hard numbers alone, Ernst and Young has modelled the significant economic benefit the MWA has brought to the nation, determining that the $34.8 million Australia has invested in the project to date has driven an $81.1 million uplift to our Gross Domestic Product, equating to more than $2 for every $1 spent."

MWA Director John Curtin Distinguished Professor Steven Tingay said the project was reaching a crucial point in its operations.

A consortium of Swiss universities led by École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, which is joining the Curtin-led MWA collaboration for the final phase, is being represented at this week's celebrations.

Good chart for finding them: https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseiden

cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/3819980

Citations and links to related videos on the video description.

Summary generated with claude.ai from the video transcription:

The 'final parsec problem' refers to the fact that the math predicts supermassive black holes at the centers of merging galaxies should stall at around 1 parsec separation and never actually merge. This contradicts observations suggesting supermassive black holes do merge over time. The problem arises because at around 1 parsec separation, the black holes have cleared out all stars/gas so can't lose more energy to get even closer. Gravitational waves only help below 0.01 pc. The upcoming LISA gravitational wave detector should detect mergers and help solve this problem - either the math is wrong and mergers happen, or mergers don't happen and the math is right.

Citations and links to related videos on the video description.

Summary generated with claude.ai from the video transcription:

The 'final parsec problem' refers to the fact that the math predicts supermassive black holes at the centers of merging galaxies should stall at around 1 parsec separation and never actually merge. This contradicts observations suggesting supermassive black holes do merge over time. The problem arises because at around 1 parsec separation, the black holes have cleared out all stars/gas so can't lose more energy to get even closer. Gravitational waves only help below 0.01 pc. The upcoming LISA gravitational wave detector should detect mergers and help solve this problem - either the math is wrong and mergers happen, or mergers don't happen and the math is right.