Physicist interested in Astrophysics and Particle Physics| Research in Math and Science Edu| Math and Science Writer| Teacher and Teacher Trainer| WomenInSTEM My science blog: https://www.tutto-scienze.org/ More about me: https://x.com/settings/bio
4,625 followers 56 following 2,629 posts
view profile on Bluesky
🧵 An interesting study shares JWST breathtaking images of a protoplanetary disk seen edge-on around the protostar IRAS04302+2247, still nestled in its birth cloud. The young star is located 525 ly away in the Taurus star-forming region. Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, M. Villenave et al 🔭 🧪
I think it is a galaxy, although I'm not sure.
'Solar for All Schools' (USA), 'Let’s Go Zero' (UK), and 'Eco-Schools' (global). The author urges contacting local schools to promote sustainability. An inspiring article worth reading also for its message of hope and action! 3/3
Heatwaves, which forced the closure of 47,000 schools in the Philippines and affected student performance, highlight the urgency to act. Solutions like white roofs, air conditioning, and solar panels can make campuses greener, with funding available through programs like 2/3
🧵 This motivating article highlights schools’ role in tackling climate change. In Colorado, students led by Aisha O’Neil secured climate education in school standards, while in Oregon, Mikayla May advocated for 'House Bill 3365' to integrate sustainability across subjects. 1/3 #ClimateAction 🧪
6/6 Paper: "JWST Imaging of Edge-on Protoplanetary Disks. II. Appearance of Edge-on Disks with a Tilted Inner Region: Case Study of IRAS04302+2247", M. Villenave et al.➡️ iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3... Press release➡️ esawebb.org/images/potm2...
5/ IRAS 04302 offers a glimpse of what our Solar System might have appeared 4.5 billion yrs ago, during its formation. By studying disks like this, scientists unravel how dust evolves into planets. The Butterfly Star isn't just a cosmic beauty—it’s a key to unlocking the secrets of planet formation.
4/ a phenomenon explained by a model with a tilted inner disk region. Plus, the dark lane’s thickness barely changes across wavelengths, suggesting ~10 μm dust grains remain suspended in the upper layers, not yet settled into the midplane where planets form.
3/ protostar. These images blend data from JWST’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments with optical observations from Hubble.They reveal delicate dust filaments and jets that suggest the star is still gathering mass. Scientists discovered that the brightest nebula flips sides between 12.8 and 21 μm,
2/ It's nicknamed the Butterfly Star due to its two stunning reflection nebulae that resemble wings. The protoplanetary disk, in which infant planets might be forming, spans 65 billion kilometers and appears as a dark lane splitting the two glowing nebulae, which reflect light from the central...
🧵 An interesting study shares JWST breathtaking images of a protoplanetary disk seen edge-on around the protostar IRAS04302+2247, still nestled in its birth cloud. The young star is located 525 ly away in the Taurus star-forming region. Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, M. Villenave et al 🔭 🧪
This Hubble image features the planetary nebula NGC 6818, or Little Gem Nebula. It is a celestial object well detectable telescopically in the September evening sky. At its center is the very hot core of the progenitor star. This emits powerful stellar wind causing...1/2 🔭 🧪 #science #galactic
STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) is a fascinating phenomenon.
This incredible image, taken near Kautokeino (Norway), shows two different phenomena: a bright aurora, on the left; colorful light pillars, on the right. Which of two phenomena is your favorite? Image Credit: Alexandre Correia Source➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap22020... 🔭 🧪 ⚛️ #aurora #lightpillars 🧵
Published in #MNRAS: "Jellyfish galaxies with the IllustrisTNG simulations – Supermassive black hole activity in dense environments with ram-pressure stripped satellites", Kurinchi-Vendhan et al. academic.oup.com/mnras/articl... @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
Our 400+ page comment on the DOE climate working group report is now out. Our conclusion: The merchants of doubt are back, and they're coming for climate science.
the nebula to expand and shape its structure, with a bright, closed central bubble surrounded by a larger, more diffuse cloud. NGC 6818 is located about 6000 ly away in Sagittarius. ➡️ esahubble.org/images/potw1... Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA Acknowledgement: Judy Schmidt 2/2
This Hubble image features the planetary nebula NGC 6818, or Little Gem Nebula. It is a celestial object well detectable telescopically in the September evening sky. At its center is the very hot core of the progenitor star. This emits powerful stellar wind causing...1/2 🔭 🧪 #science #galactic
You're welcome! No. There is currently no solar event comparable to the one of 1859 occurring. Recently, significant geomagnetic storms have occurred, such as the G5 storm in May 2024, but it was less severe than the Carrington Event, with impacts mitigated by modern safeguards.
You're welcome!
🧵 Sept. 1-2, 1859: The Carrington Event, during the solar cycle 10. On 1 Sept. 1859, English astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson noticed a sudden brightening on the Sun's surface like they'd never seen before— the first record of a solar flare... 1/5 🔭 🧪 #stellarastro #histsci
You're very welcome!🙂
is now recognized in heliophysics as a specific class of CME. Animation: A modern simulation of Earth's magnetic field during the #CarringtonEvent. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio/Tom Bridgman ➡️ agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... 5/5 🔭 🧪
It was the event that made Carrington suspect the relationship between geomagnetic storms and the Sun. It was later shown by Hale [1931], Chapman and Bartels [1940], and H.W. Newton [1943] that solar flares and magnetic storms were indeed linked. The strength of the Carrington Event 4/
Officially known as SOL1859-09-01, the Carrington Event, as known colloquially, was also the first documented case of a geomagnetic storm (the most intense in recorded history) associated with a CME, in which charged particles from the Sun are ejected in an explosive burst. 3/
that gave birth to a massive Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). 17.6 hours later, the northern lights were visible as far south as Cuba. The two astronomers compiled independent reports which were published side by side in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 2/
🧵 Sept. 1-2, 1859: The Carrington Event, during the solar cycle 10. On 1 Sept. 1859, English astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson noticed a sudden brightening on the Sun's surface like they'd never seen before— the first record of a solar flare... 1/5 🔭 🧪 #stellarastro #histsci
1/2 August 31, 1989: Stunning OGV (Orange, Green, Violet filter) color image of Neptune and Triton, taken as Voyager 2 departed the Neptune system. ➡️ www.flickr.com/photos/13216... Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Voyager-ISS/Justin Cowart 🔭 🧪 #histsci #planetsci #science
What an adorable moment! Your son saying 'magic-can' instead of magician is pure poetry. Your proud tear is more than justified.
You're welcome!
2/2 Thought of the day, inspired by images like this. "Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." (Sharon Begley) Let's use our creativity, energy and humanity for purposes that make us better.
1/2 August 31, 1989: Stunning OGV (Orange, Green, Violet filter) color image of Neptune and Triton, taken as Voyager 2 departed the Neptune system. ➡️ www.flickr.com/photos/13216... Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Voyager-ISS/Justin Cowart 🔭 🧪 #histsci #planetsci #science
Yes, it is undoubtedly.🙂
🧵 A groundbreaking study in A&A (Anderson & Hunt, 2025) has used the third Gaia data release to map stellar evolution, analyzing 34,760 variable stars in 1,192 Galactic open clusters (OCs). Here are the key points: - Variable stars as cosmic guides. 1/8 🔭 🧪 #stellarastro @emily.space
Paper: "A bird’s eye view of stellar evolution through populations of variable stars in Galactic open clusters"➡️ www.aanda.org/articles/aa/... 8/8
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Maíz Apellániz (Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, Spain); Acknowledgment: N. Smith (University of Arizona) 7/
an incredible leap forward. Image: Trumpler 14, located 8,000 light-years away from Earth in the Carina Nebula, is an example of a Galactic open cluster (it is only 500,000 years old). 6/
enabling a “supercharged” analysis of stellar evolution! In essence, this research deepens our understanding of how stars are born, evolve, and age, providing tools to date stellar populations and correct for cosmic dust absorption. With GDR4 and the Rubin Observatory, astrophysics is set for 5/
- A unique catalog and the future with Gaia DR4. The public catalog, the largest & most consistent of its kind, is a treasure trove for astronomers. Furthermore, Gaia DR4 (coming in 2026) will offer more variable star classifications, new variability types, & photometry possibly for all sources, 4/
- Variability tied to cluster age. Using precise cluster age estimates, the study shows that some variable stars, like young stellar objects (YSOs) and α Cygni supergiants, appear only at specific ages, while eclipsing binaries are found across all ages. This is a new way to date stars. 3/
Variable stars, which change brightness over time, were mapped in an ultra-precise color-absolute magnitude diagram (CaMD), revealing pulsation instability regions. They act as “cosmic clocks,” allowing scientists to estimate the age of star clusters without complex models. 2/
🧵 A groundbreaking study in A&A (Anderson & Hunt, 2025) has used the third Gaia data release to map stellar evolution, analyzing 34,760 variable stars in 1,192 Galactic open clusters (OCs). Here are the key points: - Variable stars as cosmic guides. 1/8 🔭 🧪 #stellarastro @emily.space
🧵 Researchers from the LHCb Collaboration have reported a very rare event: the first observation of the Σ⁺ → p 𝜇⁺ 𝜇⁻ decay, that is, the disintegration of the sigma-plus baryon (Σ⁺) into a proton (p), an antimuon (𝜇⁺), and a muon (𝜇⁻ ). Image: Decay of the sigma-plus baryon ©LHCb ⚛️ 🔭 🧪 #science
You're welcome! I'm glad. :)
10/10 Paper: 'Observation of the Very Rare Σ+→𝑝𝜇+𝜇− Decay', R. Aaij, A. S. W. Abdelmotteleb, C. Abellan Beteta, F. Abudinén, T. Akernley, A. A. Adefisoye, B. Adeva, M. Adinolfi, P. Adlarson et al. (LHCb Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 051801 ➡️ journals.aps.org/prl/abstract...
9/ Analyzing the Σ⁺ decay even more deeply could give scientists signs of asymmetries or anomalies potentially revolutionary for physics.
8/ phenomena beyond the SM as suggested by the HyperCP experiment at Fermilab in Batavia, USA, around 20 years ago. This discovery is a huge step and opens up new possibilities. The results confirm the SM, but any small future deviation could reveal new physics.
7/ LHCb researchers, using a large dataset collected between 2016 and 2018, observed around 237 instances of this Σ⁺ baryon decay, confirming that it occurs with a probability of about 1 in 100 million. The result is consistent with the predictions of the SM. Moreover, no traces were found of new
6/ sugar! In the Standard Model (SM), the theory describing how elementary particles work and three of the four fundamental forces, this change is very rare and occurs only through complex processes. Studying it is like looking through a magnifying glass to find something new in the universe.
5/ called "flavors". In this rare decay, a quark within the Σ⁺ baryon changes its "flavor" without changing the particle's overall electric charge: the process is called Flavor-Changing Neutral Current (FCNC). It's like vanilla ice cream turning into chocolate ice cream without adding or removing
4/ of any simpler particles), similar to electrons, with an electric charge of −1, but about 207 times heavier. They are primarily created by cosmic rays hitting the Earth's atmosphere or in great amounts in experiments like those at CERN. Particles like the Σ⁺ contain quarks of different types,
3/ are particles made of three smaller "pieces" called quarks, held together by the strong interaction. The Σ⁺ is an unstable baryon, living only a fraction of a second before transforming into other particles. Muons are elementary subatomic particles (this means they aren't thought to be composed
2/ It has been how to find a needle in a cosmic haystack: it's, in fact, the rarest decay of a baryon ever observed. But what does all this mean? What are baryons, muons, and Σ⁺? Baryons are fundamental building blocks of matter making up the entire visible universe. They, like Σ⁺ and the proton,
🧵 Researchers from the LHCb Collaboration have reported a very rare event: the first observation of the Σ⁺ → p 𝜇⁺ 𝜇⁻ decay, that is, the disintegration of the sigma-plus baryon (Σ⁺) into a proton (p), an antimuon (𝜇⁺), and a muon (𝜇⁻ ). Image: Decay of the sigma-plus baryon ©LHCb ⚛️ 🔭 🧪 #science
You're welcome! Can't wait to read the next article.
🧵 On 27 Aug. 2003, Hubble captured this image when Mars was at its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years. That was their closest encounter in recorded human history, when the two planets were just 56 million km of each other. ➡️ science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble... 🔭 🧪 #planetsci #histsci
and researching local programs for energy efficiency and climate adaptation. The article calls for raising #climate awareness by connecting it to personal interests like food and consumption. A great mix of hope, science, and practical advice—worth the read! 3/3
However, extreme heat threatens crops like matcha, bananas, and almonds, impacting prices and availability. To address these issues, the author encourages taking advantage of incentives for eco-friendly solutions, such as tax credits for electric vehicles in the USA, 2/3
This interesting article highlights how #climatechange presents both opportunities and challenges. In Australia, community batteries store solar energy, while grazing under solar panels improves the wool of merino sheep, demonstrating synergies between agriculture and green energy. 1/3 🧪 #science
5/5 Image Credit: NASA, J. Bell (Cornell U.) & M. Wolff (SSI); Additional img processing & analysis support: K. Noll & A. Lubenow (STScI); M. Hubbard (Cornell U.); R. Morris (NASA/JSC); P. James (U. Toledo); S. Lee (U. Colorado); & T. Clancy, B. Whitney & G. Videen (SSI); & Y. Shkuratov (Kharkov U.)
4/ We notice a striking contrast between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The first is home to volcanoes, the second shows ancient impact craters. The photo is a color composite generated from observations taken with blue, green and red filters.
3/ This nice natural-color view of Mars reveals other prominent features, including a system of canyons called Valles Marineris; an immense dark marking called Solis Lacus; and the southern polar ice cap. More at the link in the first post.
2/ Olympus Mons, the solar system's largest volcano, appears almost above the center toward the top of the image. It is the size of Arizona and three times higher than Mount Everest. It is a shield volcano and resides in a region called the Tharsis Bulge, which is about the size of the U.S.
🧵 On 27 Aug. 2003, Hubble captured this image when Mars was at its closest approach to Earth in nearly 60,000 years. That was their closest encounter in recorded human history, when the two planets were just 56 million km of each other. ➡️ science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble... 🔭 🧪 #planetsci #histsci
🧵 August 27, 413 BC*: During The Peloponnesian War, a total lunar eclipse took place and defeated a Greek army. Paper➡️ adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1995JRA... *This is the equivalent Gregorian calendar date extrapolated back to classical Greek times. 🔭 🧪 #histsci #history #science
5/5 Image in the first post: Total lunar eclipse and milky way. Via Wikimedia Commons Author: Brocken Inaglory CC BY-SA 3.0
4/ Superstition is not a good business: the entire Athenian fleet and army were defeated, and Nicias was killed. The Athenian expedition to Sicily took place from 415–413 BC during the Peloponnesian War between Athens on one side and Sparta, Syracuse and Corinth on the other.
3/ The Athenian force was preparing to leave Sicily, when a lunar eclipse prompted their superstitious commander Nicias to wait almost a month for a more auspicious date. The Syracusans, taking advantage of this, attacked the Athenian fleet. The story➡️ forbes.com/sites/kionas...
2/ "This was the greatest Hellenic achievement of any in this war, or, in my opinion, in Hellenic history; at once most glorious to the victors, and most calamitous to the conquered." - Thucydides, 'The Peloponnesian War'
🧵 August 27, 413 BC*: During The Peloponnesian War, a total lunar eclipse took place and defeated a Greek army. Paper➡️ adsabs.harvard.edu/full/1995JRA... *This is the equivalent Gregorian calendar date extrapolated back to classical Greek times. 🔭 🧪 #histsci #history #science
"The beauty of physics lies not only in its equations, but in understanding the profound concepts they represent." — Edward Witten, mathematical and theoretical physicist awarded the Fields Medal in 1990, born #OTD in 1951. He is considered as one of the most influential...🧵1/3 🔭 ⚛️ 🧪 #science
Thank you!
What's more, @edwardwitten.bsky.social is here, too!! Happy birthday!! 🎂
August 26, 1918: NASA's trailblazer and mathematician Katherine G. Johnson was born. Her calculations of orbital mechanics were vital to U.S. first triumphs in human spaceflight. I reshare a 🧵 about her. 🔭 🧪 #maths #science #WomenInSTEM #histsci
3/3 Image: Splendid pic from the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument on JWST showing the central portion of the star cluster IC 348. Release and image source➡️ webbtelescope.org/contents/new... Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Kevin Luhman (PSU), Catarina Alves de Oliveira (ESA)
scientists of our time because of his significant contributions to the field of theoretical physics and pure mathematics. Witten's quote encloses the necessity of delving beyond the mathematical framework to appreciate the profound insights offered by physics. 2/3
"The beauty of physics lies not only in its equations, but in understanding the profound concepts they represent." — Edward Witten, mathematical and theoretical physicist awarded the Fields Medal in 1990, born #OTD in 1951. He is considered as one of the most influential...🧵1/3 🔭 ⚛️ 🧪 #science
1/2 This highly enhanced color view of Saturn’s rings was assembled from multiple images taken by Voyager 2 on 17 August 1981. The enhanced colors are used to illustrate possible chemical variations in the ring material. ➡️ www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... Credit: NASA/JPL 🔭 🧪 #histsci #planetsci
and systems? Maybe the issue isn't rehabilitating curiosity itself but dismantling the structures that limit and label it based on gender, race, or otherwise. Can we imagine a curiosity freed from these barriers, or is it inherently tied to power dynamics? 2/2
Indeed! Historically, certain groups, like Aboriginal Australians, were denied not only the freedom to explore their curiosity but even the recognition of being capable of it. This makes us wonder: is curiosity truly universal, or is it a privilege reserved for a few by certain cultures... 1/2
Is curiosity a universal drive or shaped by new cultural constraints? How can we free it from subtle gender norms that still persist?
There’s no specific legend for this image. For precise details, it would be necessary to check the scientific data from NASA’s Voyager 2 mission.
2/2 The Voyager 1 and 2 Saturn encounters occurred respectively in November 1980 and August 1981. The two Saturn encounters increased our knowledge and altered our understanding of Saturn.
1/2 This highly enhanced color view of Saturn’s rings was assembled from multiple images taken by Voyager 2 on 17 August 1981. The enhanced colors are used to illustrate possible chemical variations in the ring material. ➡️ www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... Credit: NASA/JPL 🔭 🧪 #histsci #planetsci
🧵 This spectacular image of the beautiful unbarred spiral galaxy NGC 3981 was taken by the DOE-built Dark Energy Camera (DECam). NGC 3981, located 65 Mly away in the constellation of Crater, is part of the NGC 4038 Group of galaxies... ➡️ noirlab.edu/public/image... 🔭 🧪 #science #astronomy
4/4 Credit: Dark Energy Survey/DOE/FNAL/DECam/CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA Image processing: R. Colombari & M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab) The image was released on June 19, 2024.
3/ star-forming regions, and a prominent disc home to hot young stars. The outermost arms appear deformed and outspread; it seems as if they are dissolving in the cosmos. This is probably due to an encounter with another galaxy in the distant past.
2/ belonging to the large Crater Cloud that is a small component of the colossal Virgo Supercluster of galaxies, into which there is also the Milky Way. The galaxy exhibits a bright center hosting a supermassive black hole, an interesting shape of spiral arms strewn with wide streams of dust and
🧵 This spectacular image of the beautiful unbarred spiral galaxy NGC 3981 was taken by the DOE-built Dark Energy Camera (DECam). NGC 3981, located 65 Mly away in the constellation of Crater, is part of the NGC 4038 Group of galaxies... ➡️ noirlab.edu/public/image... 🔭 🧪 #science #astronomy
However, uncertainties related to the definition of an open cluster (OC) as 'gravitationally bound' and the rapid dissolution of clusters suggest that further research will be crucial to solidify these conclusions. Thread worth reading! 3/3 🔭 🧪
and advanced methods to overcome past limitations. It has a direct impact on understanding galactic evolution and lays the groundwork for further studies on cluster dynamics and stellar distribution. 2/3 🔭 🧪
This study provides one of the most precise estimates to date of the contribution of compact clusters to star formation in the local Milky Way, leveraging cutting-edge Gaia data. The results not only support the clustered model but also highlight the importance of complete catalogs... 1/3 🔭 🧪
Fascinating! Thank you.
And a full press release on these observations is here, from 20 yrs ago: www.nrao.edu/pr/2004/ss433/
You're welcome! :)
ENDNOTES (1) The research paper suggests ~65,200 ly. (2) Detection of neutral hydrogen emission with record sensitivity, capable of picking up very faint signals. (3) Equalization of the pressure of the surrounding hot gas that helps keep the clouds compact.
10/10 Image: An artist's interpretation of the highest-latitude neutral hydrogen clouds ever detected within the Fermi Bubbles in the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/P.Vosteen
9/ The discovery challenges existing models & raises new questions about the origin and dynamics of clouds in galactic winds. Research paper: 'A New High-latitude H i Cloud Complex Entrained in the Northern Fermi Bubble', Rongmon Bordoloi et al 2025 ApJL 987 L32➡️ iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...
8/ of the hot plasma through thermal instability. Their estimated 1 and 8 Myr survival implies that the Fermi Bubbles are younger than previously thought, likely having formed a few million years ago. Processes such as magnetic fields or pressure confinement (3) could explain their resistance.
7/ Several mechanisms may explain it. One possibility is that the H I complex represents debris from a larger, initially coherent cloud that fragmented through interaction with the surrounding hot plasma. Alternatively, the hydrogen clumps may trace neutral gas recently condensed out