Interesting and unusual objects in space. The most unusual space objects (6 photos) The most famous space objects
We know that human civilization has a variety of assets and resources. They are all ordered, and changes in themselves or in their legal status are subject to certain rules. But what if we are talking about something not located on planet Earth? What laws come into force here and how do they differ from those on earth? Is it possible to purchase a spaceship, a plot of land on another planet, or even an entire star? You will learn more details and definitions from this article.
What is a space object
If you look at the night sky through a telescope or just with the naked eye, you can see many celestial bodies. Stars, nebulae, planets with their satellites, comets, asteroids, etc. - all this has been formed and continues to form naturally. There are also objects that were created by man and launched into space for scientific purposes. These are space stations, ships, installations, shuttles, satellites, probes, rockets and other equipment.
All these natural and artificial ones are found in space outside the Earth's atmosphere. Therefore, the concept of “space object” can be applied to each of them. And all issues related to their research are regulated by international law.
Space infrastructure
In this case, infrastructure means a complex of interconnected objects that ensure the effective functioning of the space research system.
As follows from the Law of the Russian Federation “On Space Activities”, space ground infrastructure objects represent a variety of structures and devices that perform various functions.
Among them are those that are used at the preparatory stage:
- storage bases for space technology;
- specialized vehicles, materials, components, finished products, etc.;
- equipped cosmonaut training centers;
- experimental facilities for testing launch, flight, landing and other tasks.
Other space infrastructure objects become necessary for the direct process of organizing flights:
- spaceports;
- launchers, launch complexes and;
- landing sites and runways for space objects;
- areas where separated parts of space objects fall.
Separately, there are objects that serve to collect, save and analyze important information:
- points for receiving, storing and processing flight information;
- command-measuring complexes.
Space legislation
There are a number of international and national codes of practice governing the use of space. These include:
- Outer Space Treaty (1967).
- Agreement on the rescue of astronauts and the return of objects (parts thereof) launched into outer space (1968).
- Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972).
- Convention on the Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (1975).
Who owns the devices and celestial bodies?
In addition to international laws on space, most states have adopted their own. State registration of space objects in our country is carried out in the manner determined by the government of the Russian Federation. For these purposes, there is a Unified State Register, into which all information about various types of devices and their parts is entered. The registry contains information about both equipment launched into space and equipment not in use.
From the point of view of the law, a space object is everything that exists outside the atmosphere of our planet, and everything that was launched from Earth into interstellar space. Natural objects (planets, asteroids, etc.) legally belong to all humanity, and man-made ones (satellites, aircraft) are the property of one or another power. At the same time, responsibility for how a particular space object is used lies with the state that owns it.
Who is the master of space?
Beyond 110 km above sea level, a zone begins that is considered outer space and no longer belongs to any state on the planet. It is legally established that each country has an equal right to take part in the study of this space.
But controversial situations arise when a particular space object, during takeoff (landing), is forced to pass through the airspace of another state. There are rules about this. For example, in Russia there is a law “On Space Activities”, on the basis of which a foreign spacecraft is allowed to fly once through the airspace of the Russian Federation if the government authorities have been warned about this in advance.
Spacecraft, along with sea ships and aircraft, can be sold or purchased by individuals and legal entities. At the same time, being entered into the register of the country, the device may be owned by a foreign state, company or private individual.
Is it possible to give a name to a celestial body?
The universe contains a huge number of stars, and only a small percentage of them have names. Therefore, it is not surprising that such a service appears: for a certain fee, you can give an unnamed celestial body any name you like and receive a confirming certificate.
But those who want to spend their money on this should know that nothing in this procedure has legal force. After all, in fact, it is dealt with by the International Astronomical Union - a non-governmental scientific association whose tasks include fixing the boundaries of all known constellations and registering space objects. Only the catalog generated by this organization can be called official and real.
Of course, there are others: for example, the star catalog of the city observatory, as well as any other organization or individual. It is possible to enter new names of stars or asteroids there, but charging money for it is a form of fraud. Only the international scientific community can change the names of space objects.
Is it possible to buy a plot on another planet?
For example, on the Moon, Mars or somewhere else in our solar system? Currently, there are even companies with representative offices around the world offering to purchase such original real estate for a tidy sum.
But this is a fiction, because such a transaction is invalid from a legal point of view. After all, the legal status of space objects is such that they belong to the entire population of the Earth, but not to any country individually. And purchase and sale agreements can only be concluded on the basis of state law. So, there is no law - there is no possibility of acquiring a piece of another planet other than Earth.
What are the rights and responsibilities of astronauts?
On a spaceship (station, etc.) the legislation of the state to which this device is assigned applies.
Everything is carried out on the terms of international cooperation and mutual assistance.
Cosmonauts (astronauts), while outside the Earth, are obliged to provide each other with all possible assistance.
If a spacecraft crashes or makes an emergency landing on the territory of another country, then local authorities are obliged to help the crew together with the party that launched it. Then, as soon as possible, transport the cosmonauts along with the ship to the territory of the state in whose registry it is located. The same applies to individual parts of the aircraft - they must be returned to the party that carried out the launch. She also bears the costs of the search.
The moon is used by all countries only for peaceful research purposes. The placement of military bases and any militaristic activities (exercises, tests) on the Earth’s satellite are strictly prohibited.
What will happen if another life is discovered in the Universe?
Currently, this possibility is not refuted by scientists. But it is not taken into account in space legislation. For example, if new life forms are discovered on one of the discovered planets (no matter whether they are intelligent or not), then building legal relations between them and earthlings turns out to be impossible. This means that it is unknown what humanity should do if “neighbors” are discovered somewhere else in space. There are no corresponding laws, and by default all planets with their possible inhabitants are the property of the terrestrial community.
Planets, stars, comets, asteroids, interplanetary aircraft, satellites, and much more - all this is included in the concept of “space object”. Special laws adopted both at the international level and at the level of individual states of the Earth apply to such natural and artificial objects.
For thousands of years, people have peered into the starry sky. Whether it concerned the creation of legends and myths, observing the changing seasons of the year, or navigation in the vastness of the World Ocean, the celestial sphere has been one of the most important assistants to humanity throughout its history.
In this collection, we look at the 25 brightest space objects that you can see (depending on the light pollution in your area) just by looking at the sky.
The objects in this list are ranked by how bright they are to the average observer on Earth - a unit of measurement known as apparent magnitude.
The Carina Nebula is home to the Milky Way's brightest starWe'll start our selection of the "25 Brightest Space Objects Visible to the Naked Eye" with the only nebula on this list: the Carina Nebula.
The Carina Nebula is an interstellar collection of cosmic dust and ionized gas. It is especially notable because it contains the brightest star in the Milky Way, WR25.
Although this star is as bright as 6,300,000 of our Suns, it was not included in the presented Top 25 due to its distance from us - almost seven and a half thousand light years. For comparison, the distance between the Sun and the Earth is only 0.000016 light years.
Star Spica
Spica is a double star in the constellation Virgo
We can see other galaxies and nebulae in the night sky - such as our home Milky Way, the Orion Nebula, the Pleiades and the Andromeda Galaxy - but, in terms of apparent magnitude, they are paler than other cosmic bodies on our list.
Therefore, the second place is occupied by the star Spica - alpha of the constellation Virgo. Spica is technically two stars so close that together they form one egg-shaped star.
Star Antares - "Heart of Scorpio"
The next chosen one is six hundred light years away from Earth and is known as the “Heart of Scorpio”, as it is the brightest star of this constellation.
Antares is best observed around May 31, when it is directly opposite the Sun, appearing at dusk and disappearing at dawn.
Alpha star of the constellation Taurus
The star Aldebaran (not to be confused with Alderaan, the home planet of Princess Leia from Star Wars) is alpha of the constellation Taurus. Translated from Arabic, Aldebaran means “follower”.
Aldebaran isn't hard to spot in the night sky - just find Orion's belt and count three stars clockwise (or vice versa if you're in the Southern Hemisphere) to the next brightest star.
Humanity will learn more about Aldebaran when the Pioneer 10 probe passes by this star in two million years. Oh yeah. We can't wait.
Alpha Southern Cross (Acrux)
Triple star system in the constellation Crux
The Southern Cross is one of the most recognizable figures in the night sky, also known as the constellation Crux. Its brightest star, its alpha - Acrux - was placed on their flags by five countries: Australia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, New Zealand and Brazil.
In fact, Acrux is not a single star, but a star system of three components. Judging by their mass and brightness, two of its stars will soon go supernova.
To find Acrux, look at the “bottom” of the Southern Cross.
Altair
Altair is one of the peaks of the Great Summer Triangle
The star Altair is the second brightest vertex of the Great Summer Triangle. Of the vertices of the Summer Triangle, Altair is also the closest star to Earth and the alpha of the constellation Aquila.
The neighboring vertex of the Triangulum - the star Deneb, alpha Lyrae - seems paler to us than Altair, but only because it is 214 times farther from us. In absolute magnitude, Deneb is seven thousand times brighter than Altair.
Beta Centauri (Agena, Hadar)
Beta Centauri - a faithful assistant to seafarers before the invention of the compass
The triple star system Beta of the Centauri constellation has historically been one of the most important and brightest objects in the night sky.
Before the invention of the compass, navigators determined the location of the south by connecting with an imaginary line Beta Centauri and Acrux - the reference points of the Southern Cross - an analogue of the North Star in the other hemisphere. Since ancient times, both the Southern Cross and the North Star have played the role of the main and reliable landmark in navigation.
Betelgeuse is our chance to see a supernova explosion for the first time in a thousand years
The star Betelgeuse is so huge that if you place it in the place of our Sun, it will swallow the Earth with Venus and Mercury, and even Mars. This massive supergiant has the most variable apparent magnitude among the objects on our list. In addition, it can be observed almost everywhere from autumn to spring.
And Betelgeuse is also a chance for us earthlings to see a supernova explosion for the first time since 1054.
Finding Betelgeuse in the sky is easy. Look at the bright red star perpendicular to Orion's Belt.
Achernar
Alpha Eridani - blue and hot
Achernar is the bluest and hottest celestial body that we can observe with the naked eye.
It is interesting that due to the peculiarities of the orbital trajectory, Achernar escaped the attention of most of our predecessors, and even from the ancient Egyptian astronomers.
And its extremely high rotation rate gives Achernar the least spherical shape among the Milky Way bodies.
Summit of the Great Winter Triangle
Procyon is the second brightest star in the Great Winter Triangle. In the sky it appears reddish, especially in late winter.
Procyon appears in the cultures of many peoples, from the ancient Babylonians and Hawaiians to the Brazilian Kalapalo ethnic group.
The Eskimos call Procyon Sikuliarsiujuittuq - after the fat man from the legend who stole from his relatives because he was too heavy to hunt on the ice. Other hunters convinced him to go onto the newly formed ice, and the fat man drowned. The Eskimos associated the color of his blood with Procyon.
Star Rigel
Blue-white supergiant in the constellation Orion
Rigel is the brightest star in the zodiac constellation Orion. It is located opposite Orion's Belt, diagonally from Betelgeuse.
Rigel is the farthest star from Earth in this selection, we are separated by 863 light years. Rigel is also notable for its variable apparent magnitude, which is caused by its pulsations - the result of thermonuclear reactions of hydrogen fusion.
Chapel
Alpha constellation Auriga
Translated from Latin, Capella means “little goat.” It sounds incomprehensible to modern people, but the Greeks, and after them the Romans, greatly revered this star, since they associated it with the goat that suckled the god Zeus.
Capella has an apparent magnitude of 0.07, making it the third brightest star in the Northern Hemisphere. Inhabitants of latitudes north of 44°N. can see the Chapel both day and night.
Vega - alpha of the constellation Lyra
Vega is one of the most important stars in the heavens, some even consider it second in importance after the Sun.
Located just 25 light years from Earth, Vega was our North Pole Star 14,000 years ago. And it will regain this status around 13727, when changes in its orbit will once again make it brighter than the current North Star.
Vega is also known as the first star after the Sun to be captured on film.
Arcturus - Alpha BootesThe star Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern celestial hemisphere.
It was probably this orange giant that helped the Polynesians so successfully cross the Pacific Ocean.
To find Arcturus in the night sky, follow the handle of the Big Dipper to the first bright star.
Magellan's Navigator
Alpha Centauri is a binary star system with Beta Centauri.
In absolute magnitude, it is not much brighter than our Sun and is closest to the Solar System (only 4.37 light years).
In addition, it is one of the supporting points of the Southern Cross, which helped Magellan and other navigators chart a course across the ocean in the Southern Hemisphere.
Many astronomers believe that there is a planet, and even more than one, in the orbit of this star system.
Star Canopus
Alpha constellation Carinae
Canopus is the second brightest star in the night sky, and in the time of dinosaurs it would have led the list of the brightest in apparent magnitude.
Although currently dominated by another star whose name is immortalized in the name of Harry Potter's godfather, Canopus will return to the top of the list in about 480 thousand years, when it will once again become the brightest star in the night sky.
Canopus appears white to the naked eye, but takes on a yellowish tint when viewed through a telescope.
Sirius is the brightest star in the earth's sky
The brightest star in the night sky, Sirius is also called the “Dog Star” because it is part of the constellation called the “dog of Orion.”
The phrase “the dog's days are over” (as, for example, in the song of the same name by Florence + The Machine) comes precisely from Sirius.
By the location of Sirius in the sky, the ancient Greeks determined when the “days of the dog” began - the hottest period of the summer season.
Saturn is the faintest visible planet
The first and faintest planet in the solar system visible to the naked eye is Saturn. At the same time, Saturn is one of the most exciting cosmic bodies to observe through a telescope.
Even small telescopes (with a minimum magnification of 30x) can make out Saturn's famous rings - mostly made up of chunks of ice and rock.
And Saturn's largest moon, Titan, can be seen even with strong binoculars.
Mercury is the seventh brightest object in the sky visible to the naked eye
Because Mercury revolves around the Sun within the Earth's orbit, it is visible from the surface of our planet only in the mornings and evenings, and never in the middle of the night.
Like our Moon, Mercury has a series of phases, the changes of which can be observed using a telescope.
Earth's brightest neighbor
Mars has been the focus of attention among professional and amateur astronomers for thousands of years. Easily visible in the night sky due to its characteristic hue, the Red Planet has an apparent magnitude of -2.91. Mars was best visible from July to September 2003, especially in August, when Mars was brighter for earthlings than in the previous 60 thousand years. Jupiter
The largest planet in the solar system, Jupiter is an easy target to search for and observe with the naked eye.
And with a simple telescope, you can make out the famous cloud belts that shroud the surface of Jupiter, and perhaps even its four largest moons.
If you choose the right time and a strong telescope, you will be able to admire Jupiter's Great Red Spot.
Venus is the brightest planet visible to the naked eye
The brightest planet we can see with the naked eye, Venus has played an important role in human culture for thousands of years.
Praised by poets as the morning and evening star, Venus appears after sunset, overtaking the Earth in its annual rotation cycle, and before dawn, passing by the Earth.
Venus is so bright that it can be seen even at noon.
International Space Station
The only man-made visible space object
The only man-made object on our list, the International Space Station orbits the Earth 15 times a day, creating a wealth of observation opportunities, although it is sometimes confused with a fast-moving aircraft.
To find out when the ISS will fly directly overhead, visit NASA's special resource spotthestation.nasa.gov.
Only the sun is brighter
Our beloved Moon is the most recognizable and largest object in the night sky visible to the naked eye. Sometimes visible even in daylight, the Moon always shows us only one side of itself, since it rotates synchronously with the Earth.
When he was president, George W. Bush proposed a project to create a lunar base by 2024, but NASA's focus has since shifted to sending humans into orbit around Mars in 2035.
Sunrise on Maui, Hawaii
Is it any wonder that the star that gives us life leads the list of the brightest cosmic objects.
But, although you can look at the sun with your naked eye, try to avoid this: perhaps a few seconds of direct observation will not blind you, but a few hours will certainly do so.
Star maps are revealed. The most noticeable stars of the night sky found their names and stories, experienced stargazers tested their knowledge, and readers far from astrophysics discovered a new unknown world full of shining cosmic luminaries.
Parallel and pocket Universes have their own star maps, but in this one the laws of quantum mechanics apply - observers change what they observe - and each of our glances upward changes something - invisibly and irreversibly.
Since ancient times, man has been interested in celestial phenomena: the movement of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars, the appearance of comets and meteors, solar and lunar eclipses. The structure and development of various cosmic bodies, as well as the systems they form, studies astronomy. Astrophysics- a branch of astronomy that studies the physical nature of astronomical objects, especially stars. Astrophysics arose in the 20th century and complements traditional branches of astronomy, such as astrometry, celestial mechanics, stellar dynamics and kinematics, etc.
The results of centuries-long studies of celestial bodies are impressive. The star catalog-guide created for the Hubble Space Telescope (launched into low-Earth orbit in April 1990) contains information about 18,819,291 cosmological objects as a database. This is the largest catalog of celestial objects ever compiled. It includes 15 million stars and over three million galaxies and continues to grow as scientific research is carried out.
The most common cosmological object is star-a self-luminous gas ball, in the hot core of which energy is generated during nuclear fusion processes. The minimum mass required to form a star is about one-twentieth the mass of the Sun (1.989-10 kg). Below this limit, the gravitational energy released by compaction of the mass is not sufficient to raise the temperature to a level at which the reaction of converting hydrogen into helium can begin. The most massive known stars have a mass of about 100 solar masses. It is mass that is the main factor that determines the temperature and luminosity of a star during the entire period of its existence as a main sequence star (when the nuclear fuel in its core is hydrogen). The chemical composition of stars is dominated by hydrogen, with helium being the other main component.
Stars form in gas and dust clouds in the interstellar medium of clusters. The matter of the protostar becomes denser and collapses, that is, it contracts sharply and quickly, as a result of which gravitational energy is released and the core is heated until the temperature becomes high enough to support nuclear reactions converting hydrogen into helium. The combustion of hydrogen in the core continues until the supply of hydrogen fuel is depleted. For the Sun, the lifetime is approximately 10 billion years (about half of which has already passed), but for a star three times more massive, it is only 500 million years.
The further evolution of a star depends primarily on its mass. Stars whose luminosity is 10-1000 times greater than the luminosity of the Sun, and whose radius is usually 10-100 times greater than the radius of the Sun, are called giants. A star becomes a giant when the supply of hydrogen fuel necessary to support nuclear fusion reactions in it is exhausted, and the beginning of the transition to a new energy equilibrium causes a significant expansion of the outer layers. The surface temperature drops, but due to the large increase in the surface, the total luminosity of the star increases. Examples of giant stars are Capella, Aldebaran and Arcturus. Massive hot stars that are very large compared to the Sun, even if they have not yet reached a late stage of evolution, are also sometimes called giants.
In massive stars, each time another type of fuel is depleted, the temperature rises sufficiently for new, heavier fuel to ignite. Eventually, when a star has formed an iron core with a mass roughly equal to the mass of the sun, new combustion reactions become impossible. At this stage, core compression continues until a catastrophic explosion occurs. supernova. The remaining “naked” core becomes neutron star, that is, a star with a mass between 1.5 and 3.0 solar masses, which, under the influence of gravitational forces, has collapsed to such an extent that it now consists almost entirely of neutrons. Neutron stars are only about 10 km across and have a density of 1017 kg/m.
In lower mass stars (such as the Sun), the temperature of their center never gets high enough to ignite the hydrogen and helium in the outer concentric shells. Instability develops, which leads to the separation of the outer layers of the star from the core. As a result, white dwarf, which has no internal source of energy and therefore continues to cool. The described evolutionary pattern is typical for single stars. Membership in a binary or multiple system can greatly influence the evolution of a star, since mass transfer can occur.
Double star consists of two stars orbiting each other and held together by mutual gravity. About half of all "stars" are actually binary or multiple systems, although many are so close that their components cannot be observed individually.
Multiple stars ~ is a group of three or more stars orbiting in the same system, in which they are held together by mutual gravitational attraction. A well-known example is the four-star system Epsilon Lyrae.
Pulsar is a rotating neutron star with a mass approximately equal to that of the Sun, but with a diameter of only about 10 km. It is a source of radio waves and is characterized by high frequency and regularity of bursts of radiation. The time between successive pulses ranges from a few milliseconds (for the fastest ones) to 4 s (for the slowest ones). Some pulsars, in addition to radio waves, generate pulsating radiation in other ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light. Most pulsars are found in globular clusters, where stars are tightly packed and gravitational interactions occur very easily. At least one pulsar appears to have another neutron star as a companion star, and another has two or three planetary-sized companions. Pulsars are formed by supernova explosions, although currently only two of them, the Crab Nebula pulsar and the Vela pulsar, are located within observable supernova remnants.
Black hole- presumably the final stage of the evolution of some stars, the mass of which, and therefore the gravitational force, is so great that they undergo catastrophic gravitational collapse, i.e. compression, which cannot be resisted by any stabilizing forces (for example, gas pressure). During this process, the density of matter tends to infinity, and the radius of the object tends to zero. According to Einstein's theory of relativity, a space-time singularity arises at the center of a black hole. The gravitational field on the surface of a collapsing star increases, making it increasingly difficult for radiation and particles to escape. Ultimately, such a star ends up under an “event horizon,” which is like a one-way membrane that only lets matter and radiation in and doesn’t let anything out. Black holes can only be detected by a sharp change in the properties of space-time around it. Astronomers believe that there are many black holes in our Galaxy. Thus, it is believed that the X-ray emission of the Cygnus X-1 binary system is due to the fact that one of its components is a black hole. Giant black holes may be at the centers of some galaxies, including ours. Very small black holes could have formed in the initial phase of the evolution of the Universe from a superdense state. Today, the search for black holes in the Universe and their detailed study are one of the most important tasks of cosmology, astrophysics and astronomy.
Quasars are called quasi-stellar sources of radio emission that emit a flow of energy like hundreds of normal galaxies. Their nature has not yet been fully studied. The spectra of quasars are characterized by a large redshift. According to modern concepts, quasars are the most distant objects known to us in the Universe, which are a type of the brightest active galactic nuclei. A small number of quasars have been detected to have a faint, hazy glow from the surrounding galaxy. To date, several thousand quasars have been catalogued. Some quasars exhibit a noticeable and rapid change in luminosity.
Systems consisting of a cluster of stars, dust and gas form galaxies. Their total mass ranges from 1 million to 10 trillion. mass of the Sun. The true nature of galaxies was finally established only in the 20s of the 20th century. Until this time, when observed through a telescope, they looked like diffuse spots of light, reminiscent of nebulae. The distance to the closest galaxy to us - the Andromeda nebula - is 2.25 million light years. All galaxies contain stars, gas and dust, but in different proportions, and even within a single galaxy the distribution of these components can vary greatly. Most galaxies have a clearly visible core, that is, a center of condensation of matter that emits a powerful stream of energy or even explodes; in a number of cases, ejections of matter are observed at velocities close to light. There is a huge amount of matter concentrated in outer space, which is distributed unevenly, forming groups or clusters of galaxies, with the smallest containing only a few galaxies, while larger clusters can number up to several thousand.
The origin and evolution of galaxies are not yet fully understood. In modern cosmology, several types of galaxies are distinguished: spiral, elliptical And incorrect. The first type has been best studied. It includes galaxies that have a clearly defined spiral structure, like the Andromeda nebula or our Galaxy (usually written with a capital letter). Most of the stars and luminous matter form spiral arms, which also contain interstellar dust and neutral hydrogen. The masses of almost all spiral galaxies lie in the range from 1 to 300 billion solar masses.
Elliptical galaxies are also quite common. Their sizes vary widely, from small dwarf elliptical galaxies of just a few million solar masses to giant elliptical galaxies with a mass of 10 trillion. sunny Most of their matter is in the form of stars and hot gas. Massive elliptical galaxies are found at the centers of several of the largest galaxy clusters. They have a large core, or possibly several cores, moving rapidly relative to each other within an extended shell. These are often quite strong sources of radio emission. Cosmologists suggest that they may evolve into quasars.
Local group - this is a collection of galaxies to which our Galaxy, the Milky Way, belongs, and the Sun in it is one of the 100 billion stars that make it up. The dominant members are the Andromeda Nebula, which is the largest and most massive galaxy, and our own Galaxy. The Local Group also includes the Large Magellanic Cloud, which lies near our Galaxy, and a number of small elliptical, irregular and dwarf spherical galaxies that resemble isolated globular clusters. It does not have a central compaction, but consists of two subgroups centered around its two most massive members. The local group occupies a volume of space with a radius of about 3 million light years. Other nearby galaxies are distant at distances that are twice or even three times greater.
Radio galaxies are cosmic objects identified with optical galaxies and differing from them in a powerful flux of radio emission, which is 10 35 -10 38 W, which is 10 thousand - 1 million times more than the radio emission of a normal galaxy. For every million galaxies there is one radio galaxy. The radio galaxy Cygnus A, often considered the prototype of radio galaxies, contains two vast clouds of radio emission located symmetrically on either side of a perturbed elliptical galaxy and extending over 3 million light years. The mechanism for generating energy from radio galaxies is still unknown. It is unlikely that such a large release of energy could be the result of normal nuclear reactions in stars. Scientists suggest that black holes act as the “central mover” of these cosmic formations. Radio galaxies are closely related to quasars, many of which have similar characteristics in the radio range.
Gas nebula- a luminous cloud of gas in interstellar space, which can be either an emission nebula or a reflection nebula. In the past, all galaxies except ours were called gas nebulae. Now the word “gas” is usually omitted, since the concept of “nebula” is associated only with interstellar clouds, and not with galaxies.
Planets- massive non-self-luminous bodies in the planetary system, formed from the gas and dust matter surrounding the star. These include bodies ranging in size from several kilometers (for example, asteroids) to objects with a mass equal to 10 Jupiter masses. More massive bodies turn into stars because the temperature at their center is sufficient to initiate thermonuclear fusion reactions. Planets can be rocky like the inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars) or gaseous with a small rocky core like the outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune). These eight planets, along with Pluto, are the major planets of the solar system. Pluto, although reminiscent of rocky planets, retains a significant amount of ice and is the only example of a large ice dwarf planet in the Solar System. Within the Solar System there are many small planets - satellites of large planets, asteroids and small icy dwarfs that make up the so-called Kuiper belt beyond Neptune. The process of formation of planetary systems is in many ways similar to the process of star formation.
Extrasolar planet is a non-self-emitting body orbiting any star other than the Sun. The use of methods that make it possible to detect small periodic changes in stellar velocities based on the Doppler effect made it possible in 1995-1996 to obtain arguments in favor of the existence of extrasolar planets around normal stars. Probably, planets and their systems are a fairly common phenomenon in the Universe.
In addition to those considered, in the Universe there are such objects as cosmic rays, comets, asteroids, meteorites, fireballs, etc.
Despite its obvious relation to the space branch of knowledge, space object is a term more often found in legal documentation than in the literature on astronomy and the history of astronautics.
Definition
In a broad sense, space objects refer to all bodies that can be found in space. These are the so-called astronomical objects, that is, cosmic bodies formed naturally in space conditions. These include all kinds of planets, natural satellites, comets, stars, asteroids, and so on.
There are also artificial space objects. They are usually meant by this name, using it in the narrow sense of the word. What space object can be called such in this case? Such objects usually include products of human activity launched into space. A space object is also something artificially created that can potentially be launched into space or serves as a means of supporting space flights while remaining on Earth.
Examples of such objects can be spaceships, spaceports, orbital stations, and so on.
Space object in legal literature
There is no clear definition of this term in the international legal system.
Russian legislation on space issues
According to existing laws, Russian objects located in space must be registered and marked.
The Russian Federation retains the right to its objects during their flight into space, as well as before and after it.
If an object is created jointly with another country, then the issue of ownership of it is resolved on the basis of international law.
Space infrastructure
Objects whose operation is related to the exploration of outer space form the space infrastructure.
The space infrastructure of the Russian state consists of cosmodromes, equipment necessary for launching spacecraft, measuring and communication equipment, bases from which space expeditions are controlled, special places provided for landing astronauts and spacecraft, and training centers for training cosmonauts. Most space infrastructure facilities located on the territory of Russia are state property and are administered by one or another government agency. According to existing legislation, such facilities can be leased to other organizations. Landing of objects included in the Russian space infrastructure must be carried out in places specially designated for these purposes. In emergency cases, when an object lands outside the designated area, those in charge are required to report this to the authorities of the area where the landing occurred.
Space vessels and objects of this kind, if they land outside the country that sent them into outer space, upon discovery, are subject to mandatory return to the owner. All costs for search, transportation and other actions with the object or its components are borne by the owner state.
Legal status of astronauts
Another important term found in international legislation and in the legislation of individual countries is astronaut.
An astronaut is a citizen of the state launching a space object, performing certain actions that contribute to the successful operation of this object during a space expedition.
Some provisions of international agreements
In the event of an emergency landing of a space vehicle as a result of an accident or other unforeseen situation, the country where the landing occurred is obliged to notify the owners of the space object and the leadership of the United Nations about the incident. This state is also responsible for carrying out activities to ensure the search for astronauts.
In their professional activities, cosmonauts of all countries must provide all possible assistance to each other.
The jurisdiction of the state where the spacecraft and astronauts were registered remains in force even if the spacecraft with its crew is located over the territories of other countries.
Space objects and their individual parts, as well as all their equipment, can be shared ownership of several states, while all owners bear responsibility for space activities in an amount proportional to their share.
All states of the world have the right to launch their spacecraft into orbit, occupying any part of outer space. Also, any state has the right to land its objects on the surface of any celestial bodies: planets, satellites, and so on.
Spacecraft owners must provide timely information about the location of their space objects and the current state of these objects (mothballed or active) to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Legal liability for space activities
According to the current provisions of international law, the owner state is responsible for the results of the activity of its space objects. If the owners are non-governmental organizations, their activities in space must be under the control of the state in whose territory these organizations are registered.
Any damage caused to individuals or legal entities as a result of the operation of space objects must be compensated by the owner of the object. The amount of compensation for damage is determined in each specific case in accordance with the legislation in force at the place of registration of the object.
Conclusion
This article addressed questions about what is a space object. This term is included in the conceptual apparatus of international legislation regulating the space activities of the inhabitants of the Earth in outer space. In addition to this term, the concept of space infrastructure and the objects included in it was also considered. This article may be of interest to people interested in issues related to space exploration in the field of international law and law.
The Boomerang Nebula is located in the constellation Centaurus at a distance of 5000 light years from Earth. The nebula's temperature is −272 °C, making it the coldest known place in the Universe.
The gas flow coming from the central star of the Boomerang Nebula moves at a speed of 164 km/s and is constantly expanding. Because of this rapid expansion, the temperature in the nebula is so low. The Boomerang Nebula is cooler than even the relic radiation from the Big Bang.
Keith Taylor and Mike Scarrott named the object the Boomerang Nebula in 1980 after observing it with the Anglo-Australian Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory. The sensitivity of the instrument made it possible to detect only a small asymmetry in the lobes of the nebula, which gave rise to the assumption of a curved shape, like a boomerang.
The Boomerang Nebula was photographed in detail by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1998, after which it was realized that the nebula was shaped like a bow tie, but this name had already been taken.
R136a1 lies 165,000 light-years from Earth in the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This blue hypergiant is the most massive star known to science. The star is also one of the brightest, emitting up to 10 million times more light than the Sun.
The star's mass is 265 solar masses, and its formation mass was more than 320. R136a1 was discovered by a team of astronomers from the University of Sheffield led by Paul Crowther on June 21, 2010.
The question of the origin of such supermassive stars still remains unclear: whether they were formed with such a mass initially, or whether they formed from several smaller stars.
Pictured from left to right: red dwarf, Sun, blue giant, and R136a1:
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