astronomy - The African Mirror

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Aug

2024

By JAMES OKWE CHIBUEZE

Astronomy ‘Olympics’ is being hosted in Africa for the first time: 4 big talking points

SCIENCE, TECH AND INNOVATION

CUTTING-EDGE telescopes, gravitational waves, black holes and our solar system’s central star, the Sun, are just a few of the topics that will be on the table in Cape Town, South Africa, for an event that’s a scientific version of the Olympic Games – though the world’s leading astronomy researchers in attendance will be showcasing their brains rather than their brawn. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) was established in 1919 and held its first General Assembly in Rome, Italy, in 1922. These assemblies, held every four years, are a chance for the organisation’s members and affiliates to meet in person,…

Jul

2022

By The African Mirror

James Webb telescope: a scientist explains what its first, amazing images show – and how it will change astronomy

SCIENCE, TECH AND INNOVATION

AFTER decades of development and many trials and frustrations along the way, the James Webb telescope has finally started to deliver what it came for. On July 12, Nasa released the first scientific observations made by the suite of instruments carried on board the mission, marking what we eagerly anticipate will be the beginning of a new era in astronomy. Author MARTIN BARSTOW, Professor of Astrophysics and Space Science, University of Leicester After the nail-biting launch on Christmas Day, a series of critical deployments followed to open up the telescope and its sun-shade. If any of these operations had failed,…