How did an amateur astronomer discover the collision of two exoplanets?

The work of non-professional science lovers can also be useful in opening new horizons.

Technology not only improves our lives and promotes the development of civilization, but is also designed to communicate with others. And the cosmic discovery that we will tell you next has a lot to do with Advancement of science and communicationBecause thanks to a science enthusiast, a group of scientists were able to investigate the matter Collision A pair of exoplanets located very far from our solar system, about 1,800 light-years from Earth.

The unusual event reported by an astronomy enthusiast

a A study published in the journal Nature He reveals one astronomy fan’s discovery, explaining how Two ice giant planets They will have I collided With each other and how they will form a landscape of dust and light after the cosmic accident.

Matthew Kenworthy He is one of the authors of the study and says, University of Bristol websiteHow did you do? Discovery:

Honestly, this observation came as a complete surprise to me. When we originally shared the visible light curve of this star with other astronomers, we began observing it using a network of other telescopes. An astronomer pointed out to us on a social networking site that the star lit up in the infrared spectrum approximately 1,000 days before its visual dimming. I knew then that this was an unusual event.

Researchers capture the aurora resulting from a massive planetary collision in outer space for the first time 🌌

This 3D simulation created by Jingyao, a PhD student at the University of Bristol, shows the catastrophic collision between two giant planets in a space system 1,800 light-years away from Earth 🌎 pic.twitter.com/WplKUx8mgy

— University of Bristol (@BristolUni) October 11, 2023

Hence, a group of astronomers took action Track the brightness of a starcalled ASASSN-21qj, for two years, where it was found Most likely explanation That he was there Collision between two ice giants.

across the NEOWISE missionwhich uses the WISE space telescope to observe comets and asteroids, can detect the infrared flash that occurred from the aforementioned collision between the two exoplanets.

This amazing research was a collaborative project with academics from around the world, to connect @uobearthscience with @UniLeidenNews, @uniofwarwick, @NASAJPL, @ California Institute of Technology, @oeaw And others.

Learn more: https://t.co/h1L73vkroW@sC.a lock @JingyaoDOU_ac

— University of Bristol (@BristolUni) October 11, 2023

Three years later they began monitoring Decrease in the brightness of starswhich the team of astronomers confirms is produced by… Collision debris Which was launched into space. The notes will last for years, just as says Dr. Zoe Lenhart:

It will be great to see future developments. Eventually, the mass of material surrounding the remains could condense to form an entourage of moons that would then orbit the new planet.