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Gaia's Galactic Gold Mine: Star Clusters, Cosmic Lenses, Asteroids, and Unexpected Science

The European Space Agency's Gaia mission discovered over half a million new stars, tagged 150,000 asteroids, and identified 380 cosmic lenses. These discoveries advance our understanding of the universe, setting the stage for the expected release of Gaia DR4 data in 2025

Image - Gaia FPR star cluster
Image - Gaia FPR star cluster

The European Space Agency's Gaia star survey mission has released a treasure trove of new information as part of its "targeted product release". As part of this information release, Gaia studied Omega Centauri, the largest globular cluster visible from Earth and an excellent example of a "typical" cluster.

The team revealed 526,587 new stars that Gaia hadn't seen before, identifying stars that are too close together to be measured by conventional means of observation. of the telescope and those in the core of the cluster are up to 15 times dimmer than previously seen. The new data reveal 10 times more stars in Omega Centauri. This new knowledge will allow researchers to learn about the structure of the cluster, how the stars that make it up are distributed, how they move, and more.

This image is from Gaia's third data release in 2022. The image above is from the new data release, and shows exactly how many new sources have been imaged at the center of the cluster. Only faint stars within Omega Centauri are marked in both images.
This image is from Gaia's third data release in 2022. The image above is from the new data release, and shows exactly how many new sources have been imaged at the center of the cluster. Only faint stars within Omega Centauri are marked in both images.

Recently, the European Space Agency's Gaia mission has released a large amount of knowledge about our galaxy and beyond. Among other findings, the star survey exceeded its intended potential to reveal over half a million new, faint stars in a massive cluster, identify over 380 possible cosmic lenses, and pinpoint the locations of more than 150,000 asteroids in the Solar System.

Gaia maps our galaxy and beyond in extraordinary multidimensional detail, completing the most accurate census of stars ever made. The mission paints a detailed picture of our place in the universe, allowing us to better understand the diverse objects within it.

The mission's latest targeted data release builds on this, providing many new and improved insights into the space around us. The release brings exciting and unexpected data, findings that go far beyond what Gaia was originally designed to discover, and that delve deeper into our cosmic history.

Mapping the Unmapped: Discovering New Stars

The third Gaia data release (DR3) contained data on more than 1.8 billion stars, building an almost complete picture of the Milky Way and beyond. However, holes remain in our mapping. 'Gaia' has not yet deeply explored regions of the sky that were particularly dense with stars, leaving them relatively unmapped, and also ignoring stars that shine less than their many neighbors.

Globular clusters are a prime example of this. These clusters are some of the oldest objects in the universe, making them especially valuable to scientists looking into our cosmic past. Unfortunately, their bright, star-studded cores can overwhelm telescopes trying to get a clear view. As a result, they remain missing pieces in the puzzle of our maps of the universe.

Gaia reveals the dense core of a massive star cluster

To fix the holes in our maps, Gaia chose Omega Centauri, the largest globular cluster visible from Earth and an excellent example of a "typical" cluster. Instead of focusing on just individual stars like it normally does, Gaia enabled a special mode to actually map a wider swath of sky around the cluster's core whenever the cluster was in view.

The team discovered 526,587 new Gaia stars from this cluster alone, identifying stars that are too close together to be measured by the standard Gaia telescope tube Stars in the cluster's core are 15 times dimmer than they appear otherwise. The new data reveal 10 times more stars in Omega Centauri; This new knowledge will allow researchers to learn about the structure of the cluster, how the stars that make it up are distributed, how they move, and more, creating a large and complete map of Omega Centauri.

To fill in the holes in our maps, Gaia chose Omega Centauri, the largest globular cluster visible from Earth and an excellent example of a "typical" cluster. Instead of focusing on just individual stars, as it usually does, Gaia enabled a special mode to actually map a wider swath of sky around the cluster's core whenever the cluster was in view.

"In Omega Centauri, we discovered over half a million new stars that Gaia had not seen before - from just one cluster!" says principal investigator Katia Weingrill of the Institute for Astrophysics in Potsdam, Germany, and a member of the Gaia mission.

"It's not just about completing gaps in our mapping, although that is valuable in itself," adds a member of the Gaia mission, Alexei Mints, also from the Institute in Potsdam. "Our data allowed us to discover stars that were too close together to be properly measured by the regular Gaia telescope. With the new data we can learn about the structure of the cluster, how the stars that make it up are distributed, how they move, and more, creating a large and complete map of Omega Centauri. This is the activation of the Gaia mission at its full potential - we activated this amazing cosmic tool at maximum power."

This finding not only meets Gaia's planned potential but also bypasses it. The team used an observation mode designed to ensure that all of Gaia's instruments were working properly. "We didn't expect to ever use it for science, which makes this result even more exciting," Weingrill adds.

The newly discovered stars in Omega Centauri mark one of the densest regions Gaia has yet explored.

Gaia is currently examining eight more regions in this way, and the results will be included in the fourth Gaia data release. This data will help astronomers truly understand what is happening inside these cosmic blocks, an essential step for scientists who aim to confirm the age of our galaxy, locate its center, understand whether it has undergone collisions in the past, deeply understand how stars change during their lifetimes, constrain our models of galactic evolution, and ultimately deduce the possible age of the universe itself.

Gravitational Lenses: An Unexpected Discovery of 'Gaia'

Gaia was able to identify over 380 potential gravitational lenses - far more than expected. Gravitational lenses are regions where the gravitational pull of a large astronomical body such as a galaxy distorts the light of bodies behind it, creating an optical illusion as if the light is coming from a different location in space. Gaia detects such lenses by looking for a match between pairs of stars, one of which is illuminated by the lens.

Identifying new gravitational lensing allows us to gain deeper insights into dark matter and dark energy in our universe – two of the most mysterious components of the universe.

By analyzing the distortion around the lens, the scientists can calculate the mass of the distorted body. Since they know how much light has been warped, they can also gauge the distance to the lens itself. This way they get an estimate of both the mass of dark matter and its location in our universe.

The lenses that Gaia detects also allow us to explore distant galaxies far beyond our own Milky Way. By analyzing the distorted starlight, we can learn about the properties and composition of these galaxies.

In short, the new lenses significantly expand our ability to explore the structure of the near and far universe - and discover more secrets that lie in deep space.

Gaia continues to push the boundaries of our knowledge of the universe with each data release. We look forward to continued amazing and unexpected discoveries when the next data release, DR4, comes out in 2025.

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Comments

  1. It's time for cosmologists to ask themselves a simple question.
    Who are the exact sciences……and only after that they will turn to the study of the universe.
    It is impossible to explore the universe...if you don't know who the exact sciences are.

    A new definition for the exact sciences with the help of a new concept Dr
    The exact sciences are those that deal with "continuous quantitative things"
    The hallmark of a continuous quantitative thing (dkr) is simple.
    Any quantity that we choose from Dakhar, there is always a larger quantity, and there is a smaller quantity.
    Any quantity that is chosen from Daqar, is always between a zero quantity and an infinite quantity.
    I believe that there are 5 deities in the world, 3 in the geometric field and 2 in the physical field,
    Length, area, volume, belong to geometry, time and energy belong to physics.

    It turns out that for many, many years - the exact sciences are based on 5 incorrect ideas.

    1: There is a single number (slightly larger than 3.14) and it fits all circles.
    This number should express the ratio between the circumference of each circle and its diameter.
    Incorrect: each circle has a private number, and they are between 3.14 and 3.16

    2: The earth has a gravitational force, and it is the one that drops an apple dropped from the hand to the floor.
    Incorrect: the apple dropped from the hand falls by itself, and thus the law of conservation of energy is fulfilled, (height energy is replaced by mechanical energy of the impact blow)

    3: The tangible material is made up of tiny particles that are not material.
    False: A collection of particles that are not matter, cannot form matter.

    4: The infinite space in which the stars move is completely empty.
    לא נכון

    5: In reality there is only a single type of time, known to us with the help of a clock.
    לא נכון

    The time has come for the exact sciences to be based on correct new ideas.
    The new ideas appear in an amazing book that tattoo ancient conventions.
    "Esbar's magical journey on the wings of natural knowledge"

    As expected, the scientists of geometry, physics, and also the scientists of mathematics, will ignore the book or will reject it, and in particular they will reject the scope experiment.
    And why will they be rejected???
    Because the physicists and mathematicians are unable to accept the new ideas that appear in the book, since these put them in a terrible dilemma.
    The great embarrassment falls on the part of mathematics, even though it is only a language of quantities, and is not an exact science.
    In due time (after all, time is precious) this book, published by Niv, will become a bestseller.
    The amazing appearance of the new exact sciences,
    These sciences brought with them a new geometry of circles, and a new physics of continuous matter without gravity,
    The new geometry is physical, as it uses precise measurement. The new physics is geometric physics, and its matter has a physical form, and has no quantitative meaning. (as with Newton)

    to the press
    There is a new scientific revolution in our time, and the gatekeepers did not notice it.
    This revolution took place little by little over the last 50 years, and it appears in the book "The Magical Journey of Asbar on the Wings of Natural Knowledge".
    This revolution discovered the secret of human language, and it also discovered a new geometry of circles,
    This revolution also discovered the existence of a new physics that belongs to continuous matter without gravity, and it also discovered a new type of time - the passive time.
    The matter in the new physics is created from the combination of amounts of passive time and energy.

    A. Asbar

  2. For the information of the European Space Agency.

    Parashat Bereshit of the exact sciences

    The Genesis chapter of the exact sciences explicitly states:

    To present a true description of physical reality, it is necessary to use the ideas of divine creation, and the natural knowledge of man.

    A true description of physical reality will begin like this.
    Genesis 5 God created "continuous quantitative things"

    The hallmark of a continuous quantitative thing (dkr) is simple.
    Whatever quantity we choose from the list, we will always find that in reality there is a larger quantity, and a smaller quantity.
    Any quantity that is chosen from the table, it is between a zero quantity and an infinite quantity.

    With the natural knowledge of man we will arrive at these five dachars.
    Energy, time, length, area and volume.

    Energy and time create the science of physics
    Area length and volume, form the science of geometry.

    Geometry and physics are the exact sciences, because they deal with quantities between zero and infinite quantities.

    The science of physics appeared after the empty infinite space was filled by two continuous quantitative things, namely energy and passive time.

    Passive time is absolute rest and absolute cold, and it fills the infinite space.
    Passive time is at complete rest, and is the medium in which waves of passive time move. These waves transmit sunlight.

    Passive time is a new and revolutionary physical concept, and it exists right in physical reality. On the other hand, the time we all know does not exist in physical reality, and it disappears as soon as you think about it. This elusive time was invented by man for their benefit, and the proper name for it is ...active time.
    Poetic cosmology - from the wonders of passive time

    The passive time envelops us, and we move through it.
    I asked him and I didn't answer,,,,wait a little while he said

    who are you i asked
    I am the passive time, I belong to nature, I lead the light and color

    Where are you the hard,…
    I fill the terrible space, and it is now full of a river.
    The energy is also with me, its power is beyond words, and together we create the material.

    I know the stuff, I said, I touched it and it's right here.
    You will not be able to touch me, but inside me you are free to move.

    Are you really time? After all, the time I know always flies away.

    I'm always here, I'm not a guest

    I am the real time, and the energy is always with me.

    Parashat Beresheit of the exact sciences geometry and physics

    The chapter on the beginning of the exact sciences continues as follows:
    After the infinite space was filled with passive energy and time, the stars were formed. The matter of the stars is formed by combining amounts of passive time and energy.
    The matter of the stars is continuous, and has no gravity.

    Combinations of amounts of passive time and energy created the familiar elements
    Like, gold, carbon, iron and more. Any such conjunction is a physical form, and therefore
    Matter is not a quantitative concept. A geometric shape is also not a quantitative concept, because it is formed by combining quantities of a closed length containing a quantity of area.

    The concepts of geometric shape and physical shape always go together.
    Geometry and physics are the two exact sciences, and the tangible and clear geometry provides clues about the mysterious physics.. Geometry always links us to the concept of form, and physics always links us to the concept of movement.

    And so the chapter of Genesis of the exact sciences continues.
    And God will instill eternal movement in every star, and Noah's star does not exist in reality.
    The name of the collection of ever-moving stars is a universe.

    The shape of the orbit of the stars of the universe is helical (neither straight nor round)
    It is the Borgian orbit of the stars of the universe that allows their integration into a single division that is always moving.
    A screw track has two data - diameter, and advance angle.

    To complete the creation of the universe, it was necessary for the universe to obey a divine law.

    And God established the law of conservation of the amount of energy in the universe, and this law ensured the eternal existence of the universe.

    Everything said here about the universe is not accepted by the scientific establishment.
    Today's scientists believe in the existence of a completely different universe, which is Newton's universe. Newton's universe is in infinite empty space, and this universe is dominated by crude and simple mechanical gravity.

    The idea of ​​gravity was given to the world by Newton 330 years ago.
    Newton believed that there was a mysterious and wonderful force emanating from the depths of the earth, and that its whole function was to knock down objects that fell from our hands.
    Such a mysterious force brings the reader into the world of fairy tales, and the imagination gives this force the image of a friendly, invisible demon.
    Newton gave this demon the nice name "gravitational force".

    Amazingly, Newton carried many believers in the idea of ​​gravity after him, and thus began a strange investigation of physical reality, which contains a mysterious demon.

    Why did Newton invent the delusional idea of ​​gravity.

    Newton did not know that objects that were handed out of our hands fall by themselves, and thus they fulfill a wonderful physical law of nature, which is the law of conservation of energy. This law of conservation was accepted in science only 170 years ago, and Newton obviously did not know about its existence.

    And since Newton did not know that objects fall by themselves, and did not know about the existence of the law of conservation of energy, he invented the idea of ​​gravity.
    This crazy idea lasted for 160 years in all official physics curricula, thus creating a murky scientific swamp, which prevented any possibility of knowing the true structure of the universe.

    Newton's murky scientific quagmire was canceled out by the physical reality that revealed to the world the existence of a miraculous quantitative law,
    And it is the conservation of the amount of energy.

    How is the law of conservation of energy,
    Eliminates the concept of gravity.

    To lift a large stone off the ground to a height of 1 meter, you have to exert yourself and get tired, and this amount of fatigue represents an amount of energy.
    If we release this stone from a height of 1 meter, it will fall down by itself with increasing speed, and its impact will hit the ground. Show exactly the same amount of energy that was needed to lift the stone to a height of 1 meter.

    No gravity is needed to drop the stone down, the stone falls by itself
    down with increasing speed, and thus the law of conservation of energy is fulfilled.
    This is how the wonderful physical reality works, and it is the one that taught scientists about the existence of an important physical law of nature - the law of conservation of energy.
    There are many types of energy, and they can alternate with each other, according to this law of conservation.

    Physical reality operates by itself, according to miraculous laws inherent in it, and researchers of physical reality have begun to discover these laws.
    The law of conservation of energy that was discovered 170 years ago completely cancels out Newton's physics that requires gravity - and it proves that objects that are separated from our hands - fall by themselves, and there is no mysterious demon in physical reality that knocks them down..

    And what turns out? For 170 years, Newton's physics has been taught in universities, and not a single teacher stood up and shouted "there is no gravity, and Newton's physics is incorrect"
    It should be emphasized that Newton did not know that his physics was incorrect, but already 170 years ago, the physics teachers knew about the existence of the law of conservation of energy that eliminates the idea of ​​gravity, but they did not find the courage to tell this to their students

    These 170 unfortunate years produced terrible errors in the concept of matter and the structure of the universe, and the concepts of dark particle matter and dark energy testify to this.

    The time has come to move to a different physics, based on miraculous laws inherent in physical reality. This is the real physics, and it appears in a revolutionary book - which bears the name... "Esbar's magical journey on the wings of natural knowledge"

    This book conflicts with all the physical teachings developed in the last 150 years, and it presents to the world a new physics, and also a new geometry of circles.

    A. Asbar

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