Thambo Lodabwitsa
Lovuta Kwambiri Kumvetsetsa, Komanso Lokongola Kwambiri
NTHAŴI ino ya chaka, thambo usiku limaŵala ndi kukongola kwaulemerero. Kumwamba kwambiri kumayenda Orion wamphamvuyo, wooneka bwino m’January usiku kuyambira ku Anchorage, Alaska, mpaka Cape Town, South Africa. Kodi posachedwapa mwatha kuona bwino chuma chakumwamba chopezeka m’magulu a nyenyezi otchuka, monga la Orion? Osati kale kwambiri openda zakuthambo anachita zimenezo mwa kugwiritsira ntchito Hubble Space Telescope imene inakonzedwa posachedwapa.
Lupanga la Orion limalendeŵera kulamba lake la nyenyezi zitatu. Nyenyezi yachimbuuzi yokhala pakati pa lupangalo si nyenyezi yeniyeni ayi koma ndi Orion Nebula yotchukayo, chinthu chokongola kopambana ngakhale mutachionera m’telesikopo yaing’ono. Komabe, kuŵala kwake mumlengalenga sindiko kumachititsa chidwi openda zakuthambo.
“Openda zakuthambo amafufuza Orion Nebula ndi nyenyezi zake zambiri zatsopano chifukwa ndiye gawo lalikulu koposa ndi lobala kwambiri kumene nyenyezi zimabadwirako kumbali yathu ya Mlalang’amba,” akutero Jean-Pierre Caillault m’magazini a Astronomy. Nebula imeneyo ili ngati chikuta chakumwamba chobadwirako nyenyezi! Pamene telesikopo ya Hubble inatenga chithunzithunzi cha Orion Nebula, kujambula mbali zake zimene sizinaonedwepo ndi kalelonse, openda zakuthambo sanangoona chabe nyenyezi ndi mtambo wachimbuuzi woŵala koma zimene Caillault anatcha “tinthu tonga mapote tachimbuuzi. Timeneto tili maŵanga a kuunika kofiirira. Timafanana ndi nyenyenswa za chakudya cha munthu zimene zagwera pachithunzithunzi mwangozi.” Komabe, asayansi akhulupirira kuti tinthu tonga mapote tachimbuuzi timeneti sitinali zophophonya za m’nyumba yokonzera zithunzithunzi, koma kuti ndito “mapote a protoplanetary, ma solar system oyamba omwe akuyamba kupangika oonedwa pamtunda wa 1,500 light-years.” Kodi nyenyezi—inde, ma solar system athunthu—akubadwa panthaŵi ino mu Orion Nebula? Openda zakuthambo akhulupirira kuti akutero.
Kuchoka m’Chikuta cha Nyenyezi Kumka ku Manda Ake
Pamene Orion akuyenda kupita kutsogolo, atanyamula uta, amachita ngati akulimbana ndi gulu lina la nyenyezi lotchedwa Taurus, nkhunzi. Telesikopo yaing’ono imasonyeza kuti, pafupi ndi nsonga ya nyanga yakummwera ya nkhunziyo, kuli chigawo choŵala pang’ono. Chimatchedwa Crab Nebula, ndipo mutayang’ana m’telesikopo yaikulu, chimaoneka ngati kuphulika kumene kukuchitika, monga tikuonera patsamba 9. Ngati kuti Orion Nebula ndi malo obadwira nyenyezi, ndiye kuti Crab Nebula wapafupiyo angakhale manda a nyenyezi imene inakumana ndi imfa yachiwawa chosayerekezeka.
Ngozi yakumwamba imeneyo ingakhale italembedwa ndi openda zakuthambo achitchaina amene anafotokoza za “Guest Star” (nyenyezi yachilendo) m’Taurus imene inaoneka mwadzidzidzi pa July 4, 1054, niŵala kwambiri kwakuti inaoneka masana masiku 23. “Masabata angapo,” akutero wopenda zakuthambo Robert Burnham, “nyenyeziyo inali kuyaka ndi mphamvu ya kuunika kwa madzuŵa 400 miliyoni.” Openda zakuthambo amatcha imfa yachiwawa yotero ya nyenyezi supernova. Ngakhale tsopano, pafupifupi zaka chikwi kuchokera pamene inaonedwa, zidutswa zotsala pa kuphulikako zikali kuyenda mumlengalenga paliŵiro ngati makilomita 80 miliyoni patsiku.
Hubble Space Telescope yakhala ikugwiranso ntchito kudera limeneli, ikumaona mkati mwenimweni mwa nebula imeneyo ndi kupeza “zinthu mu Crab zimene openda zakuthambo sanaziyembekezere,” akutero magazini a Astronomy. Paul Scowen, wopenda zakuthambo, akunena kuti zopezekazo “ziyenera kuganizitsa kwambiri openda zakuthambo okonda chiphunzitsowo kwa zaka zambiri zikudzazo.”
Openda zakuthambo, monga Robert Kirshner wa pa Harvard, amakhulupirira kuti kumvetsetsa zotsala za ma supernova zonga Crab Nebula nkofunika chifukwa zingagwiritsiridwe ntchito kupimira mtunda kupita kumilalang’amba ina, umene pakali pano ukufufuzidwa kwambiri. Monga momwe taonera, kusiyana malingaliro ponena za mitunda yopita ku milalang’amba ina posachedwapa kwabutsa mikangano yaikulu yokhudza chiphunzitso cha big bang cha mmene thambo linakhalirako.
Kupitirira Taurus, kumaoneka kuŵala kooneka pang’ono m’gulu lina la nyenyezi lotchedwa Andromeda kumene m’January kumaonekabe kuthambo chakumadzulo ku Northern Hemisphere. Chimene chimaŵalacho ndi mlalang’amba wa Andromeda, chinthu chakutali koposa chooneka ndi maso wamba. Magulu odabwitsa a Orion ndi Taurus ali m’miyamba yapafupi nafe—pamtunda wa ma light-year zikwi zingapo kuchokera pa Dziko Lapansi. Koma, tsopano tikuyang’ana phote lalikulu la nyenyezi lofanana ndi mlalang’amba wathu wa Milky Way, lokhala pamtunda wa ma light-year ngati mamiliyoni aŵiri, koma lokulirapo koposa—pafupifupi 180,000 light-years m’mimba mwake. Pamene mukuyang’ana kuŵala kooneka pang’ono kwa Andromeda, maso anu amakhala akuona kuunika kumene kungakhale kwa zaka zoposa mamiliyoni aŵiri!
Posachedwapa Margaret Geller ndi ena anayamba maprogramu aakulu olemba mapu a mtundu wa three dimensions osonyeza milalang’amba yonse yotizinga, ndipo zotulukapo zake zabutsa zikayikiro zazikulu ponena za chiphunzitso cha big bang. M’malo mwa mitandadza yofanana ya milalang’amba kumbali iliyonse, olemba mapu a zakuthambo anapeza “milalang’amba yocholoŵana” mumpangidwe waukulu wokuta ma light-year mamiliyoni ambiri. “Mmene kucholoŵanako kunakhalirako kuchokera ku zinthu zolingana kwenikweni za thambo latsopanopa ndiko imodzi ya nkhani zovuta kwambiri m’sayansi ya chilengedwe,” malinga ndi lipoti laposachedwapa m’magazini odalirika a Science.
Tayamba madzulo ano kuyang’ana thambo lathu la m’January usiku ndipo posapita nthaŵi zimene tapeza si kukongola kokha kokoka mtima komanso mafunso ndi zinsinsi zokhudza mpangidwe weniweni wa thambo ndi chiyambi chake. Kodi linayamba motani? Kodi linafika motani pamlingo wake wocholoŵana umene lilipo? Kodi nchiyani chidzachitikira zozizwitsa zakumwamba zimene zimatizinga? Kodi pali wina amene angatiuze? Tiyeni tione.
[Bokosi patsamba 24]
Kodi Amaudziŵa Motani Mtunda Wake?
Pamene openda zakuthambo atiuza kuti mlalang’amba wa Andromeda uli pamtunda wa ma light-year mamiliyoni aŵiri, amakhala akutiuza zongoyerekeza basi. Kulibe munthu amene wapeza njira yachindunji yopimira mitunda yaikulu yosayezeka imeneyo. Mitunda imene nyenyezi zapafupi koposa zilipo, zokhala pamtunda wa 200 light-years kapena kuposapo, ingapimidwe mwachindunji kugwiritsira ntchito stellar parallax, imene imagwiritsira ntchito trigonometry wamba. Koma njira imeneyi imangogwira ntchito pa nyenyezi zapafupi kwambiri ndi dziko lapansi moti zimaoneka ngati zimasendera pang’ono pamene dziko lapansi lizungulira dzuŵa. Nyenyezi zambiri, ndi milalang’amba yonse, zili kutali kwambiri. Pamtundawo ndi pamene amayambira kuyerekeza. Ngakhale nyenyezi zimene zili pafupi ndithu, monga red supergiant wodziŵikayo wotchedwa Betelgeuse m’Orion, amangoyerekeza mtunda wake, kuyambira pa 300 mpaka kuposa 1,000 light-years. Chotero, sitiyenera kudabwa poona kusiyana malingaliro kwa openda zakuthambo ponena za mitunda imene milalang’amba ilipo, imene imasiyana ndi mamiliyoni ambiri.
[Bokosi patsamba 24]
Ma Supernova, ma Pulsar, ndi ma Black Hole
Pakati penipeni pa Crab Nebula pali chimodzi cha zinthu zodabwitsa koposa m’thambo lodziŵika. Malinga ndi asayansi, nyenyezi yaing’ono yakufa, imene inakanikizika kukhala yolemera kosayerekezeka, imazungulira m’manda ake nthaŵi 30 pasekondi imodzi, ikumatulutsa cheza cha radio waves chimene chinadziŵika nthaŵi yoyamba padziko lapansi mu 1968. Imatchedwa pulsar, yonenedwa kukhala chotsalira cha supernova chomazungulira chimene chinakanikizika kwambiri kwakuti ma electron ndi ma proton a maatomu a nyenyezi yoyamba anapanikizana pamodzi kupanga ma neutron. Asayansi amati poyambapo inali chithima cholemera cha nyenyezi ya supergiant yonga Betelgeuse kapena Rigel m’Orion. Pamene nyenyeziyo inaphulika ndipo miyalo yakunja niulukira mumlengalenga, chokha chimene chinatsala ndicho chithima chokhwinyata, khala lonyeka lotentha kowopsa, moto wake wanyukiliya unazima kalekale.
Tayerekezerani kutenga nyenyezi imodzi yolemera kuŵirikiza kaŵiri dzuŵa lathu ndi kuikanikiza kupanga mpira wa makilomita 15 kapena 20 m’mimba mwake! Tayerekezerani kutenga pulaneti la Dziko Lapansi ndi kulikanikiza kufikira litakhala lalikulu mamita 120. Ma kyubiki sentimita ake 16 angalemere kuposa pa matani 16 biliyoni.
Ngakhale mafotokozedwe ameneŵa saali okwanira ponena za zinthu zokanikizika. Ngati tingakanikize dziko lapansi kukhala ngati lisawa, mphamvu yokoka ya dziko lapansi ingakhale yaikulu kwambiri pomalizira pake kwakuti ngakhale kuunika sikunganyamuke. Litafika pamenepa, dziko lathu lapansi laling’onolo lingachite ngati lazimirira mkati mwa chimene chimatchedwa black hole. Ngakhale kuti openda zakuthambo ambiri amakhulupirira ma black hole, palibe umboni pakali pano wakuti alikodi, ndipo zikuchita ngati sali ofala monga momwe ankaganizira zaka zingapo zapitazo.
[Bokosi patsamba 26]
Kodi Maonekedwe Akewo Ndi Enieni?
Anthu amene amayang’ana thambo ndi telesikopo yaing’ono kaŵirikaŵiri amakhumudwa ndi maonekedwe a mlalang’amba kapena nebula yotchuka. Kodi maonekedwe aja okongola amene iwo amaona pazithunzithunzi apita kuti? “Maonekedwe a milalang’amba sangaoneke ku maso a munthu, ngakhale mwa matelesikopo omwe alipo aakulu koposa,” akutero wopenda zakuthambo ndi wolemba za sayansi Timothy Ferris, “pakuti kuunika kwake nkwakung’ono kwambiri kwakuti sikungachititse maselo a retina kuzindikira maonekedwewo.” Zimenezi zachititsa anthu ena kuganiza kuti maonekedwe okongola ooneka pazithunzithunzi zotengedwa ndi openda zakuthambo ali opeka, kuti amangowakometsera pokonza zithunzithunzizo. Komabe, zimenezo si zoona. “Maonekedwewo ndi enieni,” akulemba motero Ferris, “ndipo zithunzithunzizo zimasonyezadi khama la openda zakuthambo la kuwatulutsa molondola.”
M’buku lake lakuti Galaxies, Ferris akufotokoza kuti zithunzithunzi za zinthu zoŵala pang’ono zakutali, monga milalang’amba kapena ma nebula ambiri, “ndizo ma time exposure otengedwa mwa kulozetsa telesikopo ku mlalang’amba ndi kuunikira pepala la chithunzithunzi kwa maola angapo pamene kuunika kwa nyenyezi kumaloŵa m’mankhwala opakidwa pa pepalalo. Panthaŵiyi makina ena amaiyendetsa kuti kuzungulira kwa dziko lapansi kusaisokoneze ndipo amalozetsabe telesikopoyo ku mlalang’amba, pamene wopenda zakuthambo, kapena nthaŵi zina makina ena aotomatiki oitsogolera, amawongolera kuphophonya kwakung’ono.”
[Zithunzi patsamba 23]
(Onani m’magazini yeniyeni kuti mumvetse izi)
1 Gulu la nyenyezi la Orion, looneka bwino kuthambo m’January padziko lonse
2 Orion Nebula, chithunzithunzi chodabwitsa chapafupi cha “nyenyezi” yachimbuuzi
3 Mkati mwenimweni mwa Orion Nebula—kodi ndi chikuta chakumwamba?
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
#2: Astro Photo - Oakview, CA
#3: C. R. O‘Dell/Rice University/NASA Photo
[Chithunzi patsamba 25]
Mlalang’amba wa Andromeda, chinthu chakutali koposa chooneka ndi maso wamba. Liŵiro lake pozungulira limaswa lamulo la Newton la mphamvu yokoka ndipo limakayikitsa mpangidwe wa zinthu zakuda zimene telesikopo sitha kuona
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
Astro Photo - Oakview, CA
[Chithunzi patsamba 25]
Crab Nebula m’Taurus—kodi ndi manda a nyenyezi?
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
Bill ndi Sally Fletcher
[Chithunzi patsamba 26]
Pamwamba: Mlalang’amba wa Cartwheel. Mlalang’amba wina waung’ono unagundana nawo, kudutsa pakati pake, ndipo mlalang’amba waung’onowo unasiya m’njira yake mlongo wozungulira wabluu wa nyenyezi zatsopano mabiliyoni ambiri wozinga mlalang’amba wa Cartwheel
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
Kirk Borne (ST Scl), ndi NASA
Pansi: Cat’s Eye Nebula. Zochitika pamene nyenyezi ziŵiri zimazungulirana zimasonyeza bwino koposa kucholoŵana kwa zinthuzo
[Mawu a Chithunzi]
J. P. Harrington ndi K. J. Borkowski (University of Maryland), ndi NASA