A new technique to gauge the distant Universe

Image credit:  ESA/XMM-Newton/G. Hasinger, N. Cappelluti, and the XMM-COSMOS collaboration
Image credit: ESA/XMM-Newton/G. Hasinger, N. Cappelluti, and the XMM-COSMOS collaboration

Scientists have developed a technique to use quasars – powerful sources driven by supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies – to study the Universe’s history and composition. To demonstrate the new method, based on a relation between a quasar’s luminosity at X-ray and ultraviolet wavelengths, they made extensive use of data from XMM-Newton X-ray observatory of the European Space Agency (ESA). This approach promises to become an important tool to constrain the properties of our Universe.

Read more

Pierre Auger Observatory continues operations for another decade — Romania takes part at the International Agreement signature ceremony

AugerPrime-symposiumOn 16 November, Dr. Paula Gina Isar, researcher at the Institute of Space Science (ISS) and institutional representative at the Pierre Auger Observatory, took part together with other Romanian researchers at the signature ceremony of a new International Agreement for continued operation of the Observatory until 2025. The event took place during the AugerPrime Symposium, which was held from 15 to 16 November 2015 in Malargüe, Argentina, to celebrate 15 years of achievements and the AugerPrime upgrade to the Observatory. The International Collaboration counts about 450 scientists from 16 countries and 82 institutions. Former associated country during 2011-2014, Romania became a full member state of the largest cosmic ray experiment in the world in 2014.

Read more

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has completed proton run for 2015 and prepares for lead collisions

One of the first lead-lead collisions at the LHC, recorded by the ALICE detector in November 2010. Note the large number of particle tracks. Image credit: ALICE Collaboration
One of the first lead-lead collisions at the LHC, recorded by the ALICE detector in November 2010. Note the large number of particle tracks. Image credit: ALICE Collaboration

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has successfully completed its planned proton run for 2015, delivering the equivalent of about 400 trillion (1012) proton-proton collisions to both the ATLAS (A Toroidal LHC ApparatuS) and CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) experiments. LHCb (Large Hadron Collider beauty) and ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) have also enjoyed successful data taking at lower collision rates.

Read more

Workshop on ESA’s Earth Observation Programme

OrganizatoriThe Institute of Space Science (ISS) in collaboration with the National Institute for Research and Development in Optoelectronics (INOE2000) and the National Institute for Aerospace Research “Elie Carafoli” (INCAS) are organising today, 3 November 2015, the workshop “Romanian projects and initiatives in support of the ESA Programme for Earth Observation”. The event is taking place in the conference room of the Romanian Atmospheric Observatory (RADO) on the Physics Magurele platform, 409 Atomistilor Street, Magurele, Ilfov.

Read more

The “Lights of the World” international conference has started in Bucharest

Deschidere IYLRomania joins the international celebration of the International Year of Light 2015 and the 70th anniversary of UNESCO and is organising the “Lights of the World”conference from 30 October to 1 November at the Parliament Palace in Bucharest. The event will bring together personalities from Romania and from abroad, people with outstanding resultsin science, art and culture, UNESCO representatives, representatives of prestigious organisations and research centers from around the world, successful businessmen, but also tho interested public, including middle- and high-school students and teachers, researchers and university professors, who will engage in a creative and fruitful dialogue to promote the scientific universe.

Read more

Astronomers observed a star being swallowed by its host galaxy

Image credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/C. Carreau
Image credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/C. Carreau

Astronomers used a trio of X-ray telescopes – NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, Swift Gamma Ray Burst Explorer, and ESA’s XMM-Newton – to observe a tidal disruption located in the center of a galaxy about 300 million light years away from us. This makes this event, dubbed ASASSN-14li, the closest tidal disruption discovered in ten years.

Read more