Witness1970

WD 1856 b: A Jupiter‑Sized Planet Surviving Its Star’s Death Astronomers have found the first confirmed case of a planet with an atmosphere orbiting a white dwarf — a burned‑out core of a dead Sun‑like star — and the system offers a rare glimpse into the future of planetary systems like our own Yahoo+1. Discovery and Location The planet, WD 1856 b, was discovered in 2020 by NASA’s TESS and Spitzer telescopes. It orbits the white dwarf WD 1856+534, about 80 light‑years away, every 34 hours at a distance roughly 50 times closer than Earth is to the Sun Science Mission Directorate+1. The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, while WD 1856 b is about the size of Jupiter but seven times larger than its star Science Mission Directorate. How It Survived When its host star was a red giant, it should have engulfed and destroyed any nearby planets. Two main survival theories exist: Ingestion and ejection: The planet was swallowed by the red giant and somehow survived inside, then ejected as the star collapsed into a white dwarf Yahoo. Gravitational migration: The planet migrated inward later, possibly due to gravitational interactions with other bodies in the system Phys.org. The planet’s unexpectedly high temperature (~126 °C) — hotter than expected from white dwarf light alone — helped scientists reconstruct its thermal history and support the migration theory European Space Agency. Atmosphere and Composition Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers observed a grazing transit where the planet’s atmosphere partially blocked starlight. They detected: Methane and haze particles in the atmosphere Cornell Chronicle+1. A transmission spectrum showing methane absorption bands and haze slopes, giving it a color similar to Saturn’s moon Titan Cornell Chronicle. A mass between 4 and 11 times Jupiter’s Cornell Chronicle. The atmosphere’s warmth suggests ongoing internal heat sources, possibly from residual formation energy or gravitational contraction. Why It Matters WD 1856 b is the first confirmed atmosphere around a close‑orbiting white dwarf planet, opening a new window into the long‑term fate of planetary systems Yahoo+1. It shows that even in the final stages of a star’s life, some planets can survive and retain atmospheres, expanding the possible scenarios for where habitable zones might exist in the universe Phys.org. In short: WD 1856 b is a rare, warm, methane‑rich gas giant that somehow survived its star’s death and now orbits a white dwarf with a detectable atmosphere — a cosmic time capsule for the future of our own Solar System.

WD 1856 b: A Jupiter‑Sized Planet Surviving Its Star’s Death Astronomers have found the first confirmed case of a planet with an atmosphere orbiting a white dwarf — a burned‑out core of a dead Sun‑like star — and the system offers a rare glimpse into the future of planetary systems like our own Yahoo+1. Discovery and Location The planet, WD 1856 b, was discovered in 2020 by NASA’s TESS and Spitzer telescopes. It orbits the white dwarf WD 1856+534, about 80 light‑years away, every 34 hours at a distance roughly 50 times closer than Earth is to the Sun Science Mission Directorate+1. The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, while WD 1856 b is about the size of Jupiter but seven times larger than its star Science Mission Directorate. How It Survived When its host star was a red giant, it should have engulfed and destroyed any nearby planets. Two main survival theories exist: Ingestion and ejection: The planet was swallowed by the red giant and somehow survived inside, then ejected as the star collapsed into a white dwarf Yahoo. Gravitational migration: The planet migrated inward later, possibly due to gravitational interactions with other bodies in the system Phys.org. The planet’s unexpectedly high temperature (~126 °C) — hotter than expected from white dwarf light alone — helped scientists reconstruct its thermal history and support the migration theory European Space Agency. Atmosphere and Composition Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers observed a grazing transit where the planet’s atmosphere partially blocked starlight. They detected: Methane and haze particles in the atmosphere Cornell Chronicle+1. A transmission spectrum showing methane absorption bands and haze slopes, giving it a color similar to Saturn’s moon Titan Cornell Chronicle. A mass between 4 and 11 times Jupiter’s Cornell Chronicle. The atmosphere’s warmth suggests ongoing internal heat sources, possibly from residual formation energy or gravitational contraction. Why It Matters WD 1856 b is the first confirmed atmosphere around a close‑orbiting white dwarf planet, opening a new window into the long‑term fate of planetary systems Yahoo+1. It shows that even in the final stages of a star’s life, some planets can survive and retain atmospheres, expanding the possible scenarios for where habitable zones might exist in the universe Phys.org. In short: WD 1856 b is a rare, warm, methane‑rich gas giant that somehow survived its star’s death and now orbits a white dwarf with a detectable atmosphere — a cosmic time capsule for the future of our own Solar System.

Like Dislike Euclid Discovers Most Ancient Quasars in the Universe Astronomers using the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope have found 31 of the most ancient quasars ever observed, including two that are the oldest ever recorded Phys.org+1. What are these quasars? Quasars are extremely luminous cores of galaxies powered by supermassive black holes at their centers. When vast amounts of gas and dust spiral into the black hole, extreme friction heats the material to millions of degrees, producing light that can be hundreds to thousands of times brighter than the host galaxy Phys.org+1. They are among the most energetic events in the cosmos. How old are they? The two most distant quasars discovered shine as they were 670 million years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only 5% of its current age Phys.org+1. Their light has traveled for over 12 billion years to reach Earth. The farthest of these is EUCL J172902.75+641018.1 (redshift 7.77), and the second-farthest is EUCL J125308.55+705432.3 (redshift 7.69) Phys.org. Why are they important? These primordial quasars are rare because: Few galaxies had grown large enough to host supermassive black holes. Their light is faint and can be mistaken for nearby stars Phys.org+1. By studying them, astronomers can learn how the first supermassive black holes and galaxies formed so quickly after the Big Bang — one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics Phys.org+1. How were they found? Launched in 2023, Euclid is equipped with cameras sensitive to both visible and near-infrared light, allowing it to detect faint, distant objects that ground-based telescopes miss Yahoo. Its Euclid Wide Survey began in 2024 and is mapping about a third of the sky. In just two years, it has found 31 ancient quasars, far more than previous decades combined Space.com. What’s next? These discoveries mark a shift from finding only the brightest outliers to studying the typical early-universe quasar population. This will help scientists understand the growth rates of black holes and their role in shaping early galaxies Yahoo. The findings also inform future missions like NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will further explore dark energy and early cosmic structure Science Mission Directorate. In short, Euclid’s haul of ancient quasars is a major leap forward in our ability to probe the universe’s infancy and the origins of its most massive black holes.

What Is the Biggest Galaxy in Our Universe? January 6, 2026 The universe contains billions of galaxies, ranging from small dwarf galaxies to colossal systems stretching across millions of light-years. Determining the “biggest” galaxy requires understanding how astronomers measure these immense, ill-defined objects. The vastness of space continually challenges our perception of scale, driving the search for the most extreme structures created by the cosmos. How Astronomers Define Size Determining the largest galaxy is complicated because “size” in astronomy can refer to several different metrics. The most intuitive measure is the physical diameter or stellar extent, which is the distance across the visible body of the galaxy. Since galaxies lack sharp edges, astronomers often define this size using an isophotal diameter, which measures the extent down to a specific, faint level of brightness. Another definition of size focuses on mass, which includes the vast, invisible halo of dark matter surrounding every galaxy. While the Milky Way contains about 100 billion visible stars, its total mass is substantially greater due to dark matter. For many astronomers, a galaxy’s true size is best represented by its total gravitational influence. A third, specialized measure considers the immense radio lobe extent produced by active galaxies with powerful central black holes. These galaxies blast jets of plasma millions of light-years into space, forming giant lobes visible only to radio telescopes. For instance, the galaxy Alcyoneus has radio structures spanning over 16 million light-years, making it the largest known single-galaxy structure in the universe. Identifying the Largest Known Galaxy When defined by the extent of its stellar light, the largest known system is the supergiant elliptical galaxy IC 1101. This colossal structure resides at the center of the Abell 2029 galaxy cluster, about one billion light-years from Earth. IC 1101 is classified as a cD galaxy (central dominant galaxy), known for its vast, diffuse envelope of stars. Estimates of its diameter vary, but the galaxy’s visible stellar halo stretches between 4 and 6 million light-years across. For perspective, the Milky Way is only about 100,000 light-years in diameter, meaning IC 1101 is dozens of times wider. It is estimated to contain over 100 trillion stars, dwarfing the Milky Way’s population. IC 1101 achieved this immense size through galactic cannibalism, where a galaxy at the center of a dense cluster absorbs smaller galaxies. Over billions of years, numerous mergers built this elliptical behemoth, leaving it with a yellowish-red hue indicative of an older stellar population. This accumulation of matter is typical for the most massive galaxies found in the densest regions of the universe. Calculating Cosmic Distances Determining the physical size of IC 1101 requires astronomers to first accurately measure its distance from Earth using the cosmic distance ladder. The initial rung of this ladder uses standard candles, astronomical objects with a known intrinsic brightness. For relatively nearby galaxies, astronomers use Cepheid variable stars, whose pulsation period is directly related to their absolute luminosity. For more distant objects like IC 1101, Type Ia supernovae serve as the preferred standard candle. These stellar explosions reach a consistent peak luminosity, allowing scientists to calculate distance by comparing this known absolute brightness to their observed apparent brightness. The difference reveals the distance, based on the inverse square law of light. For the most remote galaxies, the primary method relies on measuring redshift and applying Hubble’s Law. Redshift is the stretching of light waves toward the red end of the spectrum as an object moves away, a consequence of the universe’s expansion. The greater the redshift, the faster the galaxy is moving away, and according to Hubble’s Law, the greater its distance. Once the distance is accurately established, astronomers use simple trigonometry, relating the galaxy’s observed angular size in the sky to its calculated distance, to determine its physical diameter in light-years. This combination of standard candles to calibrate the distance-redshift relationship allows for the precise measurement of the most distant and largest galaxies.

North Carolina is currently experiencing multiple wildfires, with local fires in Brunswick, Mitchell, and Clay counties, while smoke from Canadian wildfires is affecting air quality statewide. https://www.bing.com/search?q=wildfires in north carolina&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=-1&lq=0&pq=wildfires in north carolina&sc=12-27&sk=&cvid=A959F896DBB644A9B2BD5AE2E5ECF79A

South Carolina is currently experiencing multiple wildfires, elevated fire risk due to drought, and statewide air quality alerts. https://www.bing.com/search?pglt=299&q=wildfires+in+south+carolina&cvid=f24afe82cf5b4949bb25b0bc97d6d50a&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQABhAMgYIAhAAGEAyBggDEAAYQDIGCAQQABhAMgYIBRAAGEAyBggGEAAYQDIGCAcQABhA0gEIOTU5MmowajeoAgiwAgE&FORM=ANNTA1&adppc=EDGEINJP&PC=ACTS

I considered making a game of door-to-door work that would have questions to answer as if you were talking to a householder. I found out that such a game already existed. While not actually a RPG, I thought it would be interesting to practice answering questions that were randomly selected. I actually do not play many games. I used to play minesweeper about 3 decades ago. (Still not RPG.) But games can eat up a lot of time if you aren't careful.

Can you imagine someone of high influence being told, "right now we need someone to clean the toilets and you are next in line for that duty."

An elder that uses AI occasionally told me that he had calculated how many DAYS he had been married by giving the starting date (weeding) and end date (current date). i did the same thing, asking how many days were between August 4, 1972 (wedding date) and the current date. I calculated the days myself and the number of days given by AI were wrong. I asked the question in different ways and kept getting wrong answers. I finally said "calculate the number of days between (the two dates. It calculated the number correctly finally. When I just asked how many days between two dates it constantly gave wrong answers. I have had AI write encouraging things and it always did very well. I haven't gotten away from ChatGPT myself. I can't sit at the computer long without severe pain so I just don't bother.

I heard the idea about 50 years ago about Jehovah would not create intelligent life on another planet until the question was answered that was brought up in the Garden of Edan. And if there were intelligent faithful servants on some other planet then Jehovah would not have to prove anything. I sort of expanded that belief to say that there was no life on any other planet. But actually, the way it was explained to me was that it actually only applied to intelligent creatures that could decide whether or not they wanted to stay faithful to Jehovah. With that viewpoint bacteria could actually exist on other planets, but not life that had free will. Sometimes I am a little slow to learn.

https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/why-dont-we-write-in-cursive-anymore/?lctg=894610c8-33b0-4c5f-b656-08cc2cf1a76f Sorry. That first link somehow pointed to the article in my email which I deleted after posting. This is the link to the article online.

Why don’t we write in cursive anymore? https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQgMCXPRmXnbcBbFrxPXcljqRJJ

I was thinking of someone who already had a mortgage from years ago which was a fixed rate mortgage. Currently the mortgage rates very high with no hope of them going any lower in the near future.

I would only have a fixed rate mortgage. The adjustable-rate mortgages can get you in trouble in later years if the rate increases. With a low fixed-rate mortgage, it would be better to invest the money in an index fund and let it grow. Eventually you would have a paid off house and a large amount of money invested. If you are barely able to pay your mortgage, there would not be much left to invest.