Clusters of galaxies, nebulae, stars and planets: colors, shapes, and clarity that only technology capable of capturing infrared radiation can translate to our eyes. This week was marked in the history of astronomy by images captured by the James Webb Telescope and published by the North American Space Agency (NASA).
The event, which was highly anticipated by the scientific community and, of course, the general public, mobilized the White House. It was President Joe Biden who announced to the world, first hand, the deepest record of the universe ever made.
“Fantastic,” summed up in one word Brazilian astronomer Rojimar Rivel, part of a select group of researchers authorized time to analyze data from James Webb.
“It’s really amazing. Everyone was amazed by the quality of the images. It’s amazing,” said Revell, who is also a professor in the Department of Physics at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM) in Rio Grande do Sul.
Rogimar Revell leads the group of scientists that will observe three galaxies between 300 and 500 million light years from Earth. It shows that these objects have supermassive black holes in their centers. These structures actively capture all surrounding materials, including light.
“As it captures matter, an accretion disk forms. From there, winds of hundreds and even thousands of kilometers per second arise, which travel through the galaxy and can affect star formation.”
“Only with the data released by James Webb so far, it is possible for the scientist to make a full career. I look forward to downloading and analyzing the data that is already available,” Revell said.
planet imaging
If images from the James Webb Telescope have surprised even the most accustomed to observing space, a mystery in the sky fascinates the beauty of the stars, whether in the records of the deep universe or the planets in our solar system, the moon and even the Milky Way. Shown here from Earth.
Taking pictures of the deep universe is a feat of space telescopes, but it is possible to image the universe using technologies on Earth.
This was explained by Flávio Fortunato, the 27-year-old astrophotographer, who was one of the 47 finalists for the Astrophotographer Prize 2022, held by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, UK. More than 3,000 photos from 67 countries participated in the competition, and the results will be announced on September 15.
He calls himself a passion for astronomy, and says that he has always loved science, but in his teens he decided to take a course at the Maceio Astronomy Observatory, in Alagoas, and from there decided to photograph the planets.
Since then, everything has changed. I bought a telescope, and cameras, although they have nothing to do with normal photography. When I saw the pictures of lunar craters, the polar cap of Mars, and the rings of Saturn, I wanted to share what I saw as honestly as possible. From there I specialized in planetary photography.”
He explains that astrophotography is a depiction of the sky in general. But there are various classifications, such as the wide-field images, which manage to capture the Milky Way and the constellations, beyond the horizon; deep sky images, which look at galaxies, nebulae and star clusters; And finally, pictures of planets that can only be achieved with a telescope and a suitable lens.
Fortunato offers courses for those interested in astrophotography, but says that in addition to his fascination with images of our solar system, he understands the scientific role of these high-resolution recordings.
“With this image, it is possible to carry out planetary observations, which consists of taking a picture over several days and thus after detecting the activities of the planet’s atmosphere, capturing the effects of comets on these bodies, and thus serving as raw material for scientific articles,” he says.
He says this is not the first time he has been a finalist for a UK award. The first was in 2015, but it recognizes the technological development that had to be made up to this year’s international recognition, from the use of a cell phone camera attached to the telescope to the use of the planetary camera. According to him, since then, he began to take high-resolution photos that were entered and selected at international competitions.
Saturn’s moons
This specific image was almost accidental. Because here in Maceió, in August 2021, it rained in the first 20 days. As I persevere, on the twenty-first day I again tried to score the backyard, even without a clear sky. When I pointed at Saturn, it was showing low turbulence, which made that clear. When I decided to shoot, I also decided to record the satellites, expand the field a little and increase the brightness. At the time, I saw that the moons were forming an arc-shaped configuration, which contributed a lot to the harmonious aspect of the picture. ”, he remembers.
For the UK competition, he also submitted images of Venus in different phases, Uranus, which was awarded an honorable mention in a Polish competition, and Jupiter with a large red spot.
Although Saturn is chosen, it explains the preference for another giant planet.
Jupiter is a kind of open-air science laboratory. Every day you point the telescope at it, it shows you a different face made up of huge storms, with different colours. It presents this dynamism and that evolution. He explained that photographing Jupiter is always a surprise.
For Fortunato, these are exciting times for astronomy, shaken by the impact of images taken by James Webb, but also for hobbyists using current technology to observe the solar system.
Although the astrophotographer recognizes the importance of scientific publishing images of the stars, he said the practice is also important in personal aspects, such as mental health and well-being, as it relieves stress and also brings positive feedback due to its impact. He has it on the public.
Milky Way connection
Childhood love for the sky that is part of the story of conquering. This is how photographer Cesar Farias, who collects records of the night sky, especially the Milky Way, says he has been connected to the universe through astrophotography.
“My childhood passion began when I looked at the night sky of the city of Socorro, in the interior of São Paulo, where I live today and where the sky is very beautiful at night. Astrophotography has helped me a lot with my panic syndrome, which has boosted my passion a lot,” he says.
He says it all started with the habit of photographing sunsets, and even back then, with cell phone technology not yet specific for night recordings, he’d move on to photos at night.
Today, he uses cameras, but he shows that with cell phone technology, anyone can click the Milky Way and the constellations.
“Most mobile phones today have a PRO mode that allows you to adjust settings such as ISO (between 1600 and 3200), exposure time (between 20 and 30 seconds) and focus that you can point at the stars or the object that will compose the image,” he knows.
But, according to him, for the success of the photo, basic advice: “It is important to be away from cities and large centers and from light pollution that impedes the view of the Milky Way, for example.”
Another factor, according to the photographer, is knowing more about the location of the stars in the sky to know what you’ll actually photograph.
“For example, the constellation Scorpio, one of the parts I like to photograph the most is seen in Brazil in the winter, so you have to plan for that. Plus three Maria, in the constellation Orion, which is more visible in the summer. If you plan ahead, You can improve photo collages.
It even offers tips on apps to help with the night sky like Stellarium and Skymaps, as well as Snapseed for photo editing.
» View selected photos on Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2022
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