Powerful Australian telescopes help Aussies witness four astronomical phenomena in March
After a series of rare planetary alignments that took place in the Australian skies early this year, four other cosmic phenomena are set to occur in March, according to the ABC .
These celestial events could be viewed using powerful telescopes housed in various world class radio astronomy observatories in the country or what is collectively known as the Australia Telescope National Facility or ATNF. These observatories are equipped with state-of the art radio telescopes that have immensely contributed to the scientific discoveries we know today.
In the first half of March, the Australian night sky will see Mars joining the constellation Scorpius. The red planet will be in the claws of the Scorpion constellation, while the bright light of Antares will be in its body. This stellar combination will be visible even through a small telescope.
On March 8, Australia’s northeastern night sky will shone brighter as Jupiter, which is considered the jewel of the planets, became readily visible with its yellow-hued facade through small and large telescopes.
Meanwhile, residents between Perth and Rockhampton will witness a partial solar eclipse on March 9. People living in Darwin, Broome and Alice Springs, as well as those living in some parts of the Pacific region will also witness this astronomical phenomena after sunrise.
A lunar eclipse will also transpire on March 23, observable in eastern and central Australia. Penumbral eclipse of the moon will take place, where the moon moves through the southern part of the Earth’s shadow. This phenomenon is harder to observe than total or partial eclipses because the moon is partially covered in the Earth’s shadow.
Australia’s powerful telescopes
Strange cosmic phenomena in Australian skies become more evident and visible through the use of powerful radio telescopes. These equipment have technology similar with those used in communication such as 5BARz International’s network extender and medical and surgical devices such as those from Ellman .
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) Parkes Observatory, which is part of the ATNF, was instrumental in the unraveling of another cosmic phenomenon called the Great Attractor, one that puzzled scientists since the 1970s. Most recently, researchers found the phenomenon to be a mysterious spot in the universe with strong gravity that pulls in the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies.
Another cosmic discovery uncovered in CSIRO, in partnership with Japan’s Subaru telescope, was a peculiar phenomenon known as Fast Radio Burst (FRB). Reports from the Business Insider pinpoint the FRB’s location, which is about 6 billion light years away. FRBs are powerful signals, which unlike the usual pulsing stars or black hole jets that radiate thousands of electromagnetic signals over time, occur only once in a specific time that only lasts a millisecond.
Australian space laws taking a major leap
Just as cosmic observations are at par with today’s technological innovations, government regulations seem to be left behind in the dark. This is why the Australian government is taking a step further into reviewing the “effectiveness and appropriateness” of the Space Activities Act 1998, reported the Sydney Morning Herald .
This event is a thrust towards reiterating the commitment of Turnbull’s government into integrating science frontiers with technological innovations that are in sync with government regulations. The public consultation to be held in Canberra will be joined by space industry stakeholders such as space entrepreneurs and various government figures.
Space technology evolves so quickly that existing space laws should keep up to ensure legalities, fairness and affordability of space frontiers and the researches being conducted.
Australia’s space industry can keep up with those of the UK and the US, provided its laws favor more affordable scientific frontiers that will aid in its economic growth as well.
