Telescope

2023 - 3 - 29

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Image courtesy of "Space.com"

Hubble telescope spies mysterious celestial object that defies ... (Space.com)

The Hubble Space Telescope imaged celestial object Z-229-15, which is simultaneously classified as a Seyfert galaxy, an active galactic nucleus (AGN), ...

Follow us on Twitter [@Spacedotcom](http://twitter.com/spacedotcom) (opens in new tab) and on And given that it's 390 million light-years away from [Earth](https://www.space.com/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html), it's far enough away to be considered a quasar (though that distance means it's actually a "nearby" quasar). And per the stars visible in its Hubble portrait, Z 229-15 is definitely a Seyfert galaxy. As ESA, which co-manages Hubble with NASA, calls it, Z 229-15 is "Everything, in one place, all at once" — a clever nod to this year's Academy Awards Best Picture winner " [quasar](https://www.space.com/17262-quasar-definition.html), which is a specific subtype of AGN. Most quasars are so bright that they drown out our view of the stars in the galaxy. But when a quasar isn't that bright, allowing us to see stars, it's considered a Seyfert galaxy. Second, it's an active galactic nucleus (AGN), or rather, it contains an AGN. That disk heats up and emits massive amounts of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, resulting in the brightness. [supermassive black hole](https://www.space.com/supermassive-black-hole) at its core. While it's impossible to pin down a singular classification for Z 229-15, there are several overlapping definitions that together describe this wondrous celestial object. "Z 229-15 is one of those interesting celestial objects that, should you choose to research it, you will find defined as several different things," the statement reads.

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Image courtesy of "Astronomy Magazine"

Path forward for Thirty Meter Telescope, Mauna Kea begins to emerge (Astronomy Magazine)

A new oversight board with a state mandate to manage the sacred mountaintop includes representatives from astronomical observatories and Native Hawaiian ...

That report recommended that TMT and a rival telescope, the Giant Magellan Telescope — currently under construction in Chile — combine forces, with NSF coordinating a joint organization to encompass both facilities. this is probably the most divisive issue that has come for all of Hawaii in my lifetime.” But that would change if NSF decides to invest in the project. Komeiji is frank about the challenges facing the MKSOA board, which are not just political but also logistical. “Instead of telling people, ‘Oh, we’re going to do something for you,’ it’s much better to listen and see what people want,” he said. He sees the fact that he is new to the issue as “a good thing,” and cites TMT community outreach efforts as part of a new approach from the astronomical community, shifting from persuasion to dialogue.

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