Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Friday 27 July 2018
Einstein's theory of relativity passes yet another test

By EMILIANO RODRIGUEZ Planck Institute for Extrater-
MEGA restrial Physics in Garching,
NEW YORK (AP) — More Germany. Scientists know
than a century after Albert that the theory still doesn't
Einstein proposed it, his the- explain everything about
ory of general relativity has the universe. So they keep
passed another test. testing it time and again.
With giant telescopes So far, nobody has been
pointed at the center of able to overthrow it.
our galaxy, a team of Euro- Although the effects of
pean researchers observed general relativity have
a fast-moving star that got been seen before, this was
close to a monstrous black the first detection made by
hole. They saw that the observing the motion of a
black hole distorted the star near a supermassive
light waves from the star in black hole.
a way that agrees with Ein- "To me, that's what makes
stein's theory. this so cool," said Clifford
The result was reported Will, a University of Florida
Thursday in the journal As- This artist's impression provided by the European Southern Observatory in July 2018 shows the physicist who did not par-
tronomy & Astrophysics. path of the star S2 as it passes close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way ticipate in the research.
Einstein's theory says the galaxy. Will hopes his colleagues
fabric of the universe is Associated Press will be able to discover stars
not simply space, but even closer to the black
a more complex entity idea. The one that lies at loved to finally see a crack work — again, "feels like hole, where the effects of
called space-time, which is the heart of the Milky Way in Einstein's relativity," said we're kind of beating a relativity would be stronger.
warped by the presence of is 4 million times as massive Ohio State University astro- dead horse," said Sutter, This finding "is really the
heavy objects. as our sun. physicist Paul Sutter. "But who wasn't part of the re- opening episode," he said.
Black holes offer a good "I, just like every physicist he's outsmarted us." search team led by Rein- "The future, I think, is going
opportunity to test that in the world, would have But confirming Einstein's hard Genzel of the Max to be very exciting."q

Mars making closest approach to Earth in 15 years

By MARCIA DUNN gust. "It's magnificent. It's as
AP Aerospace Writer A massive dust storm pres- bright as an airplane land-
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. ently engulfing Mars, how- ing light," Augensen said.
(AP) — Now's the time to ever, is obscuring surface "Not quite as bright as Ve-
catch Mars in the night sky. details normally visible nus, but still because of
Next week, the red planet through telescopes. The the reddish, orange-ish-red
is making its closest ap- Martian atmosphere is color, you really can't miss
proach to Earth in 15 years. so full of dust that NASA's it in the sky."
The two planets will be just Opportunity rover can't In 2003, Mars and Earth
35.8 million miles (57.6 mil- recharge — not enough were the closest in nearly
lion kilometers) apart next sunlight can reach its solar 60,000 years — 34.6 million
Tuesday. And on Friday, panels — and so it's been miles (55.7 million kilome-
Mars will be in opposition. silent since June 10. Flight ters). NASA said that won't
That means Mars and the controllers don't expect to happen again until 2287.
sun will be on exact op- hear from 14-year-old Op- The next close approach,
posite sides of Earth. That portunity until the storm meanwhile, in 2020, will be
same day, parts of the subsides, and maybe not 38.6 million miles (62 million
world will see a total lunar even then. kilometers), according to
eclipse. The good news about all NASA.
Mars is already brighter the Martian dust is that Observatories across the
than usual and will shine it reflects sunlight, which U.S. are hosting Mars-view-
even more— and appear makes for an even brighter ing events next week. Los
This image made available by NASA shows the planet Mars. bigger — as Tuesday nears. red planet, said Widener Angeles' Griffith Obser-
This composite photo was created from over 100 images of Astronomers expect good University astronomer Harry vatory will provide a live
Mars taken by Viking Orbiters in the 1970s.
Associated Press viewing through early Au- Augensen. online view of Mars early
Tuesday.
The total lunar eclipse on
Friday will be visible in Aus-
tralia, Africa, Asia, Europe
and South America. A to-
tal lunar eclipse occurs
when the sun, Earth and
moon line up perfectly,
casting Earth's shadow on
the moon. Friday's will be
long, lasting 1 hour and 43
minutes.q