Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2024

over 400 light years away from the Earth’s Solar System. “Whatwediscoveredwasabsolutely wild,”sharesastronomerMaryBar- sony,“We’veknownaboutstarsys- temWL20foralongtime.Butwhat caught our attention is that one of the stars in the system appeared much younger than the rest. Using MIRI and ALMA together, we actu- allysawthatthisONEstarwasTWO starsrightnexttoeachother.Adisk surroundedeachofthesestars,and eachdiscwasemittingjetsparallel to the other.” ALMA spotted the discs, while MIRI foundthejets.Co-authorValentin J.M. Le Gouellec of NASA-ARC re- trieved and reduced ALMA archival data to reveal the discs’ composi- tion. At the same time, Lukasz Ty- choniecofLeidenObservatory pro- videdhigh-resolutionimagesshow- ingthediscs’massivesize,approxi- mately 100 times the distance be- tween the Earth and the Sun. Another co-author, Martijn L. van Gelder, provided resources to process the data collected by MIRI, revealing the chemical makeup of the jets. Adds Barsony, “So if it weren’t for MIRI, we wouldn’t even know that these jets existed, which is amaz- ing.” ALMA’s high-resolution obser- vations of the disks surrounding the two newly observed stars revealed the disks’ structure, as Barsony ex- plains, “Someone looking at this ALMA data not knowing there were twinjetswouldthink,oh,it’salarge edge on disk with a central hole, in- stead of two edges on disks and two jets. That’s pretty remarkable.” Anotherremarkablethingabout this discovery is that it may never have had the opportunity to hap- pen.JPLscientistMichaelResslerex- plains, “Much of the research about binary protostars focuses on a few nearby star-forming regions. I had been awarded some observing time with JWST and chose to split it intoa few small projects. For one proj- ect, I decided to study binaries in the Perseus star-forming region. However,Ihadbeenstudying WL20, which is in the rho Ophi- uchus region in nearly the opposite part of the sky, for nearly 30 years, and I thought, ‘why not sneak it in? I’ll never get another chance, evenif it doesn’t quite fit with the oth- ers.’ We had a very fortunate acci- dent with what we found; theresults are stunning.” By combining multi-wavelength data from ALMA and JWST, these newfindingsshedlightonthecom- plex processes involved in forming multiple star systems. Astronomers plan to utilize ALMA’s future up- graded capabilities, like the Wide- band Sensitivity Upgrade, to con- tinue unraveling the mysteries sur- roundingthebirthofstarsandplan- etarysystems.     اﻟﺼﻔﺤﺔ اﻟﺴﺎ ﻘﺔ : ـﺔ ﻟﻢ ﺼﺪقﻋﻠﻤﺎء اﻟﻔﻠﻚﺣﻈﻬﻢ ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﻛﺸﻔﺖ ﻋﻤﻠ ﺎت اﻟﺮﺻـﺪ ﻋـ أﻃـﻮال ﻣﻮﺟ ﻣﺘﻌــــﺪدة ﻣـــــﻦ اﻟﺮادﻳـــــﻮ واﻷﺷـــــﻌﺔ ﺗﺤـــــﺖ اﻟـــــ ـ ﻤﺮاء ﻣـــــﻦ ـــــﺐ ﻣﺮﺻـــــﺪ أﻟﻤـــــﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳـــــﻮيو ﺗﻠﺴـــــ ﻮبﺟـــــ ﻤﺲو اﻟﻔﻀﺎﺋﻲ ﻋﻦ أﻗﺮاصﻣﺰدوﺟﺔ وﻧﻔﺎﺛﺎت ﺗﻨﺪﻟﻊ ﻣﻦ ﺛﻨﺎﺋﻲ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم اﻟﺸﺎ ﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻨﻈﺎم WL20 . أﻋــﻼﻩ : ــﺔ ﺑ ﺎﻧــﺎت ﺗــﻢ ﻤﻌﻬــﺎ ﺑﻮاﺳــﻄﺔ ﺗﻠﺴــ ﻮﺑﻲ ﺗﻌــﺮضﻫــﺬﻩ اﻷﺷــ ﺎل ذات اﻷﻟــﻮان اﻟﺰاﻫ ﻣﺮﺻــﺪ أﻟﻤـــﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳﻮي وﺗﻠﺴ ﻮب ﺟ ﻤﺲو ﺐ اﻟﻔﻀـﺎﺋﻲ . ـﺔ ﺗﺘـﺪاﺧﻞ ﻣـﻊ ﺑ ﺎﻧـﺎت ﻋﻠـﻰ اﻟ ﺴـﺎر، ﺻـﻮرة ﻣﺮﻛ ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ أﻟﻤـﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳـﻮي ــﺐ اﻟﻔﻀـﺎﺋﻲ وﺗﻠﺴــ ﻮبﺟـ ﻤﺲو وﺗﻜﺸـﻒﻋـﻦ اﻷﻗــﺮاصواﻟﻨﻔﺎﺛـﺎت اﻟﻤﺘﻮاز ــﺔ اﻟﻤﻨ ﻌﺜـﺔ ﻣــﻦ ﺛﻨﺎﺋﻲ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم ﻓﻲ اﻟﻨﻈﺎم WL20 . ﺗﻔﺎﺻﻴﻞ ﺑ ﺎﻧـﺎت ﻈﻬﺮﻋﻠﻰ اﻟ ﻤ ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ أﻟﻤـﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳـﻮي وﺑ ﺎﻧـﺎت ﺗﻠﺴ ﻮبﺟ ﻤﺲو ﺐ اﻟﻔﻀﺎﺋﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﻔﺼﻠﺔ ﺗﻤﺜﻞ ﺗﺮﻛﻴ ﺎت ﻛ ﻤ ﺎﺋ ﺔ ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ اﻟ . - ﺳﺒﺘﻤﺒﺮ ﺃﻛﺘﻮﺑﺮ 2 0 2 4 ﺗﻘﻮل ﻋﺎ ﺔ اﻟﻔﻠـﻚ ﻣـﺎري ﺑﺎرﺳـﻮﻧﻲ ﻣـﺎ »: اﻛﺘﺸﻔﻨﺎه ﻛﺎن ﻏﺮﻳﺒ ﺎً ﺎً ﺗﻤﺎﻣ ﻟﻘﺪ ﻋﺮﻓﻨﺎ ﻋـﻦ اﻟ ﻨﻈﺎم اﻟﻨﺠ ﻤﻲ (WL20) ﻣﻨﺬ ﻓﱰ ة ﻃﻮﻳﻠـﺔ ﻟﻜﻦ ﻣﺎ ﻟﻔﺖ اﻧﺘﺒﺎﻫﻨﺎ ﻫﻮ أن أ ﺣﺪ اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم ﰲ اﻟﻨﻈﺎم ﺑﺪا أﺻﻐﺮ ﺳـﻨﺎ ﺑﻜﺜـ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﺒﻘﻴـﺔ وﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام ( ﻣ ي ) ﻛﺎﻣ ا ﻟﺘﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳﺐ وﻣﺮﺻﺪ أ ﺎ اﻟﺮاﻳﻮي ﻣﻌﺎً رأﻳﻨﺎ ﰲ اﻟﻮاﻗـﻊ أن ﻫﺬا اﻟﻨﺠﻢ ﻛﺎن ﻋﺒﺎرة ﻋـﻦ ﻧﺠﻤـ ﺑﺠـﻮار ﺑﻌﻀﻬﻤﺎ وﻗﺪ أﺣﺎط اﻟﻘﺮص ﺑﻜﻞ ﻣﻦ ﻫﺬﻳﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻤ وﻛﺎن ﻛـﻞ ﻗـﺮص ﻳﺒﻌـﺚ ﻧﻔﺎﺛـﺎت ﻣﻮازﻳﺔ ﻟﻶﺧﺮ . رﺻﺪ ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ أ ـﺎ اﻷﻗـﺮاص ﺑﻴﻨﻤـﺎ ﻋﺜـﺮت ( ﻣ ي ) ﻛﺎﻣ ا ﻋﲆ اﻟ ﻨﻔﺎﺛﺎت . ﻗﺎم ا ﺆﻟﻒ ا ﺸﺎرك ﻓﺎﻟﻨﺘ ج . م. ﻟﻮ ﺟﻮﻟﻴﻚ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺮﻛﺰ أﻣﻴﺲ ﻟﻸﺑﺤـﺎث اﻟﺘـﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻮﻛﺎﻟـﺔ ﻧﺎﺳﺎ ﺑﺎﺳﱰﺟﺎع اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻷرﺷﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺮﺻـﺪ أ ﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳﻮي وﺗﻘﻠﻴﺼﻬﺎ ﻟﻠﻜﺸﻒ ﻋﻦ ﺗﺮﻛﻴﺒﺔ اﻷﻗﺮاص وﰲ اﻟﻮﻗـﺖ ﻧﻔﺴـﻪ ﻗـﺪم ﻟﻮﻛـﺎش ﺗﺎﻳﺘﺸﻮﻧﻲ ﻣﻦ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ﻟﻴـﺪن ﺻـﻮر اً ﻋﺎﻟﻴـﺔ اﻟﺪﻗﺔ ﺗُﻈﻬِﺮ اﻟﺤﺠﻢ اﻟﻬﺎﺋﻞ ﻟﻸﻗﺮاص، وﻫـﻮ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻌﺎدل ١٠٠ ﻣـﺮة ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒًـﺎ ا ﺴـﺎﻓﺔ ﺑـ اﻟﺪﻗﺔ ﺗُﻈﻬِﺮ اﻟﺤﺠﻢ اﻟﻬﺎﺋﻞ ﻟﻸﻗﺮاص وﻫﻮ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻌﺎدل 100 ﻣﺮة ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒ ﺎ ا ﺴﺎﻓﺔ ﺑـ اﻷرض واﻟﺸﻤﺲ . ﻗﺎم ﻣﺆﻟﻒ ﻣﺸﺎرك آﺧﺮ ﻣـﺎرﺗ . إل ﻓـﺎن ﺟﻴﻠــﺪر ﺑﺘـﻮﻓ ا ـﻮارد اﻟﻼزﻣـﺔ ﻌﺎﻟﺠﺔ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻢ ﺟﻤﻌﻬﺎ ﺑﻮاﺳـﻄﺔ ( ﻣـ ي ) ﻛـﺎﻣ ا ﺖ وﻛﺸـﻔ ﻋـﻦ اﻟﱰﻛﻴـﺐ اﻟﻜﻴﻤﻴﺎﺋﻲ ﻟﻠﻨﻔﺎﺛﺎت . ﻳﻀﻴﻒ ﺑﺎرﺳﻮﻧﻲ ﻟﺬا »: ﻟﻮﻻ ( ﻣـ ي ) ﻛﺎﻣ ا ﻟﻢ ﻧﻜﻦ ﻟﻨﻌﺮف ﺣﺘﻰ ﺑﻮﺟﻮد ﻫﺬه اﻟ ﻨﻔﺎﺛـﺎت وﻫﻮ أﻣﺮ ﻣﺬﻫﻞ « . ﻟﻘﺪ ﻛﺸﻔﺖ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎت رﺻﺪ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ أ ﺎ اﻟﺮادﻳﻮي ﻋﺎﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﺪﻗـﺔ ﻟﻸﻗـﺮاص ا ﺤﻴﻄﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻨﺠﻤ ا ﺮﺻﻮدﻳﻦ ﺣـﺪﻳﺜ ﺎً ﻋـﻦ ﺑﻨﻴﺔ اﻟﻘﺮﺻ . ﻛﻤﺎ ﻳﴩح ﺑﺎرﺳﻮﻧﻲ :» إن ﺷﺨﺼ ﺎً ﻣﺎ ﻳﻨﻈﺮ إﱃ ﺑﻴﺎﻧﺎت أ ـﺎ ) ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ ( اﻟﺮادﻳـﻮي دون أن ﻳﻌﻠﻢ ﺑﻮﺟﻮد ﺗﻮأﻣ ﻧﻔﺎﺛ ﺳـﻴﻌﺘﻘﺪ إﻧﻬـﺎ ﺣﺎﻓ ﺔ ﻛﺒ ة ﻋﲆ اﻟﻘﺮص ﺑﻬﺎ ﺛﻘﺐ ﻣﺮﻛـﺰي ﺑﺪﻻً ﻣﻦ ﺣﺎﻓﺘ ﻋﲆ اﻷﻗﺮاص وﻧﻔﺎﺛﺘ ﻫﺬا راﺋﻊ ﺟﺪ اً ـواﻟ ﴚء اﻟﺮاﺋﻊ اﻵﺧﺮ ﺣـﻮل ﻫـﺬا اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎف ﻫﻮ أﻧﻪ رﺑﻤﺎ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺘﺢ ﻟﻪ اﻟﻔﺮﺻـﺔ ﻟﺤﺪوﺛﻪ . ﻳﻮﺿﺢ ﻣﺎﻳﻜﻞ رﻳﺴﻠﺮ، ﻋﺎﻟﻢ ﻣﺨﺘﱪ اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎف ﻫﻮ أﻧﻪ رﺑﻤﺎ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺘﺢ ﻟﻪ اﻟﻔﺮﺻـﺔ ﻟﺤﺪوﺛﻪ . ﻳﻮﺿﺢ ﻣﺎﻳﻜﻞ رﻳﺴﻠﺮ ﻋﺎﻟﻢ ﻣﺨﺘﱪ اﻟﺪﻓﻊ اﻟﻨﻔﺎث اﻟﺘﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻮﻛﺎﻟـﺔ ﻧﺎﺳـﺎ : ﻗـﺎﺋﻼً » ﺗﺮﻛﺰ اﻟﻜﺜ ﻣـﻦ اﻷﺑﺤـﺎث ﺣـﻮل اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم اﻷوﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﺜﻨﺎﺋﻴﺔ ﻋﲆ ﻋﺪد ﻗﻠﻴﻞ ﻣـﻦ ﻣﻨـﺎﻃﻖ ﺗﺸﻜﻞ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم اﻟﻘﺮﻳﺒﺔ . ﻟﻘﺪ ﺣﺼﻠﺖ ﻋﲆ ﺑﻌﺾ وﻗـﺖ ا ﺮاﻗﺒـﺔ ﻣـﻊ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﺲ وﻳﺐ اﻟﻔﻀـﺎﺋﻲ واﺧـﱰت ﺗﻘﺴﻴﻤﻪ إﱃ ﺑﻀﻌﺔ ﻣﺸﺎرﻳﻊ ﺻﻐ ة . ﰲ أﺣﺪ ا ﺸﺎر ﻳﻊ ﻗﺮرت دراﺳﺔ اﻟﺜﻨﺎﺋﻴـﺎت ﰲ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺗﺸﻜﻞ اﻟﻨﺠـﻮ م ﰲ ﺑﺮﺷـﺎوس وﻣـﻊ ذﻟﻚ ﻛﻨﺖ أدرس اﻟﻨﻈﺎم اﻟﻨﺠﻤـﻲ ) WL20 ( ا ﻮﺟﻮد ) ﰲ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ رو أوﻓﻴﺘﴚ ( ا ﻌﻘﺪة ﰲ اﻟﺠﺰء ا ﻘﺎﺑﻞ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒ ﺎً ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴـﻤﺎء ﻣﻨـﺬ 30 ﺎً ﻋﺎﻣ : " وﻓﻜﺮت ﺎذا ﻻ أﻗﻮم ﺑﻤﺮاﻗﺒﺘﻪ ؟ " ﻟﻦ أﺣﺼﻞ أﺑﺪ اً ﻋﲆ ﻓﺮﺻﺔ أﺧﺮى ﺣﺘﻰ ﻟﻮ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺘﻨﺎﺳﺐ ﺗﻤﺎﻣ ﺎً ﻣﻊ اﻟﻔﺮص اﻷﺧﺮى . ﻟﻘﺪ ﺣﺎﻟﻔﻨﺎ اﻟﺤـﻆ ﺑﻤـﺎ وﺟـﺪﻧﺎه و اﻟﻨﺘـﺎﺋﺞ ﻣﺬﻫﻠﺔ وﻣـﻦ ﺧـﻼل اﻟﺠﻤـﻊ ﺑـ ﺑﻴﺎﻧـﺎت اﻷﻃـﻮال ا ﻮﺟﻴـﺔ ا ﺘﻌـﺪدة ا ﺴـﺘﻤﺪة ﻣـﻦ أ ﺎ) ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ( وﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب وﻳﺐ ﺗﺴـﻠﻂ ﻫـﺬه اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎﻓﺎت اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪة اﻟﻀﻮء ﻋﲆ اﻟﻌﻤﻠﻴـﺎت ا ﻌﻘﺪة اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﻨﻄﻮي ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻋ ﻤﻠﻴـﺔ ﺗﻜـﻮﻳﻦ أﻧﻈﻤﺔ ﻧﺠﻤﻴﺔ ﻣﺘﻌﺪدة . ﻳﺨﻄـﻂ اﻟﻌﻠﻤـﺎء ﻟ ﻼﺳـﺘﻔﺎدة ﻣـﻦ ﻗـﺪرات أ ــﺎ ) ﻣﺮﺻــﺪ ( ا ﺴــﺘﻘﺒﻠﻴﺔ ﺑﻌــﺪ ﺗﺮﻗﻴــﺔ ﺣﺴﺎﺳﻴﺔ اﻟﻨﻄﺎق اﻟﻌﺮﻳﺾ ﻮاﺻﻠﺔ ﻛﺸـﻒ أﻟﻐﺎز وﻻدة اﻟﻨﺠﻮم وأﻧﻈﻤﺔ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ .