International
NASA’s Webb catches Tarantula Nebula
AFP
A stellar nursery nicknamed the Tarantula Nebula has been captured in crisp detail by NASA’s Webb telescope, revealing hitherto unseen features that deepen scientific understanding, the agency said Tuesday.
Officially known as 30 Doradus, the region of space is characterized by its dusty filaments that resemble the legs of a hairy spider, and has long been a favorite for astronomers interested in star formation.
Thousands of young stars, distant background galaxies, and the detailed structure of the nebula’s gas and dust structures were viewable for the first time thanks to Webb’s high resolution infrared instruments.
Webb operates primarily in the infrared spectrum, because light from objects in the distant cosmos has been stretched into this wavelength over the course of the universe’s expansion.
The telescope’s primary imager, Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), found the cavity in the center of the nebula was hollowed out by radiation carried on stellar winds emanating from a cluster of massive young stars, which appear as pale blue dots.
Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec), which analyzes light patterns to determine the composition of objects, caught one young star in the act of shedding a cloud of dust from around itself.
The same star was previously thought to be at a later stage of formation, already well on the way to clearing its dusty bubble.
The region was also imaged using the Mid-infrared Instrument (MIRI), which uses longer wavelengths of infrared to pierce through dust grains that absorb or scatter shorter wavelengths.
This faded the hot stars and clarified the cooler regions, revealing never-before-seen points of light within the stellar nursery, which indicate protostars that are still gaining mass.
Astronomic interest in the Tarantula Nebula stems from its similar chemical composition to gigantic star-forming regions observed a few billion years after the Big Bang, a period called the “cosmic noon” when star formation peaked.
At just 161,000 light-years away, Tarantula is a readily viewable example of this flourishing period of cosmic creation.
Webb should also provide scientists the opportunity to gaze at distant galaxies from the actual era of cosmic noon, and compare it to observations of Tarantula, to understand similarities and differences.
Operational since July, Webb is the most powerful space telescope ever built, with astronomers confident it will herald a new era of discovery.
International
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet Guatemalan leader Bernardo Arévalo next friday
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Monday that she will hold her first bilateral meeting with her Guatemalan counterpart, Bernardo Arévalo, next Friday.
During her press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum detailed that the August 15 meeting will include a brief visit to Guatemala, followed by a trilateral meeting with Belize’s Prime Minister, Juan Antonio Briceño, in Calakmul, Campeche, in southeastern Mexico.
Sheinbaum explained that the meeting was proposed by Arévalo during a phone call last Friday, in which the Guatemalan president invited her to visit Guatemala.
The agenda will begin on Thursday night when Sheinbaum travels to Chetumal to lead her morning press conference on Friday.
Afterwards, she will travel to Guatemala for the bilateral meeting with Arévalo, then return to Calakmul to meet Belize’s Prime Minister Briceño for a trilateral meeting with Arévalo.
Later, Sheinbaum will hold a bilateral meeting with the Belizean leader.
The president announced that many agreements will be announced during the meetings with the southern border countries but avoided providing details to keep them as a surprise for that day.
International
Mexico City airport resumes flights after heavy rain causes flooding and delays
Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport resumed operations on Monday after heavy rains on Sunday evening forced a temporary suspension of flights.
In a statement released Monday morning, the airport explained that due to rainfall measuring between 50 and 77 millimeters, operations were halted amid reports of poor visibility and flooding that caused damage to terminals and a collapse of the airport’s drainage system.
The four-hour suspension to drain water affected 104 flights and nearly 14,900 passengers, who had to be redirected to other airports across the country.
To address the flooding in the airside areas, buildings, and surrounding roads, vacuum trucks and motor pumps were deployed to ensure safe conditions on runways, taxiways, and platforms, allowing flight operations to resume, the Navy Secretariat said.
By 6:00 a.m. local time (12:00 GMT), traffic on runway 05 right – 23 left had not yet fully normalized, nearly six hours after runway 05 left – 23 right had been cleared for use.
International
Mexico supports 81 nationals detained in Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ says president
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday that the government is monitoring and providing support to 81 Mexican nationals detained at a facility in Florida known as ‘Alligator Alcatraz.’ She also expressed her opposition to this type of detention center.
During her morning press conference at the National Palace, Sheinbaum explained that the Mexican consulate in Miami has interviewed the detainees during visits between July 23 and August 11 and maintains ongoing communication with them.
“Our colleague, former Governor of Chiapas Rutilio Escandón, regularly visits the facility to check on the needs of those detained. At the same time, we are working diplomatically to ensure that they remain there for as few days as possible,” she said.
She also emphasized that legal support is provided to those wishing to expedite their deportation to Mexico, as well as assistance for those who choose to pursue legal proceedings in the U.S. before repatriation.
Sheinbaum noted that so far, there have been no reports of human rights violations and stressed the importance of constant communication with the nationals.
“Obviously, we do not agree with these types of detention centers. They are state-run, not federal; they belong to the state of Florida,” she added.
She also explained that in some cases, detainees are later transferred to federal facilities before deportation, provided there are no ongoing legal proceedings.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to meet Guatemalan leader Bernardo Arévalo next friday
Mexico City airport resumes flights after heavy rain causes flooding and delays
Mexico supports 81 nationals detained in Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz,’ says president
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