Binary stars are fascinating stellar systems that are fundamental to astrophysical research. Let’s explore what they are, how to observe them, and some famous examples of physical and visual binaries that are visible even with small instruments.
Sergio Messina is Researcher Astronomer. He graduated in Physics in 1993 and, subsequently, got the PhD in Astrophysics in 1998 at the University of Catania. It has been since 2000 permanent Researcher Astronomer of the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics based at the Catania Astrophysical Observatory.
His research activity deals with phenomena of magnetic activity and variability in young stars of solar type, with the characterization of stars with exoplanets, evolution of stellar angular momentum. He is also involved in the GAIA and PLATO space missions of the European Space Agency (ESA). He is the author of about 250 articles in high impact-factor peer-reviewed international scientific journals.
He has been conducting research and dissemination activities in the field of climate and climate change for several years. His book "Understanding climate changes: the first step" dates back to 2017. His research in the fields of meteorology and climate is carried out using both satellite observations and measurements from networks of ground-based weather stations.
It conducts dissemination activities using the personal blog “Cambiamenti climatici…per non specialisti” and the Facebook page “Comprendere i cambiamenti climatici”.
News by Sergio Messina
After Earth, the Moon is the most studied celestial body, but there is still no definitive explanation for its origin. A giant impact or multiple impacts? Without a doubt, its origin was violent.
When talking about extreme objects in the universe, it is impossible not to think of neutron stars. The gravitational collapse of an entire star has fused protons with electrons, creating unimaginable densities.
For some, Reflect Orbital is a visionary project: illuminating areas of Earth during the hours of darkness with orbital mirrors. For others, the negative consequences of placing 50,000 mirrors in orbit outweigh the benefits.
Today’s solar explosion is the third most powerful of the past six years: an X8.1-class flare. Massive geomagnetic storms are expected on Earth between February 4 and 5. But the sunspot that produced it could bring even more impressive events.
Solar region AR 4366 is drawing significant interest and attention, as its size has grown dramatically in just three days and it has already produced 60 eruptions, including the third most powerful of the past six years.
Who would have thought that our Sun rotates so fast, completing a rotation in just 16 hours? The story of the Sun's rotation is fascinating and allows us to understand much about its current behavior.
Operational for just a few months, the new Vera Rubin Telescope in Chile has officially begun its scientific operations with the exceptional discovery of an asteroid the size of eight football fields that rotates on its axis in just over 100 seconds.
After reaching an incredible speed of 109,000 km/h at perihelion—its closest approach to the Sun—on January 3, Earth is now slowing down over the next six months, before starting the race all over again.
Today, December 25th, we celebrate Christmas. It's a date that speaks not only to an important event for Christianity, but also to the interesting history of calendars and the effort throughout the centuries to measure time with ever greater precision.
Pirlo's famous kick, nicknamed "the cursed one" due to the unpredictability of the ball's trajectory, is nothing other than the result of well-known laws of fluid dynamics, which the player exploited to disorient his opponents.
The planet with the curious name Makemake could have its own atmosphere, much thinner than that of Earth. Thanks to the James Webb Telescope, we are also discovering new important information about this family of dwarf planets.
The Artemis II lunar mission will launch an Orion capsule into lunar orbit in a few months. Once its proper functioning has been verified, it will carry four astronauts to the Moon on the next mission, Artemis III, scheduled for 2027.
Seventeen complex organic molecules have been discovered around the star V883 Ori, two of which have never been observed before. This indicates that interplanetary space could be the place where life originated, before it migrated to planetary surfaces.
The starry sky is perhaps the first book in which, using the language of the constellations, the ancients wrote mythological tales, passing them on to subsequent generations. In this series of articles, we propose a reading of this celestial book, beginning with the constellation of Cepheus.
What's more sensational? The discovery itself or the technique used? Thanks to an innovative technique, a study has discovered traces of planets already present while stars were still forming.
A team of astronomers made an unexpected discovery. They found the remains of a supernova that, unlike what is generally observed, occurred in a double explosion. This is the first such discovery, but likely not the only one.
In this article, we'll talk about a constellation linked to mythology. After discussing Cepheus, King of Ethiopia, we now turn to Queen Cassiopeia, famous for her beauty but also for her vanity.
In the event of an impact with the Moon, the explosion of asteroid 2024 YR4 would hurl millions of tons of lunar rocks toward Earth, posing a serious risk to satellites but producing an unprecedented and spectacular meteor shower.
The dust nebula observed by the European Southern Observatory, with its spirals and red color, is curiously reminiscent of the giant serpent that represented the ancient Egyptian deity Apep.