Indawo Yonke Emangalisayo
Inezimfihlakalo Eziningi, Kodwa Yinhle Kakhulu
NGALESI SIKHATHI sonyaka, isibhakabhaka sikhazimula ngobuhle obukhangayo ebusuku. Phezulu kukhona i-Orion enkulukazi, ebonakala kalula kusihlwa ngo-January kusuka e-Anchorage, e-Alaska, kuya eKapa, eNingizimu Afrika. Ingabe uke wawabuka muva nje amagugu asezulwini atholakala emaqoqweni ezinkanyezi aziwayo, njenge-Orion? Izazi zezinkanyezi zawahlola muva nje zisebenzisa i-Hubble Space Telescope esanda kulungiswa.
Ebhandeni le-Orion elinezinkanyezi ezintathu kulenga inkemba yayo. Inkanyezi elufifi esenkembeni akuyona ngempela inkanyezi kodwa i-Orion Nebula edumile, enobuhle obubabazekayo ngisho nalapho ibukwa ngesibona-kude esincane. Nokho, ukugqama kwayo okukhulu akukhona okuzihlaba umxhwele izazi zezinkanyezi ezingochwepheshe.
“Izazi zezinkanyezi zihlola i-Orion Nebula nezinkanyezi zayo eziningi ezincane ngoba iyindawo enkulu nematasa kakhulu okuvela kuyo izinkanyezi engxenyeni yoMthala wethu,” kubika uJean-Pierre Caillault kumagazini i-Astronomy. Kubonakala sengathi le-nebula iyigumbi lokubelethisa lendawo yonke! Lapho isibona-kude i-Hubble sithwebula i-Orion Nebula, sithatha imininingwane eyayingakaze ibonwe ngaphambili, izazi zezinkanyezi azizange zibone izinkanyezi negesi egqamile kuphela kodwa zabona lokho uCaillault akuchaza ngokuthi “iziyingelezi ezincane ezilufifi. Amabala okukhanya asawolintshi. Afana nemvuthuluka yokudla echitheke ngephutha phezu kwesithombe.” Nokho, ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi kunokuba kube amaphutha enzeka lapho kugezwa izithombe, lezi ziyingelezi ezilufifi “ziyiziyingelezi eziphenduka amaplanethi, ukuqala kokwakheka kwezimiso zonozungezilanga ezisebangeni elingathatha iminyaka engu-1500 uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya.” Ingabe izinkanyezi—yebo, izimiso eziphelele zonozungezilanga—zivela ngalesi sikhathi kuyi-Orion Nebula? Izazi eziningi zezinkanyezi zicabanga ukuthi kunjalo.
Ukusuka Egunjini Lokubelethisa Kuya Ethuneni Lezinkanyezi
Njengoba i-Orion iqhubekela phambili, iphethe umnsalo, kubonakala sengathi iqondana neqoqo lezinkanyezi i-Taurus, inkunzi. Isibona-kude esincane singaveza ibala elifiphele lokukhanya eduze nesihloko sophondo lwalenkunzi olungaseningizimu. Libizwa ngokuthi i-Crab Nebula, futhi lapho usebenzisa isibona-kude esikhulu, kubonakala sengathi ukuqhuma okusaqhubeka, njengoba kuboniswe ekhasini 9. Uma i-Orion Nebula iyindawo okuvela kuyo izinkanyezi, khona-ke i-Crab Nebula engumakhelwane ingase ibe ithuna lenkanyezi eyafa ngesihluku esikhulu.
Leyo nhlekelele yasezulwini kungenzeka yalotshwa izazi zezinkanyezi zaseChina ezachaza “iNkanyezi Eyisivakashi” kuyi-Taurus eyavela ngokungalindelekile ngo-July 4, 1054, futhi yakhanya kakhulu kangangokuba yabonakala emini izinsuku ezingu-23. Isazi sezinkanyezi uRobert Burnham siyaphawula: “Emasontweni ambalwa, lenkanyezi yayikhipha ukukhanya okulingana nokwezinhlamvu zelanga eziyizigidi ezingu-400.” Izazi zezinkanyezi zibiza ukuqhuma kwenkanyezi okuphawuleka kanjalo ngokuthi i-supernova (ukuqhuma kwenkanyezi enkulu). Ngisho namanje, eminyakeni engaba inkulungwane ngemva kokutholakala kwalokho, izinsalela zalokho kuqhuma zisatshuza emkhathini ngesivinini esilinganiselwa kumakhilomitha ayizigidi ezingu-80 ngosuku.
Ngokukamagazini i-Astronomy, i-Hubble Space Telescope iye yasebenza nakulendawo, ihlola ekujuleni kwale-nebula futhi ithola “imininingwane kuyi-Crab izazi zezinkanyezi ezazingayilindele nakancane.” Isazi sezinkanyezi uPaul Scowen sithi lokhu okwatholwa “kufanele kwenze izazi zezinkanyezi ezisekela izinkolelo-mbono zicabangisise okwesikhathi esithile.”
Izazi zezinkanyezi, njengoRobert Kirshner waseHarvard, zikholelwa ukuthi ukuqonda izinsalela zezinkanyezi ezinkulu ezaqhuma njenge-Crab Nebula kubalulekile ngoba zingasetshenziselwa ukulinganisa ibanga lokuya kweminye imithala, okuyisici manje okugxilwe kakhulu kuso kwezocwaningo. Njengoba sesibonile, ukungavumelani ngamabanga okuya kweminye imithala muva nje kubangele impikiswano ethakazelisayo ngenkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu okwaveza indawo yonke.
Ngalé kwe-Taurus, kodwa endaweni esabonakala eNyakatho Nenkabazwe esibhakabhakeni sasentshonalanga ngo-January, kukhona ukukhanya okungagqamile kakhulu eqoqweni lezinkanyezi i-Andromeda. Lokho kukhanya umthala i-Andromeda, into ekude kunazo zonke ezibonakala ngamehlo. Izimangaliso ze-Orion ne-Taurus ziseduze nathi endaweni yonke—ebangeni elingathatha izinkulungwane ezimbalwa zeminyaka uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya usuka Emhlabeni. Nokho, manje sibuka ngaphesheya ebangeni elingathatha iminyaka eyizigidi ezimbili uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya esiyingini esikhulu sezinkanyezi esifana nomthala wethu, i-Milky Way, kodwa esikhulu kunawo—esinobukhulu obungathatha iminyaka engu-180 000 uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya. Njengoba ubuka ukukhanya okungagqamile kakhulu kwe-Andromeda, amehlo akho abona ukukhanya okungenzeka kuneminyaka engaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili ubudala!
Eminyakeni yamuva nje uMargaret Geller nabanye baye bahileleka ezinhlelweni ezishukumisayo zokudweba yonke imithala esizungezile kuvezwe izinhlangothi ezintathu, futhi imiphumela iye yaphakamisa imibuzo engathi sína ngenkolelo-mbono yokuqhuma okukhulu. Kunokuba babone ukusabalala kwemithala kuyo yonke indawo, laba badwebi bamabalazwe endawo yonke bathola “inxanxathela yemithala” ewumklamo ohlanganisa ibanga elingathatha izigidi zeminyaka uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya. “Ukuthi leyo nxanxathela yalukwa kanjani ngesigaxa esicishe sifane sendawo yonke eyayisanda kuvela kungomunye wemibuzo ecindezela kakhulu kuyisayensi yokuhlola indawo yonke,” ngokombiko wamuva nje ephephabhukwini elihlonishwayo i-Science.
Siqale lobu busuku ngokuhlola isibhakabhaka sethu ebusuku ngo-January futhi ngokushesha asizange sithole nje kuphela ubuhle obubabazekayo kodwa sithole nemibuzo nezimfihlakalo ezihlobene nayo kanye imvelo nomsuka wendawo yonke. Yaqala kanjani? Yafinyelela kanjani esimweni sayo samanje sobunkimbinkimbi? Kuyokwenzekani ezimangalisweni zasezulwini ezisizungezile? Ukhona ongasitshela? Ake sibone.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]
Zazi Kanjani Ukuthi Ukude Kangakanani?
Lapho izazi zezinkanyezi zisitshela ukuthi umthala i-Andromeda uqhele ngebanga elingathatha iminyaka eyizigidi ezimbili uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya, eqinisweni zisuke ziqagela. Akukho muntu osevele nendlela yokuwalinganisa ngokuqondile amabanga axaka ngaleyo ndlela. Amabanga okuya ezinkanyezini eziseduze kakhulu, eziqhele ngebanga elingathatha iminyaka engaba ngu-200 uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya, angalinganiswa ngokuqondile ngebanga eliphakathi kwezinkanyezi, okuhilela i-trigonometry evamile. Kodwa lokhu kusebenza kuphela ezinkanyezini eziseduze nomhlaba kangangokuba kubonakala sengathi zihamba kancane njengoba umhlaba uzungeza ilanga. Izinkanyezi eziningi, nayo yonke imithala, kuqhele kakhulu. Kulapho-ke kuqala khona ukuqagela. Ngisho nezinkanyezi eziseduze, njengenkanyezi eyaziwayo ebomvu enkulukazi i-Betelgeuse ekuyi-Orion, ziyaqagelwa, njengoba kulinganiselwa ukuthi iqhele ngebanga elingathatha iminyaka engu-300 kuya kwengaphezu kuka-1000 uma uhamba ngejubane lokukhanya. Ngakho-ke, akufanele kusimangalise lapho izazi zezinkanyezi zingavumelani ngamabanga aphakathi kwemithala, amade ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyizigidi.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 8]
Izinkanyezi Ezinkulu Eziqhumayo, Ama-pulsar, Nemigodi Emnyama
Enkabeni ye-Crab Nebula kukhona enye yezinto eziyinqaba kakhulu endaweni yonke. Ngokososayensi, lensalela encane yenkanyezi efile, egxishwe yaminyana ngendlela engakholeki, iphenduphenduka emgodini wayo izikhathi ezingu-30 ngomzuzwana, ikhipha umsebe wamaza omsakazo athungathwa okokuqala ngqá emhlabeni ngo-1968. Ibizwa ngokuthi i-pulsar, echazwa ngokuthi insalela ephenduphendukayo yenkanyezi enkulu eyaqhuma egxishwe kangangokuthi ama-electron nama-proton akuma-athomu enkanyezi yokuqala aminyaniswe ndawonye aba ama-neutron. Ososayensi bathi kwakuyindeni enkulu yenkanyezi enkulu njenge-Betelgeuse noma i-Rigel kuyi-Orion. Lapho lenkanyezi iqhuma futhi izingqimba ezingaphandle zisakazeka emkhathini, kwasala indeni enciphile kuphela, ilahle elishisayo, usucishe kudala umlilo wayo wenuzi.
Ake ucabange ngenkanyezi enkulu njengeLanga liphindwe kabili igxishwe ebholeni elinobukhulu obungamakhilomitha angu-15 kuya kwangu-20! Ake ucabange ngeplanethi uMhlaba incishiswe yaba amamitha angu-120. Ama-cubic centimeter angu-16 alokhu angaba nesisindo esingaphezu kwamathani ayizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-16.
Ngisho nalokhu akusichazi ngokuphelele isigaxa esigxishiwe. Uma besinganciphisa umhlaba ulingane nemabula yokudlala, amandla omhlaba adonsela phansi abeyogcina enamandla kangangokuba ngisho nokukhanya bekungeke kudlule. Kuleli qophelo bekuyobonakala sengathi umhlaba wethu omncane unyamalala ngaphakathi kwalokho okubizwa ngokuthi umgodi omnyama. Nakuba izazi eziningi zezinkanyezi zikholelwa ukuthi ikhona, abukatholakali ubufakazi bokuthi imigodi emnyama ikhona, futhi kubonakala isiyivelakancane kunangendlela okwakucatshangwa ngayo eminyakeni embalwa edlule.
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 10]
Ingabe Leyo Mibala Ingokoqobo?
Abantu abahlola isibhakabhaka ngesibona-kude esincane ngokuvamile bayadumala lapho beqala ukubona umthala noma i-nebula edumile. Ikuphi lemibala emihle abayibone ezithombeni? “Imibala yemithala ayinakubonwa ngokuqondile ngeso lomuntu, ngisho nangesibona-kude esikhulu esikhona,” kuphawula isazi sezinkanyezi nomlobi wezesayensi uTimothy Ferris, “ngoba ukukhanya kwayo kulufifi kakhulu ukuba kushukumise izingxenye zeso ezibona imibala.” Lokhu kuye kwenza abanye abantu baphetha ngokuthi imibala emihle abayibona ezithombeni zendawo yonke ingamanga, imane yanezelwa ngandlela-thile enqubweni yokulungiswa kwezithombe. Nokho, akunjalo. “Imibala ngokwayo ingokoqobo,” kubhala uFerris, “futhi izithombe ziveza imizamo yamandla onke yezazi zezinkanyezi yokuyiveza ngokunembile.”
Encwadini yakhe ethi Galaxies, uFerris uchaza ukuthi izithombe zezinto ezilufifi ezikude, njengemithala noma ama-nebula amaningi, “ziyizithombe ezithatha isikhathi ezitholwa ngokuqondisa isibona-kude emthaleni bese kubekwa ucwecwe lwesithombe isikhathi esingaba amahora amaningana kuyilapho ukukhanya kwezinkanyezi kudlulela ongqimbeni lwesithombe. Phakathi nalesi sikhathi umshini oqondisayo usebenza ngokumelene nokuzungeza komhlaba futhi ugcina lesi sibona-kude sigxile emthaleni, kuyilapho isazi sezinkanyezi, noma kwezinye izimo isimiso sokuqondisa esizilawulayo, senza ukulungisa okuncane.”
[Umdwebo/Izithombe ekhasini 7]
(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)
1 Iqoqo lezinkanyezi i-Orion, umbukwane ovamile emhlabeni wonke esibhakabhakeni ngo-January
2 I-Orion Nebula, isithombe esiseduze esihlaba umxhwele “salenkanyezi” elufifi
3 Ngaphakathi ekujuleni kwe-Orion Nebula—ingabe iyigumbi lokubelethisa lendawo yonke?
[Imithombo]
#2: Astro Photo - Oakview, CA
#3: C. R. O‘Dell/Rice University/NASA photo
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Umthala i-Andromeda, into ekude kakhulu ebonakala ngeso lenyama. Izinga lokuphenduka kwawo kubonakala lingqubuzana nomthetho kaNewton wamandla adonsela phansi futhi liphakamisa impikiswano yokuba khona kwesigaxa esimnyama esingabonakali ngezibona-kude
[Umthombo]
Astro Photo - Oakview, CA
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
I-Crab Nebula kuyi-Taurus—ingabe iyithuna lezinkanyezi?
[Umthombo]
Bill and Sally Fletcher
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Ngenhla: Umthala i-Cartwheel. Washayisana nomthala omncane, owathubeleza unqamula phakathi kwawo, futhi washiya indilinga eluhlaza yezigidi zezinkulungwane zezinkanyezi ezisanda kuvela ezizungeza umthala i-Cartwheel
[Umthombo]
Kirk Borne (ST Scl), and NASA
Ngezansi: I-Cat’s Eye Nebula. Umphumela wezinkanyezi ezimbili ezizungezanayo uyichaza kalula lemiklamo eyinkimbinkimbi
[Umthombo]
J. P. Harrington and K. J. Borkowski (University of Maryland), and NASA