Ingabe Ososayensi Bayitholile Ngempela Imigodi Emnyama?

KUBONAKALA sengathi indaba eqanjiwe yesayensi—izinkanyezi ezazigqamile, zijike zingabe zisabonakala, ziwohlozwe amandla azo adonsela phansi, kungabi bikho lutho olufinyelela kuzo, nokukhanya imbala. Izazi zezinkanyezi eziningi zikholelwa ukuthi imigodi emnyama enjalo kungenzeka iyinto ejwayelekile endaweni yonke. Ungathanda yini ukwazi okwengeziwe ngayo? Indaba iqala eqoqweni elihle lezinkanyezi elisenyakatho elibizwa ngokuthi i-Cygnus, okusho ukuthi “iDada.”

I-Cygnus X-1—Umgodi Omnyama?

Kusukela ngawo-1960, izazi zezinkanyezi bezilokhu zinesithakazelo endaweni ethile yeqoqo lezinkanyezi i-Cygnus. Izibonakude ezizungezayo ezabekwa ngaphezu komkhathi woMhlaba zathola umthombo onamandla wama-X ray avela kule ndawo, obizwa ngokuthi i-Cygnus X-1.

Sekunesikhathi eside ososayensi bazi ukuthi uma into ishisa kakhudlwana kulapho ikhipha amandla engeziwe ngama-wavelength kagesi amafushane nanamandla kakhudlwana. Uma ushisa ingxenye yensimbi esithandweni somlilo esishisa kakhulu, iqale ibe bomvu bese iba phuzi igcine isimhlophe njengoba iya iqhubeka ishisa. Ngaleyo ndlela izinkanyezi zinjengemigoqo yensimbi. Izinkanyezi ezingashisi kakhulu, cishe ezingu-3000 K, zinombala obomvu, kuyilapho inkanyezi ephuzi, njengeLanga, ishisa ngezinga elicishe libe u-6000 K.a Nokho, kungadingeka ushisise igesi yenkanyezi izigidi zama-kelvin ukuze uthole imisebe ekhishwa ama-X ray avela kuyi-Cygnus X-1. Ayikho inkanyezi ekhipha izinga lokushisa elingako.

Lapho kukhona khona i-Cygnus X-1, izazi zezinkanyezi ziye zathola inkanyezi ekhipha izinga lokushisa elilinganiselwa ku-30 000 K—ishisa kakhulu ngempela, kodwa ayisondeli nokusondela ekushiseni ngendlela yokuthi ingakhipha ama-X ray. Le nkanyezi okwathiwa i-HDE 226868, kulinganiselwa ukuthi icishe ibe nkulu ngokuphindwe izikhathi ezingu-30 kuneLanga futhi iqhele ngebanga elingama-light-year angu-6000 eMhlabeni. Le nkanyezikazi inomngane wayo, futhi zombili ziphenduphenduka ndawonye zizungezane njalo izinsuku ezingu-5,6. Ososayensi bathola ukuthi lo mngane uqhele ngamakhilomitha ayizigidi ezimbalwa kuyi-HDE 226868. Ngokwemithombo ethile, lo mngane kulinganiselwa ukuthi mkhulu cishe ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyishumi kuneLanga. Kodwa kunento exakayo ngalo mngane—akabonakali. Ayikho inkanyezi evamile enkulu kangako neqhele kangako eMhlabeni engake ingabonakali. Into enkulu kangako ebonakala sengathi ikhipha ama-X ray kodwa engakhiphi ukukhanya okubonakalayo ingaba isisulu sokuba umgodi omnyama, kusho ososayensi.

Uhambo Lokuyobona Umgodi Omnyama

Cabanga uma ubungahamba uye kuyi-Cygnus X-1. Uyibheka ngeso lengqondo njengewumgodi omnyama ngempela, obungase ukubone bekungabonakala njengomfanekiso osekhasini 17. Inkanyezi enkulu i-HDE 226868. Nakuba le nkanyezi inobubanzi obuyizigidi zamakhilomitha, umgodi omnyama ungase ube cishe amakhilomitha angu-60 ububanzi. Ichashazana elimnyama phakathi nesiyingi segesi eshisayo libangelwa umkhathi okugcina kuwo umgodi omnyama. Nokho, aliyona indawo yangaphandle ecacile, kodwa linjengesithunzi. Liyindawo engasekugcineni komgodi omnyama enamandla adonsela phansi amakhulu kangangokuthi abamba ngisho nokukhanya kungadluli. Ososayensi abaningi bacabanga ukuthi ngaphakathi komkhathi, phakathi nomgodi omnyama, kunendawo engenalutho emnyama kakhulu, eyaziwa ngokuthi i-singularity, lapho yonke into esemgodini omnyama yavele yanyamalalela khona.

Umgodi omnyama umunca ungqimba lwegesi yale nkanyezi engumngane. Igesi evela kule nkanyezi yenza indingilizi ebengezelayo njengoba igesi ishwileka ngokushesha okukhulu futhi ishisiswa ukuhhudlana emgodini omnyama. Le ndingilizi yegesi esishisa kakhulu ikhiqiza ama-X ray ngaphandle nje komgodi omnyama, njengoba igesi igijima ngejubane elingakholeki idonswa amandla amakhulu adonsela phansi. Empeleni, uma le gesi ike yawela emgodini omnyama, ama-X ray ngeke esadlula—ngeke kusadlula lutho.

I-Cygnus X-1 iwumbukwane, kodwa ungasondeli kakhulu! Akuwona nje kuphela ama-X ray abulalayo, kodwa ngisho namandla awo adonsela phansi. EMhlabeni, kunomehluko omncane emandleni adonsela phansi aphakathi kwekhanda nezinyawo zakho lapho umile. Lo mehluko wenza kube khona ukudonseka okuncane ongeke ukuzwe. Nokho, kuyi-Cygnus X-1, lowo mehluko omncane uphindwaphindwa izikhathi eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingu-150, wenze kube namandla anganweba umzimba wakho, sengathi izandla ezingabonakali zidonsela izinyawo kwenye indawo nekhanda kwenye indawo!

I-Cygnus A—Ingabe Iwumgodi Omnyama Omkhulu Kakhulu?

Kunenye indawo eyimfihlakalo eqoqweni lezinkanyezi i-Cygnus. Le ndawo ibonakala inechashazana elincane kakhulu lomthala okude, kodwa ikhipha imisebe yamaza omsakazo ephakathi kwenamandla kakhulu emkhathini. Ibizwa ngokuthi i-Cygnus A, futhi kusukela yatholakala eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-50 edlule, iye yabakhungathekisa ososayensi.

Kumisa ingqondo ukucabanga ngobukhulu be-Cygnus A. Nakuba i-Cygnus X-1 ingaphakathi komthala wethu, iqhele ngezinkulungwane ezimbalwa zama-light-year, i-Cygnus A kucatshangwa ukuthi iqhele ngamakhulu ezinkulungwane zama-light-year. Nakuba i-Cygnus X-1 nomngane wayo obonakalayo beqhelelene ngebanga eliyi-light-minute eyodwa kuphela, izikhatha zesisi ezenziwa imisebe yamaza omsakazo yako kokubili kuyi-Cygnus A, ziqhelelene ngezinkulungwane zama-light-year.b Into ethile ephakathi nendawo kuyi-Cygnus A ngokusobala ibidubula lawa mandla amaza amakhulu iwasakaza ngebanga elingamakhulu ezinkulungwane noma izigidi zeminyaka, njengohlobo lwesibhamu esidubula imisebe edlula ngapha nangapha komhlaba. Ibalazwe elinemininingwane yemisebe yamaza omsakazo phakathi ne-Cygnus A lembula ukuthi uma siqhathaniswa nemisebe yamaza omsakazo, isibhamu esikhipha imisebe sincane kakhulu, singaphansi kwebanga eliyi-light-month. Ukube besixegaxega sonke lesi sikhathi, imisebe yokukhanya ibizogwegwa. Kodwa imisebe yamaza eyimfihlakalo iqonde ngqó, sengathi isibhamu esiyidubulayo siqiniswe i-gyroscope enkulu.

Yini engabangela lokhu? “Emibonweni eminingi eye yavezwa ngasekuqaleni kwawo-1980 ukuze kuchazwe injini ephehla amandla,” kubhala uProfesa Kip S. Thorne, “munye kuphela owakhuluma nge-gyroscope ephambili kakhulu ehlala isikhathi eside, enobukhulu obungaphansi kwe-light-month, nekhono lokuveza ama-jet anamandla. Lowo mbono oyingqayizivele kwakuwumgodi omnyama omkhulu ophenduphendukayo.”

Eminye Imigodi Emnyama Esolekayo

Ngo-1994 i-Hubble Space Telescope eyayisanda kulungiswa kabusha yabhekisisa umthala “oseduze” i-M87, okulinganiselwa ukuthi uqhele ngebanga elingama-light-year ayizigidi ezingu-50. Lapho izinga layo lokubona selithuthukisiwe, i-Hubble yabona indilinga enegesi phakathi ne-M87 eyayizulazula izungeza into ethile ngejubane elimangalisayo elingamakhilomitha ayizigidi ezimbili ngehora. Yini eyayingabangela le gesi ukuba ihambe ngejubane elingako? Izibalo zibonisa ukuthi le nto eyayikule ndilinga kumelwe ukuba yayinobukhulu obulingana nobeLanga liphindwe okungenani izikhathi eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezimbili. Kodwa leyo nto iminyaniseke endaweni “encanyana” elingana nesimiso sethu sonozungezilanga. Ukuphela kwento ososayensi abayicabangayo engaba nje, umgodi omnyama omkhulu kakhulu.

Okungenzeka kube yimigodi emnyama manje sekuye kwatholakala phakathi nendawo emithaleni eminingi eseduze, kuhlanganise nomakhelwane “oseceleni” kwethu, umthala i-Andromeda, oqhele ngama-light-year ayizigidi ezimbili kuphela. Kodwa kungase kube nomgodi omnyama omkhulu osondele kithi ukudlula ngisho ne-Andromeda! Okutholakele muva nje kusikisela ukuthi umgodi omnyama omkhulu kakhulu kungenzeka uphakathi nendawo emthaleni wethu, i-Milky Way. Okuthile okusendaweni encane, okunobukhulu obulinganiselwa kobeLanga liphindwe izikhathi eziyizigidi ezingu-2,4, kubangela izinkanyezi eziseduze nendawo ephakathi yomthala wethu ukuba zikuzungeze ngamajubane asabekayo. Isazi sesayensi yemvelo uThorne siyaphawula: “Ubufakazi, obuye banda kancane kancane phakathi nawo-1980, busikisela ukuthi imigodi enjalo ayihlali nje kuphela phakathi kwama-quasar amaningi nemithala eyimithombo yemisebe yamaza omsakazo, kodwa naphakathi kwemithala emikhulu kakhulu, evamile (engeyona imithombo yemisebe yamaza omsakazo) njenge-Milky Way ne-Andromeda.”

Ingabe ososayensi bayitholile ngempela imigodi emnyama? Mhlawumbe. Ngokuqinisekile bathole izinto ezingaziwa ngempela eqoqweni lezinkanyezi i-Cygnus nakwezinye izindawo okwamanje ezingachazwa kalula ngokuthi imigodi emnyama. Kodwa ukwaziswa okusha kungayibekela inselele imibono esuke ivele ikhona.

Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengu-3500 edlule, uNkulunkulu wabuza uJobe: “Uyazazi izimiso zasezulwini?” (Jobe 38:33) Naphezu kokuthuthuka kwesayensi okuthakazelisayo, kuseyisikhathi esifanele salowo mbuzo. Phela, kukhona kanye lapho umuntu eqala ukucabanga ukuthi useyawazi umhlaba lapho kutholakala khona izinto ezintsha nezingalindelekile ezizophazamisa imibono yakhe eqanjwe ngokucophelela. Okwamanje, singabuka amaqoqo ezinkanyezi ngokumangala futhi sijabulele ubuhle bawo!

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 16, 17]

Yini Engabangela Umgodi Omnyama?

IZAZI zesayensi manje ziqonda ukuthi izinkanyezi zikhazimula ngenxa yomzamo ongapheli phakathi kwamandla adonsela phansi namandla e-nucleus. Uma engekho amandla adonsela phansi okucindezela igesi ephakathi ekujuleni kwenkanyezi, ngeke ahlangane ama-nucleus. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ngaphandle kokuhlangana kwama-nucleus ukuze amelane namandla adonsela phansi, kungenzeka izinto eziyinqaba ngempela ezinkanyezini.

Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi uma izinkanyezi ezilingana nelanga ziphelelwa amandla azo e-nucleus e-hydrogen ne-helium, amandla adonsela phansi azimpintshela ezindaweni ezishisayo ezicishe zilingane nomhlaba, ezibizwa ngokuthi izinkanyezi ezimhloshana. Inkanyezi emhloshana ingaba ngangelanga, kodwa lobo bukhulu bayo buminyene endaweni encane ngokuphindwe izikhathi eziyisigidi.

Ungacabanga ngento ejwayelekile njengendawo engenalutho, cishe enabo bonke ubungako be-athomu ngalinye elisendaweni ephakathi encane ezungezwe inqwabakazi yama-electron. Kodwa phakathi enkanyezini emhloshana, amandla adonsela phansi ampintshela inqwaba yama-electron engxenyeni eyiqhezu elincane lobukhulu bawo bangaphambili, enciphisa le nkanyezi ibe ngangonozungezilanga. Ezinkanyezini ezingangelanga, kuleli qophelo kunethonya elilinganisayo phakathi kwamandla adonsela phansi namandla ama-electron, elivimbela ukuba ukuminyana kungaqhubeki.

Kodwa kuthiwani ngezinkanyezi ezinesisindo esingaphezu kweselanga, ezinamandla amakhulu adonsela phansi? Izinkanyezi ezinobukhulu obudlula obelanga liphindwe izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezingu-1,4, amandla adonsela phansi makhulu kangangokuthi inqwaba yama-electron impintsheka ize ingabe isaba bikho. Ama-proton nama-electron abe esehlangana abe ama-neutron. Ama-neutron ayakwazi ukumelana nokumpintsheka okuqhubekayo, uma amandla adonsela phansi engemakhulu kakhulu. Esikhundleni sokuba kube yinkanyezi emhloshana engangonozungezilanga, kugcina sekuyinkanyezi egcwele ama-neutron elingana ne-asteroid encane. Izinkanyezi ezigcwele ama-neutron zinezinto eziminyene kunazo zonke emhlabeni.

Nokho, kuthiwani-ke uma amandla adonsela phansi eqhubeka anda? Ososayensi bakholelwa ukuthi izinkanyezi ezinobukhulu obuphindwe kathathu kobelanga, amandla adonsela phansi anamandla kangangokuba ama-neutron awakwazi ukumelana nawo. Alukho uhlobo lwento izazi zesayensi yemvelo ezilwaziyo engamelana namandla anqwabelanayo awo wonke lawa mandla adonsela phansi. Kubonakala sengathi ibhola lama-neu­tron elingange-asteroid liyompintsheka, lingabi nje ibhola elincane kodwa liphele nya, kuze kufike eqophelweni elibizwa ngokuthi i-singularity, noma kwelinye eliyinto engakachazwa ngokwezinkolelo-mibono. Ngokusobala inkanyezi iyonyamalala, ishiye ngemuva amandla ayo adonsela phansi kuphela nomgodi omnyama eyayihlala kuwo. Umgodi omnyama uyokwenza isithunzi samandla adonsela phansi lapho kwakukhona khona inkanyezi. Kuyoba indawo lapho amandla adonsela phansi ayenzima kakhulu kangangokuthi akukho lutho—nokukhanya imbala—olwalungadlula.

[Izithombe ekhasini 16]

Phakathi kokunye, iqoqo lezinkanyezi i-Cygnus line-North America Nebula (1) ne-Veil Nebula (2). I-Cygnus X-1 (3) ingezansi kwentamo yedada ngokwengxenye

I-Cygnus (iDada)

[Umthombo]

Tony and Daphne Hallas/Astro Photo

Tony and Daphne Hallas/Astro Photo

[Izithombe ekhasini 17]

Ukuchaza I-Cygnus X-1

Imigodi emnyama itholakala ngendlela ethonya ngayo ezinye izindikimba. Lo mfanekiso ubonisa amagesi aphuma enkanyezini edonselekela emgodini omnyama

Umfanekiso odwetshiwe womgodi omnyama (phakathi ebhokisini elibomvu) nomfanekiso okhulisiwe (ngezansi)

[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 14]

Einstein: U.S. National Archives photo