Search
Menu
Zurich Instruments AG - Boost Your Optics 1-24 LB

With Polarization Studies, Astronomers Creep Closer to Black Holes

Facebook X LinkedIn Email
Hank Hogan

By measuring the polarization of radiation from distant objects to an accuracy of better than 1/20 of a percent, astronomers have pushed their observations perhaps 100 times closer to the edge of a black hole than previously had been accomplished. The international group, led by Makoto Kishimoto of the University of Edinburgh in the UK, studied the polarized visible and near-UV radiation emitted by quasars. Quasars are extremely distant point sources in the sky that are as bright as entire galaxies. Some astronomers theorize that they are the result of matter falling into supermassive...Read full article

Related content from Photonics Media



    Articles


    Products


    Photonics Handbook Articles


    White Papers


    Webinars


    Photonics Dictionary Terms


    Media


    Photonics Buyers' Guide Categories


    Companies
    Published: January 2005
    Glossary
    polarization
    Polarization refers to the orientation of oscillations in a transverse wave, such as light waves, radio waves, or other electromagnetic waves. In simpler terms, it describes the direction in which the electric field vector of a wave vibrates. Understanding polarization is important in various fields, including optics, telecommunications, and physics. Key points about polarization: Transverse waves: Polarization is a concept associated with transverse waves, where the oscillations occur...
    radiation
    The emission and/or propagation of energy through space or through a medium in the form of either waves or corpuscular emission.
    visible
    That term pertaining to the spectral region that can be perceived by the eye.
    near-UV radiationpolarizationpolarizedquasarsradiationResearch & TechnologyTech PulseUniversity of Edinburghvisible

    We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.