Astronomers Discover Supermassive Black Hole 12.9 Billion Light Years Away

A team of astronomers has recorded the hottest nova explosion ever observed, named LMCN 1968-12a, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way. This recurrent nova, first discovered in 1968, has been erupting approximately every four years, with the latest explosion occurring in August 2024. Findings were reported in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Utilizing the Magellan Baade and Gemini South telescopes in Chile, researchers conducted observations in near-infrared light shortly after the outburst. The results indicated that the expelled gas reached temperatures of 5.4 million degrees Fahrenheit, supported by a significant spike in ionized silicon brightness, which was 95 times greater than sunlight. This extreme heat and unique chemical composition suggest important differences from novas observed in the Milky Way. The astrophysical dynamics involved stem from the white dwarf's interaction with a red subgiant companion star, showing how low-metallicity environments influence nova activity, according to study co-author Sumner Starrfield from Arizona State University.

A massive power outage has left approximately 98% of households in Chile without electricity since Tuesday, prompting the government to declare a nationwide curfew from 10 PM to 6 AM. The curfew affects regions from Arica y Parinacota in the north to Los Lagos in the south, covering over 3,000 kilometers, according to the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Carolina Tohá emphasized the government's primary concern for public safety, stating, “We want to ensure that no one takes advantage of the blackout to commit crimes.” To bolster security, 3,000 troops are being deployed in affected areas. The blackout was triggered by an unexpected failure of a high-voltage line in the Chico Norte region, as reported by the electrical regulatory authority. Humberto Verdejo, an engineer from the University of Santiago, described the incident as “an atypical system failure,” predicting that restoration of power could take an extended period due to the complexity of the issue. Major events, including Latin America's biggest music festival in Viña del Mar, have been disrupted, with plans for rescheduling performances.

Adrián Simancas, a 24-year-old kayaker, had a near-death experience on February 8 when he was briefly engulfed by a humpback whale in the Strait of Magellan, off the coast of Chilean Patagonia. Simancas described the moment to The Guardian, stating he "closed [his] eyes to brace for impact" but felt as if he were "in a whirlpool" before his life jacket pulled him back to the surface unharmed. The encounter, captured on a nearby camera, quickly went viral, prompting discussions on whale behavior. Marine biologist María José Pérez Álvarez from Universidad de Chile clarified that humpback whales feed on small prey and could not "devour" a human, as they lack teeth and have a small throat. She cautioned, however, that such interactions should be avoided due to potential risks from the whale's size. Kayaking expert Guillermo Meza warned that Simancas and his father were too close to the whale, emphasizing safety and legal regulations requiring a distance of at least 100 meters from marine mammals. Simancas now plans to take greater precautions during future expeditions.