Astrophysicists from the Rochester Institute of Technology analyzed hundreds of images of the background
Scientists have studied the amount of light observedby the New Horizons spacecraft to evaluate the cosmic optical background. This is the sum of radiation in optical wavelengths emanating from objects located outside the Milky Way throughout the history of the Universe.
We see more light than we should, based on the populations of galaxies we understand to exist and how much light we estimate they should be producing.
Teresa Simons, astrophysicist and co-author of the paper
Previously, similar results were achieved by a groupAmerican astrophysicists from various research institutes and observatories. They also used data from the LORRI instrument, but focused on single images. Confirmation of the results of the first observation on a larger sample leaves no doubt that there must be sources of radiation unknown to us in the Universe.
The researchers note that the discovery of the sourceThis extra light could change fundamental ideas about how the universe formed. Earth-based observatory telescopes and telescopes in low Earth orbit cannot accurately assess the cosmic optical background due to the large amount of interplanetary dust that scatters solar radiation.
In contrast, the New Horizons probe is locatedoutside the solar system and can make more accurate measurements. The authors of the new work hope that additional observations of the spacecraft will help solve this mystery.
Previously, Hi-Tech talked about one of the hypotheses of the origin of additional photons in the Universe, associated with dark matter.
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On the cover: Artistic illustration of the New Horizons ship in the Kuiper belt. Image: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI