William sent in a link to a National Geographical article in volume 243 No 2, March of 2023. Nadia Drake, ‘Saturn: what put the rings in it‘ or should that be, around it. Two points of view are considered, none of which involve electro-magnetism. The Roche limit defines at least one of them without actually saying so, William notes. Or collisions – or did Saturn munch upon one of its own moons rather than capture one. In legend the god Saturn ate his own children. The problem here is that probably has nothing to do with the planet Saturn. National Geographic is available on magazine racks around the world, including at airports.
At https://phys.org/news/2023-03-billion-years-history-ancient-quasars.html … a study in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society claims carbon in warm gas increased rapidly about 13 billion years ago. They suggest it may be linked to large scale heating of gas associated with the phenomenon known as the Epoch of Reionisation. According to Wal Thornhill, following Halton Arp, quasars are not distant objects but bright objects much closer to our galaxy. This is all part of the red shift debate which has been marginalised of late. So, what is it – warm gas or very hot gas? Plasma perhaps. Plasma is ionised gas – but where does the re-ionisation come in?
We are informed that quasars are flash lights illuminating distant galaxies in the early universe. The WEBB telescope, recently inaugurated, doesn’t appear to be showing astronomers much about the early universe – just lots more galaxies not seen before.
At https://phys.org/news/2023-03-magnetic-cataclysmic-variable.html … we are told a new cataclysmic magnetic variable has been detected – by examining SRG and TESS data. Cataclysmic variables are binary star systems consisting of a white dwarf accreting material from a normal star companion. They irregularly increase in brightness – then drop down into a quiescent status. So, another theoretical cosmic body based on flickering bright periods. Fascinating when you get to look a bit deeper into some of these ideas.