- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 25.03.2022
- Institute of Physics in Opava
Black holes are the future giant source of energy, claims Opava astrophysicists
Maybe futuristic, but physically realistic: Supermassive black holes located in the center of galaxies might be the largest reservoirs of pure energy in the universe. As is well known, even light can't escape from the black holes themselves, but what could be extracted in the immediate vicinity of these extremely massive cosmic objects is their rotational energy. Astrophysicists from the Institute of Physics of the Silesian University in Opava - Martin Kološ, Arman Tursunov and Zdeněk Stuchlík, focused on this potential possibility of extracting energy from black holes in their scientific research.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 01.03.2022
- Institute of Physics in Opava
The "WHOO!" Telescope located in Opava helps to solve the mysteries of stellar physics. After Loosening Anti-Epidemic Measures, it will again be open to the public.
Since 2016, the Silesian University has been operating the WHOO! (White Hole Obrervatory Opava) telescope, which has served several students since the beginning of its operation on important final theses in the field of astronomy and astrophysics. The observatory is even involved in cooperation with ESA and NASA. Besides the scientific research activities, the telescope is also usable for routine astronomical observations and is expected to offer observations of night sky objects to the general public twice a month after further stages of loosening.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 01.03.2022
- Institute of Physics in Opava
Opava physicists study how to protect humankind from dangerous radiation of black holes and use it to our advantage
Supermassive black holes can be a good servant, but also a very evil lord for possible civilizations throughout the Galaxy. A new study by Opava physicists’ points to three types of energy production in the vicinity of black holes, ie three variants of the so-called Penrose process. Huge amounts of energy could be extracted from these processes in the future; however, the same processes can lead to the fatal escape of strong radiation and endanger the lives of any galaxy. Thus, physicists from Opava are studying not only the possibilities of using this gigantic source of energy, but also how to detect a possible energy leak and protect civilization.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 01.03.2022
- Institute of Physics in Opava
The prestigious Astronomy Picture of the Day from August 9 has Slovak-Czech authors
On Monday, August 9, 2021, NASA published an image called "Perseus and Lost Meteors". Its authors are the Slovak astrophotographer and astronomer popularizer Tomáš Slovinský and the Czech astrophotographer Petr Horálek from the Institute of Physics in Opava. The unusual composite image, which took both authors hundreds of hours of work, draws attention to the oncoming maximum of the annual meteor shower Perseida and the problem of light pollution, which makes the meteor swarm increasingly difficult to observe.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 15.12.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
The institute of Physics has two new Doctors of Science!
On the 7th of December 2021, Mgr. Kateřina Klimovičová Ph.D. and Mgr. Gabriela Urbancová Ph.D. successfully defended their doctoral dissertations, Congratulations!
- Debora Lančová
- ustav
- 05.12.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
Solar Eclipse over Antarctica chosen as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
There was a total Solar eclipse on Saturday, December 4th, 2021, the only one this year and the only until April 2023. The total eclipse was visible only from the farthest end of the world – in Antarctica.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 02.11.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
When is the best time to see aurora borealis? In spring and autumn, physicists from Opava recommend.
Aurora Borealis is one of the most beautiful natural phenomena in the sky. While they are quite common in the polar regions, they are a lot less common in lower latitudes. So, to see the phenomena, travelers often go to Scandinavia or the north of the American continent. Constant observation of aurorae shows that although the main catalyst is usually strong solar flares and a faster solar wind containing charged particles, there are two periods during the year when aurorae can be expected more often at higher intensities even without rapid events in the Sun. And those events occur around the spring and autumn equinoxes.
- Lucie Dospivová
- ustav
- 27.10.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
Unique CLAIRO project (not only) of Opava physicists helps to improve the environment
One of the areas on which the Institute of Physics in Opava focuses both in its study offer and scientific activities is environmental monitoring. As part of this activity, the Institute has been involved in the unique European project CLAIRO since 2018. A part of the project includes greenery that is capable of capturing air pollutants, especially dust particles for a long period of time. As a result, this vegetation could be an important natural filter for polluted air in the future.
- Tomáš Lanča
- ustav
- 02.08.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
Photographer from the Institute of Physics succeeds in NASA APOD yet again
On Saturday the 31st of July, the American NASA institute published the photo “Remembering NEOWISE” by Petr Horálek from the Institute of Physics as a prestigious astronomy photo of the day. The photo recalls the flyby of the comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE. The comet was shining bright in the morning and later in the evening sky during July of last year and was the brightest comet on the northern hemisphere’s night sky of the last 23 years. Thanks to the flyby happening “inside” of the Big Dipper constellation and the pandemic of COVID-19 that caused people to pay more attention to nature and space, the comet ended up being one of the most photographed space bodies ever.
- Lucie Dospivová
- ustav
- 23.07.2021
- Institute of Physics in Opava
