Free Astronomy Magazine January-February 2026 ARABIC VERSION

JANUARY-FEBRUARY2026 Astronomers map mysterious “dark” gas in the Milky Way By NRAO n international team of as- tronomers has created the first-everlarge-scalemapsof amysteriousformofmatter,known asCO-darkmoleculargas,inoneof our Milky Way Galaxy’s most ac- tive star-forming neighborhoods, CygnusX.Theirfindings,usingthe U.S. National Science Foundation’s Green Bank Telescope (NSF GBT), are providing crucial new clues about how stars formed in the Milky Way. For decades, scientists have known that most new stars are born inside clouds of cold mo- lecular hydrogen gas. Much of this molecular hydrogen is invisible to mosttelescopes—itdoesn’tgiveoff light that can easily be detected. Traditionally, astronomers have hunted for these clouds by looking for carbon monoxide (CO), a mole- culethatactslikeaflashingsignfor star-building regions. However, it turnsoutthere’salotofstar-form- ing gas that doesn’t “light up” in CO. This dark, hidden material (called CO-dark molecular gas) has been one of astronomy’s biggest blindspots.Now,forthefirsttime, astronomershavemappedthishid- dengasoverahugeswathofsky— more than 100 times the area cov- ered by the full Moon—by observ- ing the radio spectral lines from atoms recombining, known as Car- bon Radio Recombination Lines (CRRLs). The team’s map covers the bustling Cygnus X region, a cosmic metropolis about 5,000 light-years away,that’soverflowingwithnew- bornstars. “It’slikesuddenlyturn- ing on the lights in a room and seeing all sorts of structures we neverknewwerethere,” saysKim- berly Emig, an associate scientist with the NSF National Radio As- tronomy Observatory (NSF NRAO), and lead author of the new study. The new map reveals a vast net- work of arcs, ridges, and webs of darkgasweavingthroughCygnus X. These shapes show where star- making material is gathered and grown, before it becomes visibleas before it becomes visible in CO as molecular clouds. The research demonstrates that these faint car- bon signals, detected at very low radiofrequencies,areanincredibly powerful tool for uncovering the hidden gas that directly connects ordinarymatterwiththeformation ofnewstars.Thestudydiscovered that this dark gas is not just sitting still; it’s flowing and shifting, and moving with velocities much higher than previously realized. These tur- bulent flows can shape how quickly stars can form. The team also found that the brightness of these carbon lines is directly linked to the intense starlight bathing the region, high- lighting the powerful role that ra- diation plays in galactic recycling. “By making the invisible visible, we can finally track how raw materialin our galaxy is transformed from simple atoms into the complex mo- lecular structures that will one day become stars, planets, and possibly life,” Emig explains, “And this isjust the beginning of understand-ing these previously unseen forces.” The NSF GBT has become theworld’s premier tool for this kind of research, and even larger surveys of CRRLs (like the GBT Diffuse Ionized Gas Survey at Low Frequencies) are underway to explore other star- forming regions of the Milky Way. The insights gleaned here will help astronomersaroundtheworld model how our Galaxy—and poten- tially others—builds massive clouds forstarstoformin.   ﻣﺠﻠﺔ FreeAstronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ 20 رﺳﻢﺧﺮ ﻄﺔ ﻟﻠﻐﺎز اﻟﻤﻈﻠﻢ اﻟﻐﺎﻣﺾﻓﻲدر اﻟﺘ ﺎﻧﮫ : ﻘﻠﻢ ﻟﻌﻠﻢ اﻟﻔﻠﻚ اﻟﺮادﻳﻮي اﻟﻤﺮﺻﺪ اﻟﻮﻃ ﻗـﺎم ﻓﺮﻳﻖ دوﱄ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻴ ﺑﺈ ﻧﺸـﺎء أول ﺧﺮاﺋﻂ واﺳﻌﺔ اﻟﻨﻄﺎق ﻋﲆ اﻹﻃﻼق ﻟﺸـﻜﻞ ﻏـﺎﻣﺾ ﻣـﻦ ا ـﺎدة ﻳ ﻌـﺮف ﺑﺎﺳـ ﻢ اﻟﻐـﺎز اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌـﻲ ا ﻈﻠ ـﻢ ﻟﻠﻜﺮﺑــﻮن ﰲ أ ﺣــﺪ أﻛﺜ ـﺮ ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺗﻜﻮﻳﻦ اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم ﻧﺸـﺎﻃ ﺎ ﰲ ﻣﺠـﺮة درب اﻟﺘﺒﺎﻧﺔ وﻫـﻲ ﻣﻨﻄﻘـﺔ ﺳـﻴﻐﻨﻮس X . ﺗﻘﺪم ﻧﺘﺎﺋﺠﻬﻢ ﺑﺎﺳﺘﺨﺪام ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب ﻏـﺮﻳﻦ ﺑﺎﻧﻚ اﻟﺘـﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﺳﺴـﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴـﺔ ﻟﻠﻌﻠـﻮم اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ أ دﻟﺔ ﺟﺪﻳﺪة ﺣﺎﺳﻤﺔ ﺣﻮل ﻛﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺗﺸ ﻜﻞ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم ﰲ درب اﻟﺘﺒﺎﻧﺔ . ﻟﻌﻘﻮد ﻛـﺎن اﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء ﻳﻌﻠﻤﻮن أن ﻣﻌﻈﻢ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم اﻟﺠﺪﻳـﺪة ﺗﻮﻟﺪ داﺧﻞ ﺳـﺤﺐ ﻣـ ﻦ ﻏـﺎز اﻟﻬﻴـﺪروﺟ اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﻲ اﻟﺒﺎرد وﻣﻌﻈﻢ ﻫـﺬا اﻟﻬﻴـﺪروﺟ اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌــﻲ ﻳ ﻜــﻮن ﻏــ ﻣﺮﺋــﻲ ﻌﻈــﻢ اﻟﺘﻠﺴﻜﻮﺑﺎت ﻷﻧﻪ ﻻ ﻳﻨﺒﻌﺚ ﻣﻨﻪ ﺿﻮ ء ﻳﻤﻜﻦ اﻛﺘﺸﺎﻓﻪ ﺑﺴﻬﻮﻟﺔ ﻳﺎً ﻠﻴﺪ ﺗﻘ. ﻛـﺎن اﻟﻔﻠﻜﻴـﻮن ﻳﺒﺤﺜﻮن ﻋﻦ ﻫﺬه اﻟﺴﺤﺐ ﻋﻦ ﻃﺮﻳﻖ ﺗﺘﺒـﻊ أول أﻛﺴﻴﺪ اﻟﻜﺮﺑـﻮن وﻫـﻮ ﺟـﺰيء ﻳﻌﻤـﻞ ﻛﺈﺷﺎرة ﺿﻮﺋﻴﺔ ﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺑﻨﺎء اﻟﻨﺠﻮم . وﻣﻊ ذﻟﻚ ﺗﺒ أن ﻫﻨﺎك ﻛﻤﻴـﺔ ﻛﺒـ ة ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻐﺎز ا ﻜﻮ ن ﻟﻠﻨﺠﻮم ﻻ ﻳﻈﻬﺮ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺮاﻗﺒﺘـﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻼل إﺷﺎرات أول أﻛﺴﻴﺪ اﻟﻜﺮﺑﻮن . إن ﻫﺬه ا ﺎدة ا ﻈﻠﻤﺔ واﻟﺨﻔ ﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗُ ﻌﺮف ﺑﺎﺳﻢ اﻟﻐﺎز اﻟﺠﺰﻳﺌﻲ ا ﻈﻠﻢ ﻟﻠﻜﺮﺑﻮن ﻛﺎﻧـﺖ واﺣﺪة ﻣﻦ أﻛـﱪ اﻟﻨ ﻘـﺎط اﻟﻌﻤﻴـﺎء ﰲ ﻋﻠـﻢ اﻟﻔﻠﻚ . واﻵن وﻷول ﻣﺮة ﻗﺎم اﻟﻔﻠ ﻜﻴﻮن ﺑﺮﺳﻢ ﺧﺮﻳﻄﺔ ﻟﻬـﺬا اﻟﻐـﺎز اﻟﺨﻔـ ﻲ ﻋـﲆ اﻣﺘـﺪاد ﻣﺴﺎﺣﺔ ﺷﺎﺳﻌﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻤﺎء ﺗﺰﻳﺪ ﻋﻦ ١٠٠ ﻣﺴﺎﺣﺔ ﺷﺎﺳﻌﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺴﻤﺎء ﺗﺰﻳﺪ ﻋﻦ 100 ﺿﻌﻒ ﻣﺴـﺎﺣﺔ اﻟﻘﻤـﺮ اﻟﺒـﺪر ﻣـﻦ ﺧـﻼل ﻣﺮاﻗﺒﺔ ﺧﻄﻮط اﻟﻄﻴﻒ اﻟﺮادﻳﻮﻳـ ﺔ اﻟﻨﺎﺗﺠـﺔ ﻋﻦ إﻋﺎدة اﺗﺤﺎد اﻟـﺬرات وا ﻌﺮوﻓـﺔ ﺑﺎﺳـﻢ ﺧﻄﻮط إﻋﺎدة اﺗﺤﺎد اﻟﻜﺮﺑﻮن اﻟﺮادﻳﻮﻳﺔ . ﺗﻐﻄﻲ ﺧﺮﻳﻄﺔ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ ﻣﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﺳﻴﻐﻨﻮس X اﻟﻨﺎﺑﻀﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻴﺎة وﻫﻲ ﻣﺪﻳﻨﺔ ﻛﻮﻧﻴـﺔ ﺗﺒﻌـﺪ ﻧﺤﻮ 5000 ﺳﻨﺔ ﺿﻮﺋﻴﺔ وﺗﻔﻴﺾ ﺑـﺎﻟﻨﺠﻮم ا ﻮﻟﻮدة ﺣﺪﻳﺜ . ﺎً ﺗﻘﻮل ﻛﻴﻤﱪﱄ إﻣﻴـﻎ ﻋﺎ ـﺔ ﻣﺸﺎرﻛﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ اﻟﻌﻠﻮم اﻟﺮادﻳﻮﻳﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻲ اﻟﺘﺎﺑﻊ ﻟﻠﻤﺆﺳﺴﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻌﻠﻮم اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﺆ وا ﻟﻔﺔ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﺴﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺪراﺳﺔ اﻟﺠﺪﻳـﺪة إﻧـﻪ ": ﻣﺜﻞ أن ﻧﴤء ﻓﺠﺄة اﻷﻧﻮار ﰲ ﻏﺮﻓﺔ وﻧـﺮى ﺟﻤﻴﻊ أﻧﻮاع اﻟﻬﻴﺎﻛﻞ ا ﻟﺘـﻲ ﻟـﻢ ﻧﻜـﻦ ﻧﻌ ﻠـﻢ ﺑﻮﺟﻮدﻫـﺎ ﻣـﻦ ﻗﺒـﻞ ." ﺗﻜﺸـﻒ اﻟﺨﺮﻳﻄــﺔ اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪة ﻋﻦ ﺷﺒﻜﺔ ﺷﺎﺳﻌﺔ ﻣـﻦ اﻷﻗـﻮاس واﻟﺘﻼل واﻟﺸﺒﻜﺎت ﻣﻦ اﻟﻐـﺎز ا ﻈﻠـﻢ اﻟﺘـﻲ ﺗﻨﺴـﺞ ﻋـﱪ ﺳـﻴﻐﻨﻮس X . ﺗﻮﺿـﺢ ﻫـﺬه اﻷﺷﻜﺎل اﻷﻣﺎﻛﻦ اﻟ ﺘﻲ ﻳﺘﺠﻤﻊ ﻓﻴﻬـﺎ اﻟﻐـﺎز ا ﻜﻮّن ﻟﻠﻨﺠﻮم وﻳﻨﻤﻮ ﻗﺒﻞ أن ﻳﺼﺒﺢ ﻣﺮﺋﻴـ ﺎً ﻛﻐﻴـ ﻮم ﺟﺰﻳﺌﻴـﺔ ﰲ أول أﻛﺴـﻴﺪ اﻟﻜﺮﺑـﻮن . ﺗ ﻈﻬﺮ اﻟﺪراﺳﺔ أن ﻫﺬه اﻹﺷـﺎرات اﻟﺨﺎ ﻓﺘـﺔ ﻟﻠﻜﺮﺑﻮن اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗ ﺘﻜ ﺸﻒ ﻋﻨﺪ ﺗﺮددات رادﻳﻮﻳﺔ ﻣﻨﺨﻔﻀﺔ ﺟﺪ اً ﺗُﻌﺪ أداة ﻗﻮﻳﺔ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻣـﺬﻫﻞ ﻟﻜﺸﻒ اﻟﻐـﺎز اﻟﺨﻔـﻲ اﻟـﺬي ﻳـﺮﺑﻂ ا ـﺎدة اﻟﻌﺎدﻳﺔ ﻣﺒﺎﴍة ﺑﺘﻜﻮﻳﻦ اﻟﻨﺠـﻮم اﻟﺠﺪﻳـﺪة . ﻛﻤﺎ اﻛﺘﺸﻒ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ أن ﻫـﺬا اﻟﻐـﺎز ا ﻈﻠـﻢ ﻟﻴﺲ ﺳﺎﻛﻨًﺎ؛ ﺑﻞ ﻳﺘﺪﻓﻖ وﻳﺘﺤـﺮك ﺑﴪـﻋﺎت ﻟﻴﺲ ﺳﺎﻛﻨ ﺎً ﺑﻞ ﻳﺘﺪﻓﻖ وﻳﺘﺤﺮك ﺑـ ـ ﴪﻋﺎت أﻋﲆ ﺑﻜﺜ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻳﻌﺘﻘﺪ ﺳﺎﺑﻘ إن . ﺎً ﻫـﺬه اﻟﺘﺪﻓﻘﺎت ا ﻀﻄﺮﺑﺔ ﻳﻤﻜﻦ أن ﺗ ﺸﻜﻞ ﴎﻋﺔ ﺗﻜﻮّن اﻟﻨﺠﻮم . ﻛﻤﺎ وﺟﺪ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ أن ﺳﻄﻮع ﺧﻄـﻮط اﻟﻜﺮﺑـﻮن ﻫـﺬه ﻣـﺮﺗﺒﻂ ﻣﺒـﺎﴍة ﺑﺎﻟﻀﻮء اﻟﻨﺠﻤﻲ ا ﻜﺜﻒ اﻟﺬي ﻳﻐﻤﺮ ا ﻨﻄﻘﺔ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻳﱪز اﻟﺪور اﻟﻘـﻮي ﻟﻺﺷـﻌﺎع ﰲ إﻋـﺎدة ﺗﺪوﻳﺮ ا ﻮاد داﺧﻞ ا ﺠﺮة . ﺗﴩح إﻣﻴﻎ ﻗﺎﺋﻠﺔ :" ﻣﻦ ﺧـﻼل ﺟﻌـﻞ ﻏـ ا ﺮﺋﻲ ﺎً ﻣﺮﺋﻴ ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻨﺎ أﺧ اً ﺗﺘﺒﻊ ﻛﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺗﺤﻮل ا ﻮاد اﻟﺨﺎم ﰲ ﻣﺠﺮﺗ ﻨﺎ ﻣﻦ ذرات ﺑﺴﻴﻄﺔ إ ﱃ ﻫﻴﺎﻛﻞ ﺟﺰﻳﺌﻴﺔ ﻣﻌﻘﺪة ﺳﺘﺼـﺒﺢ ﻳﻮﻣـ ﺎً ﻣـﺎ ﺎً ﻧﺠﻮﻣ وﻛﻮاﻛﺐ ورﺑﻤﺎ ﺣﻴﺎة وﻫـﺬه ﻣﺠـﺮد ﺑﺪاﻳﺔ ﻟﻔﻬ ﻢ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻘﻮى اﻟﺘﻲ ﻟﻢ ﺗُﺮ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ . ﻟﻘـﺪ أﺻـﺒﺢ ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب ﻏـﺮﻳﻦ ﺑﺎﻧـﻚ اﻷداة اﻟﺮاﺋﺪة ﻋﺎ ﻴ ﺎً ﻟﻬﺬا اﻟﻨﻮع ﻣﻦ اﻷﺑﺤﺎث وﺣﺘﻰ اﻵن ﺗُﺠﺮى ﻣﺴﻮﺣﺎت أﻛﱪ ﻟﺨﻄﻮ ط إﻋـﺎدة اﺗﺤﺎد اﻟﻜﺮﺑﻮن اﻟﺮادﻳﻮﻳﺔ ﻣﺜﻞ ﻣﺴﺢ اﻟﻐـﺎز ا ــﺆﻳﻦ ا ﻨــ ـ ﺘﴩ ﺑــﱰددات ﻣﻨﺨﻔﻀــﺔ ﻻﺳﺘﻜﺸﺎف ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﺗﻜﻮﻳﻦ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم اﻷﺧﺮى ﰲ درب اﻟﺘﺒﺎﻧﺔ ﻣﻤـﺎ ﺳـﻴﺘﻴﺢ ﻓﻬﻤـﺎ اﻋﻤـﻖ ﻟﺘﻄﻮر اﻟﻨﺠﻮم وا ﺠﺮات وﻋﻼﻗﺘﻬـﺎ ﺑﺎﻟﺒﻴﺌـﺔ اﻟﻜﻮﻧﻴﺔ ا ﺤﻴﻄﺔ ﺑﻬﺎ . ﺳﺘﺴﺎﻋﺪ اﻟﺮؤى ا ﻜﺘﺴﺒﺔ ﻫﻨﺎ ﻋﻠﻤﺎء اﻟﻔﻠـﻚ ﺣﻮل اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ ﻋﲆ وﺿﻊ ﻧﻤﺎذج ﻟﻜﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺑﻨـﺎء ﻣﺠﺮﺗﻨـﺎ ورﺑﻤـﺎ ﻣﺠـﺮات أﺧـﺮى ﻟﻠﺴـﺤﺐ اﻟﻀﺨﻤﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺘﺸﻜﻞ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﻨﺠﻮم . اﻟﻔﻠـﻚ ﰲ ﻗﻴﺎس اﻟﺘﺸﻮّه اﻟﻨﺎﺗﺞ ﻋﻦ اﻟﻐﻼف - ﻳﻨﺎﻳﺮ ﻓﺒﺮﺍﻳﺮ 2 0 2 6