Free Astronomy Magazine May-June 2025 ARABIC VERSION

“great white whale” for planet hunters; several timesoverthepastcentury, groups have announced evidence that suggested planets around Barnard’s Star, only for them to be subsequently disproved. But these latest findings give a much larger degree of confidence than any previous result. “We observed at different times of night on different days. They’re in Chile; we are in Hawai’i. Our teams didn’tcoordinatewith eachotheratall,” saysBasant. “That givesusalotofassurancethatthese aren’t phantoms in the data.” Thefourplanets,eachonlyabout20 to 30% the mass of Earth, are so closetotheirhomestarthattheyzip allthewayarounditinamatterof days.Thefourthplanetistheleast massive planet discovered to date usingtheradialvelocitytechnique. Theteamhopesthiswillsparkanew era of finding more and more sub- Earth exoplanets in the Universe. Mostrockyplanetsfoundsofarare much larger than Earth, and they appeartobefairlysimilarthrough- outtheMilkyWayGalaxy.Butthere arereasonstothinkthatsmallerex- oplanetshavemorewidelyvaried compositions.Asscientistsfindmore ofthem,theycanbegintoteaseout more information about how these planetsformandwhatmakesthem likelytohavehabitableconditions. “TheU.S.NationalScienceFounda- tioniscollaboratingwiththeastron- omycommunityonanadventureto lookdeeperintotheUniversetode- tect planets with environments that mightresembleEarth’s,” saysMartin Still, NSF program director for the InternationalGeminiObservatory. “Theplanetdiscoveriesprovided by MAROON-X mounted on Gem- iniNorthprovideasignificantstep along that journey.” MAROON-X is still a visiting instru- mentatGeminiNorth.Givenitsout- standing performance and popular- ity with the user community, it is in the process of being converted to a permanentfacilityinstrument. “This result demonstrates the com- petitive, state-of-the-art capabilities that Gemini offers its user commu- nity.Theobservatoryisinthemiddle of rejuvenating its instrumentation portfolio and MAROON-X is part of the first wave of new instruments, alongside GHOST on Gemini Southand IGRINS-2 on Gemini North,” says Andreas Seifahrt, Associate Director ofDevelopmentfortheInterna- tionalGeminiObservatory,co-au- thor of the paper, and member oftheteamwhodesignedandbuilt MAROON-X.  ﻣﺠﻠﺔ FreeAstronomy ﺎﻟﻌﺮ ﺔ أداة ﻣــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺎرون - إﻛــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺲ ) MAROON-X ( اﻟﻤﺘﺼـــــــــــــــــــــــﻞ ــــــــــــ ﺘﻠﺴــــــــــــ ﻮبﺟ ﻤ ﻧـــــــــــــﻮر اﻟـــــ ُﻤﺜـــــﻞ ﺬ ﺟـــــﺰء ﻣـــــﻦ ﻣﺮﺻـــــﺪ اﻟــــــــــﺪوﻟﻲ ــــــــــ ﺟ ﻤ وﺗﻤﻮﻟـــــــــــﮫ ـــــــﺔ ﻣﺆﺳﺴــــــﺔ اﻟﻌﻠــــــﻮم اﻟﻮﻃﻨ ـــــــــــــﺪﻳﺮﻩ ﻣﺨﺘـــــــــــــ ـــــــــــــﺔ و اﻷﻣﺮ ﻜ ﻧــــﻮﻳﺮﻻب ﺗﻘــــﻮم ﺑــــﺈﺟﺮاء ﺗﺤﻠﻴـــــﻞ ﻟ ﺷـــــــﺎﻣﻞ ﻠﻀـــــــﻮء اﻟﻘـــــــﺎدم ﻣـــــــﻦ اﻟﺘﻠﺴــــ ﻮب ﻟـــــ ﻤﻊ ﻣﻌﻠﻮﻣــــﺎت ﺣﻮل اﻟ ﻮاﻛﺐ اﻟ ﻌ ﺪة . [InternationalGemini Observatory/NOIRLab/ NSF/AURA/J.Bean] اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ وﻗﺪ أﻋﻠﻨـﺖ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋـﺎت ﻋﺪة ﻣﺮات ﺧﻼل اﻟﻘﺮن ا ﺎﴈﻋﻦ أدﻟﺔ ﺗﺸ إﱃ وﺟﻮد ﻛﻮاﻛﺐ ﺣـﻮل ﻧﺠﻢ ﺑﺎرﻧﺎرد إﻻ أﻧـﻪ ﺗـﻢ دﺣﻀـﻬﺎ . ﻻﺣﻘًﺎ ﻟﻜﻦ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻨﺘـﺎﺋﺞ اﻷﺧـ ة ﺗﻌﻄﻲ درﺟﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺜﻘﺔ أﻛﱪ ﺑﻜﺜ ﻣﻦ أي ﻧﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﺳﺎﺑﻘﺔ . ﻳﻘﻮل ﺑﺎﺳـﺎﻧﺖ " : ﻟﻘـﺪ رﺻـﺪﻧﺎ ﰲ أوﻗﺎت ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻠﻴﻞ وﰲ أﻳـﺎم . ﻣﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﻫﻢ ﰲ ﺗﺸﻴﲇ؛ وﻧﺤـﻦ ﰲ . ﻫـﺎواي ﻟـﻢ ﺗﻨﺴـﻖ ﻓ ﺮﻗﻨـﺎ ﻣـﻊ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﺎ ﻋﲆ اﻹﻃﻼق وﻫﺬا ﻳﻤﻨﺤﻨﺎ اﻟﻜﺜ ﻣﻦ اﻟﺜﻘﺔ ﺑﺄن ﻫـﺬه ﻟﻴﺴـﺖ أﺷــﺒﺎﺣًﺎ ﰲ اﻟﺒﻴﺎﻧ ــﺎت ". ﺗــﺪور اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ اﻷرﺑﻌﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺒﻠﻎ ﻛﺘﻠﺔ ﻛـﻞ ﻣﻨﻬـﺎ ﺣﻮاﱄ 20 إﱃ 30 % ﻓﻘﻂ ﻣـﻦ ﻛﺘﻠـﺔ اﻷرض ﻗﺮﻳﺒﺎً ﺟﺪاً ﻣﻦ ﻧﺠﻤﻬﺎ ا ﻀﻴﻒ ﻟﺪرﺟـﺔ أﻧﻬـﺎ ﺗﻜﻤﻞ دورة ﻛﺎﻣﻠﺔ ﺣﻮﻟـﻪ ﰲ ﻏﻀـﻮن أﻳـﺎم . اﻟﻜﻮﻛﺐ اﻟﺮا ﺑﻊ ﻫﻮ أﻗﻞ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ ﻛﺘﻠـﺔً ﺗـﻢ اﻛﺘﺸــﺎﻓﻪ ﺣﺘــﻰ اﻵن ﺑﺎﺳــﺘﺨﺪام ﺗﻘﻨﻴــﺔ اﻟﴪﻋﺔ اﻟﺸﻌﺎﻋﻴﺔ . ﻳﺄﻣﻞ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ أن ﻳﺸﻌﻞ ﻫﺬا اﻻﻛﺘﺸﺎفﺣﻘﺒﺔ ﺟﺪﻳﺪة ﻣﻦ اﻟﻌﺜﻮر ﻋﲆ ا ﺰﻳـﺪ وا ﺰﻳـﺪ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛـﺐ اﻟﻨﺠﻤﻴـﺔ اﺻـﻐﺮ ﻣـﻦ اﻷرضﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن . ﻣﻌﻈﻢ اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ اﻟﺼﺨﺮﻳﺔ اﻟﺘﻲ ﻋُﺜﺮ ﻋﻠﻴ ﻬﺎ ﺣﺘـﻰ اﻵن أﻛـﱪ ﺑﻜﺜـ ﻣـﻦ اﻷ رض وﻳﺒﺪو أﻧﻬﺎ ﻣﺘﺸﺎﺑﻬﺔ إﱃ ﺣﺪ ﻛﺒ ﰲ ﺟﻤﻴـﻊ أﻧﺤـﺎء ﻣﺠـﺮة درب اﻟﺘﺒﺎﻧـﺔ وﻟﻜـﻦ ﻫﻨـﺎك أﺳﺒﺎب ﻟﻼﻋﺘﻘـﺎد ﺑـﺄن اﻟﻜﻮاﻛـﺐ اﻟﻨﺠﻤﻴـﺔ اﻷﺻﻐﺮ ﺣﺠﻤًﺎ ذات ﺗﺮﻛﻴﺒﺎت أﻛﺜﺮ ﺗﻨﻮﻋًﺎ ﻋﲆ ﻧﻄﺎق واﺳﻊ . وﻣﻊ اﻛﺘﺸﺎف اﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء ا ﺰﻳـﺪ ﻧﻄﺎق واﺳﻊ وﻣﻊ اﻛﺘﺸﺎف اﻟﻌﻠﻤـ ﺎء ا ﺰﻳـﺪ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ ﻳﻤﻜﻨﻬﻢ اﻟﺒﺪء ﰲ اﺳﺘﺨﻼص ا ﺰﻳﺪ ﻣﻦ ا ﻌﻠﻮﻣﺎت ﺣﻮل ﻛﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺗﺸﻜﻞ ﻫﺬه اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ وﻣﺎ اﻟﺬي ﻳﺠﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﻣﺮﺟﺤﺔ ﻻﻣﺘﻼك ﻇـﺮوف . ﺻﺎﻟﺤﺔ ﻟﻠﺤﻴﺎة ﻳﻘﻮل ﻣﺎرﺗﻦ ﺳﺘﻴﻞ ﻣﺪﻳﺮ ﺑﺮﻧﺎﻣﺞ ا ﺆﺳﺴـﺔ اﻟﻮﻃﻨﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻌﻠﻮم اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴﺔ ﺮﺻﺪ ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨـﻲ اﻟﺪوﱄ " : ﺗﺘﻌﺎون ا ﺆﺳﺴﺔ ﻣﻊ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﻋﻠـﻢ اﻟﻔﻠﻚ ﰲ ﻣﻐﺎﻣﺮة ﻟﻠﻨﻈﺮ ﺑﻌﻤﻖ أﻛﱪ ﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن ﻟﻠﻜﺸﻒ ﻋﻦ ﻛﻮا ﻛﺐ ذات ﺑﻴﺌﺎت ﻗـﺪ ﺗﺸـﺒﻪ ﺑﻴﺌﺔ اﻷرض ". ﻳﻘــﻮل ﻣــﺎرﺗﻦ ﺳــﺘﻴﻞ " : إن اﻛﺘﺸــﺎﻓﺎت اﻟﻜﻮاﻛﺐ اﻟﺘﻲ ﻗـﺪﻣﺘﻬﺎ أداة ﻣـﺎرون إﻛـﺲ - ا ﺜﺒﺘﺔ ﻋﲆ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ ﻧـﻮرث ﻞ ﺗﻤﺜـ ﺧﻄﻮة ﻫﺎﻣﺔ ﻋﲆ ﻃﻮل ﺗﻠﻚ اﻟﺮﺣﻠﺔ ." ﻻ ﺗـﺰال أداة ﻣـﺎرون - إﻛـﺲ أداة ﻣﺆﻗﺘـﺔ ﰲ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ ا ﻟﺸﻤﺎﱄ . وﻧﻈـﺮًا ﻷداﺋﻬـﺎ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨـﻲ ﻧـﻮرث اً ﻈـﺮ وﻧ ﻷداﺋﻬـﺎ ا ﺘﻤﻴ ﺰ وﺷﻌﺒﻴﺘﻬﺎ ﺑ ﻣﺠﺘﻤﻊ ا ﺴـﺘﺨﺪﻣ ﻓﻬـﻲ ﰲ ﻃــﻮر ﺗﺤﻮﻳﻠﻬـﺎ إﱃ أداة دا ﺋﻤـﺔ ﰲ ا ﻨﺸـﺄة . ﺗُﻈﻬــﺮ ﻫـﺬه اﻟﻨﺘﻴﺠـﺔ اﻟﻘـﺪرات اﻟﺘﻨﺎﻓﺴﻴﺔ وا ﺘﻄﻮرة اﻟﺘﻲ ﻳﻮﻓﺮﻫـﺎ ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ ﺠﺘﻤﻊ ﻣﺴﺘﺨﺪﻣﻴﻪ . ﻳ ﻘﻮل أﻧﺪرﻳﺎس ﺳﻴﻔﺎﻫﺎرت ا ﺪﻳﺮ ا ﺸـﺎرك ﻟﻠﺘﻄﻮﻳﺮ ﰲ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ اﻟﺪوﱄ وا ﺆﻟـﻒ ا ﺸﺎرك ﻟﻠﻮرﻗﺔ اﻟﺒﺤﺜﻴﺔ وﻋﻀﻮ اﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ اﻟﺬي ﺻﻤﻢ وﺑﻨﻰ أداة ﻣﺎرون إﻛﺲ- " : ﻳﻘﻊ ا ﺮﺻﺪ ﰲ ﻣﻨﺘﺼﻒ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ ﺗﺠﺪﻳﺪ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋـﺔ أدواﺗـﻪ وﺗُﻌﺪ أداة ﻣﺎرون - إﻛﺲ ﺟـﺰءًا ﻣـﻦ ا ﻮﺟـﺔ اﻷوﱃ ﻣــﻦ اﻷدوات اﻟﺠﺪﻳـﺪة إﱃ ﺟﺎﻧـﺐ أداة ﻏﻮﺳـﺖ ا ﺜﺒﺘـﺔ ﻋـﲆ ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨـﻲ ﺳﺎوث وأداة إﻳﻐـﺮﻳﻨﺲ -2 ﻋـﲆ ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب ." ﻧﻮرث ﺟﻴﻤﻴﻨﻲ ﻣﺎﻳﻮ - ﻳﻮﻧﻴﻮ 2 0 2 5 7