After 600 years, astronomers finally replaced the missing “guest” mystery

In October 1408, in the Ming China dynasty, astronomers in the court scored a strange heavenly event: a bright yellow body, not moving in the sky, and they heard steadily for more than ten nights. It was described as “big like a cup” and “pure yellow color, smooth and bright” – a noticeable scene that it paid official documents by imperial officials. For centuries, this “Guest Star” was 1408 historical curiosity without a clear identity. But thanks to a new discovery, astronomers believe that they have finally discovered the source.

In a modern sheet to publish To the Preprint Arxiv server, researchers, led by Bushon Yang, an astronomer at the University of Science and Technology in China, informed a report that was ignored by Ho HoG, an official in the court responsible for “memorials and excessive poems directed to the emperor”, as shown in the paper. This official document from the imperial astronomical office provides a more complete and authentic account than the previous descriptions of the event, and decisively, allowing researchers to exclude the possibility of a false record or misfortune.

The memorial describes the object as a stable in southern Niandaw – by the sky now associated with the Cygenus and Vulpecula Towers – and visible for more than 10 days. Unlike comets or meteorites, which transcend the sky, this being remained and preserves its brightness, which indicates that it was a star.

Specifically, the event that Hagange had had the properties of Nova, or the violent death of a star suddenly stems in brightness before slowing slowly. The team introduces the characteristics of the “plateau” 1408, which means that its light is unusually fixed for a long time.

It is interesting that the team also had to explain the accurate policy baked in the language of the record. Old Chinese astronomers were cautious about how they described the heavenly phenomena when reporting the emperor. To ensure the appearance of his pink outlook, it was important that astronomical events made good feelings. They avoided the fateful language in reports on Nova, which was described as “yellow” and “brilliant”, unlike sporting “screws” or other details that may seem fateful, according to what I mentioned. The universe today.

By combining this new historical document with modern astronomical physics, the Yang team argues that the guest star 1408 is certainly that Nova – adds it to an increasing list of ancient Chinese records that confirm modern astronomical notes.

Like the well-known 1054 Supernova that created the crab nexus-which was reported by the Chinese as happened, and now it is clearly visible by observatories such as the Space Webb-this note that dates back to how the events are relatively far in human history in the cosmic time. Moreover, it provides a basis for modern astronomy, which can use previous accounts as wallpaper – and even the driver – for new discoveries.