October 24, 2003
Supernova text alert
Astronomers are notified by SMS of changes in the universe. This is a simplified version of something that sounds so fascinating. Read on from Ars Technica.
"An intelligent agent, created by UK eScience Telescopes for Astronomical Research (eSTAR) is making astronomers' lives easier, according to Ars Technica."This intelligent observing system is used to study the most dramatic events in the universe, such as massive supernova explosions and asteroids that could potentially collide with Earth".
In conjunction with an automated data reduction pipeline, the agents look for variability in the data - a star which has become brighter, an asteroid moving across the field of view, or a supernova which has gone off in a distant galaxy.
The agents can even deliver information to the astronomer via SMS messaging, so when a supernova - one of the most energetic explosive events known which occur at the end of a star's lifetime - goes off, the astronomer can automatically get a text message no matter where she is or what she's doing".
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