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Indian astronomers plan to find first exo-moon using James Webb Space Telescope
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: As the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) begins science operations, Indian astronomers are ready to peer into the edge of the universe with the observatory. Astronomers from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru have developed a new model to trace exo-moons that have remained elusive to ground- and space-based telescopes.Exo-moons are natural satellites that revolve around exoplanets, which are orbiting stars, just as planets in our own Solar System revolve around the Sun. Astronomers will look for habitable exo-moons as they try to understand new worlds beyond our solar system.
A large number of exo-moons are expected to be present in the universe, and they may play a crucial role in the habitability of rocky exoplanets in the habitable zone of their host stars. While most exoplanets are detected through the photometric transit method, signals from exo-moons are too weak to detect, mainly because of their extremely small size.
The James Webb Space Telescope.
Professor Sujan Sengupta of the IIA, along with his graduate student Suman Saha, has developed an analytical model that uses the radius and orbital properties of the host planet and its moon. The model uses their parameters and incorporates various possible orientations of the moon-planet-star system to model the photometric transit light curve of moon-hosting exoplanets.
They will use co-alignment and non-coalignment of the orbits of the planet and the moon as parameters to model all the possible orbital alignments for a star-planet-moon system. “Using these generic models and the analysis of photometric transit light curves of exoplanets that are being obtained by JWST, a large number of exomoons can be detected in near future,” the Department of Science and Technology said in a statement.
Astronomers across the world are looking for habitable planets that fall in the Goldilocks zone, which marks the distance between a star and a planet where temperatures are just optimum for water and life to flourish. According to the researchers, an exo-moon around a gas giant planet like Jupiter in the habitable zone of the host star where the temperature is appropriate for water to exist in a liquid state may harbour life.
“Under favourable alignment of moon-planet-star, such an exo-moon may also be detected by JWST,” they said in a statement.
So far, there have been 500 exoplanets that have been discovered outside our solar system, which have varied ranges when it comes to their composition and characteristics. These include small, rocky worlds like Earth, gas giants many times larger than Jupiter, and hot-Jupiters in scorchingly close orbits around their stars.These planets have been discovered using several ground-based and space telescopes, such as Kepler, CoRoT, Spitzer, and Hubble space telescopes. However, the natural satellites or exomoons around any of these planets still remain untraced, unlike our Solar System which is flooded with moons around its host planets. OVER
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
