Energy News  
Astronomers Create Prize-Winning Black Hole Site

A black hole pulls gas from the star orbiting around it. The gas heats up and emits X-rays (in yellow) as it falls into the black hole. Image credit: NASA/Chandra
by Staff Writers
Baltimore MD (SPX) May 17, 2006
A team of astronomers has created an entire Web site that explores the mysterious phenomena known as black holes.

Roeland van der Marel, of the Space Telescope Science Institute, and colleagues created the site � Black Holes: Gravity's Relentless Pull � and won the top 2005 prize in the Pirelli INTERNETional Award competition, the first international multimedia contest for communicating science and technology on the Web.

The site, containing animation and graphics, explores black holes of all sizes, including the supermassives that anchor the centers of most galaxies.

"Our goal is to show that even the most mysterious of things can be understood with the combined application of human thinking and powerful technology," van der Marel said. "We want to convey the importance of scientific thought and hope to instill, especially in the younger generation of viewers, an appreciation for learning and an interest in science."

Van der Marel and colleagues will receive their prize during a ceremony May 16 in Rome. An international jury selected the Pirelli award winners from 1,000 entries from more than 50 countries. Launched in 1996, the award is sponsored by the Italian tire company.

The team created the black holes Web site with the help of a NASA education and public outreach grant.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Black Hole Site
Understanding Time and Space



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


Model Suggests Pre-Big Bang Physics
University Park PA (SPX) May 14, 2006
Researchers using quantum gravitational calculations are attempting to find threads of data that could lead to an understanding of what happened before the universe was born in the event known as the Big Bang, some 13.7 billion years ago.







  • Oil experts seek technology to increase reserves
  • Russia Stable Energy Partner, Shares West's Values
  • EADS And ASB To Create Of US Thermal Battery Company For The Military
  • Alternate Fuel-Powered B-52 To Fly In September

  • China's Tianwan nuclear power plant goes on line
  • Global Nuclear Fuel Allianace Taking Form
  • Australia considers 'nuclear fuel leasing'
  • Russian Nuke Fuel Maker To Apply For Public Funding On $400 Mln Project

  • In The Baltics Spring And Smoke Is In The Air
  • UNH And NASA Unlock The Puzzle Of Global Air Quality
  • Project Achieves Milestone In Analyzing Pollutants Dimming The Atmosphere
  • The 'Oxygen Imperative'

  • Global Pulp Mill Growth Threatens Forests, May Collapse
  • Experts Sound Alarm Over State Of Czech Forests
  • Diverse Tropical Forests Defy Metabolic Ecology Models
  • Developing Nations May Save The Tropical Forest

  • Who Really Buys Organic
  • Alternatives To The Use Of Nitrate As A Fertiliser
  • Researchers Trawl The Origins Of Sea Fishing In Northern Europe
  • Greens Happy As EU Tightens GMO Testing

  • Activists Press Ford On Environmental Policies
  • Prototype For Revolutionary One-Metre Wide Vehicle Is Developed
  • Highly Realistic Driving Simulator Helps Develop Safer Cars
  • Research On The Road To Intelligent Cars

  • British Aerospace Production Up Strongly In First Quarter
  • Face Of Outdoor Advertising Changes With New Airship Design
  • NASA Denies Talks With Japan On Supersonic Jet
  • Test Pilot Crossfield Killed In Private Plane Crash

  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement