By: D.K Choudhary
Team of Astronomers Discovers Universe’s Biggest Galaxy Supercluster Vela near the Milky Way
i. A research team of astronomers from Australia, South Africa, and Europe has discovered one of the universe’s biggest super clusters of galaxies, Vela super cluster, near the Milky Way. It was undetected for long as it was hidden by stars and dust in the Milky Way.
ii. The study was published in the journal Monthly Notices Letters of the Royal Astronomical Society.
iii. The Vela is massive and is at a distance of 840 million light-years from Earth. It is estimated to carry 100,000 galaxies with trillions of stars.
iv. The researchers stated that the Milky Way which is a part of the Laniakea supercluster appeared very small and weak when compared to the massive Vela.
v .They used the Anglo-Australian Telescope to measure distances for many galaxies to confirm earlier predictions that Vela was a supercluster.
vi. Two new Australian surveys starting in 2017 will confirm the size of the Vela supercluster.
China Successfully Tests Fifth Generation Stealth Fighter FC-31 Gyrfalcon
i. China successfully tested the Fifth Generation twin-engine radar-evading stealth fighter, FC-31 Gyrfalcon, on December 23, 2016.
ii. FC-31 Gyrfalcon, an upgraded version of the J-31 stealth fighter, made its maiden flight in the northeastern city of Shenyang.
iii. The FC-31 Gyrfalcon is said to be worth about $70 million and can easily carry 8 tons of weapons, holding six missiles in its internal weapons bay along with another six under its wings.
iv. It also has a maximum take-off weight of 28 metric tons, a flight radius of 1,250km, and a top speed of Mach 1.8 (or 1.8 times the speed of sound) and has been equipped with an electro-optical targeting system and helmet-mounted display.
v. The first prototype of FC-31 was tested in 2012 which managed to stay airborne for as long as 11 minutes. The new fighter has a number of improvements over the previous one in terms of airframe, wings and vertical tails, which make it leaner, lighter and more maneuverable
vi. The “fifth-generation” twin-engine jet FC-31 is China’s move to compete with the US F-35, FC – 31the world’s most technically advanced fighter and put an end to nations’ monopolies on the fifth-generation fighter jet.
China :
♦ Capital: Beijing
♦ Currency: Renminbi
♦ President: Xi Jinping
