The Planetary Society of Japan : Column

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Y.M. COLUMN ARCHIVE

May 28, 2006

Apollo, Okehazama Battlefield and The Infrared Satellite AKARI

When I went to a certain high school in Kanagawa prefecture to give them a lecture, a student in a front row asked me after the lecture was over, “Did Apollo really go to the moon?” As the related books concerned about the question were published and showily displayed on shelves of bookstore at that time, I prepared in advance some images to help answer this kind of question. As I fore-felt the question would come, I counter argued against the reasoning, “No one actually went there” by showing them the images of the Stars and Stripes flying on lunar surface and shadows of astronauts and lunar lander not in a parallel array.

During my argument the reaction of students was favorable and so I asked the questioner after through my explanation, “Now, how about my reasoning?” He said, “I understand well” that made me relieved, but soon followed by “I understand well the professor is an advocate of the theory that Apollo did go to the moon.” He categorized me in that “theory”.

And then I counter asked him, “Do you believe the battle of Okehazama actually took place?” He said, “I suppose it did.” “What makes you think so?” said I. “Because it’s so written in every book I read” was an answer.

There is a so-called “first class historical data” in history. In the case of the battle of Okehazama, it will be “Shinchou Kouki” (“Official record on Nobunaga”) compiled by Gyu-ichi Ohta. However in most cases, it is historians who interpret the data recorded in there. I say “in most cases”, because historical data is accessible to public also not just historians. It is quite natural for a fair writer to refer to the original records, and sometimes even a layman fond of history may read them. And what is more, so-called “first class historical data” itself might happened to be discovered sometime in eras, and some other time its rating of historical value may be degraded.

In natural science, too, there is an equivalent “raw data”. In the case of interpreting the law of nature, however, what is exciting, in accordance with advancement of research history, is its process of unveiling and clearing the nature one factor by another through understanding and analyzing the evidences provided for by nature by means of “observation”. Numerous researchers were excitingly moved by observing “something human-beings have never seen before”, which was further followed by next ages to more detailed observations to bring forth another excitement to another researchers. True face of nature has been unveiled continuously so forth.

Coming to the point after a lengthy preamble, the images taken by the Infrared Astronomy Satellite “Akari” publicly released by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) are one of such raw data. The image is really a strong visual to have overwhelmingly renewed the image taken by the world first infrared satellite “IRAS” jointly launched by, Netherlands, Britain and the USA in early 1980’s.

The first Infrared Astronomy Satellite “Akari” of Japan that was launched from the Uchinoura Space Center on February 21st, 2006 was put on sun-synchronous orbit at the altitude 700km 2 weeks later, and finally succeeded, in spite of trouble of malfunctioned sun sensors, in opening the lid of infrared telescope on April 13th after total check of onboard instruments, which enabled Akari operational for space observation with 6 infrared wavelengths by 2 onboard instruments, FIS (Far Infrared Surveyor) and IRC (near-mid infrared camera). The newly released image shows the power of observation instrument without any doubt.

One of the images is the reflection nebula IC4954 extending by 10 light years at the region of 6000 light years away. Reflection nebula is so called because nebulous gases and dusts reflect the lights from nearby stars. In IC4954 stars seem to have been continuously born from millions of years earlier. Please visit the website of ISAS, where you can see how advanced the observation technology is today as compared to those days of IRAS 20 years ago. The image clearly shows newly born stars and distribution of gas clouds that supply raw materials to form a star.

http://www.ir.isas.jaxa.jp/ASTRO-F/Outreach/results/results_e.html

Another image, the galaxy M81, released at the same time is also marvelous at a distance of 1.2 million light years away. In future Akari will supply us the data to draw up new infrared space map and will provide a springboard to contribute to the advancement of research on galaxies, stars and the origin and evolution of planetary system. JAXA’s announcement this time was really a thrilling one.

I welcome your opinions on this column to the following E-mail address.
matogawa@planetary.or.jp

(Translated by The Planetary Society of Japan)