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This article deals with plausible reasoning from incomplete knowledge about large-scale spatial properties. The availableinformation, consisting of a set of pointwise observations,is extrapolated to neighbour points. We make use of belief…
It has been known for some time that the usual inference drawn from the observed near-flatness of the large-scale Universe - namely the existence of a cosmological "flatness problem", which is then taken as a partial, but key motivation for…
We present a re-analysis of the cosmic confusion hypothesis, elucidating the degree to which ``confusion'' can be expected to hold in a class of flat, adiabatic models. This allows us to devise a simple and accurate fitting function for the…
Solar prominences usually have a horizontally elongated body with many feet extending to the solar surface, resembling a multi-arch bridge with many bridge piers. The basic mechanism by which solar prominences acquire these common…
Nearby giant exoplanets offer an opportunity to search for moons (exomoons) orbiting them. Here, we present a simulation framework for investigating the possibilities of detecting exomoons via their astrometric signal in planet-to-star…
Coronal holes are the observational manifestation of the solar magnetic field open to the heliosphere and are of pivotal importance for our understanding of the origin and acceleration of the solar wind. Observations from space missions…
Perceptual illusions based on the spatial correspondence between objects and displayed images have been pursued by artists and scientists since the 15th century, mastering optics to create crucial techniques as the linear perspective and…
We present our study on cosmic opacity, which relates to changes in photon number as photons travel from the source to the observer. Cosmic opacity may be caused by absorption/scattering due to matter in the universe, or by extragalactic…
Only astronomical observations can effectively probe in space-time the variabil ity of the physical dimensionless constants such as the fine structure constant and proton-to-electron mass ratio, \mu, which are related to fund amental forces…
Current thinking about the Moon as a destination has revitalized interest in lunar astronomical observatories. Once seen by a large scientific community as a highly enabling site, the dramatic improvement in capabilities for free-space…
In this paper we investigate how observational effects could possibly bias cosmological inferences from peculiar velocity measurements. Specifically, we look at how bulk flow measurements are compared with theoretical predictions. Usually…
The direction of the upward light emission has different polluting effects on the sky depending on the distance of the observation site. We studied with detailed models for light pollution propagation the ratio $(b_{H})/(b_{L})$, at given…
Artificial objects often subjectively look eerie when their appearance to some extent resembles a human, which is known as the uncanny valley phenomenon. From a cognitive psychology perspective, several explanations of the phenomenon have…
In the coming decade, a new generation of massively multiplexed spectroscopic surveys, such as PFS, WAVES, and MOONS, will probe galaxies in the distant universe in vastly greater numbers than was previously possible. In this work, we…
Context: With no conclusive detection to date, the search for exomoons, satellites of planets orbiting other stars, remains a formidable challenge. Detecting these objects, compiling a population-level sample and constraining their…
The increase in mass of our observed expansive and isotropic relativistic Universe in the present relativistic cosmology is explained by the extensive assumption of the matter objects emerging on the horizon (of the most remote visibility).…
The orbital displacement of the Moon is known to a precision on the order of centimeters from the lunar laser ranging data, while the lunar profile's confidence level is still only about 200 m. The lunar motion is used to measure the solar…
The nature of coronal wave fronts is deeply debated. They are observed in several wavelength bandpasses in spectra, and are frequently interpreted as magnetosonic waves propagating in the lower solar atmosphere. However, they can be…
Topography is the expression of both internal and external processes of a planetary body. Thus hypsometry (the study of topography) is a way to decipher the dynamic of a planet. For that purpose, the statistics of height and slopes may be…
Several recent observations using standard rulers and standard candles now suggest, either individually or in combination, that the Universe is close to flat, i.e. that the curvature radius is about as large as the horizon radius (\sim…