A cubic-kilometer array embedded in ice, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory detects cosmic messengers called neutrinos that can travel through space uninhibited. Of particular interest are high-energy astrophysical neutrinos, which can be traced back to their sources. IceCube issues real-time alerts to the public within minutes of the detection of a neutrino event with a high […]
It’s getting quite bright outdoors, clear enough to see the penguin in front of you—that is, if you happen to be holding a paper version in your hand (or are reading a special comic), as there are no such creatures otherwise found at the South Pole. Even though it’s still cold at the Pole, the […]
Even without the stars and auroras, the sky at the South Pole can still steal the show. As the sky brightens ever so slowly during sunrise, the horizon takes on a colorful glow. Above, we have the IceCube Lab (ICL) shown in shadow with a backdrop of orange light stretching along the horizon. Below is […]
The skies might be getting a bit brighter as sunrise approaches, but last week at the Pole saw some rapidly dropping temperatures, reaching -100 F over the weekend. That’s not record-breaking, but it is extremely cold nonetheless. Severe cold doesn’t stop winterovers from doing their planned outdoor activities, however. Above, we see them all gathered […]
IceCube winterover Marc recently captured a nice swath of green auroras swirling above a bright low moon. It’s likely one of the last aurora photos of the season—as daylight begins to infiltrate the South Pole skies, auroras must be really bright in order to be seen. The images below of the telescopes in the Dark […]
The end of winter may be in sight at the South Pole, but the photo above of the IceCube Lab still presents a very wintry scene, all frosted over under a starry sky. The IceCube detector was rather quiet last week, but there was plenty going on at the station. Last week’s firefighting training involved […]
Last week concluded the 2nd ThaisCube workshop held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, a program that developed from a partnership between Chiang Mai University (CMU) in Thailand, the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), and the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The workshop brought together IceCube researchers, Thai scientists, and aspiring young students. Held on August 8-11, […]
Time flies—they’re starting to talk about the Sun’s reappearance at the Pole. Below is a photo from last week that serves as a preview of what’s to come—but it was a long exposure photo so it appears much brighter in the image than it actually was. They were still enjoying auroras last week though, as […]
When a star dies, it succumbs to gravitational forces, collapsing into a tiny star made of densely packed neutrons or even forming a black hole that swallows everything up. As matter continues to fall into the star’s core, matter bouncing back triggers what are called core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Shortly after most collapses, a new and […]
The moon was bright at the Pole last week. And it sufficiently illuminated IceCube’s winterovers Marc and Hrvoje as they “relaxed” on a snowdrift in front of the IceCube Lab (ICL). They were paged for a power issue but were also busy in general last week with routine maintenance. Below is an inside view of […]