astronomy

Pisces B

Pisces B is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Pisces B rather than just read about it. In short: Pisces B (Psc B) is an irregular void dwarf galaxy within the Local Void in the constellation Pisces, near Pisces A, and lies 9.2 megaparsecs (30 million light-years) away from the Earth. It was discovered by Yale, Columbia, and CalTech astronomers using the WIYN Observatory in November 2014, along with its neighbor Pisces A, as a result of a blind HI region survey.

Key takeaways

Pisces B belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Pisces B to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Pisces B from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Pisces B (Psc B) is an irregular void dwarf galaxy within the Local Void in the constellation Pisces, near Pisces A, and lies 9.2 megaparsecs (30 million light-years) away from the Earth. It was discovered by Yale, Columbia, and CalTech astronomers using the WIYN Observatory in November 2014, along with its neighbor Pisces A, as a result of a blind HI region survey.

Structure Pisces B consists of an irregular-galaxy structure, with a much less complex composition consisting of cooler gas in comparison to other galaxies; this is most likely a result of lower rates of star formation throughout the galaxy's past. However, Pisces B is currently traveling towards a larger region of gas and other interstellar mediums; as a result, both Pisces A and B are expected to undergo starburst periods sometime in the next few billion years.

Discovery Astronomers Erik Tollerud and Marla Geha of Yale University, Jana Grcevich and Mary Putman of Columbia University, and Daniel Stern of CalTech first reported the two galaxies in November 2014 as a result of GALFA-H I, an optical imaging and spectroscopy survey of 21-centimeter emission HI clouds, and remain the only two galaxies to have been discovered by an HI survey. Their existences were later confirmed by a series of observation by Hubble. Pisces A and B were also found to be beyond the range of any significant dark-matter halos; this has made them points of intense study, as they provide crucial information to galaxy formation and existing dwarf galaxy models.

See Also Pisces A, another void dwarf galaxy in the Local Void

References

Further reading Erik J. Tollerud; Marla C. Geha; Jana Grcevich; Mary E. Putman; Daniel R. Weisz; Andrew E. Dolphin (22 December 2015). "HST Imaging of the Local Volume Dwarf Galaxies Pisces A and B". The Astrophysical Journal. 827 (2) (published 11 August 2016): 13. arXiv:1607.03487. Bibcode:2016ApJ...827...89T. doi:10.3847/0004-637X/827/2/89. S2CID 118804470. 89.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Pisces B

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Pisces B claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Pisces B before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Pisces B ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Pisces B

In research: Pisces B appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Pisces B in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Pisces B is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Dwarf galaxies, Pisces (constellation), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Pisces B outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Pisces B in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Pisces B means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Pisces B out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pisces B in simple terms?

Why does Pisces B matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Pisces B?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Pisces B.