An AI on astrophysics

[wimvb]

Recently I've been imaging galaxy ngc 4041 in Ursa Major, and as I always try to add interesting information to my images, I tried something new. I let Chat GPT "describe galaxy ngc 4041" for me. Here's what it came up with:

"As an AI language model, I can produce the description of the galaxy NGC 4041, but I cannot see it. Here's what I know:

NGC 4041 is a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Crater, roughly 50 million light-years away from Earth. It has a unique shape with a central bar-shaped structure connecting to spiral arms that are twisted in an unusual way. Its bulge of stars at the center is believed to contain a massive supermassive black hole. NGC 4041 is not an active galaxy but it was once recorded to produce supernovae. It also houses many star clusters and nebulae scattered throughout its spiral arms, indicating active star formation. Overall, NGC 4041 appears to be a fascinating object of study for astronomers and astrophysicists."

When I then asked instead to "review galaxy ngc 4041", it came up with this:

"As an AI language model, I don't have the ability to visually observe an astronomical object like the galaxy NGC 4041, but based on available data and research, here's a review:

NGC 4041 is an intermediate spiral galaxy located in the Ursa Major Constellation, and it stands out for its asymmetrical shape, which is thought to be caused by a recent interaction with another galaxy. The galaxy's distance from Earth is estimated to be about 75 million light-years.

Studies of NGC 4041 show that it has a somewhat bizarre composition, with unusually high concentrations of cold molecular gas and dust, which are responsible for the formation of new stars. Researchers believe that this process is ongoing, and that the galaxy is still actively evolving.

The central region of NGC 4041 is also notable for its bright nucleus, which emits a high level of radiation and has been classified as a Seyfert galaxy. Seyfert galaxies are known for their active galactic nuclei, which are believed to be powered by supermassive black holes.

Overall, NGC 4041 is an interesting galaxy to study due to its peculiar composition and ongoing evolution. Its asymmetrical shape and bright nucleus make it a popular target for observation among astronomers."

I then asked the same AI to "write an essay about galaxy ngc 4041", resulting in this:

"Galaxy NGC 4041, also known as Arp 20, is a beautiful spiral galaxy located in the constellation of Leo. It was discovered in 1784 by Sir William Herschel, a famous astronomer from England. NGC 4041 is classified as a Seyfert galaxy, meaning it has an active galactic nucleus that emits high levels of energy.

NGC 4041 is unique in many ways. It has a bright, active central region with a bright nucleus, surrounded by a prominent ring of gas and dust. The ring is believed to be a result of gravitational interactions with other galaxies in its vicinity. This interaction has caused the gas and dust in the outer regions of the galaxy to fall towards the nucleus, forming the ring. NGC 4041 also has a prominent bar-like structure in its central region, which is believed to play a crucial role in the formation of stars.

The galaxy is about 70 million light-years away from the Earth and has a diameter of approximately 120,000 light-years. It has a relatively low mass compared to other large galaxies, with an estimated mass of around 16 billion times that of the sun. NGC 4041 is about half the size of our own Milky Way galaxy and contains around 200 billion stars.

The active galactic nucleus in NGC 4041 is believed to be fueled by a supermassive black hole at its center. This black hole has a mass estimated to be around 12 million times that of the sun and is actively accreting matter from its surroundings. As matter falls towards the black hole, it heats up and emits high-energy radiation, making NGC 4041 one of the brightest Seyfert galaxies known to date.

NGC 4041 has been the subject of many scientific studies over the years, particularly those focused on understanding the formation and evolution of galaxies. Its proximity to the Earth and active nucleus make it an excellent object for studying the physics of accretion and the properties of active galactic nuclei. Astronomers have also used NGC 4041 to study the dynamics of barred spiral galaxies and to investigate the role of interactions between galaxies in galaxy evolution.

In conclusion, NGC 4041 is a fascinating object that has much to teach us about the formation and evolution of galaxies. Its unique properties make it an essential target for astronomers in their quest to understand the universe around us. As technology improves and our knowledge of the cosmos expands, we can expect to learn even more about this enigmatic galaxy in the years to come."

 

Methinks AI is more A than I.

(Note, Arp 20, or ugc 3014, are interacting galaxies in the constellation Taurus)

Btw, here's the link to my image, together with my own text.

https://stargazerslounge.com/topic/408033-heres-a-first-ngc-4041-with-extended-disk/

 

[Adreneline]

1 hour ago, wimvb said:

Methinks AI is more A than I.

Would that be for all applications of AI or just GPT?

Adrian

[wimvb]

6 minutes ago, Adreneline said:

Would that be for all applications of AI or just GPT?

Adrian

Some 😉

AI systems used to be called "expert" systems, because they are very good at one thing, that which they were designed for. I think that the problem with Chat GPT (and possibly other similar AI systems) is that it isn't limited, and that we confuse style with content. The AI does write a good text, and it states in its own disclaimer that it is a language model. But its content is rubbish. I think we are (still) expecting too much from such a system, and that we can not rely on it to write factual text. Especially so when the content of such text is highly technical and based on limited data. It is obvious from the three examples that the output is a compilation of information of "similar" subjects, where the AI can't evaluate relevance properly.