We need more light.
Having launched on Christmas Day, the James Webb Space Telescope is now at its destination and preparing to make some incredible observations, but the race to build the next big ‘eye on the sky’ is never-ending.
In recent years it’s been space-based telescopes like Hubble , Spitzer and now Webb that have gotten all the headlines, but on the back of new tech there’s about to be a new generation of massive ground-based observatories…and a few more space-based telescopes for good measure.
Here are some of the massive engineering projects astronomers hope will get them ever more detailed images of galaxies, exoplanets, black holes and nebulae.
Roman Space Telescope
Formerly known as the Wide Field InfraRed Survey Telescope (WFIRST) and in the planning for 12 years already, the $3.2 billion Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will be another infrared space telescope – much like Webb – designed to explore dark energy, exoplanets and infrared astrophysics.
It will have a roughly 8-foot/2.4-meter mirror, the same as Hubble , but capture 100 times more of the night sky in its much wider field of view.
Its five year ‘to do’ list includes scanning the galaxy for at least 2,600 exoplanets, directly imaging them using its unique coronagraph (which will eclipse the light of stars), capturing the light from a billion galaxies and helping astronomers understand how the Universe expands.
Destined to go into orbit at L2 – the same place in space as Webb –Roman is named after the ‘ mother of Hubble ’.
Vera C. Rubin Observatory
Of all the giant observatories being planned the Vera C. Rubin Observatory is perhaps the most exciting – and it’s about to see ‘first light’.
An roughly 26-foot/8-meter telescope on Cerro Pachón in Chile, it will begin an all-sky astronomical survey in 2022 that could revolutionize astronomy.
It will survey the entire visible sky in just three nights, effectively producing a motion picture of our Universe that will instantly identify any moving object and any minor change in the night sky.
Astronomers are expecting it to find many more objects in the Solar System – chiefly Pluto-like dwarf planets in the outer regions and " Planet 9 " if it’s out there – as well as thousands of supernovae.
Rubin will also find 90% of near-Earth objects – asteroids – larger than 300 meters, then calculate if they are a threat to Earth.
Equipped with a 21-foot/6.5-meter mirror and a 3.2-gigapixel CCD imaging camera, it’s expected to take 1,000 images each night, totaling 15TB of data. It was built next to the Gemini South telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile.
Extremely Large Telescope
Astronomers are excited about the size of Webb’s mirror – 21-feet/6.5 meters to Hubble’s 8-feett/2.4 meters – but the next generation of ground-based telescopes are going to be bigger. Much bigger.
The biggest of all currently in the planning is the (not very imaginatively-named) Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) now being built by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) on top of Cerro Armazones in Chile at a dizzying 128 feet/39 meters.
Destined to be the largest optical telescope in the world for many decades, the ELT will have a resolution a whopping 16 times that of Hubble.
Its laser-powered adaptive optics technology , which will correct for the distorting effect of Earth’s atmosphere, is its secret sauce – and explains why ground-based telescopes are back in fashion. The ELT is expected to be just as ground-breaking for astronomy as Webb, if not not more so.
LUVOIR-HABEX
A space telescope capable of photographing potentially habitable worlds – perhaps an Earth 2.0 – could soon be on the cusp of development.
Just recommended as a top priority for the U.S. by the National Academies’ recent decadal survey , this next new flagship space telescope after Webb will likely be a space telescope with at least a 20-foot/6-meter mirror.
Destined to be a compromise of two existing and very ambitious concepts – the huge 15-meter, $17 billion LUVOIR and the 4-meter, $10.5 billion HabEx – its core mission will be to detect and characterize Earth-like planets orbiting other stars.
The compromise can be summed-up this way; spending many billions of dollars on LUVOIR in an attempt to find 1,000 Earth-like planets is probably overkill, but HabEx might find only one or two, so it is too risky.
So the plan is to go for something in between.
Giant Magellan Telescope
Things are looking good for the Giant Magellan Telescope , an optical and infrared telescope being planned for Las Campanas Observatory, Atacama. Chile.
In 2021 it – together with the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope (whose future is currently in the balance) – were ranked as a top strategic priority for the U.S. by the decadal survey .
The GMT will have seven 28-foot/8.5-meter diameter mirrors to create a massive 83.3-foot/25.4-meter aperture telescope. It will also have adaptive optics, and its images will be 10 times sharper than Hubble’s in the infrared.
Like many big telescopes it’s going to study the southern hemisphere night sky from Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the best locations on Earth for astronomy due to its high altitude and low levels of light pollution.
Instant Vortex Plus Dual air fryer vs Ninja Foodi 2 basket air fryer: which air fryer should you choose?
If you’re looking to indulge in tasty treats such as fries and chicken wings without worrying about the health implications of deep-frying, or just want to speed up cooking times and spend less time slaving over a hot stove, using one of the best air fryers will save you both calories and time.
Instant, the brand behind the Instant Pot multicooker, and Ninja are two of the biggest brands in the air fryer market and both offer an array of basket-style air fryers that circulate hot air around foods to create a crisp, crunchy finish while using minimal oil.
Ninja has marketed a dual-drawer air fryer, the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket (it’s called the Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Air Fryer in the UK), which lets you cook two different foods at the same time, for a couple of years, and now rival Instant has followed suit with the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer (called the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Drawer air fryer in the UK).
Both air fryers are similarly priced: the Instant model will set you back $199.99 / £199.99 (around AU$290) - unfortunately, it’s not currently available in Australia, while the Ninja version costs $179.99 / $199.99 / AU$449.99. So how do they measure up? We pitted the Instant Vortex Plus Dual air fryer against the Ninja Foodi 2 basket air fryer to find out, and to help you choose the right appliance for your kitchen.
Best Instant Vortex Dual air fryer and Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer deals
Read on to discover how these two air fryers compare – or, if you’ve already decided which of the two you wish to buy, check out the best prices for each right now:
Price
Compared to the rest of the market, and to other models offered by both Instant and Ninja, these two air fryers are expensive. The premium you pay for dual-drawer functionality means they’re almost double the cost of some single-basket models.
In the US, the Instant Vortex Plus dual air fryer can be picked up for $20 less than Ninja’s offering, and will set you back $179.99, compared to $199.99 . However, this price is for the all-black version of the Instant air fryer – if you want the slightly more stylish model that adds a band of stainless steel to the exterior of the air fryer, the rival cookers are identically priced at $199.99 .
In the UK both the all-black Instant air fryer and the Ninja cost £199.99 , while the stainless steel Instant Vortex Plus Dual Drawer Air Fryer is priced at £219.99.
Both air fryers have the same 8-quart / 7.6-liter capacity. However, Ninja also offers a larger version that can hold up to 10 quarts / 9.5 liters of food, which is called the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer XL in the US and the Ninja Foodi Max Dual Zone Air Fryer in the UK and costs $219.99 / £229.99.
As we’ve mentioned, dual-basket air fryers are more expensive than single-basket models. Instant’s top-of-the-range single basket air fryer, the Instant Vortex Plus Stainless Steel Air Fryer with ClearCook and OdourEase, is priced at $149.99 / £149.99 . Similarly, Ninja’s most expensive single-basket design is the Ninja Air Fryer Max XL and will set you back $169.99 / £149.99 .
Design
When it comes to design, the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer and the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer look slightly different. Both have a larger footprint than a single-basket air fryer, with the Instant air fryer measuring the smaller of the two at 12.5 x 15.9 x 15.11 inches. Although the Ninja model is only slightly larger at 13.9 x 12.8 x 17.1 inches.
Both air fryers have twin baskets, which can be used to cook separate foods, and they have the same 8-quart / 7.6-liter capacity, which is split equally between the two baskets. The baskets feature a crisper plate, which has a number of small holes that allow the hot air to reach every inch of the food’s surface, and the baskets and plate are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
A handy feature of the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer, which the Ninja lacks, a plastic window on the front of each basket and a light in the cooking chamber, enabling you to keep an eye on your food while it's cooking without having to open the basket, which immediately reduces the temperature of the cooking chamber, affecting how evenly browned foods are.
As we’ve mentioned, the Instant Vortex Plus Dual air fryer features a glossy black finish, although if you want the more stylish version that includes a chrome accent, you’ll pay $20 / £20 more. The Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer comes with the stylish silver accents as standard.
Both air fryers offer touch controls with presets for cooking specific dishes, such as fries, chicken and cake, but also allow you to adjust the cooking temperature and duration if you wish. The Instant Vortex Plus Dual air fryer has a smaller top and an angled fascia on which the controls sit, while the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket air fryer has a more rectangular design, with the controls on the front.
Features
When it comes to air frying, we found the two appliances to be evenly matched, with both turning out crisp, crunchy homemade fries that had soft, fluffy potato inside, and succulent chicken wings that combined juicy meat with a crisp skin.
Both kitchen appliances can roast, bake, reheat and dehydrate as well as air-fry. However, the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer has an additional broil function, which is great for cooking burgers for example, whereas the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer has a Crisp Max function, which uses the highest temperature possible to crisp and brown frozen foods.
We found that the Crisp Max function excelled when it came to cooking frozen steak-cut fries, and we were able to turn out a crisp, crunchy batch in 15 minutes in the Ninja air fryer, thanks in part to its ability to cook at temperatures up to 464F / 240-C.
However, with no frozen food program on the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer and a maximum cooking temperature of 400F / 205C, we had to spend some time experimenting to get the perfect cooking temperature and duration. After several attempts, we found that a 22 minute cooking time at the maximum cooking temperature achieved the best results for frozen steak-cut fries.
We also found that despite the two air fryers having the same maximum capacities, the Ninja coped better with larger quantities. We were able to cook a 1lb / 450g batch of homemade fries in the Ninja air fryer, and enjoyed evenly browned, crisp, crunchy results. However, when we placed the same quantity of fries in the Instant air fryer we found they were unevenly browned, with some fries uncooked. We achieved the best results when we reduced the quantity to 10.5oz / 300g.
There are some areas when the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer excels. It requires less oil than the Ninja air fryer to create a crisp crunchy finish, which is ideal for those looking to keep their calorie consumption down. When cooking homemade fries, we achieved an evenly browned, crunchy finish with 1.5tsp of oil whereas the Ninja air fryer required 2tsp. Similarly, Instant recommends cooking chicken wings without any additional fat, whereas Ninja suggests brushing each wing with oil before cooking.
As we’ve mentioned, the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer features a plastic window in each basket so you can check on your food without opening the basket and letting cold air into the cooking chamber. The Instant air fryer also features a shake-reminder function, which provides an audible and visual alert to turn or shake food halfway through cooking. This is important to ensure that every inch of the food’s surface is exposed to the hot air so it can be crisped and browned. Ninja’s air fryer doesn’t offer this.
Both air fryers feature a sync function that lets you cook two different foods at different temperatures and for different durations, automatically starting them at the correct point so that they finish at the same time – ideal if you’re cooking several items for a meal in the air fryer.
Verdict
When it comes to choosing the best air fryer, both the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer and the Ninja Foodi 2 Baket Air Fryer can turn out crisp crunchy fries and chicken wings, and are speedier than using traditional cooking methods.
If you’re looking to keep your calorie consumption as low as possible, or you need a shake-reminder function to ensure food is turned part way through cooking, then the Instant Vortex Plus Dual Air Fryer is the model you should opt for. It’s also the best option if you want to be able to easily check on your food during the cooking process.
However, if you plan to regularly cook frozen foods in the air fryer, we’d recommend choosing the Ninja Foodi 2 Basket Air Fryer, as the Crisp Max functions means you can ensure that frozen foods are crisped and browned to perfection, without the degree of guesswork required by the Instant air fryer.
The Ninja air fryer is also the best model for those who need to regularly cook larger quantities of food, as in our testing it turned out 1lb / 450g of fries that were evenly browned and cooked, whereas the Instant air fryer could only manage this with 10.5 oz / 300g of fries.
How to watch Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria: live stream Africa Cup of Nations 2021 online from anywhere, TV channel, team news
Goal-shy Guinea-Bissau are fighting for their AFCON lives as they take on Group D table-toppers Nigeria today. Can the Super Eagles finish the groups with maximum points? Here's how to watch Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria and catch an AFCON 2021 live stream no matter where in the world you are.
The team news is in and Premier League stars Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilf Ndidi all start for Nigeria.
The Djurtus were reportedly left in tears after their agonising 1-0 defeat by Egypt last time out when Mama Balde's stunning late equaliser was ruled out after a VAR review.
That result means Guinea-Bissau have now gone six games in all competitions without a goal and makes a needed win against their Group D opponents look tricky.
Nigeria have meanwhile underlined their status as a favourite to win the tournament outright, having built on their win over Mo Salah's Egypt in their opening clash by beating Sudan in their most recent game.
Ready to see one with everything on the line? Here's how to watch a Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria live stream and get this Africa Cup of Nations match online from anywhere.
How to watch a Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria live stream online in the UK
How to watch AFCON 2021 from outside your country
Scroll down for all the ways you can watch AFCON 2021 online in a number of countries around the world. But first, you should know that if you're abroad at any point during the tournament, you probably won't be able to watch the footy like you normally would at home.
This is because of geo-blocking, a digital restriction that means certain streaming services are only accessible in the region they're based in. Don't sweat it, though, as you've got the option of using a VPN to tune to your preferred coverage wherever you are.
Use a VPN to live stream AFCON 2021 from anywhere
How to use a VPN
Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location.
3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - so that's BBC iPlayer the UK or possibly Sling or FuboTV for the US.
How to watch a Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria AFCON 2021 live stream in the US
How to watch Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria AFCON 2021 soccer in Australia
How to watch Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria AFCON 2021: live stream soccer in Canada