outer space Archives - Page 2 of 3

Nov192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Discovery of ‘Red Monster’ Galaxies Challenges Understanding of Early Universe Formation

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Space

Astronomers have uncovered three colossal galaxies dubbed "red monsters" from the early Universe, defying existing models of galactic formation. Almost as large as the Milky Way, these galaxies were discovered using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and are believed to have formed during the Cosmic Dawn, within the first billion years after the Big Bang. Galactic Giants in the Cosmic Dawn The findings have raised significant questions about how galaxies could have grown so rapidly in the nascent stages of the Universe. “This is akin to finding a toddler weighing 100 kilograms,” remarked Ivo Labbé, an astronomer from Swinburne University of Technology. “JWST has now proven monsters do roam the early Universe.” Conventional theories suggest galaxies form gradually, as dark matte...

Nov62024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Mysterious Tessera Terrain on Venus Could Be the Remains of Giant Ancient Impacts

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Space

In the chaotic early days of the Solar System, planets endured a relentless barrage of cosmic collisions. Most of the rocky worlds including Mercury, Mars, and Earth's Moon still bear scars of these ancient impacts in the form of vast craters and impact basins. However, Venus has been a strange outlier, with scientists finding no evidence of large craters over 300 kilometers wide. This missing piece of Venus's violent past has puzzled researchers for years. A recent study now suggests that these long-sought impact structures may indeed exist on Venus but look very different from our expectations. Geologist Vicki Hansen of the Planetary Science Institute and her team propose that a peculiar formation called the Haastte-Baad Tessera could be Venus’s largest and oldest impact structure. Lo...

Nov52024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Japan Launches LignoSat the World’s First Wooden Satellite, Aiming for Space Sustainability

Breaking News, Space

In a groundbreaking move Japan has sent the world’s first wooden satellite, LignoSat into space. Developed by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, this palm-sized satellite was launched on a SpaceX mission to the International Space Station (ISS), where it will later be released into Earth’s orbit at around 400 km altitude. LignoSat’s mission is to explore timber's viability as a space-grade material, a concept Takao Doi, a former astronaut and professor at Kyoto University, believes could revolutionize off-Earth habitation. Doi envisions a 50-year plan where timber structures on the Moon or Mars could support human life. “With timber, a material we can produce ourselves, we could live and work in space indefinitely,” he remarked. Kyoto University scientists chose honoki wood, nat...

Oct162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sun Enters Solar Maximum Triggering Strongest Geomagnetic Storm in Two Decades

Breaking News, Disasters, Space

NASA, NOAA, and the International Solar Cycle Prediction Panel have confirmed that the Sun has entered the peak phase of its 11-year cycle, known as Solar Cycle 25. This period, called the solar maximum, is characterized by heightened solar activity, including an increase in sunspots and solar eruptions. The solar maximum, which began earlier this year, is expected to last for about a year, posing both exciting research opportunities and challenges for technology and infrastructure on Earth. What is Solar Maximum? During the solar maximum, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip, and the number of sunspots and solar flares surge. These flares, along with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), can send vast amounts of charged particles into space, which interact with Earth's magnetic field. When these ...

Oct112024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NASA Downplays Safety Concerns Despite Watchdog’s Warning on International Space Station Cracks and Leaks

Breaking News, Environment, Space

Despite its own inspector general's report warning of significant air leaks and cracks in the International Space Station (ISS), NASA appears to be minimizing the gravity of the situation. The Washington Post reported that NASA's recent internal assessment highlighted aging issues in the Russian segment of the ISS, pointing out cracks in the tunnel leading to that section. The report expressed concerns about the increasing severity of air leaks, which have grown worse over time. The inspector general’s report identified these leaks as a "top safety concern," citing that their ongoing increase could pose long-term risks to the space station's integrity and the safety of astronauts. While cracks in space station structures can result in air loss, endangering the crew's environment, NASA h...

Oct22024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Astronomers Discover Tiny Exoplanet Orbiting Barnard’s Star, Just 6 Light-Years Away

Breaking News, Disasters, Space

In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have found a new exoplanet orbiting Barnard’s Star, the nearest single star to our Solar System, located just 5.96 light-years away. This small, rocky world, named Barnard b, has a mass of only 37% that of Earth, making it one of the smallest exoplanets ever detected. Although uninhabitable, the discovery marks a significant step toward finding Earth-sized planets scattered across the galaxy. Barnard b is incredibly close to its host star, completing an orbit every 3.15 days at just 0.02 astronomical units (AU) from the red dwarf. Despite Barnard’s Star being much cooler than our Sun, this proximity makes the planet too hot to sustain liquid water or life as we know it. However, the discovery is still a scientific marvel, as detecting such small...

Sep302024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New “Mini-Moon” to Visit Earth: Asteroid 2024 PT5 Set for Brief Stay

Breaking News, Environment, Space

Stargazers and space enthusiasts have a new reason to be excited this autumn, as Earth is set to briefly capture a small asteroid, turning it into a temporary "mini-moon" from September 29 to November 25. The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, will be pulled into Earth's gravitational field, sparking interest from the astronomical community. Unfortunately, due to its small size and lack of brightness, the mini-moon won’t be visible to the naked eye or through ordinary telescopes. Asteroid 2024 PT5, measuring about 33 feet wide, hails from the Arjuna asteroid belt and was first detected on August 7 by NASA’s Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS). Dr. Jennifer Millard, host of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, explained that while the asteroid won’t be visible to amateur astronomers, ...

Sep272024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Astronomers Discover Earth-like Exoplanet Orbiting White Dwarf Offering Glimpse into Solar System’s Future

Breaking News, Space

In a remarkable discovery, astronomers have identified an Earth-like exoplanet orbiting a white dwarf star, potentially providing insight into the distant future of our own solar system. The exoplanet, with a mass approximately 1.9 times that of Earth, survived the violent phase when its host star expanded into a red giant before shrinking into a white dwarf. The finding offers new understanding of how planets might endure the tumultuous stages of stellar evolution. Led by Keming Zhang from the University of California, the study utilized microlensing, a technique that magnifies distant celestial objects when the gravity of a foreground star bends the light from a background star. The white dwarf was nearly perfectly aligned with the background star, amplifying the event more than 1,000...

Sep262024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

SpaceX Proposes $15 Billion Investment in Vietnam for Starlink Satellite Service

Breaking News, Space, Tech

SpaceX is looking to invest a substantial $15 billion in Vietnam, with the focus on expanding its Starlink satellite service in the near future, according to the Vietnamese government. The proposed investment was discussed in a meeting between SpaceX Senior Vice President Tim Hughes and Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary To Lam, during the latter's visit to the US for the United Nations General Assembly. The Vietnamese government is currently reviewing the proposal, though no further details have been provided, and SpaceX has yet to comment on the matter. The government noted last year that SpaceX had shown interest in offering its low-Earth orbit satellite service in Vietnam, though earlier reports suggested those plans were delayed. Lam expressed that Vietnam would work wi...

Sep82024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Mysterious Formation of Earth’s Inner Core: How Mineral Physics is Unlocking Secrets Beneath Our Feet

Breaking News, Environment, Space

Deep below Earth’s surface, at a staggering depth of over 5,100 km, lies the inner core a solid ball of iron and nickel. Despite its size and influence, this mysterious part of Earth still puzzles scientists. While we know it plays a crucial role in shaping the conditions necessary for life on Earth, how and when the inner core formed remains a topic of ongoing debate. The Earth’s inner core is responsible for generating the planet’s magnetic field, which shields us from harmful solar radiation. This magnetic field is likely key to creating the conditions that allowed life to flourish billions of years ago. Without it, our planet may not have been able to sustain life. Interestingly, the inner core wasn’t always solid. As Earth has cooled over time, the once-liquid core has been grad...