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Space News
Earthsky
7h
203
Image Credit: Earthsky
Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b might have a hazy atmosphere
- Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b from TRAPPIST-1 planetary system might have a hazy carbon dioxide atmosphere
- In a new study of recent Webb data, researchers have shown it to be a possibility
- Alternatively, TRAPPIST-1 b could have no atmosphere, but could be highly geologically active with volcanoes or even tectonic plates
- Previous observations by the Webb Space Telescope suggested that TRAPPIST-1 b did not have an atmosphere
- The planet might have a hazy atmosphere of carbon dioxide or a weathered rocky surface, but no atmosphere
- Mid-Infrared Imager (MIRI) instrument on Webb was used to study TRAPPIST-1 b further
- Astronomers note that two observations made are not enough. Additional observations will be required to determine if TRAPPIST-1 b actually does have an atmosphere
- TRAPPIST-1 is 40 light-years from Earth
- The transit method is considered to be difficult in observing atmospheres of smaller rocky planets like those in the TRAPPIST-1 system
- Red dwarf stars like TRAPPIST-1 often have large starspots - like our sun's sunspots - and powerful solar eruptions that make transit observations even more difficult
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Digitaltrends
12h
75
Image Credit: Digitaltrends
ISS astronauts enjoy a microgravity holiday with Brussels sprouts and more
- Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) celebrate the holidays with festive photos and a special meal.
- The ISS crew, consisting of American and Russian astronauts, enjoy a holiday lunch together.
- The holiday menu includes freeze-dried and irradiated turkey, along with mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and cranapple dessert.
- To ensure a taste of home, a team of chefs prepares a package of holiday foods, including items like crab meat, smoked salmon, and pumpkin spice lattes, to be sent to the ISS.
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Nasa
14h
830
Image Credit: Nasa
How a NASA Senior Database Administrator Manifested her Dream Job
- Latha Balijepalle, a senior database administrator at NASA Ames, fulfilled her dream of working for NASA after manifesting it and applying for a job opening.
- Originally from southern India, Balijepalle studied electrical engineering before moving to the United States with her husband. She joined NASA Ames as a Linux administrator and now supports researchers and developers at the Airspace Operations Laboratory.
- Balijepalle's language skills improved during her NASA career and she is recognized for her dedication to ensuring the lab's systems are safe and running smoothly.
- She encourages others to step outside their comfort zones and pursue their dreams, sharing that manifesting and taking risks can lead to unexpected opportunities.
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Livescience
1h
184
Image Credit: Livescience
NASA's Parker Solar Probe completes historic Christmas Eve flyby of the sun — but it could take days to know if it survived
- NASA's Parker Solar Probe successfully completed a historic flyby of the sun on Christmas Eve.
- The spacecraft flew within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun's surface, closer than any human-made object has ever been before.
- Mission control will only know the flyby's success and the spacecraft's condition on December 27 after receiving a beacon signal.
- The probe is expected to return data from uncharted territory and help scientists understand the sun's mysteries.
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Livescience
2h
249
Image Credit: Livescience
'Like nothing we've seen before': James Webb telescope spies a mysterious asteroid-comet hybrid lurking past Jupiter
- The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided new findings about a peculiar space rock known as (2060) Chiron.
- Chiron exhibits features of both comets and asteroids and orbits the sun in the region between Jupiter and Neptune.
- JWST observations detected frozen carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, and other gases in Chiron's nucleus and coma.
- The discovery offers insights into the early solar system and the behavior of objects like Chiron.
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Livescience
3h
80
Image Credit: Livescience
Is the moon a planet?
- According to NASA and the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the moon is not a planet.
- To be classified as a planet, an object needs to meet four criteria: gravity pulling it into a round shape, clearing out debris, orbiting the sun, and not being a satellite of another object.
- The IAU's 2006 definition of a planet is controversial, with some scientists considering alternative definitions that include the moon as a planet.
- The size and relationship between moons and planets can be complex, as some moons are larger than their host planets. Nevertheless, the IAU's definition remains widely accepted.
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Popsci
6h
13
Image Credit: Popsci
On Christmas Eve 1968, millions watched the Apollo 8 astronauts broadcast from space
- On Christmas Eve 1968, millions of people around the world watched the Apollo 8 astronauts broadcast live from space.
- Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the moon, entered lunar orbit on December 24, 1968.
- During the live broadcast, the astronauts showed pictures of the Earth and moon as seen from their spacecraft.
- The Christmas Eve broadcast and orbits became a milestone in media and space history, with the mission paving the way for the first moon landing.
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Earthsky
6h
66
Image Credit: Earthsky
Why does an evergreen tree have a pyramid shape?
- Evergreen trees, such as spruces, pines, and firs, have a pyramid shape in response to wind, snow, and light.
- The shape of their leaves, usually needle-shaped or scale-like, helps them in climates with blowing ice crystals.
- The pyramid shape keeps wet, heavy snow off the upper branches and reduces wind resistance, helping the tree stand upright.
- The layered branches and open area between layers allow wind to pass through and ensure adequate light reaches lower branches.
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Knowridge
7h
17
Image Credit: Knowridge
NASA tests new moon rovers for Artemis Missions
- NASA recently tested new Lunar Terrain Vehicles (LTVs) developed by Intuitive Machines, Lunar Outpost, and Venturi Astrolab.
- The tests took place at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, simulating the moon’s gravity and allowing astronauts to practice driving the rovers, handling equipment, and conducting scientific tasks.
- The LTVs are designed to assist astronauts in moving across the lunar surface, carrying tools, and completing scientific tasks.
- These tests are part of a year-long study to refine the rover designs, and by 2025, NASA plans to send the chosen rover to the moon for further testing in a demonstration mission.
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Guardian
10h
21
Image Credit: Guardian
Nasa solar probe to make its closest ever pass of sun on Christmas Eve
- Nasa's Parker solar probe will make its closest ever approach to the sun on Christmas Eve, getting as close as 3.8 million miles from the surface.
- Launched in 2018, the mission aims to deepen scientific understanding of the sun and forecast space weather events.
- During the closest approach, the spacecraft will lose direct contact with Earth and rely on a beacon tone for confirmation.
- The probe will endure scorching temperatures but its internal instruments will remain near room temperature as it explores the sun's corona.
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Brighter Side of News
13h
348
Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
Scientists found compelling evidence of liquid water on Mars
- Recent discoveries suggest that liquid water may still exist within Mars' crust, defying earlier assumptions.
- NASA's InSight mission explored the Martian subsurface using geophysical measurements to collect seismic data.
- Analysis of the seismic data uncovered compelling evidence of water-saturated fractures within the mid-crust, located 11 to 20 kilometers below the surface.
- Parameters of the model applied featured a Bayesian inversion model combined with rock physics theories to analyze seismic velocities and bulk density within the Martian crust.
- The presence of liquid water enriches understanding of Mars climate history and serves as clues to the planet's evolutionary journey.
- The discovery of liquid water on Mars--even deep underground--opens new possibilities in the search for extraterrestrial life.
- Geophysical techniques used could be adapted for other planetary bodies, broadening search for life and habitable conditions beyond Earth.
- International collaboration is essential to unraveling the mysteries of our solar system.
- Analysis of past missions, like InSight, helps create a more comprehensive picture of Mars' geological history and its potential for supporting life.
- Mars emerges as a more dynamic and potentially life-sustaining environment, bringing humanity closer to solving the mysteries of the Red Planet.
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Brighter Side of News
16h
25
Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
Dark matter origins traced back to a mysterious “Dark Big Bang”
- Dark matter, an unseen yet influential component of the cosmos, continues to challenge physicists nearly a century after its effects were first noticed.
- The mystery of dark matter first emerged in the 1930s, when astronomers observed discrepancies in the motions of galaxy clusters that could only be explained by the presence of unseen mass.
- One groundbreaking idea is the “Dark Big Bang” (DBB) theory, proposed in 2023 by Katherine Freese and Martin Winkler from the University of Texas at Austin.
- This second Big Bang, occurring sometime after the first, would have generated dark matter through the decay of a quantum field trapped in a false vacuum state.
- The DBB model is particularly versatile, as it can accommodate a wide range of dark matter particle masses, from as light as a few keV to as heavy as 1012 GeV.
- Low-frequency GWs detectable by pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) such as the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) and the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) could provide crucial evidence for the DBB.
- The DBB theory offers a fresh perspective on the early universe, suggesting a more complex interplay of forces and fields in the universe’s infancy.
- The search for dark matter is a central pillar of modern physics, driving advancements in technology and theory.
- Observational capabilities advance, the prospect of detecting GWs from a DBB becomes increasingly plausible, adding a powerful new tool to this arsenal.
- Understanding dark matter is not just a scientific pursuit but a quest to comprehend the fundamental nature of the universe.
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Universe Today
17h
305
Image Credit: Universe Today
Is the Universe a Fractal?
- For decades cosmologists have wondered if the large-scale structure of the universe is a fractal: if it looks the same no matter the scale.
- Our universe contains two trillion galaxies that form a series of ever-larger structures: groups, clusters, and superclusters.
- While the universe as a whole is not a fractal, parts of the cosmic web exhibit fractal-like properties, such as nested structures and sub-structures.
- Although Mandelbrot's idea did not hold up, fractals can still be found almost everywhere in the universe.
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Brighter Side of News
19h
310
Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
Scientists baffled by ‘Hot Jupiter’ exoplanet’s irregular motion
- The discovery of planets outside our solar system has reshaped humanity’s understanding of the universe.
- However, theories about the formation of hot Jupiters typically fall into two camps,
- Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, scientists have discovered that TOI-1408c, a peculiar planet in a system featuring a hot Jupiter, sheds new light on planetary formation theories and the complex dynamics of such systems.
- TOI-1408b, a grazing hot Jupiter, orbits its star every 4.42 days.
- Its companion, TOI-1408c, is a smaller planet with a radius 2.2 times that of Earth and a mass approximately eight times that of Earth.
- Transit timing variations are changes in a planet’s orbital timing caused by gravitational interactions with nearby planets.
- For TOI-1408c, these variations amount to 15% of its orbital period—the largest relative TTV amplitude ever measured.
- TOI-1408c’s peculiarities lie not only in its orbital dynamics but also in its proximity to a hot Jupiter.
- Discoveries like TOI-1408c advance our understanding of how planets form and evolve.
- As TESS and other instruments uncover more exoplanets, scientists hope to build a more comprehensive picture of the processes governing planetary systems.
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