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Earthsky
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Image Credit: Earthsky
Arcturus, the brightest star of the northern sky
- Arcturus is the 4th-brightest star in the sky and the brightest star in the northern half of the sky, located only 36.7 light-years away.
- It is easily recognizable in spring evenings in the Northern Hemisphere by following the arc from the Big Dipper's handle to Arcturus.
- Arcturus is part of the constellation Boötes the Herdsman and remains visible in the night sky for most of the year for Northern Hemisphere observers.
- It stands out as a lonely bright star with no bright neighbors and is most prominent in the sky during spring before the Summer Triangle dominates.
- Arcturus is the brightest star in the northern part of the sky and is visible during daytime, historically observed with telescopes.
- This red giant star is approximately 25 times larger than the sun, radiating over 100 times more light in visible light and about 200 times overall.
- Arcturus' proper motion indicates it is moving rapidly relative to our solar system, part of the Arcturus stream of old stars possibly from a dwarf satellite galaxy.
- The star's observable movement suggests it will disappear from visibility in about 150,000 years as it moves southward and away from Earth.
- Arcturus holds significance in various mythologies and cultures, such as being associated with the Great Bear and the Dragon in different traditions.
- The star has a rich history, including being used to initiate the 1933 Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago through a light-based opening ceremony.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Which planets have rings?
- All four giant planets in our solar system - Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune - have rings along with other objects like the dwarf planet Haumea and asteroid Chariklo.
- Planetary rings are mainly composed of ice and small rocks, with variations depending on the planet's location and moons.
- The formation of planetary rings can occur through impacts from large objects, the disintegration of moons, or the collection of nearby objects by a planet's gravity.
- Saturn's iconic rings, made primarily of ice, are expected to vanish in hundreds of millions of years as the debris falls into Saturn's atmosphere.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Aubrie Henspeter: Leading Commercial Lunar Missions
- Aubrie Henspeter leads the CLPS procurement team at NASA, ensuring commercial partners deliver payloads to the Moon efficiently and affordably.
- Henspeter manages a team supporting seven commercial missions and shapes future contract opportunities for lunar deliveries.
- NASA's CLPS initiative aims to partner with commercial companies for lunar deliveries to support Artemis goals.
- Henspeter received NASA Exceptional Service Medal for her leadership and emphasizes the importance of collaboration and adaptability in achieving mission success.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
Starship to fly again — What to expect from SpaceX’s upcoming test
- SpaceX is preparing for the ninth test flight of its powerful Starship rocket, with the launch expected in the next week or two.
- The upcoming test will involve reusing a first-stage Super Heavy booster for the first time, aiming to enhance cost efficiency for future missions to the moon and Mars.
- SpaceX will attempt an in-flight relight of the Starship spacecraft's engines during the test, crucial for missions like orbital refueling and deep space exploration.
- The Starship spacecraft for this flight, Ship 35, incorporates upgrades including redesigned flaps and an improved heat shield, with NASA closely watching progress for its Artemis program.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
Marvel at Mars’ ancient landscape, captured by Curiosity
- NASA's Curiosity rover captured a striking image of Mars' ancient landscape, showcasing hills and distant mountains.
- Curiosity has been exploring Mars for nearly 13 years, aiming to determine if the planet could have supported microbial life and assisting in preparations for future crewed missions.
- Equipped with 17 cameras and specialized instruments, Curiosity has found evidence of past habitable environments on Mars, analyzed subsurface samples, and traveled nearly 19 miles.
- Curiosity's ongoing mission has significantly advanced our understanding of Mars, leading to continued exploration and research with no specific end date announced by NASA.
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Knowridge
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Image Credit: Knowridge
Quasars don’t last long—so how do they get so massive
- Quasars are powered by supermassive black holes that devour surrounding matter at incredible rates, releasing tremendous energy across the electromagnetic spectrum.
- Recent observations of billion-solar-mass black holes challenge conventional growth models in astrophysics, as they were observed at redshifts when the universe was less than a billion years old.
- Studies suggest that these early quasars have surprisingly short active lifetimes of less than a million years, prompting researchers to explore alternative growth mechanisms like episodic super-Eddington accretion and black hole mergers.
- Observations using the Very Large Telescope's MUSE reveal that distant quasars have only recently started intense accretion, challenging current understanding of supermassive black hole growth in the early universe.
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Brighter Side of News
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Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
Researcher breakthrough creates extended quantum entanglement between molecules
- Controlling quantum states and entangling particles is a key focus for quantum technology researchers.
- A recent breakthrough shows extended entanglement between ultracold polar molecules, holding promise for quantum computing and precision sensing.
- Ultracold polar molecules' complex structures make them ideal for quantum applications, although fragility poses challenges.
- Researchers at Durham University have achieved long-lived entanglement, a critical step towards scalable molecular quantum technologies.
- Entangled molecules can manipulate quantum states instantly over long distances, enabling quantum simulation and high-dimensional computing.
- By using magic-wavelength optical tweezers, researchers eliminated single-particle decoherence, achieving highly accurate molecule entanglement.
- This high level of control extends entanglement duration, crucial for advanced quantum technology applications.
- The breakthrough has implications for precision sensing, quantum computing, and quantum memories, advancing quantum network technologies.
- Stable molecular entanglement could revolutionize fields like navigation, materials science, and fundamental physics with unparalleled accuracy.
- Advancements in controlling and entangling molecules open new paths for exploring diverse scientific disciplines beyond quantum computing.
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Brighter Side of News
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Image Credit: Brighter Side of News
Scientists find significant amounts of water hidden beneath Mars’ surface
- Scientists have discovered a significant reservoir of water hidden beneath Mars' surface, possibly stored in aquifers deep within the planet's crust.
- The transition of Mars from a wet world to a dry desert has puzzled researchers for years, with theories suggesting water evaporation into space and chemical trapping in rocks.
- Seismic data from NASA's InSight lander revealed a noticeable drop in seismic wave speeds between depths of 5.4 to 8 kilometers, indicating a hidden reservoir of liquid water.
- The subsurface water layer could hold between 520 to 780 meters of global equivalent layer, impacting Mars' potential for habitability and future exploration.
- The discovery opens new possibilities for finding signs of past or present life on Mars and could support future human exploration through water reserves for colonies.
- Understanding Mars' water cycle and hidden reservoirs sets a new direction for exploration missions equipped with advanced seismometers and drilling tools.
- The research findings published in the journal National Science Review contribute critical insights into Mars' history and implications for humanity's future on the Red Planet.
- Exploring the hidden water beneath Mars' surface reveals a world of possibilities and reshapes our understanding of the planet's potential for sustaining life.
- Future exploration missions focusing on investigating deep aquifers on Mars could revolutionize the search for extraterrestrial life and support human endeavors in space.
- Overall, the discovery of hidden water on Mars emphasizes the ongoing narrative of scientific exploration and the possibilities for humanity's future ventures beyond Earth.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
NASA Careers Take Off with Internships
- NASA's internship programs at the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California provide opportunities for high school and college students to contribute to aeronautics, science, technology, and space exploration.
- Former interns Claudia Sales, Kassidy McLaughlin, and Julio Treviño showcase the long-term impact of NASA's STEM programs through their successful careers at NASA.
- Claudia Sales, now a deputy chief engineer, started as a Pathways intern and worked on projects like the X-43A hypersonic research aircraft.
- Kassidy McLaughlin, a flight systems engineer, highlights the importance of mentorship and hands-on experience in her professional development at NASA.
- Julio Treviño, lead operations engineer, began as a Pathway's intern and contributed to designing a battery model for an all-electric aircraft.
- NASA offers over 2,000 students yearly internship opportunities, with the fall 2025 application deadline set for May 16, 2025.
- To apply and learn more about NASA's internship programs, visit https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/internship-programs/
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
Europa Clipper spacecraft snaps cool thermal images of Mars
- NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, on its way to Jupiter's moon Europa, took thermal images of Mars while passing within 550 miles of the planet's surface on March 1.
- The spacecraft used its Europa Thermal Imaging System to capture images, testing the instrument's capabilities and checking for any malfunctions.
- The images show temperature variations on Mars, showcasing warmer areas near the equator and colder regions at the poles.
- The data collected will help in studying surface features on Europa, providing insights into potential areas influenced by subsurface ocean activity.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Crew Kicks off the Week with Cargo Stowage, Health Research, and Maintenance and Agricultural Work
- NASA astronaut Jonny Kim installed experimental hydrogen sensors for advanced life support gear on the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module.
- The week began with focus on cargo stowage, health research, maintenance, and agricultural work on the ISS.
- Activities included setting up and performing health exams, working on DNA Nano Therapeutics Mission, and transferring cargo from SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
- NASA crew members engaged in photography for space agricultural study, conducted station maintenance tasks, and worked on water samples and CO2 scrubber maintenance.
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Nasa
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Image Credit: Nasa
Jupiter’s Turbulent Atmosphere
- JunoCam aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured an image of Jupiter’s northern high latitudes during the spacecraft’s 69th flyby on Jan. 28, 2025.
- The enhanced color rendition shows Jupiter’s belts and zones, highlighting the turbulence along their edges caused by winds going in different directions.
- The original JunoCam data used for the image was taken from an altitude of about 36,000 miles above Jupiter’s cloud tops.
- Juno, since its arrival in 2016, has been exploring beneath the dense clouds of Jupiter to uncover insights about the planet’s origin, the solar system, and giant planets in space.
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Digitaltrends
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Image Credit: Digitaltrends
James Webb spots a gorgeous glowing light show on Jupiter
- The James Webb Space Telescope captured a stunning example of auroras on Jupiter, which are hundreds of times brighter than those on Earth.
- Auroras on Jupiter are formed from solar storms and the planet's strong magnetic field, interacting with charged particles from the sun and its moon, Io.
- The observations of Jupiter's auroras by Webb revealed fast-changing light patterns, indicating a complex magnetosphere on the planet.
- Researchers are puzzled by differences in observations between Webb and Hubble space telescopes, leading to questions about the behavior of auroras on Jupiter.
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Spaceflightnow
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Live coverage: SpaceX to launch 26 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg SFB
- SpaceX is set to launch 26 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base as part of the Starlink 15-4 mission.
- The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. PDT (9:15 p.m. EDT, 0115 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 4 East.
- SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 first stage booster 1088 for this mission, marking its sixth flight, and the booster is expected to land on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You.'
- This launch will be SpaceX's 18th launch of the year from California, with the company having the ability to launch up to 50 times annually from pad 4 East as per permissions granted by the FAA and the Department of the Air Force.
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Livescience
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Image Credit: Livescience
Scientists find hint of hidden liquid water ocean deep below Mars' surface
- A layer of liquid water may be present in Martian rocks between 3.4 and 5 miles below the surface, according to seismic evidence.
- This hidden water volume on Mars could potentially create an ocean 1,700 to 2,560 feet deep, similar to Antarctica's ice sheet.
- Mars was once rich in water but transitioned to a cold, dry environment over time, losing its magnetic field and atmosphere.
- Previous water loss methods do not fully explain Mars' past water flow, leading to the hypothesis of hidden liquid water.
- Seismic data from NASA's InSight lander suggests a 'low-velocity layer' deep within Mars may be porous rock filled with liquid water.
- This discovery implies that significant amounts of ancient water on Mars might have percolated through underground rocks, matching 'missing water' estimates.
- Other studies have suggested large water volumes stored in ice beneath Mars' surface, with potential liquid water trapped within rocks deeper underground.
- Confirming the presence of liquid water on Mars requires future missions with seismometers and drills to explore these deep regions.
- The potential existence of liquid water on Mars raises excitement among scientists due to its essential role in life, sparking interest in further exploration.
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