<p>The "Devil Comet" which is hurtling towards Earth and has exploded on its way from the sun has created a lot of buzz about being roughly twice the size of Mount Everest and having cloud horns, which make it appear menacing.<br />
<br />
However, researchers who have been studying such phenomenon, while speaking to Insider, said that although the comet is large and unusual, it does not mean that it poses any threat to planet Earth.<br />
<br />
The comet, which is called “12P/Pons-Brooks” by scientists made an appearance in the skies of the Earth last time more than 70 years ago. Judging by the comet's brightness, astronomers estimated that the comet's solid part or its nucleus is around 12.4 miles across, which is approximately double the size of Mount Everest.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/enormous-volcanic-comet-races-towards-earth-with-regrown-horns-647885">Giant cryovolcanic comet with 'horns' is racing towards Earth after exploding in space</a></p>

<p>Generally, comets are between 0.6 and 1.8 miles wide, as per Teddy Kareta, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. "We know it's big. We know it's an outlier. We know it's rare," Kareta said while speaking to Insider.</p>

<h2><strong>An extinction-level event threat?</strong></h2>

<p>He added that it is most likely to be visible to the naked eye next spring, however, it is not barrelling towards our planet with a scope of carrying out an extinction-level event.<br />
<br />
Kareta clarified that the comet will still remain around one-and-half astronomical units away from Earth. "It might be bright enough that you can see with your naked eye or with binoculars, but that's not because it's going to be super close. It's because it's just generally very bright,” said Kareta.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Cosmic journey: Space balloons &amp; space station visit part of the tour</strong></p>

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<p>The “horns” of the comet have been formed by tails of gas and dust released in an odd series of explosive outbursts which scientists have still not been able to understand. Two such outbursts were seen this year – the first occurred in July and the other earlier this month.<br />
<br />
An "outburst" as per Kareta, is "where comets suddenly get much more active," throwing off tons of gas and dust in a short period of time. “When this happens the comet brightens really rapidly and then sort of fades back to the brightness it had before," he said.<br />
<br />
"And in Pons-Brooks, these are really, really bright — really, really large outbursts. And this is what makes this comet so interesting to scientists,” he added.<br />
<br />
The outbursts have been particularly interesting because of their frequency and where they took place. As per one theory, the comet contains forms of ice which after getting exposed to the sun's heat for the time leads to volatile explosions.<br />
<br />
However, those explosions have typically been seen closer to the sun and do not occur often. As per Kareta, "It might happen twice in five years."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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The "Devil Comet" which is hurtling towards Earth and has exploded on its way from the sun has created a lot of buzz about being roughly twice the size of Mount Everest and having cloud horns, which make it appear menacing.

The "Devil Comet" which is hurtling towards Earth and has exploded on its way from the sun has created a lot of buzz about being roughly twice the size of Mount Everest and having cloud horns, which make it appear menacing. However, researchers who have been studying such phenomenon, while speaking to Insider, said that although the comet is large and unusual, it does not mean that it poses any threat to planet Earth. The comet, which is called “12P/Pons-Brooks” by scientists made an appearance in the skies of the Earth last time more than 70 years ago. Judging by the comet's brightness, astronomers estimated that the comet's solid part or its nucleus is around 12.4 miles across, which is approximately double the size of Mount Everest. ALSO READ | Giant cryovolcanic comet with 'horns' is racing towards Earth after exploding in space Generally, comets are between 0.6 and 1.8 miles wide, as per Teddy Kareta, who is a postdoctoral researcher at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. "We know it's big. We know it's an outlier. We know it's rare," Kareta said while speaking to Insider. An extinction-level event threat? He added that it is most likely to be visible to the naked eye next spring, however, it is not barrelling towards our planet with a scope of carrying out an extinction-level event. Kareta clarified that the comet will still remain around one-and-half astronomical units away from Earth. "It might be bright enough that you can see with your naked eye or with binoculars, but that's not because it's going to be super close. It's because it's just generally very bright,” said Kareta. Watch | Cosmic journey: Space balloons & space station visit part of the tour The “horns” of the comet have been formed by tails of gas and dust released in an odd series of explosive outbursts which scientists have still not been able to understand. Two such outbursts were seen this year – the first occurred in July and the other earlier this month. An "outburst" as per Kareta, is "where comets suddenly get much more active," throwing off tons of gas and dust in a short period of time. “When this happens the comet brightens really rapidly and then sort of fades back to the brightness it had before," he said. "And in Pons-Brooks, these are really, really bright — really, really large outbursts. And this is what makes this comet so interesting to scientists,” he added. The outbursts have been particularly interesting because of their frequency and where they took place. As per one theory, the comet contains forms of ice which after getting exposed to the sun's heat for the time leads to volatile explosions. However, those explosions have typically been seen closer to the sun and do not occur often. As per Kareta, "It might happen twice in five years." (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Will 'Devil Comet' hurtling towards Earth bring devastation? Here's what scientists suggest

Our planet consists of three main layers, the solid crust that we inhabit the mantle beneath that's filled with hot magma and concealed beneath miles of rock. Watch our report to know more.

Earth's core has been leaking for billions of years

Scientists have been baffled after discovering mysterious elements in ancient lava which led to the conclusion that the core of the Earth is leaking. A study was carried out on a 62-million-year-old lava which flows on Baffin Island in Canada's Arctic Archipelago. Watch this story to know how the discovery also holds clues for our planet's origin.

Troubling discovery baffles scientists

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidFL4Ns7ea2QOt" /><meta charset="utf-8" />Millions of asteroids are floating in our solar system in the massive asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and some of them are so close to our planet, that they are deemed to be "near-Earth asteroids".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The majority of these orbiting rocks don't attract any attention, but a handful of asteroids and their compositions have recently fascinated astrophysicists around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That includes scientists at NASA, who have lately been rushing to obtain asteroid samples.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-to-delve-deep-into-mysterious-signals-from-hell-like-exoplanet-using-james-webb-telescope-649138" target="_blank">Scientists to delve deep into mysterious signals from 'hell-like' exoplanet using James Webb Telescope</a></strong></p>

<p>Now in the latest research, a team at the University of Arizona in Tucson while analysing an incredibly dense asteroid named 33 Polyhymnia has made a mystifying discovery. This asteroid is so dense that&nbsp;it may be made of naturally occurring "superheavy elements" beyond those listed in the periodic table, the research suggests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If asteroids do indeed contain superheavy elements, it would open numerous questions surrounding how these elements were formed and why we have not discovered them outside of asteroids yet," study co-author Johann Rafelski, a physics professor at the University of Arizona, told Live Science.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/eight-billion-years-old-mysterious-signals-from-a-distant-galaxy-detected-on-earth-649130" target="_blank">A radio signal took 8 billion years to reach Earth, but its source is a mystery</a></strong></p>

<p>In a study published in The European Physical Journal Plus in mid-September, researchers deduced that Polyhymnia has a measured density higher than all the elements that exist on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The team identified Polyhymnia as a compact ultradense object (CUDO), indicating that it might contain superheavy components that were previously unknown to humans. In other words, it comprises elements that are not listed in the periodic table.</p>

<p>These elements would be stable around an atomic number of 164, which is significantly more dense than osmium, the element with the most protons known to exist naturally.</p>

<p>The team's discoveries come as NASA&nbsp;plans to launch unmanned spacecraft to study and potentially return samples from far-off asteroids.</p>

<p>The space agency and the University of Arizona, with the help of Queen guitarist Brian May, recently recovered its first-ever asteroid sample that was successfully transported to Earth late last month.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Millions of asteroids are floating in our solar system in the massive asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and some of them are so close to our planet, that they are deemed to be "near-Earth asteroids".

Millions of asteroids are floating in our solar system in the massive asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and some of them are so close to our planet, that they are deemed to be "near-Earth asteroids". The majority of these orbiting rocks don't attract any attention, but a handful of asteroids and their compositions have recently fascinated astrophysicists around the world. That includes scientists at NASA, who have lately been rushing to obtain asteroid samples. Also read: Scientists to delve deep into mysterious signals from 'hell-like' exoplanet using James Webb Telescope Now in the latest research, a team at the University of Arizona in Tucson while analysing an incredibly dense asteroid named 33 Polyhymnia has made a mystifying discovery. This asteroid is so dense that it may be made of naturally occurring "superheavy elements" beyond those listed in the periodic table, the research suggests. "If asteroids do indeed contain superheavy elements, it would open numerous questions surrounding how these elements were formed and why we have not discovered them outside of asteroids yet," study co-author Johann Rafelski, a physics professor at the University of Arizona, told Live Science. Also read: A radio signal took 8 billion years to reach Earth, but its source is a mystery In a study published in The European Physical Journal Plus in mid-September, researchers deduced that Polyhymnia has a measured density higher than all the elements that exist on Earth. The team identified Polyhymnia as a compact ultradense object (CUDO), indicating that it might contain superheavy components that were previously unknown to humans. In other words, it comprises elements that are not listed in the periodic table. These elements would be stable around an atomic number of 164, which is significantly more dense than osmium, the element with the most protons known to exist naturally. The team's discoveries come as NASA plans to launch unmanned spacecraft to study and potentially return samples from far-off asteroids. The space agency and the University of Arizona, with the help of Queen guitarist Brian May, recently recovered its first-ever asteroid sample that was successfully transported to Earth late last month. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

This near-Earth asteroid possibly contains elements not found in the periodic table

<p>Scientists have claimed that the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere—the stratosphere— has become polluted due to constant rocket and satellite launches.</p>

<p>A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have found a significant amount of space debris littered in the second layer of the atmosphere.</p>

<p>They found traces of aluminum, lithium, copper, and lead embedded in about 10 per cent of the particles that make up the majority of the stratosphere.</p>

<h2><strong>Rockets and satellites polluting atmosphere</strong></h2>

<p>The team said that they came from rockets and satellites re-entering Earth's atmosphere.</p>

<p>This happens when the debris of rockets and satellites, upon re-entering the planet’s atmosphere, burn up and as a consequence, leave traces of metal vapour.</p>

<p>They warn that the rate of metal vapour is expected to rise in the years to come as countries race to dominate the space exploration market.</p>

<p>"There are so many rockets&nbsp;going up and coming back&nbsp;and so many satellites&nbsp;falling back through the atmosphere&nbsp;that it's starting to show up in the stratosphere as these aerosol particles," Dan Cziczo, one of the scientists behind a new study detailing the team's findings, said in a&nbsp;statement from Purdue University.</p>

<h2><strong>Effect on stratosphere unknown&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The stratosphere is the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere. It contains the ozone layer which protects the planet from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted from the Sun.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-dwarf-planet-near-mars-that-might-be-hosting-alien-life-648822">Scientists find dwarf planet near Mars that might be hosting alien life</a></p>

<p>Scientists believe that the presence of metal aerosols is changing the stratosphere's chemistry. But they are unable to determine how is it changing.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-finally-know-what-really-caused-the-massive-marsquake-of-2022-648265">Mars shook for over 6 hours in 2022 and its source is quite shocking</a></p>

<p>"What this research shows us is that the impact of human occupation and human spaceflight on the planet may be significant — perhaps more significant than we have yet imagined," Cziczo said in the statement.</p>

<p>The research was published on Monday in the ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ journal.</p>

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Scientists have claimed that the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere—the stratosphere— has become polluted due to constant rocket and satellite launches. A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have found a significant amount of space debris littered in the second layer of the atmosphere.

Scientists have claimed that the upper part of the Earth’s atmosphere—the stratosphere— has become polluted due to constant rocket and satellite launches. A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have found a significant amount of space debris littered in the second layer of the atmosphere. They found traces of aluminum, lithium, copper, and lead embedded in about 10 per cent of the particles that make up the majority of the stratosphere. Rockets and satellites polluting atmosphere The team said that they came from rockets and satellites re-entering Earth's atmosphere. This happens when the debris of rockets and satellites, upon re-entering the planet’s atmosphere, burn up and as a consequence, leave traces of metal vapour. They warn that the rate of metal vapour is expected to rise in the years to come as countries race to dominate the space exploration market. "There are so many rockets going up and coming back and so many satellites falling back through the atmosphere that it's starting to show up in the stratosphere as these aerosol particles," Dan Cziczo, one of the scientists behind a new study detailing the team's findings, said in a statement from Purdue University. Effect on stratosphere unknown The stratosphere is the second layer of Earth’s atmosphere. It contains the ozone layer which protects the planet from the harmful ultraviolet rays emitted from the Sun. Also read | Scientists find dwarf planet near Mars that might be hosting alien life Scientists believe that the presence of metal aerosols is changing the stratosphere's chemistry. But they are unable to determine how is it changing. Also read | Mars shook for over 6 hours in 2022 and its source is quite shocking "What this research shows us is that the impact of human occupation and human spaceflight on the planet may be significant — perhaps more significant than we have yet imagined," Cziczo said in the statement. The research was published on Monday in the ‘Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences’ journal. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Space junk galore stratosphere: Scientists find metal aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere

<p>A huge volcanic comet, which is as big as a city, has exploded violently for the second time in four months while it hurtled towards the sun. Similar to the previous eruption, it emitted a cloud of gas and ice which appeared like a gigantic pair of horns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The comet, which is called 12P/Pons-Brooks, is a cryovolcanic or cold volcano comet. The comet has a solid nucleus which has an estimated diameter of 18.6 miles (30 kilometers), and contains a mix of dust, gas and ice known as cryomagma.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The nucleus has been surrounded by a fuzzy cloud of gas known as a coma, which leaks out of the interior of the comet. When the insides of the comet are heated by solar radiation, the pressure increases and the comet explodes violently, releasing its frosty guts through the cracks of the shell of the nucleus into space.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nearly-13000-years-ago-a-comet-impact-may-have-sparked-major-change-in-climate-644678">Nearly 13,000 years ago a comet impact may have sparked major change in climate</a></p>

<p>On October 5, a large outburst from 12P was detected by astronomers after the comet turned a dozen times brighter because of extra light reflecting from its expanded coma, as per the British Astronomical Association (BAA), which has been observing the comet closely. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In the next few days, the coma of the comet further expanded and grew its "peculiar horns," reported Spaceweather.com. Few of the experts said that the coma's irregular shape makes it look like a science fiction spaceship, such as the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars.</p>

<h2><strong>Comet may return to Earth in 2095</strong></h2>

<p>The unusual shape of the coma was most probably because of an irregularity in the shape of 12P's nucleus, said BAA astronomer Richard Miles, while speaking to Live Science after the previous eruption of the comet. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most likely, the outflowing gas is being obstructed partially by a notch sticking out on the nucleus, said Miles. He added that as the gas has been expanding away from the comet, the irregularity in the shape of the coma becomes more noticeable and defined.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Indian space agency ISRO fights over 100 cyber attacks every day</strong></p>

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<p>Currently, 12P has been hurtling towards the inner side of the solar system where it will slingshot on the highly elliptical 71-year orbit of the sun, &nbsp;similar to how a near-identical manoeuvre was pulled off by green comet Nishimura on September 17.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On April 21, 2024, 12P will be coming closest to Earth and it is likely to become visible to the naked eye before getting catapulted back towards the outer solar system. The comet is not likely to return till 2095.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A huge volcanic comet, which is as big as a city, has exploded violently for the second time in four months while it hurtled towards the sun. Similar to the previous eruption, it emitted a cloud of gas and ice which appeared like a gigantic pair of horns.

A huge volcanic comet, which is as big as a city, has exploded violently for the second time in four months while it hurtled towards the sun. Similar to the previous eruption, it emitted a cloud of gas and ice which appeared like a gigantic pair of horns. The comet, which is called 12P/Pons-Brooks, is a cryovolcanic or cold volcano comet. The comet has a solid nucleus which has an estimated diameter of 18.6 miles (30 kilometers), and contains a mix of dust, gas and ice known as cryomagma. The nucleus has been surrounded by a fuzzy cloud of gas known as a coma, which leaks out of the interior of the comet. When the insides of the comet are heated by solar radiation, the pressure increases and the comet explodes violently, releasing its frosty guts through the cracks of the shell of the nucleus into space. ALSO READ | Nearly 13,000 years ago a comet impact may have sparked major change in climate On October 5, a large outburst from 12P was detected by astronomers after the comet turned a dozen times brighter because of extra light reflecting from its expanded coma, as per the British Astronomical Association (BAA), which has been observing the comet closely. In the next few days, the coma of the comet further expanded and grew its "peculiar horns," reported Spaceweather.com. Few of the experts said that the coma's irregular shape makes it look like a science fiction spaceship, such as the Millennium Falcon from Star Wars. Comet may return to Earth in 2095 The unusual shape of the coma was most probably because of an irregularity in the shape of 12P's nucleus, said BAA astronomer Richard Miles, while speaking to Live Science after the previous eruption of the comet. Most likely, the outflowing gas is being obstructed partially by a notch sticking out on the nucleus, said Miles. He added that as the gas has been expanding away from the comet, the irregularity in the shape of the coma becomes more noticeable and defined. WATCH | Indian space agency ISRO fights over 100 cyber attacks every day Currently, 12P has been hurtling towards the inner side of the solar system where it will slingshot on the highly elliptical 71-year orbit of the sun, similar to how a near-identical manoeuvre was pulled off by green comet Nishimura on September 17. On April 21, 2024, 12P will be coming closest to Earth and it is likely to become visible to the naked eye before getting catapulted back towards the outer solar system. The comet is not likely to return till 2095. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Giant cryovolcanic comet with 'horns' is racing towards Earth after exploding in space

<p>Space scientists are working day and night to expand the human presence in the solar system, especially on the Moon. But what if there's a way to bring part of the Moon here on Earth? Sounds interesting, and it may happen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Germany's proof-of-concept study, the researchers have said that it was found that solar energy could be harnessed to turn lunar dust to pave for landing pads and roads.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by media reports, Prof Jens Günster, who is from the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing in Berlin, said: "You might think: 'Streets on the moon, who needs that?'"&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/glass-shards-from-ancient-new-zealand-volcanic-eruption-found-3000-miles-away-645692">Glass shards from ancient New Zealand volcanic eruption found 3,000 miles away</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Günster, who is the co-author of a report, said: "But in fact, it's a kind of depressing demand [even] early on. It's very loose material, there's no atmosphere, gravity is weak, so the dust gets everywhere."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It contaminates not only your equipment but other nations'. No one would be happy to be covered in dust from another rocket," Günster added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study said that to increase the sustainability of future lunar missions, in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) techniques must be developed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports on Thursday (Oct 12), investigates the use of concentrated light for paving on the Moon by melting the lunar regolith.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/james-webb-telescope-clicks-a-beautiful-star-forming-region-645456">James Webb telescope clicks a beautiful star-forming region</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>The study used&nbsp;a high-power CO2 laser as a substitute for the concentrated sunlight in the experiments. A maximum laser spot diameter of 100mm can be achieved with this setup. It translated into high thicknesses of the consolidated layers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"At the end of the study, large samples (approximately 250 × 250 mm) with interlocking capabilities were fabricated by melting the lunar simulant with the laser directly on the powder bed," the study said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Researchers say that large areas of lunar soil can be covered with these samples and serve as roads and landing pads, decreasing the propagation of lunar dust. These manufactured samples were analysed regarding their mineralogical composition, internal structure and mechanical properties.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Space scientists are working day and night to expand the human presence in the solar system, especially on the Moon. But what if there's a way to bring part of the Moon here on Earth?

Space scientists are working day and night to expand the human presence in the solar system, especially on the Moon. But what if there's a way to bring part of the Moon here on Earth? Sounds interesting, and it may happen. In Germany's proof-of-concept study, the researchers have said that it was found that solar energy could be harnessed to turn lunar dust to pave for landing pads and roads. As quoted by media reports, Prof Jens Günster, who is from the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing in Berlin, said: "You might think: 'Streets on the moon, who needs that?'" Also read: Glass shards from ancient New Zealand volcanic eruption found 3,000 miles away Günster, who is the co-author of a report, said: "But in fact, it's a kind of depressing demand [even] early on. It's very loose material, there's no atmosphere, gravity is weak, so the dust gets everywhere." "It contaminates not only your equipment but other nations'. No one would be happy to be covered in dust from another rocket," Günster added. The study said that to increase the sustainability of future lunar missions, in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU) techniques must be developed. The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports on Thursday (Oct 12), investigates the use of concentrated light for paving on the Moon by melting the lunar regolith. Also read: James Webb telescope clicks a beautiful star-forming region The study used a high-power CO2 laser as a substitute for the concentrated sunlight in the experiments. A maximum laser spot diameter of 100mm can be achieved with this setup. It translated into high thicknesses of the consolidated layers. "At the end of the study, large samples (approximately 250 × 250 mm) with interlocking capabilities were fabricated by melting the lunar simulant with the laser directly on the powder bed," the study said. Researchers say that large areas of lunar soil can be covered with these samples and serve as roads and landing pads, decreasing the propagation of lunar dust. These manufactured samples were analysed regarding their mineralogical composition, internal structure and mechanical properties. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Walk on the Moon to become reality? Roads on Earth could be made from lunar dust

Life on Earth depends on freshwater a resource that's under pressure companies around the world have been trying for several years to develop the technology that turns seawater into clean drinkable water. Watch this report for more.

Tech that turns seawater into fresh water in eco-friendly way

<p>The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently unveiled how it is planning to retire International Space Station (ISS), which is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit. The space station facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ISS is often visible to the naked eye from Earth's surface as it is the largest artificial object in space and the largest satellite in low Earth orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA disclosed the $1 billion plan to carry out the re-entry of ISS back to Earth as it said that it aims to develop a new orbital vehicle that will be vital in the process.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On September 20, NASA released an industry solicitation for a platform the agency is calling the US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), which will be a catalyst in the safe return of the ISS.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/massive-earthquake-rocked-seattle-area-1100-years-ago-it-may-again-again-640621">Massive earthquake rocked Seattle area 1,100 years ago, it may happen again</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Calling it a 'space tug', NASA has invited companies to develop a specialised vehicle which would manoeuvre ISS from its position 175 miles above Earth to approximately 75 miles. This would start the process.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The primary objective of this contract is to procure a safe, reliable and cost-effective de-orbit vehicle to meet NASA’s ISS end-of-life de-orbit mission requirements,"&nbsp;NASA said as quoted by Flight Global.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by Earth.com, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard University, said: "This has been done before, notably with the Mir space station. Many tons of material will hit the ocean relatively intact, and there will definitely be a warning to clear the airspace (we get about one of these a month for disposal of much smaller spacecraft like ISS cargo ships)."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Here's what's tricky. You can fly the ISS safely down to an altitude of about 250 km. After that, you need this special USDV ship to take over the steering – it's like driving down a motorway with a lot of wind gusts – you need a lot of muscle power to stay on the road. If you ever lose control and the ISS starts tumbling, you're in trouble because then you can't reliably point the rocket engines in a particular direction," McDowell added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/einstein-is-right-again-scientists-observe-falling-antimatter-640529">Einstein proven right again, scientists find antimatter ‘falling’, not defying gravity</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Einstein proven right again! Humans are one step closer to understanding antimatter&nbsp;</strong></p>

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<p>The ISS emerged as an extraordinary platform for space scientists to analyse and understand the gazillion aspects of the universe. It is an orbital microgravity research platform for research and development.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scientists and researchers have used the ISS for more than 20 years to research biological, physical, biomedicine, materials and Earth and space science on the 444,615kg gigantic structure.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The crew at the space station is an integral part of the experiment and has been a critical part. They volunteer as test subjects for research into human adaptation to living and working in microgravity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During their long stays, they perform various experiments besides doing their own work like cooking, cleaning, etc. &nbsp;Without these long-duration experiments, human exploration of the solar system will not be possible.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently unveiled how it is planning to retire International Space Station (ISS), which is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently unveiled how it is planning to retire International Space Station (ISS), which is a unique space station currently in lower Earth orbit. The space station facilitates collaborative projects involving five participating space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA and CSA. The ISS is often visible to the naked eye from Earth's surface as it is the largest artificial object in space and the largest satellite in low Earth orbit. NASA disclosed the $1 billion plan to carry out the re-entry of ISS back to Earth as it said that it aims to develop a new orbital vehicle that will be vital in the process. On September 20, NASA released an industry solicitation for a platform the agency is calling the US Deorbit Vehicle (USDV), which will be a catalyst in the safe return of the ISS. Also read: Massive earthquake rocked Seattle area 1,100 years ago, it may happen again Calling it a 'space tug', NASA has invited companies to develop a specialised vehicle which would manoeuvre ISS from its position 175 miles above Earth to approximately 75 miles. This would start the process. "The primary objective of this contract is to procure a safe, reliable and cost-effective de-orbit vehicle to meet NASA’s ISS end-of-life de-orbit mission requirements," NASA said as quoted by Flight Global. As quoted by Earth.com, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at Harvard University, said: "This has been done before, notably with the Mir space station. Many tons of material will hit the ocean relatively intact, and there will definitely be a warning to clear the airspace (we get about one of these a month for disposal of much smaller spacecraft like ISS cargo ships)." "Here's what's tricky. You can fly the ISS safely down to an altitude of about 250 km. After that, you need this special USDV ship to take over the steering – it's like driving down a motorway with a lot of wind gusts – you need a lot of muscle power to stay on the road. If you ever lose control and the ISS starts tumbling, you're in trouble because then you can't reliably point the rocket engines in a particular direction," McDowell added. Also read: Einstein proven right again, scientists find antimatter ‘falling’, not defying gravity Watch: Einstein proven right again! Humans are one step closer to understanding antimatter × The ISS emerged as an extraordinary platform for space scientists to analyse and understand the gazillion aspects of the universe. It is an orbital microgravity research platform for research and development. Scientists and researchers have used the ISS for more than 20 years to research biological, physical, biomedicine, materials and Earth and space science on the 444,615kg gigantic structure. The crew at the space station is an integral part of the experiment and has been a critical part. They volunteer as test subjects for research into human adaptation to living and working in microgravity. During their long stays, they perform various experiments besides doing their own work like cooking, cleaning, etc. Without these long-duration experiments, human exploration of the solar system will not be possible. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

International Space Station will retire and return to Earth in 2031

<p>As we continue to witness record-breaking heatwaves and other extreme weather events which researchers previously said have been exacerbated by human-induced climate change, several ideas have been pitched to mitigate the dire challenge but this one is out of the world (literally).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>About a giant ‘sun umbrella’</strong></h2>

<p>Astronomer István Szapudi of the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy believes that a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth could help mitigate the problem. However, this is not the first time that the idea of a space-based solar radiation management (SRM) shield or shade has been proposed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>What makes this one different is the plan to tie the giant shield to a captured asteroid as a counterweight. The potential solution was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So far, the idea of a solar shield, in theory, can cool down the Earth by shading it from some of the sun’s rays but the issue was the large amount of weight needed to make a shield massive enough to balance gravitational forces and prevent solar radiation pressure from blowing it away.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Therefore, the US-based astronomer’s idea involves a tethered counterweight instead of just a massive shield and the use of a captured asteroid to counter said weight to avoid launching such a big mass from Earth to hold the “sun umbrella”.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What makes this idea almost achievable?</strong></h2>

<p>Szapudi’s approach brings the idea into the realm of possibility with greatly reduced cost as well as lowering the difficulty of implementation. “In Hawaiʻi, many use an umbrella to block the sunlight as they walk about during the day,” the astronomer explained in a statement.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “I was thinking, could we do the same for Earth and thereby mitigate the impending catastrophe of climate change?”&nbsp;</p>

<p>Previous research has suggested that even if we managed to lower solar radiation by 1.7 per cent it could prevent a catastrophic rise in global temperatures. &nbsp;</p>

<p>In line with this, Szapudi proposed two ideas – the first one would involve placing a tethered counterbalance toward the Sun could reduce the weight of the shield. The second is a counterweight of approximately 3.5 million tonnes, which would be over 100 times lighter than previous estimates for an untethered shield.</p>

<p>While the 3.5 million tonnes might sound like a lot of mass, only one per cent of it would account for the actual shield, around 35,000 metric tonnes and the remaining would be the asteroid.</p>

<p>The plan is to launch the counterweight, which will be attached to the solar shield by a strong graphene tether, and then slowly open once in space, allowing it to gradually fill with lunar dust or asteroid material.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Since the asteroid material that would act as ballast would already be in space it would not need to be launched from Earth. However, some of the largest rockets can carry about 50 tons to low Earth orbit, which poses a big challenge to this particular SRM plan.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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As we continue to witness record-breaking heatwaves and other extreme weather events which researchers previously said have been exacerbated by human-induced climate change, several ideas have been pitched to mitigate the dire challenge but this one is out of the world (literally).

As we continue to witness record-breaking heatwaves and other extreme weather events which researchers previously said have been exacerbated by human-induced climate change, several ideas have been pitched to mitigate the dire challenge but this one is out of the world (literally). About a giant ‘sun umbrella’ Astronomer István Szapudi of the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy believes that a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth could help mitigate the problem. However, this is not the first time that the idea of a space-based solar radiation management (SRM) shield or shade has been proposed. What makes this one different is the plan to tie the giant shield to a captured asteroid as a counterweight. The potential solution was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal. So far, the idea of a solar shield, in theory, can cool down the Earth by shading it from some of the sun’s rays but the issue was the large amount of weight needed to make a shield massive enough to balance gravitational forces and prevent solar radiation pressure from blowing it away. Therefore, the US-based astronomer’s idea involves a tethered counterweight instead of just a massive shield and the use of a captured asteroid to counter said weight to avoid launching such a big mass from Earth to hold the “sun umbrella”. What makes this idea almost achievable? Szapudi’s approach brings the idea into the realm of possibility with greatly reduced cost as well as lowering the difficulty of implementation. “In Hawaiʻi, many use an umbrella to block the sunlight as they walk about during the day,” the astronomer explained in a statement. He added, “I was thinking, could we do the same for Earth and thereby mitigate the impending catastrophe of climate change?” Previous research has suggested that even if we managed to lower solar radiation by 1.7 per cent it could prevent a catastrophic rise in global temperatures. In line with this, Szapudi proposed two ideas – the first one would involve placing a tethered counterbalance toward the Sun could reduce the weight of the shield. The second is a counterweight of approximately 3.5 million tonnes, which would be over 100 times lighter than previous estimates for an untethered shield. While the 3.5 million tonnes might sound like a lot of mass, only one per cent of it would account for the actual shield, around 35,000 metric tonnes and the remaining would be the asteroid. The plan is to launch the counterweight, which will be attached to the solar shield by a strong graphene tether, and then slowly open once in space, allowing it to gradually fill with lunar dust or asteroid material. Since the asteroid material that would act as ballast would already be in space it would not need to be launched from Earth. However, some of the largest rockets can carry about 50 tons to low Earth orbit, which poses a big challenge to this particular SRM plan. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Giant ‘sun umbrella’ tethered to asteroid may help fight climate change: Study

Ever wondered what planet Earth would look like in the future? A new study has predicted the formation of a supercontinent called the Pangea Ultima. The supercontinent would be largely uninhabitable and it could wipe away all life forms.

Gravitas: A new continent taking shape: Will there be a mass extinction?

ISRO is setting the bar high. Chandrayaan-3's success has brought a ray of hope. ISRO is developing expertise in missions that would be capable of returning samples to Earth.

Chandrayaan-3: What are ISRO's plans to bring Moon samples to Earth?

<p>The formation of the next “supercontinent” on Earth could wipe out most mammals, including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/humans-are-driving-loss-of-entire-branches-of-tree-of-life-warn-scientists-study-637690">humans</a> and cause our planet, as we know it, to become uninhabitable. But there are still around 250 million years left for this to possibly happen, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience on Monday (September 25).&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>First-ever supercomputer climate model</strong></h2>

<p>A study led by researchers from the University of Bristol, in England, suggests that the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/surprised-and-concerned-scientists-find-groundwater-extracted-by-humans-has-shifted-earths-tilt-606665">shifting of continents</a> may spell doom for mammals that have lived on Earth for more than 330 million years and are often known for being the world’s great evolutionary success story since the death of dinosaurs.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The research also was the first-ever attempt to model how extreme the climate might become during the formation of the next supercontinent – Pangea Ultima, which is expected to form when all the current continents merge together in the distant future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is believed that mass extinction would be caused primarily due to heat stress, and while mammals have had the ability to adapt to it in the past, we might be too slow this time around.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The recent model predicts that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/six-out-of-9-planetary-boundaries-breached-earth-increasingly-becoming-inhabitable-for-humans-scientists-635963">Earth’s greenhouse gas effect</a> could reach a tipping point during the formation of the Pangea Ultima which is supposed to happen in the next 250 million years or so, rendering most of the planet “uninhabitable to mammalian life”.</p>

<p>The heat stress would also be marked by greater volcanic activity which would pump twice as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and as the sun gets older it would emit more radiation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The formation and decay of Pangea Ultima will limit and…ultimately end terrestrial mammalian habitability on Earth by exceeding their warm thermal tolerances, billions of years earlier than previously hypothesized,” said the researchers.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What would happen?</strong></h2>

<p>There is very little known about what happens to Earth’s climate when its continents get smooshed together to form one big landmass which our planet has experienced on more than a few occasions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The last one, Pangea, which happened around 310 million years ago and researchers know most about, served as a case study for this paper.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the so-called Pangea Ultima era, the temperature is expected to be as high as 15 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and up to 30 degrees Celsius on land.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Sun would emit around 2.5 per cent more radiation while the supercontinent would drastically alter the global climate system and possibly dry out large swathes of land which, in turn, would trap more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.</p>

<p>The study also predicts the worst-case scenario where Pangea Ultima could result in a warm month mean temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius. This period, marked by high temperatures, would also lead to severe food supply problems due to the collapse of vegetation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The paper also notes that most plants become stressed at temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius and break down completely if exposed to 60 degrees Celsius for prolonged periods.</p>

<p>“The Earth has a very changeable environment. Humans are very lucky with what we have now and we should not be pushing our own climate beyond the cooler climate that we evolved through,” said the paper’s lead author, Alexander Farnsworth, from the University of Bristol, as quoted by the Guardian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, “We are the dominant species but Earth and its climate decide how long that lasts.”<br />
<br />
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The formation of the next “supercontinent” on Earth could wipe out most mammals, including humans and cause our planet, as we know it, to become uninhabitable. But there are still around 250 million years left for this to possibly happen, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience on Monday (September 25).

The formation of the next “supercontinent” on Earth could wipe out most mammals, including humans and cause our planet, as we know it, to become uninhabitable. But there are still around 250 million years left for this to possibly happen, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience on Monday (September 25). First-ever supercomputer climate model A study led by researchers from the University of Bristol, in England, suggests that the shifting of continents may spell doom for mammals that have lived on Earth for more than 330 million years and are often known for being the world’s great evolutionary success story since the death of dinosaurs. The research also was the first-ever attempt to model how extreme the climate might become during the formation of the next supercontinent – Pangea Ultima, which is expected to form when all the current continents merge together in the distant future. It is believed that mass extinction would be caused primarily due to heat stress, and while mammals have had the ability to adapt to it in the past, we might be too slow this time around. The recent model predicts that Earth’s greenhouse gas effect could reach a tipping point during the formation of the Pangea Ultima which is supposed to happen in the next 250 million years or so, rendering most of the planet “uninhabitable to mammalian life”. The heat stress would also be marked by greater volcanic activity which would pump twice as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and as the sun gets older it would emit more radiation. “The formation and decay of Pangea Ultima will limit and…ultimately end terrestrial mammalian habitability on Earth by exceeding their warm thermal tolerances, billions of years earlier than previously hypothesized,” said the researchers. What would happen? There is very little known about what happens to Earth’s climate when its continents get smooshed together to form one big landmass which our planet has experienced on more than a few occasions. The last one, Pangea, which happened around 310 million years ago and researchers know most about, served as a case study for this paper. During the so-called Pangea Ultima era, the temperature is expected to be as high as 15 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and up to 30 degrees Celsius on land. The Sun would emit around 2.5 per cent more radiation while the supercontinent would drastically alter the global climate system and possibly dry out large swathes of land which, in turn, would trap more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The study also predicts the worst-case scenario where Pangea Ultima could result in a warm month mean temperature of 46.5 degrees Celsius. This period, marked by high temperatures, would also lead to severe food supply problems due to the collapse of vegetation. The paper also notes that most plants become stressed at temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius and break down completely if exposed to 60 degrees Celsius for prolonged periods. “The Earth has a very changeable environment. Humans are very lucky with what we have now and we should not be pushing our own climate beyond the cooler climate that we evolved through,” said the paper’s lead author, Alexander Farnsworth, from the University of Bristol, as quoted by the Guardian. He added, “We are the dominant species but Earth and its climate decide how long that lasts.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Next ‘supercontinent’ formation could wipe out humans: Study

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<p>A recent study has found that the most intense heat wave ever recorded on Earth was in Antarctica in March 2022, when the temperatures near the eastern coast reached 39 degrees Celsius above average.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Some researchers at the site wore shorts, while some removed their shirts to loll in the warmth. However, scientists from other regions believe such a high temperature in the area was unimaginable, the Washington Post reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Edward Blanchard-Wrigglesworth, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington and the study's author, said, "It was just very apparent that it was a remarkable event. We found that temperature anomaly, the 39-degree temperature anomaly. That's the largest anywhere ever measured anywhere in the world."</p>

<p>Generally, the temperatures in March on the east coast of Antarctica near Dome C are around minus 54 degrees Celsius, marking a transition into autumn on the continent. However, on 18 March 2022, temperatures reached minus 10 degrees Celsius, warmer than the hottest temperature recorded during the summer months in that region.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/lunar-soil-low-gravity-why-didnt-chandrayaan-3-leave-indias-imprint-on-moons-surface-639325" target="_blank">Lunar soil? Low gravity? Why didn't Chandrayaan-3 leave India's imprint on Moon's surface?&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Blanchard-Wrigglesworth and his team studied how and why such an unbelievable heatwave occurred, especially when there was less sunlight. They found that extreme heat was part of Antarctica's natural variability. However, the warming climate did have the same effect.</p>

<p>According to the study published in the peer-reviewed journal&nbsp;<em>Geophysical Research Letters</em>, winds usually blow from west to east around Antarctica, helping the continent to isolate from warmer regions farther north and allowing it to stay cold. However, like the heatwaves in the United States, the winds curled, enabling warm air from southern Australia to move to East Antarctica in only four days. Furthermore, the northern winds brought a lot of moisture, bringing snow, rain and melting on the eastern coast of the ice sheet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During the same time, Antarctica also experienced the lowest sea ice on record. However, the team suggested it was not due to the influence of the heatwave.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study found that the big swings in weather are not unusual in the polar regions. The research team analysed data from the global weather station and found the highest temperature changes from average usually occur in high latitudes. European countries or the United States never experience such anomalous heat waves.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As we go higher in the atmosphere, the air gets cooler. However, high latitudes with snow have colder air near the ground and warmer air above it. In such spots, a warm air mass can dive in to replace the cold air and form warm weather. These events usually occur during or around winter. "That's what we saw for the Antarctic heat wave. These events erode that inversion," Blanchard-Wrigglesworth said.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A recent study has found that the most intense heat wave ever recorded on Earth was in Antarctica in March 2022, when the temperatures near the eastern coast reached 39 degrees Celsius above average.

A recent study has found that the most intense heat wave ever recorded on Earth was in Antarctica in March 2022, when the temperatures near the eastern coast reached 39 degrees Celsius above average. Some researchers at the site wore shorts, while some removed their shirts to loll in the warmth. However, scientists from other regions believe such a high temperature in the area was unimaginable, the Washington Post reported. Edward Blanchard-Wrigglesworth, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington and the study's author, said, "It was just very apparent that it was a remarkable event. We found that temperature anomaly, the 39-degree temperature anomaly. That's the largest anywhere ever measured anywhere in the world." Generally, the temperatures in March on the east coast of Antarctica near Dome C are around minus 54 degrees Celsius, marking a transition into autumn on the continent. However, on 18 March 2022, temperatures reached minus 10 degrees Celsius, warmer than the hottest temperature recorded during the summer months in that region. ALSO READ | Lunar soil? Low gravity? Why didn't Chandrayaan-3 leave India's imprint on Moon's surface? Blanchard-Wrigglesworth and his team studied how and why such an unbelievable heatwave occurred, especially when there was less sunlight. They found that extreme heat was part of Antarctica's natural variability. However, the warming climate did have the same effect. According to the study published in the peer-reviewed journal Geophysical Research Letters, winds usually blow from west to east around Antarctica, helping the continent to isolate from warmer regions farther north and allowing it to stay cold. However, like the heatwaves in the United States, the winds curled, enabling warm air from southern Australia to move to East Antarctica in only four days. Furthermore, the northern winds brought a lot of moisture, bringing snow, rain and melting on the eastern coast of the ice sheet. During the same time, Antarctica also experienced the lowest sea ice on record. However, the team suggested it was not due to the influence of the heatwave. The study found that the big swings in weather are not unusual in the polar regions. The research team analysed data from the global weather station and found the highest temperature changes from average usually occur in high latitudes. European countries or the United States never experience such anomalous heat waves. As we go higher in the atmosphere, the air gets cooler. However, high latitudes with snow have colder air near the ground and warmer air above it. In such spots, a warm air mass can dive in to replace the cold air and form warm weather. These events usually occur during or around winter. "That's what we saw for the Antarctic heat wave. These events erode that inversion," Blanchard-Wrigglesworth said. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Antarctica witnessed most intense heatwave ever recorded on Earth in 2022, reveals study

Here, we bring you the news that is trending across WION's social media platforms - NASA's spacecraft lands successfully with largest sample collected from asteroid, European Space Agency releases photo of Earth split in day and night, first-ever poetry written by AI sounds too 'disturbing', Another Coronavirus on the way? This is what China's top virologist 'Batwoman' thinks.

NASA's spacecraft lands successfully | First-ever poetry written by AI | Trending on WION

It has been 7 years since NASA launched its mission to collect samples from asteroids. The long wait for NASA capsule carrying the largest soil sample from an asteroid.

NASA's first asteroid sample reaches earth

<p>A satellite picture was released by the European Space Agency (ESA) of the surface of Earth split in day and night as one half appeared in the dark and the other experienced day.<br />
<br />
In the image shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Sun is shown crossing the celestial equator in the sky because of which autumn is coming to the Northern Hemisphere.<br />
<br />
Posting the picture, the space agency wrote, "Winter is coming. Day and night are split in half today, as the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky at 07:50 BST/08:50 CEST marking the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This #Meteosat image was taken at 09:00 BST/10:00 CEST this morning."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Winter is coming ❄️<br />
<br />
Day and night are split in half today, as the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky at 07:50 BST/08:50 CEST marking the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere.<br />
<br />
This <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Meteosat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Meteosat</a> image was taken at 09:00 BST/10:00 CEST this morning (pic: EUMETSAT) <a href="https://t.co/t7oUI36ai4">pic.twitter.com/t7oUI36ai4</a></p>
— ESA (@esa) <a href="https://twitter.com/esa/status/1705509708029669841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>Since the time the post was shared, it received many reactions from social media users.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/us-federal-aviation-administration-proposes-revolutionary-way-to-limit-human-litter-in-earths-orbit-638666">US Federal Aviation Administration proposes revolutionary way to limit human litter in Earth's orbit</a></p>

<p>"This is an interesting post !" stated a user. "Incredible," another person said.<br />
<br />
"The autumn equinox has begun in the Northern Hemisphere. Shown here, a grand image of Earth from Meteosat in space with Africa, Europe, and the Middle East positioned to the front," another user commented.<br />
<br />
"Amazing; I had no idea the countries of the world were drawn onto the Earth like that,” another person added.</p>

<h2><strong>Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere</strong></h2>

<p>According to Space.com, astronomically autumn began in the Northern Hemisphere and spring ushered in the Southern Hemisphere.<br />
<br />
"The sun is currently migrating south, having spent the previous six months shining directly on the northern half of our planet. So, at the official start time of autumn, the sun would appear directly overhead from a ship in the Laccadive Sea, positioned on the equator, 170 miles (275 kilometres) northeast of Addu City in the Maldives," said the website.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;James Webb Space Telescope detects carbon on Jupiter's icy moon Europa</strong></p>

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<p>The axis of the Earth is tilted either towards or away from the sun for the maximum time of the year. This means that the northern and southern portions of the planet receive different amounts of light and warmth from the sun.<br />
<br />
The axis and orbit of the Earth align at the equinox, which equally distributes sunlight to both hemispheres.<br />
<br />
The word equinox is made up of two Latin words which signify equal and night. This is because of the fact that day and night are nearly equal in length on the equinox.<br />
<br />
However, one may experience it for a few extra minutes depending on where they are on the planet.</p>

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A satellite picture was released by the European Space Agency (ESA) of the surface of Earth split in day and night as one half appeared in the dark and the other experienced day.

A satellite picture was released by the European Space Agency (ESA) of the surface of Earth split in day and night as one half appeared in the dark and the other experienced day. In the image shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Sun is shown crossing the celestial equator in the sky because of which autumn is coming to the Northern Hemisphere. Posting the picture, the space agency wrote, "Winter is coming. Day and night are split in half today, as the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky at 07:50 BST/08:50 CEST marking the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This #Meteosat image was taken at 09:00 BST/10:00 CEST this morning." Winter is coming ❄️ Day and night are split in half today, as the Sun crossed the celestial equator in the sky at 07:50 BST/08:50 CEST marking the autumn equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. This #Meteosat image was taken at 09:00 BST/10:00 CEST this morning (pic: EUMETSAT) pic.twitter.com/t7oUI36ai4 — ESA (@esa) September 23, 2023 × Since the time the post was shared, it received many reactions from social media users. ALSO READ | US Federal Aviation Administration proposes revolutionary way to limit human litter in Earth's orbit "This is an interesting post !" stated a user. "Incredible," another person said. "The autumn equinox has begun in the Northern Hemisphere. Shown here, a grand image of Earth from Meteosat in space with Africa, Europe, and the Middle East positioned to the front," another user commented. "Amazing; I had no idea the countries of the world were drawn onto the Earth like that,” another person added. Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere According to Space.com, astronomically autumn began in the Northern Hemisphere and spring ushered in the Southern Hemisphere. "The sun is currently migrating south, having spent the previous six months shining directly on the northern half of our planet. So, at the official start time of autumn, the sun would appear directly overhead from a ship in the Laccadive Sea, positioned on the equator, 170 miles (275 kilometres) northeast of Addu City in the Maldives," said the website. WATCH | James Webb Space Telescope detects carbon on Jupiter's icy moon Europa The axis of the Earth is tilted either towards or away from the sun for the maximum time of the year. This means that the northern and southern portions of the planet receive different amounts of light and warmth from the sun. The axis and orbit of the Earth align at the equinox, which equally distributes sunlight to both hemispheres. The word equinox is made up of two Latin words which signify equal and night. This is because of the fact that day and night are nearly equal in length on the equinox. However, one may experience it for a few extra minutes depending on where they are on the planet. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

European Space Agency releases photo of Earth split in day and night

According to a different study that was earlier this summer published in the journal Biological Reviews, the sixth mass extinction is the first that has been "directly induced by a single species – humans." In June, scientists suggested defining a new epoch to account for the influence of people on the planet.

Sixth mass extinction underway at accelerating rate, warns study

The James Webb Space Telescope has identified carbon dioxide originating from the salty liquid oceans of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.

James Webb Space Telescope detects carbon on Jupiter's icy moon Europa

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<p>NASA has revealed that an asteroid will pass Earth at an extremely close distance on Friday, September 22. According to the details by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Asteroid 2023 RQ6 will make its first-ever approach to Earth on Friday.</p>

<p>Its orbit will bring the asteroid as close as 6.4 million kilometres near Earth. Although this distance might seem like a lot, it is short in astronomical sense. NASA has estimated its travelling speed as 33,912 kilometres per hour.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA has not classified the Asteroid 2023 RQ6 as a Potentially Hazardous Object because it will not impact Earth's surface despite a close call. The asteroid is approximately 75 feet wide. Thus, it is not huge enough to be classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. It is as big as an aircraft in terms of size.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-new-virus-at-depths-of-pacific-ocean-638411" target="_blank">Scientists find new virus at depths of Pacific Ocean</a></p>

<p>Asteroid 2023 RQ6 belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, named after the giant 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Kerl Reinmuth in the 1930s. They are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes bigger than Earth's.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most asteroids found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter can be observed with the help of advanced ground and space-based telescopes. However, scientists at NASA have recently observed three elusive asteroids hiding behind the glare of the Sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/trending/whats-the-source-of-co2-on-jupiters-moon-europa-scientists-finally-have-answers-638377" target="_blank"><strong>&nbsp;</strong>What's the source of CO2 on Jupiter's moon Europa? Scientists finally have answers</a></p>

<p>According to the latest discovery made by NASA, one of these asteroids is a large object which can be potentially hazardous to Earth. A team used the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on Victor M. Blanco's 4-metre telescope in Chile to find and observe these asteroids. It is challenging to locate celestial objects in the region around the Sun, as astronomers have to deal with the Sun's glaze.</p>

<p>Besides Asteroid 2023 RQ6, Asteroid 2023 SJ made its closest approach to Earth on September 21. It has a width between 52 feet and 118 feet.</p>

<p>According to a recent report by the OSIRIS-REx science team, Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid, could drift into the planet's orbit and hit the planet by September 2182. NASA has been tracking Bennu, first discovered in 1999, for 25 years. Bennu passes near Earth every six years and has had three close encounters with Earth in 1999, 2005, and 2011.</p>

<p><em>(With input from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
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NASA has revealed that an asteroid will pass Earth at an extremely close distance on Friday, September 22. According to the details by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Asteroid 2023 RQ6 will make its first-ever approach to Earth on Friday.

NASA has revealed that an asteroid will pass Earth at an extremely close distance on Friday, September 22. According to the details by NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Asteroid 2023 RQ6 will make its first-ever approach to Earth on Friday. Its orbit will bring the asteroid as close as 6.4 million kilometres near Earth. Although this distance might seem like a lot, it is short in astronomical sense. NASA has estimated its travelling speed as 33,912 kilometres per hour. NASA has not classified the Asteroid 2023 RQ6 as a Potentially Hazardous Object because it will not impact Earth's surface despite a close call. The asteroid is approximately 75 feet wide. Thus, it is not huge enough to be classified as a Potentially Hazardous Object. It is as big as an aircraft in terms of size. ALSO READ | Scientists find new virus at depths of Pacific Ocean Asteroid 2023 RQ6 belongs to the Apollo group of Near-Earth Asteroids, named after the giant 1862 Apollo asteroid, discovered by German astronomer Kerl Reinmuth in the 1930s. They are Earth-crossing space rocks with semi-major axes bigger than Earth's. Most asteroids found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter can be observed with the help of advanced ground and space-based telescopes. However, scientists at NASA have recently observed three elusive asteroids hiding behind the glare of the Sun. ALSO READ | What's the source of CO2 on Jupiter's moon Europa? Scientists finally have answers According to the latest discovery made by NASA, one of these asteroids is a large object which can be potentially hazardous to Earth. A team used the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on Victor M. Blanco's 4-metre telescope in Chile to find and observe these asteroids. It is challenging to locate celestial objects in the region around the Sun, as astronomers have to deal with the Sun's glaze. Besides Asteroid 2023 RQ6, Asteroid 2023 SJ made its closest approach to Earth on September 21. It has a width between 52 feet and 118 feet. According to a recent report by the OSIRIS-REx science team, Bennu, a near-Earth asteroid, could drift into the planet's orbit and hit the planet by September 2182. NASA has been tracking Bennu, first discovered in 1999, for 25 years. Bennu passes near Earth every six years and has had three close encounters with Earth in 1999, 2005, and 2011. (With input from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Asteroid to make its first-ever close approach to Earth! NASA predicts

<p>Pink diamonds are extremely rare and highly expensive. For years, researchers have been unable to decipher how these gemstones formed and why are they rosy in colour in comparison to other colourless diamonds.</p>

<p>That mystery has now finally been unravelled.</p>

<p>According to a team of Australia-based researchers, the pink diamonds arrived on the surface around 1.3 billion years ago when one of the Earth’s earliest supercontinents, Nuna, fell apart.</p>

<p>The research published in the journal Nature Communications indicates that ancient continental junctures may be hiding more of these colourful gems.</p>

<p>“While the continent that would become Australia didn’t break up, the area where Argyle is situated was stretched, including along the scar, which created gaps in the Earth’s crust for magma to shoot up through to the surface, bringing with it pink diamonds,” said lead study author Dr Hugo Olierook, a research fellow at Curtin University’s John de Laeter Centre in Perth, Australia, in a news release.</p>

<p>Australia accounts for more than 90 per cent of pink stones formed on Earth. They come from the Argyle mine in Western Australia, which was one of the world’s most productive diamond deposits until it ceased operations in November 2020.</p>

<p>Many of Argyle’s diamonds have a browny hue. But out of every thousand gems, a few would pop up in the rarer and more valuable pink.</p>

<p>Usually, diamonds are found in the middle of ancient continents, within volcanic rocks that have rapidly transported diamonds from deep inside Earth’s interior to the surface.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/microsoft-made-the-grave-error-of-accidentally-leaking-sensitive-data-this-is-what-happened-next-637798">Microsoft made the grave error of accidentally leaking sensitive data. This is what happened next</a></p>

<p>But the pink diamonds are formed when they are subjected to intense forces from colliding tectonic plates, as they twist and bend their crystal lattices. Most brown diamonds are also formed in this manner.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/when-was-the-universes-first-continent-formed-scientist-offers-clues-637742">When was the universe's first continent formed? Scientist offers clues</a></p>

<p>At Argyle, this process occurred around 1.8 billion years ago when Western Australia and Northern Australia collided, turning the once-colourless diamonds pink hundreds of miles below Earth’s crust.</p>

<p>“Argyle is at the suture of two of these ancient continents, and these edges are often covered by sand and soil, leaving the possibility that similar pink diamond-bearing volcanoes still sit undiscovered, including in Australia,” Olierook said.</p>

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Pink diamonds are extremely rare and highly expensive. For years, researchers have been unable to decipher how these gemstones formed and why are they rosy in colour in comparison to other colourless diamonds.

Pink diamonds are extremely rare and highly expensive. For years, researchers have been unable to decipher how these gemstones formed and why are they rosy in colour in comparison to other colourless diamonds. That mystery has now finally been unravelled. According to a team of Australia-based researchers, the pink diamonds arrived on the surface around 1.3 billion years ago when one of the Earth’s earliest supercontinents, Nuna, fell apart. The research published in the journal Nature Communications indicates that ancient continental junctures may be hiding more of these colourful gems. “While the continent that would become Australia didn’t break up, the area where Argyle is situated was stretched, including along the scar, which created gaps in the Earth’s crust for magma to shoot up through to the surface, bringing with it pink diamonds,” said lead study author Dr Hugo Olierook, a research fellow at Curtin University’s John de Laeter Centre in Perth, Australia, in a news release. Australia accounts for more than 90 per cent of pink stones formed on Earth. They come from the Argyle mine in Western Australia, which was one of the world’s most productive diamond deposits until it ceased operations in November 2020. Many of Argyle’s diamonds have a browny hue. But out of every thousand gems, a few would pop up in the rarer and more valuable pink. Usually, diamonds are found in the middle of ancient continents, within volcanic rocks that have rapidly transported diamonds from deep inside Earth’s interior to the surface. Also read | Microsoft made the grave error of accidentally leaking sensitive data. This is what happened next But the pink diamonds are formed when they are subjected to intense forces from colliding tectonic plates, as they twist and bend their crystal lattices. Most brown diamonds are also formed in this manner. Also read | When was the universe's first continent formed? Scientist offers clues At Argyle, this process occurred around 1.8 billion years ago when Western Australia and Northern Australia collided, turning the once-colourless diamonds pink hundreds of miles below Earth’s crust. “Argyle is at the suture of two of these ancient continents, and these edges are often covered by sand and soil, leaving the possibility that similar pink diamond-bearing volcanoes still sit undiscovered, including in Australia,” Olierook said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Pink diamonds formed when Earth's earliest supercontinent broke around 1.3bn years ago, says study

In pics: A picture of the Andromeda galaxy wins top spot in astronomy photography contest

<p>After 17 days of circling Earth, India's solar observatory Aditya-L1 craft has been slingshot on a long journey towards its destination, 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth. In the wee hours of Tuesday (Indian Standard Time), ISRO issued commands to fire the on-board engines of the Aditya-L1 craft, thereby granting it adequate departure energy to travel on the trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth Lagrangian Point 1.</p>

<p>This point is at 1 percentage distance of the 150 million kilometre Earth-Sun distance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a maneuver after about 110 days," ISRO said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Notably, Aditya-L1 is the fifth&nbsp;consecutive Indian spacecraft to be slingshot from Earth's orbit towards its destination in interplanetary space or towards a celestial body.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indias-aditya-l1-mission-to-study-sun-strikes-major-landmark-with-collection-of-scientific-data-637087">India's Aditya L1 mission to study Sun strikes major landmark with collection of scientific data</a></strong></p>

<p>As Indian rockets do not possess adequate lifting power to directly offer adequate departure velocity to spacecraft and hurl them to faraway destinations, India uses what is commonly known as the 'slingshot technique'.</p>

<p>This method has been deployed successfully in missions such as&nbsp;Chandrayaan-1 (2008), Mangalyaan (2013), Chandrayaan-2 (2019), Chandrayaan-3 (2023) and Aditya-L1.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In technical terms, such a method makes use of what is known as the 'Oberth Effect', which states that the most efficient place for a spacecraft to change velocity is at the lowest point of its orbit.</p>

<p>Aditya-L1 and other spacecraft listed above were placed in an elliptical orbit around the Earth. Typically, satellites that are meant to remain in orbit around the Earth are placed in a circular orbit. So, at all times the craft is equidistant from earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, when a craft has to be transferred from one orbit to another or has to be slingshot on a path towards another celestial body, then it is placed in an elliptical or egg-shaped orbit.</p>

<p>In an egg-shaped orbit, the craft's distance from the earth's surface keeps varying. The closest approach that the craft makes to the earth is known as perigee and the farthest approach is known as apogee.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The velocity of the craft is highest when it is at perigee (the closest approach to Earth).</p>

<p>Therefore, when the craft's engines are fired at perigee, the craft will gain more kinetic energy (departure energy), than it would during an engine firing at apogee.</p>

<p>This is why all engine firings for raising orbits are done at perigee. It is fuel-efficient and low-cost (as opposed to using a larger rocket).&nbsp;</p>

<p>By mastering such complex calculations and executing multiple orbit-raising manoeuvres and injection manoeuvres, ISRO has proven its mettle in carrying out such complex missions to the Moon&nbsp;and Mars and now to study the Sun from afar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to ISRO, placing the spacecraft at the L1 point&nbsp;provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities and their effect on space weather in real time.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA</strong></p>

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<p>The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic particle and magnetic field detectors. Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1, thus providing important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium.</p>

<p>The Aditya L1 payloads are expected to provide the most crucial information to understand the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics, dynamics of space weather, propagation of particles and fields etc, ISRO said.</p>

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After 17 days of circling Earth, India's solar observatory Aditya-L1 craft has been slingshot on a long journey towards its destination, 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth.

After 17 days of circling Earth, India's solar observatory Aditya-L1 craft has been slingshot on a long journey towards its destination, 1.5 million kilometres away from Earth. In the wee hours of Tuesday (Indian Standard Time), ISRO issued commands to fire the on-board engines of the Aditya-L1 craft, thereby granting it adequate departure energy to travel on the trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth Lagrangian Point 1. This point is at 1 percentage distance of the 150 million kilometre Earth-Sun distance. "The spacecraft is now on a trajectory that will take it to the Sun-Earth L1 point. It will be injected into an orbit around L1 through a maneuver after about 110 days," ISRO said. Notably, Aditya-L1 is the fifth consecutive Indian spacecraft to be slingshot from Earth's orbit towards its destination in interplanetary space or towards a celestial body. Also read | India's Aditya L1 mission to study Sun strikes major landmark with collection of scientific data As Indian rockets do not possess adequate lifting power to directly offer adequate departure velocity to spacecraft and hurl them to faraway destinations, India uses what is commonly known as the 'slingshot technique'. This method has been deployed successfully in missions such as Chandrayaan-1 (2008), Mangalyaan (2013), Chandrayaan-2 (2019), Chandrayaan-3 (2023) and Aditya-L1. In technical terms, such a method makes use of what is known as the 'Oberth Effect', which states that the most efficient place for a spacecraft to change velocity is at the lowest point of its orbit. Aditya-L1 and other spacecraft listed above were placed in an elliptical orbit around the Earth. Typically, satellites that are meant to remain in orbit around the Earth are placed in a circular orbit. So, at all times the craft is equidistant from earth. However, when a craft has to be transferred from one orbit to another or has to be slingshot on a path towards another celestial body, then it is placed in an elliptical or egg-shaped orbit. In an egg-shaped orbit, the craft's distance from the earth's surface keeps varying. The closest approach that the craft makes to the earth is known as perigee and the farthest approach is known as apogee. The velocity of the craft is highest when it is at perigee (the closest approach to Earth). Therefore, when the craft's engines are fired at perigee, the craft will gain more kinetic energy (departure energy), than it would during an engine firing at apogee. This is why all engine firings for raising orbits are done at perigee. It is fuel-efficient and low-cost (as opposed to using a larger rocket). By mastering such complex calculations and executing multiple orbit-raising manoeuvres and injection manoeuvres, ISRO has proven its mettle in carrying out such complex missions to the Moon and Mars and now to study the Sun from afar. According to ISRO, placing the spacecraft at the L1 point provides a greater advantage of observing solar activities and their effect on space weather in real time. Also watch | India sun mission Aditya-L1 begins collecting data from distance of 50,000 kms | World DNA × The spacecraft carries seven payloads to observe the photosphere, chromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun (the corona) using electromagnetic particle and magnetic field detectors. Using the special vantage point L1, four payloads directly view the Sun and the remaining three payloads carry out in-situ studies of particles and fields at the Lagrange point L1, thus providing important scientific studies of the propagatory effect of solar dynamics in the interplanetary medium. The Aditya L1 payloads are expected to provide the most crucial information to understand the problem of coronal heating, coronal mass ejection, pre-flare and flare activities and their characteristics, dynamics of space weather, propagation of particles and fields etc, ISRO said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

High-five for ISRO's 'slingshot technique' as Aditya-L1 leaves Earth's orbit for its destination

Earth is 'well outside safe operating space for humanity', with 6 planetary boundaries broken.

Humanity deep in danger zone of planetary boundaries: Study

Six of nine planetary boundaries now exceeded: Study

A man in West Bengal had promised the Moon to his wife before they got married. On her first birthday after the wedding, Sanjay Mahato went on to buy a "plot of Moon land" for Rs 10,000 to gift his wife.

Bengal man gifts wife piece of land on Moon after Chandrayaan-3 success

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<p>UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, his crewmates from NASA, Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev returned to Earth in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Monday, September 4.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The splashdown happened in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 08:17 am (UAE time). Al Neyadi's mission has become the longest in Arab history, as Crew-6 spent 186 days in space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohemed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stated on X (formerly Twitter), "Al Neyadi, the people of the UAE are immensely proud of you and the entire team for achieving major advances in space exploration. You carried the dreams of a nation to new frontiers, and we celebrate your pioneering journey and safe return."</p>

<p>Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi appeared from the Dragon spacecraft one hour after the splashdown.</p>

<p>Many people witnessed AlNeyadi and his colleagues slide out of the capsule. He received people's support and greeted the gathering with a smile and thumbs up. However, his initial steps were unsteady as the astronaut needed time to readjust to gravity, especially after the six-month mission. Later, recovery personnel carried him and the crew to the medical bay on a rolling chair.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="http://www.wionews.com/science/bedtime-for-pragyan-rover-as-sun-sets-on-moon-here-are-its-remarkable-findings-631874" target="_blank">Bedtime for Pragyan rover as Sun sets on Moon, here are its remarkable findings</a></p>

<p>Al Neyadi said he couldn't wait to rejoin friends and family and enjoy "a hot cup of coffee." Crew-6 commander Stephen Bowen, a former submariner, told CBS News that he looked forward to witnessing "the nice ocean air and peaceful calm seas. That'll be nice to get back to." Pilot Woody Hobury said he was looking forward to a "real shower."</p>

<p>On March 2, Crew-6 was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. They spent 185 days and 22 hours in space, orbiting the Earth 2,976 times and travelling 78.9 million miles. Throughout their mission, the Crew-6 astronauts welcomed seven visiting vehicles. They also carried out three spacewalks. Al Neyadi joined Bowen for a third excursion to retrieve a failed antenna package and do other maintenance.</p>

<p>Station commander Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio were launched to the station last September and will return to Earth 12 days later. Crew-7 members, launched on August 26, will replace Bowen and company. The squad includes Crew-7 commander Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, his crewmates from NASA, Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev returned to Earth in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Monday, September 4.

UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, his crewmates from NASA, Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, and Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev returned to Earth in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on Monday, September 4. The splashdown happened in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, at 08:17 am (UAE time). Al Neyadi's mission has become the longest in Arab history, as Crew-6 spent 186 days in space. The President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohemed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stated on X (formerly Twitter), "Al Neyadi, the people of the UAE are immensely proud of you and the entire team for achieving major advances in space exploration. You carried the dreams of a nation to new frontiers, and we celebrate your pioneering journey and safe return." Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi appeared from the Dragon spacecraft one hour after the splashdown. Many people witnessed AlNeyadi and his colleagues slide out of the capsule. He received people's support and greeted the gathering with a smile and thumbs up. However, his initial steps were unsteady as the astronaut needed time to readjust to gravity, especially after the six-month mission. Later, recovery personnel carried him and the crew to the medical bay on a rolling chair. ALSO READ | Bedtime for Pragyan rover as Sun sets on Moon, here are its remarkable findings Al Neyadi said he couldn't wait to rejoin friends and family and enjoy "a hot cup of coffee." Crew-6 commander Stephen Bowen, a former submariner, told CBS News that he looked forward to witnessing "the nice ocean air and peaceful calm seas. That'll be nice to get back to." Pilot Woody Hobury said he was looking forward to a "real shower." On March 2, Crew-6 was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. They spent 185 days and 22 hours in space, orbiting the Earth 2,976 times and travelling 78.9 million miles. Throughout their mission, the Crew-6 astronauts welcomed seven visiting vehicles. They also carried out three spacewalks. Al Neyadi joined Bowen for a third excursion to retrieve a failed antenna package and do other maintenance. Station commander Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio were launched to the station last September and will return to Earth 12 days later. Crew-7 members, launched on August 26, will replace Bowen and company. The squad includes Crew-7 commander Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa and cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi & three space station fliers return to Earth after six-month voyage

<p>Saturn is often called the majestic planet of our Solar System as it has the most prominent rings visible from even an amateur telescope from the surface of the Earth. The planet has captivated us for centuries and has come to assume many identities in myths and legends across the world. NASA had launched the Cassini probe in the year 1997 to study the planet up close. The probe reached Saturn in the year 2004 and clicked some truly brilliant pictures as it did several flybys.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA has now revisited one of these pictures. On its Instagram feed, NASA has posted the iconic image of Saturn taken by the Cassini probe, and Earth is photobombing along with the Moon, Mars and Venus!</p>

<p>When the Cassini spacecraft captured this image, it was a whopping 1.2 billion kilometres (746,000 miles) away from Earth. NASA says that this image of the ringed planet was taken using red, green and blue filters in order to catch the natural-colour view of Saturn.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The photobombers, namely the Earth, the Moon along with Venus and Mars are visible as mere dots of light.</p>

<p>NASA's repost of the iconic image has come just when Saturn is visible each day in the sky at the time of sunset. The planet will be visible this way until February 2024. It will be visible as a bright yellowish "star" on southwestern horizon.</p>

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<p>Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It is the second-largest planet in our Solar System. Contrary to common belief, the ring around Saturn is not a single structure but it is made up of thousands of ringlets made of chunks of ice and rock. It's a massive ball made mainly of hydrogen and helium just like Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-isros-vikram-lander-makes-soft-landing-on-moon-again-exceeds-mission-objectives-632122"><strong>Watch: ISRO's Vikram lander makes soft landing on Moon again, 'exceeds mission objectives'</strong></a></p>

<p>Fun thing about Saturn is its density is less than that of water. So if the planet is put in a giant tub filled with water, it will actually float! Finding such a big tub would definitely be a problem as Saturn is more than nine times larger than Earth.</p>

<p>You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p>

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Saturn is often called the majestic planet of our Solar System as it has the most prominent rings visible from even an amateur telescope from the surface of the Earth.

Saturn is often called the majestic planet of our Solar System as it has the most prominent rings visible from even an amateur telescope from the surface of the Earth. The planet has captivated us for centuries and has come to assume many identities in myths and legends across the world. NASA had launched the Cassini probe in the year 1997 to study the planet up close. The probe reached Saturn in the year 2004 and clicked some truly brilliant pictures as it did several flybys. NASA has now revisited one of these pictures. On its Instagram feed, NASA has posted the iconic image of Saturn taken by the Cassini probe, and Earth is photobombing along with the Moon, Mars and Venus! When the Cassini spacecraft captured this image, it was a whopping 1.2 billion kilometres (746,000 miles) away from Earth. NASA says that this image of the ringed planet was taken using red, green and blue filters in order to catch the natural-colour view of Saturn. The photobombers, namely the Earth, the Moon along with Venus and Mars are visible as mere dots of light. NASA's repost of the iconic image has come just when Saturn is visible each day in the sky at the time of sunset. The planet will be visible this way until February 2024. It will be visible as a bright yellowish "star" on southwestern horizon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It is the second-largest planet in our Solar System. Contrary to common belief, the ring around Saturn is not a single structure but it is made up of thousands of ringlets made of chunks of ice and rock. It's a massive ball made mainly of hydrogen and helium just like Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System. Watch: ISRO's Vikram lander makes soft landing on Moon again, 'exceeds mission objectives' Fun thing about Saturn is its density is less than that of water. So if the planet is put in a giant tub filled with water, it will actually float! Finding such a big tub would definitely be a problem as Saturn is more than nine times larger than Earth. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

NASA revisits iconic Saturn pic, and Earth is photobombing

<p>Amid the ongoing debate about the existence of a so-called ‘Planet Nine’ which scientists believe has been lurking around in the murky depths of our solar system for years now, two scientists from Japan have a new theory that suggests the existence of a more modestly sized, Earth-like planet closer than the disputed Planet Nine.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Argument around existence of ‘Planet Nine’</strong></h2>

<p>Scientists have been debating about the presence of the so-called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-mysterious-planet-may-be-lurking-around-in-our-solar-system-621243">Planet Nine</a>, the supposedly massive terrestrial planet for some time now, after Pluto was unceremoniously stripped of its planetary status and declared a dwarf planet.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So far, the most distant single object ever to be found in our solar system is some 132 astronomical units from the Sun, to put this into perspective, Pluto is at an average distance of about 40 astronomical units from the Sun.</p>

<h2><strong>About the new theory</strong></h2>

<p>Planetary scientists Patryk Sofia Lykawka of Kindai University in Japan and Takashi Ito of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, in a recent paper, published in The Astronomical Journal, have put forth an alternative explanation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They suggest that there might be a more modestly sized, Earth-like planet revolving around the Sun, closer to the debated Planet Nine, on a tilted orbit.</p>

<p>Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) found beyond the orbit of Neptune, which scientists have recently taken note of due to their peculiar clustering behaviour have led them to suggest the presence of a hidden world and the idea of a 9th planet lurking beyond our range of visibility.</p>

<p>“We predict the existence of an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-earth-like-exoplanet-in-habitable-zone-around-its-star-558568">Earth-like planet</a> and several trans-Neptunian objects on peculiar orbits in the outer solar system, which can serve as observationally testable signatures of the putative planet’s perturbations,” the duo wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This comes as scientists have found a number of TNOs including icy rocks and dwarf planets beyond Neptune which are some 30 astronomical units from the Sun, which extend as far as we can see. This is the Kuiper belt and the objects it contains are called TNOs.</p>

<p>Lykawka and Ito said that they have found the properties of a hypothetical planet that could explain “three fundamental properties of the distant Kuiper Belt: a prominent population of TNOs with orbits beyond Neptune’s gravitational influence, a significant population of high-inclination objects, and the existence of some extreme objects with peculiar orbits.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two scientists suggested that the mass of this possible Earth-like planet would be between 1.5 and three times that of Earth. The most distant point from the Sun in this planet’s orbit would be between 250 and 500 astronomical units and an inclination of 30 degrees respective to the plane of the solar system.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Amid the ongoing debate about the existence of a so-called ‘Planet Nine’ which scientists believe has been lurking around in the murky depths of our solar system for years now, two scientists from Japan have a new theory that suggests the existence of a more modestly sized, Earth-like planet closer than the disputed Planet Nine.

Amid the ongoing debate about the existence of a so-called ‘Planet Nine’ which scientists believe has been lurking around in the murky depths of our solar system for years now, two scientists from Japan have a new theory that suggests the existence of a more modestly sized, Earth-like planet closer than the disputed Planet Nine. Argument around existence of ‘Planet Nine’ Scientists have been debating about the presence of the so-called Planet Nine, the supposedly massive terrestrial planet for some time now, after Pluto was unceremoniously stripped of its planetary status and declared a dwarf planet. So far, the most distant single object ever to be found in our solar system is some 132 astronomical units from the Sun, to put this into perspective, Pluto is at an average distance of about 40 astronomical units from the Sun. About the new theory Planetary scientists Patryk Sofia Lykawka of Kindai University in Japan and Takashi Ito of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, in a recent paper, published in The Astronomical Journal, have put forth an alternative explanation. They suggest that there might be a more modestly sized, Earth-like planet revolving around the Sun, closer to the debated Planet Nine, on a tilted orbit. Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) found beyond the orbit of Neptune, which scientists have recently taken note of due to their peculiar clustering behaviour have led them to suggest the presence of a hidden world and the idea of a 9th planet lurking beyond our range of visibility. “We predict the existence of an Earth-like planet and several trans-Neptunian objects on peculiar orbits in the outer solar system, which can serve as observationally testable signatures of the putative planet’s perturbations,” the duo wrote. This comes as scientists have found a number of TNOs including icy rocks and dwarf planets beyond Neptune which are some 30 astronomical units from the Sun, which extend as far as we can see. This is the Kuiper belt and the objects it contains are called TNOs. Lykawka and Ito said that they have found the properties of a hypothetical planet that could explain “three fundamental properties of the distant Kuiper Belt: a prominent population of TNOs with orbits beyond Neptune’s gravitational influence, a significant population of high-inclination objects, and the existence of some extreme objects with peculiar orbits.” The two scientists suggested that the mass of this possible Earth-like planet would be between 1.5 and three times that of Earth. The most distant point from the Sun in this planet’s orbit would be between 250 and 500 astronomical units and an inclination of 30 degrees respective to the plane of the solar system. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Scientists believe an Earth-like planet might be hiding in our solar system

A glob of plasma and radiation that was blasted by an unexplained explosion on the sun's far side is expected to crash with Mars. According to researchers, if the solar storm strikes the Red Planet, it may cause weak UV auroras and even shred a portion of the Martian atmosphere.

Massive explosion from Sun felt on Earth and Mars

NASA is exploring the potential for a supersonic jet that could take commercial passengers from London to New York in 90 minutes.

NASA's supersonic passenger flights are getting closer

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