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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>
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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>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></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 />
<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>

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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 />
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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

The moon is Earth's natural satellite is it the closest celestial body to Earth and the only one where astronauts have landed so far.

Lunar traffic risks satellite collision

Climate change is no more a battle for the future, rather, it is the present, and it is affecting our lives daily. In the wake of climate change, the once mighty glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate. Extreme weather events have become the new normal.

Alarming results of glacier retreat due to global warming

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<p>India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has moved closer to the moon after performing its third lunar orbit reduction. This means that the craft has been&nbsp;gradually moved from a highly-elliptical orbit (174 km x 1437 km) to a near-circular orbit (150km x 177km) around the Moon. In an elliptical orbit, there is a huge difference between the craft's nearest point to the moon (perilune) and farthest point to the moon (apolune). In a near-circular orbit, there is a very minor difference between perilune and apolune.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Orbit circularisation phase commences. Precise maneuvre performed today has achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km. The next operation is planned for August 16, 2023, around 0830 hrs IST," ISRO posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO's next target is to bring the craft to a circular orbit&nbsp;where the craft is 100 km above the lunar surface. This is what ISRO calls the orbit circularisation phase. When this orbit is achieved, the spacecraft will be at a constant 100 km distance above the moon, at any period of time in that orbit.</p>

<p>"When the craft is circling around the moon, a command is issued to re-orient the craft by 180 degrees. This re-orientation will ensure that the craft's engine(s) can be used as a brake. Such engine firings are known as retro-firings. In retro-firing, the engine is not pushing the craft forward. Instead, it is pushing the craft in a direction opposite to its original direction of movement and it will slow down the craft," Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, former director of ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre, explained to WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When the craft was circling the earth, commands were issued to fire the engines and push the craft further away from the earth (orbit-raising manoeuvres). In those cases, the engine was fired to propel the craft forward and impart more velocity to it. In retro-firing (opposite firing), the engine firing is done in an opposite direction,&nbsp;thereby reducing&nbsp;the velocity of the craft and lowering its orbit. These are the fundamental differences between orbit-raising manoeuvres and orbit-reduction manoeuvres.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-isro-releases-video-of-the-moon-captured-by-chandrayaan-3-as-it-enters-lunar-orbit-622908">ISRO releases video of the moon captured by Chandrayaan-3 as it enters lunar orbit</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>The journey so far</strong></h2>

<p>Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 from India's spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. 16 minutes after lift-off, the craft was placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth. Thereafter, by performing five engine burns on as many occasions, the craft gradually raised its orbit and slingshot itself further away from Earth, while continuing to remain in the home planet's orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On the intervening night of July 31 and August 1, Chandrayaan-3 performed its Trans-Lunar injection burn. By this long-duration firing of its engines, the craft was pushed out of Earth's gravitational influence and hurled towards lunar gravitational influence.</p>

<p>On August 6, the spacecraft performed its maiden Lunar orbit reduction manoeuvre. The second Lunar orbit reduction happened on August 9.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chandrayaan-3-now-within-moons-gravitational-orbit-india-isro-623261"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Chandrayaan-3 now within moon's gravitational orbit | India | ISRO</strong></a></p>

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<h2><strong>The journey that lies ahead</strong></h2>

<p>ISRO has said that the fourth orbit reduction manoeuvre is scheduled for 8:30 am IST, August 16.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"At the time of the lander separating from the propulsion module, the craft will be in a 100 km x100 km orbit. Many systems that are required to work for landing will be utilised and tested at that point. The craft will be in the orbital phase for 4-5 days,"&nbsp;Dr M. Sankaran, director of ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre, told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"So, we will carry out tests of the various systems. Four 800N throttleable engines (that are meant to help in slowing down the craft for landing) have to be test fired in different combinations, sensors on the lander will be oriented towards the propulsion module and tested for various performance parameters by getting a reflection back from it."</p>

<p>By the time the engine testing is complete, the craft will be brought to a 100 km x 30 km orbit, he added.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/isro-releases-majestic-images-of-earth-and-moon-captured-by-chandrayaan-3-624186" target="_blank"><strong>Also read | ISRO releases majestic images of Earth and Moon captured by Chandrayaan-3</strong></a></p>

<p>Thereafter, a process of Rough braking, Attitude hold, fine braking, and velocity reduction would be carried out&nbsp;in the run-up to the lunar landing. ISRO has planned the Lunar landing at 5:47 pm IST on August 23.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath has assured that the Vikram lander will be able to make a soft landing on the Moon's surface, come August 23. He added that the landing is certain even if all the sensors and two of its engines do not work. The Vikram lander is expected to descend on the moon on August 23.</p>

<p>"If everything fails, if all the sensors fail, nothing works, still it (Vikram) will make a landing. That's how it has been designed -- provided that the propulsion system works well," Somnath said.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Objectives of Chandrayaan-3</strong></h2>

<p>India's third lunar spacecraft comprises a propulsion module, lander and rover. The combined mass of them is 3.9 tonnes. The key goal of the craft is to perform a lunar soft-landing and perform in-situ analysis near 70 degrees latitude of the Lunar surface. The mission is expected to last 14 Earth days or one lunar day, during which the six-wheeled rover and the lander will perform their respective experiments.&nbsp;</p>

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India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has moved closer to the moon after performing its third lunar orbit reduction. This means that the craft has been gradually moved from a highly-elliptical orbit (174 km x 1437 km) to a near-circular orbit (150km x 177km) around the Moon.

India's Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft has moved closer to the moon after performing its third lunar orbit reduction. This means that the craft has been gradually moved from a highly-elliptical orbit (174 km x 1437 km) to a near-circular orbit (150km x 177km) around the Moon. In an elliptical orbit, there is a huge difference between the craft's nearest point to the moon (perilune) and farthest point to the moon (apolune). In a near-circular orbit, there is a very minor difference between perilune and apolune. "Orbit circularisation phase commences. Precise maneuvre performed today has achieved a near-circular orbit of 150 km x 177 km. The next operation is planned for August 16, 2023, around 0830 hrs IST," ISRO posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. ISRO's next target is to bring the craft to a circular orbit where the craft is 100 km above the lunar surface. This is what ISRO calls the orbit circularisation phase. When this orbit is achieved, the spacecraft will be at a constant 100 km distance above the moon, at any period of time in that orbit. "When the craft is circling around the moon, a command is issued to re-orient the craft by 180 degrees. This re-orientation will ensure that the craft's engine(s) can be used as a brake. Such engine firings are known as retro-firings. In retro-firing, the engine is not pushing the craft forward. Instead, it is pushing the craft in a direction opposite to its original direction of movement and it will slow down the craft," Dr Mylswamy Annadurai, former director of ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre, explained to WION. When the craft was circling the earth, commands were issued to fire the engines and push the craft further away from the earth (orbit-raising manoeuvres). In those cases, the engine was fired to propel the craft forward and impart more velocity to it. In retro-firing (opposite firing), the engine firing is done in an opposite direction, thereby reducing the velocity of the craft and lowering its orbit. These are the fundamental differences between orbit-raising manoeuvres and orbit-reduction manoeuvres. Also read: ISRO releases video of the moon captured by Chandrayaan-3 as it enters lunar orbit The journey so far Chandrayaan-3 was launched on July 14 from India's spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. 16 minutes after lift-off, the craft was placed in a highly elliptical orbit around the Earth. Thereafter, by performing five engine burns on as many occasions, the craft gradually raised its orbit and slingshot itself further away from Earth, while continuing to remain in the home planet's orbit. On the intervening night of July 31 and August 1, Chandrayaan-3 performed its Trans-Lunar injection burn. By this long-duration firing of its engines, the craft was pushed out of Earth's gravitational influence and hurled towards lunar gravitational influence. On August 6, the spacecraft performed its maiden Lunar orbit reduction manoeuvre. The second Lunar orbit reduction happened on August 9. Watch | Chandrayaan-3 now within moon's gravitational orbit | India | ISRO × The journey that lies ahead ISRO has said that the fourth orbit reduction manoeuvre is scheduled for 8:30 am IST, August 16. "At the time of the lander separating from the propulsion module, the craft will be in a 100 km x100 km orbit. Many systems that are required to work for landing will be utilised and tested at that point. The craft will be in the orbital phase for 4-5 days," Dr M. Sankaran, director of ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre, told WION. "So, we will carry out tests of the various systems. Four 800N throttleable engines (that are meant to help in slowing down the craft for landing) have to be test fired in different combinations, sensors on the lander will be oriented towards the propulsion module and tested for various performance parameters by getting a reflection back from it." By the time the engine testing is complete, the craft will be brought to a 100 km x 30 km orbit, he added. Also read | ISRO releases majestic images of Earth and Moon captured by Chandrayaan-3 Thereafter, a process of Rough braking, Attitude hold, fine braking, and velocity reduction would be carried out in the run-up to the lunar landing. ISRO has planned the Lunar landing at 5:47 pm IST on August 23. ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath has assured that the Vikram lander will be able to make a soft landing on the Moon's surface, come August 23. He added that the landing is certain even if all the sensors and two of its engines do not work. The Vikram lander is expected to descend on the moon on August 23. "If everything fails, if all the sensors fail, nothing works, still it (Vikram) will make a landing. That's how it has been designed -- provided that the propulsion system works well," Somnath said. Objectives of Chandrayaan-3 India's third lunar spacecraft comprises a propulsion module, lander and rover. The combined mass of them is 3.9 tonnes. The key goal of the craft is to perform a lunar soft-landing and perform in-situ analysis near 70 degrees latitude of the Lunar surface. The mission is expected to last 14 Earth days or one lunar day, during which the six-wheeled rover and the lander will perform their respective experiments. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Explained | Chandrayaan-3 is just 150km above lunar surface. What does it mean?

Mars is spinning faster. With every passing year, Martian days are becoming shorter by 0.76 milliseconds. This comes a year after scientists said that the Earth too has begun spinning faster. Are the two cosmic developments related? Listen in to Vikram Chandra.

Mars is spinning faster, here's what it could mean

Mars is rotating faster. Every year, the length of a Martian day decreases by 0.76 milliseconds. This comes after scientists stated that the Earth has begun to rotate faster as well. Are the two cosmic occurrences connected? Watch to know more in this interview with NASA Mars Scientist, Dr Amitabh Ghosh.

Scientists have not been able to determine why Mars is spinning fast

<p>Ahead of the highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 landing, scheduled to take place later this month, the&nbsp;Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday (August 10) shared a set of fresh images of the Moon and Earth captured by the lunar spacecraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One of the first images has been taken on July 14 when the mission was launched from the&nbsp;Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, located in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The first image shows Earth as viewed by the Lander Image Camera.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The second image, captured by Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) showed the craters Aristarchus, Eddington and Pythagoras along with one of the dark plains on the lunar surface&nbsp;Oceanus Procellarum.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Netizens applaud the pictures</strong></h2>

<p>Netizens and admirers of ISRO were truly awestruck by the images released and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their happiness.<br />
<br />
"No Matter how far we venture into otherworldly realms, the allure of Earth's beauty remains unparalleled..," posted one while another added, "We've been waiting for this. Image of Earth from Lander and Moon. #ISRO #Chandrayaan3. Perhaps we were a bit too eager in our demands for photos from @isro. Proud to be witnessing this."</p>

<p>"Sending all my positive energy and heartfelt wishes to the incredible team behind Chandrayaan 3! You are true pioneers, and I believe in your courage and determination to achieve great things. Reach for the stars!," posted another.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-isro-releases-video-of-the-moon-captured-by-chandrayaan-3-as-it-enters-lunar-orbit-622908">ISRO releases video of the moon captured by Chandrayaan-3 as it enters lunar orbit</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>ISRO chairman confident about landing&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath has assured that the Vikram lander will be able to make a soft landing on the Moon's surface, come August 23. He added that the landing is certain even if all the sensors and two of its engines do not work. The Vikram lander is expected to descend on the moon on August 23.</p>

<p>"If everything fails, if all the sensors fail, nothing works, still it (Vikram) will make a landing. That's how it has been designed -- provided that the propulsion system works well," Somnath told PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chandrayaan-3-now-within-moons-gravitational-orbit-india-isro-623261"><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Chandrayaan-3 now within moon's gravitational orbit | India | ISRO</strong></a></p>

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<p>Somnath&nbsp;said the mission's most critical phase will be the orbit determination process when the spacecraft starts moving closer to the moon from the 100 km circular orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Up to 100 km we do not see any difficulty. The issues are only an estimation of the position of the lander accurately from Earth. This measurement is a very critical measurement, we call it the orbit determination process. If it is correct, the rest of the process can be done."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Ahead of the highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 landing, scheduled to take place later this month, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday (August 10) shared a set of fresh images of the Moon and Earth captured by the lunar spacecraft.

Ahead of the highly anticipated Chandrayaan-3 landing, scheduled to take place later this month, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Thursday (August 10) shared a set of fresh images of the Moon and Earth captured by the lunar spacecraft. One of the first images has been taken on July 14 when the mission was launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, located in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The first image shows Earth as viewed by the Lander Image Camera. The second image, captured by Lander Horizontal Velocity Camera (LHVC) showed the craters Aristarchus, Eddington and Pythagoras along with one of the dark plains on the lunar surface Oceanus Procellarum. Netizens applaud the pictures Netizens and admirers of ISRO were truly awestruck by the images released and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their happiness. "No Matter how far we venture into otherworldly realms, the allure of Earth's beauty remains unparalleled..," posted one while another added, "We've been waiting for this. Image of Earth from Lander and Moon. #ISRO #Chandrayaan3. Perhaps we were a bit too eager in our demands for photos from @isro. Proud to be witnessing this." "Sending all my positive energy and heartfelt wishes to the incredible team behind Chandrayaan 3! You are true pioneers, and I believe in your courage and determination to achieve great things. Reach for the stars!," posted another. Also read: ISRO releases video of the moon captured by Chandrayaan-3 as it enters lunar orbit ISRO chairman confident about landing ISRO Chairman Dr S Somnath has assured that the Vikram lander will be able to make a soft landing on the Moon's surface, come August 23. He added that the landing is certain even if all the sensors and two of its engines do not work. The Vikram lander is expected to descend on the moon on August 23. "If everything fails, if all the sensors fail, nothing works, still it (Vikram) will make a landing. That's how it has been designed -- provided that the propulsion system works well," Somnath told PTI. Watch | Chandrayaan-3 now within moon's gravitational orbit | India | ISRO × Somnath said the mission's most critical phase will be the orbit determination process when the spacecraft starts moving closer to the moon from the 100 km circular orbit. "Up to 100 km we do not see any difficulty. The issues are only an estimation of the position of the lander accurately from Earth. This measurement is a very critical measurement, we call it the orbit determination process. If it is correct, the rest of the process can be done." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

ISRO releases majestic images of Earth and Moon captured by Chandrayaan-3

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