The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered what appears to be the two earliest, most distant galaxies in the known universe. These galaxies date back to just 300 million years after the Big Bang, LiveScience reported on Friday (May 31), citing a research paper.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered what appears to be the two earliest, most distant galaxies in the known universe. These galaxies date back to just 300 million years after the Big Bang, LiveScience reported on Friday (May 31), citing a research paper. This galaxy duo broke the records set by another pair of galaxies discovered by the JWST in 2023, which date back to roughly 330 million years after the birth of the universe. Researchers spotted the galaxies in a region of space known as the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. A look at the ancient galaxies The galaxies have been named JADES-GS-z14-0 and JADES-GS-z14-1. LiveScience reported that both galaxies were also unusually large for such an early time in cosmic history. Also read | JWST spots two monster black holes that can challenge understanding of universe The latest discovery adds to a mounting pile of evidence that the earliest galaxies in the universe grew up much faster than leading theories of cosmology predict to be possible. "It is stunning that the Universe can make such a galaxy in only 300 million years," Professor Stefano Carniani from the Scuola Normale Superiore said in a statement. The larger of the two galaxies JADES-GS-z14-0 is larger than JADES-GS-z14-1. Researchers said that the impressive size and brightness of JADES-GS-z14-0 is likely being fuelled by young and actively forming stars, rather than a supermassive black hole. The team also noted that JWST could have detected the galaxy even if its light was 10 times fainter than what was observed. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb telescope discovers two earliest, most distant galaxies in known universe

Scientists have observed carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices in the far reaches of our solar system on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) for the first time.&nbsp;

The observations were made using the infrared spectral capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space.&nbsp;

In a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy earlier this week, scientists analysed the chemical composition of 59 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs.&nbsp;

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The groundbreaking study suggests that carbon dioxide ice was abundant in the cold outer parts of the protoplanetary disc,&nbsp;the enormous revolving disc of gas and dust from which the solar system began.&nbsp;

However, a research team, led by planetary scientists Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso from the University of Central Florida's Florida Space Institute (FSI) also said that more investigation is required to understand the carbon monoxide ice's origins because it is also prevalent on the TNOs in the study.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-james-webb-may-have-found-answers-to-planets-extreme-puffiness-around-stars-725236">NASA's James Webb may have found answers to planets' extreme puffiness around stars</a>

As quoted by phys.org, De Prá, who co-authored the study, said, "It is the first time we observed this region of the spectrum for a large collection of TNOs, so in a sense, everything we saw was exciting and unique."&nbsp;

"We did not expect to find that carbon dioxide was so ubiquitous in the TNO region, and even less that carbon monoxide was present in so many TNOs," he added.&nbsp;

Experts believe that the study would help in understanding the formation of our solar system. It could also shed some light on how celestial objects may have migrated.&nbsp;

"Trans-Neptunian Objects are relics from the process of planetary formation," de Prá said, further adding, "These findings can impose important constraints about where these objects were formed, how they reached the region they inhabit nowadays, and how their surfaces evolved since their formation. Because they formed at greater distances to the sun and are smaller than the planets, they contain the pristine information about the original composition of the protoplanetary disk."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Scientists have observed carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices in the far reaches of our solar system on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) for the first time. The observations were made using the infrared spectral capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space.

Scientists have observed carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ices in the far reaches of our solar system on trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) for the first time. The observations were made using the infrared spectral capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space. In a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy earlier this week, scientists analysed the chemical composition of 59 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs. Also read: NASA launches satellite PREFIRE to monitor, predict and help mitigate climate change The groundbreaking study suggests that carbon dioxide ice was abundant in the cold outer parts of the protoplanetary disc, the enormous revolving disc of gas and dust from which the solar system began. However, a research team, led by planetary scientists Mário Nascimento De Prá and Noemí Pinilla-Alonso from the University of Central Florida's Florida Space Institute (FSI) also said that more investigation is required to understand the carbon monoxide ice's origins because it is also prevalent on the TNOs in the study. Also read: NASA's James Webb may have found answers to planets' extreme puffiness around stars As quoted by phys.org, De Prá, who co-authored the study, said, "It is the first time we observed this region of the spectrum for a large collection of TNOs, so in a sense, everything we saw was exciting and unique." "We did not expect to find that carbon dioxide was so ubiquitous in the TNO region, and even less that carbon monoxide was present in so many TNOs," he added. Experts believe that the study would help in understanding the formation of our solar system. It could also shed some light on how celestial objects may have migrated. "Trans-Neptunian Objects are relics from the process of planetary formation," de Prá said, further adding, "These findings can impose important constraints about where these objects were formed, how they reached the region they inhabit nowadays, and how their surfaces evolved since their formation. Because they formed at greater distances to the sun and are smaller than the planets, they contain the pristine information about the original composition of the protoplanetary disk." (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists find CO2 and CO ice far away in our solar system for the first time

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may have found the answer to why some planets swell at staggering amounts in the presence of a star, a mystery that puzzled scientists when recently they spotted a puffy exoplanet, WASP-107 b.&nbsp;

A surprisingly low reservoir of methane in a planet might unravel the mystery of a planet growing weirdly puffy near a star. The observations made by JWST show that planetary atmospheres can inflate immensely, which defies some of the existing planet formation theories.&nbsp;

"The Webb data tells us that planets like WASP-107 b didn't have to form in some odd way with a super small core and a huge gassy envelope," explains Michael Line, an extrasolar planetologist at Arizona State University.

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"Instead, we can take something more like Neptune, with a lot of rock and not as much gas, just dial up the temperature, and poof it up to look the way it does."

WASP-107 b was discovered in 2017 by the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) consortium, roughly 200 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It was found to be the lightest of known exoplanets.&nbsp;

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Data collected using <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAWebb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAWebb</a>, combined with prior observations from <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAHubble?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAHubble</a>, is giving researchers answers as to why the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107 b is so puffy! 
 
FIND OUT &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/Jiw78BtYZx">https://t.co/Jiw78BtYZx</a> <a href="https://t.co/YsQDuNzrlW">pic.twitter.com/YsQDuNzrlW</a>
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Despite being as large as Jupiter, WASP-107 b weighs just 12 per cent of the planet's mass, which is equivalent to only 30 Earths. For context, one Jupiter mass is equal to about 318 Earth masses. This planet is so puffy, the team says, that its density can be compared to a microwaved marshmallow.

<h2>James Webb suspects low methane in planets as&nbsp;cause of their puffiness</h2>

The study was conducted on the basis of data from JWST and previous observations from the Hubble Space Telescope- divided among two independent teams.&nbsp;

In a nutshell, the teams discovered that methane in the planet’s atmosphere is 1,000th of what would be expected for the world. As methane is unstable at high temperatures, researchers say the astonishingly low amount of it is evidence that the gas from deep within the planet is “mixing vigorously with cooler layers higher up,” says David Sing of John Hopkins University (JHU) in Maryland, who led one of the two studies.

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"The fact that we detected so little, even though we did detect other carbon-bearing molecules, tells us that the interior of the planet must be significantly hotter than we thought."

One thing that could explain this extra heat is the fact that WASP-107 b zips around its star every 5.7 days in an orbit that is not a perfect circle, the researchers say. The star's constant gravitational pull on WASP-107 b, whose distance from its star keeps varying throughout, stretches and contracts the planet’s profile, thereby heating it up. On Earth, a similar force by the moon causes high and low tides.

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The planet's hot core combined with tidal heating from its star is also changing the chemistry of the gases deep within the planet, Zafar Rustamkulov, who is a graduate student at JHU and a co-author of one of the two new studies, said in a statement. "We think this heat is causing the chemistry of the gases to change, specifically destroying methane and making elevated amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide."

The planet’s extremely puffy nature helps astronomers look about 50 times deeper into its atmosphere than they can for a world like Jupiter.&nbsp;

This research is described in two studies published Monday (May 20) in the journal Nature.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may have found the answer to why some planets swell at staggering amounts in the presence of a star, a mystery that puzzled scientists when recently they spotted a puffy exoplanet, WASP-107 b.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) may have found the answer to why some planets swell at staggering amounts in the presence of a star, a mystery that puzzled scientists when recently they spotted a puffy exoplanet, WASP-107 b. A surprisingly low reservoir of methane in a planet might unravel the mystery of a planet growing weirdly puffy near a star. The observations made by JWST show that planetary atmospheres can inflate immensely, which defies some of the existing planet formation theories. "The Webb data tells us that planets like WASP-107 b didn't have to form in some odd way with a super small core and a huge gassy envelope," explains Michael Line, an extrasolar planetologist at Arizona State University. Also Read | What is ecological grief and how can you help your loved ones cope with it? "Instead, we can take something more like Neptune, with a lot of rock and not as much gas, just dial up the temperature, and poof it up to look the way it does." WASP-107 b was discovered in 2017 by the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) consortium, roughly 200 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It was found to be the lightest of known exoplanets. Data collected using @NASAWebb, combined with prior observations from @NASAHubble, is giving researchers answers as to why the warm gas-giant exoplanet WASP-107 b is so puffy! FIND OUT >> https://t.co/Jiw78BtYZx pic.twitter.com/YsQDuNzrlW — NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) May 23, 2024 × Despite being as large as Jupiter, WASP-107 b weighs just 12 per cent of the planet's mass, which is equivalent to only 30 Earths. For context, one Jupiter mass is equal to about 318 Earth masses. This planet is so puffy, the team says, that its density can be compared to a microwaved marshmallow. James Webb suspects low methane in planets as cause of their puffiness The study was conducted on the basis of data from JWST and previous observations from the Hubble Space Telescope- divided among two independent teams. In a nutshell, the teams discovered that methane in the planet’s atmosphere is 1,000th of what would be expected for the world. As methane is unstable at high temperatures, researchers say the astonishingly low amount of it is evidence that the gas from deep within the planet is “mixing vigorously with cooler layers higher up,” says David Sing of John Hopkins University (JHU) in Maryland, who led one of the two studies. Also Read | Are fish oil supplements causing more harm to the heart than good? "The fact that we detected so little, even though we did detect other carbon-bearing molecules, tells us that the interior of the planet must be significantly hotter than we thought." One thing that could explain this extra heat is the fact that WASP-107 b zips around its star every 5.7 days in an orbit that is not a perfect circle, the researchers say. The star's constant gravitational pull on WASP-107 b, whose distance from its star keeps varying throughout, stretches and contracts the planet’s profile, thereby heating it up. On Earth, a similar force by the moon causes high and low tides. Also Read | Neanderthal weds Homo sapien: When intermingling shaped human population in Europe The planet's hot core combined with tidal heating from its star is also changing the chemistry of the gases deep within the planet, Zafar Rustamkulov, who is a graduate student at JHU and a co-author of one of the two new studies, said in a statement. "We think this heat is causing the chemistry of the gases to change, specifically destroying methane and making elevated amounts of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide." The planet’s extremely puffy nature helps astronomers look about 50 times deeper into its atmosphere than they can for a world like Jupiter. This research is described in two studies published Monday (May 20) in the journal Nature. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's James Webb may have found answers to planets' extreme puffiness around stars

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen used the James Webb Space Telescope to become the first to see the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe more than 13 billion years ago.&nbsp;

A study published on May 23 in Science journal revealed details of the stunning discovery which will contribute important knowledge about the universe.&nbsp;

Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have witnessed the birth of three of the universe's absolute earliest galaxies for the first time in the history of astronomy. The birth was estimated somewhere between 13.3 and 13.4 billion years ago.&nbsp;

Scientists said that the James Webb, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, sent these first "live observations" of formative galaxies to Earth.&nbsp;

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As quoted by phys.org, Assistant Professor Kasper Elm Heintz from the Niels Bohr Institute, who led the new study, said, "You could say that these are the first 'direct' images of galaxy formation that we've ever seen."&nbsp;

"Whereas James Webb has previously shown us early galaxies at later stages of evolution, here we witness their very birth, and thus, the construction of the first star systems in the universe," he added.&nbsp;

The researchers were able to see signals from large amounts of gas that accumulate on a mini-galaxy in the process of being built. Theories also support the same to explain how galaxies are formed. But it had never actually been seen.&nbsp;

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In a report, NASA said that Webb's data shows these "galaxies are surrounded by gas that the researchers suspect to be almost purely hydrogen and helium, the earliest elements to exist in the cosmos".&nbsp;

NASA said in its report that the ultra-sensitive instruments installed on Webb were able to detect an unusual amount of dense gas surrounding these galaxies. This gas will likely end up fueling the formation of new stars in the galaxies.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas | Dazzling blue, green skies in Spain, Portugal&nbsp;

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"These galaxies are like sparkling islands in a sea of otherwise neutral, opaque gas. Without Webb, we would not be able to observe these very early galaxies, let alone learn so much about their formation," Heintz said as quoted by NASA.&nbsp;

"We're moving away from a picture of galaxies as isolated ecosystems. At this stage in the history of the universe, galaxies are all intimately connected to the intergalactic medium with its filaments and structures of pristine gas," said Simone Nielsen as quoted by NASA. He is a co-author.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen used the James Webb Space Telescope to become the first to see the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe more than 13 billion years ago.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen used the James Webb Space Telescope to become the first to see the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe more than 13 billion years ago. A study published on May 23 in Science journal revealed details of the stunning discovery which will contribute important knowledge about the universe. Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have witnessed the birth of three of the universe's absolute earliest galaxies for the first time in the history of astronomy. The birth was estimated somewhere between 13.3 and 13.4 billion years ago. Scientists said that the James Webb, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, sent these first "live observations" of formative galaxies to Earth. Also read: Scientists find stars that quietly 'die' without supernova explosions As quoted by phys.org, Assistant Professor Kasper Elm Heintz from the Niels Bohr Institute, who led the new study, said, "You could say that these are the first 'direct' images of galaxy formation that we've ever seen." "Whereas James Webb has previously shown us early galaxies at later stages of evolution, here we witness their very birth, and thus, the construction of the first star systems in the universe," he added. The researchers were able to see signals from large amounts of gas that accumulate on a mini-galaxy in the process of being built. Theories also support the same to explain how galaxies are formed. But it had never actually been seen. Also read: Did feathered dinosaurs exist? Study says these reptiles had scaly skins like lizards In a report, NASA said that Webb's data shows these "galaxies are surrounded by gas that the researchers suspect to be almost purely hydrogen and helium, the earliest elements to exist in the cosmos". NASA said in its report that the ultra-sensitive instruments installed on Webb were able to detect an unusual amount of dense gas surrounding these galaxies. This gas will likely end up fueling the formation of new stars in the galaxies. Watch: Gravitas | Dazzling blue, green skies in Spain, Portugal × "These galaxies are like sparkling islands in a sea of otherwise neutral, opaque gas. Without Webb, we would not be able to observe these very early galaxies, let alone learn so much about their formation," Heintz said as quoted by NASA. "We're moving away from a picture of galaxies as isolated ecosystems. At this stage in the history of the universe, galaxies are all intimately connected to the intergalactic medium with its filaments and structures of pristine gas," said Simone Nielsen as quoted by NASA. He is a co-author. (With inputs from agencies)

For the first time, reseachers observe birth of universe's earliest galaxies

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, has shared an image of the Orion Nebula with stunning new details.&nbsp;

The Orion Nebula is also known as "Messier 42" (M42). It is located around 1,500 light years from Earth toward the constellation of Orion.&nbsp;

The Orion Nebula is visible to the naked eye under dark skies. Experts have studied it for ages. But now, James Webb's images produce unprecedented details.&nbsp;

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Researchers from the PDRs4All programme published a new study this week on the Orion nebula, a well-studied region of space thought to be a hotbed for new star formation.&nbsp;

The programme included researchers from numerous universities, including Western University in the United States.&nbsp;

In a press release, Western University said that the new images honed in on a specific part of the nebula known as the "Orion Bar", a "sharp, diagonal, ridge-like feature of gas and dust".&nbsp;

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In a statement, Western University astrophysicist and PDRs4All principle investigator Els Peeters said: "These images have such incredible detail that we will be scrutinising them for many years to come. The data are incredible and will serve as benchmarks for astrophysics research for decades to come."&nbsp;

"So far, we have explored only a tiny fraction of the data, and this has already resulted in several surprising and major discoveries," the statement added.&nbsp;

Peeters said that the new images "have such an incredible detail that we will be scrutinising them for many years to come".&nbsp;

With the images, the JWST helped the researchers not only examine the Orion Bar's structure for the first time but also to identify how its chemical composition fluctuates throughout it.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, has shared an image of the Orion Nebula with stunning new details.

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, has shared an image of the Orion Nebula with stunning new details. The Orion Nebula is also known as "Messier 42" (M42). It is located around 1,500 light years from Earth toward the constellation of Orion. The Orion Nebula is visible to the naked eye under dark skies. Experts have studied it for ages. But now, James Webb's images produce unprecedented details. Also read: WATCH: Giant meteor turns dark night sky over Portugal and Spain into breathtaking blue Researchers from the PDRs4All programme published a new study this week on the Orion nebula, a well-studied region of space thought to be a hotbed for new star formation. The programme included researchers from numerous universities, including Western University in the United States. In a press release, Western University said that the new images honed in on a specific part of the nebula known as the "Orion Bar", a "sharp, diagonal, ridge-like feature of gas and dust". Also read: Climate change may have forced some dinosaur groups to become warm-blooded: Study In a statement, Western University astrophysicist and PDRs4All principle investigator Els Peeters said: "These images have such incredible detail that we will be scrutinising them for many years to come. The data are incredible and will serve as benchmarks for astrophysics research for decades to come." "So far, we have explored only a tiny fraction of the data, and this has already resulted in several surprising and major discoveries," the statement added. Peeters said that the new images "have such an incredible detail that we will be scrutinising them for many years to come". With the images, the JWST helped the researchers not only examine the Orion Bar's structure for the first time but also to identify how its chemical composition fluctuates throughout it. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope takes snaps of Orion Nebula with stunning new details

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted two biggest pair of black holes colliding into each other some 13 billion light years away from Earth. These giant black holes have been estimated to be as massive as 50 million suns each.&nbsp;

The merging cosmic monsters are neither the biggest nor the oldest black holes ever discovered, but they are still very bafflingly big for such an early time in the universe’s history, notes the European Space Agency (ESA) in an official statement.&nbsp;

The black holes are not just surprisingly huge but also challenge leading theories in the field of cosmology, which fail to explain how objects in the universe could grow so large at such a fast pace.&nbsp;

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"Our findings suggest that merging is an important route through which black holes can rapidly grow, even at cosmic dawn," the study’s lead author Hannah Übler, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, said in the statement.&nbsp;

"Together with other Webb findings of active, massive black holes in the distant Universe, our results also show that massive black holes have been shaping the evolution of galaxies from the very beginning."

<h2>Monster duo of black holes detected merging into each other</h2>

Generally, the most active black holes reach supermassive status by bulking up to a few hundred thousand to several billion times the mass of the sun. One key way that supermassive black holes may reach such humungous sizes is by merging with other large black holes in nearby galaxies — a phenomenon that's been detected at various times and places throughout the universe.

The new discovery came to light with JWST's powerful NIRCam infrared instrument, which can detect the light of ancient objects across vast cosmic distances and through obscuring clouds of dust.&nbsp;
<img alt="Two massive merging black holes" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="94b3872f-a210-45e3-b6ae-3084723b5fe2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/CbuRJtdCkyH5YHxpRUxQ2a-1200-80.jpg" />
The findings of the study were published Thursday (May 16) in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. In the official paper, the researchers said they trained the JWST's infrared cameras on a known black hole system called ZS7, located in an early epoch of the universe known as cosmic dawn.&nbsp;

Detailed observations with JWST revealed the motion of a dense cloud of gas around the black hole, suggesting it was actively growing. It also detected the approximate location of a second black hole located very close by, likely in the process of merging with the first.

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"Thanks to the unprecedented sharpness of its imaging capabilities, Webb also allowed our team to spatially separate the two black holes," Übler said.

The team pegged one of the black holes at about t 50 million solar masses and the second black hole, which is "buried" in the dense cloud of gas, likely has a similar mass to its neighbour, but the researchers couldn't get a clear enough view of its radiation to say for sure.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted two biggest pair of black holes colliding into each other some 13 billion light years away from Earth. These giant black holes have been estimated to be as massive as 50 million suns each.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) spotted two biggest pair of black holes colliding into each other some 13 billion light years away from Earth. These giant black holes have been estimated to be as massive as 50 million suns each. The merging cosmic monsters are neither the biggest nor the oldest black holes ever discovered, but they are still very bafflingly big for such an early time in the universe’s history, notes the European Space Agency (ESA) in an official statement. The black holes are not just surprisingly huge but also challenge leading theories in the field of cosmology, which fail to explain how objects in the universe could grow so large at such a fast pace. Also Read | Cosmic glitch in Einstein's relativity theory could redefine our understanding of Universe "Our findings suggest that merging is an important route through which black holes can rapidly grow, even at cosmic dawn," the study’s lead author Hannah Übler, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, said in the statement. "Together with other Webb findings of active, massive black holes in the distant Universe, our results also show that massive black holes have been shaping the evolution of galaxies from the very beginning." Monster duo of black holes detected merging into each other Generally, the most active black holes reach supermassive status by bulking up to a few hundred thousand to several billion times the mass of the sun. One key way that supermassive black holes may reach such humungous sizes is by merging with other large black holes in nearby galaxies — a phenomenon that's been detected at various times and places throughout the universe. The new discovery came to light with JWST's powerful NIRCam infrared instrument, which can detect the light of ancient objects across vast cosmic distances and through obscuring clouds of dust. The findings of the study were published Thursday (May 16) in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. In the official paper, the researchers said they trained the JWST's infrared cameras on a known black hole system called ZS7, located in an early epoch of the universe known as cosmic dawn. Detailed observations with JWST revealed the motion of a dense cloud of gas around the black hole, suggesting it was actively growing. It also detected the approximate location of a second black hole located very close by, likely in the process of merging with the first. Also Read | Study suggests organ transplants can lead to profound personality changes "Thanks to the unprecedented sharpness of its imaging capabilities, Webb also allowed our team to spatially separate the two black holes," Übler said. The team pegged one of the black holes at about t 50 million solar masses and the second black hole, which is "buried" in the dense cloud of gas, likely has a similar mass to its neighbour, but the researchers couldn't get a clear enough view of its radiation to say for sure. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA's James Webb telescope spots two monster black holes that can challenge understanding of universe

In about five years, on April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid Apophis, popularly named 'God of Destruction', will make a historically close approach to Earth, passing just 30,000 miles (around 48,280 kilometres) away.&nbsp;

Named after the Egyptian god of chaos, the asteroid, which is approximately 1,000 feet (around 305 metres) wide, will be so close that it will be visible to the naked eye. This 'close call' will provide a unique scientific opportunity that NASA researchers are eager to seize.

<h2>NASA to take advantage of the dangerous asteroid</h2>

On the day Apophis comes close to our planet, NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will be in a position to study the 'God of Destruction'.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/elon-musk-claims-aliens-have-never-visited-earth-and-heres-the-proof-719996">Elon Musk cites simple proof to assert his belief that aliens don't exist</a>

Not only this, but there might also be a host of little satellites from the "NEAlight" project. A team at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg initiated this project under the guidance of space engineer Hakan Kayal.

These three satellites aim to gather vital data which could enhance our understanding of the solar system and aid in developing strategies for planetary defence.

<h2>'God of Destruction' Apophis</h2>

Apophis has been a significant subject of study since its discovery in 2004 due to its size and the potential proximity of its orbit to Earth.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/heartbreaking-reality-over-321000-children-left-orphaned-due-to-americas-drug-epidemic-between-2011-2021-719636">Heartbreaking! Over 321,000 children lost a parent to America's drug epidemic between 2011-2021</a>

It featured prominently on risk lists — European Space Agency's (ESA's) and NASA's Sentry Risk Table for 17 years — for potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) until 2021, when observations confirmed that it poses no threat of collision with Earth for at least the next hundred years.

Despite the absence of an immediate threat, the 2029 encounter with Apophis presents a valuable chance to analyse a primordial object that has witnessed the solar system's history since its formation about 4.6 billion years ago.

(With inputs from agencies)

In about five years, on April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid Apophis, popularly named 'God of Destruction', will make a historically close approach to Earth, passing just 30,000 miles (around 48,280 kilometres) away.

In about five years, on April 13, 2029, the near-Earth asteroid Apophis, popularly named 'God of Destruction', will make a historically close approach to Earth, passing just 30,000 miles (around 48,280 kilometres) away. Named after the Egyptian god of chaos, the asteroid, which is approximately 1,000 feet (around 305 metres) wide, will be so close that it will be visible to the naked eye. This 'close call' will provide a unique scientific opportunity that NASA researchers are eager to seize. NASA to take advantage of the dangerous asteroid On the day Apophis comes close to our planet, NASA's OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft will be in a position to study the 'God of Destruction'. Also read | Elon Musk cites simple proof to assert his belief that aliens don't exist Not only this, but there might also be a host of little satellites from the "NEAlight" project. A team at Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg initiated this project under the guidance of space engineer Hakan Kayal. These three satellites aim to gather vital data which could enhance our understanding of the solar system and aid in developing strategies for planetary defence. 'God of Destruction' Apophis Apophis has been a significant subject of study since its discovery in 2004 due to its size and the potential proximity of its orbit to Earth. Also read | Heartbreaking! Over 321,000 children lost a parent to America's drug epidemic between 2011-2021 It featured prominently on risk lists — European Space Agency's (ESA's) and NASA's Sentry Risk Table for 17 years — for potentially hazardous asteroids (PHAs) until 2021, when observations confirmed that it poses no threat of collision with Earth for at least the next hundred years. Despite the absence of an immediate threat, the 2029 encounter with Apophis presents a valuable chance to analyse a primordial object that has witnessed the solar system's history since its formation about 4.6 billion years ago. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA will do THIS when 'God of Destruction' asteroid Apophis comes near Earth in 2029

NASA’s James Webb Telescope detected the most distant supermassive black hole yet seen in X-rays. Even at an early stage of its growth, the mass of the black hole is similar to that of its host galaxy, a spectacle that had never been witnessed before.

This result will help in understanding the formation of some of the earliest supermassive black holes. The finding was published in the journal Nature and highlighted by NASA during its Black Hole Week campaign.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/space-cookie-could-still-smell-fresh-after-4-years-know-how-719972">Space cookie still smells fresh after four years. Know how</a>

The supermassive black hole was found at the centre of GN-z11, an extremely luminous galaxy that was alive when the universe was only about 430 million years old, a fraction of its current age, which is nearing 14 billion.&nbsp;

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It’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlackHoleWeek?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlackHoleWeek</a>, a special week where we celebrate black holes! Join us as we dive into all things new and cool about these intriguing objects … figuratively, of course. We don’t want to jump into a black hole, so instead, we’ll meet you at the event horizon. <a href="https://t.co/Sn9CUdVNJI">pic.twitter.com/Sn9CUdVNJI</a>
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The growing black hole was detected with the help of the combined data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and NASA’s JWST.&nbsp;

“We needed Webb to find this remarkably distant galaxy and Chandra to find its supermassive black hole,” said Akos Bogdan of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard &amp; Smithsonian (CfA) who leads a new paper in the journal Nature Astronomy describing these results.&nbsp;

“We also took advantage of a cosmic magnifying glass that boosted the amount of light we detected.” This magnifying effect is known as gravitational lensing.

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This discovery is important for understanding how some supermassive black holes can reach colossal masses soon after the big bang, wrote NASA in its official newsletter.

Many astrophysicists and cosmologists have always believed that these invisible giants are hiding at the centre of virtually all galaxies. The recent observations have bolstered the belief that&nbsp;supermassive black holes begin in the dusty cores of stardust galaxies, where new stars are rapidly assembled.&nbsp;

A team of scientists using Webb was able to discern that GN-z11 has a central black hole with a few pieces of evidence.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-telescope-to-hunt-for-primordial-black-holes-from-big-bang-era-720023">NASA's Nancy Grace Roman telescope to hunt for primordial black holes from Big Bang era</a>

"We found extremely dense gas that is common in the vicinity of supermassive black holes accreting gas,” said Roberto Maiolino, the principal investigator at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, in a statement.

&nbsp;“These were the first clear signatures that GN-z11 is hosting a black hole that is gobbling matter.”

Then, the team found signs of electrically charged chemicals that are usually found near active supermassive black holes. The scientists also observed the ancient galaxy blasting out a powerful wind, something also linked to supermassive black holes with voracious appetites.&nbsp;

Based on all these observations, the team believes GN-z11 has a central black hole as massive as two million suns.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

NASA’s James Webb Telescope detected the most distant supermassive black hole yet seen in X-rays. Even at an early stage of its growth, the mass of the black hole is similar to that of its host galaxy, a spectacle that had never been witnessed before.

NASA’s James Webb Telescope detected the most distant supermassive black hole yet seen in X-rays. Even at an early stage of its growth, the mass of the black hole is similar to that of its host galaxy, a spectacle that had never been witnessed before. This result will help in understanding the formation of some of the earliest supermassive black holes. The finding was published in the journal Nature and highlighted by NASA during its Black Hole Week campaign. Also Read | Space cookie still smells fresh after four years. Know how The supermassive black hole was found at the centre of GN-z11, an extremely luminous galaxy that was alive when the universe was only about 430 million years old, a fraction of its current age, which is nearing 14 billion. It’s #BlackHoleWeek, a special week where we celebrate black holes! Join us as we dive into all things new and cool about these intriguing objects … figuratively, of course. We don’t want to jump into a black hole, so instead, we’ll meet you at the event horizon. pic.twitter.com/Sn9CUdVNJI — NASA Universe (@NASAUniverse) May 6, 2024 × The growing black hole was detected with the help of the combined data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and NASA’s JWST. “We needed Webb to find this remarkably distant galaxy and Chandra to find its supermassive black hole,” said Akos Bogdan of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) who leads a new paper in the journal Nature Astronomy describing these results. “We also took advantage of a cosmic magnifying glass that boosted the amount of light we detected.” This magnifying effect is known as gravitational lensing. Also Read | Elon Musk claims aliens have never visited Earth and here's the proof... This discovery is important for understanding how some supermassive black holes can reach colossal masses soon after the big bang, wrote NASA in its official newsletter. Many astrophysicists and cosmologists have always believed that these invisible giants are hiding at the centre of virtually all galaxies. The recent observations have bolstered the belief that supermassive black holes begin in the dusty cores of stardust galaxies, where new stars are rapidly assembled. A team of scientists using Webb was able to discern that GN-z11 has a central black hole with a few pieces of evidence. Also Read | NASA's Nancy Grace Roman telescope to hunt for primordial black holes from Big Bang era "We found extremely dense gas that is common in the vicinity of supermassive black holes accreting gas,” said Roberto Maiolino, the principal investigator at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, in a statement. “These were the first clear signatures that GN-z11 is hosting a black hole that is gobbling matter.” Then, the team found signs of electrically charged chemicals that are usually found near active supermassive black holes. The scientists also observed the ancient galaxy blasting out a powerful wind, something also linked to supermassive black holes with voracious appetites. Based on all these observations, the team believes GN-z11 has a central black hole as massive as two million suns. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA detects the farthest supermassive black hole ever observed

What will happen to the many languages around the world if humans cease to exist tomorrow? Quite predictably, our languages and their cultural value will also be wiped off the face of this planet. But what about another planet? Maybe we can preserve our linguistic treasures elsewhere in space.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is teaming up with a Japanese lunar exploration company to do just that.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/advances-in-artificial-intelligence-mean-deadbots-can-haunt-users-warn-ai-experts-heres-what-it-means-719542">Advances in artificial intelligence mean 'deadbots' can 'haunt' the living, warn experts. Here's what it means</a>

<h2>Languages, other worlds and the end of humanity</h2>

As per Space.com, Japanese lunar exploration firm ispace is working to put human presence into space and on the moon. In collaboration with UNESCO, the company is planning to send to the lunar surface an important part of humanity: 275 languages and other cultural artefacts.

If you're wondering how this will happen, the answer is 'Memory Disk'.

Similar to the time capsules many of us remember preserving our memories in, the two organisations will send the languages and artefacts to the moon aboard ispace's upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/have-we-already-lost-the-battle-april-continues-damning-11-month-trend-emerges-as-hottest-since-1940-719261">Have we 'already lost climate battle'?: April continues damning 11-month trend, emerges as hottest since 1940</a>

<h2>Hakuto-R Mission 2</h2>

The upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2 will send a robotic lander to the surface of the Moon. It will also deliver to Earth's natural satellite a memory disk that seeks to keep humanity alive in case something threatens humanity's existence on our planet.

"UNESCO is committed to preserving the linguistic diversity that represents human cultures from any crisis that threatens their destruction in the future, and preservation on the lunar surface is one means to preserve cultures," says ispace in a release posted on its website.&nbsp;

To fulfil this mission, the memory disk will contain the UNESCO Constitution's Preamble, which expresses "the importance of preserving world unity, linguistic diversity, and cultures". This preamble will be translated into 275 languages.

Hakuto-R Mission 2 is slated to be sent to the Moon sometime in 2024. However, this is only true if the current timelines hold.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

What will happen to the many languages around the world if humans cease to exist tomorrow? Quite predictably, our languages and their cultural value will also be wiped off the face of this planet.

What will happen to the many languages around the world if humans cease to exist tomorrow? Quite predictably, our languages and their cultural value will also be wiped off the face of this planet. But what about another planet? Maybe we can preserve our linguistic treasures elsewhere in space. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is teaming up with a Japanese lunar exploration company to do just that. Also read | Advances in artificial intelligence mean 'deadbots' can 'haunt' the living, warn experts. Here's what it means Languages, other worlds and the end of humanity As per Space.com, Japanese lunar exploration firm ispace is working to put human presence into space and on the moon. In collaboration with UNESCO, the company is planning to send to the lunar surface an important part of humanity: 275 languages and other cultural artefacts. If you're wondering how this will happen, the answer is 'Memory Disk'. Similar to the time capsules many of us remember preserving our memories in, the two organisations will send the languages and artefacts to the moon aboard ispace's upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2. Also read | Have we 'already lost climate battle'?: April continues damning 11-month trend, emerges as hottest since 1940 Hakuto-R Mission 2 The upcoming Hakuto-R Mission 2 will send a robotic lander to the surface of the Moon. It will also deliver to Earth's natural satellite a memory disk that seeks to keep humanity alive in case something threatens humanity's existence on our planet. "UNESCO is committed to preserving the linguistic diversity that represents human cultures from any crisis that threatens their destruction in the future, and preservation on the lunar surface is one means to preserve cultures," says ispace in a release posted on its website. To fulfil this mission, the memory disk will contain the UNESCO Constitution's Preamble, which expresses "the importance of preserving world unity, linguistic diversity, and cultures". This preamble will be translated into 275 languages. Hakuto-R Mission 2 is slated to be sent to the Moon sometime in 2024. However, this is only true if the current timelines hold. (With inputs from agencies)

What if humanity ends on Earth? Scientists plan to preserve 275 languages on the Moon

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has spotted winds blowing at unprecedented speeds on the exoplanet WASP-43b, which is around 283 light-years away from Earth.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has spotted winds blowing at unprecedented speeds on the exoplanet WASP-43b, which is around 283 light-years away from Earth. The exoplanet's one side permanently faces its sun and the other is cloaked in eternal night. WASP-43b is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium and is significantly hotter than any gas giant in the solar system, due to its closeness to its host star, which it orbits once every 19 Earth hours. According to a report by Live Science, this proximity meant that WASP-43b was also tidally locked to its star. The report said that researchers discovered that this tidal lock permanently heats one side of the planet to temperatures around 1,260 degrees Celsius. A change in temperature that drives fierce winds In a recent study, scientists discovered that the temperature difference between the day and night side drove fierce winds that could reach speeds of up to 9,000 km/hour. In a statement, Taylor Bell, a researcher from the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute and the study's lead author said, "With Hubble, we could clearly see that there is water vapour on the dayside. Both Hubble and Spitzer suggested there might be clouds on the nightside." Also read | James Webb captures stunning Horsehead Nebula as ‘you’ve never seen it before...’ "But we needed more precise measurements from Webb to really begin mapping the temperature, cloud cover, winds, and more detailed atmospheric composition all the way around the planet,” Bell added. The scientists used Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) to measure light from the WASP-43 system every 10 seconds for more than 24 hours. “By observing over an entire orbit, we were able to calculate the temperature of different sides of the planet as they rotate into view,” Bell said. "The measurements show that the dayside has an average temperature of nearly 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit (1,250 degrees Celsius) – hot enough to forge iron. Meanwhile, the nightside is significantly cooler at 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (600 degrees Celsius)," the statement said. "The data also helps locate the hottest spot on the planet (the “hotspot”), which is shifted slightly eastward from the point that receives the most stellar radiation, where the star is highest in the planet’s sky. This shift occurs because of supersonic winds, which move heated air eastward," it added. Exoplanet discovered in 2011 WASP-43b was discovered in 2011. According to NASA, WASP-43b orbits a K-type star. The exoplanet was initially studied by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. However, the JWST has now captured the finer details of its atmosphere. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope  spots fierce winds on exoplanet WASP-43b

Have you ever wondered what our fiery sun would look like close up? Don't worry, you won't have to make the perilous journey to the star to see that, as the European Space Agency (ESA) has recently shared a captivating and mind-boggling close-up of the Sun's surface.

<h2>Mind-boggling video</h2>

The video was captured by the Solar Orbiter's Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), and it offers an unprecedented close-up look at the dynamic activities on the Sun's surface.&nbsp;

Recorded on September 27, 2023, this footage provides a detailed glimpse into the complex solar phenomena that play a crucial role in influencing space weather.

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"At the time, the spacecraft was at roughly a third of the Earth’s distance from the Sun, heading for a closest approach of 43 million km on 7 October," revealed ESA.

The spacecraft is scheduled for an even closer approach to the Sun in October, promising more detailed observations of our nearest star.

Take a look here:

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The video, which is nearly a minute long, showcases various solar features in extraordinary detail. It shows delicate, feathery structures resembling hair, which are actually streams of plasma tracing the magnetic field lines from the Sun's lower atmosphere into the hotter outer corona.&nbsp;

These visuals not only highlight the beauty of our star, but also the powerful forces at play.

"The brightest regions are around one million degrees Celsius, while cooler material looks dark as it absorbs radiation," explains the ESA.

Among the phenomena displayed are coronal moss, spicules, and coronal rain—each contributing uniquely to the Sun’s ecosystem.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/massive-near-x-class-solar-flares-led-to-radio-blackouts-across-the-pacific-717462">Massive, near X-class, solar flares led to radio blackouts across the Pacific</a>

Coronal moss also appears in the left corner of the footage as intricate, lace-like patterns.

"It usually appears around the base of large coronal loops that are too hot or too tenuous to be seen with the chosen instrument settings."

Spicules 'spires of gas', on the other hand, are depicted as towering spires of gas that extend approximately 10,000 km (6,214 miles) above the Sun’s chromosphere, resembling jets shooting from the solar surface. Coronal rain features in the video as high-density plasma clumps that descend back to the Sun, driven by gravity.

A particularly striking moment occurs around the 20-second mark, where a "small" eruption unfolds in the centre of the view. However, ESA warns, "Don’t be fooled by the use of 'small' here: this eruption is bigger than Earth!"&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Have you ever wondered what our fiery sun would look like close up? Don't worry, you won't have to make the perilous journey to the star to see that, as the European Space Agency (ESA) has recently shared a captivating and mind-boggling close-up of the Sun's surface.

Have you ever wondered what our fiery sun would look like close up? Don't worry, you won't have to make the perilous journey to the star to see that, as the European Space Agency (ESA) has recently shared a captivating and mind-boggling close-up of the Sun's surface. Mind-boggling video The video was captured by the Solar Orbiter's Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), and it offers an unprecedented close-up look at the dynamic activities on the Sun's surface. Recorded on September 27, 2023, this footage provides a detailed glimpse into the complex solar phenomena that play a crucial role in influencing space weather. Also read | Scientists unveil what 75,000 year-old Neanderthal woman 'Shanidar Z' looked like "At the time, the spacecraft was at roughly a third of the Earth’s distance from the Sun, heading for a closest approach of 43 million km on 7 October," revealed ESA. The spacecraft is scheduled for an even closer approach to the Sun in October, promising more detailed observations of our nearest star. Take a look here: × The video, which is nearly a minute long, showcases various solar features in extraordinary detail. It shows delicate, feathery structures resembling hair, which are actually streams of plasma tracing the magnetic field lines from the Sun's lower atmosphere into the hotter outer corona. These visuals not only highlight the beauty of our star, but also the powerful forces at play. "The brightest regions are around one million degrees Celsius, while cooler material looks dark as it absorbs radiation," explains the ESA. Among the phenomena displayed are coronal moss, spicules, and coronal rain—each contributing uniquely to the Sun’s ecosystem. Also read | Massive, near X-class, solar flares led to radio blackouts across the Pacific Coronal moss also appears in the left corner of the footage as intricate, lace-like patterns. "It usually appears around the base of large coronal loops that are too hot or too tenuous to be seen with the chosen instrument settings." Spicules 'spires of gas', on the other hand, are depicted as towering spires of gas that extend approximately 10,000 km (6,214 miles) above the Sun’s chromosphere, resembling jets shooting from the solar surface. Coronal rain features in the video as high-density plasma clumps that descend back to the Sun, driven by gravity. A particularly striking moment occurs around the 20-second mark, where a "small" eruption unfolds in the centre of the view. However, ESA warns, "Don’t be fooled by the use of 'small' here: this eruption is bigger than Earth!" (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Scientists manage to capture Sun's closest video yet; ESA cautions 'don't be fooled' because...

Do you think losing your keys for days is bad? Scientists lost a whole satellite for an entire 25 years.&nbsp;The satellite has now been spotted, but the story of the S73-7 satellite is like a cosmic mystery novel. Here's all you need to know.

<h2>Lost in Space</h2>

Imagine a satellite launched in 1974, only to vanish in the 1990s, lost in the sea of space debris orbiting Earth.&nbsp;

For decades, the satellite remained invisible to tracking systems, until this week…when it suddenly reappeared on radar screens, all thanks to the efforts of the Space Force's 18th Space Defence Squadron.

On X, formerly Twitter, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, announced, "The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years."&nbsp;

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The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years. New TLEs for object 7244 started appearing on Apr 25. Congrats to whichever <a href="https://twitter.com/18thSDS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@18thSDS</a> analyst made the identification. <a href="https://t.co/YJOow5o4ND">pic.twitter.com/YJOow5o4ND</a>
— Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) <a href="https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1784809456548663518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>How can anyone lose a satellite?</h2>

The satellite, officially known as the Infra-Red Calibration Balloon, was part of the United States Air Force's Space Test Program.&nbsp;

Launched on April 10, 1974, the satellite's mission was to inflate in orbit and serve as a&nbsp;calibration target for remote sensing instruments.&nbsp;However, a deployment failure set it adrift in space, its whereabouts unknown.

As per Gizmodo, often, defunct satellites or debris can go missing for years in the increasingly crowded Earth orbit.

Jonathan McDowell, in a conversation with the publication, revealed that S73-7 had been tracked in the 1970s, before vanishing in the 1990s once again.&nbsp;

The satellite possibly has a "very low radar cross-section," said McDowell, adding "And maybe the thing that they’re tracking is a dispenser or a piece of the balloon that didn't deploy right, so it’s not metal and doesn’t show up well on radar."

As per the report, on Earth, there are ground-based radar and optical seasons that any time are tracking more than 20,000 objects in orbit. This is tricky business, as the majority of these objects don't transmit their identities. Instead, tracking relies on matching orbits, a task made harder in geostationary orbits where tracking gaps exist.

"There's actually a hole in the tracking…If you hug the equator, you can hide from the tracking," explained McDowell.

"It's basically like air traffic control. All this stuff is whizzing around and if you're going to try flying through that, you want to know where the hazards are."

This rediscovery highlights the challenges of tracking the 27,000 objects in Earth's orbit, ranging from operational satellites to debris.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Do you think losing your keys for days is bad? Scientists lost a whole satellite for an entire 25 years. The satellite has now been spotted, but the story of the S73-7 satellite is like a cosmic mystery novel.

Do you think losing your keys for days is bad? Scientists lost a whole satellite for an entire 25 years. The satellite has now been spotted, but the story of the S73-7 satellite is like a cosmic mystery novel. Here's all you need to know. Lost in Space Imagine a satellite launched in 1974, only to vanish in the 1990s, lost in the sea of space debris orbiting Earth. For decades, the satellite remained invisible to tracking systems, until this week…when it suddenly reappeared on radar screens, all thanks to the efforts of the Space Force's 18th Space Defence Squadron. On X, formerly Twitter, Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, announced, "The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years." The S73-7 satellite has been rediscovered after being untracked for 25 years. New TLEs for object 7244 started appearing on Apr 25. Congrats to whichever @18thSDS analyst made the identification. pic.twitter.com/YJOow5o4ND — Jonathan McDowell (@planet4589) April 29, 2024 × How can anyone lose a satellite? The satellite, officially known as the Infra-Red Calibration Balloon, was part of the United States Air Force's Space Test Program. Launched on April 10, 1974, the satellite's mission was to inflate in orbit and serve as a calibration target for remote sensing instruments. However, a deployment failure set it adrift in space, its whereabouts unknown. As per Gizmodo, often, defunct satellites or debris can go missing for years in the increasingly crowded Earth orbit. Jonathan McDowell, in a conversation with the publication, revealed that S73-7 had been tracked in the 1970s, before vanishing in the 1990s once again. The satellite possibly has a "very low radar cross-section," said McDowell, adding "And maybe the thing that they’re tracking is a dispenser or a piece of the balloon that didn't deploy right, so it’s not metal and doesn’t show up well on radar." As per the report, on Earth, there are ground-based radar and optical seasons that any time are tracking more than 20,000 objects in orbit. This is tricky business, as the majority of these objects don't transmit their identities. Instead, tracking relies on matching orbits, a task made harder in geostationary orbits where tracking gaps exist. "There's actually a hole in the tracking…If you hug the equator, you can hide from the tracking," explained McDowell. "It's basically like air traffic control. All this stuff is whizzing around and if you're going to try flying through that, you want to know where the hazards are." This rediscovery highlights the challenges of tracking the 27,000 objects in Earth's orbit, ranging from operational satellites to debris. (With inputs from agencies)

'Lost in space': Satellite missing since 1990s located in Earth's orbit. How can someone lose a satellite?

Asteroids are thought to have been the cause of demise of the mighty dinosaurs, and many theories suggest they would probably be the reason for humanity's downfall too. However, a groundbreaking algorithm has helped asteroid hunters identify a whopping 27,500 overlooked near-Earth objects, make or break information that could potentially help us avoid the doom.

<h2>The THOR-like technology</h2>

Known as Tracklet-less Heliocentric Orbit Recovery (THOR), the technology is revolutionising the way astronomers detect near-Earth asteroids, potentially enhancing our planetary defence capabilities.&nbsp;

THOR, which was developed by researchers at the University of Washington and the Asteroid Institute, THOR employs a novel approach by sifting through archival space photographs to identify celestial bodies.

Using the vast digital archives of the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), which contains millions of space images, and the help of Google Cloud technology, THOR processed the images in just five weeks, demonstrating its efficiency and scalability.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/cosmic-rush-hour-traffic-jams-in-space-can-cause-black-holes-to-collide-716627">Cosmic vicious cycle: Black holes are crashing into each other due to 'traffic jams' in space</a>

This innovative method has led to the identification of the over 27,500 previously unnoticed near-Earth objects. This, as per the New York Post, surpasses the total number discovered by all global telescopes last year.&nbsp;

Among these are 100 asteroids that traverse within Earth's orbit, with the majority located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

As per the New York Post, while none of the identified objects were on collision course with earth, this proves vital data that could one day prevent potential cosmic threats.

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<h2>'Sea change' in how astronomical research can be conducted</h2>

Unlike traditional observation techniques that track objects across multiple images over time, THOR connects isolated points of light from different images, inferring that they represent the same object. This approach, and the results as per Ed Lu, executive director of the Asteroid Institute, represent "a sea change" in how astronomical research can be conducted.&nbsp;

As Matthew Holman, dynamicist and search algorithm expert at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard &amp; Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a 2022 press release, a comprehensive map of the solar system can give "astronomers critical insights both for science and planetary defence."

(With inputs from agencies)

Asteroids are thought to have been the cause of demise of the mighty dinosaurs, and many theories suggest they would probably be the reason for humanity's downfall too.

Asteroids are thought to have been the cause of demise of the mighty dinosaurs, and many theories suggest they would probably be the reason for humanity's downfall too. However, a groundbreaking algorithm has helped asteroid hunters identify a whopping 27,500 overlooked near-Earth objects, make or break information that could potentially help us avoid the doom. The THOR-like technology Known as Tracklet-less Heliocentric Orbit Recovery (THOR), the technology is revolutionising the way astronomers detect near-Earth asteroids, potentially enhancing our planetary defence capabilities. THOR, which was developed by researchers at the University of Washington and the Asteroid Institute, THOR employs a novel approach by sifting through archival space photographs to identify celestial bodies. Using the vast digital archives of the National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), which contains millions of space images, and the help of Google Cloud technology, THOR processed the images in just five weeks, demonstrating its efficiency and scalability. Also read | Cosmic vicious cycle: Black holes are crashing into each other due to 'traffic jams' in space This innovative method has led to the identification of the over 27,500 previously unnoticed near-Earth objects. This, as per the New York Post, surpasses the total number discovered by all global telescopes last year. Among these are 100 asteroids that traverse within Earth's orbit, with the majority located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. As per the New York Post, while none of the identified objects were on collision course with earth, this proves vital data that could one day prevent potential cosmic threats. Also read | Fastest-spinning asteroid recently hit Earth’s atmosphere and crashed in Berlin 'Sea change' in how astronomical research can be conducted Unlike traditional observation techniques that track objects across multiple images over time, THOR connects isolated points of light from different images, inferring that they represent the same object. This approach, and the results as per Ed Lu, executive director of the Asteroid Institute, represent "a sea change" in how astronomical research can be conducted. As Matthew Holman, dynamicist and search algorithm expert at the Center for Astrophysics at Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a 2022 press release, a comprehensive map of the solar system can give "astronomers critical insights both for science and planetary defence." (With inputs from agencies)

Over 27,500 previously unnoticed asteroids near Earth identified. Were they a threat?

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space, has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of the Horsehead Nebula, which is one of the most distinctive objects in our skies.

James Webb Space Telescope, which is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space, has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of the Horsehead Nebula, which is one of the most distinctive objects in our skies. The images shared on the official website of the European Space Agency (ESA) show observations of a part of the iconic nebula in a whole new light. The latest images have captured the complexity of the nebula with "unprecedented spatial resolution", the official statement said. Also read: ISRO delayed Chandrayaan-3’s launch by four seconds to avoid massive collision in space The observations show the top of the "horse's mane" or the edge of this iconic nebula. The images also show part of the sky in the constellation Orion (The Hunter), on the western side of a dense region known as the Orion B molecular cloud. Horsehead Nebula is seen rising from turbulent waves of dust and gas, which is otherwise known as Barnard 33. It resides roughly 1,300 light-years away. 🆕 The Horsehead Nebula as you've never seen it before... The NASA/ESA/CSA James #Webb Space Telescope has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of one of the most distinctive objects in our skies, showing a part of the iconic nebula in unprecedented spatial resolution. pic.twitter.com/1Gdwyzh5wI — European Space Agency (@esa) April 29, 2024 × 🐴⭐The Horsehead Nebula as seen by three space telescopes! 🤩 From @ESA_Euclid to @HUBBLE_space to @ESA_Webb, delve into the complementary views from these #BFFinSpace! Details 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/RdtzijNYdL — ESA Science (@esascience) April 29, 2024 × Also read: NASA confirms meteor crash created Luna crater, estimates impact happened 6,900 years ago Formation of Horsehead Nebula The nebula was formed from a collapsing interstellar cloud of material. The official statement revealed that it glows because it is illuminated by a nearby hot star. "The gas clouds surrounding the Horsehead have already dissipated, but the jutting pillar is made of thick clumps of material that is harder to erode," ESA said. According to the astronomers, the Horsehead has about five million years left before it too disintegrates. Thanks to the MIRI and NIRCam instruments of James Webb, a team of astronomers has revealed the small-scale structures of the illuminated edge of the Horsehead for the first time. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb captures stunning Horsehead Nebula as ‘you’ve never seen it before...’

Decades can sometimes pass in the blink of an eye, or about 20 seconds. NASA has released two dramatic time-lapses of two of the most famous objects in the sky, compressing 20 years into just 20 seconds.

The time-lapses are of Cassiopeia A and the Crab Nebula, both leftovers of massive stars going supernova in our galaxy.

<h2>'Grab your popcorn' for the mesmerising time-lapse videos</h2>

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory recorded the mesmerising time-lapse videos. Posting them on social media, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wrote: "Grab your popcorn".

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Watch the gorgeous videos here:

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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Grab your popcorn 🍿 <a href="https://twitter.com/chandraxray?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chandraxray</a> has released new timelapses of the Crab Nebula and Cassiopeia A! 
 
Each video includes X-ray data collected by Chandra over about two decades, showing dramatic changes from these two supernova remnants. 
 
READ MORE &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/jeEbIVKjHn">https://t.co/jeEbIVKjHn</a> <a href="https://t.co/Np7MsTZD1B">pic.twitter.com/Np7MsTZD1B</a>
— NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA_Marshall/status/1783197244528681102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The Crab Nebula, as per NASA, was born from a supernova seen by Chinese astronomers and witnessed globally nearly a thousand years ago in 1054.&nbsp;

"At its centre is a neutron star, a super-dense star produced by the supernova. As it rotates at about 30 times per second, its beam of radiation passes over the Earth every orbit, like a cosmic lighthouse," explains NASA.

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Chandra has been closely monitoring them from 2000 to 2022. This ongoing study is set to continue later this year.

On the other hand, Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is a younger supernova remnant, estimated to have exploded about 340 years ago.&nbsp;

Chandra has been observing it for years. The time-lapse features data from 2000 to 2019. Chandra's discovery of a neutron star at the heart of Cassiopeia A shortly after its 1999 launch has been crucial in deepening our understanding of how stars explode and form neutron stars or pulsars.

<h2>Scientists race to save Chandra</h2>

These gorgeous time-lapses come as the craft which was launched in 1999 becomes the subject of pay cuts that X-ray astronomers in the US contend would effectively mean the end of the mission.

NASA claims that the craft "has been degrading over its mission lifetime to the extent that several systems require active management…increasing management costs beyond what NASA can afford." However, researchers contend that Chandra "has plenty of life left in it."

(With inputs from agencies)

Decades can sometimes pass in the blink of an eye, or about 20 seconds. NASA has released two dramatic time-lapses of two of the most famous objects in the sky, compressing 20 years into just 20 seconds.

Decades can sometimes pass in the blink of an eye, or about 20 seconds. NASA has released two dramatic time-lapses of two of the most famous objects in the sky, compressing 20 years into just 20 seconds. The time-lapses are of Cassiopeia A and the Crab Nebula, both leftovers of massive stars going supernova in our galaxy. 'Grab your popcorn' for the mesmerising time-lapse videos NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory recorded the mesmerising time-lapse videos. Posting them on social media, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wrote: "Grab your popcorn". Also read | Hubble space telescope temporarily goes off duty as key device provides faulty reading Watch the gorgeous videos here: Grab your popcorn 🍿 @chandraxray has released new timelapses of the Crab Nebula and Cassiopeia A! Each video includes X-ray data collected by Chandra over about two decades, showing dramatic changes from these two supernova remnants. READ MORE >> https://t.co/jeEbIVKjHn pic.twitter.com/Np7MsTZD1B — NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) April 24, 2024 × The Crab Nebula, as per NASA, was born from a supernova seen by Chinese astronomers and witnessed globally nearly a thousand years ago in 1054. "At its centre is a neutron star, a super-dense star produced by the supernova. As it rotates at about 30 times per second, its beam of radiation passes over the Earth every orbit, like a cosmic lighthouse," explains NASA. Also read | 'Vampire facials' lead to women catching HIV; CDC reports cases of transmission via cosmetic procedures Chandra has been closely monitoring them from 2000 to 2022. This ongoing study is set to continue later this year. On the other hand, Cassiopeia A (Cas A) is a younger supernova remnant, estimated to have exploded about 340 years ago. Chandra has been observing it for years. The time-lapse features data from 2000 to 2019. Chandra's discovery of a neutron star at the heart of Cassiopeia A shortly after its 1999 launch has been crucial in deepening our understanding of how stars explode and form neutron stars or pulsars. Scientists race to save Chandra These gorgeous time-lapses come as the craft which was launched in 1999 becomes the subject of pay cuts that X-ray astronomers in the US contend would effectively mean the end of the mission. NASA claims that the craft "has been degrading over its mission lifetime to the extent that several systems require active management…increasing management costs beyond what NASA can afford." However, researchers contend that Chandra "has plenty of life left in it." (With inputs from agencies)

'Grab your popcorn', NASA just released mesmerising Nebula timelapses captured by Chandra observatory

After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead.&nbsp;

In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code.

<h2>Beaming gibberish</h2>

Since November last year, Voyager 1's flight data system had been stuck in a loop. The spacecraft, which is currently around 15 billion miles away from earth, began sending gibberish that NASA could not decipher. The data received was unusable, and the scientists were unable to determine Voyager 1's health status.

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Months later, in March, the Voyager engineering team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed that the "issue was tied to one of the spacecraft's three onboard computers, called the flight data subsystem (FDS)."

"The FDS is responsible for packaging the science and engineering data before it's sent to Earth," reports NASA.

They found that a single chip responsible for storing a portion of the FDS memory wasn't working.

Now, NASA scientists have devised an audacious workaround the ageing spacecraft's faulty chip — they rewrote the corrupted software from scratch and relocated it piecemeal into unaffected areas of the probe's computer memory.

<h2>How did they do it?</h2>

The team started their journey towards finding a possible solution by "singling out the code responsible for packaging the spacecraft's engineering data," and sending "it to its new location in the FDS memory on April 18."

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According to NASA, "a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1, which is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometres) from Earth, and another 22 ½ hours for a signal to come back to Earth."

"When the mission flight team heard back from the spacecraft on April 20, they saw that the modification worked: For the first time in five months, they have been able to check the health and status of the spacecraft," added the space agency.

Although old, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are one of humanity's greatest achievements. The twin voyager spacecraft "are the longest-running and most distant spacecraft in history."

(With inputs from agencies)

After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead. In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code.

After five months of radio silence, National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Voyager 1 probe is back from the dead. In a stellar display of problem-solving, a team of mission engineers have devised a workaround to a key computer chip whose failure led the 46-year-old spacecraft to only beam back an indecipherable repeating pattern of code. Beaming gibberish Since November last year, Voyager 1's flight data system had been stuck in a loop. The spacecraft, which is currently around 15 billion miles away from earth, began sending gibberish that NASA could not decipher. The data received was unusable, and the scientists were unable to determine Voyager 1's health status. Also read | Scientists believe Uranus and Neptune are 'ice giants,' but a new study hints at something else Months later, in March, the Voyager engineering team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California confirmed that the "issue was tied to one of the spacecraft's three onboard computers, called the flight data subsystem (FDS)." "The FDS is responsible for packaging the science and engineering data before it's sent to Earth," reports NASA. They found that a single chip responsible for storing a portion of the FDS memory wasn't working. Now, NASA scientists have devised an audacious workaround the ageing spacecraft's faulty chip — they rewrote the corrupted software from scratch and relocated it piecemeal into unaffected areas of the probe's computer memory. How did they do it? The team started their journey towards finding a possible solution by "singling out the code responsible for packaging the spacecraft's engineering data," and sending "it to its new location in the FDS memory on April 18." Also read | Nature’s grand theatre: Volcanic eruption and northern lights create stunning visuals in Iceland. Watch! According to NASA, "a radio signal takes about 22 ½ hours to reach Voyager 1, which is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometres) from Earth, and another 22 ½ hours for a signal to come back to Earth." "When the mission flight team heard back from the spacecraft on April 20, they saw that the modification worked: For the first time in five months, they have been able to check the health and status of the spacecraft," added the space agency. Although old, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 are one of humanity's greatest achievements. The twin voyager spacecraft "are the longest-running and most distant spacecraft in history." (With inputs from agencies)

Voyager 1 ends 'radio silence' thanks to NASA's software repair 15 billion miles away from Earth

In the 1980s, NASA's Voyager made a flyby past Uranus and Neptune and helped scientists conclude that the two planets are rich in frozen water.

Now, a new study has suggested that these planets may also contain substantial amounts of methane ice, which could help solve the puzzle of how they were formed.

<h2>Mystery in space</h2>

Uranus and Neptune have been a source of mystery due to their remote locations and the limited data available

Astronomers have developed models based on these observations, proposing that the planets have a thin hydrogen and helium envelope, a layer of compressed superionic water and ammonia, and a rocky core, with the water component giving them their "ice giant" designation.

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However, the new study challenges this view by considering the formation process of Uranus and Neptune. As these planets took shape from the primordial dust cloud around the young sun, they would have gobbled up planetesimals — objects similar to present-day comets, reports space.com.&nbsp;

These planetesimals are believed to be carbon-rich, unlike the assumed water-rich building blocks in current models.

So "How is it possible to form an icy giant from ice-poor building blocks?" asks planetary scientist at Technion–Israel Institute of Technology Uri Malamud, the study's lead author.

To address this discrepancy, the researchers constructed hundreds of thousands of models of Uranus and Neptune's interiors, considering various compositions including iron, water, and methane. They found that models incorporating methane, either as solid chunks or in a mushy state under extreme pressure, best matched the planets' observed traits.

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The presence of methane could help resolve the paradox of how these "ice giants" formed. The scientists propose that the methane ice formed when hydrogen in the growing planets reacted chemically with the carbon in the accreted planetesimals, under the intense heat and pressure that would have been prevalent in the developing planets.

While the study sheds light on the potential composition of Uranus and Neptune, verifying the presence of methane would be challenging, said Malamud. They hope that future missions, such as those proposed by NASA, could provide further insights into these enigmatic planets and help confirm the findings of this study.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the 1980s, NASA's Voyager made a flyby past Uranus and Neptune and helped scientists conclude that the two planets are rich in frozen water. Now, a new study has suggested that these planets may also contain substantial amounts of methane ice, which could help solve the puzzle of how they were formed.

In the 1980s, NASA's Voyager made a flyby past Uranus and Neptune and helped scientists conclude that the two planets are rich in frozen water. Now, a new study has suggested that these planets may also contain substantial amounts of methane ice, which could help solve the puzzle of how they were formed. Mystery in space Uranus and Neptune have been a source of mystery due to their remote locations and the limited data available Astronomers have developed models based on these observations, proposing that the planets have a thin hydrogen and helium envelope, a layer of compressed superionic water and ammonia, and a rocky core, with the water component giving them their "ice giant" designation. Also read | NASA's Juno captures closest views of erupting volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. Watch! However, the new study challenges this view by considering the formation process of Uranus and Neptune. As these planets took shape from the primordial dust cloud around the young sun, they would have gobbled up planetesimals — objects similar to present-day comets, reports space.com. These planetesimals are believed to be carbon-rich, unlike the assumed water-rich building blocks in current models. So "How is it possible to form an icy giant from ice-poor building blocks?" asks planetary scientist at Technion–Israel Institute of Technology Uri Malamud, the study's lead author. To address this discrepancy, the researchers constructed hundreds of thousands of models of Uranus and Neptune's interiors, considering various compositions including iron, water, and methane. They found that models incorporating methane, either as solid chunks or in a mushy state under extreme pressure, best matched the planets' observed traits. Also read | Tiny moon, big ocean: THIS is how a huge ocean was created on Saturn's 'Death Star' moon Mimas The presence of methane could help resolve the paradox of how these "ice giants" formed. The scientists propose that the methane ice formed when hydrogen in the growing planets reacted chemically with the carbon in the accreted planetesimals, under the intense heat and pressure that would have been prevalent in the developing planets. While the study sheds light on the potential composition of Uranus and Neptune, verifying the presence of methane would be challenging, said Malamud. They hope that future missions, such as those proposed by NASA, could provide further insights into these enigmatic planets and help confirm the findings of this study. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists believe Uranus and Neptune are 'ice giants,' but a new study hints at something else

Earlier this year, a team of researchers had discovered that hiding beneath the surface of Saturn's icy moon Mimas was a huge ocean, accounting for almost half its volume. Now, the same team may have identified how the huge water body was created.

<h2>Creation of an ocean</h2>

New research published in the journal Planetary Science Letters suggests that the ocean may have something to do with how Mimas orbits around Saturn.

Researchers speculate that Mimas, which currently has a thin icy shell, once had a thick frozen exterior. However, as the moon's orbit around the ringed planet became less flattened or "eccentric" due to Saturn's pull, the icy shell melted and thinned.

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This, the researchers say, around two to 25 million years ago created a vast subsurface ocean, which is relatively young for a solar system feature.&nbsp;

"In our previous work, we found that for Mimas to be an ocean world today, it must have had a much thicker icy shell in the past. But because Mimas' eccentricity would have been even higher in the past, the pathway to get from thick ice to thinner ice was less clear," said the research team leader Matthew E. Walker in a statement.

"In this work, we showed that there is a pathway for the ice shell to be thinning currently, even as the eccentricity is dropping due to tidal heating. However, the ocean must be very young, geologically speaking," added Walker, who's a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute.

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The moon nicknamed 'death star' due to the Herschel crater, which gives it an appearance resembling the Empire's moon-sized space station in Star Wars, has a diameter of just around 148 miles (238.18 kilometres). This means it is around eight times smaller than Earth's moon, which has a diameter of 2,159 miles (3,474.57 kilometres).&nbsp;

Its ocean is located around 20 to 30 kilometres beneath the ice crust surface and is estimated to be 40 to 45 kilometres deep, thereby accounting for as much as half of Mimas' volume.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Earlier this year, a team of researchers had discovered that hiding beneath the surface of Saturn's icy moon Mimas was a huge ocean, accounting for almost half its volume.

Earlier this year, a team of researchers had discovered that hiding beneath the surface of Saturn's icy moon Mimas was a huge ocean, accounting for almost half its volume. Now, the same team may have identified how the huge water body was created. Creation of an ocean New research published in the journal Planetary Science Letters suggests that the ocean may have something to do with how Mimas orbits around Saturn. Researchers speculate that Mimas, which currently has a thin icy shell, once had a thick frozen exterior. However, as the moon's orbit around the ringed planet became less flattened or "eccentric" due to Saturn's pull, the icy shell melted and thinned. Also read | NASA's Juno captures closest views of erupting volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. Watch! This, the researchers say, around two to 25 million years ago created a vast subsurface ocean, which is relatively young for a solar system feature. "In our previous work, we found that for Mimas to be an ocean world today, it must have had a much thicker icy shell in the past. But because Mimas' eccentricity would have been even higher in the past, the pathway to get from thick ice to thinner ice was less clear," said the research team leader Matthew E. Walker in a statement. "In this work, we showed that there is a pathway for the ice shell to be thinning currently, even as the eccentricity is dropping due to tidal heating. However, the ocean must be very young, geologically speaking," added Walker, who's a senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. Also read | Ancient humans lived in THIS vast lava tube in Saudi Arabia 7,000 years ago The moon nicknamed 'death star' due to the Herschel crater, which gives it an appearance resembling the Empire's moon-sized space station in Star Wars, has a diameter of just around 148 miles (238.18 kilometres). This means it is around eight times smaller than Earth's moon, which has a diameter of 2,159 miles (3,474.57 kilometres). Its ocean is located around 20 to 30 kilometres beneath the ice crust surface and is estimated to be 40 to 45 kilometres deep, thereby accounting for as much as half of Mimas' volume. (With inputs from agencies)

Tiny moon, big ocean: THIS is how a huge ocean was created on Saturn's 'Death Star' moon Mimas

A conference of leading cosmologists at London's Royal Society is set to challenge the conventional view that the universe is a vast, evenly speckled expanse with no notable features. This view, a fundamental pillar of the standard model of cosmology, has been the basis for understanding the Big Bang and the evolution of the universe over the past 13.7 billion years.

<h2>What if we're wrong?</h2>

This week, some of the world's leading cosmologists will come together at the Royal Society in London&nbsp;to evaluate the important question: what if this basic assumption is wrong?

The meeting will last two days, from April 15th (Monday) to April 16th&nbsp;(Tuesday).

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Cosmologist Prof Subir Sarkar of the University of Oxford, a co-organiser of the meeting, as per the Guardian said that recent high-profile astronomical observations have cast doubt on this basic assumption of uniformity across the universe.

These observations include evidence suggesting that the universe is expanding more quickly in some regions than others. It also hints at megastructures in the night sky, and cosmic flows - vast celestial rivers of material that challenge conventional theories.

"We are, in cosmology, using a model that was first formulated in 1922," said Sarkar, adding that it is so deeply ingrained that it is treated as "the religion".

"We have great data, but the theoretical basis is past its sell-by date. More and more people are saying the same thing and these are respected astronomers," he added.

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One finding presented at the conference by Dr Nathan Secrest of the US Naval Observatory suggests that the universe may be slightly lopsided. Analysing a catalogue of over 1 million quasars (extremely luminous galactic cores), his team found that one hemisphere of the sky appeared to host roughly 0.5 per cent more sources than the other.

If confirmed, this discrepancy could undermine the basis for dark energy, which is supposed to be the dominant component of the universe.

"It would mean that two-thirds of the universe has just disappeared," remarked Sarkar.

<h2>The expanding&nbsp;universe </h2>

Dr Konstantinos Migkas of Leiden University will also share findings that the rate at which the universe is expanding, known as the Hubble constant, appears to vary across space. This suggests that observations do not match predictions of the standard model at a local scale, adding "another problematic piece to the puzzle," said Migkas.

PhD student Alexia Lopez of the University of Central Lancashire has discovered cosmic megastructures, named Big Ring and Giant Arc, traced out by galaxies and galaxy clusters on a scale beyond which the universe should be smooth and featureless. These structures challenge the assumption that the universe is homogeneous on large scales.

"When we're finding a list of structures that are exceeding this scale, are they challenging this assumption that is so fundamental in cosmology?"&nbsp;

"Maybe there needs to be more of a critical analysis of our standard model," said Lopez.&nbsp;

However, some scientists, like Prof George Efstathiou of the University of Cambridge, remain sceptical of these findings. At the conference, he will present his take to the scientific community. He said that while people accuse him of defending the model "they don't realise is how much time I’ve spent trying to disprove it. I completely disagree that's there’s some kind of groupthink."

As Prof Wendy Freeman, presenting new findings from the James Webb Space Telescope, puts it, there are "tantalising threads at varying levels of significance" that require further exploration to understand where, "if at all, the standard model breaks down."

(With inputs from agencies)

A conference of leading cosmologists at London's Royal Society is set to challenge the conventional view that the universe is a vast, evenly speckled expanse with no notable features.

A conference of leading cosmologists at London's Royal Society is set to challenge the conventional view that the universe is a vast, evenly speckled expanse with no notable features. This view, a fundamental pillar of the standard model of cosmology, has been the basis for understanding the Big Bang and the evolution of the universe over the past 13.7 billion years. What if we're wrong? This week, some of the world's leading cosmologists will come together at the Royal Society in London to evaluate the important question: what if this basic assumption is wrong? The meeting will last two days, from April 15th (Monday) to April 16th (Tuesday). Also read | US Space Force readies for first-of-its-kind military exercise in Earth orbit Cosmologist Prof Subir Sarkar of the University of Oxford, a co-organiser of the meeting, as per the Guardian said that recent high-profile astronomical observations have cast doubt on this basic assumption of uniformity across the universe. These observations include evidence suggesting that the universe is expanding more quickly in some regions than others. It also hints at megastructures in the night sky, and cosmic flows - vast celestial rivers of material that challenge conventional theories. "We are, in cosmology, using a model that was first formulated in 1922," said Sarkar, adding that it is so deeply ingrained that it is treated as "the religion". "We have great data, but the theoretical basis is past its sell-by date. More and more people are saying the same thing and these are respected astronomers," he added. Also read | Giant kangaroo, double the size of animals we know today once 'hopped' across Australia: Study One finding presented at the conference by Dr Nathan Secrest of the US Naval Observatory suggests that the universe may be slightly lopsided. Analysing a catalogue of over 1 million quasars (extremely luminous galactic cores), his team found that one hemisphere of the sky appeared to host roughly 0.5 per cent more sources than the other. If confirmed, this discrepancy could undermine the basis for dark energy, which is supposed to be the dominant component of the universe. "It would mean that two-thirds of the universe has just disappeared," remarked Sarkar. The expanding universe Dr Konstantinos Migkas of Leiden University will also share findings that the rate at which the universe is expanding, known as the Hubble constant, appears to vary across space. This suggests that observations do not match predictions of the standard model at a local scale, adding "another problematic piece to the puzzle," said Migkas. PhD student Alexia Lopez of the University of Central Lancashire has discovered cosmic megastructures, named Big Ring and Giant Arc, traced out by galaxies and galaxy clusters on a scale beyond which the universe should be smooth and featureless. These structures challenge the assumption that the universe is homogeneous on large scales. "When we're finding a list of structures that are exceeding this scale, are they challenging this assumption that is so fundamental in cosmology?" "Maybe there needs to be more of a critical analysis of our standard model," said Lopez. However, some scientists, like Prof George Efstathiou of the University of Cambridge, remain sceptical of these findings. At the conference, he will present his take to the scientific community. He said that while people accuse him of defending the model "they don't realise is how much time I’ve spent trying to disprove it. I completely disagree that's there’s some kind of groupthink." As Prof Wendy Freeman, presenting new findings from the James Webb Space Telescope, puts it, there are "tantalising threads at varying levels of significance" that require further exploration to understand where, "if at all, the standard model breaks down." (With inputs from agencies)

More complex than we thought? Cosmologists set to question the standards of how we view the universe

Scientists at a leading gravitational wave observatory detected a mysterious signal with chilling origins. As per reports, the signal has its origins in the collision between a star corpse and an unknown object.

<h2>Star corpse?</h2>

Yes, star corpse, or better known as the stellar remnant of a neuron star. It is what's left when a massive star collapses, leaving behind only a dense core.&nbsp;

One of the densest objects in the universe, Neutron stars are less dense than black holes, which have gravity so strong that even light cannot escape.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/glory-effect-rare-rainbow-like-rings-observed-on-a-planet-outside-our-solar-system-708284">Glory effect: Rare rainbow-like rings observed on a planet outside our solar system</a>

The signal, which was named GW230529_181500, as per Gizmodo, travelled 650 million light-years to reach Earth. It was picked up by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, a network of observatories, last year. This was, in May 2023, just after it resumed its operations following upgrades to improve sensitivity.&nbsp;

While researchers have identified one object in the collision as likely being a neutron star, the other much object was more massive than any known neutron star, suggesting it could be a small black hole. However, the team will further scrutinise the collision to find out what it exactly is.&nbsp;

This unknown object fills the "mass gap" between the heaviest neutron stars and the lightest black holes. A paper describing the findings has been posted on the LIGO website.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/groundbreaking-study-reveals-how-to-cut-cost-of-prostate-cancer-scans-by-half-708547">Groundbreaking study reveals how to cut cost of prostate cancer scans by half</a>

In a release Jess McIver, an astronomer at the University of British Columbia and Deputy Spokesperson of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration said that the detection "reveals that there may be a higher rate of similar collisions between neutron stars and low-mass black holes than we previously thought."

As per the report, only one other merger involving an object in this mass range has been observed before, known as GW190814.

There's a lot to look forward to. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration is preparing for its fourth observing run, scheduled to start on April 10, 2023, and run until February 2025. During this time, they expect to observe more than 200 gravitational wave signals.

(With inputs from agencies)

Scientists at a leading gravitational wave observatory detected a mysterious signal with chilling origins. As per reports, the signal has its origins in the collision between a star corpse and an unknown object.

Scientists at a leading gravitational wave observatory detected a mysterious signal with chilling origins. As per reports, the signal has its origins in the collision between a star corpse and an unknown object. Star corpse? Yes, star corpse, or better known as the stellar remnant of a neuron star. It is what's left when a massive star collapses, leaving behind only a dense core. One of the densest objects in the universe, Neutron stars are less dense than black holes, which have gravity so strong that even light cannot escape. Also read | Glory effect: Rare rainbow-like rings observed on a planet outside our solar system The signal, which was named GW230529_181500, as per Gizmodo, travelled 650 million light-years to reach Earth. It was picked up by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, a network of observatories, last year. This was, in May 2023, just after it resumed its operations following upgrades to improve sensitivity. While researchers have identified one object in the collision as likely being a neutron star, the other much object was more massive than any known neutron star, suggesting it could be a small black hole. However, the team will further scrutinise the collision to find out what it exactly is. This unknown object fills the "mass gap" between the heaviest neutron stars and the lightest black holes. A paper describing the findings has been posted on the LIGO website. Also read | Groundbreaking study reveals how to cut cost of prostate cancer scans by half In a release Jess McIver, an astronomer at the University of British Columbia and Deputy Spokesperson of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration said that the detection "reveals that there may be a higher rate of similar collisions between neutron stars and low-mass black holes than we previously thought." As per the report, only one other merger involving an object in this mass range has been observed before, known as GW190814. There's a lot to look forward to. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration is preparing for its fourth observing run, scheduled to start on April 10, 2023, and run until February 2025. During this time, they expect to observe more than 200 gravitational wave signals. (With inputs from agencies)

Travelling 650 million light-years, a mysterious signal possibly from a star corpse has reached Earth

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70&nbsp;400 light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;

The creation of the "third world" was captured under the MIRI mid-infrared Disk Survey (MINDS) project. Two planets taking shape in a disk of gas and dust had already been discovered some time back.

The scientists, with the help of JWST's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), also noticed a large spiral stream of material which was enhancing the growth of an already discovered planet PDS 70C.&nbsp;

PDS 70C, a giant planet, is surrounded by its own disk of material and the spiral stream is&nbsp;feeding it as well which will soon result in the the birth of its moons.&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-blasts-an-asteroid-in-space-it-now-fears-its-debris-may-collide-with-mars-707195">NASA blasted an asteroid in space. It now fears boulders may collide with Mars</a>

Speaking to Space.com, MINDS team member and KU Leuven and the University of Liege postdoctoral researcher Valentin Christiaens said, "We found new evidence for the presence of a third planet in the system, which was proposed based on VLT observations."

"Furthermore, the new infrared measurements we obtained for the two known protoplanets suggest the presence of heated material around them — which may be the building blocks for moons forming around them," added Christiaens.

<h2>Astronomers' tryst with PDS 70 system&nbsp;</h2>

The astronomers have used various telescopes, which include the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the VLT, for studying the PDS 70 system.

The astronomers have remained fascinated about the system since the protostar and its protoplanetary disk are likely no older than 5.5 million years. 
&nbsp; 
"PDS 70 is special, as it is the only protoplanetary disk so far where all astronomers agree that we have found forming planets caught in the act," said Christiaens.&nbsp;

"Detailed study of this system has thus allowed us to learn a lot about planet formation," he added.

Watch:&nbsp;NASA's Dart mission asteroid: Asteroid Dimorphos debris may rain on Mars

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The researchers are not much aware of the potential third planet's properties. If the planet gets confirmed, it will be named PDS 70D and will remain shrouded in a vast amount of dust.&nbsp;

"What is interesting is that this separation places it near 1:2:4 mean-motion resonance with planets PDS 70B and PDS 70C. This means its orbit would be almost exactly twice as short as B and four times shorter than planet C, respectively," said Christiaens said.&nbsp;

"This is a situation we know in the solar system with the three innermost Galilean moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, and Ganymede," the astronomer said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70 400 light-years away from Earth.

In a stunning discovery, the astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were able to see a third world being formed around the infant star PDS 70 400 light-years away from Earth. The creation of the "third world" was captured under the MIRI mid-infrared Disk Survey (MINDS) project. Two planets taking shape in a disk of gas and dust had already been discovered some time back. The scientists, with the help of JWST's Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam), also noticed a large spiral stream of material which was enhancing the growth of an already discovered planet PDS 70C. PDS 70C, a giant planet, is surrounded by its own disk of material and the spiral stream is feeding it as well which will soon result in the the birth of its moons. Also Read: NASA blasted an asteroid in space. It now fears boulders may collide with Mars Speaking to Space.com, MINDS team member and KU Leuven and the University of Liege postdoctoral researcher Valentin Christiaens said, "We found new evidence for the presence of a third planet in the system, which was proposed based on VLT observations." "Furthermore, the new infrared measurements we obtained for the two known protoplanets suggest the presence of heated material around them — which may be the building blocks for moons forming around them," added Christiaens. Astronomers' tryst with PDS 70 system The astronomers have used various telescopes, which include the ground-based Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the VLT, for studying the PDS 70 system. The astronomers have remained fascinated about the system since the protostar and its protoplanetary disk are likely no older than 5.5 million years. "PDS 70 is special, as it is the only protoplanetary disk so far where all astronomers agree that we have found forming planets caught in the act," said Christiaens. "Detailed study of this system has thus allowed us to learn a lot about planet formation," he added. Watch: NASA's Dart mission asteroid: Asteroid Dimorphos debris may rain on Mars The researchers are not much aware of the potential third planet's properties. If the planet gets confirmed, it will be named PDS 70D and will remain shrouded in a vast amount of dust. "What is interesting is that this separation places it near 1:2:4 mean-motion resonance with planets PDS 70B and PDS 70C. This means its orbit would be almost exactly twice as short as B and four times shorter than planet C, respectively," said Christiaens said. "This is a situation we know in the solar system with the three innermost Galilean moons of Jupiter: Io, Europa, and Ganymede," the astronomer said. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb captures creation of 'third world' and birth of potential moons 400 light-years away

NASA's cutting-edge James Webb Space Telescope has once again helped humanity unveil cosmic wonders beyond our imagination. Following up on the work of NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope, Webb has now found an Earth-like planet that emits light.

Now, if you're wondering why this is groundbreaking, the answer is a simple one: this is the first time any light has been detected as being emitted from another planet outside of our solar system.

<h2>First such find</h2>

In a statement, NASA said, "This is the first detection of any form of light emitted by an exoplanet as small and as cool as the rocky planets in our own solar system."

"The result marks an important step in determining whether planets orbiting small active stars like TRAPPIST-1 can sustain atmospheres needed to support life."

"It also bodes well for Webb's ability to characterise temperate, Earth-sized exoplanets using MIRI," added the American space agency.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/mars-may-have-hosted-life-for-millions-of-years-longer-than-previously-thought-706772">Mars may have hosted life for millions of years longer than previously thought</a>

Thomas Greene, an astrophysicist at NASA's Ames Research Center, emphasised the significance of these observations, and said: "These observations really take advantage of Webb’s mid-infrared capability."

"No previous telescopes have had the sensitivity to measure such dim mid-infrared light," he added, lauding the findings published in the journal Nature.

&nbsp;

<h2>TRAPPIST-1 b</h2>

The planet in question is called 'TRAPPIST-1 b' and it shares Earth's composition. It is also roughly the same size as our planet.&nbsp;

The researchers, as per the ESA Webb website, employed secondary eclipse photometry, a technique using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)&nbsp;to measure changes in brightness as the planet moved behind its star. It found that while TRAPPIST-1 b does not emit visible light, it does emit infrared light.&nbsp;

However, as per a LAD bible report, the planet is missing an atmosphere and thus cannot support life.

"Previous observations of TRAPPIST-1 b with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, as well as NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, found no evidence for a puffy atmosphere, but were not able to rule out a dense one," says the WSA Webb website.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-announce-new-world-record-of-artificial-sun-at-100-million-degrees-706852">Scientists announce new world record of ‘artificial sun’ at 100 million degrees Celsius</a>

As per Pierre-Olivier Lagage from CEA, a co-author on the paper, "This planet is tidally locked, with one side facing the star at all times and the other in permanent darkness."

"If it has an atmosphere to circulate and redistribute the heat, the dayside will be cooler than if there is no atmosphere," said Lagage.

The planet which gets about four times the amount of energy that Earth gets from the Sun has a dayside temperature of around 500 kelvins, or 230 degrees Celsius — not an ideal temperature for life.

(With inputs from agencies)

NASA's cutting-edge James Webb Space Telescope has once again helped humanity unveil cosmic wonders beyond our imagination. Following up on the work of NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope, Webb has now found an Earth-like planet that emits light.

NASA's cutting-edge James Webb Space Telescope has once again helped humanity unveil cosmic wonders beyond our imagination. Following up on the work of NASA's infrared Spitzer Space Telescope, Webb has now found an Earth-like planet that emits light. Now, if you're wondering why this is groundbreaking, the answer is a simple one: this is the first time any light has been detected as being emitted from another planet outside of our solar system. First such find In a statement, NASA said, "This is the first detection of any form of light emitted by an exoplanet as small and as cool as the rocky planets in our own solar system." "The result marks an important step in determining whether planets orbiting small active stars like TRAPPIST-1 can sustain atmospheres needed to support life." "It also bodes well for Webb's ability to characterise temperate, Earth-sized exoplanets using MIRI," added the American space agency. Also read | Mars may have hosted life for millions of years longer than previously thought Thomas Greene, an astrophysicist at NASA's Ames Research Center, emphasised the significance of these observations, and said: "These observations really take advantage of Webb’s mid-infrared capability." "No previous telescopes have had the sensitivity to measure such dim mid-infrared light," he added, lauding the findings published in the journal Nature. TRAPPIST-1 b The planet in question is called 'TRAPPIST-1 b' and it shares Earth's composition. It is also roughly the same size as our planet. The researchers, as per the ESA Webb website, employed secondary eclipse photometry, a technique using the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to measure changes in brightness as the planet moved behind its star. It found that while TRAPPIST-1 b does not emit visible light, it does emit infrared light. However, as per a LAD bible report, the planet is missing an atmosphere and thus cannot support life. "Previous observations of TRAPPIST-1 b with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, as well as NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, found no evidence for a puffy atmosphere, but were not able to rule out a dense one," says the WSA Webb website. Also read | Scientists announce new world record of ‘artificial sun’ at 100 million degrees Celsius As per Pierre-Olivier Lagage from CEA, a co-author on the paper, "This planet is tidally locked, with one side facing the star at all times and the other in permanent darkness." "If it has an atmosphere to circulate and redistribute the heat, the dayside will be cooler than if there is no atmosphere," said Lagage. The planet which gets about four times the amount of energy that Earth gets from the Sun has a dayside temperature of around 500 kelvins, or 230 degrees Celsius — not an ideal temperature for life. (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Telescope spots extraterrestrial light outside our solar system. Here's what NASA has to say

Water on Mars: Mars may have hosted life for much longer than once believed, according to scientists. How much longer? Its habitable period might actually have been longer by millions of years.

<h2>Water on Mars</h2>

In its ancient past, Mars boasted oceans, lakes, and rivers, painting a picture reminiscent of early Earth during the solar system's infancy.

As per estimates, the gradually changing climate rendered the red planet barren, as we know it today.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/martians-wanted-nasa-is-looking-for-volunteers-to-live-in-a-mars-simulator-for-a-year-692066">‘Martians wanted’: NASA is looking for volunteers to live in a Mars simulator for a year</a>

Competing theories exist regarding the disappearance of Martian water. Some propose it evaporated into space as the planet's atmosphere thinned, while others suggest it became trapped within the planet's crust, forming an icy permafrost layer.

Traditionally, scientists thought Mars lost its water during the Hesperian period, about 3.7 to 2.9 billion years ago. However, recent findings propose water may have persisted until the late Hesperian period.

However, a research team by the UK's Imperial College has now found signs that water was abundant in a 154&nbsp;km-diameter basin just south of Mars' equator called Gale Crater. According to them, Mars had water "long after the planet was thought to have become dry and inhospitable."

<h2>Why does water on Mars matter?</h2>

The findings, as per the researchers, "have implications for our understanding of Mars' changing climate, as well as where we now look for signs of habitability."&nbsp;

Using data from the Curiosity rover's exploration, researchers spotted deformed layers in Mars' desert sandstone, which they say "could only have been formed by water".&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-curiosity-rover-finds-evidence-mars-was-once-a-planet-of-rivers-651444">Life on Mars? Curiosity rover discovers that it was once a 'planet of rivers'</a>

Dr Steven Banham, the lead author of the study&nbsp;published in Geology, noted that "the sandstone revealed that water was probably abundant more recently, and for longer than previously thought—but by which process did the water leave these clues? "

"This water might have been pressurised liquid, forced into and deforming the sediment; frozen, with the repeat freezing and thawing process causing the deformation; or briny, and subject to large temperature swings."

"What's clear is that behind each of these potential ways to deform this sandstone, water is the common link," he noted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Water on Mars: Mars may have hosted life for much longer than once believed, according to scientists. How much longer? Its habitable period might actually have been longer by millions of years.

Water on Mars: Mars may have hosted life for much longer than once believed, according to scientists. How much longer? Its habitable period might actually have been longer by millions of years. Water on Mars In its ancient past, Mars boasted oceans, lakes, and rivers, painting a picture reminiscent of early Earth during the solar system's infancy. As per estimates, the gradually changing climate rendered the red planet barren, as we know it today. Also read | ‘Martians wanted’: NASA is looking for volunteers to live in a Mars simulator for a year Competing theories exist regarding the disappearance of Martian water. Some propose it evaporated into space as the planet's atmosphere thinned, while others suggest it became trapped within the planet's crust, forming an icy permafrost layer. Traditionally, scientists thought Mars lost its water during the Hesperian period, about 3.7 to 2.9 billion years ago. However, recent findings propose water may have persisted until the late Hesperian period. However, a research team by the UK's Imperial College has now found signs that water was abundant in a 154 km-diameter basin just south of Mars' equator called Gale Crater. According to them, Mars had water "long after the planet was thought to have become dry and inhospitable." Why does water on Mars matter? The findings, as per the researchers, "have implications for our understanding of Mars' changing climate, as well as where we now look for signs of habitability." Using data from the Curiosity rover's exploration, researchers spotted deformed layers in Mars' desert sandstone, which they say "could only have been formed by water". Also read | Life on Mars? Curiosity rover discovers that it was once a 'planet of rivers' Dr Steven Banham, the lead author of the study published in Geology, noted that "the sandstone revealed that water was probably abundant more recently, and for longer than previously thought—but by which process did the water leave these clues? " "This water might have been pressurised liquid, forced into and deforming the sediment; frozen, with the repeat freezing and thawing process causing the deformation; or briny, and subject to large temperature swings." "What's clear is that behind each of these potential ways to deform this sandstone, water is the common link," he noted. (With inputs from agencies)

Mars may have hosted life for millions of years longer than previously thought

In an exploration of the farthest reaches of our solar system, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will uncover vital clues to Neptune's ancient past by scrutinising a pair of icy asteroids -&nbsp;Mors-Somnus&nbsp;

This binary asteroid system consists of two asteroids and is of interest to scientists studying the dynamics and formation of asteroids and planetary bodies. The system will tell about the evolution of the ice giant Neptune and will also give clues on how the Earth got saturated with water.&nbsp;

The binary asteroid system, dubbed Mors-Somnus, was recently unearthed within the icy expanse of the Kuiper Belt,&nbsp;a region of the outer solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune.&nbsp;

Notably, Mors-Somnus is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO), an object in the solar system that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune. This includes a wide range of celestial bodies, such as dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets.&nbsp;

Dr. Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano, a lead researcher of the Disco-TNOs programme at the Florida Space Institute, underscored the importance of this find, stating, "We are studying how the actual chemistry and physics of the TNOs reflect the distribution of molecules based on carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen in the cloud that gave birth to the planets, their moons, and the small bodies."&nbsp;

"These molecules were also the origin of life and water on Earth," Carolina added.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/microplastics-and-nanoplastics-in-the-human-body-can-cause-heart-attacks-strokes-and-cancer-studies-reveal-697650">Microplastics and nanoplastics in the human body can cause heart attacks, strokes and cancer, studies reveal</a>

These TNOs are believed to orbit within the region where they originated, largely unaffected by Neptune's migration. With this, it can be understood how Neptune migrated to its current position in the solar system.&nbsp;

With the help of the JWST's surface compositions of Mors-Somnus, scientists have embarked on a pioneering journey, examining the chemical makeup of six of these undisturbed TNOs.

Moreover, comparisons between six of the TNOs and Mors-Somnus revealed a shared origin approximately 2.7 billion miles away in the Kuiper Belt.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-discover-oldest-dead-galaxy-ever-found-in-our-universe-697623">Scientists discover oldest 'dead' galaxy ever found in our universe</a>

Dr Noemí Pinilla-Alonso, co-leader of the research, envisioned even greater revelations, asserting, "For the first time, we can not only resolve images of systems with multiple components, but we can also study their composition with a level of detail that only the JWST can provide."

Watch | Top AI tools increase worries of deep fakes ahead of elections: Study

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Researchers are anticipating breakthroughs in understanding the formation and migration of objects within the Kuiper Belt and beyond. Dr. de Souza Feliciano expressed her optimism, stating, "Before JWST, there was no instrument able to obtain information from these objects in that wavelength range."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In an exploration of the farthest reaches of our solar system, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will uncover vital clues to Neptune's ancient past by scrutinising a pair of icy asteroids - Mors-Somnus This binary asteroid system consists of two asteroids and is of interest to scientists studying the dynamics and formation of asteroids and planetary bodies.

In an exploration of the farthest reaches of our solar system, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will uncover vital clues to Neptune's ancient past by scrutinising a pair of icy asteroids - Mors-Somnus This binary asteroid system consists of two asteroids and is of interest to scientists studying the dynamics and formation of asteroids and planetary bodies. The system will tell about the evolution of the ice giant Neptune and will also give clues on how the Earth got saturated with water. The binary asteroid system, dubbed Mors-Somnus, was recently unearthed within the icy expanse of the Kuiper Belt, a region of the outer solar system beyond the orbit of Neptune. Notably, Mors-Somnus is a trans-Neptunian object (TNO), an object in the solar system that orbits the Sun at a greater average distance than Neptune. This includes a wide range of celestial bodies, such as dwarf planets, asteroids, and comets. Dr. Ana Carolina de Souza Feliciano, a lead researcher of the Disco-TNOs programme at the Florida Space Institute, underscored the importance of this find, stating, "We are studying how the actual chemistry and physics of the TNOs reflect the distribution of molecules based on carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen in the cloud that gave birth to the planets, their moons, and the small bodies." "These molecules were also the origin of life and water on Earth," Carolina added. Also Read | Microplastics and nanoplastics in the human body can cause heart attacks, strokes and cancer, studies reveal These TNOs are believed to orbit within the region where they originated, largely unaffected by Neptune's migration. With this, it can be understood how Neptune migrated to its current position in the solar system. With the help of the JWST's surface compositions of Mors-Somnus, scientists have embarked on a pioneering journey, examining the chemical makeup of six of these undisturbed TNOs. Moreover, comparisons between six of the TNOs and Mors-Somnus revealed a shared origin approximately 2.7 billion miles away in the Kuiper Belt. Also Read | Scientists discover oldest 'dead' galaxy ever found in our universe Dr Noemí Pinilla-Alonso, co-leader of the research, envisioned even greater revelations, asserting, "For the first time, we can not only resolve images of systems with multiple components, but we can also study their composition with a level of detail that only the JWST can provide." Watch | Top AI tools increase worries of deep fakes ahead of elections: Study × Researchers are anticipating breakthroughs in understanding the formation and migration of objects within the Kuiper Belt and beyond. Dr. de Souza Feliciano expressed her optimism, stating, "Before JWST, there was no instrument able to obtain information from these objects in that wavelength range." (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope probes binary asteroid system Mors-Somnus in Kuiper Belt to know Neptune's past

In 2019, an unmanned space probe called Beresheet crashed into the moon, scattering its cargo on the lunar surface. Included in the cargo were tardigrades, a nearly indestructible critter that is known for its ability to survive in any environment. But can they survive an environment as foreign as that on the moon? Here's all you need to know.

<h2>The doomed spacecraft</h2>

In April 2019, Israeli spacecraft, originally designated SpaceIL, was a lunar lander funded and built by the non-profit organisation SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries. Israel Space Agency provided technical support for it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-warn-against-alarming-rise-in-pre-term-births-due-to-climate-change-696268">Scientists warn against alarming rise in pre-term births due to climate change</a>

The spacecraft, which was launched on February 22, 2019, attempted a soft landing on April 11.&nbsp;

As per the NASA website, the plan was for Beresheet to land in Mare Serenitatis and transmit data from the surface for about 2 days.

However, due to the main engine failure, it crashed on the lunar surface.

Its precious cargo included tardigrades and "lunar library" - something resembling a DVD that contains a 30-million-page archive of human history viewable under microscopes, as well as human DNA - was being carried on the Beresheet robot lander.

<h2>Tardigrades on moon</h2>

Aboard the Beresheet spacecraft were water bears or tardigrades, creatures which are under a millimetre long and can survive despite being heated to 150C or being frozen to almost absolute zero.&nbsp;

They were dehydrated and placed in suspended animation before being loaded on to the spacecraft.

Back then, Arch Mission Foundation boss Nova Spivack, as quoted by BBC, said that they "believe the chances of survival for the tardigrades… are extremely high."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/devil-comet-may-appear-during-total-solar-eclipse-to-show-its-stunning-celestial-display-696285">'Devil Comet' likely to make an appearance during total solar eclipse in April</a>

Now, as per a Science Alert report, these tiny animals may have colonised the moon thanks to their remarkable abilities to survive almost anything.

Apparently, laboratory tests have shown that frozen specimens of tardigrade's Hypsibius dujardini species, travelling in a vacuum, were fatally damaged when smashed into sand. However, at a little slower — 2,600 km/h or less — they survived. The moon crash was slower than that, so the chances of water bears on the moon would be very high, if not for the lack of liquid water necessary for their survival.

(With inputs from agencies)

In 2019, an unmanned space probe called Beresheet crashed into the moon, scattering its cargo on the lunar surface. Included in the cargo were tardigrades, a nearly indestructible critter that is known for its ability to survive in any environment.

In 2019, an unmanned space probe called Beresheet crashed into the moon, scattering its cargo on the lunar surface. Included in the cargo were tardigrades, a nearly indestructible critter that is known for its ability to survive in any environment. But can they survive an environment as foreign as that on the moon? Here's all you need to know. The doomed spacecraft In April 2019, Israeli spacecraft, originally designated SpaceIL, was a lunar lander funded and built by the non-profit organisation SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries. Israel Space Agency provided technical support for it. Also read | Scientists warn against alarming rise in pre-term births due to climate change The spacecraft, which was launched on February 22, 2019, attempted a soft landing on April 11. As per the NASA website, the plan was for Beresheet to land in Mare Serenitatis and transmit data from the surface for about 2 days. However, due to the main engine failure, it crashed on the lunar surface. Its precious cargo included tardigrades and "lunar library" - something resembling a DVD that contains a 30-million-page archive of human history viewable under microscopes, as well as human DNA - was being carried on the Beresheet robot lander. Tardigrades on moon Aboard the Beresheet spacecraft were water bears or tardigrades, creatures which are under a millimetre long and can survive despite being heated to 150C or being frozen to almost absolute zero. They were dehydrated and placed in suspended animation before being loaded on to the spacecraft. Back then, Arch Mission Foundation boss Nova Spivack, as quoted by BBC, said that they "believe the chances of survival for the tardigrades… are extremely high." Also read | 'Devil Comet' likely to make an appearance during total solar eclipse in April Now, as per a Science Alert report, these tiny animals may have colonised the moon thanks to their remarkable abilities to survive almost anything. Apparently, laboratory tests have shown that frozen specimens of tardigrade's Hypsibius dujardini species, travelling in a vacuum, were fatally damaged when smashed into sand. However, at a little slower — 2,600 km/h or less — they survived. The moon crash was slower than that, so the chances of water bears on the moon would be very high, if not for the lack of liquid water necessary for their survival. (With inputs from agencies)

These Earth critters may be colonising the moon, all thanks to a 2019 crash. Here's all you need to know

Odysseus, an American lunar lander that had a doomed, wonky descent on the moon, sent its final image&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;before its power banks depleted, said Intuitive Machines (IM), the private company behind the project that saw America reach the Moon after over 50 years.

<h2>The final image</h2>

The photograph "showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity's presence in the universe," said IM. As per the company, the image was actually captured more than a week back on February 22, the day Odysseus touched down near the Moon's south pole. However, it was only received on Thursday.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/quite-the-photographer-us-lunar-spacecraft-odysseus-shares-new-pictures-it-is-expected-to-go-dark-soon-694602">'Quite the photographer': US lunar spacecraft Odysseus shares new pictures</a>

"Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again," said the company to the spaceship that achieved America's first lunar touchdown since the manned Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

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Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission. Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe. 
 
Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you… <a href="https://t.co/RwOWsH1TSz">pic.twitter.com/RwOWsH1TSz</a>
— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1763336637432385813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Is Odysseus out of commission forever?</h2>

With the onset of the long lunar night, flight controllers cannot attempt to awaken the lander for another two or three weeks. However, nothing is certain. Recently, Japan's SLIM spaceship, which in January had landed upside down, was successfully resurrected.

Watch:&nbsp;Odysseus moon landing: Historic mission reaches lunar surface

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/odysseus-moon-landing-historic-mission-reaches-lunar-surface-692967/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<h2>Toppled over craft</h2>

Odysseus reached the Moon last Thursday (Feb 22) after an 11th-hour navigational glitch and white-knuckle descent that ended with it landing in a sideways or sharply tilted position. This toppled position has impeded the spacecraft's communications and solar-charging capability.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/us-spaceship-odysseus-may-have-tipped-over-on-moon-surface-likely-fractured-landing-equipment-693303">US spaceship Odysseus may have 'tipped over' on Moon surface, likely 'fractured' landing equipment</a>

On Friday, Intuitive Machines said that two of the spacecraft's communication antennae were pointed the wrong way and thus were knocked out of commission. Likewise, Odysseus' solar panels were facing the wrong direction, thereby limiting the vehicle's ability to recharge its batteries.

As per the company, the navigational issues were due to human error.

(With inputs from agencies)

Odysseus, an American lunar lander that had a doomed, wonky descent on the moon, sent its final image on Thursday before its power banks depleted, said Intuitive Machines (IM), the private company behind the project that saw America reach the Moon after over 50 years.

Odysseus, an American lunar lander that had a doomed, wonky descent on the moon, sent its final image on Thursday before its power banks depleted, said Intuitive Machines (IM), the private company behind the project that saw America reach the Moon after over 50 years. The final image The photograph "showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity's presence in the universe," said IM. As per the company, the image was actually captured more than a week back on February 22, the day Odysseus touched down near the Moon's south pole. However, it was only received on Thursday. Also read | 'Quite the photographer': US lunar spacecraft Odysseus shares new pictures "Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again," said the company to the spaceship that achieved America's first lunar touchdown since the manned Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission. Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe. Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you… pic.twitter.com/RwOWsH1TSz — Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) February 29, 2024 × Is Odysseus out of commission forever? With the onset of the long lunar night, flight controllers cannot attempt to awaken the lander for another two or three weeks. However, nothing is certain. Recently, Japan's SLIM spaceship, which in January had landed upside down, was successfully resurrected. Watch: Odysseus moon landing: Historic mission reaches lunar surface Toppled over craft Odysseus reached the Moon last Thursday (Feb 22) after an 11th-hour navigational glitch and white-knuckle descent that ended with it landing in a sideways or sharply tilted position. This toppled position has impeded the spacecraft's communications and solar-charging capability. Watch | US spaceship Odysseus may have 'tipped over' on Moon surface, likely 'fractured' landing equipment On Friday, Intuitive Machines said that two of the spacecraft's communication antennae were pointed the wrong way and thus were knocked out of commission. Likewise, Odysseus' solar panels were facing the wrong direction, thereby limiting the vehicle's ability to recharge its batteries. As per the company, the navigational issues were due to human error. (With inputs from agencies)

'Goodnight Odie': Wonky US Moon lander Odysseus goes dark with power banks depleted

Odysseus, the toppled US Spacecraft at the end of its fifth day (Tuesday, Feb 28) on the lunar surface, was still operational, reported Texas-based Intuitive Machines (IM). However, as per their estimates, the spacecraft was in its final hours before it was expected to go dark.

<h2>Day five update</h2>

Intuitive Machines in an update posted on Tuesday said that Flight Controllers from its control centre in Houston remained in contact with the lander which has "efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the company's mission objectives."

"Flight controllers are working on final determination of battery life on the lander, which may continue up to an additional 10-20 hours," it added.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ill-fated-odysseus-lander-sends-grainy-images-from-moon-hours-before-going-dark-694156">Ill-fated Odysseus lander sends grainy images from Moon hours before going dark</a>

Posting pictures captured by Odysseus on X, it said: "The images included here are the closest observations of any spaceflight mission to the south pole region of the Moon."

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Flight Controllers continue to communicate with Odysseus. This morning, Odysseus efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the Company’s mission objectives. Flight controllers are working on final determination of battery life on the lander, which may… <a href="https://t.co/EbZ1NNOrvO">pic.twitter.com/EbZ1NNOrvO</a>
— Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1762490074048958522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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"Odysseus is quite the photographer, capturing this image approximately 30 meters above the lunar surface, while his main engine throttled down more than 24,000 mph. Another day of exploration on the south pole region of the Moon," it added.

Watch:&nbsp;Odysseus moon landing: Historic mission reaches lunar surface

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/odysseus-moon-landing-historic-mission-reaches-lunar-surface-692967/embed" width="560"></iframe>

<h2>Toppled over craft</h2>

Odysseus reached the Moon last Thursday (Feb 22) after an 11th-hour navigational glitch and white-knuckle descent that ended with it landing in a sideways or sharply tilted position. This toppled position has impeded the spacecraft's communications and solar-charging capability.

On Friday, Intuitive Machines said that two of the spacecraft's communication antennae were pointed the wrong way and thus were knocked out of commission. Likewise, Odysseus' solar panels were facing the wrong direction, thereby limiting the vehicle's ability to recharge its batteries.

Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/us-spaceship-odysseus-may-have-tipped-over-on-moon-surface-likely-fractured-landing-equipment-693303">US spaceship Odysseus may have 'tipped over' on Moon surface, likely 'fractured' landing equipment</a>

As per the company, the navigational issues were due to human error.

The mission, which was intended to operate on the lunar surface for about seven to 10 days, is expected to go dark soon. On Tuesday morning, IM said that it expects to lose contact with Odysseus, however, as per the latest update, it may continue to operate for "up to an additional 10-20 hours."

(With inputs from agencies)

Odysseus, the toppled US Spacecraft at the end of its fifth day (Tuesday, Feb 28) on the lunar surface, was still operational, reported Texas-based Intuitive Machines (IM).

Odysseus, the toppled US Spacecraft at the end of its fifth day (Tuesday, Feb 28) on the lunar surface, was still operational, reported Texas-based Intuitive Machines (IM). However, as per their estimates, the spacecraft was in its final hours before it was expected to go dark. Day five update Intuitive Machines in an update posted on Tuesday said that Flight Controllers from its control centre in Houston remained in contact with the lander which has "efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the company's mission objectives." "Flight controllers are working on final determination of battery life on the lander, which may continue up to an additional 10-20 hours," it added. Also read | Ill-fated Odysseus lander sends grainy images from Moon hours before going dark Posting pictures captured by Odysseus on X, it said: "The images included here are the closest observations of any spaceflight mission to the south pole region of the Moon." Flight Controllers continue to communicate with Odysseus. This morning, Odysseus efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the Company’s mission objectives. Flight controllers are working on final determination of battery life on the lander, which may… pic.twitter.com/EbZ1NNOrvO — Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) February 27, 2024 × "Odysseus is quite the photographer, capturing this image approximately 30 meters above the lunar surface, while his main engine throttled down more than 24,000 mph. Another day of exploration on the south pole region of the Moon," it added. Watch: Odysseus moon landing: Historic mission reaches lunar surface Toppled over craft Odysseus reached the Moon last Thursday (Feb 22) after an 11th-hour navigational glitch and white-knuckle descent that ended with it landing in a sideways or sharply tilted position. This toppled position has impeded the spacecraft's communications and solar-charging capability. On Friday, Intuitive Machines said that two of the spacecraft's communication antennae were pointed the wrong way and thus were knocked out of commission. Likewise, Odysseus' solar panels were facing the wrong direction, thereby limiting the vehicle's ability to recharge its batteries. Watch | US spaceship Odysseus may have 'tipped over' on Moon surface, likely 'fractured' landing equipment As per the company, the navigational issues were due to human error. The mission, which was intended to operate on the lunar surface for about seven to 10 days, is expected to go dark soon. On Tuesday morning, IM said that it expects to lose contact with Odysseus, however, as per the latest update, it may continue to operate for "up to an additional 10-20 hours." (With inputs from agencies)

'Quite the photographer': US lunar spacecraft Odysseus shares new pictures

Astronomers have put a stop to a nearly ten-year celestial hide-and-seek game with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after discovering a neutron star from the remains of a stellar explosion.

"Thanks to the superb spatial resolution and excellent instruments on JWST we have, for the first time, been able to probe the centre of the supernova and what was created there," said astrophysicist Claes Fransson of Stockholm University, who led the study.

"We now know that there is a compact source of ionizing radiation, most likely by a neutron star. We have been looking for this from the time of the explosion, but had to wait for JWST to be able to verify the predictions."

Supernova 1987A comprises the remnants of an exploded star that at one point had a mass of around eight to ten times that of the sun. It is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a dwarf galaxy that is next to the Milky Way and is some 170,000 light-years away.&nbsp;

1987 in Supernova's name refers to the year 1987 when it was first observed by scientists 37 years ago.&nbsp;

Supernova 1987A first burst into dazzling light as it erupted, showering Earth with ghostly particles known as neutrinos. It was the closest and brightest supernova seen in the Earth's night sky in approximately 400 years.

Such kind of supernova explosion is what gives the universe its initial supplies of components including carbon, oxygen, silicon, and iron. These elements can even form molecules that could one day be essential to life, and also ultimately serve as the building blocks of the stars and planets that will develop after them.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-where-is-point-nemo-on-earth-the-graveyard-for-satellites-and-spaceships-692298">Explained: Point Nemo on Earth, the graveyard for satellites and spaceships</a>

For the past 37 years, scientists have been unable to determine which of the two compact stellar remnants that are produced by these explosions—neutron stars or black holes—may be at the centre of Supernova 1987A.

"For a long time, we've been searching for evidence for a neutron star in the gas and dust of Supernova 1987A," Mike Barlow, an emeritus professor of physics and astronomy and part of the team behind this discovery, told Space.com. "Finally, we have the evidence that we've been seeking."

(With inputs from agencies)

Astronomers have put a stop to a nearly ten-year celestial hide-and-seek game with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after discovering a neutron star from the remains of a stellar explosion.

Astronomers have put a stop to a nearly ten-year celestial hide-and-seek game with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) after discovering a neutron star from the remains of a stellar explosion. "Thanks to the superb spatial resolution and excellent instruments on JWST we have, for the first time, been able to probe the centre of the supernova and what was created there," said astrophysicist Claes Fransson of Stockholm University, who led the study. "We now know that there is a compact source of ionizing radiation, most likely by a neutron star. We have been looking for this from the time of the explosion, but had to wait for JWST to be able to verify the predictions." Supernova 1987A comprises the remnants of an exploded star that at one point had a mass of around eight to ten times that of the sun. It is situated in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a dwarf galaxy that is next to the Milky Way and is some 170,000 light-years away. 1987 in Supernova's name refers to the year 1987 when it was first observed by scientists 37 years ago. Supernova 1987A first burst into dazzling light as it erupted, showering Earth with ghostly particles known as neutrinos. It was the closest and brightest supernova seen in the Earth's night sky in approximately 400 years. Such kind of supernova explosion is what gives the universe its initial supplies of components including carbon, oxygen, silicon, and iron. These elements can even form molecules that could one day be essential to life, and also ultimately serve as the building blocks of the stars and planets that will develop after them. Also read: Explained: Point Nemo on Earth, the graveyard for satellites and spaceships For the past 37 years, scientists have been unable to determine which of the two compact stellar remnants that are produced by these explosions—neutron stars or black holes—may be at the centre of Supernova 1987A. "For a long time, we've been searching for evidence for a neutron star in the gas and dust of Supernova 1987A," Mike Barlow, an emeritus professor of physics and astronomy and part of the team behind this discovery, told Space.com. "Finally, we have the evidence that we've been seeking." (With inputs from agencies)

James Webb Space Telescope spots evidence of neutron star from supernova remnant

Mars, a barren planet, is known for its harsh environment where the existence of life is nothing short of difficult, and living there won't be easy. Now, NASA is seeking applicants to do just that, in a simulation setting.&nbsp;

<h2>Life on Mars</h2>

The upcoming one-year simulation is part of the American space agency's Mars surface mission, part of the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) programme. This mission is the second of three planned ground-based missions and is set to begin in the spring of 2025.

Four volunteers will be required to live and work inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/esa-releases-pics-of-dead-satellite-tumbling-to-earth-can-it-fall-on-someones-head-all-you-need-to-know-691984">ESA shares pics of dead satellite tumbling towards Earth; can it fall on someone’s head? All you need to know</a>

The habitat, called Mars Dune Alpha, will replicate the challenges of a Mars mission, including limited resources, equipment failures, communication delays, and environmental stressors.&nbsp;

Volunteers will be given a living quarters, workspace, a medical station, lounge areas and a galley and food growing stations. They will be required to conduct simulated spacewalks, work with robots, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth. Furthermore, they will be subjected to typical challenges, "including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors."

<h2>Who can apply?</h2>

As per the NASA website, the space agency is looking for healthy, motivated US citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers. The applicants must be between the ages of 30-55, and proficient in English.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/researchers-decode-years-of-research-to-find-the-optimal-temperature-for-life-heres-all-you-need-to-know-692028">Researchers decode years of research to find the optimal temperature for life. Here's all you need to know</a>

"Applicants should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars," states NASA. They must also meet standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidates.

The deadline for applying for this unique opportunity is April 2nd.

Participants will be compensated for the mission, however, no details have been provided.

The CHAPEA missions are aimed at providing valuable scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future Mars missions. NASA is using research from the ongoing simulated missions to inform crew health and performance support during actual Mars expeditions.

(With inputs from agencies)

Mars, a barren planet, is known for its harsh environment where the existence of life is nothing short of difficult, and living there won't be easy. Now, NASA is seeking applicants to do just that, in a simulation setting.

Mars, a barren planet, is known for its harsh environment where the existence of life is nothing short of difficult, and living there won't be easy. Now, NASA is seeking applicants to do just that, in a simulation setting. Life on Mars The upcoming one-year simulation is part of the American space agency's Mars surface mission, part of the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) programme. This mission is the second of three planned ground-based missions and is set to begin in the spring of 2025. Four volunteers will be required to live and work inside a 1,700-square-foot, 3D-printed habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Also read | ESA shares pics of dead satellite tumbling towards Earth; can it fall on someone’s head? All you need to know The habitat, called Mars Dune Alpha, will replicate the challenges of a Mars mission, including limited resources, equipment failures, communication delays, and environmental stressors. Volunteers will be given a living quarters, workspace, a medical station, lounge areas and a galley and food growing stations. They will be required to conduct simulated spacewalks, work with robots, habitat maintenance, exercise, and crop growth. Furthermore, they will be subjected to typical challenges, "including resource limitations, equipment failures, communication delays, and other environmental stressors." Who can apply? As per the NASA website, the space agency is looking for healthy, motivated US citizens or permanent residents who are non-smokers. The applicants must be between the ages of 30-55, and proficient in English. Also read | Researchers decode years of research to find the optimal temperature for life. Here's all you need to know "Applicants should have a strong desire for unique, rewarding adventures and interest in contributing to NASA’s work to prepare for the first human journey to Mars," states NASA. They must also meet standard NASA criteria for astronaut candidates. The deadline for applying for this unique opportunity is April 2nd. Participants will be compensated for the mission, however, no details have been provided. The CHAPEA missions are aimed at providing valuable scientific data to validate systems and develop solutions for future Mars missions. NASA is using research from the ongoing simulated missions to inform crew health and performance support during actual Mars expeditions. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Martians wanted’: NASA is looking for volunteers to live in a Mars simulator for a year

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Monday (Feb 19) released images of a dead satellite as it tumbles down to Earth in what could potentially be a fiery spectacle.

The dead satellite was part of ESA's scientific Earth-monitoring mission called ERS-2. It was launched on April 21, 1995, and after a 16-year career, it retired in 2011.

During the time it was active, the ERS-2 collected data on polar ice, changing land surfaces, sea-level rise, warming oceans and atmospheric chemistry. Additionally, the satellite was also pressed into service during natural disasters in remote regions.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/doomed-european-satellite-to-crash-on-earth-in-six-days-but-nobody-knows-where-690567">European satellite to crash into Earth in six days. The exact place is eerily a mystery</a>

The dead satellite weighs approximately 5,057 pounds (2,293.82 kg) and is expected to start disintegrating at about 50 miles (80.47 kilometres) above the ground. While most of it will burn up completely in the Earth's atmosphere, the ESA estimates that the "largest fragment of the satellite that could reach the ground is 115 pounds"&nbsp;or around 52 kg.

Check out the pictures of the "tumbling descent" here:

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ERS-2 spotted! 📸🛰️ 
 
The ESA satellite is on a tumbling descent that will lead to its atmospheric reentry and break up this week. 
 
These images of ERS-2 were captured by <a href="https://twitter.com/heospace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@heospace</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/spacegovuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@spacegovuk</a> using cameras on board other satellites.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ERS2reentry?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ERS2reentry</a> <a href="https://t.co/GTuubP6apJ">pic.twitter.com/GTuubP6apJ</a>
— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) <a href="https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1759518956891557949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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These images were captured by cameras on board other satellites by Australian company HEO on behalf of the UK Space Agency.

<h2>When will the dead satellite crash onto Earth?</h2>

As per estimates by the ESA's Space Debris Office, the ERS-2 satellite will make its re-entry around 19:24 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, earlier called Greenwich Mean Time or GMT) on Wednesday (Feb&nbsp;21).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/japan-launches-debris-removal-spacecraft-to-tackle-space-junk-691743">Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk</a>

However, it must be noted that the prediction is uncertain by +/- 9.91 hours. This unpredictability, as per the space agency, is primarily due to the "influence of unpredictable solar activity, which affects the density of Earth’s atmosphere and therefore the drag experienced by the satellite."

<h2>Can the dead satellite crash on someone?</h2>

The European Space Agency estimates put the probability of the dead satellite crashing on someone's head at one in a billion.&nbsp;

"The odds of a piece of satellite falling on someone’s head is estimated at one in a billion."

It says that given that approximately 71 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered with water, the odds are that "the satellite will make a big splash somewhere."

(With inputs from agencies)

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Monday (Feb 19) released images of a dead satellite as it tumbles down to Earth in what could potentially be a fiery spectacle.

The European Space Agency (ESA) on Monday (Feb 19) released images of a dead satellite as it tumbles down to Earth in what could potentially be a fiery spectacle. The dead satellite was part of ESA's scientific Earth-monitoring mission called ERS-2. It was launched on April 21, 1995, and after a 16-year career, it retired in 2011. During the time it was active, the ERS-2 collected data on polar ice, changing land surfaces, sea-level rise, warming oceans and atmospheric chemistry. Additionally, the satellite was also pressed into service during natural disasters in remote regions. Also read | European satellite to crash into Earth in six days. The exact place is eerily a mystery The dead satellite weighs approximately 5,057 pounds (2,293.82 kg) and is expected to start disintegrating at about 50 miles (80.47 kilometres) above the ground. While most of it will burn up completely in the Earth's atmosphere, the ESA estimates that the "largest fragment of the satellite that could reach the ground is 115 pounds" or around 52 kg. Check out the pictures of the "tumbling descent" here: ERS-2 spotted! 📸🛰️ The ESA satellite is on a tumbling descent that will lead to its atmospheric reentry and break up this week. These images of ERS-2 were captured by @heospace for @spacegovuk using cameras on board other satellites.#ERS2reentry pic.twitter.com/GTuubP6apJ — ESA Operations (@esaoperations) February 19, 2024 × These images were captured by cameras on board other satellites by Australian company HEO on behalf of the UK Space Agency. When will the dead satellite crash onto Earth? As per estimates by the ESA's Space Debris Office, the ERS-2 satellite will make its re-entry around 19:24 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time, earlier called Greenwich Mean Time or GMT) on Wednesday (Feb 21). Also read | Japan launches debris removal spacecraft to tackle space junk However, it must be noted that the prediction is uncertain by +/- 9.91 hours. This unpredictability, as per the space agency, is primarily due to the "influence of unpredictable solar activity, which affects the density of Earth’s atmosphere and therefore the drag experienced by the satellite." Can the dead satellite crash on someone? The European Space Agency estimates put the probability of the dead satellite crashing on someone's head at one in a billion. "The odds of a piece of satellite falling on someone’s head is estimated at one in a billion." It says that given that approximately 71 per cent of the Earth's surface is covered with water, the odds are that "the satellite will make a big splash somewhere." (With inputs from agencies)

ESA shares pics of dead satellite tumbling towards Earth; can it fall on someone’s head? All you need to know

Surgeons, for the first time ever, successfully remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS)&nbsp;for surgery in orbit.&nbsp;

<h2>First-ever surgery in orbit</h2>

Done over the weekend, this surgery, as per an AFP report, was done on rubber bands and not a living organism. Deemed a "huge success" by participants, the experiment as per the news agency represents a significant advancement in space surgery technology. This could be crucial for treating medical emergencies during long-term manned missions, such as those to Mars.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-research-suggests-your-chihuahua-or-other-toy-breed-dog-may-have-shark-teeth-heres-what-it-means-690314">New research suggests your Chihuahua or other toy breed dog may have 'shark teeth'. Here's what it means</a>

It also has the potential to help pave the way for developing remote-control surgery techniques on Earth, especially for isolated and/or remote areas.

<h2>How did surgeons perform space surgery?</h2>

Surgeons used a robot, named spaceMIRA. It has been developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska.&nbsp;

The robot was reportedly launched to the ISS at the end of January aboard a SpaceX rocket. Curiously, it was stored in a compact box only the size of a microwave oven.&nbsp;

NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, who has been on the ISS since last September, installed the robot last Thursday.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/take-charge-companies-using-feminist-messages-to-push-useless-health-products-onto-women-finds-study-690564">'Take charge': Companies using feminist messages to push 'useless' health products onto women, finds study</a>

The experiment itself was conducted from Virtual Incision's headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it involved six surgeons who remotely operated upon the robot for around two hours.&nbsp;

Equipped with a camera and two arms, the robot performed standard surgical techniques. In a statement, Virtual Incision said: "The experiment tested standard surgical techniques like grasping, manipulating and cutting tissue. The simulated tissue is made up of rubber bands."

A significant challenge the surgeons faced during the experiment was the time lag of about 0.85 seconds between the operation centre on Earth and the ISS. Despite this, the experiment was deemed a success.

Virtual Incision said that "the experiment was deemed a huge success by all surgeons and researchers, and there were little to no hiccups." It added that this will "change the future of surgery."

NASA, which provided financial support for the project, highlighted the increasing need for emergency care, "including surgical procedures from simple stitching of lacerations to more complex activities," during longer space missions.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Surgeons, for the first time ever, successfully remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for surgery in orbit. First-ever surgery in orbit Done over the weekend, this surgery, as per an AFP report, was done on rubber bands and not a living organism.

Surgeons, for the first time ever, successfully remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for surgery in orbit. First-ever surgery in orbit Done over the weekend, this surgery, as per an AFP report, was done on rubber bands and not a living organism. Deemed a "huge success" by participants, the experiment as per the news agency represents a significant advancement in space surgery technology. This could be crucial for treating medical emergencies during long-term manned missions, such as those to Mars. Also read | New research suggests your Chihuahua or other toy breed dog may have 'shark teeth'. Here's what it means It also has the potential to help pave the way for developing remote-control surgery techniques on Earth, especially for isolated and/or remote areas. How did surgeons perform space surgery? Surgeons used a robot, named spaceMIRA. It has been developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska. The robot was reportedly launched to the ISS at the end of January aboard a SpaceX rocket. Curiously, it was stored in a compact box only the size of a microwave oven. NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, who has been on the ISS since last September, installed the robot last Thursday. Also read | 'Take charge': Companies using feminist messages to push 'useless' health products onto women, finds study The experiment itself was conducted from Virtual Incision's headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, and it involved six surgeons who remotely operated upon the robot for around two hours. Equipped with a camera and two arms, the robot performed standard surgical techniques. In a statement, Virtual Incision said: "The experiment tested standard surgical techniques like grasping, manipulating and cutting tissue. The simulated tissue is made up of rubber bands." A significant challenge the surgeons faced during the experiment was the time lag of about 0.85 seconds between the operation centre on Earth and the ISS. Despite this, the experiment was deemed a success. Virtual Incision said that "the experiment was deemed a huge success by all surgeons and researchers, and there were little to no hiccups." It added that this will "change the future of surgery." NASA, which provided financial support for the project, highlighted the increasing need for emergency care, "including surgical procedures from simple stitching of lacerations to more complex activities," during longer space missions. (With inputs from agencies)

'Future of surgery': Surgeons successfully perform remote-controlled opreration on ISS

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