The most luminous object ever detected has been spied in the distant Universe. It's a Quasar - the bright core of a galaxy that is powered by a gargantuan black hole some 17 billion times the mass of our Sun. Watch in for more details!

Brightest and hungriest black hole ever detected; It eats one sun a a day

<p>NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Understanding what goes on within a magnetar may finally unveil how these strange bodies launch as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), say scientists.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/blast-of-radio-waves-travelling-eight-billion-years-to-reach-earth-hints-at-signs-of-alien-life-scientists-692338">Radio waves that took 8 billion years to reach Earth hint at signs of alien life: Expert</a></p>

<p>FRBs are enigmatic bursts of light that can momentarily surpass the brightness of an entire galaxy. While scientists acknowledge the existence of these intense pulses, the exact reason behind their occurrence remains unknown.</p>

<p>Tracing and identifying the source of FRBs has posed a significant challenge due to their momentary nature. Until recently, all traced FRBs were found to originate from beyond our galaxy, complicating efforts to determine their origins.</p>

<h2><strong>Recent observations might help in understanding the origin of FRBs</strong></h2>

<p>In the recent discovery, the research team focused on studying SGR 1935+2154 (SGR 1935), which is considered the most active magnetar in our galaxy in the past decade.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Located approximately 30,000 light-years away from Earth, SGR 1935 was examined using both the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument aboard the International Space Station and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) space telescope.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/can-adhd-traits-actually-have-evolutionary-benefits-new-study-reveals-groundbreaking-data-692367">Can ADHD traits actually have evolutionary benefits? New study reveals groundbreaking data</a></p>

<p>Utilising these instruments, the team identified two significant glitches associated with the magnetar, occurring approximately nine hours apart.</p>

<p>To put things into context, the interior of a magnetar is so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh about a billion tons on Earth!&nbsp;</p>

<p>Right in the middle of the two glitches, SGR 1935 emitted an FRB. Following both instances of increased rotation speed, the neutron star somehow returned to its usual rotation rate, prompting the team to find an explanation for it.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/has-anaconda-been-dethroned-as-largest-snake-check-deets-692364">Has anaconda been dethroned as largest snake? Check deets</a></p>

<p>The research team suggests that the magnetar SGR 1935 returning to its normal speed is due to a brief but powerful wind originating from the star's magnetosphere. This wind carries away angular momentum, rapidly decelerating the star's rotation.</p>

<p>They propose that the same mechanism responsible for this wind also enhances the magnetar's X-ray emissions, potentially creating the magnetic conditions necessary for generating FRBs.</p>

<p>The groundbreaking study was published in the February 14 issue of the journal Nature.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite the valuable insights gained from recent observations on FRBs, there are still many unanswered questions. The complex interactions leading to the creation of FRBs remain a subject of intense research.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star.

NASA’s X-ray telescopes recently observed “glitches” in a highly magnetic neutron star, or magnetar near the heart of the Milky Way. These glitches were so powerful that they accelerated the star’s spin speed and also helped slow down the neutron star (almost a dead star), which can be game-changing in understanding what goes inside a star. Understanding what goes on within a magnetar may finally unveil how these strange bodies launch as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), say scientists. Also Read | Radio waves that took 8 billion years to reach Earth hint at signs of alien life: Expert FRBs are enigmatic bursts of light that can momentarily surpass the brightness of an entire galaxy. While scientists acknowledge the existence of these intense pulses, the exact reason behind their occurrence remains unknown. Tracing and identifying the source of FRBs has posed a significant challenge due to their momentary nature. Until recently, all traced FRBs were found to originate from beyond our galaxy, complicating efforts to determine their origins. Recent observations might help in understanding the origin of FRBs In the recent discovery, the research team focused on studying SGR 1935+2154 (SGR 1935), which is considered the most active magnetar in our galaxy in the past decade. Located approximately 30,000 light-years away from Earth, SGR 1935 was examined using both the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument aboard the International Space Station and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) space telescope. Also Read | Can ADHD traits actually have evolutionary benefits? New study reveals groundbreaking data Utilising these instruments, the team identified two significant glitches associated with the magnetar, occurring approximately nine hours apart. To put things into context, the interior of a magnetar is so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh about a billion tons on Earth! Right in the middle of the two glitches, SGR 1935 emitted an FRB. Following both instances of increased rotation speed, the neutron star somehow returned to its usual rotation rate, prompting the team to find an explanation for it. Also Read | Has anaconda been dethroned as largest snake? Check deets The research team suggests that the magnetar SGR 1935 returning to its normal speed is due to a brief but powerful wind originating from the star's magnetosphere. This wind carries away angular momentum, rapidly decelerating the star's rotation. They propose that the same mechanism responsible for this wind also enhances the magnetar's X-ray emissions, potentially creating the magnetic conditions necessary for generating FRBs. The groundbreaking study was published in the February 14 issue of the journal Nature. Despite the valuable insights gained from recent observations on FRBs, there are still many unanswered questions. The complex interactions leading to the creation of FRBs remain a subject of intense research. (With inputs from agencies)

'Glitches' from dead star could reveal origin of mysterious deep space signals: Study

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that Moscow has no intention of deploying nuclear weapons in space, claiming that the country has only developed space capabilities similar to those of the US.

Rapidly evolving threat in space: Putin says, 'No plans to deploy nukes in space'

Black holes are galactic monsters seemingly gobbling everything in their path, they don't even let light escape from their gasp. Watch the video to know more about it.

Universe's brightest and hungriest black hole

<p>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;</p>

<h2><strong>Life on Mars</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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."</p>

<h2><strong>Who can apply?</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>"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.</p>

<p>The deadline for applying for this unique opportunity is April 2nd.</p>

<p>Participants will be compensated for the mission, however, no details have been provided.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

<p>Scientists have discovered the brightest object ever in the universe: a hungry black hole that devours the gas equivalent of the Sun, every day.</p>

<p>The scientists at the Australian National University observed the fast-moving, ferocious quasar that has a mass of 17 billion Suns, making it 500 trillion times brighter than our ball of heat and light.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Quasars are celestial objects powered by giant black holes of up to 10 billion times the mass of the Sun. They emit more energy than any other object in the universe.</p>

<p>The newly discovered enormous black hole is chugging everything that falls near its event horizon and growing at a rate that scientists have never witnessed, said the astronomers who made the observation using the&nbsp;European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT).&nbsp;</p>

<p>They are predicting that the hungry quasar is consuming the equivalent of 370 Suns a year which comes down to about one a day.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date. It has a mass of 17 billion Suns and eats just over a Sun per day. This makes it the most luminous object in the known Universe," said Christian Wolf, an astronomer at the Australian National University (ANU) and lead author of the study.</p>

<p>"This quasar is the most violent place that we know in the universe," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Interestingly, the quasar had been hiding in plain sight as it was misclassified as a star previously.</p>

<p>Having been spotted in the 1980s, the quasar named&nbsp;J0529-4351 was reclassified following&nbsp;observations in Australia and Chile's Atacama Desert last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scientists said the quasar discovered is so far away from our planet that it took over 12 billion years for us to see it. The current accepted age of our universe is 13.8 billion years. Although, last year,&nbsp;Rajendra Gupta of the University of Ottawa published a report, claiming that the&nbsp;universe may be around 26.7 billion years old.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;How our sun will swallow the earth</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" data-gtm-yt-inspected-20="true" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/how-our-sun-will-swallow-the-earth-589403/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>What are quasars?</strong></h2>

<p>Quasars are supermassive black holes, often situated at the heart of a galaxy, millions to billions of times more massive than our Sun. Quasars are super hungry as they devour any matter in the vicinity by using their immense gravitational pull.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nearest-supermassive-black-hole-awakens-from-dormancy-becomes-a-million-times-brighter-scientists-607935"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Nearest supermassive black hole awakens from dormancy, becomes a million times brighter: Scientists</strong></a></p>

<p>They also emit tremendous amounts of radiation, including jets of high-energy particles,&nbsp;while a glowing disk of matter spins around them.</p>

<p>Last year, scientists published a research after monitoring over 190 quasars for two decades which stated that time passed only about a fifth as quickly as it does today due to dilation in the early universe.</p>

<p>The scientists compared the brightness of the 190 quasars, dating to about 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang event to that of&nbsp;quasars existing today. In doing so, they found that certain fluctuations&nbsp;that occur in a particular amount of time today did so five times more slowly in the most ancient quasars.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Scientists have discovered the brightest object ever in the universe: a hungry black hole that devours the gas equivalent of the Sun, every day. The scientists at the Australian National University observed the fast-moving, ferocious quasar that has a mass of 17 billion Suns, making it 500 trillion times brighter than our ball of heat and light.

Scientists have discovered the brightest object ever in the universe: a hungry black hole that devours the gas equivalent of the Sun, every day. The scientists at the Australian National University observed the fast-moving, ferocious quasar that has a mass of 17 billion Suns, making it 500 trillion times brighter than our ball of heat and light. Quasars are celestial objects powered by giant black holes of up to 10 billion times the mass of the Sun. They emit more energy than any other object in the universe. The newly discovered enormous black hole is chugging everything that falls near its event horizon and growing at a rate that scientists have never witnessed, said the astronomers who made the observation using the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT). They are predicting that the hungry quasar is consuming the equivalent of 370 Suns a year which comes down to about one a day. "We have discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date. It has a mass of 17 billion Suns and eats just over a Sun per day. This makes it the most luminous object in the known Universe," said Christian Wolf, an astronomer at the Australian National University (ANU) and lead author of the study. "This quasar is the most violent place that we know in the universe," he added. Interestingly, the quasar had been hiding in plain sight as it was misclassified as a star previously. Having been spotted in the 1980s, the quasar named J0529-4351 was reclassified following observations in Australia and Chile's Atacama Desert last year. Scientists said the quasar discovered is so far away from our planet that it took over 12 billion years for us to see it. The current accepted age of our universe is 13.8 billion years. Although, last year, Rajendra Gupta of the University of Ottawa published a report, claiming that the universe may be around 26.7 billion years old. WATCH | How our sun will swallow the earth What are quasars? Quasars are supermassive black holes, often situated at the heart of a galaxy, millions to billions of times more massive than our Sun. Quasars are super hungry as they devour any matter in the vicinity by using their immense gravitational pull. Also read | Nearest supermassive black hole awakens from dormancy, becomes a million times brighter: Scientists They also emit tremendous amounts of radiation, including jets of high-energy particles, while a glowing disk of matter spins around them. Last year, scientists published a research after monitoring over 190 quasars for two decades which stated that time passed only about a fifth as quickly as it does today due to dilation in the early universe. The scientists compared the brightness of the 190 quasars, dating to about 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang event to that of quasars existing today. In doing so, they found that certain fluctuations that occur in a particular amount of time today did so five times more slowly in the most ancient quasars. (With inputs from agencies)

Enormously 'hungry' black hole that eats 370 Suns a year is likely the brightest object in universe

This black hole eats a whole sun every day

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Check out the pictures of the "tumbling descent" here:</p>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">ERS-2 spotted! 📸🛰️<br />
<br />
The ESA satellite is on a tumbling descent that will lead to its atmospheric reentry and break up this week.<br />
<br />
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></p>
— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) <a href="https://twitter.com/esaoperations/status/1759518956891557949?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>These images were captured by cameras on board other satellites by Australian company HEO on behalf of the UK Space Agency.</p>

<h2><strong>When will the dead satellite crash onto Earth?</strong></h2>

<p>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).</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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."</p>

<h2><strong>Can the dead satellite crash on someone?</strong></h2>

<p>The European Space Agency estimates put the probability of the dead satellite crashing on someone's head at one in a billion.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The odds of a piece of satellite falling on someone’s head is estimated at one in a billion."</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

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<p>NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are considering launching the LignoSat probe - the world's first wooden satellite&nbsp;into space, in an attempt to make spaceflight operations sustainable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The tiny satellite has been built by the scientists at Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry, a logging company.&nbsp;Scientists believe that the satellite's biodegradable nature may help preserve the Earth's environment.</p>

<p>Currently, our stratosphere is inundated with metallic particles from spacecraft, including satellites, which are majorly constructed out of aluminium.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>“All the satellites which re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere burn and create tiny alumina particles, which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years. Eventually, it will affect the environment of the Eart," said Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut and aerospace engineer at Kyoto University.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the long term affects of these metals is unknown at this stage, experts are of the view that it could damage Earth's fragile ozone layer. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Keeping the environment in mind, scientists have looked for alternatives with the researchers at the Japanese university stumbling upon wood which doesn't burn or rot in the vacuum of space. However, it incinerates quickly into fine ash upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere, thereby minimising damage to the environment.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" data-gtm-yt-inspected-21="true" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gaganyaan-indias-first-mission-to-send-astronauts-to-space-648224/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<h2><strong>A reimagined future&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>To choose the right kind of wood, the scientists went through myriad timber profiles before settling on wood from magnolia trees which proved to be most robust.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After successfully testing their wood samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this year, the scientists believe the test satellite is fit for launch.</p>

<p>It is expected that the LignoSat probe which is approximately the size of a coffee mug, will operate in space for at least six months before it is allowed to enter the upper atmosphere.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-find-a-unique-way-to-keep-spacecraft-safer-than-they-ever-were-667962"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;Scientists find a 'unique' way to keep spacecraft safer than they ever were</strong></a></p>

<p>If the launch of LignoSat is indeed successful and it performs adequately in space, it could open the door for the use of wood as a construction material for more satellites.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While sci-fi movies and shows projected a future with aluminum rockets and steel skyscrapers; slick high-speed shuttles and glassy facades, it looks like we may have to re-imagine how it looks like.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are considering launching the LignoSat probe - the world's first wooden satellite into space, in an attempt to make spaceflight operations sustainable.

NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are considering launching the LignoSat probe - the world's first wooden satellite into space, in an attempt to make spaceflight operations sustainable. The tiny satellite has been built by the scientists at Kyoto University in collaboration with Sumitomo Forestry, a logging company. Scientists believe that the satellite's biodegradable nature may help preserve the Earth's environment. Currently, our stratosphere is inundated with metallic particles from spacecraft, including satellites, which are majorly constructed out of aluminium. “All the satellites which re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere burn and create tiny alumina particles, which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years. Eventually, it will affect the environment of the Eart," said Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut and aerospace engineer at Kyoto University. While the long term affects of these metals is unknown at this stage, experts are of the view that it could damage Earth's fragile ozone layer. Keeping the environment in mind, scientists have looked for alternatives with the researchers at the Japanese university stumbling upon wood which doesn't burn or rot in the vacuum of space. However, it incinerates quickly into fine ash upon reentry into Earth's atmosphere, thereby minimising damage to the environment. Watch: Gaganyaan: India's first mission to send astronauts to space A reimagined future To choose the right kind of wood, the scientists went through myriad timber profiles before settling on wood from magnolia trees which proved to be most robust. After successfully testing their wood samples aboard the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this year, the scientists believe the test satellite is fit for launch. It is expected that the LignoSat probe which is approximately the size of a coffee mug, will operate in space for at least six months before it is allowed to enter the upper atmosphere. Also read | Scientists find a 'unique' way to keep spacecraft safer than they ever were If the launch of LignoSat is indeed successful and it performs adequately in space, it could open the door for the use of wood as a construction material for more satellites. While sci-fi movies and shows projected a future with aluminum rockets and steel skyscrapers; slick high-speed shuttles and glassy facades, it looks like we may have to re-imagine how it looks like. (With inputs from agencies)

World's 1st wooden satellite to be launched soon. Why is it significant?

<p>Surgeons, for the first time ever, successfully remotely controlled a small robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS)&nbsp;for surgery in orbit.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>First-ever surgery in orbit</strong></h2>

<p>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.</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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.</p>

<h2><strong>How did surgeons perform space surgery?</strong></h2>

<p>Surgeons used a robot, named spaceMIRA. It has been developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara, who has been on the ISS since last September, installed the robot last Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>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></strong></p>

<p>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;</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


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

US White House's Intelligence Committee chairman has warned of a "national security threat" related to Russian nuclear capabilities. The intelligence report says that Russia wants to put a nuclear weapon into space that would be possibly used against the satellites.

Russia wants to deploy nuclear weapons into space in a threat to the world's security, US warns

SpaceX's new private lunar lander is aiming for the moon. As part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. SpaceX is targeting for a Falcon 9 launch of Intuitive Machines’ first lunar lander to the Moon’s surface.

All about NASA and SpaceX’s private lunar lander mission

India's space regulator IN-SPACe on Thursday said about 30 space launches, including seven by private start-ups are scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2023-24 and the next fiscal.

Space regulator IN-SPACe releases plans for 30 launches in 15 months

India's space regulator IN-SPACe revealed plans for about 30 space launches in the fourth quarter of 2023-24 and the next fiscal year.

India to perform 30 rocket launches in 15 months, In-Space unveils list of launches

An astronaut recently etched his name in history by achieving a remarkable new world record. Watch our report to learn more about this extraordinary feat.

New record for most time in space

<p>New NASA-funded research has uncovered a surprising reality behind the serene facade of the moon. It turns out that the beautiful celestial object in our night skies is not as calm as it seems! Research suggests that it may actually be hiding some turbulence right at its core, that is causing it to shrink.</p>

<h2><strong>Wrinkles on the moon</strong></h2>

<p>As per The Guardian, as the moon's core cools down, it is actually shrinking. This is causing its surface to shrivel and form what scientists call thrust faults—basically, giant ripples across its surface.</p>

<p>These thrust faults aren't just harmless wrinkles; they can actually lead to moonquakes and landslides that last for hours.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/aliens-made-the-meteor-that-hit-earth-10-years-ago-scientist-claims-687718">Aliens made the 'meteor' that hit Earth 10 years ago, scientist claims</a></strong></p>

<p>In the new research published in the Planetary Science Journal, lead researcher Tom Watters from the Smithsonian Institution explains: "Our modelling suggests that shallow moonquakes capable of producing strong ground shaking in the south polar region are possible from slip events on existing faults or the formation of new thrust faults," he said.</p>

<p>The researchers took a close look at the moon's South Pole, an area believed to have places with water ice hidden in the shadows. This region is super important and is set to be explored by NASA's Artemis III mission in 2026.</p>

<p>Using cameras aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, researchers spotted lots of "relatively small, young thrust faults widely distributed in the lunar crust, and seismic devices left on the moon's surface by astronauts decades ago".</p>

<p>They compared these findings with seismic data and found that they matched.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is this significant?</strong></h2>

<p>You may be asking why does this even matter. Well, it is not great news for astronauts or robots exploring the moon. These can actually be very dangerous as humans continue to explore Earth's natural satellite.</p>

<p>In a statement published by NASA, Watters said that "The global distribution of young thrust faults, their potential to be active, and the potential to form new thrust faults from ongoing global contraction should be considered when planning the location and stability of permanent outposts on the Moon".</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rocks-found-in-antarctica-suggest-an-asteroid-may-have-exploded-over-the-continent-25-million-years-ago-687777">An asteroid exploded over Antarctica 2.5 million years ago, rocky evidence suggests</a></strong></p>

<p>Speaking with CNN, he clarified that he was not trying to "alarm anyone" or "discourage exploration" of the moon. He said taht he just wants to warn future astronauts that the moon is more dynamic than it looks.&nbsp;"The moon is not this benign place where nothing is happening," he remarked.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


New NASA-funded research has uncovered a surprising reality behind the serene facade of the moon. It turns out that the beautiful celestial object in our night skies is not as calm as it seems!

New NASA-funded research has uncovered a surprising reality behind the serene facade of the moon. It turns out that the beautiful celestial object in our night skies is not as calm as it seems! Research suggests that it may actually be hiding some turbulence right at its core, that is causing it to shrink. Wrinkles on the moon As per The Guardian, as the moon's core cools down, it is actually shrinking. This is causing its surface to shrivel and form what scientists call thrust faults—basically, giant ripples across its surface. These thrust faults aren't just harmless wrinkles; they can actually lead to moonquakes and landslides that last for hours. Also read | Aliens made the 'meteor' that hit Earth 10 years ago, scientist claims In the new research published in the Planetary Science Journal, lead researcher Tom Watters from the Smithsonian Institution explains: "Our modelling suggests that shallow moonquakes capable of producing strong ground shaking in the south polar region are possible from slip events on existing faults or the formation of new thrust faults," he said. The researchers took a close look at the moon's South Pole, an area believed to have places with water ice hidden in the shadows. This region is super important and is set to be explored by NASA's Artemis III mission in 2026. Using cameras aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, researchers spotted lots of "relatively small, young thrust faults widely distributed in the lunar crust, and seismic devices left on the moon's surface by astronauts decades ago". They compared these findings with seismic data and found that they matched. Why is this significant? You may be asking why does this even matter. Well, it is not great news for astronauts or robots exploring the moon. These can actually be very dangerous as humans continue to explore Earth's natural satellite. In a statement published by NASA, Watters said that "The global distribution of young thrust faults, their potential to be active, and the potential to form new thrust faults from ongoing global contraction should be considered when planning the location and stability of permanent outposts on the Moon". Also read | An asteroid exploded over Antarctica 2.5 million years ago, rocky evidence suggests Speaking with CNN, he clarified that he was not trying to "alarm anyone" or "discourage exploration" of the moon. He said taht he just wants to warn future astronauts that the moon is more dynamic than it looks. "The moon is not this benign place where nothing is happening," he remarked. (With inputs from agencies)

Moon's serene facade is hiding a turbulent reality, reveals NASA-funded research

<p>Industry bodies from India and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday (February 7) aimed at furthering co-operation between space sectors of both the countries. The space economy, currently pegged to be worth USD 450 billion is expected to see rapid growth in coming years with more private players entering the field in addition to traditional space agencies run by governments.</p>

<p>The MoU is between the Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA-India) and the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA). This has established a platform for the exchange of expertise and the formulation of best practices in critical areas of space and defence. The MoU was inked in the presence of the Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Recent developments between India and Australia in the space sector, including collaborative satellite projects, data sharing for weather monitoring, and joint research initiatives, showcase a promising era of partnership. Initiatives like Australia’s ISI fund, aimed at space sector partnerships, aligns with our shared vision," said Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Indian President Droupadi Murmu takes metro ride in Delhi</strong></p>

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<p>This agreement was signed during the 'DefSat Conference &amp; Expo', where India, a key player in defence and space domains is poised to chart a roadmap for a modern and future-ready sector. The timing of this pact between the space industry bodies of both nations, aligns with the Indo-Pacific and Quad partnerships between India and Australia, signifying the potential for cooperation to advance shared interests.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It enables the creation of business-to-business partnerships, facilitates capacity building, promotes skill development, and drives research and development initiatives. Our partnership with SIAA aims to foster innovation, facilitate knowledge exchange, and unlock business opportunities, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the global space sector," said Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-first-commercial-patient-declared-cancer-free-using-indigenous-car-t-cell-therapy-687858">India: First commercial patient declared ‘cancer-free’ using indigenous CAR-T cell therapy</a></strong></p>

<p>In line with this commitment to fostering international collaborations and advancing the global space sector, both SIA-India and SIAA are actively participating in key space events. In June 2024, SIAA will take part in the Indian Space Congress, where industry leaders, policymakers, and experts will come together to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and collaborative opportunities in the space domain.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/rocks-found-in-antarctica-suggest-an-asteroid-may-have-exploded-over-the-continent-25-million-years-ago-687777">An asteroid exploded over Antarctica 2.5 million years ago, rocky evidence suggests</a></strong></p>

<p>Later in the year, SIA-India will take part in the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, where Indian and Australian delegations will unite in pioneering space collaboration. This global event will serve as a platform for exchanging insights, fostering partnerships, and showcasing advancements in space technology and delivering on the theme of ‘Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth’.</p>

<p>"Our respective space sectors are aligned in efforts to create space technology and services which have a meaningful impact for lives here on Earth. Across both space sectors there is a keen interest from private capital to back an emerging sector. Emerging companies are harnessing a talent pool of young, educated, hard-working and enthusiastic workers building technology at an incredible rate and scale," said Jeremy Hallett, Executive Chairman of SIAA.</p>


Industry bodies from India and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday (February 7) aimed at furthering co-operation between space sectors of both the countries.

Industry bodies from India and Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday (February 7) aimed at furthering co-operation between space sectors of both the countries. The space economy, currently pegged to be worth USD 450 billion is expected to see rapid growth in coming years with more private players entering the field in addition to traditional space agencies run by governments. The MoU is between the Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA-India) and the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA). This has established a platform for the exchange of expertise and the formulation of best practices in critical areas of space and defence. The MoU was inked in the presence of the Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and the Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green. "Recent developments between India and Australia in the space sector, including collaborative satellite projects, data sharing for weather monitoring, and joint research initiatives, showcase a promising era of partnership. Initiatives like Australia’s ISI fund, aimed at space sector partnerships, aligns with our shared vision," said Anil Prakash, Director General, SIA-India. Watch | Indian President Droupadi Murmu takes metro ride in Delhi × This agreement was signed during the 'DefSat Conference & Expo', where India, a key player in defence and space domains is poised to chart a roadmap for a modern and future-ready sector. The timing of this pact between the space industry bodies of both nations, aligns with the Indo-Pacific and Quad partnerships between India and Australia, signifying the potential for cooperation to advance shared interests. "It enables the creation of business-to-business partnerships, facilitates capacity building, promotes skill development, and drives research and development initiatives. Our partnership with SIAA aims to foster innovation, facilitate knowledge exchange, and unlock business opportunities, thereby contributing to the overall growth of the global space sector," said Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, President, SIA-India. Also Read | India: First commercial patient declared ‘cancer-free’ using indigenous CAR-T cell therapy In line with this commitment to fostering international collaborations and advancing the global space sector, both SIA-India and SIAA are actively participating in key space events. In June 2024, SIAA will take part in the Indian Space Congress, where industry leaders, policymakers, and experts will come together to discuss the latest trends, innovations, and collaborative opportunities in the space domain. Also Read | An asteroid exploded over Antarctica 2.5 million years ago, rocky evidence suggests Later in the year, SIA-India will take part in the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney, where Indian and Australian delegations will unite in pioneering space collaboration. This global event will serve as a platform for exchanging insights, fostering partnerships, and showcasing advancements in space technology and delivering on the theme of ‘Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth’. "Our respective space sectors are aligned in efforts to create space technology and services which have a meaningful impact for lives here on Earth. Across both space sectors there is a keen interest from private capital to back an emerging sector. Emerging companies are harnessing a talent pool of young, educated, hard-working and enthusiastic workers building technology at an incredible rate and scale," said Jeremy Hallett, Executive Chairman of SIAA.

Space industry bodies from India and Australia ink pact to further cooperation

<p>US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). In the shared image, the Moon appears in a crescent phase, while Earth shines below with delicate wisps of white clouds enveloping its blue surface.</p>

<p>NASA provided insight into the lunar phase, stating,&nbsp;"Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Detailing the view from the ISS, NASA elaborated, "Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon."</p>

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<p>Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!"<br />
<br />
"I really want to board ISS once in my lifetime," another user wrote.&nbsp;NASA often shares pictures like these, including the cosmic wonders of distant galaxies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA earlier also shared another striking image captured from the International Space Station, showcasing Earth's airglow casting an outline along the planet's horizon, with the Moon hovering above.</p>

<p>This stunning photo was taken on November 14, 2023, from an altitude of 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States and provided a unique perspective of our planet's nocturnal beauty.</p>

<p>NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver."</p>

<p>Airglow is a natural phenomenon in Earth's atmosphere that manifests as a faint emission of light in the night sky. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, typically at altitudes of about 80 to 100 kilometres (50 to 62 miles) above the Earth's surface, become excited by sunlight during the day and then release this energy as light at night.</p>

<p>Airglow is distinct from auroras, which occur at higher latitudes and are caused by energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. While auroras are more dramatic and visible, airglow is generally much fainter and can be observed worldwide, even in areas far from the polar regions where auroras are typically seen.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS).

US Space Agency NASA recently unveiled a breathtaking photograph featuring both the Moon and Earth in a single frame, captured from the International Space Station (ISS). In the shared image, the Moon appears in a crescent phase, while Earth shines below with delicate wisps of white clouds enveloping its blue surface. NASA provided insight into the lunar phase, stating, "Our Moon is in its waning crescent phase, where most of the sunlight is illuminating its far side - the side we can't directly see from Earth. The waning crescent is the last phase before the lunar cycle repeats with a "new moon" phase, where it is completely obscured from Earth's perspective." Detailing the view from the ISS, NASA elaborated, "Moon appears partially lit in the upper middle portion of the image. The Earth appears blue with faint white clouds in the atmosphere, stretching from the bottom left to the top right of the image. Black space surrounds the Moon." View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) × Reacting to the post, one user wrote, "Omg, magnificent! In addition, I love the philosophical captions of posts from NASA!" "I really want to board ISS once in my lifetime," another user wrote. NASA often shares pictures like these, including the cosmic wonders of distant galaxies. NASA earlier also shared another striking image captured from the International Space Station, showcasing Earth's airglow casting an outline along the planet's horizon, with the Moon hovering above. This stunning photo was taken on November 14, 2023, from an altitude of 260 miles (418 km) above the midwestern United States and provided a unique perspective of our planet's nocturnal beauty. NASA wrote, "A view of Earth from the space station during orbital night. The Moon is above the earth nearly centered above the surface. An airglow outlines the atmosphere above the Earth's surface in a yellow shade. Lights from cities dot Earth's surface - among them, a concentration of lights near the horizon identifies the city of Chicago, while the concentration of lights closer to the bottom left identifies Denver." Airglow is a natural phenomenon in Earth's atmosphere that manifests as a faint emission of light in the night sky. It occurs when atoms and molecules in the upper atmosphere, typically at altitudes of about 80 to 100 kilometres (50 to 62 miles) above the Earth's surface, become excited by sunlight during the day and then release this energy as light at night. Airglow is distinct from auroras, which occur at higher latitudes and are caused by energetic particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's magnetic field. While auroras are more dramatic and visible, airglow is generally much fainter and can be observed worldwide, even in areas far from the polar regions where auroras are typically seen. (With inputs from agencies)

Space marvel! NASA's incredible shot of Moon, Earth in one frame leaves internet awestruck

Chinese scientists claim to have come up with a device that can help the PLA snoop on every radio frequency range real-time. This, scientists claim, can leave China's enemy completely exposed in battlefield.

Gravitas | Space Weapons: China's secret device can snoop on every conversation

<p>NASA, in a sheer delight for space enthusiasts, shared a striking close-up image of Jupiter's moon Io, courtesy of the Juno spacecraft. NASA, while sharing the image wrote in its caption,&nbsp;"On Saturday, Feb. 3, our @NASASolarSystem Juno spacecraft made its final close flyby of Jupiter's moon Io. Similar to the previous flyby on Dec. 30, 2023, this second pass was at a distance of about 930 miles (1,500 kilometres) - or the distance from New York to Orlando, Florida."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jupiter's moon Io is one of the four largest moons of the planet, known as the Galilean moons. It was discovered by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. lo is the innermost of these four moons and is the fourth largest moon in the solar system. It's a fascinating celestial body for several reasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the image, Io could be seen against the vast backdrop of space. Half-illuminated by sunlight from the right, its night side softly aglow from Jupiter's reflected light, Io presented a mesmerising sight.</p>

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<p>Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Its surface is covered with sulfur and sulfur dioxide, and its intense volcanic activity is a result of tidal heating caused by the gravitational forces exerted by Jupiter and its other large moons, Europa and Ganymede.</p>

<p>"Io is caught in a tug-of-war between Jupiter’s powerful gravity and the smaller pull from two neighboring moons, churning its insides and creating eruptions and lakes of lava that cover its surface. The twin flybys are designed to provide new insight into how Io’s volcanic engine works and whether a global magma ocean exists under Io’s rocky, mountainous surface terrain," NASA added in the image caption.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The moon displayed hues of orange, brown, and yellow. It is adorned with circular volcanic calderas, lava flows, and jagged mountains creating dramatic shadows across its surface in the beautiful picture.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/nasa-isro-joint-satellite-nisar-to-be-launched-in-first-half-of-2024-687486">NASA-ISRO joint satellite 'NISAR' to be launched in first half of 2024</a></strong></p>

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<p>Earlier, NASA's Juno mission made a notable discovery regarding mineral salts and organic compounds present on Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon. The&nbsp;data was collected using the Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) spectrometer during a close pass by Ganymede.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


NASA, in a sheer delight for space enthusiasts, shared a striking close-up image of Jupiter's moon Io, courtesy of the Juno spacecraft. NASA, while sharing the image wrote in its caption, "On Saturday, Feb.

NASA, in a sheer delight for space enthusiasts, shared a striking close-up image of Jupiter's moon Io, courtesy of the Juno spacecraft. NASA, while sharing the image wrote in its caption, "On Saturday, Feb. 3, our @NASASolarSystem Juno spacecraft made its final close flyby of Jupiter's moon Io. Similar to the previous flyby on Dec. 30, 2023, this second pass was at a distance of about 930 miles (1,500 kilometres) - or the distance from New York to Orlando, Florida." Jupiter's moon Io is one of the four largest moons of the planet, known as the Galilean moons. It was discovered by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. lo is the innermost of these four moons and is the fourth largest moon in the solar system. It's a fascinating celestial body for several reasons. In the image, Io could be seen against the vast backdrop of space. Half-illuminated by sunlight from the right, its night side softly aglow from Jupiter's reflected light, Io presented a mesmerising sight. Also Read | Inheritance of attraction? 'Hot parents' study claims children of attractive people earn more Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Its surface is covered with sulfur and sulfur dioxide, and its intense volcanic activity is a result of tidal heating caused by the gravitational forces exerted by Jupiter and its other large moons, Europa and Ganymede. "Io is caught in a tug-of-war between Jupiter’s powerful gravity and the smaller pull from two neighboring moons, churning its insides and creating eruptions and lakes of lava that cover its surface. The twin flybys are designed to provide new insight into how Io’s volcanic engine works and whether a global magma ocean exists under Io’s rocky, mountainous surface terrain," NASA added in the image caption. Also Read | AI helps read 2,000-year-old Roman scroll from Pompeii charred by Mount Vesuvius volcano The moon displayed hues of orange, brown, and yellow. It is adorned with circular volcanic calderas, lava flows, and jagged mountains creating dramatic shadows across its surface in the beautiful picture. Watch | NASA-ISRO joint satellite 'NISAR' to be launched in first half of 2024 × Earlier, NASA's Juno mission made a notable discovery regarding mineral salts and organic compounds present on Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon. The data was collected using the Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) spectrometer during a close pass by Ganymede. (With inputs from agencies)

NASA’s Juno spacecraft delivers stunning close-up picture of Jupiter’s moon Io

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has broken the world record for the most cumulative time spent in space. The 59-year-old has now spent more than 878 days and 12 hours in space.

Russian cosmonaut sets a new record for the most time in space

<p>Russia's space corporation said that cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko on Sunday (Feb 4) set a world record for total time spent in space, surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka who logged more than 878 days in orbit - the equivalent of nearly two-and-a-half years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kononenko is currently on board the International Space Station (ISS) when he celebrated the milestone. He has travelled five times since 2008. His current trip to the ISS launched last year on a Soyuz MS-24.</p>

<p>He told Russian news agency TASS, "I fly into space to do what I love, not to set records. I've dreamt of and aspired to become a cosmonaut since I was a child."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"That interest - the opportunity to fly into space, to live and work in orbit - motivates me to continue flying. I am proud of all my achievements, but I am more proud that the record for the total duration of human stay in space is still held by a Russian cosmonaut," he added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Roscosmos said that the 59-year-old Kononenko took the top spot from Padalka, who accumulated a total of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kononenko said that he worked out on a regular basis to counteract the physical effects of "insidious" weightlessness. He further added that it was only after returning to Earth that he realised how much life he had lost out on.</p>

<p>"I do not feel deprived or isolated. It is only upon returning home that the realisation comes that for hundreds of days in my absence the children have been growing up without a papa. No one will return this time to me," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-identify-the-first-telescope-that-may-find-alien-life-on-exoplanets-686877">Scientists identify first telescope that may find alien life on exoplanets</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>He said cosmonauts could now use video calls and messaging to keep in touch with relatives but getting ready for each new space flight became more difficult due to technological advances.</p>

<p>"The profession of a cosmonaut is becoming more complicated. The systems and experiments are becoming more complicated. I repeat, the preparation has not become easier," he said.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Russia's space corporation said that cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko on Sunday (Feb 4) set a world record for total time spent in space, surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka who logged more than 878 days in orbit - the equivalent of nearly two-and-a-half years.

Russia's space corporation said that cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko on Sunday (Feb 4) set a world record for total time spent in space, surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka who logged more than 878 days in orbit - the equivalent of nearly two-and-a-half years. Kononenko is currently on board the International Space Station (ISS) when he celebrated the milestone. He has travelled five times since 2008. His current trip to the ISS launched last year on a Soyuz MS-24. He told Russian news agency TASS, "I fly into space to do what I love, not to set records. I've dreamt of and aspired to become a cosmonaut since I was a child." "That interest - the opportunity to fly into space, to live and work in orbit - motivates me to continue flying. I am proud of all my achievements, but I am more proud that the record for the total duration of human stay in space is still held by a Russian cosmonaut," he added. Also read: Scientists develop world’s first 3D-printed brain tissue that functions like human brain Roscosmos said that the 59-year-old Kononenko took the top spot from Padalka, who accumulated a total of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds. Kononenko said that he worked out on a regular basis to counteract the physical effects of "insidious" weightlessness. He further added that it was only after returning to Earth that he realised how much life he had lost out on. "I do not feel deprived or isolated. It is only upon returning home that the realisation comes that for hundreds of days in my absence the children have been growing up without a papa. No one will return this time to me," he said. Also read: Scientists identify first telescope that may find alien life on exoplanets He said cosmonauts could now use video calls and messaging to keep in touch with relatives but getting ready for each new space flight became more difficult due to technological advances. "The profession of a cosmonaut is becoming more complicated. The systems and experiments are becoming more complicated. I repeat, the preparation has not become easier," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

878 days in orbit and counting: Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko sets record for most time in space

<p>The word 'X-ray' for commoners has (literal) skeletal connotations. Say the word X-ray and we imagine gawking at our bones on black film. But for astronomers, X-ray represent a treasure trove of cosmic information. An object not visible in 'normal' wavelengths of light may emit X-ray and reveal its own secrets.</p>

<p>X-ray astronomy is a full-fledged branch to which people&nbsp;devote their entire career. Now a largest-ever X-ray map of the universe has been released. The map has more than 900,000 cosmic sources of high energy and&nbsp;more than 700,000 supermassive black holes.</p>

<p>The data was published by a German consortium named "eROSITA". The X-ray map, released on January 31, has data collected by eROSITA X-ray telescope which is fitted on Spektrum-RG, a Russian-German satellite.</p>

<p>The Max Planck Society in Germany, which helped the mission, said from its official X handle that the eROSITA All-Sky Survey Catalogue (eRASS1) is the largest collection of X-ray sources ever published till now.</p>

<p>"An X-ray image of half the #universe: the first publication of the eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources," said The Max Planck Society in its post.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">An X-ray image of half the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/universe?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#universe</a>: the first publication of the eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources 😲 <a href="https://t.co/POg5FuVraP">https://t.co/POg5FuVraP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/eROSITA_SRG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@eROSITA_SRG</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MPE_Garching?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MPE_Garching</a> <a href="https://t.co/X21gnUD6iW">pic.twitter.com/X21gnUD6iW</a></p>
— Max Planck Society (@maxplanckpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/maxplanckpress/status/1752617918406205864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"In the first six months of observation, eROSITA has already discovered more X-ray sources than have been known in the 60-year history of X-ray astronomy," it added.</p>

<p>Th eROSITA telescope carried out its observations between December 12, 2019, and June 11, 2020.</p>

<p>Other than the 710,000 supermassive black holes. The high-energy cosmic sources (more than 900,000) also comprised 180,000 stars that emitted X-rays. These star are in our Milky Way.</p>

<p>In addition to this the map contains 12,000 clusters of galaxies and a number of X-ray emitting celestial objects from other exotic classes.</p>

<p>"These are mind-blowing numbers for X-ray astronomy," said Andrea Merloni, eROSITA principal investigator,&nbsp;as quoted by The Max Planck Society.</p>

<p>"We've detected more sources in 6 months than the big flagship missions XMM-Newton and Chandra have done in nearly 25 years of operation," she added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The word 'X-ray' for commoners has (literal) skeletal connotations. Say the word X-ray and we imagine gawking at our bones on black film. But for astronomers, X-ray represent a treasure trove of cosmic information.

The word 'X-ray' for commoners has (literal) skeletal connotations. Say the word X-ray and we imagine gawking at our bones on black film. But for astronomers, X-ray represent a treasure trove of cosmic information. An object not visible in 'normal' wavelengths of light may emit X-ray and reveal its own secrets. X-ray astronomy is a full-fledged branch to which people devote their entire career. Now a largest-ever X-ray map of the universe has been released. The map has more than 900,000 cosmic sources of high energy and more than 700,000 supermassive black holes. The data was published by a German consortium named "eROSITA". The X-ray map, released on January 31, has data collected by eROSITA X-ray telescope which is fitted on Spektrum-RG, a Russian-German satellite. The Max Planck Society in Germany, which helped the mission, said from its official X handle that the eROSITA All-Sky Survey Catalogue (eRASS1) is the largest collection of X-ray sources ever published till now. "An X-ray image of half the #universe: the first publication of the eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources," said The Max Planck Society in its post. An X-ray image of half the #universe: the first publication of the eROSITA sky-survey data release makes public the largest ever catalogue of high-energy cosmic sources 😲 https://t.co/POg5FuVraP @eROSITA_SRG @MPE_Garching pic.twitter.com/X21gnUD6iW — Max Planck Society (@maxplanckpress) January 31, 2024 × "In the first six months of observation, eROSITA has already discovered more X-ray sources than have been known in the 60-year history of X-ray astronomy," it added. Th eROSITA telescope carried out its observations between December 12, 2019, and June 11, 2020. Other than the 710,000 supermassive black holes. The high-energy cosmic sources (more than 900,000) also comprised 180,000 stars that emitted X-rays. These star are in our Milky Way. In addition to this the map contains 12,000 clusters of galaxies and a number of X-ray emitting celestial objects from other exotic classes. "These are mind-blowing numbers for X-ray astronomy," said Andrea Merloni, eROSITA principal investigator, as quoted by The Max Planck Society. "We've detected more sources in 6 months than the big flagship missions XMM-Newton and Chandra have done in nearly 25 years of operation," she added. (With inputs from agencies)

Largest-ever X-ray map of the universe shows over 900,000 cosmic sources of high energy

<p>After a brief time awake, Japan's Moon lander, the unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has once again fallen asleep. On Thursday, the Japanese space agency on X, formerly Twitter, revealed that the lander is out of action but will resume its mission if it survives the two-week lunar night.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What's up with SLIM?</strong></h2>

<p>In a post on X, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said, "After completing operation from 1/30 (to) 1/31, #SLIM entered a two-week dormancy period during the long lunar night."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lunar-resilience-japans-slim-bounces-back-captures-images-of-toy-poodle-rock-on-the-moons-surface-684647">Lunar resilience: Japan's SLIM bounces back, captures images of 'toy poodle' rock on Moon's surface</a></strong></p>

<p>The moon lander went dormant after capturing an amazing black-and-white picture of the rocky lunar surface.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Last night (1/31 ~ 2/1) we sent a command to switch on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLIM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLIM</a>’s communicator again just in case, but with no response, we confirmed SLIM had entered a dormant state. This is the last scene of the Moon taken by SLIM before dusk. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoodAfterMoon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoodAfterMoon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JAXA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JAXA</a> <a href="https://t.co/V1iAUoxJFK">pic.twitter.com/V1iAUoxJFK</a></p>
— 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLIM_JAXA/status/1752958572781330741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Although SLIM was not designed for the harsh lunar nights, we plan to try to operate again from mid-February, when the Sun will shine again on SLIM's solar cells," it added in another post.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">After completing operation from 1/30 ~ 1/31, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SLIM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SLIM</a> entered a two week dormancy period during the long lunar night 🌚. Although SLIM was not designed for the harsh lunar nights, we plan to try to operate again from mid-February, when the Sun will shine again on SLIM’s solar cells. <a href="https://t.co/JO4ZgDaOxo">pic.twitter.com/JO4ZgDaOxo</a></p>
— 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLIM_JAXA/status/1752958274767602063?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>JAXA, as per space.com,&nbsp;will have to wait out a roughly 14.5 Earth-days-long lunar night—facing harsh temperatures of around minus 208 degrees Fahrenheit&nbsp;(minus 130 degrees Celsius). It can potentially revive because of the favourable lighting and temperature conditions during the lunar daytime (estimated to start around Feb 15).</p>

<h2><strong>Previous troubles</strong></h2>

<p>On January 20, Japan achieved a soft lunar landing, making it only the fifth nation to accomplish this feat, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lander demonstrated remarkable precision, landing within 100 metres of its target and only 55 metres away.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/science/japans-probe-enters-lunar-orbit-what-happens-now-674131" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/science/japans-probe-enters-lunar-orbit-what-happens-now-674131&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiQtOfK5YuEAxWjqFYBHVSzDhcQFnoECAMQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3JbEwqrpUfclheQmbZOMUx" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/japans-probe-enters-lunar-orbit-what-happens-now-674131" target="_blank">Japan's probe enters lunar orbit, what happens now?&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>Despite the feat, challenges faced by SLIM led to the decision to temporarily switch it off. Landing at a wonky angle left its solar panels facing the wrong way, and merely three hours after landing SLIM had to be switched off.</p>

<p>SLIM, as per JAXA, deployed two probes successfully – one equipped with a transmitter and another designed to traverse the lunar surface, capturing images to beam back to Earth. The mini-rover, slightly larger than a tennis ball, has been co-developed by the creators of Transformer Toys.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


After a brief time awake, Japan's Moon lander, the unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has once again fallen asleep. On Thursday, the Japanese space agency on X, formerly Twitter, revealed that the lander is out of action but will resume its mission if it survives the two-week lunar night.

After a brief time awake, Japan's Moon lander, the unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has once again fallen asleep. On Thursday, the Japanese space agency on X, formerly Twitter, revealed that the lander is out of action but will resume its mission if it survives the two-week lunar night. What's up with SLIM? In a post on X, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said, "After completing operation from 1/30 (to) 1/31, #SLIM entered a two-week dormancy period during the long lunar night." Also read | Lunar resilience: Japan's SLIM bounces back, captures images of 'toy poodle' rock on Moon's surface The moon lander went dormant after capturing an amazing black-and-white picture of the rocky lunar surface. Last night (1/31 ~ 2/1) we sent a command to switch on #SLIM’s communicator again just in case, but with no response, we confirmed SLIM had entered a dormant state. This is the last scene of the Moon taken by SLIM before dusk. #GoodAfterMoon #JAXA pic.twitter.com/V1iAUoxJFK — 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) February 1, 2024 × "Although SLIM was not designed for the harsh lunar nights, we plan to try to operate again from mid-February, when the Sun will shine again on SLIM's solar cells," it added in another post. After completing operation from 1/30 ~ 1/31, #SLIM entered a two week dormancy period during the long lunar night 🌚. Although SLIM was not designed for the harsh lunar nights, we plan to try to operate again from mid-February, when the Sun will shine again on SLIM’s solar cells. pic.twitter.com/JO4ZgDaOxo — 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) February 1, 2024 × JAXA, as per space.com, will have to wait out a roughly 14.5 Earth-days-long lunar night—facing harsh temperatures of around minus 208 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 130 degrees Celsius). It can potentially revive because of the favourable lighting and temperature conditions during the lunar daytime (estimated to start around Feb 15). Previous troubles On January 20, Japan achieved a soft lunar landing, making it only the fifth nation to accomplish this feat, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India. The lander demonstrated remarkable precision, landing within 100 metres of its target and only 55 metres away. Also read | Japan's probe enters lunar orbit, what happens now? Despite the feat, challenges faced by SLIM led to the decision to temporarily switch it off. Landing at a wonky angle left its solar panels facing the wrong way, and merely three hours after landing SLIM had to be switched off. SLIM, as per JAXA, deployed two probes successfully – one equipped with a transmitter and another designed to traverse the lunar surface, capturing images to beam back to Earth. The mini-rover, slightly larger than a tennis ball, has been co-developed by the creators of Transformer Toys. (With inputs from agencies)

Japan's moon lander clicks final image before going dormant once again

This rare celestial spectacle could not be missedAs Earth is encountering five colossal asteroids. One of the asteroids is as big as a Fifa-accredited football stadium.

Earth braces for a close encounter with five colossal asteroids this week

<p>Japan's Moon lander, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has resumed its operations in a triumphant turnaround. This comes after the lander faced initial challenges with its solar batteries.</p>

<p>Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the successful restoration of communication on X (formerly Twitter), signalling the revival of scientific observations.</p>

<p>"Communication with SLIM was successfully established last night, and operations resumed!," said JAXA.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/japans-successful-moon-landing-was-upside-down-quite-literally-683782">Japan's successful Moon landing was 'upside down', quite literally</a></strong></p>

<p>"Science observations were immediately started with the MBC, and we obtained first light for the 10-band observation. This figure shows the “toy poodle” observed in the multi-band observation," it added. Here MBC refers to the lander's multi-band spectroscopic camera.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Communication with SLIM was successfully established last night, and operations resumed! Science observations were immediately started with the MBC, and we obtained first light for the 10-band observation. This figure shows the “toy poodle” observed in the multi-band observation. <a href="https://t.co/WYD4NlYDaG">pic.twitter.com/WYD4NlYDaG</a></p>
— 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLIM_JAXA/status/1751766255810556340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>It also shared an image taken by SLIM of a rock resembling a "toy poodle" near the lander, offering a glimpse into the lunar surface.</p>

<h2><strong>SLIM's troubles</strong></h2>

<p>The announcement came after the lunar lander encountered issues with its solar batteries, leading to a hiatus in its power generation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On January 20, Japan achieved a soft lunar landing, making it only the fifth nation to accomplish this feat, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The lander demonstrated remarkable precision, landing within 100 metres of its target and only 55 metres away.</p>

<p>Despite the feat, challenges faced by SLIM led to the decision to temporarily switch it off, merely three hours after landing, reports AFP.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/pieces-of-asteroid-2024-bx1-that-crashed-into-earth-over-germany-recovered-684636">Pieces of asteroid 2024 BX1, that crashed into Earth over Germany, recovered</a></strong></p>

<p>SLIM, as per JAXA, deployed two probes successfully – one equipped with a transmitter and another designed to traverse the lunar surface, capturing images to beam back to Earth. The mini-rover, slightly larger than a tennis ball, has been co-developed by the creators of Transformer Toys.</p>

<p>Japan's lunar endeavours have faced challenges in the past, with two previous missions encountering setbacks.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Japan's 'Moon Sniper' achieves historic lunar landing</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japans-moon-sniper-achieves-historic-lunar-landing-681756/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>In 2022, the nation witnessed an unsuccessful mission of its lunar probe, Omotenashi, as part of the United States' ambitious Artemis 1 mission. Adding to the cosmic drama, a Japanese startup, ispace, embarked on its lunar odyssey in April 2022. The attempts to etch its name as the first private company to achieve a Moon landing failed as the mission encountered challenges after what the company described as a "hard landing".</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Japan's Moon lander, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has resumed its operations in a triumphant turnaround. This comes after the lander faced initial challenges with its solar batteries.

Japan's Moon lander, the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), has resumed its operations in a triumphant turnaround. This comes after the lander faced initial challenges with its solar batteries. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the successful restoration of communication on X (formerly Twitter), signalling the revival of scientific observations. "Communication with SLIM was successfully established last night, and operations resumed!," said JAXA. Also read | Japan's successful Moon landing was 'upside down', quite literally "Science observations were immediately started with the MBC, and we obtained first light for the 10-band observation. This figure shows the “toy poodle” observed in the multi-band observation," it added. Here MBC refers to the lander's multi-band spectroscopic camera. Communication with SLIM was successfully established last night, and operations resumed! Science observations were immediately started with the MBC, and we obtained first light for the 10-band observation. This figure shows the “toy poodle” observed in the multi-band observation. pic.twitter.com/WYD4NlYDaG — 小型月着陸実証機SLIM (@SLIM_JAXA) January 29, 2024 × It also shared an image taken by SLIM of a rock resembling a "toy poodle" near the lander, offering a glimpse into the lunar surface. SLIM's troubles The announcement came after the lunar lander encountered issues with its solar batteries, leading to a hiatus in its power generation. On January 20, Japan achieved a soft lunar landing, making it only the fifth nation to accomplish this feat, joining the ranks of the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India. The lander demonstrated remarkable precision, landing within 100 metres of its target and only 55 metres away. Despite the feat, challenges faced by SLIM led to the decision to temporarily switch it off, merely three hours after landing, reports AFP. Also read | Pieces of asteroid 2024 BX1, that crashed into Earth over Germany, recovered SLIM, as per JAXA, deployed two probes successfully – one equipped with a transmitter and another designed to traverse the lunar surface, capturing images to beam back to Earth. The mini-rover, slightly larger than a tennis ball, has been co-developed by the creators of Transformer Toys. Japan's lunar endeavours have faced challenges in the past, with two previous missions encountering setbacks. Also watch | Japan's 'Moon Sniper' achieves historic lunar landing In 2022, the nation witnessed an unsuccessful mission of its lunar probe, Omotenashi, as part of the United States' ambitious Artemis 1 mission. Adding to the cosmic drama, a Japanese startup, ispace, embarked on its lunar odyssey in April 2022. The attempts to etch its name as the first private company to achieve a Moon landing failed as the mission encountered challenges after what the company described as a "hard landing". (With inputs from agencies)

Lunar resilience: Japan's SLIM bounces back, captures images of 'toy poodle' rock on Moon's surface

<p>This week, Earth is in for a celestial spectacle as it braces for&nbsp;close encounters with not one or two, but five asteroids.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, leading this stellar cast is the colossal Asteroid 2008 OS7, a celestial behemoth rivalling the dimensions of a Fifa-accredited football stadium, measuring a staggering 890 feet (0.27 kilometres) across.</p>

<p>Discovered by NASA in 2008, this cosmic giant is poised to zoom past our planet on February 2. The cosmic pas de deux, as per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will happen at a distance of 1.77 million miles—a cosmic closeness that, while safe, manages to stir the curiosity of avid skygazers.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lunar-resilience-japans-slim-bounces-back-captures-images-of-toy-poodle-rock-on-the-moons-surface-684647">Lunar resilience: Japan's SLIM bounces back, captures images of 'toy poodle' rock on Moon's surface</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Other asteroids gracing Earth's skies</strong></h2>

<p>2008 OS7 is not the sole luminary in this cosmic parade. Four celestial companions, varying in size from a house to a building, are also set to make&nbsp;stellar flybys.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Sunday (Jan 28th) Asteroid 2024 AU4, a 260-feet-wide celestial object the size of a big building, zoomed past Earth at a secure distance of 3.92 million miles.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tuesday (Jan 30th) will witness the arrival of 2007 EG, an asteroid akin in size to an aeroplane — 130 feet (0.04 km), making its celestial approach at 3.8 million miles.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/pieces-of-asteroid-2024-bx1-that-crashed-into-earth-over-germany-recovered-684636">Fragments of asteroid that crashed into Earth with little warning have been found</a></strong></p>

<p>Thursday (Feb 1st) marks the entrance of two more cosmic voyagers: Asteroid 2024 BY, a house-sized wanderer — 62 feet (0.02 km), pirouetting at 1.57 million miles, and Asteroid 2003 BM4, a celestial aviator of aeroplane dimensions — 120 feet (0.04 km), traversing at 2.06 million miles.</p>

<p>NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard tracks asteroids and comets that will make relatively close approaches to Earth. "The dashboard displays the next five Earth approaches to within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres or 19.5 times the distance to the moon); an object larger than about 150 meters that can approach the Earth to within this distance is termed a potentially hazardous object," states the JPL website.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


This week, Earth is in for a celestial spectacle as it braces for close encounters with not one or two, but five asteroids. As per NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, leading this stellar cast is the colossal Asteroid 2008 OS7, a celestial behemoth rivalling the dimensions of a Fifa-accredited football stadium, measuring a staggering 890 feet (0.

This week, Earth is in for a celestial spectacle as it braces for close encounters with not one or two, but five asteroids. As per NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard, leading this stellar cast is the colossal Asteroid 2008 OS7, a celestial behemoth rivalling the dimensions of a Fifa-accredited football stadium, measuring a staggering 890 feet (0.27 kilometres) across. Discovered by NASA in 2008, this cosmic giant is poised to zoom past our planet on February 2. The cosmic pas de deux, as per NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will happen at a distance of 1.77 million miles—a cosmic closeness that, while safe, manages to stir the curiosity of avid skygazers. Also read | Lunar resilience: Japan's SLIM bounces back, captures images of 'toy poodle' rock on Moon's surface Other asteroids gracing Earth's skies 2008 OS7 is not the sole luminary in this cosmic parade. Four celestial companions, varying in size from a house to a building, are also set to make stellar flybys. On Sunday (Jan 28th) Asteroid 2024 AU4, a 260-feet-wide celestial object the size of a big building, zoomed past Earth at a secure distance of 3.92 million miles. Tuesday (Jan 30th) will witness the arrival of 2007 EG, an asteroid akin in size to an aeroplane — 130 feet (0.04 km), making its celestial approach at 3.8 million miles. Also read | Fragments of asteroid that crashed into Earth with little warning have been found Thursday (Feb 1st) marks the entrance of two more cosmic voyagers: Asteroid 2024 BY, a house-sized wanderer — 62 feet (0.02 km), pirouetting at 1.57 million miles, and Asteroid 2003 BM4, a celestial aviator of aeroplane dimensions — 120 feet (0.04 km), traversing at 2.06 million miles. NASA's Asteroid Watch dashboard tracks asteroids and comets that will make relatively close approaches to Earth. "The dashboard displays the next five Earth approaches to within 4.6 million miles (7.5 million kilometres or 19.5 times the distance to the moon); an object larger than about 150 meters that can approach the Earth to within this distance is termed a potentially hazardous object," states the JPL website. (With inputs from agencies)

Celestial parade: Earth braces for close encounters with five colossal asteroids this week

<p>We say the words and we imagine a small group of oldies blissfully passing time smoking cigarettes. But 'old smokers' have been detected in space now. Yep, and in our very own Milky Way. There is a certain mystery about these stars as after a prolonged period of inactivity, they are suddenly puffing out clouds of smoke, some of which are the size of our Solar System!</p>

<p>These 'old smokers' were found when scientists were monitoring nearly a billion stars in infrared spectrum over a sky-survey that lasted for 10 years.</p>

<p>“They’re sitting there and just suddenly throwing off matter,” said Prof Philip Lucas of the University of Hertfordshire, who led the observations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It’s a new type of star and they all seem to be clustered in the same part of the sky, very close to the centre of our Milky Way galaxy.”</p>

<p>Professor Lucas was quoted by The Independent.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Why is NASA pushing back Moon mission timelines?</strong></p>

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<p>Fun fact. The scientists did not set out to check on these 'old smokers'. The main aim of the survey to observe protostars, the newborn stars.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-hubble-telescope-finds-water-vapour-in-distant-planets-atmosphere-683925">NASA's Hubble Telescope finds water vapour in distant planet's atmosphere</a></strong></p>

<p>As the experts trained their lenses at the expanse looking at nearly a billion stars, a group of giant stars showed up in the data.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/moonquakes-and-fault-lines-detected-near-lunar-south-pole-which-is-also-artemis-astronauts-landing-site-683936">Moonquakes and fault lines detected near lunar South Pole, which is also Artemis astronauts' landing site</a></strong></p>

<p>However, when these stars was studied in detail with the use of European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, it was found that these a new type of giant stars. The researchers decided to call them "old smokers".</p>

<p>“These are solar system-sized clouds,” said Lucas. “Our guess is that these are puffs of dust in one direction, possibly from one patch on the surface of the star.”</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


We say the words and we imagine a small group of oldies blissfully passing time smoking cigarettes. But 'old smokers' have been detected in space now. Yep, and in our very own Milky Way.

We say the words and we imagine a small group of oldies blissfully passing time smoking cigarettes. But 'old smokers' have been detected in space now. Yep, and in our very own Milky Way. There is a certain mystery about these stars as after a prolonged period of inactivity, they are suddenly puffing out clouds of smoke, some of which are the size of our Solar System! These 'old smokers' were found when scientists were monitoring nearly a billion stars in infrared spectrum over a sky-survey that lasted for 10 years. “They’re sitting there and just suddenly throwing off matter,” said Prof Philip Lucas of the University of Hertfordshire, who led the observations. “It’s a new type of star and they all seem to be clustered in the same part of the sky, very close to the centre of our Milky Way galaxy.” Professor Lucas was quoted by The Independent. Watch | Why is NASA pushing back Moon mission timelines? × Fun fact. The scientists did not set out to check on these 'old smokers'. The main aim of the survey to observe protostars, the newborn stars. Also Read | NASA's Hubble Telescope finds water vapour in distant planet's atmosphere As the experts trained their lenses at the expanse looking at nearly a billion stars, a group of giant stars showed up in the data. Also Read | Moonquakes and fault lines detected near lunar South Pole, which is also Artemis astronauts' landing site However, when these stars was studied in detail with the use of European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, it was found that these a new type of giant stars. The researchers decided to call them "old smokers". “These are solar system-sized clouds,” said Lucas. “Our guess is that these are puffs of dust in one direction, possibly from one patch on the surface of the star.” (With inputs from agencies)

'Old smokers' discovered at the heart of the Milky Way

Salads and space are not meant to go together. As per research, vegetables could be more susceptible to bacterial infections in space than on Earth. The International Space Station might not be the ideal environment for cultivating healthy greens.

Why is eating salads in space a bad idea?

Japan's 'Moon Sniper' craft, also known as the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), successfully executed a "soft landing" on the lunar surface on Friday (Jan 19). The Vice President of the Japanese space agency, Jaxa says, "Jaxa worked with toymaker, Sony, Academia to make moon rover." Watch to know more!

Japan's lunar landing: 'Toy robot can communicate with Earth,' says Jaxa VP

A privately built moon lander launched Monday morning to make the first U.S. soft lunar landing in more than 50 years failed to enter its correct orientation in space, suffering what its owners termed an "anomaly" that calls the mission's fate into question.

US: First Lunar mission in 50 years faces technical difficulties

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