In a bid to challenge SpaceX’s Starlink, a Chinese state-backed company, Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology, successfully launched 18 satellites into orbit. The company’s ambitious plan involves building a vast orbital network known as the “Thousand Sails Constellation,” which aims to rival the existing Starlink network. The launch of the 18 satellites marks the first step
Space
The Moon, often seen as a barren and desolate celestial body, is actually surrounded by a thin atmosphere known as an exosphere. This exosphere is made up of gases that are constantly replenished, despite the lack of a magnetic field to confine them like on Earth. Scientists have recently discovered the source of this replenishment,
Stars, contrary to what was once believed, are not fixed and unchanging. Rather, they have the ability to appear suddenly in the night sky and then fade away over a period of days or weeks. One of the earliest recorded instances of such an event occurred on July 4, 1054, when a star suddenly appeared
The origins of the Moon have long been a subject of debate within the scientific community, with various theories proposed over the years. The most widely accepted explanation was that a Mars-sized object collided with Earth billions of years ago, leading to the formation of the Moon. However, a recent study challenges this consensus and
Two meteor showers – the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids – are set to peak around the same time on Tuesday evening. The best time to witness this double event is between 2 am and 4 am local time, according to Nick Moskovitz, a planetary astronomer at Lowell Observatory in Arizona. While the display
Astronomers have recently made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of astrophysics. A newly discovered galaxy, named JADES-GS-z14-0, has broken the record for being the earliest galaxy ever observed. This galaxy is shining brightly in the early Universe, appearing less than 300 million years after the Big Bang. The discovery of this galaxy challenges our
The debate on whether the exploration of Mars should be carried out by humans or robots has gained increasing attention in recent years. Astronomer royal Lord Martin Rees and Mars exploration advocate Dr Robert Zubrin are among the key figures in this discussion. While Lord Rees and co-author Donald Goldsmith advocate for robotic exploration to
The recent discovery of a rock on Mars named Chevaya Falls by the Perseverance rover has sparked excitement among scientists due to its potential implications for past life on the red planet. This rock, found on the edge of an ancient river valley, shows signs of hosting life-supporting chemistry billions of years ago. The veiny
The outer planets of our solar system have always been a source of fascination for scientists and astronomers alike. With their diverse moons and unique geological features, each planet and its satellites offer a wealth of opportunities for exploration and discovery. One such moon, Ariel, a satellite of Uranus, has recently caught the attention of
Numerous simulations of Mercury’s infancy suggest that the smallest planet in our solar system may have inherited a remarkable treasure in the form of a thick layer of solid diamond, estimated to be about 15 kilometers thick. This layer of diamond is believed to be situated between the planet’s core and mantle, buried hundreds of
Supermassive black holes are known to reside at the heart of galaxies, presenting astronomers with a significant puzzle. While smaller black holes can merge into larger ones, the process by which supermassive black holes collide remains unclear. However, recent mathematical modeling suggests that dark matter, a mysterious substance that interacts with itself, may play a
For the past 25 years, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has been revolutionizing our understanding of the universe by capturing images and data that are invisible to the naked eye. Unlike traditional telescopes that observe visible light, Chandra’s X-ray vision allows scientists to peer into the most extreme and energetic events in outer space. One of
Astronomers have recently made an incredible discovery using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) – a new exoplanet named Eps Ind Ab. What sets this discovery apart is that this gas giant exoplanet has been directly imaged as a distinct entity separate from its host star, a feat that is quite rare in the world
Recent discoveries in the realm of astrophysics have shed light on the elusive nature of intermediate mass black holes in the Universe. One such discovery involves a cluster of stars known as IRS 13, located near the center of our galaxy. This particular cluster houses a black hole that falls within the middleweight mass range,
The Solar System is a vast space full of mysteries and wonders, with thousands of near-Earth objects orbiting the Sun. Among these objects, astronomers have identified a fascinating phenomenon known as “dark comets.” These dark comets, once containing or still containing ice within their rocky bodies, could hold the key to understanding the origins of