Imagine witnessing a breathtaking fireball exploding in the sky, with meteorite fragments raining down on a city. This extraordinary event unfolded on June 27, 1931, in the city of Tatahouine, Tunisia. The locals were left in awe as they witnessed this spectacle. Interestingly, this magnificent display of nature later became a significant filming location for
Space
Arctic observers were recently treated to an extraordinary sight as rare rainbow-colored clouds painted the skies ahead of the holiday season. These mesmerizing polar stratospheric clouds made their appearance during a cold wave that swept through the Arctic, providing a unique spectacle for at least three consecutive days between December 18 and December 20. Witnessing
Japan’s space exploration efforts have reached a critical milestone as the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully entered the Moon’s orbit on Monday. This achievement brings Japan one step closer to its first successful lunar landing, which is expected to take place next month. With its innovative technology and ambitious mission objectives, SLIM aims
A new era of space exploration has begun, with the United States and China engaging in a heated “space race” that centers around Lagrange points. These points, named after Joseph-Louis Lagrange, refer to specific locations in interplanetary space where the gravitational pull of two celestial bodies achieves a delicate balance with the centripetal force required
The celestial dance between Mars and its two moons, Phobos and Deimos, offers a captivating sight that sets it apart from Earth. While both planets experience moments when their moons cast shadows on their surfaces, the eclipses witnessed on Mars differ significantly from those observed on our home planet. Phobos, named after the ancient Greek
Planetary enthusiasts have been captivated by various celestial bodies like hot Jupiters, mini-Neptunes, and super-Earths. However, amidst this vast array of planetary wonders lies a seemingly eerie celestial body known as the Eyeball Planet. Drawing inspiration from the name itself, this planetary oddity resembles a colossal eye observing its surroundings. Although it may sound perplexing,
China’s latest test mission of a reusable, robotic spacecraft has once again captured the attention of skywatchers around the world. The experimental orbital plane, named Shenlong, meaning “divine dragon” in Chinese, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on December 14. Similar to previous test missions in September 2020 and August 2022, Shenlong fell
While popular culture often portrays Mars as a cold and lifeless planet, recent findings challenge this perception. A comprehensive survey conducted using satellite imagery and ground penetrating radar has uncovered evidence of volcanic activity on Mars that is much more recent than previously understood. These revelations suggest that beneath Mars’ barren surface, there may be
The Cronian moon Enceladus may seem unremarkable at first glance, overshadowed by Saturn’s magnificent rings and giant hexagon. However, looks can be deceiving, and recent analysis reveals that Enceladus is harboring far more organic molecules than previously believed. The Saturn Cassini probe’s data indicates that this icy moon releases substances like methanol, ethane, and molecular
In recent months, we have been captivated by the stunning displays of aurora lights on our own planet. These mesmerizing lights are caused by charged particles from the Sun interacting with our atmosphere. However, scientists now speculate that even exoplanets around pulsars, the remnants of massive stars, may also exhibit aurora phenomena. The intriguing possibility
The search for habitable planets has always revolved around the presence of water, warmth, and food. However, recent research conducted by Luigi Petraccone, a chemistry researcher at the University of Naples, introduces a new factor to consider – entropy. In his paper on planetary entropy production (PEP), Petraccone suggests that the complexity of life on
Our understanding of star formation is being challenged by the recent discovery of a record-breaking object – a lone brown dwarf – that is defying traditional explanations. This brown dwarf, with a mass just 3 to 4 times that of Jupiter, stands out for being the lowest-mass object of its kind ever discovered. The perplexing