Sun Orbiter
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NASA Confirms Successful Flyby of Parker Solar Probe, Completes Closest Sun Approach
NASA's Parker Solar Probe has set an unprecedented milestone, coming 3.8 million miles from the Sun at a speed of 430,000 mph. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft has utilised Venus flybys to perfect its orbit, enabling this historic feat. With advanced technology, it endures extreme temperatures, gathering critical data about solar wind and particle ...
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Study Explores Sun’s Magnetic Field Changes and Solar Wind Acceleration
A study published in The Astrophysical Journal has shed light on how the Sun’s magnetic field influences solar wind acceleration. Using data from the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, researchers observed that sharp magnetic switchbacks smooth out into gentler waves as they travel further from the Sun. This relaxation process transfers magnet...
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ISRO Successfully Launches PSLV-C59 Carrying ESA’s Proba-3 Satellites
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C59 rocket on December 5, 2024, from Sriharikota, deploying the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 satellites into orbit. Proba-3, a twin-satellite mission, aims to demonstrate precision formation flying, achieving control down to a millimeter. The spacecraft will cre...
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India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites Today: How to Watch Live and Everything You Need to Know
ESA’s Proba-3 mission, set to launch aboard India’s PSLV rocket on 4th December 2024, will create artificial eclipses in space using two satellites. These eclipses will allow extended observations of the Sun’s corona, advancing solar research and testing innovative formation-flying technology. The mission marks a major step in satellite colla...
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Solar Activity Increase Results in Shortens Lifespan of Binar CubeSats
Curtin University’s Binar CubeSats, launched with a six-month mission lifespan, re-entered Earth's atmosphere after only two months due to unexpectedly high solar activity. This surge in solar phenomena has increased atmospheric drag, impacting the stability of satellites in low Earth orbit. As solar forecasting remains limited, smaller satellite...
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Solar Orbiter Sends High-Resolution Images of Sun’s Surface, Unveiling New Details
The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has sent back the sharpest images of the sun’s surface, captured from 74 million kilometres away. These high-resolution images reveal the sun’s dynamic surface features, including granular patterns and sunspots. The spacecraft’s instruments also provided detailed maps of the sun’s magnetic fields, shedding light...
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NASA's Solar Orbiter Captures Highest-Resolution Images Of The Sun To Date
The Solar Orbiter mission has provided the most detailed images yet of the Sun's visible surface, capturing stunning views of sunspots and plasma flows.
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Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
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NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes Final Venus Flyby Before Historic Sun Encounter
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, will make its final Venus flyby on Nov. 6. This manoeuvre will bring the spacecraft into a new orbit, allowing it to approach within 3.8 million miles of the sun, closer than any human-made object has been. While the probe’s primary mission is to study the sun, its instruments have captured rare data...
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NASA's Perseverance Rover Observes Googly Eye Eclipse on Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured a rare astronomical event in which the Martian moon Phobos passed in front of the Sun, creating a visual reminiscent of a "googly eye." This event, observed from the Jezero Crater, provided insights into the dynamics of Mars' moons. Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons, obscured the Sun's disc for approximate...
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Perseverance Rover Sees Phobos Block the Sun During Martian Solar Eclipse
NASA's Perseverance rover recently captured a stunning solar eclipse on Mars, showcasing the moon Phobos as it partially blocked the sun. This remarkable event, photographed on September 30, 2024, was made possible by the rover's Left Mastcam-Z camera, which highlighted Phobos's irregular shape. Measuring about 17 miles long and orbiting Mars at a ...
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Exoplanet Orbiting a White Dwarf Star Gives Researchers Hope That Earth Might Escape Its Eventual Death
A planetary system anchored by a white dwarf star, located approximately 4,000 light-years away, provides astronomers with insights into what could happen to our Sun and Earth in about 8 billion years. This scenario unfolds if the Earth survives the Sun's transformation into a red giant, expected to occur in 5 to 6 billion years.
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NASA BioSentinel Investigates Space Radiation During Major Geomagnetic Storm on Earth
In May 2024, Earth experienced a magnificent geomagnetic storm, leading to dazzling auroras across the skies. During this event, NASA’s BioSentinel spacecraft collected essential data on solar radiation while orbiting the Sun over 30 million miles away. This research is vital for understanding the effects of radiation in deep space, especially as...
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Mars Loses Water Faster When Closer to the Sun, New Hubble and MAVEN Study Shows
Mars loses water faster when it is closest to the Sun, according to new data from the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. The rate of hydrogen loss in Mars' atmosphere increases significantly during perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the Sun. This seasonal change has major implicati...
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Reflect Orbital Plans to ‘Sell Sunlight’ at Night With the Help of Satellite Mirrors
A California-based start-up, Reflect Orbital, has announced an innovative plan that could significantly enhance global energy consumption by providing sunlight after sunset. The company, led by company's CEO Ben Nowack, plans to redirect sunlight onto Earth's solar panels during the night, effectively "selling sunlight" on demand. This innovative i...
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NASA Confirms Successful Flyby of Parker Solar Probe, Completes Closest Sun Approach
NASA's Parker Solar Probe has set an unprecedented milestone, coming 3.8 million miles from the Sun at a speed of 430,000 mph. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft has utilised Venus flybys to perfect its orbit, enabling this historic feat. With advanced technology, it endures extreme temperatures, gathering critical data about solar wind and particle ...
-
Study Explores Sun’s Magnetic Field Changes and Solar Wind Acceleration
A study published in The Astrophysical Journal has shed light on how the Sun’s magnetic field influences solar wind acceleration. Using data from the Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter, researchers observed that sharp magnetic switchbacks smooth out into gentler waves as they travel further from the Sun. This relaxation process transfers magnet...
-
ISRO Successfully Launches PSLV-C59 Carrying ESA’s Proba-3 Satellites
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the PSLV-C59 rocket on December 5, 2024, from Sriharikota, deploying the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Proba-3 satellites into orbit. Proba-3, a twin-satellite mission, aims to demonstrate precision formation flying, achieving control down to a millimeter. The spacecraft will cre...
-
India to Launch European Proba-3 Satellites Today: How to Watch Live and Everything You Need to Know
ESA’s Proba-3 mission, set to launch aboard India’s PSLV rocket on 4th December 2024, will create artificial eclipses in space using two satellites. These eclipses will allow extended observations of the Sun’s corona, advancing solar research and testing innovative formation-flying technology. The mission marks a major step in satellite colla...
-
Solar Activity Increase Results in Shortens Lifespan of Binar CubeSats
Curtin University’s Binar CubeSats, launched with a six-month mission lifespan, re-entered Earth's atmosphere after only two months due to unexpectedly high solar activity. This surge in solar phenomena has increased atmospheric drag, impacting the stability of satellites in low Earth orbit. As solar forecasting remains limited, smaller satellite...
-
Solar Orbiter Sends High-Resolution Images of Sun’s Surface, Unveiling New Details
The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has sent back the sharpest images of the sun’s surface, captured from 74 million kilometres away. These high-resolution images reveal the sun’s dynamic surface features, including granular patterns and sunspots. The spacecraft’s instruments also provided detailed maps of the sun’s magnetic fields, shedding light...
-
NASA's Solar Orbiter Captures Highest-Resolution Images Of The Sun To Date
The Solar Orbiter mission has provided the most detailed images yet of the Sun's visible surface, capturing stunning views of sunspots and plasma flows.
-
Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: What Makes Each Celestial Object Unique
NASA planetary scientists explain that asteroids, comets, and meteors all orbit the Sun but differ greatly in their composition, appearance, and behaviour. These objects play unique roles in understanding the solar system’s formation and evolution.
-
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Makes Final Venus Flyby Before Historic Sun Encounter
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018, will make its final Venus flyby on Nov. 6. This manoeuvre will bring the spacecraft into a new orbit, allowing it to approach within 3.8 million miles of the sun, closer than any human-made object has been. While the probe’s primary mission is to study the sun, its instruments have captured rare data...
-
NASA's Perseverance Rover Observes Googly Eye Eclipse on Mars
NASA's Perseverance rover has captured a rare astronomical event in which the Martian moon Phobos passed in front of the Sun, creating a visual reminiscent of a "googly eye." This event, observed from the Jezero Crater, provided insights into the dynamics of Mars' moons. Phobos, the larger of Mars' two moons, obscured the Sun's disc for approximate...
-
Perseverance Rover Sees Phobos Block the Sun During Martian Solar Eclipse
NASA's Perseverance rover recently captured a stunning solar eclipse on Mars, showcasing the moon Phobos as it partially blocked the sun. This remarkable event, photographed on September 30, 2024, was made possible by the rover's Left Mastcam-Z camera, which highlighted Phobos's irregular shape. Measuring about 17 miles long and orbiting Mars at a ...
-
Exoplanet Orbiting a White Dwarf Star Gives Researchers Hope That Earth Might Escape Its Eventual Death
A planetary system anchored by a white dwarf star, located approximately 4,000 light-years away, provides astronomers with insights into what could happen to our Sun and Earth in about 8 billion years. This scenario unfolds if the Earth survives the Sun's transformation into a red giant, expected to occur in 5 to 6 billion years.
-
NASA BioSentinel Investigates Space Radiation During Major Geomagnetic Storm on Earth
In May 2024, Earth experienced a magnificent geomagnetic storm, leading to dazzling auroras across the skies. During this event, NASA’s BioSentinel spacecraft collected essential data on solar radiation while orbiting the Sun over 30 million miles away. This research is vital for understanding the effects of radiation in deep space, especially as...
-
Mars Loses Water Faster When Closer to the Sun, New Hubble and MAVEN Study Shows
Mars loses water faster when it is closest to the Sun, according to new data from the Hubble Space Telescope and NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission. The rate of hydrogen loss in Mars' atmosphere increases significantly during perihelion, the point in its orbit closest to the Sun. This seasonal change has major implicati...
-
Reflect Orbital Plans to ‘Sell Sunlight’ at Night With the Help of Satellite Mirrors
A California-based start-up, Reflect Orbital, has announced an innovative plan that could significantly enhance global energy consumption by providing sunlight after sunset. The company, led by company's CEO Ben Nowack, plans to redirect sunlight onto Earth's solar panels during the night, effectively "selling sunlight" on demand. This innovative i...
