The Solar System

Asteroid 2024 ON, a large, two-lobed object, passed safely by Earth on Sept. 17, 2024. Resembling a snowman in shape, the asteroid’s radar images were captured by NASA’s Goldstone Solar System Radar. Despite being classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, 2024 ON did not pose a threat to Earth, passing at a distance of over 620,000 miles....

Scientists have uncovered evidence of past solar storms that were far more extreme than the well-known Carrington event of 1859, which disrupted telegraph systems across Europe and North America. By studying radiocarbon levels in tree rings, researchers like Fusa Miyake have identified ancient solar events, including a massive storm in AD774 that d...

An international team of researchers, led by scientists from Stockholm University's Department of Astronomy, has discovered a higher number of black holes in the early universe than was previously recorded. Using the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, this team found black holes among faint galaxies formed shortly after the Big Bang event.

Astronomers have discovered 11 objects beyond the Kuiper Belt, suggesting the existence of a second belt, dubbed "Kuiper Belt 2." Located between 70 and 90 AU from the sun, this new region could redefine our understanding of the solar system's size and structure. The discovery was made using the Subaru telescope in collaboration with NASA’s New H...

MIT physicists have proposed that Mars' orbit might wobble due to the presence of primordial black holes, which could be a major source of dark matter in the universe. This theory builds on the idea that such black holes, formed just after the Big Bang, pass through our solar system and cause a gravitational effect detectable by current technology....

Primordial black holes, which may have formed shortly after the Big Bang, could pass through the solar system once per decade. These black holes are much lighter and smaller than typical black holes, yet their gravitational effects may help scientists uncover the mystery of dark matter. Detecting gravitational disruptions from these flybys might be...

The findings revealed that the the Martian mantle's active processes may be fueling the growth of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.

Miami-based Exowatt launched a modular system to generate, store and dispatch clean energy on Tuesday. The company pairs a solar energy collector with a thermal battery that can deliver either heat or electricity.

Saturn's rings, one of the most unique features of our solar system, are set to become nearly invisible in March 2025. This rare phenomenon will occur due to Saturn's unique axial tilt, which will align the rings edge-on with Earth's line of sight. The result is a brief period where these majestic rings will be almost unobservable from our planet. ...

After more than four months in orbit, NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has achieved full deployment. The solar sail, which launched aboard Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle in April, harnesses photon momentum to propel itself through space. Equipped with cameras, the spacecraft is set to capture high-resolution images of the deployed sail.

This happens because the planet rotates on an axis tilted by 26.7 degrees, and the view of its rings from Earth changes with time.

Astronomers have traditionally relied on helioseismology to estimate the Sun's age by analysing the vibrations that ripple through its interior. However, recent research has uncovered a significant obstacle, the Sun's magnetic activity, which follows an 11-year cycle, appears to be distorting these measurements. Data from the Birmingham Solar Oscil...

Recent research has cast doubt on the certainty of the Milky Way-Andromeda galaxy collision, suggesting the event may not be as inevitable as once thought. Traditionally, astronomers have predicted that our galaxy would merge with Andromeda within the next 5 billion years, creating a new elliptical galaxy often referred to as "Milkomeda." However, ...

On August 8, 2024, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) may have documented a record-breaking number of sunspots in a single day, marking a significant event in Solar Cycle 25. These sunspots, which are dark, cooler areas on the Sun’s surface caused by intense magnetic activity, play a crucial role in the Sun's behaviour and have a direct impa...

Recent findings from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have introduced new uncertainties about asteroid 16 Psyche. Known for its high iron content, Psyche was previously considered a potential remnant of a protoplanet, providing a valuable opportunity to study the early solar system. However, JWST has detected hydrated minerals on its surface, ...

Asteroid 2024 ON, a large, two-lobed object, passed safely by Earth on Sept. 17, 2024. Resembling a snowman in shape, the asteroid’s radar images were captured by NASA’s Goldstone Solar System Radar. Despite being classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid, 2024 ON did not pose a threat to Earth, passing at a distance of over 620,000 miles....

Scientists have uncovered evidence of past solar storms that were far more extreme than the well-known Carrington event of 1859, which disrupted telegraph systems across Europe and North America. By studying radiocarbon levels in tree rings, researchers like Fusa Miyake have identified ancient solar events, including a massive storm in AD774 that d...

An international team of researchers, led by scientists from Stockholm University's Department of Astronomy, has discovered a higher number of black holes in the early universe than was previously recorded. Using the NASA Hubble Space Telescope, this team found black holes among faint galaxies formed shortly after the Big Bang event.

Astronomers have discovered 11 objects beyond the Kuiper Belt, suggesting the existence of a second belt, dubbed "Kuiper Belt 2." Located between 70 and 90 AU from the sun, this new region could redefine our understanding of the solar system's size and structure. The discovery was made using the Subaru telescope in collaboration with NASA’s New H...

MIT physicists have proposed that Mars' orbit might wobble due to the presence of primordial black holes, which could be a major source of dark matter in the universe. This theory builds on the idea that such black holes, formed just after the Big Bang, pass through our solar system and cause a gravitational effect detectable by current technology....

Primordial black holes, which may have formed shortly after the Big Bang, could pass through the solar system once per decade. These black holes are much lighter and smaller than typical black holes, yet their gravitational effects may help scientists uncover the mystery of dark matter. Detecting gravitational disruptions from these flybys might be...

The findings revealed that the the Martian mantle's active processes may be fueling the growth of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system.

Miami-based Exowatt launched a modular system to generate, store and dispatch clean energy on Tuesday. The company pairs a solar energy collector with a thermal battery that can deliver either heat or electricity.

Saturn's rings, one of the most unique features of our solar system, are set to become nearly invisible in March 2025. This rare phenomenon will occur due to Saturn's unique axial tilt, which will align the rings edge-on with Earth's line of sight. The result is a brief period where these majestic rings will be almost unobservable from our planet. ...

After more than four months in orbit, NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System has achieved full deployment. The solar sail, which launched aboard Rocket Lab's Electron vehicle in April, harnesses photon momentum to propel itself through space. Equipped with cameras, the spacecraft is set to capture high-resolution images of the deployed sail.

This happens because the planet rotates on an axis tilted by 26.7 degrees, and the view of its rings from Earth changes with time.

Astronomers have traditionally relied on helioseismology to estimate the Sun's age by analysing the vibrations that ripple through its interior. However, recent research has uncovered a significant obstacle, the Sun's magnetic activity, which follows an 11-year cycle, appears to be distorting these measurements. Data from the Birmingham Solar Oscil...

Recent research has cast doubt on the certainty of the Milky Way-Andromeda galaxy collision, suggesting the event may not be as inevitable as once thought. Traditionally, astronomers have predicted that our galaxy would merge with Andromeda within the next 5 billion years, creating a new elliptical galaxy often referred to as "Milkomeda." However, ...

On August 8, 2024, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) may have documented a record-breaking number of sunspots in a single day, marking a significant event in Solar Cycle 25. These sunspots, which are dark, cooler areas on the Sun’s surface caused by intense magnetic activity, play a crucial role in the Sun's behaviour and have a direct impa...

Recent findings from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have introduced new uncertainties about asteroid 16 Psyche. Known for its high iron content, Psyche was previously considered a potential remnant of a protoplanet, providing a valuable opportunity to study the early solar system. However, JWST has detected hydrated minerals on its surface, ...