In the vast expanse of the Milky Way, most stars adhere to predictable and stable orbits around the galactic center. However, there are rare exceptions – hypervelocity stars that defy the norm by hurtling through space at incredible speeds. One such stellar outlier is CWISE J124909+362116.0, also known as J1249+36. This particular star not only
Space
The formation of the Solar System over billions of years has left behind a trail of clues in the form of ancient rocks that have fallen to Earth from space. In 2018, an international team of scientists made a groundbreaking discovery by identifying traces of material within one such rock that originated in the protoplanetary
An incident on June 12, CDT, caused a brief panic when audio of a flight surgeon dealing with an emergency on the International Space Station was mistakenly broadcast on the ISS livestream channel. The conversation discussed the need for hyperbaric treatment for an unnamed commander who was experiencing decompression sickness. ISS mission control later clarified
The discovery of holes on Mars, also known as pits, has always been a subject of interest among scientists and space enthusiasts. These pits, situated on the flanks of ancient volcanoes in Mars’s Tharsis region, have sparked numerous conversations over the years. Recently, an image captured by the HiRISE camera in 2022 resurfaced on the
The Milky Way, one of the billions of galaxies in the Universe, has not reached its current massive state without undergoing a series of collisions and mergers with other galaxies. This chaotic process is a common phenomenon throughout the cosmos, with galaxies constantly interacting and influencing one another. One of the most prominent examples of
Recently, an unusual event occurred that allowed many more people around the world to witness the northern and southern lights with the naked eye. This phenomenon was triggered by a very strong solar storm, impacting the Earth’s magnetic field. The Sun is currently at the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, leading to more explosive
NASA has set its sights on the stars with the ambitious mission to build a telescope dedicated to hunting for habitable worlds. The proposed ‘Habitable Worlds Observatory’ (HWO) may be at least a decade away from completion, but the groundwork has already begun. Three companies have been chosen to spearhead the research and development of
Astronomers have recently detected a peculiar signal emanating from a neutron star named ASKAP J193505.1+214841.0 (ASKAP J1935+2148), located approximately 15,820 light-years away in the Milky Way. Unlike any signals previously observed, this neutron star exhibits strong pulses, weak pulses, and even periods of no pulsations at all. This bizarre behavior has left scientists puzzled and
SpaceX’s ambitious Starship rocket prototype achieved a significant milestone during its test flight on Thursday – its first-ever splashdown. The spacecraft descended over the Indian Ocean northwest of Australia, with fiery debris flying off, but ultimately holding together and surviving atmospheric reentry. Despite the loss of many tiles and a damaged flap, the Starship successfully
The birth of the Universe, following the Big Bang, was marked by the presence of mainly hydrogen and a few helium atoms. However, over the course of 13.8 billion years, elements heavier than helium were produced through various processes. While stars played a significant role in the creation of heavier elements through nuclear fusion, there
The idea of a space elevator has long captured the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. The concept promises to revolutionize space travel by drastically reducing costs and shortening travel times to other celestial bodies. One of the most ambitious plans to build a space elevator comes from the Japan-based company Obayashi Corporation, known
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona, operated by the University of Arizona, is considered one of the next-generation Extremely Large Telescopes (ELTs). Its two primary mirrors, each measuring 8.4 meters (~27.5 feet), provide a collecting area that rivals that of a 30-meter telescope. Equipped with cutting-edge technology such as adaptive optics and sophisticated instruments
The sunspot region responsible for the dazzling auroras that adorned the sky in early May has made a comeback. AR 3664, which was behind multiple X-class flares, including the most intense one of the current solar cycle, had rotated out of view onto the far side of the Sun in the middle of May. However,
China’s Chang’e-6 lunar probe made headlines on Sunday as it successfully landed on the far side of the Moon to collect samples, marking a significant milestone for Beijing’s space programme. The mission, which began on May 3, is set to explore the immense South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the largest known impact craters in the
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence has captivated scientists and enthusiasts alike for decades. One of the intriguing concepts in this search is the idea of Dyson Spheres. These hypothetical megastructures, first proposed by Freeman Dyson in 1960, suggest that advanced civilizations could harness the power of their host stars by surrounding them with a matrix