Science News – Page 6

World Asteroid Day 2023: History, Significance, and Ways to Celebrate

30Jun

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World Asteroid Day 2023: History, Significance, and Ways to Celebrate

[ad_1] World Asteroid Day is an annual event that takes place on June 30th to raise awareness about asteroids and their potential risks to our planet. This significant date was chosen to commemorate the Tunguska event, an enormous explosion caused by a asteroid in Siberia in 1908.History of World Asteroid DayThe establishment of World Asteroid Day dates back to 2014 when Brian May, known for his role in the rock group Queen, joined forces with Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, filmmaker Grig Richters, and B612 Foundation president Danica Remy. The specific date of June 30th was selected to honour the Tunguska event, which occurred on June 30, 1908. During this incident, a large asteroid exploded in the atmosphere over Siberia, Russia, resulting in the flattening of approximately 2,1...

Spectacular Planetary Parade today; here’s how to watch it

17Jun

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Spectacular Planetary Parade today; here’s how to watch it

[ad_1] This weekend, get ready for a special celestial event called a 'planetary parade' in the night sky. It's a rare occurrence when five planets gather at the same time. This exciting planetary alignment will happen at sunrise on Saturday, offering a stunning spectacle.Which planets can you see?Today, you will be able to witness the alignment of five planets: Saturn, Neptune, Jupiter, Uranus, and Mercury. While Saturn, Jupiter, and Mercury will be relatively easy to spot, Neptune and Uranus might be a bit challenging to see without binoculars. Jupiter, in particular, will be the brightest object in the morning sky until the sun rises, making it quite noticeable. However, the other planets will appear fainter. Why do the planets line up?Contrary to what movies often show, the planets ...

NASA’s Curiosity Rover sends breathtaking postcard from Mars

17Jun

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NASA’s Curiosity Rover sends breathtaking postcard from Mars

[ad_1] NASA's Curiosity Rover on Mars has unveiled a stunning postcard from the Red Planet, showcasing the diverse times of day on Mars. Following a major software update that improved the rover's driving speed and reduced wheel wear, Curiosity captured mesmerising images of the "Marker Band Valley" before moving on.According to NASA, the panoramic snapshots were taken on April 8, 2023, using black-and-white navigation cameras. To enhance the postcard's visual appeal, colours were later added, with blue representing the morning shots and yellow for those taken in the afternoon. The postcard not only captures the picturesque landscape but also features prominent Mars landmarks. Notably, it includes the "Marker Band Valley," where the rover made unexpected discoveries indicating an ancien...

474-meter Asteroid 2001 LD to speed past Earth at 18952 km/second today

11Jun

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474-meter Asteroid 2001 LD to speed past Earth at 18952 km/second today

[ad_1] It is going to be a remarkable Sunday for cosmic enthusiasts as Asteroid 2001 LD, belonging to the Apollo group, will have a chillingly close encounter with Earth. This colossal celestial body, estimated to be at most 474 meters in size, about the size of a football stadium, and it will zoom past our planet at an astonishing speed of 18952 km/s, according to spacereference.org! The velocity at which 2001 LD is travelling is mind-boggling, considering its massive size.At its closest approach, our planet and 2001 LD will be separated by a mere 8.84 million kilometers. The journey of asteroid 2001 LD is a remarkable feat in itself. It follows an orbital period of 618 days, taking a scenic route around the sun. It reaches a maximum distance of 292 million kilometers before swinging b...

James Webb Telescope looks back in time, finds oldest organic molecules ever seen

6Jun

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James Webb Telescope looks back in time, finds oldest organic molecules ever seen

[ad_1] A groundbreaking study led by astronomers from Texas A&M University using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has unveiled the existence of the oldest known complex organic molecules in the universe. These carbon-based chemicals, called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were found within an early galaxy that formed when the universe was only 10% of its current age.Unlike simple compounds such as water or carbon dioxide, the identified molecules are large and intricate, containing dozens or even hundreds of atoms. Similar to the ones found in smoke, soot, oil, coal deposits, and smog on Earth, these PAHs are commonly associated with tiny dust grains in space. The study's lead author, Justin Spilker, expressed his enthusiasm, stating that the discovery demonstrates ...

Webb Telescope snaps 45000 galaxies in ONE frame; universe seen like never before

6Jun

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Webb Telescope snaps 45000 galaxies in ONE frame; universe seen like never before

[ad_1] The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made significant contributions to our understanding of how galaxies and stars came into existence. NASA recently shared an infrared image captured by Webb as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) program, shedding more light on the vast expanse of the universe.This particular image focuses on a region of the sky known as GOODS-Sout. Amazingly this one photo packs over 45,000 galaxies, as reported by NASA. Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study of galaxies that emerged 500 to 850 million years after the Big Bang, also referred to as the Epoch of Reionisation. During this epoch, the universe was shrouded in a gaseous fog that rendered it opaque. Approximately one billion years after the Bi...