SPACERIUM

The Europa Clipper mission, a NASA-led exploration initiative, aims to investigate Jupiter's icy moon Europa, a prime candidate in the search for extraterrestrial life due to its subsurface ocean beneath a thick layer of ice. Scheduled for launch in late 2024, the mission is designed to conduct a series of 49 close flybys over four years, utilizing advanced scientific instruments to analyze the moon's surface and subsurface characteristics. By assessing the moon's habitability, researchers hope to uncover whether conditions suitable for life exist on Europa, which may significantly enhance our understanding of ocean worlds within our solar system and beyond. The mission's scientific objectives include mapping Europa's ice shell, analyzing its composition, and detecting potential geological activity such as cryovolcanism. These investigations are critical in determining if the moon can support life, given that it is believed to harbor essential ingredients like liqui...

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is on the verge of achieving yet another historic milestone as it moves closer to the Sun than ever before. Scheduled for December 25, this record-breaking perihelion will bring the probe within approximately 6.2 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) of the Sun’s surface, marking a significant leap in solar exploration. This close approach will allow scientists to gather critical data on the Sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona , unlocking key insights into solar wind, magnetic fields, and the fundamental processes governing our star. Historical Background and Mission Overview Launched on August 12, 2018 , aboard a Delta IV Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, the Parker Solar Probe was designed to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun. Named after physicist Dr. Eugene Parker , who first proposed the existence of the solar wind, the probe’s mission is to venture closer to the Sun than any previous spacecraft. Over the course of its seven-ye...

Gonggong , a name derived from the Chinese water god, is a dwarf planet that has captivated astronomers with its unique characteristics. Discovered in 2007 , this distant world has been a subject of fascination ever since. Let's delve into the details of this intriguing celestial body. History of Discovery Initially designated as 2007 OR10 , Gonggong's unusual orbit and reddish hue sparked interest among astronomers. As more data was collected, it became apparent that this object was larger and more massive than initially thought, meeting the criteria for dwarf planet classification. In 2016 , it was officially named Gonggong. Orbit and Location Residing in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune's orbit, Gonggong follows an exceptionally eccentric path. Its distance from the Sun varies significantly, ranging from approximately 33AU at perihelion and 60AU at aphelion . This extreme orbital eccentricity makes it a truly unique object in our solar system. Composition and Surface Whil...

Wise 1049AB, a binary system comprising two sub-brown dwarfs, presents a fascinating enigma in the realm of astronomy. Positioned approximately 63 light-years away in the Ophiuchus constellation, this system offers invaluable insights into the birth and evolution of objects at the extreme fringes of stellar classification. Sub-Brown Dwarfs: A Detailed Examination Sub-brown dwarfs are celestial bodies with masses insufficient to initiate and sustain nuclear fusion. They occupy a unique position between gas giants and brown dwarfs. The constituents of Wise 1049AB are exceptionally low-mass, each possessing less than 5% of the Sun’s mass, firmly placing them in the category of sub-brown dwarfs. The Intriguing Nature of Wise 1049AB Mass and Temperature: With masses significantly lower than even the smallest stars, the components of Wise 1049AB exhibit exceptionally low internal temperatures. This results in a predominant infrared emission, making their detection challenging in visible lig...

Have you ever wondered why our spacecrafts that have crossed the asteroid belt and gone for further exploration do not collide with these belts of millions of asteroids? There are millions of asteroids in the asteroid belt which are revolving around the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, and till date 12 spacecrafts have crossed the asteroid belt, then why does no one collide with these asteroids? Our solar system is very big, there are many members in our solar system like planets, comets, asteroids etc. and today we will talk about asteroids, asteroids are mostly found in the asteroid belt which is located between Mars and Jupiter, millions of asteroids of small and big sizes are found in the asteroid belt. Out of them more than 1.2 million asteroids are larger than 1 km in size. Elements like asteroids, dust particles, icy bodies are found in the asteroid belt. So the question is that despite such a large number of asteroids, why do our space probes not collide with them? What magic do t...

The solar system, our cosmic backyard, never ceases to amaze us. The latest jaw-dropping revelation comes from the scorching planet Mercury, the closest to our Sun. According to groundbreaking research based on data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, Mercury might be hiding a staggering secret: a 10-mile thick layer of diamonds beneath its crust! A Diamond-Encrusted World? Imagine a planet adorned not with gold, but with diamonds. While it might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, this could be the reality of Mercury. Scientists have proposed that the extreme pressure and temperature conditions within Mercury's core transformed carbon into diamonds over billions of years. This process is believed to have created a massive diamond layer beneath the planet's surface. NASA's MESSENGER: The Unsung Hero We owe this incredible discovery to NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. Launched in 2004, it orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, gathering invaluable data about the planet...

Haumea, a dwarf planet residing in the frigid Kuiper Belt, is a celestial oddity. Its most striking feature is its elongated shape, resembling an American football. This unusual characteristic, along with its mysterious past and intriguing properties, has captured the imagination of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Discovery and Naming The discovery of Haumea is shrouded in a bit of controversy. While the California Institute of Technology team led by Mike Brown is often credited with its discovery in 2005, evidence suggests that a Spanish team might have spotted it a few days earlier. The name Haumea is a nod to the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth and fertility. In keeping with the Hawaiian theme, its moons were named after the goddess's daughters. Orbit and Location Haumea calls the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune's orbit filled with icy bodies, its home. It takes a leisurely 285 Earth years for Haumea to complete one orbit around the Sun. Its orbital path is tilt...

Beyond the familiar orbits of our solar system's planets lies a mysterious realm of icy bodies known as the Kuiper Belt. Among these celestial wanderers is Makemake, a dwarf planet shrouded in an aura of intrigue. With its reddish hue, distant orbit, and enigmatic nature, Makemake has captivated the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Let’s embark on a journey to explore this distant world and uncover its secrets. Discovery and Naming Makemake, a dwarf planet residing in the frigid expanse of the Kuiper Belt, was discovered on March 31, 2005, by a team led by Michael E. Brown at the Palomar Observatory in California. Initially nicknamed "Easterbunny" due to its discovery around Easter, it was later formally named after the Rapa Nui creation deity. This name reflects the object's position in the sky during its discovery. Composition and Characteristics Makemake, a substantial object with a diameter roughly two-thirds that of Pluto, is primarily compos...

Discovery and Naming Eris , the largest known dwarf planet in our solar system, was a groundbreaking discovery. In 2005 , a team led by Mike Brown at the Palomar Observatory identified this distant object, initially codenamed "Xena" after the popular TV character. Its exceptional size and distance challenged the traditional definition of a planet. Later, it was officially named Eris after the Greek goddess of discord and strife, a fitting moniker for a celestial body that stirred up so much astronomical debate. Composition: An Icy World Eris is primarily composed of rock and ice , similar to its fellow dwarf planet, Pluto. However, scientists believe that Eris has a higher proportion of rock compared to ice. This icy exterior is a result of its extreme distance from the Sun, where temperatures plummet to unimaginable lows. Despite its frigid surface, Eris boasts a remarkably high albedo, meaning it reflects a significant amount of sunlight . This suggests a surface covere...

  Once hailed as the ninth planet in our solar system, Pluto's status took a dramatic turn in 2006 when it was reclassified as a dwarf planet . This distant and enigmatic celestial body continues to fascinate scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Why Pluto Lost its Planetary Status The demotion of Pluto was a direct result of the discovery of numerous other icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt , a region beyond Neptune. These objects, including Eris which is even larger than Pluto, challenged the traditional definition of a planet. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established three criteria for a celestial body to be considered a planet: Orbits the Sun: Pluto meets this criterion. Has sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape: Pluto meets this criterion. Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit: This is where Pluto falls short. It shares its orbital space with other objects in the Kuiper Belt. Pluto's failure to meet the third criterion led to its reclassific...

  Sedna , a dwarf planet residing in the frigid, remote outskirts of our solar system, stands as a solitary sentinel guarding the boundaries of our cosmic neighborhood. Discovered in 2003 , this enigmatic celestial body has captivated the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Its extreme distance from the Sun , unusual orbit , and unique characteristics make it a fascinating subject of study, offering clues to the formation and evolution of our solar system. The Farthest Known Dwarf Planet Sedna holds the distinction of being the farthest known dwarf planet from the Sun at its aphelion . This means that at its most distant point from our star , it is farther away than any other dwarf planet. With an average distance of approximately 898 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, Sedna resides in a realm of extreme cold and isolation. To put this vast distance into perspective, it takes light traveling at a speed of nearly 300,000 kilometers per second , Light takes ab...

Galileo Galilei is a name in history who has made many big discoveries in astronomy and has also contributed to space research and physics. Galileo loved studying stars and the solar system, but before 1608 there was no such thing as a telescope. Then Galileo used to sit on the ground and draw the location of the planets on the ground, and then he also found out their speed of rotation. Galileo was already a brilliant student. The first telescope was invented in the year 1608 by HANS LIPPERSHEY who first patented his telescope in the Netherlands, and this was the first mention of a telescope. He said "For seeing things far away, as if they were nearby". Its actual inventor is not known but this line became popular all over Europe. Galileo Galilei , a famous person of that time who used to study stars and planets and had a great interest in geometry, also read this news. He also wanted to make a similar telescope through which he could study the planets. At that time, telesc...

Solar System, a topic of exploration which is vast and mysterious in itself, and perhaps this is because in spite of being our home town, it is so big that we have not been able to understand it 100%. In Solar System our parent star SUN has 8 planets revolving in its orientational orbit and out of that the third rocky habitable planet means EARTH is our home, where I am sitting and writing this blog… really fascinating! Solar System sounds like such a familiar name, right? Do we know it completely? You are saying right, we know about the parent star Sun and the 8 planets revolving around it and a little about Pluto, some asteroids, some moons, that's the solar system, right? Not actually, and today we are going to talk about the same topic which everyone knows but is under-rated, that is dwarf planets, you must know that Pluto is placed in the category of dwarf planets because it is small and its orbit is not like other planets, not only Pluto, there are more than 100 dwarf planets...