Another ice-sealed ocean has been found in our solar system

Researchers have just revealed that Mimas, one of Saturn’s smallest moons, has an ocean of liquid water flowing under its entire surface. What is really making waves though, is how young the body of water is: just 5 to 15 million years old.Continue Rea… Continue reading Another ice-sealed ocean has been found in our solar system

Solar wind vanishes completely, causing Mars’ magnetosphere to swell

The solar wind is a constant feature of the solar system – except on Christmas Day 2022 when it suddenly vanished completely. The odd event was detected by a NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars, which found that the Red Planet’s magnetosphere tripled in size… Continue reading Solar wind vanishes completely, causing Mars’ magnetosphere to swell

“Modified gravity” could rule out both dark matter and Planet Nine

Our solar system officially houses eight planets, but some scientists say there could be a ninth. And that’s not just Pluto aficionados – evidence suggests a huge undiscovered world lurks on the dark fringes out there. Now, a new study has found the ou… Continue reading “Modified gravity” could rule out both dark matter and Planet Nine

Tree rings reveal evidence of most powerful solar storm on record

Our Sun is capable of some truly terrifying outbursts – and now scientists have discovered evidence of its biggest tantrum on record. Tree rings dating back around 14,000 years contain a radiocarbon spike twice as powerful as the previous biggest known… Continue reading Tree rings reveal evidence of most powerful solar storm on record

Newly discovered Sun “nanoflares” could be source of solar wind

There may not be any air in space, but there’s wind – solar wind, made up of charged particles thrown off by the Sun. The exact mechanism behind this phenomenon remains murky, but now ESA’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft has observed previously unknown “tiny… Continue reading Newly discovered Sun “nanoflares” could be source of solar wind

A supernova went off right next to the young Sun – how did it survive?

Meteorites can act as time capsules, preserving molecules from the solar system’s infancy. Certain fingerprints have been detected in these ancient space rocks that suggest a supernova went off right near our neighborhood – but that should have blasted… Continue reading A supernova went off right next to the young Sun – how did it survive?

Webb confirms water in weird comet, but something else is missing

The James Webb Space Telescope has detected water vapor on an object in the asteroid belt, a region of the solar system where it wasn’t known to survive. The new observations also reveal something missing unexpectedly.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, S… Continue reading Webb confirms water in weird comet, but something else is missing

Proposed planetary system classifications suggest ours is the rarest

Astronomers have classified planetary systems into four distinct categories, based on the sizes and arrangements of their planets. As it turns out, the architecture of our own solar system is the rarest kind.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags… Continue reading Proposed planetary system classifications suggest ours is the rarest

Mysterious meteorite may unravel our understanding of the solar system

Meteorites burn up in Earth’s atmosphere on a regular basis, but a space rock that landed in Canada last year threatens to shake up our entire understanding of the solar system. Scientists traced its origins back to a distant cloud of comets that wasn’… Continue reading Mysterious meteorite may unravel our understanding of the solar system

Eerie “ghost light” detected emanating from within the solar system

Astronomers have detected an eerie glow of “ghost light” that could represent a previously unknown component of the solar system. Comparing data from two distinct viewpoints – Hubble and New Horizons – the researchers subtracted light from known object… Continue reading Eerie “ghost light” detected emanating from within the solar system