Largest known comet sprouts tail on its inward journey

A huge comet making its journey towards the solar system has begun to show a tail. A newly released image shows the fuzzy coma, confirming that it is indeed a comet and may be one of the largest ever discovered.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceT… Continue reading Largest known comet sprouts tail on its inward journey

Magnetism, not cataclysm may be the cause of Mercury’s giant iron core

Mercury’s disproportionately massive core may be the result of the Sun’s powerful magnetic influence rather than the consequence of a cataclysmic collision with another body in the ancient past, according to the results of a new study.Continue ReadingC… Continue reading Magnetism, not cataclysm may be the cause of Mercury’s giant iron core

Extremely eccentric minor planet to visit inner solar system this decade

The outskirts of our solar system is teeming with mysterious objects – and now one of them is heading our way. Astronomers have discovered a minor planet that’s about to make its closest pass to the Sun on its 600,000-year orbit.Continue ReadingCategor… Continue reading Extremely eccentric minor planet to visit inner solar system this decade

Frameless solar panels can be stuck directly to rooftops

Singapore’s Maxeon Solar Technologies reckons that it’s come up with a way to install photovoltaic panels on the roofs of commercial buildings that may not be able to support conventional setups. The company has created frameless, thin and lightweight … Continue reading Frameless solar panels can be stuck directly to rooftops

First known interstellar comet is most pristine ever discovered

The first comet known to visit our Sun after being born around an alien star may also be the most pristine comet ever discovered, according to the results of a new study. The research sheds light on the distant solar system in which the wandering body,… Continue reading First known interstellar comet is most pristine ever discovered

Astronomers identify most distant known object in the solar system

For a long time, Pluto was the farthest object we knew about in the solar system, but it’s a cosmic stone’s-throw away compared to more recent discoveries. Now astronomers have confirmed what is currently the most distant world of all – the appropriate… Continue reading Astronomers identify most distant known object in the solar system

Saturn’s moons explain the planet’s tilt and why it’s increasing

Researchers at the Paris Observatory’s Institute of Celestial Mechanics and Ephemeris Calculation have found that the unusual tilt of Saturn’s axis is due to the periodic gravitational pull of its moons over the last billion years.Continue ReadingCateg… Continue reading Saturn’s moons explain the planet’s tilt and why it’s increasing

Isotopes suggest solar system formed in under 200,000 years

Based on isotope analysis of meteorites, a team of scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has determined that about 4.5 billion years ago, our solar system may have formed in less than 200,000 years.Continue ReadingCategory: Sp… Continue reading Isotopes suggest solar system formed in under 200,000 years

Europa’s plumes may not originate from subsurface ocean

Jupiter’s moon Europa is a fascinating world, with a global subsurface ocean encased in an icy shell and plumes of water vapor that vent into space. A new study has simulated how these plumes might originate, revealing a surprisingly dynamic ice ball.C… Continue reading Europa’s plumes may not originate from subsurface ocean

Europa’s plumes may not originate from subsurface ocean

Jupiter’s moon Europa is a fascinating world, with a global subsurface ocean encased in an icy shell and plumes of water vapor that vent into space. A new study has simulated how these plumes might originate, revealing a surprisingly dynamic ice ball.C… Continue reading Europa’s plumes may not originate from subsurface ocean