science-and-exploration3.395 min read
Two Decades of Exploration in Antarctica
29 days ago•Source: European Space Agency
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3.885 min•1 month ago
Stunning New Mars Images Reveal Surprising Details and True Colors
ESA's Mars Express has captured an image of a unique crater on Mars that resembles a butterfly, formed by a low-angle impact that created irregular wings and a central oval body, with evidence suggesting interaction with water or ice during formation. The region also features volcanic mesas and signs of past volcanic activity, providing insights into Mars's geological history.
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Scientists Detect First Explosive Burst from Nearby Star
European Space Agency•2 months ago
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Legacy of a Martian Ice Age
European Space Agency•2 months ago
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Gravity-Defying Condensation
A European experiment on the ISS studies how condensation behaves in microgravity using fin-shaped metal surfaces to improve understanding of heat transfer, with potential applications in space technology and Earth-based cooling systems.
PLATO Spacecraft Ready for Final Tests After Arrival at ESTEC
The European Space Agency's Plato spacecraft has completed its construction, including mounting its sunshield and solar panels, and is now preparing for final tests before a planned December 2026 launch to search for Earth-like exoplanets.
Martian Dust Devils Unveil Faster Winds and Turbulent Surface Conditions
Scientists analyzed 20 years of images from ESA's Mars Express and ExoMars TGO to track 1039 dust devils on Mars, revealing that wind speeds are faster than previously thought and providing new insights into the planet's weather and climate, which will aid future missions and climate models.
Organic compounds found in Enceladus's ocean boost potential for life
Scientists analyzing data from the Cassini spacecraft have discovered complex organic molecules in the fresh ice grains ejected from Saturn's moon Enceladus, indicating active chemical reactions in its subsurface ocean that could support life, prompting plans for a dedicated ESA mission to explore the moon further.
Gaia Detects Massive Wave Rippling Through the Milky Way
Gaia telescope data reveals a giant wave rippling through the Milky Way's outer disc, caused by large-scale vertical motions of stars, possibly due to past galactic interactions, offering new insights into our galaxy's dynamic structure.
XRISM reveals unexpected speeds in cosmic wind from X-ray binary
The XRISM mission has discovered that the winds from a neutron star system are unexpectedly dense and slower than those from supermassive black holes, challenging current understanding of how such winds form and influence their environments. The findings suggest that differences in accretion disc temperature and size may explain the variations, providing new insights into cosmic feedback mechanisms and galaxy evolution.
Exploring Gaia's 3D Map of Stellar Nurseries
Scientists have created the most accurate 3D map of star-forming regions in the Milky Way using data from the Gaia space telescope, revealing detailed structures of stellar nurseries up to 4000 light-years away and providing new insights into how massive stars influence their surrounding interstellar medium.
Solar Orbiter Unveils the Origin of Sun's Fastest Particles
The Solar Orbiter mission has identified two distinct sources of energetic electrons from the Sun—solar flares and coronal mass ejections—by observing over 300 events, which enhances understanding of space weather and helps improve forecasting to protect spacecraft and astronauts.
Gaia Reveals Our Skies Are Filled with Star Clusters
The European Space Agency's Gaia mission has revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way by mapping billions of stars with unprecedented precision, revealing complex structures, interconnected star clusters, and the dynamic processes shaping our galaxy, including the discovery of star families, tidal tails, and the large-scale interconnectedness of star-forming regions.
Martian Surface Collapses
The European Space Agency's Mars Express has provided new detailed images of the Acheron Fossae region on Mars, revealing a complex landscape of deep cracks, valleys filled with ice-rich rock, and transitional plains, offering insights into the planet's geological history and climate fluctuations over billions of years.