All articles tagged with #earths atmosphere
A sunset over the Pacific is captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, which orbits roughly 250 miles above Earth and experiences about 15–16 sunrises and sunsets each day. The image highlights Earth's curved silhouette and the vivid colors produced as sunlight passes through the atmosphere at a different angle, offering a unique perspective on our planet and the ongoing work aboard the ISS.
A University of Rochester study published in December 2025 found that solar winds continue to ferry particles from Earth’s atmosphere to the Moon, where they accumulate in the lunar regolith. This could make the Moon a time capsule of Earth's atmospheric history and, importantly, provide the building blocks for breathable air for future lunar settlements—though challenges like radiation and resource extraction remain before colonization is feasible.
Scientists have discovered that Earth's magnetic field allows atmospheric particles to escape and be deposited on the Moon, turning lunar soil into a record of Earth's ancient atmosphere. This process occurs as the Moon passes through Earth's magnetotail, where charged particles from Earth's upper atmosphere are guided onto the lunar surface, providing valuable insights into Earth's atmospheric history and the dynamics of planetary magnetospheres.
A new study suggests that Earth's magnetic field has been funneling atmospheric particles, including nitrogen and oxygen, onto the Moon's surface for billions of years, contributing to the volatile elements found in lunar soil, challenging previous assumptions about atmospheric loss and transfer mechanisms.
SpaceX deorbits about one to two Starlink satellites daily, raising concerns about space debris and potential environmental impacts, including the risk of Kessler syndrome and pollution of Earth's atmosphere with satellite remnants, which could have unknown effects on climate and the ozone layer.
NASA successfully launched the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory to study Earth's exosphere and its interaction with solar particles, aiming to better understand hydrogen loss from our planet and its implications for habitability and exoplanet research.
Scientists analyzed 815-million-year-old trapped gases in halite, revealing that Earth's atmosphere had 10.3-13.4% oxygen during the Neoproterozoic era, suggesting early support for complex life, though some debate remains over the exact levels.
A study predicts Earth's oxygen levels could drop a million-fold within the next billion years due to the Sun's increasing brightness and geochemical cycles, leading to the collapse of complex life and challenging current methods of searching for extraterrestrial life based on oxygen as a biosignature.
Scientists predict that in about a billion years, Earth's atmosphere will revert to a methane-rich, low-oxygen state similar to before the Great Oxidation Event, which will likely end most oxygen-dependent life forms, although microbial life may persist. This future deoxygenation is driven by decreasing CO2 levels and increasing solar heat, with implications for understanding planetary habitability and searching for extraterrestrial life.
Scientists are gearing up to study the upcoming total solar eclipse in the US, hoping to gather data on the sun's atmosphere, Earth's ionosphere, animal behaviors, and human reactions. The eclipse, occurring near the peak of the sun's 11-year cycle, presents a rare opportunity to observe the sun's corona and its effects on Earth's upper atmosphere. Researchers also aim to study animal behaviors and human reactions, including the potential impact on political divisions, while engaging citizen scientists in various projects to capture the event's sights and sounds.
Ground-based astronomers are overcoming Earth's atmosphere by using large, powerful telescopes placed in optimal locations and employing adaptive optics. Adaptive optics systems compensate for atmospheric distortion by creating artificial guide stars and using deformable mirrors to un-distort incoming light. This technology has allowed ground-based telescopes to outperform space-based telescopes in imaging quality, making ground-based astronomy a cost-effective and superior option for high-quality astronomical imaging.
On April 8, a rare total solar eclipse will be visible in Mexico, the eastern US, and Newfoundland, Canada, providing scientists with an opportunity to study its effects on Earth's surface, atmosphere, ionosphere, and the sun. Projects include documenting changes in animal behavior and sounds, measuring temperature and cloud data, studying atmospheric gravity waves, and observing the sun's outer edge and corona. Citizen scientists can participate in various projects to help gather valuable data during this once-in-a-lifetime event.
A 5,800-pound object, known as Exposed Pallet 9 (EP9), containing old Nickel-Hydrogen batteries was jettisoned from the International Space Station in March 2021 and re-entered Earth's atmosphere today, falling over the Gulf of Mexico between Cancun and Cuba. The object, with the approximate mass of a large SUV, was tracked by a satellite tracker and was predicted to re-enter in two-to-four years. The re-entry was within the expected window, and the majority of space objects re-enter the atmosphere in a natural way, with most fragments burning up before reaching the ground.
Varda Space Industries releases stunning footage of its W-1 capsule hurtling toward Earth at speeds of greater than Mach 25, showcasing the forces of Earth’s atmosphere and the spacecraft's special heat shield. The uncrewed capsule, which landed at the Utah Test and Training Range, carried crystals of an antiviral drug cultivated in space as part of Varda's efforts to become a leader in off-Earth manufacturing. The company highlights the unique benefits of processing materials in microgravity. NASA also successfully brought back a capsule containing samples gathered from an asteroid, marking a first for the space agency.
Varda Space Industries shares stunning footage of its space capsule reentering Earth's atmosphere at 25 times the speed of sound after an eight-month-long mission to grow crystals of an antiviral drug in microgravity, overcoming regulatory hurdles for its return. The video showcases the capsule peacefully floating in space, heating up with magenta hues giving way to orange and red, and finally dipping into lush cloud cover, resembling a scene from a sci-fi film.