All articles tagged with #solar system
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has discovered asteroids in the Main Belt spinning faster than the previously believed limit, suggesting they are much stronger and more cohesive than thought, which could reshape our understanding of asteroid structures and the history of the Solar System.
Scientists using the Vera C. Rubin Observatory discovered the record-breaking asteroid 2025 MN45, which is over 700 meters wide and spins faster than any known asteroid of its size, providing new insights into asteroid composition and the early solar system.
The sun appears largest in the sky on January 3, 2026, during Earth's closest approach to the star, known as perihelion, but the difference is minimal and has no significant effect on Earth's climate or seasons.
Astronomers have discovered a new compact cluster of icy objects in the Kuiper belt beyond Neptune, called the inner kernel, which may provide insights into the early dynamics of the outer solar system and Neptune's migration. Using advanced data analysis and orbit recalculations, the study suggests this cluster could be a remnant of planetary movement or a separate formation, challenging existing models of solar system evolution.
Mercury's unusual characteristics and orbit challenge current understanding of planet formation, with theories including giant impacts and migration. The upcoming BepiColombo mission aims to uncover its origins by studying its surface and internal structure, potentially solving one of the Solar System's biggest mysteries.
Astronomers have discovered a new compact cluster of icy objects in the Kuiper belt, called the inner kernel, which challenges existing models of solar system formation and suggests complex gravitational influences, possibly from Neptune's migration.
Astronomers observed wobbling jets on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, revealing its rotation and complex activity, providing rare insights into the behavior of pristine objects from beyond our solar system as it exits after a brief visit, enhancing understanding of comet formation in other planetary systems.
Astronomers have found preliminary evidence of a potential ninth planet in our solar system, based on infrared data from decades-old sky surveys indicating a distant, Neptune-sized object beyond the Kuiper Belt. Further observations are needed to confirm its existence and orbit, which could explain gravitational anomalies observed in the Kuiper Belt. The discovery, if verified, would add a new ice giant to our solar system, similar in composition to Uranus and Neptune.
Venus appears so bright in the night sky primarily due to its high albedo, reflecting about 76% of sunlight because of its thick cloud cover of sulfuric acid droplets, and its proximity to Earth, making it the second-brightest object after the Moon. Its brightness varies with its phase, distance from Earth, and the scattering of sunlight by its clouds, sometimes making it visible during the day.
China’s Chang’e-6 mission discovered fragile CI chondrite meteorite fragments on the Moon’s far side, suggesting ancient asteroid impacts delivered water and volatiles to the Moon and Earth, potentially influencing the development of life and reshaping our understanding of early Solar System processes.
Comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor from beyond the Milky Way, made its closest approach to Earth on December 19, coming within 168 million miles, and is now heading back to the outer solar system. Its trajectory suggests it originated from an older, thick disk region of the galaxy, making it potentially the oldest comet observed. Its unexpected brightening near the sun has intrigued scientists, and data from this encounter will enhance understanding of interstellar objects and galactic history.
Approximately 4.5 million years ago, the Sun nearly intersected with two bright stars in Canis Major, whose intense radiation likely caused a ghostly, irradiated 'scar' in our galaxy's local interstellar medium, helping explain the current high ionization levels of helium around our solar system.
Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar visitor to pass through our solar system, is approaching its closest point to Earth on December 19, 2025, providing scientists a rare opportunity to study this ancient celestial object as it races away from the sun and out of our solar system.
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on December 19, 2025, providing a rare opportunity for observation and study due to its unusual composition and behavior, which may offer insights into interstellar space and cometary science.
New research suggests that a sibling planet, Theia, once orbited close to Earth and may have caused the giant impact that formed the moon, revealing that Earth and Theia were likely local siblings formed in the inner solar system.