Using NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), astronomers have discovered a young star called TOI 451 with three planets revolving around it. The recently discovered mini solar system is located in the Eridanus constellation, which is a part of the Pisces-Eridanus stream.
The star of this system is 400 light-years away from us and is just 120 million years old, which makes it a lot younger when compared to our Sun. The three hot planets orbiting it were discovered while studying images taken by TESS between October and December 2018.
The reason why astronomers are interested in exploring these planets is because their size can help them understand how planetary atmosphere evolves, given the system is not that far off from Earth.
Feb 16, 2021
Europa Clipper: NASA's Ocean World Mission Gets Launch Date
A mission to study a moon of Jupiter that could be home to extra-terrestrial life has been given a launch date.
NASA is sending a spacecraft to the icy world of Europa, which holds an ocean under its frozen outer shell.
Scientists have long regarded the moon as one of the most promising targets in the search for life elsewhere in our Solar System.
The Europa Clipper spacecraft will now launch to the Jovian moon in October 2024, arriving in April 2030.
The spacecraft was to have launched on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. But the space agency is reported to no longer be considering that launch vehicle.
It will instead lift off on a commercial rocket.
Feb 15, 2021
Indian Astronomers Detect Huge Optical Flare from Super Massive Black Hole
Indian astronomers have reported one of the strongest flares from a feeding supermassive black hole or blazar called BL Lacertae, analysis of which can help trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this emission.
Such analysis can provide a lead to probe mysteries and trace events at different stages of evolution of the Universe.
Blazars or feeding supermassive black holes in the heart of distant galaxies receive a lot of attention from the astronomical community because of their complicated emission mechanism. They emit jets of charged particles travelling nearly at the speed of light and are one of the most luminous and energetic objects in the Universe.
BL Lacertae blazar is 10 million light-years away and is among the 50 most prominent blazars that can be observed with the help of a relatively small telescope. It was among the 3 to 4 blazars that was predicted to be experiencing flares by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT), an international consortium of astronomers.
Feb 13, 2021
Most Distant Object in Our Solar System Spotted
Astronomers have identified the most distant known object in our solar system — a dwarf planet nicknamed Farfarout that orbits far beyond Pluto. This remote mini-planet swings so far away from the sun that from Farfarout's perspective Earth and Saturn look like neighbours.
With an orbit that's an average of 132 times the distance between Earth and the sun, or 132 astronomical units (AU), it beats "Farout," the previous record holder for most-distant solar object; Farout orbits the sun at an average of 124 A.U. Farfarout's technical name is 2018 AG37, and it will likely get an official name as a dwarf planet down the road.
Feb 12, 2021
Tianwen-1 Spacecraft Enters in Orbit around Mars
China says it has successfully put its Tianwen-1 mission in orbit around Mars.
It's the first time the country has managed to get a spacecraft to the Red Planet and comes a day after the United Arab Emirates accomplished the same feat.
Tianwen-1, or "Questions to Heaven", comprises an orbiter and a rover.
Engineers will bide their time before despatching the wheeled robot to the surface, but the expectation is that this will happen in May or June.
This orbit insertion underlines again the rapid progress China's space programme is making.
It follows December's impressive mission to retrieve rock and soil samples from Earth's Moon - by any measure a very complex undertaking.
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