Space: The Solar System
Published

New study details atmosphere on 'hot Neptune' 260 light years away that 'shouldn't exist'      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Astronomers have crunched data from NASA's TESS and Spitzer space telescopes to portray for the first time the atmosphere of a highly unusual kind of exoplanet dubbed a 'hot Neptune.'

Space: The Solar System
Published

Magnetic fields on the moon are the remnant of an ancient core dynamo      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A long discussed theory about the local magnetic spots of the moon suggests that they are the result of magnetization processes caused by impacts of massive bodies on the moon surface. A new study now shows that the Moon must have had an internal core dynamo in the past.

Space: The Solar System
Published

The mountains of Pluto are snowcapped, but not for the same reasons as on Earth      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In 2015, the New Horizons space probe discovered spectacular snowcapped mountains on Pluto, which are strikingly similar to mountains on Earth. Such a landscape had never before been observed elsewhere in the Solar System. Scientists determined that the methane snow could only appear at the peaks of Pluto's mountains high enough to reach this enriched zone that the air contains enough methane for it to condense.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Looking for pieces of Venus? Try the moon      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A growing body of research suggests the planet Venus may have had an Earth-like environment billions of years ago, with water and a thin atmosphere.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Moon's magnetic crust research sees scientists debunk long-held theory      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New international research into the Moon provides scientists with insights as to how and why its crust is magnetized, essentially 'debunking' one of the previous longstanding theories.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Explaining the formation of a hexagon storm on Saturn      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers create a new 3D model that could explain the formation of a hexagon storm on Saturn -- a hurricane about 20,000 miles in diameter.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Venus might be habitable today, if not for Jupiter      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Venus might not be a sweltering, waterless hellscape today, if Jupiter hadn't altered its orbit around the sun, according to new research.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Cosmic diamonds formed during gigantic planetary collisions      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Geoscientists have found the largest extraterrestrial diamonds ever discovered - a few tenths of a millimeter in size nevertheless - inside meteorites. Together with an international team of researchers, they have now been able to prove that these diamonds formed in the early period of our solar system when minor planets collided together or with large asteroids. These new data disprove the theory that they originated deep inside planets - similar to diamonds formed on Earth - at least the size of Mercury.

Space: The Solar System
Published

First measurements of radiation levels on the moon      (via sciencedaily.com) 

In the coming years and decades, various nations want to explore the moon, and plan to send astronauts there again for this purpose. But on our inhospitable satellite, space radiation poses a significant risk. Scientists report for the first time on time-resolved measurements of the radiation on the moon. The measurements show an equivalent dose rate of about 60 microsieverts per hour. In comparison, on a long-haul flight from Frankfurt to New York, it is about 5 to 10 times lower, and on the ground well over 200 times lower.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Remnants of an ancient asteroid shed new light on the early solar system      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers have shaken up a once accepted timeline for cataclysmic events in the early solar system. Geological and geochemical records indicate that the Earth-Moon system experienced a period of frequent and cataclysmic impacts from asteroids and other bodies. It was thought that this period had a relatively sudden onset, but the researchers have found evidence that this bombardment period may have started much earlier, and decreased in intensity over time.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Venus' ancient layered, folded rocks point to volcanic origin      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Researchers has found that some of the oldest terrain on Venus, known as tesserae, have layering that seems consistent with volcanic activity. The finding could provide insights into the enigmatic planet's geological history.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Modern theory from ancient impacts      (via sciencedaily.com) 

It is generally accepted that the inner region of the early solar system was subject to an intense period of meteoric bombardment referred to as the late heavy bombardment. However, researchers have found evidence that suggests this period occurred slightly earlier than thought and was less intense but also more prolonged. Such details about this period could impact theories about the early Earth and the dawn of life.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Jupiter's moons could be warming each other      (via sciencedaily.com) 

The gravitational push and pull by Jupiter's moons could account for more warming than the gas giant Jupiter alone.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Sand-sized meteoroids are peppering asteroid Bennu      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new study posits that the major particle ejections off the near-Earth asteroid Bennu may be the consequence of impacts by small, sand-sized particles called meteoroids onto its surface as the object nears the Sun.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Has Earth's oxygen rusted the Moon for billions of years?      (via sciencedaily.com) 

To the surprise of many planetary scientists, the oxidized iron mineral hematite has been discovered at high latitudes on the Moon.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Researchers develop dustbuster for the moon      (via sciencedaily.com) 

A new solution to the problem of spring cleaning on the moon: Why not zap away the grime using a beam of electrons?

Space: The Solar System
Published

Hubble uses Earth as proxy for identifying oxygen on potentially habitable exoplanets      (via sciencedaily.com) 

Taking advantage of a total lunar eclipse, Hubble used the Moon as a mirror to study sunlight that had passed through Earth's atmosphere. As a result, Hubble detected Earth's own brand of sunscreen - ozone - in our atmosphere. The technique simulates how scientists will search for evidence of life on planets around other stars.

Environmental: Ecosystems Space: The Solar System
Published

Lava tubes on Mars and the Moon are so wide they can host planetary bases      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Subsurface cavities created by lava on Mars and the Moon could provide a shield against cosmic radiation, new research suggests.

Space: The Solar System
Published

Surprisingly dense exoplanet challenges planet formation theories      (via sciencedaily.com) 

New detailed observations reveal a young exoplanet, orbiting a young star in the Hyades cluster, that is unusually dense for its size and age. Weighing in at 25 Earth-masses, and slightly smaller than Neptune, this exoplanet's existence is at odds with the predictions of leading planet formation theories.

Space: Exploration Space: The Solar System
Published

The quiet Sun is much more active than we thought      (via sciencedaily.com) 

For a long time, researchers have believed that there is not much of interest going on in the Sun during the passive period, therefore not worth studying. Now this assumption is showed to be false. This is the first time that astronomers are systematically studying the phenomena of the solar minimum.