An ongoing investigation of the December collapse of the iconic radio telescope at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico offers early evidence a manufacturing issue may have contributed to the failure. Source: https://www.livescience.com/arecibo-telescope-debris-clearing-possible-cause-update.html
Tag: debris
New evidence for multiple ice ages on Mars
Earth has had at least 5 major ice ages. Now it appears Mars – the next planet outward from the sun – has undergone anywhere from half a dozen to 20 ice ages in the past several hundred million years. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/new-evidence-for-multiple-ice-ages-on-mars…
Hear the strange music of distant planetary system TOI-178
In the animation in this post, the rhythmic movement of newly discovered planets around the star TOI-178 is represented through a musical harmony, created by attributing a note (in the pentatonic scale) to each of the planets. Hear the music of these planets. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/star-system-tio-178-planets-in-resonance-orbits-cheops…
Astronomers see whirlwind around possible exoplanet in the making
An international team of astronomers led by researchers from the Netherlands has discovered a whirlwind of dust and debris in orbit around a young star. It is possible that a planet is forming within the debris. The scientists made the discovery during the time that designers and developers of an astronomical instrument get as a reward for their work. They will…
Volcano in Ecuador can trigger avalanches that travel 60 kilometres
Sangay volcano in Ecuador has collapsed twice in the past 250,000 years, unleashing debris avalanches that caused devastation over 60 kilometres away Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2265152-volcano-in-ecuador-can-trigger-avalanches-that-travel-60-kilometres/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Seagrass ‘Neptune Balls’ Sieve Millions of Plastic Particles From Water, Study Finds
Underwater seagrass in coastal areas appear to trap plastic pollution in natural bundles of fiber known as “Neptune balls,” researchers have found. The Guardian reports: With no help from humans, the swaying plants — anchored to shallow seabeds — may collect nearly 900 million plastic items in the Mediterranean alone every year, a study reported in the journal Scientific Reports said….
Japan Developing Wooden Satellites To Cut Space Junk
Joe2020 shares a report: A Japanese company and Kyoto University have joined forces to develop what they hope will be the world’s first satellites made out of wood by 2023. Sumitomo Forestry said it has started research on tree growth and the use of wood materials in space. The partnership will begin experimenting with different types of wood in extreme environments…
Dramatic images of erupting Kilauea volcano in Hawaii
Overnight on Sunday, USGS reported lava fountains that shot nearly 165 feet into the sky from a fissure on the eastern side of Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Lava has replaced the water that was in the basin of the crater, and a new lava lake was formed. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/dramatic-images-kilauea-volcano-hawaii-eruption-dec-2020…
Detailing the formation of distant solar systems with NASA’s Webb Telescope
We live in a mature solar system—eight planets and several dwarf planets (like Pluto) have formed, the latter within the rock- and debris-filled region known as the Kuiper Belt. If we could turn back time, what would we see as our solar system formed? While we can’t answer this question directly, researchers can study other systems that are actively forming—along with…
China prepares for return of lunar probe with moon samples
Chinese ground crews are standing by for the return of a lunar probe bringing back the first fresh samples of rock and debris from the moon in more than 45 years. Source: https://phys.org/news/2020-12-china-lunar-probe-moon-samples.html…