Tag: Planetary Science
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MAVEN Silent at Mars: NASA’s Orbiters in Trouble Today
NASA’s MAVEN Goes Quiet at Mars NASA reports that the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft has been silent since December 4, with ground teams unable to establish a reliable link. The episode follows a period of repeated attempts to hail the orbiter, suggesting there may be technical issues affecting MAVEN’s communications and attitude…
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Rare lunar impact flash captured from Ireland: First video from AOP
Historic lunar flash captured from Irish skies A groundbreaking moment in planetary science has emerged as astronomers reveal what is believed to be the first video recording of a lunar impact flash captured from the island of Ireland. The footage, recorded by Andrew Marshall-Lee, a final-year PhD student at the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium (AOP),…
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Closest Approach: Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Nears Earth on Dec. 19
What is 3I/ATLAS? Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, one of the few confirmed visitors from outside our solar system, was first spotted by the ATLAS survey in July. Unlike typical comets that originate from sources within the Sun’s neighborhood, 3I/ATLAS carries material from another star system, offering a rare chance to study cosmic rubble that formed far…
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NASA Tests Drones in Death Valley: Photo of the Day for December 15, 2025
NASA Drones in Death Valley: A Mars-Ready Testbed For decades, NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California have relied on the Mojave Desert’s harsh, arid landscapes to emulate the extreme environments found on Mars. On December 15, 2025, a compelling “photo of the day” captured in Death Valley spotlights a new chapter…
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NASA tests drones in Death Valley: Photo of the Day for Dec. 15, 2025
NASA pushes drone tech in one of Earth’s harshest laboratories In a striking display of engineering and planetary science, NASA and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) continue to rely on Death Valley to test how unmanned aerial systems perform in extreme environments. The harsh, sun-scorched landscape of the Mojave Desert, and Death Valley in particular,…
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Lunar Mystery Solved: Earth’s Atmosphere Leaks to the Moon Across Billions of Years
Introduction A surprising revelation is reshaping how we think about the relationship between Earth and its closest celestial neighbor. New research suggests that Earth’s atmosphere may have been leaking into space and traveling all the way to the Moon for billions of years. This finding offers a potential explanation for several lunar mysteries that have…
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Why Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS’ Close Earth Approach Is an Early Christmas Gift for Astronomers
Introduction: A Cosmic Visitor Comes Close In a moment that felt like a holiday gift from the cosmos, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS swung past Earth, offering astronomers a rare, high-quality opportunity to study a body that formed around another star. As the third confirmed interstellar visitor to our solar system, 3I/ATLAS is more than a…
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Why interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS’ close Earth approach is an early Christmas gift for astronomers
Introduction: A rare visitor from beyond our solar system In the pantheon of celestial surprises, few events spark as much wonder as an interstellar object slipping through our cosmic neighborhood. Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third confirmed interstellar visitor to our solar system, offered scientists an unprecedented close approach to Earth. For astronomers—whether seasoned researchers or enthusiastic…
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Perseverance Mars Meteorite Find: Could This Be NASA’s First Martian Meteorite?
Space Milestone on the Red Planet After five years roaming Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured attention with a rock that researchers say might be a meteorite. The discovery, described as a potential meteorite nestled among a field of more fractured, flat surrounding rocks, signals a tantalizing step in understanding Mars’ geology and the broader…
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Perseverance on Mars Spots Possible Meteorite: Could This Be Cycle-Defining Meteorite Find?
Introduction: A Potential Meteorite Spotted by Perseverance NASA’s Perseverance rover, now well into its fifth year exploring Jezero Crater on Mars, appears to have identified a possible meteorite on the planet’s surface. The observation centers on a distinctive, sculpted rock that stands above its neighbors—a rock whose shape and texture suggest it could be extraterrestrial…