Cloud Formation
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Explained: What Is Cloud Seeding, Why Is Delhi Spending Over Rs 3 Crore On It
Cloud seeding is generally considered moderately effective, with studies and real-world programmes showing it can increase rainfall under the right conditions.
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Astronomers Discover Potential ‘Dark Galaxy’ Near the Milky Way
Astronomers have spotted a massive hydrogen cloud near the Milky Way that may be a rare dark galaxy—an object composed of gas and dark matter but lacking stars and light. Detected through radio telescopes, the galaxy-like structure challenges conventional astronomy and could reveal hidden phases of galaxy formation and dark matter interaction in ...
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Hubble Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Sh2-284, a Massive Stellar Nursery
Hubble’s latest image of the massive Sh2-284 nebula reveals young stars concealed within thick clouds of gas and dust. Using infrared imaging, astronomers have captured details previously obscured in optical wavelengths. The nebula’s low-metallicity composition provides a glimpse into the conditions of the early universe, shedding light on how ...
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Hubble Captures Stunning Tarantula Nebula Image, Revealing Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope highlights the Tarantula Nebula’s complex structure, featuring dense cosmic dust clouds and vibrant star-forming regions. This nebula, located 160,000 light-years away, plays a vital role in understanding stellar evolution. The captured details offer insights into how cosmic dust contributes to star and...
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Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
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NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Stunning Feather-Shaped Iridescent Cloud on Mars
A remarkable feather-shaped iridescent cloud was spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. Captured during a seasonal imaging campaign, this phenomenon provides valuable data on Martian weather patterns. Scientists believe such clouds help study particle sizes and atmospheric changes. The cloud, composed of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice...
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Mysterious Icy Objects Found in Milky Way Baffle Astronomers: Everything You Need to Know
Astronomers have identified mysterious icy objects in the outer Milky Way, raising questions about their nature. These structures, composed of ice and gas, are located in a region where star formation is rare. Despite early detections dating back to 2006-2011, recent observations using the AKARI space telescope and the ALMA array in Chile have prov...
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Early Supernovas Could Have Created Water in the Universe, Paving the Way for Life 100 Million Years Post-Big Bang
A recent study suggests that supernova explosions, triggered by the death of early stars, could have created significant amounts of water just 100 million years after the Big Bang. Simulations of these early, massive stars show that their explosive deaths may have resulted in the formation of water molecules within the dense hydrogen and oxygen clo...
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Astronomers Spot Hundreds of Hidden Supermassive Black Holes Using Infrared
Hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes have been identified using infrared observations, offering fresh insights into their role in galaxy formation. Researchers relied on data from NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) to detect emissions from black holes obscured by thick clouds ...
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Satellite Captures Svalbard Bear Island's Rare Cloud Formations and Algal Bloom
A 2023 satellite image captured algal bloom and atmospheric vortices near Bear Island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. The algal bloom, stretching 400 kilometres, formed vibrant spirals due to ocean currents. Atmospheric vortices, caused by airflow disruption over Miseryfjellet mountain, mirrored these patterns in the sky. Bear Island’s radioa...
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Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b's Atmosphere
Astronomers have detected water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-166 b, a hot super-Neptune exoplanet. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the findings also noted ammonia in smaller quantities. WASP-166 b, located 368 light-years away, is a massive planet that orbits its star every 5.44 days, with a temperature of 1,2...
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Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
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Astronomers Spot New Cosmic Explosions 100 Times Brighter Than the Sun
Astronomers have discovered a new class of cosmic explosions, known as 'millinovas,' which are 100 times brighter than the Sun. These events, first identified in 2023, were observed in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. The millinovas are thought to occur when white dwarfs feed off a companion star, prod...
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James Webb and Chandra Capture Images of Star Clusters in Distant Galaxies
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory have unveiled stunning new images of two star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud. NGC 602, located approximately 200,000 light-years from Earth, showcases active star formation, with dust clouds and ionised gas revealing unique stellar birth conditions. Meanwhile, NGC 2264 featur...
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Webb Telescope Confirms Planet-Forming Disks Last Longer in Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that planet-forming disks around stars in the early universe lasted far longer than previously believed. By studying NGC 346, a star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Webb observed disks surviving for 20–30 million years, challenging current models. This discovery suggests that low-metal environmen...
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Explained: What Is Cloud Seeding, Why Is Delhi Spending Over Rs 3 Crore On It
Cloud seeding is generally considered moderately effective, with studies and real-world programmes showing it can increase rainfall under the right conditions.
-
Astronomers Discover Potential ‘Dark Galaxy’ Near the Milky Way
Astronomers have spotted a massive hydrogen cloud near the Milky Way that may be a rare dark galaxy—an object composed of gas and dark matter but lacking stars and light. Detected through radio telescopes, the galaxy-like structure challenges conventional astronomy and could reveal hidden phases of galaxy formation and dark matter interaction in ...
-
Hubble Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Sh2-284, a Massive Stellar Nursery
Hubble’s latest image of the massive Sh2-284 nebula reveals young stars concealed within thick clouds of gas and dust. Using infrared imaging, astronomers have captured details previously obscured in optical wavelengths. The nebula’s low-metallicity composition provides a glimpse into the conditions of the early universe, shedding light on how ...
-
Hubble Captures Stunning Tarantula Nebula Image, Revealing Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
A new image from the Hubble Space Telescope highlights the Tarantula Nebula’s complex structure, featuring dense cosmic dust clouds and vibrant star-forming regions. This nebula, located 160,000 light-years away, plays a vital role in understanding stellar evolution. The captured details offer insights into how cosmic dust contributes to star and...
-
Curiosity Rover Observes Iridescent Clouds on Mars, Offering New Insights
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured rare iridescent clouds drifting across the Martian sky, observed at high altitudes in twilight conditions. These carbon dioxide ice clouds were seen forming between 60 and 80 kilometres above the surface before evaporating as they descended. Scientists believe their presence hints at unknown cooling mechanisms ...
-
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Captures Stunning Feather-Shaped Iridescent Cloud on Mars
A remarkable feather-shaped iridescent cloud was spotted by NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars. Captured during a seasonal imaging campaign, this phenomenon provides valuable data on Martian weather patterns. Scientists believe such clouds help study particle sizes and atmospheric changes. The cloud, composed of either water ice or carbon dioxide ice...
-
Mysterious Icy Objects Found in Milky Way Baffle Astronomers: Everything You Need to Know
Astronomers have identified mysterious icy objects in the outer Milky Way, raising questions about their nature. These structures, composed of ice and gas, are located in a region where star formation is rare. Despite early detections dating back to 2006-2011, recent observations using the AKARI space telescope and the ALMA array in Chile have prov...
-
Early Supernovas Could Have Created Water in the Universe, Paving the Way for Life 100 Million Years Post-Big Bang
A recent study suggests that supernova explosions, triggered by the death of early stars, could have created significant amounts of water just 100 million years after the Big Bang. Simulations of these early, massive stars show that their explosive deaths may have resulted in the formation of water molecules within the dense hydrogen and oxygen clo...
-
Astronomers Spot Hundreds of Hidden Supermassive Black Holes Using Infrared
Hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes have been identified using infrared observations, offering fresh insights into their role in galaxy formation. Researchers relied on data from NASA's Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) to detect emissions from black holes obscured by thick clouds ...
-
Satellite Captures Svalbard Bear Island's Rare Cloud Formations and Algal Bloom
A 2023 satellite image captured algal bloom and atmospheric vortices near Bear Island in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. The algal bloom, stretching 400 kilometres, formed vibrant spirals due to ocean currents. Atmospheric vortices, caused by airflow disruption over Miseryfjellet mountain, mirrored these patterns in the sky. Bear Island’s radioa...
-
Astronomers Discover Water and Carbon Dioxide in WASP-166 b's Atmosphere
Astronomers have detected water and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of WASP-166 b, a hot super-Neptune exoplanet. Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the findings also noted ammonia in smaller quantities. WASP-166 b, located 368 light-years away, is a massive planet that orbits its star every 5.44 days, with a temperature of 1,2...
-
Organic Molecules in Space: A Key to Understanding Life's Cosmic Origins
Organic molecules, the building blocks of life, have been discovered across space—from interstellar clouds to asteroids and comets. Findings from missions like Rosetta, Hayabusa2, and Osiris-Rex reveal that these compounds existed long before the Sun formed. Scientists believe organic molecules survived planetary formation in protoplanetary disks...
-
Astronomers Spot New Cosmic Explosions 100 Times Brighter Than the Sun
Astronomers have discovered a new class of cosmic explosions, known as 'millinovas,' which are 100 times brighter than the Sun. These events, first identified in 2023, were observed in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, two satellite galaxies of the Milky Way. The millinovas are thought to occur when white dwarfs feed off a companion star, prod...
-
James Webb and Chandra Capture Images of Star Clusters in Distant Galaxies
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory have unveiled stunning new images of two star clusters in the Small Magellanic Cloud. NGC 602, located approximately 200,000 light-years from Earth, showcases active star formation, with dust clouds and ionised gas revealing unique stellar birth conditions. Meanwhile, NGC 2264 featur...
-
Webb Telescope Confirms Planet-Forming Disks Last Longer in Early Universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed that planet-forming disks around stars in the early universe lasted far longer than previously believed. By studying NGC 346, a star cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud, Webb observed disks surviving for 20–30 million years, challenging current models. This discovery suggests that low-metal environmen...
