Meteoroid

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  NASA and ESA Trace Mysterious Lunar Flashes to Meteors and Gas Leaks

  Transient Lunar Phenomena are mysterious bursts and glows observed on the Moon, lasting from milliseconds to hours. NASA and ESA research show that these events often result from meteoroid impacts, radon gas outgassing, and dust charged by solar wind, illuminating the Moon’s dynamic surface in surprising ways.

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  Asteroids vs Comets vs Meteors vs Meteorites: What Are They and How Are They Different From Each Other?

  Asteroids, comets, meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites may seem similar, but each plays a unique role in the Solar System. Asteroids are rocky remnants, comets are icy wanderers, meteors are shooting stars, and meteorites are fragments that survive the plunge to Earth.

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  Magnetic Wave Study Detects Lithium in Mercury’s Exosphere for First Time Ever

  For the first time, scientists have detected lithium in Mercury’s exosphere using magnetic wave signatures found in MESSENGER spacecraft data. The findings link lithium’s release to meteoroid impacts that vaporise planetary material, offering fresh insight into volatile element delivery. This breakthrough reshapes our understanding of Mercury...

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  NASA Study Finds Solar Wind Could Be Key to Water Formation on the Moon

  A recent study indicates that water on the lunar surface may come from the solar wind. The results suggest that other airless bodies in the solar system may also have water on their surfaces, therefore highlighting the possibility of finding such water on the surface of other such objects.

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  NASA's Dawn Mission Unveils Insights into Vesta’s Mysterious Gullies Using Lab Simulations

  NASA’s Dawn mission to the asteroid Vesta revealed mysterious gullies on its surface. New lab experiments, simulating Vesta's harsh vacuum conditions, suggest that liquid water, possibly briny, could have flowed briefly and carved these channels. These findings challenge existing theories about liquid stability on airless bodies and provide insig...

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  Meteoroid Trails Could Help Detect Potentially Hazardous Comets Years in Advance

  Meteoroid trails from long-period comets could provide early warnings of potentially dangerous comets near Earth, giving planetary scientists time to prepare. By studying these trails, scientists can track the paths of rarely visible comets that could pose a risk of impact, helping prevent catastrophic events. With the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observ...

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  Taurid Meteor Stream Unlikely to Contain Dangerous Asteroids, New Study Suggests

  A recent study led by Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, reveals that the Taurid Meteoroid Complex, a debris stream linked to past Earth impacts, poses less danger than previously thought. Ye's team found fewer large asteroids in the stream, reducing the risk of a catastrophic collision with Earth. While these findings offer r...

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  NASA Captures Sound Of A Meteoroid Hitting Mars

  NASA also released a recording of the Martian meteoroid impact on Monday.

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  Asteroid Bennu's Boulders Act as 'Body Armour' Against Small Meteoroids, Say Researchers

  Scientists think that the boulders on the surface of Asteroid Bennu might be acting as a shield against meteoroids. When a meteoroid collides with Bennu, which is a rubber-pile asteroid formed from a much bigger asteroid, it ends up fracturing, chipping, or breaking apart the boulders. Impactors also create smaller craters on Bennu due to the boul...

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  NASA Says Tiny Meteoroid Struck James Webb Space Telescope, Knocked Gold-Plated Mirror Out of Alignment

  A tiny meteoroid struck the newly deployed James Webb Space Telescope in May, knocking one of its gold-plated mirrors out of alignment but not changing the orbiting observatory's schedule to become fully operational shortly, says NASA.