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Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
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James Webb Telescope Captures First Direct Image of Saturn-Mass Exoplanet
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone by capturing its first direct image of TWA 7 b, a newly discovered Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting the young star TWA 7. Using a coronagraph to block starlight, Webb identified the planet embedded in the star’s dusty ring system. TWA 7 b is the smallest exoplanet ever imaged dir...
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Hubble Finds Cosmic Dust Coating Uranus’ Moons, Not Radiation Scars
New Hubble Space Telescope observations have upended decades of expectations about Uranus’ moons. Scientists once thought the planet’s magnetic field darkened their backsides with radiation, but the latest data shows Titania and Oberon are collecting space dust on their leading sides instead. This “cosmic bug splatter” effect suggests dust ...
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James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Near-Infrared View of Sombrero Galaxy
NASA has unveiled a spectacular near-infrared image of the Sombrero Galaxy taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This fresh perspective showcases the glowing stellar bulge and dust distribution, deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time.
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Astronauts Track Massive Dust Clouds over Canada and the US from ISS in June 2025
While conducting microgravity experiments and preparing for the Ax-4 crew, ISS astronauts documented massive wildfire smoke clouds drifting over Canada and the U.S., highlighting the station’s role in monitoring Earth-based environmental events from orbit. The smoke, seen from space, resulted from wildfires that triggered evacuations and impacted...
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Hubble Unveils Galactic ‘Cotton Candy’ in the Large Magellanic Cloud
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of glowing gas and dust in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way. The colorful filaments—nicknamed “galactic cotton candy”—highlight active star-forming regions. Taken with five filters across ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, the image reveals ...
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Indian-Origin Scientist In UK Gets World's First Far-Side Moon Dust From China
Professor Mahesh Anand, a UK-based Indian-origin scientist, has received a rare sample of Moon dust from China's Chang'e 5 mission, which collected 2kg of material from the Moon's volcanic region called Mons Rumker in 2020.
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NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures One Dust Devil Devouring Another
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover's navigation camera captured a Martian dust devil swallowing a smaller one. The smaller dust devil's demise was captured during an imaging experiment carried out by Perseverance's science team to better understand the dynamics at work in the Martian atmosphere. In the 1970s, NASA's Viking orbiters became the first spa...
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Wolf-Rayet 104's Orbit Tilt Reduces Gamma-Ray Burst Threat, Study Finds
New research using Keck Observatory’s instruments confirms that the orbit of Wolf-Rayet 104 is tilted 30-40 degrees away from Earth, lowering concerns about a possible gamma-ray burst. Previously, it was believed that the system’s alignment could pose a risk. However, spectroscopy data now challenges these assumptions, raising new questions abo...
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Solar System’s Journey Through Orion Complex May Have Altered Earth’s Climate
Scientists have studied the solar system’s passage through the Orion complex, a dense region in space, around 14 million years ago. According to researchers, this movement may have compressed the heliosphere and increased interstellar dust reaching Earth. This dust could have influenced the planet’s climate and left traces in geological records...
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New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
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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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Hubble’s New Image of Tarantula Nebula Showcases Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of the Tarantula Nebula, located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The image reveals intricate cosmic dust patterns and active star formation, offering valuable insights into the role of interstellar material in stellar evolution. Researchers are using the d...
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JWST Unveils HH 30’s Protoplanetary Disk, Showing Dust Grains and Jets
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary image of HH 30, a protoplanetary disk in the Taurus constellation. The dense dust disk conceals the central star, while bright jets extend outward, interacting with surrounding gas. Microscopic dust grains within the disk have been identified, playing a crucial role in planetary formation...
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Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...
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Mars Dust Devils May Spark Lightning, Might Pose Risks to Rovers: Study
A new computer-modeling study reveals that dust devils on Mars—swirling columns of dust and air—may become electrically charged enough to spark lightning-like discharges. Led by researcher Varun Sheel, the study simulates how dry Martian conditions and frictional collisions between dust grains can generate strong electric fields inside these vo...
-
James Webb Telescope Captures First Direct Image of Saturn-Mass Exoplanet
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has reached a major milestone by capturing its first direct image of TWA 7 b, a newly discovered Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting the young star TWA 7. Using a coronagraph to block starlight, Webb identified the planet embedded in the star’s dusty ring system. TWA 7 b is the smallest exoplanet ever imaged dir...
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Hubble Finds Cosmic Dust Coating Uranus’ Moons, Not Radiation Scars
New Hubble Space Telescope observations have upended decades of expectations about Uranus’ moons. Scientists once thought the planet’s magnetic field darkened their backsides with radiation, but the latest data shows Titania and Oberon are collecting space dust on their leading sides instead. This “cosmic bug splatter” effect suggests dust ...
-
James Webb Space Telescope Captures Stunning Near-Infrared View of Sombrero Galaxy
NASA has unveiled a spectacular near-infrared image of the Sombrero Galaxy taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. This fresh perspective showcases the glowing stellar bulge and dust distribution, deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time.
-
Astronauts Track Massive Dust Clouds over Canada and the US from ISS in June 2025
While conducting microgravity experiments and preparing for the Ax-4 crew, ISS astronauts documented massive wildfire smoke clouds drifting over Canada and the U.S., highlighting the station’s role in monitoring Earth-based environmental events from orbit. The smoke, seen from space, resulted from wildfires that triggered evacuations and impacted...
-
Hubble Unveils Galactic ‘Cotton Candy’ in the Large Magellanic Cloud
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of glowing gas and dust in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy orbiting the Milky Way. The colorful filaments—nicknamed “galactic cotton candy”—highlight active star-forming regions. Taken with five filters across ultraviolet to infrared wavelengths, the image reveals ...
-
Indian-Origin Scientist In UK Gets World's First Far-Side Moon Dust From China
Professor Mahesh Anand, a UK-based Indian-origin scientist, has received a rare sample of Moon dust from China's Chang'e 5 mission, which collected 2kg of material from the Moon's volcanic region called Mons Rumker in 2020.
-
NASA's Perseverance Rover Captures One Dust Devil Devouring Another
NASA's Perseverance Mars rover's navigation camera captured a Martian dust devil swallowing a smaller one. The smaller dust devil's demise was captured during an imaging experiment carried out by Perseverance's science team to better understand the dynamics at work in the Martian atmosphere. In the 1970s, NASA's Viking orbiters became the first spa...
-
Wolf-Rayet 104's Orbit Tilt Reduces Gamma-Ray Burst Threat, Study Finds
New research using Keck Observatory’s instruments confirms that the orbit of Wolf-Rayet 104 is tilted 30-40 degrees away from Earth, lowering concerns about a possible gamma-ray burst. Previously, it was believed that the system’s alignment could pose a risk. However, spectroscopy data now challenges these assumptions, raising new questions abo...
-
Solar System’s Journey Through Orion Complex May Have Altered Earth’s Climate
Scientists have studied the solar system’s passage through the Orion complex, a dense region in space, around 14 million years ago. According to researchers, this movement may have compressed the heliosphere and increased interstellar dust reaching Earth. This dust could have influenced the planet’s climate and left traces in geological records...
-
New Research Reveals Mars’ Red Colour Linked to Ancient Water Presence
A recent study suggests that Mars’ red hue originates from ferrihydrite, an iron oxide that forms in water-rich environments. Scientists recreated Martian dust in labs and found that the mineral remained stable despite the planet’s dry conditions. Data from orbiting spacecraft and rovers confirm this discovery, reshaping theories about Mars’ ...
-
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...
-
Hubble’s New Image of Tarantula Nebula Showcases Cosmic Dust and Star Formation
NASA/ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of the Tarantula Nebula, located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The image reveals intricate cosmic dust patterns and active star formation, offering valuable insights into the role of interstellar material in stellar evolution. Researchers are using the d...
-
JWST Unveils HH 30’s Protoplanetary Disk, Showing Dust Grains and Jets
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an extraordinary image of HH 30, a protoplanetary disk in the Taurus constellation. The dense dust disk conceals the central star, while bright jets extend outward, interacting with surrounding gas. Microscopic dust grains within the disk have been identified, playing a crucial role in planetary formation...
-
Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-29 Conducts First Lunar Gravity Simulation
Blue Origin successfully launched its NS-29 mission, marking the first lunar gravity simulation on its New Shepard vehicle. The capsule rotated mid-flight to replicate Moon gravity for research payloads, including NASA-supported experiments on lunar dust behaviour and fire safety. Over half of the 30 payloads focused on Moon-related technologies. T...
