solar system on The Soothsayer

Astronomers have discovered that Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system to our sun, is likely shedding comets and asteroids into our solar system. This means that we can expect to see a small number of meteors from Alpha Centauri in the sky, with estimates suggesting up to 10 meteors per year. The objects are thought…

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery of a new type of ice, called plastic ice, which exists on alien planets. This hybrid phase of water has been found to exhibit traits of both solid ice and liquid water, and its existence was confirmed through experiments at high temperatures and pressures. The discovery may help researchers…

Scientists have discovered that the asteroid Bennu, which orbits between Earth and Mars, contains the building blocks of life, including organic compounds and amino acids. However, despite the presence of these ingredients, no signs of life were found on the asteroid. Researchers believe that the conditions on Bennu may not have been suitable for life…

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully collected data during its closest approach to the Sun, marking a significant milestone in solar science. The spacecraft, which has been looping around the Sun since its launch six years ago, has provided valuable insights into the solar wind and the Sun’s outer atmosphere. The data collected during the…

New computer simulations suggest that Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, may have formed through a “kiss-and-capture” collision, where the two bodies briefly joined up before settling into their current positions. This theory challenges previous ideas about the origin of Charon and could have implications for our understanding of the formation of other objects in…

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has successfully skimmed the surface of the sun, coming within 6.1 million kilometers of the sun’s surface at a speed of 692,000 kilometers per hour. This historic flyby marks the culmination of six years in space for the probe, which has been studying the sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, from the…

Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have proposed a new theory to explain the mysterious lack of magnetic poles on Uranus and Neptune. According to the theory, the disorganized magnetic fields of the two ice giant planets may arise from a separation of the icy fluids that make up their interiors. This theory could…

The Perseverance Rover on Mars has made a groundbreaking discovery, uncovering the oldest rocks humans have ever seen and potentially evidence of a new setting that ancient Martian organisms could have inhabited. The rover has been exploring the Jezero Crater and has found rocks that are likely older than 4 billion years, making them the…

Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting an astrosphere around a star similar to the sun. The astrosphere is a bubble of hot gas blown by a star’s stellar wind, which marks the edge of the solar system and protects planets from high-energy cosmic rays. This finding is significant as it provides insight into…

A pair of European Space Agency spacecraft, Proba-3, has been launched to create hundreds of artificial solar eclipses in orbit. This mission will allow scientists to study the elusive middle part of the sun’s atmosphere, which holds many of the sun’s most enduring mysteries. The satellites will fly together in lockstep, blocking the sun from…