Articles tagged with Solar System Formation
The CU-Boulder student-built dust counter on NASA's New Horizons mission has reached a distance of 1.67 billion miles from Earth, breaking the record for the most distant working space dust detector. The instrument collected data in agreement with earlier measurements made by NASA's Galileo and Ulysses missions to Jupiter.
Researchers found binary systems in the Kuiper Belt would be destroyed by Neptune's interaction, contradicting previous assumptions. The study suggests the region formed near its present location and remained undisturbed over the age of the solar system.
Astronomers have discovered a new phenomenon called coreshine, which scatters mid-infrared light by large dust grains in cosmic clouds. This discovery promises to reveal crucial information about the earliest phase of star formation.
The New York Center for Astrobiology will expand its research with a new NASA grant, searching for the building blocks of life beyond Earth. Researchers study the chemical and physical conditions on Earth that gave birth to life and apply this information to search for similar conditions elsewhere in our solar system.
The discovery of exoplanet Beta Pictoris b, located 60 light-years from Earth, confirms that giant planets can form in time-spans as short as a few million years. The planet has a massive nine-Jupiter-mass orbit, challenging previous theories on planetary formation.
Researchers found that water and key volatiles may have been present in Earth's original building blocks, contradicting previous theories. The study suggests a complex accretion process for the planet, with volatile-rich material added in late stages of formation.
Scientists have found that volatile elements, including water, were present during the violent process of Earth's birth. The discovery, made using high precision equipment to measure Silver isotopes in rocks, suggests that comets and asteroids may not have brought significant amounts of volatile elements to Earth.
A new study reveals that a Martian meteorite, ALH84001, is approximately 4.091 billion years old, significantly younger than previously estimated ages. This finding suggests that volcanic activity was ongoing in Mars for much of its history and has implications for understanding the planet's evolution.
Researchers found ultra-primitive material with higher abundances of presolar grains, indicating a diverse processing of materials in different comets. This discovery allows for comparison of cosmic processes on a microscopic scale four-and-a-half billion years ago.
A UCLA-led study confirms Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is a protoplanet due to its unique shape and color variation. The research reveals a dynamic surface with areas of dark and light, indicating internal changes, similar to those found on planets.
A team of researchers has found a rare meteorite in the Western Australian desert and tracked its orbit using a new camera network. The meteorite is composed of basaltic igneous rock and is believed to have formed deep in the inner Solar System, providing clues about the origins of the Solar System.
The James Webb Space Telescope's Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) has arrived at NASA Goddard for testing, featuring four scientific instruments and a critical cryogenic structure. The ISIM will undergo rigorous qualification testing to ensure its ability to survive space and extreme cold.
A new study published in the International Journal of Astrobiology claims that comets contained vast oceans of liquid water during their formation, providing ideal conditions for primitive bacteria to grow and multiply. The study's findings support the theory of cometary panspermia, which suggests that life was introduced to Earth by c...
Researchers at Monash University discovered that early meteorites' radioactive nuclei could have originated from a nearby giant star. The presence of these nuclei affects the evolution of planetary systems and the origin of Earth's water.
Numerical simulations show that comet-like objects in a disk outside the solar system were scattered into the outer asteroid belt during a violent phase of planetary evolution. The models suggest that dramatic upheaval occurred in the solar system around 3.9 billion years ago, affecting nearly every nook and cranny.
Engineers at NASA Goddard and Northrop Grumman are simulating the handling of the telescope's mirror segments, which will be assembled into the Primary Mirror Assembly. The mock-up has already been beneficial in preparing for integration and test operations.
New research using meteorite grains reveals that the material incorporated into Earth's planets and life has younger cosmic roots than previously thought. The study found that most of these grains spent less time in interstellar space than estimated, with some as young as 3 million years old.
The study uses radio telescope images to confirm the presence of a rotating molecular disk orbiting the young binary star system V4046 Sagittarii. The discovery expands the number of places to look for extrasolar planets, suggesting that planet formation may occur around double stars as easily as single stars.
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown, massive impact basin named Rembrandt on Mercury's surface. The 700-kilometer-wide basin is younger than most other known impact basins and features unique tectonic landforms that formed after volcanic flows filled it.
Researchers have discovered complex organic molecules in interstellar space using powerful radio telescopes. Detailed images of protoclusters reveal a complex mix of stars in different stages of formation.
The James Webb Space Telescope's Backplane, a critical component supporting the 21-foot primary mirror, is being assembled with unprecedented thermal stability performance. This structure will maintain motionlessness to enable precise focusing of telescope optics and instruments, crucial for discovering the first stars and galaxies.
A team led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has been selected by NASA to focus on expanding knowledge of the Moon's formation and bombardment history. The four-year project will unravel the origin of the Earth-Moon system and the early evolution of the solar system through a multidisciplinary approach.
Two rare meteorites from Antarctica reveal the presence of an ancient asteroid with a crust similar to Earth's continents. The discovery provides new insights into the formation of andesite crust in our Solar System, challenging traditional plate tectonics theories.
Comet particles from Wild 2 provide a glimpse of the solar system's early convulsions, flinging primordial material out into the cold regions. The particles contain minerals formed at high temperatures, suggesting transport from the inner to outer solar system.
Meteorites containing ancient magnetic records have provided new insights into the early history of planets. The study suggests that small bodies in the solar system were large enough to melt and form magnetic dynamos, overturning previous ideas about planet formation.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution resolve solar system formation with detailed model of supernova triggering collapse. The 'Little Bang' theory suggests a supernova shock wave triggered the Sun and planets.
Researchers analyzed oxygen isotope compositions of comet Wild 2's halo crystals, finding signatures similar to asteroids and the sun. This suggests heat-processed particles were transported outward in the young solar system, complicating theories on its early history.
New simulations suggest that stars like our sun can migrate great distances in galaxies similar to the Milky Way, potentially altering our view of habitable zones. This finding could change scientists' understanding of where and how life could evolve in a galaxy.
The study reveals that the formation of planetary systems was full of violence and drama, but our solar system required conditions to be just right. The researchers ran over 100 simulations, showing that an average planetary system's origin was dramatic, with planets being flung into space or crowded together.
Scientists propose that sunlight increases or decreases the spin rate of asteroids, leading to moon formation through material slung off at the equator. This process exposes fresh material at the poles and coalesces into a satellite orbiting its parent.
Researchers analyze sodium content of grains from the Semarkona meteorite, finding higher-than-expected levels that contradict previous models. The discovery suggests dust clouds were denser than thought, leading to a new understanding of the solar system's formation.
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have improved the argon-argon dating method to provide more precise absolute dates for geologic events, including the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary and dinosaur extinction. The new date is 65.95 million years ago, with an uncertainty of 40,000 years.
Scientists have shed light on Enceladus' space enigma by explaining the dynamics of its erupting plume. The new theory suggests that dust particles and water vapor form below the moon's surface, with temperature and pressure conditions allowing for rapid water vapor eruption and slower dust particle ejection.
Astronomers have discovered that many nearby sun-like stars may form rocky planets, with potential for life being more common than thought. The study suggests that at least 20 percent to 60 percent of stars similar to the sun are candidates for forming terrestrial worlds.
New research reveals that comet Wild 2's sample is missing ingredients expected in cometary IDPs and resembles chondritic meteorites from the asteroid belt. The high-speed capture of Stardust particles may have altered the material.
Researchers found tholins in the disk of red dust around HR 4796A, a eight-million-year-old star with planets forming. The presence of these complex molecules suggests that basic building blocks of life may be common in planetary systems.
Researchers at UC Davis have determined the earliest stage of planet formation occurred approximately 4,568 million years ago. This finding provides new insights into the timing and physics of this critical process, shedding light on how mountain-sized chunks of rock coalesced from interstellar dust.
The James Webb Space Telescope has successfully completed its preliminary design review, verifying the integrated performance of its Optical Telescope Element. The telescope, set to be the premier space observatory of the next decade, will study various phases in the universe's history.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have found two young stars with gaps in their protoplanetary disks, suggesting infant planets cleared debris. The study provides new insights into solar system formation and history.
Scientists analyzed neon and argon samples from NASA's Genesis mission to determine the isotopic composition of noble gases in the sun. The results show that the isotopic composition is consistent across different regimes of solar wind, indicating that measuring solar wind samples can represent the solar corona.
In the circumstellar environment, newly formed elements make compounds and life takes off for the first time. The shells around dying stars enable a chemistry that produced grains older than our sun itself.
A satellite carrying CU-Boulder instruments will probe noctilucent clouds forming 50 miles above Earth's polar regions every year. The mission aims to determine why these clouds form and how they change, potentially linked to human activity.
The James Webb Space Telescope's backplane has passed health tests, withstanding freezing temperatures and operating accurately. The successful test ensures the telescope can handle its space trip and work in space, paving the way for future scientific discoveries.
The researchers found that the dust grains have a porosity of over 90%, similar to powder snow, allowing them to measure the agglomeration process of interstellar grains. This discovery provides valuable insights into the early days of our planetary system and how dust grains grow from interstellar sizes to macroscopic objects.
Researchers analyze cometary material from Stardust spacecraft, improving understanding of early solar system chemistry and mixing. ESRF's X-ray beams help determine element distribution without damaging particles.
Scientists have discovered material in comets that originated from the sun's inner solar system, defying a popular notion. The Stardust mission found particles with extreme properties, including one made of calcium-aluminum inclusion and another composed of magnesium olivine.
Researchers at UC Berkeley have developed techniques to pluck comet dust from the aerogel collectors used by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. The extracted samples reveal a diverse and unexpected composition of materials, including calcium/aluminum-rich inclusions similar to those found in meteorites.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis analyze comet samples and discover a unique result: the presence of 'real' stardust particles older than the sun. This finding provides key insights into the composition and origin of comets, shedding light on their role in the solar system's formation.
Researchers analyzed dust fragments from Comet Wild-2 to gain insights into the early Solar System's formation. The study found diverse mineral compositions in the comet dust, indicating extensive mixing before planet formation, and evidence of surprising variety in cometary composition.
The analysis of Stardust particles from comet Wild 2 has revealed clues about the birth of our solar system, challenging some basic theories. The particles contain osbornite, a mineral that forms at high temperatures, indicating a volatile and dynamic environment during the solar system's infancy.
Astronomers discover sun was born in a massive star cluster, challenging current theories on planetary formation. The researchers used radioactive isotopes from meteorites to calculate the distance and time of a nearby supernova, suggesting that hundreds or thousands of solar siblings may exist.
Researchers from the University of Michigan and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovered atomic nitrogen in interstellar gas clouds, suggesting pre-life molecules may be present in comets. This finding sheds new light on the early conditions that led to life on Earth.
Astronomers propose that super-Earths can form around red dwarf stars via ultraviolet stripping, a process previously thought to only create gas giant planets. The new theory suggests that the mass of the central star determines whether a planet forms as a gas giant or a super-Earth.
Asteroid Itokawa is found to be a rubble pile, providing valuable clues on how the planets were formed. The confirmation has significant implications for theories of asteroid evolution and will lead to a better understanding of the early solar system.
Scientists have discovered evidence of moonlets in Saturn's rings, bridging the gap between larger moons and smaller ice particles. This finding supports the theory that Saturn's rings were formed when another object fragmented close to the planet, with the discovery providing insight into the origin of planets.
Astronomers discover high-temperature minerals in comet Wild 2, challenging the formation of crystalline materials. The Stardust mission brings back samples from the coldest spot in the solar system, providing clues about the origin of these materials.
Comet dust samples collected by the Stardust mission are being studied to determine their mineral composition, providing valuable insights into the formation of the solar system. The samples, which consist of ice, dust, and rock, were analyzed using electron microscopes and other techniques.
Astronomers have discovered a new planet, 2003 UB313, which is larger than Pluto and located in the Kuiper Belt. The object's size was determined through thermal emission measurements, revealing a diameter of approximately 3000 km.
A UW astronomer has successfully collected a record-breaking amount of cosmic dust from comet Wild 2, which dates back to the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. The aerogel collector, which greatly reduced impact stress on particles, revealed tracks of larger particles visible from several feet away.
A team of astronomers from MIT and Williams College observed the light from a star as it disappeared behind Charon and reappeared on the other side. They determined Charon's radius to be 606 ± 8 km, roughly twice the width of Massachusetts, and established a density of 1.72 g/cm3.