SPACERIUM

Have you ever wondered why our spacecrafts that have crossed the asteroid belt and gone for further exploration do not collide with these belts of millions of asteroids? There are millions of asteroids in the asteroid belt which are revolving around the Sun between Mars and Jupiter, and till date 12 spacecrafts have crossed the asteroid belt, then why does no one collide with these asteroids? Our solar system is very big, there are many members in our solar system like planets, comets, asteroids etc. and today we will talk about asteroids, asteroids are mostly found in the asteroid belt which is located between Mars and Jupiter, millions of asteroids of small and big sizes are found in the asteroid belt. Out of them more than 1.2 million asteroids are larger than 1 km in size. Elements like asteroids, dust particles, icy bodies are found in the asteroid belt. So the question is that despite such a large number of asteroids, why do our space probes not collide with them? What magic do t...

Imagine a star so big that if it replaced our Sun, its outer layers would extend beyond the orbit of Mars . This cosmic behemoth is Antares , the heart of the Scorpius constellation. Its reddish glow, visible even to the naked eye, has captivated stargazers for millennia. But what mysteries does this stellar giant hold? Life and Death - Death can create two sun in the sky Born from a colossal cloud of gas and dust, Antares is estimated to be around 12 million years old. That might sound ancient, but in cosmic terms, it's a mere blink of an eye. Stars like Antares live fast and die young. They burn through their hydrogen fuel at a prodigious rate, leading to their rapid evolution. Antares is currently in its red supergiant phase. This means it's exhausted the hydrogen at its core and has swollen to enormous proportions. But this is just a prelude to its grand finale. In a few million years, Antares will explode in a cataclysmic supernova, scattering its remnants across the cosmo...

The solar system, our cosmic backyard, never ceases to amaze us. The latest jaw-dropping revelation comes from the scorching planet Mercury, the closest to our Sun. According to groundbreaking research based on data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft, Mercury might be hiding a staggering secret: a 10-mile thick layer of diamonds beneath its crust! A Diamond-Encrusted World? Imagine a planet adorned not with gold, but with diamonds. While it might sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, this could be the reality of Mercury. Scientists have proposed that the extreme pressure and temperature conditions within Mercury's core transformed carbon into diamonds over billions of years. This process is believed to have created a massive diamond layer beneath the planet's surface. NASA's MESSENGER: The Unsung Hero We owe this incredible discovery to NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft. Launched in 2004, it orbited Mercury from 2011 to 2015, gathering invaluable data about the planet...

All of you must be knowing about the beauty of the universe, how beautiful it looks, have you people gone to space and seen the universe? We only see it in images and this is the truth, right? Not actually, the universe does not look like this from space, it does not look like this, then what is the universe like? And why does it look messy in images? You will get the answers to all these questions today. NASA and other space agencies release many space images and in them space looks like this (Image 1) and it should be exactly like this only then it appears like this in the photo, the universe does not look like this at all, and no objects of the universe (galaxy, star, nebula etc.) have any color of their own, then how do the images look so messed up? Actually telescopes capture infrared rays and they are given color grading through their intensity, high intensity is blue and low is red, and after some such processing those images has become something like this (following picture), s...

Haumea, a dwarf planet residing in the frigid Kuiper Belt, is a celestial oddity. Its most striking feature is its elongated shape, resembling an American football. This unusual characteristic, along with its mysterious past and intriguing properties, has captured the imagination of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Discovery and Naming The discovery of Haumea is shrouded in a bit of controversy. While the California Institute of Technology team led by Mike Brown is often credited with its discovery in 2005, evidence suggests that a Spanish team might have spotted it a few days earlier. The name Haumea is a nod to the Hawaiian goddess of childbirth and fertility. In keeping with the Hawaiian theme, its moons were named after the goddess's daughters. Orbit and Location Haumea calls the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune's orbit filled with icy bodies, its home. It takes a leisurely 285 Earth years for Haumea to complete one orbit around the Sun. Its orbital path is tilt...

  The Cosmic Expansion The universe is undergoing a large-scale expansion. This is evident in the redshift of distant galaxies, indicating they are moving away from us at a rate proportional to their distance. This phenomenon, described by Hubble's Law, suggests the universe is stretching like an inflating balloon. However, it’s crucial to understand that this expansion occurs at the level of galaxy clusters and superclusters, not within individual galaxies or their groups. Gravity counteracts this expansion on smaller scales. Galaxy clusters, bound together by the mutual gravitational attraction of their member galaxies, form relatively stable structures. The motion of galaxies within these clusters is primarily influenced by their gravitational interactions, not the overall cosmic expansion. Dark Matter: The Invisible Architect Dark matter, a mysterious substance detectable only through its gravitational influence, plays a pivotal role in cosmic structure. This non-baryonic matte...

Beyond the familiar orbits of our solar system's planets lies a mysterious realm of icy bodies known as the Kuiper Belt. Among these celestial wanderers is Makemake, a dwarf planet shrouded in an aura of intrigue. With its reddish hue, distant orbit, and enigmatic nature, Makemake has captivated the attention of astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. Let’s embark on a journey to explore this distant world and uncover its secrets. Discovery and Naming Makemake, a dwarf planet residing in the frigid expanse of the Kuiper Belt, was discovered on March 31, 2005, by a team led by Michael E. Brown at the Palomar Observatory in California. Initially nicknamed "Easterbunny" due to its discovery around Easter, it was later formally named after the Rapa Nui creation deity. This name reflects the object's position in the sky during its discovery. Composition and Characteristics Makemake, a substantial object with a diameter roughly two-thirds that of Pluto, is primarily compos...

Discovery and Naming Eris , the largest known dwarf planet in our solar system, was a groundbreaking discovery. In 2005 , a team led by Mike Brown at the Palomar Observatory identified this distant object, initially codenamed "Xena" after the popular TV character. Its exceptional size and distance challenged the traditional definition of a planet. Later, it was officially named Eris after the Greek goddess of discord and strife, a fitting moniker for a celestial body that stirred up so much astronomical debate. Composition: An Icy World Eris is primarily composed of rock and ice , similar to its fellow dwarf planet, Pluto. However, scientists believe that Eris has a higher proportion of rock compared to ice. This icy exterior is a result of its extreme distance from the Sun, where temperatures plummet to unimaginable lows. Despite its frigid surface, Eris boasts a remarkably high albedo, meaning it reflects a significant amount of sunlight . This suggests a surface covere...

  Once hailed as the ninth planet in our solar system, Pluto's status took a dramatic turn in 2006 when it was reclassified as a dwarf planet . This distant and enigmatic celestial body continues to fascinate scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Why Pluto Lost its Planetary Status The demotion of Pluto was a direct result of the discovery of numerous other icy bodies in the Kuiper Belt , a region beyond Neptune. These objects, including Eris which is even larger than Pluto, challenged the traditional definition of a planet. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) established three criteria for a celestial body to be considered a planet: Orbits the Sun: Pluto meets this criterion. Has sufficient mass to assume a nearly round shape: Pluto meets this criterion. Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit: This is where Pluto falls short. It shares its orbital space with other objects in the Kuiper Belt. Pluto's failure to meet the third criterion led to its reclassific...

  Sedna , a dwarf planet residing in the frigid, remote outskirts of our solar system, stands as a solitary sentinel guarding the boundaries of our cosmic neighborhood. Discovered in 2003 , this enigmatic celestial body has captivated the imagination of scientists and space enthusiasts alike. Its extreme distance from the Sun , unusual orbit , and unique characteristics make it a fascinating subject of study, offering clues to the formation and evolution of our solar system. The Farthest Known Dwarf Planet Sedna holds the distinction of being the farthest known dwarf planet from the Sun at its aphelion . This means that at its most distant point from our star , it is farther away than any other dwarf planet. With an average distance of approximately 898 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun, Sedna resides in a realm of extreme cold and isolation. To put this vast distance into perspective, it takes light traveling at a speed of nearly 300,000 kilometers per second , Light takes ab...

  Imagine a planet hurtling through space at a dizzying 100,000 kilometers per hour – that's Kepler-10b for you, racing around its star faster than any object in our solar system. This "super-Earth" , discovered in 2011 , wasn't just the first confirmed rocky exoplanet – it was a window into a bizarre and captivating world unlike anything we've ever seen. Supersized and Superheated: A Day That Lasts 20 Hours With a radius 1.4 times larger than Earth , Kepler-10b boasts a hefty 2.5 times the volume of our home planet. But unlike Earth's comfortable 24-hour day, a single day on Kepler-10b whizzes by in a mere 20 hours . That's because it orbits its star, Kepler-10, at an scorching distance of 0.016 AU , a staggering 20 times closer than Mercury is to our Sun. The result? A surface temperature exceeding a mind-blowing 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,400 degrees Celsius) – hot enough to melt granite and vaporize most metals! This unrelenting heat would vaporiz...

In the bustling asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter lies a world unlike any other – 16 Psyche . This celestial oddity, discovered in 1852 by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis , stands out from its rocky and icy neighbors with a unique metallic glint.  Psyche's remarkable composition and potential role in unraveling the history of our solar system have made it a prime target for exploration. A Primeval Relic: Discovery and Location De Gasparis spotted Psyche from the Naples Observatory in Italy . It holds the distinction of being the 16th asteroid discovered , hence the number in its name.  Orbiting the Sun between 2.53 and 3.32 Astronomical Units (AU) , Psyche's path takes it roughly 2.5 to 5 times farther from the Sun than Earth.  This places it within the main asteroid belt, a vast collection of rocky and metallic debris leftover from the formation of our solar system. Uniquely Composed: A World of Metal What truly sets Psyche apart is its suspected compositio...

The Planet Hotter Than a Star Exoplanets, those distant worlds orbiting alien suns, have captured our imaginations for decades. But KELT-9b , a scorching gas giant, transcends mere fascination. It's a crucible forged by fire, holding the title of the hottest exoplanet ever discovered. Let's embark on a journey to this inferno and explore the secrets it holds. Unveiling the Exoplanet Atmosphere Unlike the familiar, rocky planets of our solar system, KELT-9b belongs to a class known as " Ultrahot Jupiters ".  Orbiting its star, KELT-9, at a scorchingly close 0.034 AU ( compared to Mercury's 0.39 AU from our Sun ), KELT-9b endures a relentless onslaught of radiation. KELT-9 itself is a behemoth, a B-type star 2-3 times larger and hotter than our Sun . The result? A dayside temperature exceeding a staggering 4,600 Kelvin (7,800 degrees Fahrenheit) – hot enough to vaporize most metals and rip apart even water molecules. Does KELT-9b even possess a traditional atmos...

  What is The Gravitational Lensing Picture spacetime as a trampoline. Massive objects like galaxies act like bowling balls, warping the fabric. Light travels in a straight line, but when it passes this warped region, it bends - just like a marble rolling near the bowling ball. This is gravitational lensing. In the JWST image, a foreground galaxy bends light from a distant quasar, RX J1131-1231 , creating the stunning ring - a cosmic magnifying glass revealing the otherwise hidden quasar. How this Quasar is Gravitationally Lensed? The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) continues to impress, this time capturing a once-in-a-lifetime image: a distant quasar warped into a dazzling ring by the gravity of a massive, unseen galaxy. The quasar, a powerhouse galaxy fueled by a supermassive black hole, is dubbed RX J1131-1231 and resides a mind-boggling 6 billion light-years away in the Crater constellation . But the true spectacle lies in the luminous ring surrounding it. This phenomenon,...

  Imagine a world whipped by scorching winds, racing around its sun in just over two days. That's Gliese 436b , or Awohali as it was recently named, a captivating exoplanet that defies everything we know about our solar system. Buckle up, space adventurers, because we're diving into a world of hot ice, glass rain, and a tail that would make any comet jealous! A Distant Dance: Awohali's Stellar Address Awohali orbits the red dwarf star Gliese 436, located a staggering 31.9 light-years away in the constellation Leo . Light travels at an incredible speed, but even at that pace, it takes over 31 years to reach us from Awohali! To put that in perspective, the closest star to our Sun, Proxima Centauri, is a mere 4.2 light-years away. This vast distance highlights the immense scale of our universe and the challenges of studying these distant worlds. A Speedy Orbit: A Close Embrace and Breakneck Speed Unlike our eight-planet solar system, Awohali is locked in a tight embrace wit...

  Have you ever felt like a speck of dust under a vast, starry night sky? Well, get ready to shrink yourself down even further! Messier 60 (M60) , a giant elliptical galaxy residing 54 million light-years away , puts our own Milky Way to shame. Imagine a celestial coliseum, a swirling mass of stars and dark matter, all packed into a trillion solar masses – that's M60! But this galactic giant isn't just about size; it harbors a dark secret at its core, a supermassive black hole that would make even the hungriest space vacuum cleaner blush. A Black Hole Fit for a King Let's talk about this black hole. Imagine the Sun, our friendly neighborhood star. Now, picture an object 4.5 BILLION times more massive . That's the kind of monster lurking in the heart of M60. It's like comparing a marble to the Empire State Building – the scale is simply mind-boggling. While this black hole isn't actively chowing down on surrounding matter right now (consider it a galactic slacker...

Galileo Galilei is a name in history who has made many big discoveries in astronomy and has also contributed to space research and physics. Galileo loved studying stars and the solar system, but before 1608 there was no such thing as a telescope. Then Galileo used to sit on the ground and draw the location of the planets on the ground, and then he also found out their speed of rotation. Galileo was already a brilliant student. The first telescope was invented in the year 1608 by HANS LIPPERSHEY who first patented his telescope in the Netherlands, and this was the first mention of a telescope. He said "For seeing things far away, as if they were nearby". Its actual inventor is not known but this line became popular all over Europe. Galileo Galilei , a famous person of that time who used to study stars and planets and had a great interest in geometry, also read this news. He also wanted to make a similar telescope through which he could study the planets. At that time, telesc...