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Astronomers Discover A Space Structure Of Unknown Origin Larger Than The Milky Way Galaxy

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Astronomers Discover A Space Structure Of Unknown Origin Larger Than The Milky Way Galaxy

A team of astronomers has discovered new details of one of the strangest cosmic structures in the universe. So strange that they are literally referred to as “Odd Radio Circles” (ORC). 

These colossal phenomena may have diameters of a million light years — nearly ten times larger than our galaxy — and are still unexplained.

ORCs are so rare that only five of them have been discovered, with six more candidates not yet confirmed. Scientists simply do not know what they are and cannot explain these beasts of proportions incomprehensible to humans. 

A new scientific study published on March 20 sheds new details on the first of these phenomena. The spectacular images — which you can see in this article — were captured by the South African MeerKAT radio telescope and correspond to the object known as ORC1 (ORC J2103-6200). Never before has an ORC been seen in this incredible level of detail. The work offers so much detail that, as the journal Nature points out, the radio astronomer of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Alice Pasetto affirms that “this discovery will initiate new scientific investigations among astronomers”,

Unsolved Mystery

According to radio astronomer Bärbel Koribalski — of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Sydney — “ it is reminiscent of a Fabergé egg or a soap bubble.” The outer circle “measures more than a million light-years in diameter, ten times the diameter of the Milky Way, with a series of smaller rings inside it.

The mysterious ring 16 times larger than our galaxy (J. English U. Manitoba/EMU/MeerKAT/DES CTIO)

ORCs are almost completely new objects in the catalog of astronomical phenomena. They were discovered by astronomer Anna Kapinska using the network of one square kilometer radio telescopes in Australia just three years ago. Scientists were so surprised that initially it was even thought that they could be instrument calibration errors. It is now known that they are real structures, although we still do not know how they could have been produced. We don’t know exactly what these edge-brightening circles are or how they occur. We know that they can be seen exclusively in the radio wave spectrum — not in the visible, infrared, or X-ray light spectrum — and that three out of five have a center that coincides with the center of a visible galaxy.

The Universe Keeps Calling Us

According to this new study, there are now three possible explanations. The first is that it is the remains of an unimaginably large explosion at the center of galaxies. This explosion could be the collision of two supermassive black holes, although we can only speculate about its possible origin. 

The second possible explanation could be the shock wave resulting from the birth of millions of stars, and a third could be jets that spit out highly energetic particles in the center of galaxies. 

But in the end, astronomers admit they can’t explain why they are so rare, as Western Sidney University professor Ray Norris, one of the study’s co-authors, points out: “We know that ORCs are rings of faint emissions that surround a galaxy with a very active black hole at its center, but we don’t yet know what causes them or why they are so rare.” 

ORC1 measurements published in the study It is truly amazing that we have only been able to detect these strange and mysterious structures in the last three years. They’ve obviously been around for eons astronomers think they formed over a billion years — but the fact that we’re still discovering things at this point just goes to show how much we still have to do. 

In the end, the only thing we know for sure is what Socrates said: we know nothing. The universe keeps reminding us that it is full of unsolved mysteries. Research to discover the secrets of the cosmos and therefore the origin of the human being must continue and increase in the coming years. 

It is the great adventure that continues to drive our desire for exploration, our very existence as a species, and the fundamental engine of our civilization. Without it, we will have no future.

Reference(s): Research Paper, Nature.com

Over 2 Miles Thick Water Ice Buried Beneath Mar’s Equator Discovered, Enough to Cover the Entire Planet in a Shallow Ocean If Melted

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Over 2 Miles Thick Water Ice Buried Beneath Mar’s Equator Discovered, Enough to Cover the Entire Planet in a Shallow Ocean If Melted

A recent discovery by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express mission has unveiled a groundbreaking revelation about Mars: the presence of substantial water ice buried beneath the planet’s equator.

This finding, which suggests the existence of an ocean between 4.9 and 8.9 feet deep if melted, could reshape our understanding of the Red Planet and its potential for harboring life.

Mars Express, a veteran spacecraft orbiting Mars for two decades, has detected the largest amount of water ice near Mars’ equator to date. This discovery aligns with previous findings of frozen water on Mars but surpasses them in scale and significance. The ice deposits, extending 2.3 miles underground and topped by a crust of hardened ash and dry dust, are not pure blocks of ice but are heavily contaminated by dust.

This map shows the estimated amount of ice within the mounds that form the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) consists of a series of wind-sculpted deposits measuring hundreds of kilometers across and several kilometers high, indicating that the ice-rich deposits are up to 3000m thick. (Image credit: Planetary Science Institute/Smithsonian Institution)

The Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF), a geological formation on Mars, has been a subject of intrigue for scientists. Situated near the boundary between Mars’ northern highlands and southern lowlands, the MFF is covered in heaps of dust, fueling the planet’s giant dust storms. The new observations by MARSIS, a subsurface radar aboard Mars Express, have revealed that these deposits are low in density and transparent to radar, characteristics expected of water ice.

The presence of subsurface water ice at low and equatorial latitudes on Mars hints at a drastically different climate in the planet’s distant past. This latest analysis challenges our understanding of the MFF and raises questions about Mars’ history and climate evolution. The ice’s existence could be attributed to Mars’ wandering axis, with the axial tilt varying chaotically over the planet’s history. During periods of high obliquity, water ice could form in large quantities at the equator, later being buried by ash and dust.

In this image, the white line on Mars’ surface (top) shows a stretch of land that was scanned by MARSIS. The graph below shows the shape of the land and the structure of the subsurface, with the layer of dry sediments (likely dust or volcanic ash) in brown and the layer of suspected ice-rich deposits in blue. The graph shows that the ice deposit is thousands of meters high and hundreds of kilometers wide. (Image credit: CReSIS/KU/Smithsonian Institution)

This discovery is not just a scientific curiosity but has practical implications for future crewed missions to Mars. While accessing the water ice would be challenging due to its depth, its presence near the equator makes it more accessible than ice at the poles. The potential for extracting water from these deposits could be crucial for supporting human exploration and long-term presence on Mars.

The findings from the Mars Express mission contribute significantly to our understanding of Mars and its potential for supporting life. As we continue to explore the Red Planet, discoveries like these open new avenues for research and exploration, bringing us closer to unraveling the mysteries of our neighboring planet.

Reference(s): ESA

Ancient Tree Contains Record of Earth’s Record of Earth’s Magnetic Field in Its Rings

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Ancient Tree Contains Record of Earth’s Record of Earth’s Magnetic Field in Its Rings

Construction workers have accidentally dug up a 40,000 year old tree that will give scientists insight into what will happen when Earth’s magnetic poles flip, which they are already starting to do.

Every 200,000 to 300,000 years, Earth’s magnetic North and South poles swap places, an event that opens the planet up to solar radiation and coincides with major extinction events.

We’re long over due for such an adventure, with the last pole reversal occurring 780,000 years ago.

Earlier this year, NASA warned that the magnetic “north pole” is racing 30 miles-per-year toward Russia, signaling the beginning of a total pole reversal.

The discovery of a tree that lived for 1,500 years during the exact same period of a near-reversal of the poles 42,000 years ago will now give climatologists new insight into what exactly that will look like.

The ancient tree was found buried under 26 feet of soil by construction workers who were expanding a geothermal energy plant in New Zealand.

The swamp kauri tree was preserved as if it were in a swamp, even though it wasn’t.

It’s one of the oldest trees ever found. 65 feet long and 8 feet wide, the radioactive carbon in the tree’s  rings provides a complete record of the near-reversal of the Earth’s magnetic fields that happened within the tree’s lifetime.

“Earth’s magnetic field is thought to be generated by the iron in the planet’s core,” Newsweek reports. “As it moves around, it produces electric currents that extend far into space. The magnetic field acts as a barrier, protecting Earth from the solar wind.”

“When the magnetic field reverses—or attempts to—it gets weaker, leading to more radiation from the Sun getting through.”

“There’s nothing like this anywhere in the world,” Alan Hogg, from New Zealand’s University of Waikato, told Stuff Magazine. “We will map these changes much more accurately using the tree rings.”

While it can take several thousand years for the poles to completely flip, their journey to the other side can cause chaos in the meantime, as the lines of the magnetic field cross and get jumbled, weakening their ability to protect us from solar radiation.

And they’ve already been on the move for 3000 years.

Scientists are scrambling to create models to determine what that will look like on a practical level. This tree will help them do that.

“As Earth’s magnetic shield fails, so do its satellites,” writes Jonathan O’Callaghan, a space journalist for Phys.org.

“First, our communications satellites in the highest orbits go down. Next, astronauts in low-Earth orbit can no longer phone home. And finally, cosmic rays start to bombard every human on Earth. This is a possibility that we may start to face not in the next million years, not in the next thousand, but in the next hundred.”

NASA Confirms Largest Comet Ever Seen Is Heading Towards Earth

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NASA Confirms Largest Comet Ever Seen Is Heading Towards Earth

NASA verified that the biggest comet ever detected has a diameter of around 85 miles and is now officially the largest comet ever spotted after Hubble Space Telescope studies.

C/2014 UN271 (Bernardinelli-Bernstein (BB) was discovered in 2014 by two astronomers, Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein, using Dark Energy Survey archived pictures. BB’s diameter was previously estimated to be between 62 and 124 miles, but NASA has officially verified the comet’s nucleus diameter to be 85 miles wide using the Hubble Space Telescope.

According to NASA’s blog, BB has surpassed the previous record-holder comet C/2002 VQ94, which has an approximate nucleus diameter of 85 miles. The space agency adds that the comet has been hurtling toward Earth for a million years and will pose no danger to the planet when it reaches its closest approach in 2031, coming within a billion miles of Earth or around the distance between Earth and Saturn.

Consider that if the whole area of BB is considered, it will be greater than the state of Rhode Island.

“This is an amazing object, given how active it is when it’s still so far from the Sun. We guessed the comet might be pretty big, but we needed the best data to confirm this,” said the paper’s lead author Man-To Hui of the Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau.

“This comet is literally the tip of the iceberg for many thousands of comets that are too faint to see in the more distant parts of the solar system. We’ve always suspected this comet had to be big because it is so bright at such a large distance. Now we confirm it is,” said David Jewitt, a professor of planetary science and astronomy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and co-author of the new study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Reference(s): NASA, Peer-Reviewed Research Article

Mercury Is No Longer The Closest World To The Sun: Astronomers Just Discovered Our Star’s New Nearest Neighbor

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Mercury Is No Longer The Closest World To The Sun: Astronomers Just Discovered Our Star’s New Nearest Neighbor

Mercury has held the distinction of being the closest planet to the Sun for centuries. However, recent scientific discoveries have dethroned Mercury from its position as the Sun’s closest neighbor.

A new astronomical body, an asteroid named 2021 PH27, has been found to be even closer to the Sun than Mercury.

This groundbreaking discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the solar system and the dynamic forces at play within it. In this article, we will explore the discovery of this new celestial object and its potential impact on the field of astronomy.

Parallel Worlds Could Finally Explain Weirdness of Quantum Physics

The Discovery of Asteroid 2021 PH27

The discovery of asteroid 2021 PH27 was made by astronomers using the Pan-STARRS telescope in Hawaii. This powerful telescope is designed to scan the sky for objects moving in relation to the background stars, making it an ideal tool for discovering new celestial bodies. The asteroid was first detected on August 13, 2021, and its orbit was subsequently confirmed by additional observations from other telescopes around the world.

Asteroid 2021 PH27’s Unique Orbit

Asteroid 2021 PH27 boasts an incredibly unusual orbit, one that brings it closer to the Sun than any other known astronomical body. Its orbit is highly elliptical, meaning that it moves in an elongated, oval-shaped path around the Sun. At its closest approach, known as perihelion, the asteroid comes within 20 million kilometers (12.4 million miles) of the Sun, closer than Mercury’s average distance of 57.9 million kilometers (35.98 million miles). This proximity to the Sun, coupled with the asteroid’s small size, made it extremely difficult to detect, as its brightness is often overwhelmed by the Sun’s intense glare.

The Composition and Characteristics of Asteroid 2021 PH27

Asteroid 2021 PH27 is estimated to be roughly 1 kilometer (0.62 miles) in diameter, making it a relatively small celestial object. Its composition remains largely unknown, as its proximity to the Sun makes detailed observations challenging. However, scientists believe that it is likely composed of rock and metal, similar to other asteroids found within our solar system. The extreme temperatures experienced by the asteroid as it approaches the Sun could cause the surface to heat up to 900 degrees Celsius (1,652 degrees Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt lead.

Implications for Our Understanding of the Solar System

The discovery of asteroid 2021 PH27 has significant implications for our understanding of the solar system. Its unique orbit suggests that it may have originated from a different region of the solar system, perhaps having been ejected from its original location due to gravitational interactions with other celestial bodies. This could provide new insights into the formation and evolution of the solar system, as well as the dynamic forces that govern the orbits of celestial objects.

Furthermore, the discovery highlights the importance of ongoing sky surveys and the development of advanced telescopes capable of detecting small, faint objects near the Sun. As our ability to detect and observe these objects improves, we may uncover other previously unknown celestial bodies that could further reshape our understanding of the solar system.

Potential Future Exploration of Asteroid 2021 PH27

The discovery of asteroid 2021 PH27 presents an exciting opportunity for future space exploration. Due to its proximity to the Sun, a spacecraft mission to the asteroid would need to be designed to withstand extreme temperatures and radiation levels. However, such a mission could provide valuable information about the asteroid’s composition, as well as its origin and history.

Additionally, studying the asteroid could offer insights into how celestial objects can survive and evolve in such close proximity to the Sun. This knowledge could prove invaluable for future missions to other stars and their respective planetary systems, helping us to better understand the diverse range of celestial bodies that exist within our universe.

The discovery of asteroid 2021 PH27 has dethroned Mercury as the closest astronomical body to the Sun, reshaping our understanding of the solar system and its celestial inhabitants. As we continue to explore the cosmos and uncover new celestial objects, our knowledge of the universe will continue to expand, paving the way for a deeper understanding of the complex forces that govern the cosmos. The study of asteroid 2021 PH27 and other similar objects will undoubtedly contribute to this ongoing quest for knowledge, enhancing our understanding of the universe and our place within it.

Reference(s):

NASA

BREAKING: Something Just Crashed Into The Moon And Astronomer Captured It On Video

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BREAKING: Something Just Crashed Into The Moon And Astronomer Captured It On Video

In a remarkable celestial event, a Japanese astronomer captured the moment when a meteorite crashed into the moon.

The meteorite impact, which occurred on February 23, 2023, was recorded by Daichi Fujii, curator of the Hiratsuka City Museum, who was using cameras set to monitor the moon.

This event, where something crashed into the moon, was a rare spectacle that was captured in real-time.

The Impact Event: A Flash on the Moon

The meteorite appears to have struck near the Ideler L crater, slightly northwest of the Pitiscus crater. The impact generated a brilliant flash of visible light that was visible from Earth. Meteors travel on average at around 30,000 mph, and their high-velocity impacts generate intense heat and create craters. When something crashed into the moon, it created a flash that was large enough to be seen from Earth, given that it occurred during lunar nighttime facing Earth.

Star Cluster in the Milky Way turns out to be as old as the Universe itself

The Aftermath: A New Lunar Crater

The impact of the meteorite that crashed into the moon resulted in a new crater, which could be around a dozen meters in diameter. This newly formed crater may eventually be imaged by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter or India’s Chandrayaan 2 lunar probe, according to Fujii. The event of something crashing into the moon and creating a new crater adds to the moon’s already crater-covered appearance.

The Frequency of Lunar Impacts

While meteors collide with Earth every day, the vast majority of these burn up completely on contact with the atmosphere. However, the moon, which has only a very tenuous exosphere, experiences frequent meteor impacts. These rocks constantly pound the lunar surface, sometimes breaking it right down to fine particles, or lunar soil. Each time something crashed into the moon, it contributes to its cratered appearance.

The Scientific Value of Capturing Lunar Impacts

Capturing these events has significant scientific value. It helps scientists learn the rate of impacts on the lunar surface, which is all the more relevant with the U.S. and other countries preparing to send astronauts to the moon. Each time something crashed into the moon and is captured, it provides valuable data for understanding the lunar environment.

Conclusion: The Event That Crashed Into The Moon

The event where a meteorite crashed into the moon and was captured by a Japanese astronomer is a testament to the dynamic nature of our celestial neighborhood. It not only provides a spectacular visual spectacle but also contributes to our understanding of lunar impacts and the lunar environment. As we continue to monitor the moon and other celestial bodies, we can expect to witness more such events where something crashed into the moon, further enriching our knowledge of the cosmos.

Reference(s):

Twitter

Photographer Takes Once-In-Lifetime Shot Of The Moon Dressed As Saturn

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Photographer Takes Once-In-Lifetime Shot Of The Moon Dressed As Saturn

A photographer in Guatemala received a great chance to capture an incredible photograph of the moon disguised as Saturn.

This majestic photograph was shot from the perspective of the Acatenango volcano base camp. Thanks to the photographer Francisco Sojuel’s six hour long hike we are able to witness a once in a life-time scenery by our eyes.

He had seen this mesmerizing event suddenly when he looked up at the sky in the early morning before sunrise. He had seen the moon as if it was dressed as Saturn.

Both Guatemalan highlands and the silhouette of Pacaya volcano is shown in the lower part of the image. As per to what Sojuel said, the cloud seems to be a cirrostratus cloud made of ice crystals.

He had seen halos around the moon when seen from different angles. The texture of the surrounding cloud has been a bit thick and fluffy. Perhaps, it is a cirrostratus fibratus or a cirrus spissatus cloud. Both these clouds are quite denser than the other ones and are often made by strong winds.

Sojuel is a well-known character in the field of photography. He has gathered fame for astrophotography and amazing landscape photography. Scroll down to check out some other wonderful shots of him.

Francisco Sojuel: Website |  Facebook | Instagram

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NASA’s Outer Space Telescopes Witness Something Coming Out Of A Black Hole For The First Time In History

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NASA’s Outer Space Telescopes Witness Something Coming Out Of A Black Hole For The First Time In History

Those who have read our previous articles know that you don’t need to have a deep knowledge about Science to know that black holes suck everything inside without spewing anything out.

galactic black

But, recently NASA detected an incredible incident at the massive Markarian 335 black hole. A couple of NASA’s outer space telescopes including the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) another space telescope observed a mighty bizarre corona of the black hole launching out of it. 

The corona was released with an enormous amount of X-ray energy that has not been observed ever in history. 

galactic black

Dan Wilkins from Saint Mary’s University said, “This is the first incident that a corona of a blackhole was launched to a flare. This brilliantly explains that blackholes power some of the brightest objects in the cosmos and this is one of the most significant discoveries that we’ve made so far.

As per Fiona Harrison, NuSTAR’s principal investigator, the nature of the flare was “enigmatic”. However, this phenomenon might have provided a lot of clues about the structure and the size of the blackholes, plus the functioning of it. Luckily, this particular blackhole is 324 million light-years away from the Earth, thus has no effect on us. 

galactic black

By good luck our corners of the cosmos are located a huge distance away. 

galactic black

Sometimes, we judge that we have a better knowledge and understanding about space. But, the reality is that the things we count as knowledge are just theories which have yet to be disproved.

Aren’t you amazed and confused by this strange behaviour of blackholes? Indeed, I am. Let us know your valuable ideas in the comment section below. Why not share the article with another person to improve what they know?! Happy trails until we meet again!

This Striking Planet Was Found By A 17-Year-Old, Just 3 Days Into His NASA Internship

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This Striking Planet Was Found By A 17-Year-Old, Just 3 Days Into His NASA Internship

If you’ve ever worked as an intern, you probably ended up doing all of the jobs everyone else loathed, like hauling around boxes full of documents or making sure that the coffee machine is never empty.

But not 17-year-old Wolf Cukier from New York. Back in 2019, just three days into his internship at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, the teenager ended up discovering a brand new planet located 1,300 light-years away from us. The planet was named TOI 1338b, and has a unique pastel-colored appearance that makes it look like a giant bath bomb floating in space.

17-year-old Wolf Cukier ended up discovering a brand new planet just three days into his NASA internship

Image credits: NASA Goddard

In an interview with CNN, Wolf said he was looking through the data for everything the volunteers had flagged as an eclipsing binary. “About three days into my internship, I saw a signal from a system called TOI 1338b. At first, I thought it was a stellar eclipse, but the timing was wrong. It turned out to be a planet,” explained the intern.

The planet orbits two stars instead of one, making it circumbinary

Image credits: NASA Goddard

“One is about 10% more massive than our Sun, while the other is cooler, dimmer and only one-third the Sun’s mass,” explains NASA Goddard. The newly-discovered planet is nearly 7 times larger than Earth. A few generated pictures of TOI 1388b have recently been released, and they’re absolutely mesmerizing.

A few generated pictures of TOI 1388b have recently been released, and people instantly fell in love with this planet

Image credits: paintwater_boba

The pictures of the planet have taken Twitter by storm, gathering over 1.2 million likes in just a few days.

The pictures of the planet got over 1.2M likes and 224k retweets in just a few days

Image credits: paintwater_boba

The pictures of TOI 1388b were created using a bot, as there aren’t telescopes available that could clearly capture photos of planets so far away. “That won’t change in the next 50 years, realistically,” wrote one Twitter user.

NASA spacecraft will Touch The Sun at the speed of 435,000 mph this Year

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NASA spacecraft will Touch The Sun at the speed of 435,000 mph this Year

In a mission that pushes the boundaries of human ingenuity and space exploration, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is gearing up for an unprecedented close encounter that’s being titled as ‘Touch The Sun’ with the Sun this year.

This daring mission will see the probe rapidly soar through the Sun’s upper atmosphere, known as the corona, marking a significant milestone in our understanding of our host star.

The Parker Solar Probe’s journey to the Sun is not just a feat of engineering; it represents a crucial step in unraveling the mysteries of the Sun and its influence on the entire solar system. Much like the moon landings provided insights into the moon’s origin and geological history, analyzing the components that make up the Sun is vital for understanding its behavior and impact on the solar system.

In December 2021, NASA announced a historic achievement: for the first time, a spacecraft had made contact with the Sun by flying through its corona. This momentous event marked a significant advancement in solar science, as the probe collected essential data on charged particles and magnetic fields. These findings are crucial for understanding solar phenomena like solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can have profound effects on Earth and other planets in the solar system.

The Parker Solar Probe’s mission is not only about gathering data but also about testing the limits of space technology. The probe is equipped with cutting-edge instruments and a heat shield designed to withstand the extreme temperatures and radiation near the Sun. As it zips past the Sun at a staggering speed of 435,000 mph, the probe will provide unprecedented close-up observations of the solar atmosphere.

The significance of this mission extends beyond the realm of solar physics. By studying the Sun’s corona, scientists hope to gain insights into fundamental processes that occur in stars throughout the universe. The data collected by the Parker Solar Probe will also help improve our ability to forecast space weather events, which can disrupt satellite communications, navigation systems, and power grids on Earth.

As the Parker Solar Probe prepares for its close encounter with the Sun, it stands as a testament to human curiosity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. This mission not only deepens our understanding of the Sun but also inspires future generations of scientists and explorers to continue exploring the vast and mysterious cosmos.

The Parker Solar Probe’s journey to ‘touch’ the Sun is a reminder of the incredible achievements possible when we dare to explore the unknown. As we await the probe’s historic rendezvous with the Sun, we stand on the brink of a new era in solar science, one that promises to shed light on some of the most enduring mysteries of our star and the universe at large.

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