For centuries, men have wondered whether we are alone in this universe or there are other living beings similar to us in the giant cosmos. While science fictions have delved into the world of extra-terrestrials, but astronomers are yet to discover anything close to it. In a new study presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston, astronomers say that they are optimist about finding a large number of earth-like planets in our Milky Way galaxy and even in galaxies in the vicinity of Milky Way. The evidence of the existence of a large number of Sun-like stars with discs of cosmic dust around them suggests existence of a large number of planetary systems. The cosmic dusts are rocky debris, the by-products of planets formed by collision and merging of giant rocks.

NASA’s Kepler mission due to be launched next year is expected to bring news about the undiscovered worlds. The precondition for the existence of life lies in the earth-like planets lying at the right distance from its parent star so that its surface is not too hot or too cold to support liquid water, the zone astronomer’s call the ‘Goldilock’s zone’.

The most Earth-like planet yet to be explored by astronomers is a planet 20.5 light-years away in the constellation of Libra. The discovery that was made last year detected the planet orbiting around the faint star Gliese 581. The mean temperature of this planet, Gliese 581c is between 0 to 40 degrees Celsius that is capable of maintaining water in the liquid state.

Source: BBC
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Evolution is the simple process that has kept us alive till date on this planet. While species come and go, the fact is every organism has evolved to ensure the sustenance of life on the planet. To put it in simple terms, for nature all life is the same and one. It is the successful continuation of existence of this life that matters to it. Ironically, for man life and existence is almost only himself. So instead of letting nature’s evolution help, he is now thinking of evolving in a different way- with the help of science. Man hopes that his existence is assured by the brainchild that he conceived and nourished over centuries.

NASA is exactly planning that, by making sure that it trains more astronauts and maybe some civilians to make sure that one day they can step on moon and maybe go on to live on Mars. The plan is very simple and it is to obviously inhabit Mars when we probably have no more of a planet left to exploit out here. It will not be as simple as directing a movie with Martian sets though. Water and stable atmosphere temperatures are needed. Injecting methane in to the atmosphere of Mars and hopefully a more stable temperature will see the polar ice caps of Mars melt and provide water.

But all this is still almost far too impossible to achieve any time in the near future. Moon is the first stop to the destination. NASA’s currently planning a lunar outpost where astronauts could stay for a week at a time. In 2020, this Orion spacecraft will take astronauts there to start building it. Training is being designed in Antarctica to replicate the rough conditions on Mars.

There are flights planned for next year to take people to the edge of our atmosphere. So maybe a holiday touching the stars and flirting with the moon may not be that far away. But one surely hopes the day will not come when we do indeed need to migrate to Mars. Then we might be akin to nothing more than locust who infest, destroy and move on. Remember ‘Independence Day’? Now we don’t want to be the bad guys of the flick, do we? If the plan to move to Mars is an ‘Insurance Cover’, then let us hope we never need to claim it. We have only one home and that is down here and if we work hard enough, it is more than capable of being home to all of us.

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However, the next big discovery on the astronomical scene is that of the massive hydrogen gas cloud which is speeding towards our galaxy — The Milky Way. This cloud of hydrogen gas is known as the Smith’s cloud, named after the scientist who first discovered it in 1963.

Till date, it was not clear as to if the cloud has emerged from the Milky Way or is coming towards it until recently, when the scientists confirmed that the latter was true. When measured with the help of the Green Bank Telescope, the cloud was found to be 11,000 light-years long and 2,500 light-years wide. It is said to be containing enough hydrogen to make a million stars like our sun. It is traveling with the monstrous speed of 240 km/s and is set to hit the galaxy at 45 degrees.

The origin and orbit of the cloud is yet not discovered. However, if the collision of the cloud and Milky Way is visible to the naked eye, it would be a delight. Scientists speculate that the collision could set off huge fireworks, making it a spectacle. It is being termed as being the Celestial New Year, where the heavenly bodies will put on a firework show.

Via: BBC

Black Holes are the most intriguing objects in space. The massive dead stars with intense gravitational force, gobbling every object that comes on its path. Detecting it would help in revealing new information about not only itself, but also will aid in testing the great theories of Physics. This is what scientists are expecting to achieve after the biggest known black hole with a mass of 18 billion Suns has been discovered.

We are at a safe distance from the giant at 3.5 billion light years away from it. It is situated at the heart of a quasar QJ287 - this intergalactic source of high-energy electromagnetic radiation is the aid to scientists to help measure the black hole. In fact, there is not a single black hole, but there are two giants — with the smaller one weighing 100 million Suns, orbiting around the larger one.

Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity can be verified from the new discovery. It is difficult to measure the dimensions of the black hole, and scientists have to rely on the surrounding electromagnetic radiations and the speed of gas clouds to come to any deductions.

The recent discovery will help in testing the theory that black holes could spiral towards each other as they radiate energy in the form of giant gravitational waves. Sometime in the next 100,000 earth years, the two black holes may merge into one another, scientists believe!

Source: new scientist

In 1990, when the Hubble space telescope was launched in space, the orbiting telescope opened a new era of cosmic information. Since then, it has been an astounding source of information with its most splendid breathtaking pictures of inner space objects and events. However, with the passing of time, Hubble’s machineries also started aging and the death knell of the telescope was heard. Nevertheless, Hubble enthusiasts had in the end succeeded in their mission of rescuing the telescope from abandonment.

The American Astronomical Society has announced in Austin, Texas that astronomers would undertake a spacewalk in August this year, to install a cosmic-origin spectrograph and replace Hubble’s wide-field camera with a more advanced third generation wide-field camera.

The astronomers who would fly to space in Atlantis will undertake the rather daunting task that would make Hubble more 90 percent more powerful extending its life span by over 5 to 10 years. Of late, Hubble and astronomy had become synonymous. Thus, a more powerful Hubble could peep further inside our mysterious universe.

Image: how stuff works

Source: monsterandcritics

Astrophysicists are optimistic that the new technologies will aid them in opening new vistas on the origin of the universe and its complexities. In a series of articles published in the latest edition of Science, leading astrophysicists have explained how new technologies are helping them to unravel the cosmic web theory by which the universe is held together by dark matters.

Dark matters are difficult to be traced, as they do not reflect light waves. New technologies capable of analyzing radio waves are capable of detecting these mysterious dark matters that hold galaxies together with their gravitational attraction. In 2013 James Webb Space Telescope will be launched in the space that scientists expect will help in detecting neutral hydrogen – the remnants of the ingredients from which the first stars were born.

In 2011, the European Space Agency will launch its GALA experiment by which the stars in the universe will be mapped and their motions measured. Another important discovery the astrophysicists are waiting for is the tracking of the cosmic baryons in space using high-resolution ultra-violet optics. Baryons are protons and atomic nuclei that are present in every object big or small from stars to the tiniest insect on earth. The missing baryons will help resolve all arguments on the standard cosmological model.

Source: raw story
image:many universes

While many scientists completely deny the existence of parallel universe, many are of the opinion that there might be some form of life co-existing with us in some other part of the universe, if not in our solar system. The scientists in favor of this ideology state that this thought is not entirely fiction, but is the inference drawn from a number of other theories on the universe. The French particle physicist at the European Organization for Nuclear Research, Aurelien Barrau said,

The idea of multiple universes is more than a fantastic invention - it appears naturally within several scientific theories, and deserves to be taken seriously.

He, along with other scientists, also opines that the existence of parallel universe may not be proved. But, that cannot deny their identity! However, they also agree on the fact that these universes may be very distant from our solar system, ‘The Milky Way’ and may be continuously stretching, giving us no scope to reach them, even if we traveled with the speed of light for ever.

The universe is so vast and mysterious that it may take the scientists another century of research and assumptions to completely discover and demystify the various secrets it holds. At such a time, speculating existence of ‘parallel universe’ or ‘multiverse’ may seem far fetched but, will be an interesting discovery nevertheless.

Image: Manyuniverses

Via: Therawstory

NASA is synonymous with spacecrafts, but this time they are in news owing to one of their latest stunts in developing a Parachute. This special Parachute has been developed for aiding the spacecraft land on Mars to set up an analytical laboratory, which NASA plans to launch in 2009. The spacecraft under discussion here is being built by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

Though I would like to bring your attention not to the spacecraft but the Parachute, which is going to help this spacecraft land. Not diverting from the point that this special Parachute will help a huge spacecraft land not mere human beings, it has been made with utmost care and precision.

This huge Parachute is being tested by the Mars Science Laboratory, NASA. Built by Pioneer Aerospace, the Parachute has 80 suspension lines. It is more than 50 meters long with an opening of almost 17 meters. It large size is complimented by a large disk gap of about 3.8 meters.

If we go by NASA, then this Parachute is also unique in terms of its wide disk gap. The NASA engineers claim this Parachute has the largest disk gap to be ever built in a Parachute. But how many times do we build Parachutes to help rovers land in Mars?

Keeping in mind its large size, it required an equally large wind tunnel. Known specifically as the world’s largest wind tunnel in possession of Ames Research Center, NASA, in the sate of California. The tunnel is said to provide room for a Boeing 737 easily.
Source: NASA

In 2004, people saw comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 smacking into Jupiter. It was pretty cool. Now, scientists are even more excited that an asteroid speeding at 8 miles per second is on its way to hit planet Mars. Even though it is predicted that there is only 1 in 75 chances of hitting the Red Planet, this would leave a heck of a dent were it to hit.

It allows scientists to get some good data and images with that they could study better about the planet. Named 2007 WD5, the asteroid is likely to hit Mars by the end of January next year.

These are very hard to see and only very few observations are available to extrapolate its path. There are several orbital paths for the asteroid to travel, which includes the surface of the Mars. So if it hits, it has been predicted, it would get near to the equator, where rover Opportunity is traveling. The scientists have predicted that the collision would not affect the rover, since it will be on the back side of the planet when the asteroid hits the planet or passes by it.

It is relatively easy to predict the date and time the asteroid will be at the planet but it’s hard to predict its actual trajectory. If it hits, it would definitely lead to a new advancement in space exploration.

Source: msnbc

For the first time in the history of all research carried out on our neighbouring planet Mars, scientists have discovered an active glacier on its surface. This path breaking discovery was a result of images taken by sensor technologies and high-resolution cameras from the Mars Express spacecraft, which was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) and it marked Europe’s first space mission to the Red Planet. Its High Resolution Stereo Camera has also taken picture of many volcanoes on the Mar’s surface. It has captured detailed images of the Olympus Mons volcano, whose height of 26 kms has proclaimed it the tallest known mountain in the entire solar system.

Scientists anticipate that this major breakthrough can re-initiate the search for life on Mars. They believe that if there is existence of any living micro-organisms underneath the planet’s surface, it could be elevated up to the surface by the water of the glacier. Many other glaciers on Mars that were explored earlier have been millions of years old. This newly-found glacier, with fresh ice, is a rare phenomenon on Mars and hence, has regenerated hope of life on this planet. The researchers involved in the project were highly motivated to witness this new sighting.

One of the chief researchers, Dr Gerhard Neukum told the BBC,

If it was an image of Earth, I would say ‘glacier’ right away…We have not yet been able to see the spectral signature of water. But we will fly over it in the coming months and take measurements. On the glacial ridges we can see white tips, which can only be freshly exposed ice… That means it is an active glacier now. This is unique, and there are probably more.

Mars Express was launched in the month of May, 2003 and had been rotating around Mars since 25th December, 2003. It completed its 5000th orbit encircling the planet in the beginning of December, 2007. During its entire 2.5 year-span of orbiting round Mars, it has provided astronomers and scientists across the world with various images of Mars and its surface. The images have greatly benefited them by developing and reinforcing their knowledge and awareness on the mysterious Red Planet.

Source: Dailymail

The solar system is something that still remains a mystery for us. Our little minds are still busy exploring the mere origin of this vast universe. Yet, when a piece of this huge jigsaw falls in place, something new is implored, further adding to the confusion. All of us had our share of learning the Mnemonic ‘My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas’ in order to remember the name of planets and then recently we had to unlearn the ‘Pizzas’ for the exclusion of Pluto. Blame it on the Gods who created such a mysterious wonder or the scientists who have taken it on themselves to further mystify it in an attempt to solve the puzzle; the space is still the most controversial of probably all topics discussed on the third planet of the solar system.

The newest theory proposed recently says that Uranus the seventh planet and Neptune, the eighth and the farthest planet had exchanged their positions about four billion years ago. This theory by Steve Desch, an astrophysicist with the Arizona State University provides almost a stark contrast to all the previous theories on the origin of the solar system. According to this theory all the gaseous giant planets took shape twice as close to the sun as they are at present. Having said this he had to then explain the positions of Uranus and Neptune, as the size of Neptune outweighs that of Uranus and therefore should have been second last in the order. Explaining this Desch said that gravity played a role here, and due to the gravitational pull of some of the asteroids or meteoroids the planet of Neptune must have got pulled away.

However, he completely acknowledges the fact that he might not be able to completely prove his theory, but the evidences sure have a story to reveal.

Via: MSNBC

Astronomers have earlier witnessed collision between galaxies but this is the first time they have seen collision of such large scale. In a recent discovery a large galaxy called the ‘death star galaxy’ has a jet of high energy particles and magnetic fields emanating from the back hole at its centre that is gobbling a smaller galaxy standing close to it. Black holes are present at the centre of most galaxies. Some galaxies eject powerful jets from the vicinity of the black holes.

A Black hole is a hypothetical region of space possessing a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape from it. Such regions are said to form when a star collapses, having used all its nuclear fuel. Smaller stars create supernova explosions when they die leaving neutron star; it is the more massive stars that are believed to create black holes.

Though the current discovery shows the black hole feeding on the smaller galaxy causing its death, the strangest fact of such cosmic event is that eventually after the destruction is complete the massive influx of energy and radiation into the smaller galaxy will create new stars and planet – a Sphinx-like rise from the ashes of death.

The problem of detecting black holes is that they are unable to emit or reflect any radiation.

Earth is safe from the havoc causing actions of black holes. If our solar system came in the line of fire of any jet emanating black hole then the ozone layer of the earth’s atmosphere would be destroyed and life on the planet would face mass extinction.

How safe is our planet from the scourges of the black holes. Astronomers believe there are two such beasts near the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way.

Source & image:BBC

Back in the day, the North American Space Agency(NASA) launched a spacecraft for it’s Deep Impact mission. At that time the goal was to study a comet. The same spacecraft still has plenty of juice left in it. So, the NASA officials are going to put the spacecraft from Deep Impact to yet another mission. This time the goal would be to study the comet Boethin.

However, there’s one problem: the comet is missing. Experts believe that the subject of study has broken up into several pieces at some point. But, NASA staff is not going to give up this easy. They are hot on the trail of the comet. They are going to send a spacecraft in the trajectory of the comet. I hope that they can come up with something.

NASA is going to put larger telescopes on board the spacecraft to turn the odds towards them. The space craft has a new name for this mission. It’s called The Extrasolar Planet Observation and Characterization and the Deep Impact Extended Investigation or in short Epoxi. The Epoxi will do three flybys in order to track down the location of the comet. Hopefully, NASA will be able to safely use the Deep Impact space craft for their low cost Epoxi mission.

Image Credit: Nasa

But since ages, the question that has intrigued us the most is, “Are we alone in the universe?” This one question has always baffled our thoughts, challenged our imagination and of course made Spielberg in to a movie making icon. But off late scientists are starting to believe more and more that the answer to that question is ‘No’. The discovery of Gliese 581 was one of the most exciting moments in extra-solar planetary researcher. The star is said to be having a planetary system and now researchers claim that they have found two planets that might be conducive to existence of life on them.

Astronomers have found an Earth-massed planet orbiting within the habitable zone of a distant star. This would mean that liquid water could be on its surface - and maybe even life! Any planet needs to be at a right distance from its own sun, so as to be able to maintain conditions that help the sustenance of life on it. If it is too close to the star, it looses the water on its surface due to excessive heat and if it is too far, it might be too cold to harbor life. Two separate teams of astronomers have found out in two different ways that the system of Gliese 581 has planets in the habitable zone. They did this by calculating and comparing the position of Earth and the planet on which they believe life could exist.

The first team lead by Franck Selsis calculated that the inner boundary of this habitable zone around Gliese 581 should be somewhere between 0.7 and 0.9 astronomical units and the outer zone should be between 1.7 and 2.4 AU. At least one planet orbiting Gliese 581 falls within this range. Now that is indeed exciting news. I always thought that we would find life beyond earth first on Titan- Saturn’s largest moon. But I still think the problem is that we look for life that is organic-similar to ourselves in nature. Why can’t life have evolved out of Platinum and gold somewhere else in the cosmos? Now that would be ‘Rich life’, if not intelligent.

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