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Category: space

Warm Jupiter exoplanet transiting a sun-like star discovered

An international team of astronomers reports the discovery of a new exoplanet orbiting a sunlike star as part of the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS). The newfound alien world, designated NGTS-39 b, is a Jupiter-sized planet with an equilibrium temperature of about 519 K. The discovery was detailed in a paper published July 2 on the preprint server arXiv.

NGTS-39 (also known as TIC-453147896) is a relatively bright star of spectral type F9 located some 910 light-years from Earth. The star was observed multiple times between 2019 and 2024 with NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), which detected a transit signal in its light curve.

Now, a group of astronomers led by Ioannis Apergis of the University of Warwick, UK, have used NGTS’ 12 robotic Newtonian telescopes to perform follow-up photometric observations of NGTS-39. This, together with radial velocity measurements from CORALIE and HARPS spectrographs, allowed the team to confirm the planetary nature of the TESS-detected signal.

NASA space telescope maps magnetic fields of ‘Lighthouse’ pulsar

For the first time, scientists have used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) to directly measure the magnetic fields of PSR J1101−6101, a pulsar located within what is often referred to as the Lighthouse Nebula. The results provide new insight into the structure of some of the most extreme objects in the cosmos, as NASA continues to explore the secrets of how the universe works. A paper describing the results was published Thursday in The Astrophysical Journal.

A pulsar is a type of neutron star with a strong magnetic field that spins incredibly fast. The pulsar at the center of the Lighthouse Nebula is rotating 16 times per second. Neutron stars are the leftover cores of massive stars, formed at the end of their life cycles, that possess more mass than the sun. They are condensed down to the size of a city, making them natural laboratories for studying extreme physics.

In June 2025, IXPE spent nearly 18 days focused on the Lighthouse Nebula.

‘Super-puff’ planets lighter than candy floss discovered by international team

An international collaboration has discovered two of the lowest-density giant planets ever detected: rare “super-puff” planets with densities lower than candy floss. The study—led by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Université Côte d’Azur/Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur and the University of Birmingham—has been published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The two planets, named TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, orbit an F7-type dwarf star located around 1,110 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Volans. Although both planets are roughly the size of Jupiter, they are extraordinarily diffuse: TOI-791 b has a density of just 0.038 grams per cubic centimeter, while TOI-791 c has a density of 0.047 grams per cubic centimeter.

By comparison, Jupiter’s average density is 1.33 grams per cubic centimeter, around 28 to 35 times greater.

Saturn-ring-like laser emission from chiral polymeric microspheres

Controlling light within microscopic spaces is crucial for next-generation optical devices such as photonic integrated circuits and localized sensors. Microspheres formed of luminescent π-conjugated polymers act as optical resonators that confine and amplify light via whispering gallery modes (WGMs), and they are promising candidates for microscale organic lasers and photonic applications. However, conventional microsphere resonators are geometrically isotropic and emit isotropic light, making directional control of emissions challenging.

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, researchers from the University of Tsukuba show that microspheres formed through the self-assembly of chiral π-conjugated polymers possess a characteristic twisted bipolar molecular configuration, enabling angle-selective optical resonance and laser oscillation with distinct azimuthal directionality. Using polarization-dependent photoluminescence imaging, the research team directly visualized a vortex-like (swirling) arrangement formed by the polymer main chains on the spherical surface.

Furthermore, this vortex-like surface molecular orientation induces an azimuth-dependent refractive-index distribution along the light propagation path, resulting in angle-dependent WGM resonance wavelengths and spatially localized emission. Consequently, the microspheres exhibit directional laser oscillation, preferentially emitting amplified light along a specific azimuthal direction. The resulting emission pattern is analogous to Saturn’s rings.

Scientists discover new method of defense against solar storms to help protect Earth

A recent study is shedding light on how we handle geomagnetic storms, offering a way to reduce their severity.

Experts at Advancing Earth and Space Sciences (AGU) have dug into the essentials of solar storms and how they can affect our planet.

Solar storms occur when the sun creates an entangled mess of magnetic fields, similar to a messy head of hair after a long night of sleep.

NASA’s Hubble Reveals a Star-Spangled Stellar Masterpiece of 500,000 Ancient Stars

More than 500,000 stars glow in shades of red, white, and blue in a spectacular new image captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Released in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, the image features Messier 3 (M3), one of the Milky Way’s largest globular clusters. Globular clust

NASA’s Hubble Captures a Stunning Red, White, and Blue Stellar Nursery

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking view of the stellar nursery LH 95, where brilliant blue and white stars sparkle against glowing crimson clouds of gas, creating a scene that resembles fireworks fading into a smoky night sky. Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf

Tell Musk this is true human’s future

How will humanity power its interplanetary future?
In this cinematic documentary, we journey to the year 2,325, where humanity has finally achieved Type I civilization status. We explore the colossal engineering feats required to harvest the Sun’s energy from Mercury and beam it across the entire solar system.

▶A Film by: Scienshell.

In a universe where energy is the currency of survival, the diffused sunlight that has bathed our solar system for 5 billion years is no longer enough. To fuel a true interplanetary empire, humanity must harvest, concentrate, and transmit the immense power of our star. But harnessing such staggering amounts of energy requires pushing the absolute limits of physics and engineering.

As our energy needs grow, the line between theoretical physics and applied engineering begins to blur. For those who build the infrastructure of tomorrow, the solar system itself becomes a machine.

In this video, you’ll discover:
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:29] 2325: The Dawn of a Type I Civilization.
[02:15] Mining Mercury and the Solar Ring Construction.
[06:24] Photons: The Perfect Interplanetary Energy Carriers.
[08:12] The Beating Heart of the Energy Grid.
[11:02] Precursor Beams and Cosmic No-Fly Zones.
[13:01] The Danger of Runaway Gamma Beams.
[15:12] The Gamma Cascade: Converting Destructive Energy.
[17:34] Powering an Interplanetary Civilization.

▶ About This Video.

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NASA testing advanced capabilities for moon, Mars rovers

On a bleak stretch of the Colorado Desert in Southern California, a compact four-wheeled rover recently trundled 16 miles (26 kilometers) with minimal intervention from the team of engineers trailing it. Called ERNEST (Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain), this prototype is being used by NASA to advance both robotic autonomy and the ability to traverse challenging landscapes.

Developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, ERNEST is 4 feet (1.2 meters) long. Not only can it lift each of its mesh wheels to get past obstacles that would stymie Curiosity and Perseverance, NASA’s six-wheeled Mars rovers, but the prototype also has enhanced independent decision-making capabilities. These mobility and autonomy advances could be infused into future missions that will venture into previously inaccessible areas of the red planet or the moon.

In the field, ERNEST served as a testbed for a potential future lunar mission requiring higher speeds and much greater mileage than can be accomplished by current rovers. This technology could be used to inform future designs for exploration efforts on the moon and beyond.

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