Comets | The Daily Space

Pluto’s Atmosphere Freezing Out as Pluto Moves Away

Oct 6, 2021 | Asteroids, Comets, Daily Space, Mars, Our Solar System, Pluto & Charon, TNOs

Scientists analyzed the results of a stellar occultation when Pluto passed in front of a distant star and found that Pluto’s atmosphere is freezing to the surface as the planet moves away from the Sun. Plus, an interview with Dr. Kat Volk regarding Transneptunian space and the possibility of Planet 9.

Large Comet Discovered; Won’t Get Past Jupiter

Oct 1, 2021 | Comets, Daily Space, ESA, Exoplanets, Jupiter, Mars, Moon, Sky Watching

Contrary to recent clickbait headlines, a recently discovered comet that likely originated in the Oort Cloud will not be coming near Earth. The closest point of the icy body’s orbit is between Saturn and Jupiter. Plus, how floods shaped Mars, how microbes helped clover grow, and this week’s What’s Up.

Dark Matter Delays Supernova Signal

Sep 20, 2021 | Asteroids, Climate Change, Comets, Cosmology, Crewed Space, Daily Space, Dark Matter, Earth, Galaxies, Review, Space China, Spacecraft, SpaceX, Supernovae

A supernova first observed in 2016 will be replayed in a few years because of the light’s journey through a galaxy cluster and how dark matter gravitationally warps space-time. Plus, inactive centaurs, a Scottish ice wall, and a review of “Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space”.

Small, Violent Faults Possibly Led to Grand Canyon’s Missing Rocks

Aug 24, 2021 | Comets, Curiosity, Daily Space, Earth, Mars, Perseverance, Review

New research has pinpointed small, violent faults caused by the breakup of an ancient supercontinent as the potential cause of a major loss in the rock record of the Grand Canyon, known as the Great Unconformity. Plus, using sky mapping tools to find earthly tombs and a review of Andy Weir’s “Project Hail Mary.”

NASA Identifies Possible Lunar Mantle Rocks on Lunar Surface

Aug 6, 2021 | Asteroids, Comets, Daily Space, Earth, Jupiter, Mercury, Moon, Sky Watching, Spacecraft, Stars, Supernovae, Venus, White Dwarfs

Two new studies have possibly identified regions on the Moon’s surface that could contain pieces of the lunar mantle, which would be possible sample targets for the Artemis mission. Plus, Venus gets a double flyby next week, and it’s all about asteroids and meteor showers in this week’s What’s Up.

InSight Lander Reveals Structure of Mars

Jul 26, 2021 | Active Galaxies, Climate Change, Comets, Daily Space, Earth, Exoplanets, Mars, Venus

In three new papers released this week, scientists analyzed data from NASA’s InSight lander to reveal the structure of Mars and its layers, revealing information about the planet’s crust, lithosphere, mantle, and core. Plus, isotopes in an exoplanet’s atmosphere, a potential exomoon being formed, the heart of a radio galaxy, and black holes impeding stellar birth.