Agnirva.com Space Community’s Post

On Friday, July 5, Earth will reach its farthest point from the Sun, known in astronomy as the solar aphelion.  This phenomenon occurs once a year and marks the moment when our planet is at the greatest distance from our star. The aphelion occurs due to the elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun. Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle but an ellipse, which means there are times when Earth is closer to the Sun (perihelion) and times when it is farther away (aphelion). During the aphelion, Earth will be approximately 152,095,581 kilometers (94,506,364 miles) from the Sun. The perihelion, which is the opposite (when Earth is closest to the Sun), occurred earlier this year, on January 3, 2024. At that time, Earth was approximately 147,098,925 kilometers (91,403,034 miles) from the Sun. #spaceweather #CME #Aurora #Geomagneticstorms #solarstorm #Sun #SolarFlare #Space #astronomy #SolarPhenomena #climate #destruction #anomaly

Similarities:- Both are planets- Both orbit their respective stars (Kepler-22 orbits a G-type star, similar to the Sun)- Both have a solid surfaceDifferences:- Location: Kepler-22 is about 600 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus- Size: Kepler-22 is about 2.4 times the size of Earth- Mass: Kepler-22 is about 10-15 times more massive than Earth- Surface temperature: Kepler-22's surface temperature is estimated to be around 22°C (72°F), slightly warmer than Earth's average temperature- Composition: Kepler-22 is likely a gas giant or a mini-Neptune, whereas Earth is a rocky planet with a diverse geology- Habitability: Kepler-22 is considered a potentially habitable world, but its actual habitability is still unknownThese differences highlight the unique features of each planet, making Kepler-22 an fascinating discovery in the search for exoplanets and potentially habitable worlds.

Scientists have found over 4,000 exoplanets since the first such world was confirmed orbiting a sunlike star in 1995. Exo planet study has progressed so much so that we might get planets whos habitability index is greater than Earth! Habitability is related to a planet's size or mass, and its distance from its host star. The Planetary Habitability Laboratory (PHL) publishes a catalog of potentially habitable exoplanets, which are rated on their Earth Similarity Index (ESI). The ESI measures how similar the planet is to Earth in terms of stellar flux, mass, and radius. Kepler-1649c is an Earth-sized exoplanet that orbits a red dwarf star in its habitable zone, which is the area around a star where liquid water could exist on a rocky planet's surface. Gliese 667Cc lies just 22 light-years from Earth, and is at least 4.5 times as massive as Earth. Kepler-22b lies 600 light-years away. It was the first Kepler planet found in the habitable zone of its parent star, but the world is considerably larger than Earth — about 2.4 times our planet's size. Kepler-186f is 11% larger in diameter than Earth, this planet orbits in the habitable zone of its M dwarf star.

I find the concept of Lunar tidal locking fascinating insofar as the 'heavy side of the Moon' always faces Earth. Here's a ditty that helps place this into geospatial perspective.

The outer solar system is awash in liquid water. Under the icy crust of Jupiter's fourth-largest moon, Europa, hides a salty ocean that holds more water than all Earth's oceans combined. A subsurface ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus spews water vapor into space. And there are tantalizing signs that oceans may also exist on Ganymede, Callisto, Titan, and other distant moons. Two studies now offer stronger evidence for oceans and even explain a puzzle at the surface. Mimas, meanwhile, may have a young and ever-changing ocean, the researchers suggest. If so, the outer solar system could be teeming with activity.#space #universe #astronomy

Our brilliant JUICE mission is expected to reach Jupiter’s system in 2031. In the meantime, JUICE’s eyes 👀 are open, and its lenses 📸 are ready to capture stunning views of our Solar System. 🚀🌕 This incredible image of the Moon was taken by the JANUS camera during the first step of humankind’s first-ever lunar-Earth flyby, as JUICE made its way back toward Earth. 🌍 During the flyby, Earth will bend JUICE’s trajectory through space, ‘braking’ it and setting it on course for a flyby of Venus in August 2025. From then on, the energy boosts will begin—JUICE will be propelled by Venus and then twice by Earth, the space exploration equivalent of drinking three back-to-back espressos ☕😁 #ESA #JUICEMission #SpaceExploration #Moon #JupiterMoons #AstroPhotography #SpaceScience

The Lunar Legacy: Why the Moon’s Surface Bears More Scars Than Earth https://lnkd.in/e9veAhPt #SpaceEconomy #NewSpace #NewSpaceEconomy #Space #CommercialSpace

"Scientists have discovered that a potentially habitable planet is having its atmosphere stripped, a process that may eventually render the world, Trappist-1e, inhospitable to life. The stripping appears to be caused by electric currents created as the planet races around its red dwarf host star. "It's a significant discovery because the Trappist-1 system, in which this exoplanet orbits a small red dwarf star, has been one of the primary targets in the hunt for alien life. Of the seven rocky Earth-like worlds in the system, at least 3 are located in the habitable zone, a region around a star that is neither too hot nor too cold to allow a planet to support liquid water. "A planet without an atmosphere can't hold on to liquid water, however, even if it is in the habitable zone, also known as the "Goldilocks zone." This shows that, though Trappist-1e may be in the habitable zone of the red dwarf Trappist-1, located 40 light-years from Earth, its habitability may be fleeting."

Did you know Triton, Neptune’s largest moon, is the coldest known object in our solar system? With an average surface temperature of -391°F (-235°C), Triton is a fascinating world of extreme cold. This icy moon orbits Neptune in the opposite direction of the planet’s rotation, suggesting it was captured by Neptune’s gravity long ago. Triton is also home to nitrogen geysers that erupt, creating plumes miles high. These eruptions are caused by the slight warmth from the distant Sun, turning Triton’s icy surface directly into gas. Triton’s unique features make it an exciting subject for scientists and space enthusiasts, showcasing the incredible diversity of our solar system. 🌍💫 #SpaceScience #Triton #Neptune #PlanetaryResearch #Astronomy #ExtremeTemperatures