European Southern Observatory’s Post

Did you know that Jupiter is like Earth's superhero in the cosmos? 🪐💫 Its massive size and immense gravity make it a powerful shield against asteroids and comets that could otherwise pose a threat to Earth. Jupiter's strong gravitational pull deflects many potential hazards away from the inner solar system or traps them in its orbit. Some even crash into Jupiter itself, as seen in the famous Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact in 1994. Without Jupiter, Earth might face far more frequent catastrophic impacts, making life as we know it much harder to sustain. 🌍✨ So, the next time you gaze up at the night sky, give a little nod to Jupiter—the silent guardian that keeps our planet safe. 🙌🌌 #Jupiter #AstronomyFacts #SolarSystem #SpaceScience #Asteroids #CosmicShield #SpaceLovers #Universe #PlanetEarth #AsteroidProtection #AstronomyLovers

How fast do planets spin? Earth gives us the familiar 24-hour day, but the universe has so much more variety! Imagine living on Jupiter, where days are just under 10 hours, or Venus, where one day drags on for over 243 Earth days! Check out the incredible differences in day lengths across the planets: Jupiter: 9 hours, 55 minutes Saturn: 10 hours, 33 minutes Neptune: 16 hours Uranus: 17 hours, 14 minutes Earth: 23 hours, 56 minutes Mars: 24 hours, 36 minutes Mercury: 58 Earth days, 16 hours Venus: 243 Earth days, 26 minutes Exploring planetary rotation reminds us of the diversity and wonder in our solar system. What planet's day fascinates you the most? Karthika Rani Ramdoss #astronomy #space #science #solarsystem #nasa #universe #MilkyWay

The Sun orbits the center of the Milky Way, bringing with it all the planets, asteroids, comets, and other objects in our solar system. So our entire Solar System revolves around the Milky way galaxy, just like the Earth orbits the Sun, but instead of orbiting a star, Solar system orbit around a Supermassive black hole- Sagittarius A*, at the centre of our Milky way galaxy. with an average velocity of 828,000 kilometers per hour. But even at this speed, it takes about 230 million years for the Sun to make one complete trip around the Milky Way.

A ‘Parade of Planets’ Is Coming. The Planet Parade, also known as Planetary Alignment, is set to take place on June 3. During this event, six planets — Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune — will appear to align in a straight line, even though they are orbiting the sun in an elliptical path. For a short period, one will be able to see, using special equipment such as a telescope or high-power binoculars, all these planets together within the line of sight. According to Starwalk, the Planet Parade will be broadly visible across the world on June 3, a few hours before sunrise. Depending on the region, some might witness this phenomenon a few days before or after June 3. Planet parade doesn’t mean the planets will align totally, but they would just appear this way. Some planets would be a little above and below others, hence, despite being far away from each other, due to their positions, they will look aligned. #space #universe #planets #earth #cosmos #moon #astronomy #paradeofplanets

The Birth of Planets: How Asteroids Shaped Our Solar System Discover the fascinating process behind the formation of rocky planets like Earth. Learn how asteroids grow and merge to eventually give birth to planets, while the presence of Jupiter disrupts this process in the asteroid belt. Explore the crucial role asteroids played in creating the worlds we know today. #BirthOfPlanets #AsteroidFormation #RockyPlanets #SolarSystemFormation #JupiterImpact #PlanetFormationProcess #AsteroidBelt #PlanetBirth #SolarSystemEvolution #AsteroidResearch

It’s true that the Sun along with the rest of the solar system, does indeed orbit around the centre of the Milky Way galaxy. This motion is a result of the gravitational forces acting within the galaxy. Sagittarius A is the supermassive black hole located at the centre of the Milky Way galaxy, and it plays a significant role in shaping the movement of stars and other objects in the galaxy. The estimated speed of the Sun's orbit around the galactic centre is approximately 828,000 kilometers per hour. It takes the Sun about 230 million years to complete one full orbit around the Milky Way galaxy. This long timescale highlights the immense size and scale of the galaxy, as well as the slow and steady motion of celestial objects within it. What a truly marevous creation!

Did you know that nothing in the Universe stays still? Everything, from planets to stars, is in constant motion and rotation! Our Solar System, in addition to orbiting around the center of the Milky Way at a whopping ~792,000 km/h, is also on the move relative to its stellar neighbors at ~70,000 km/h. In this fascinating video, we illustrate this dynamic motion, providing a unique perspective from outside the Solar System. But that’s not all! The Sun itself is a cosmic traveler, orbiting the center of the Milky Way, taking along all the planets, asteroids, and comets in our Solar System. Imagine this: instead of orbiting a star, our Solar System revolves around a Supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, at the heart of the Milky Way, cruising at an average speed of ~792,000 kilometers per hour. Even at this incredible speed, it takes approximately 225~250 million Earth years for the Sun to complete a full orbit around the Milky Way. So, as you watch the mesmerizing celestial dance, remember – there’s always movement and marvel in the vastness of the cosmos! #Meetingfora #astronomy #spacetravel #Astrophysics #cosmos #stargazing #NASA #astrophotography #interstellar #milkyway #SpaceExploration #exoplanets #spacescience #celestial

🌌 Three Mind-Blowing Facts About Outer Space You Need to Know! 🌌 1. Countless Stars: The universe is home to more stars than the total number of humans who have ever lived on Earth. Imagine that! Each star could potentially have its own solar system. 2. Planetary Swap: Did you know Uranus and Neptune switched places billions of years ago? This cosmic dance reshaped our solar system as we know it. 3. Colossal Giant: Meet UY Scuti, the largest known star. It's so massive that it could fit 5 billion suns or an astonishing 7 quadrillion Earths inside it! Stay tuned for more awe-inspiring space facts. Keep looking up! 🚀✨ #astronomy #space #universe #science #isro #aerospace #stars #nasa

The solar system consists of the Sun, eight planets, their moons, and other celestial objects orbiting the Sun . The four inner planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, known as terrestrial planets due to their rocky composition. Beyond Mars lies the asteroid belt, a region populated by small rocky bodies orbiting the Sun. The outer planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, are gas giants with thick atmospheres and numerous moons. Pluto, once considered the ninth planet, was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006, residing in the Kuiper Belt beyond Neptune. https://lnkd.in/eqwqYvjw