PIE MATRIX’s Post

Astrobiology: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life Astrobiology explores the possibilities of life beyond Earth, studying the origins, evolution, and potential habitats of extraterrestrial organisms. Scientists use advanced technology to analyze extreme environments on Earth, exoplanets, and celestial bodies like Mars and Europa. Key Highlights: 1.Exoplanets: Searching for habitable zones around distant stars. 2.Extremophiles: Studying microorganisms thriving in extreme Earth conditions for analogs to alien life. 3.Missions: NASA's Mars rovers and the James Webb Space Telescope play vital roles in astrobiological research. #Astrobiology #Exoplanets #LifeBeyondEarth #ExtraterrestrialResearch #SpaceScience #ExtremeLife #NASA #SpaceExploration #NCARD #NorthCARD

Our Photometry on the WASP 39b exoplanet

NASA has made two incredible discoveries in 2024 that are pushing the boundaries of our knowledge about habitable worlds beyond our solar system. TOI-715 b: A newly discovered super-Earth, located 137 light-years away, sits in the habitable zone of a red dwarf star. This makes it a prime candidate for the search for extraterrestrial life. K2-18 b: The James Webb Space Telescope has identified methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of this exoplanet, suggesting a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and potentially an ocean beneath. The detection of dimethyl sulfide, a molecule produced by life on Earth, adds to the intrigue. These findings are a testament to the power of modern space telescopes and the dedication of the scientific community. Exciting times ahead as we continue to explore the universe! 🚀🔭 #NASA #SpaceExploration #Exoplanets #JamesWebbSpaceTelescope #Astrobiology #Science Sources: https://lnkd.in/dYE58rSr https://lnkd.in/dqMzvA9d

WASP-39b is an exoplanet discovered in 2011 orbiting the star WASP-39, located approximately 700 light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It belongs to the class of hot Jupiter exoplanets due to its similar mass and size to Jupiter but much closer orbit to its parent star, completing one orbit in just 4 days. WASP-39b has drawn interest from astronomers due to its relatively low density, about half that of Jupiter, suggesting it may possess a significant atmosphere. Studying exoplanets like WASP-39b helps scientists better understand the diversity and formation of planetary systems beyond our own. PACS e-Lab citizen astronomers scheduled an observation of the system from the Micro Observatory. Our team also performed the photometry and produced this light curve. They used 6 comparison stars. To learn about and get involved in our exoplanet research project check: https://lnkd.in/dBPM_v8f #education #space #astronomy #webtelescope #spaceexploration #citizenscience #research #africa #exoplanetexploration

It’s literally one of the oldest questions of all: “Are we alone in the universe?” To the rational mind, based on the sheer size of the universe, it seems just about impossible to imagine that we are. However, until very recently we weren’t even sure if there were other planets out there. Perhaps the circumstances that allowed our rocky worlds and their bulky gaseous planetary siblings to take form was a fluke, a one in a trillion cosmic accident that was never repeated in all of time. Fortunately, for those on the “No, we’re not alone!” school of thought the first extrasolar planet (one formed around a star other than our own) was identified in 1992. Since then, thanks to NASA and its Hubble and new James Webb space-based telescopes, along with the work of the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency and a host of other sky-watching entities we have now catalogued more than 5,000 extrasolar planets, with hundreds more being spotted annually. But what are they like? Based on the work of astronomers this growing family of orbiting worlds are apparently about as unique and dissimilar to our Earth (and each other) as they could be. Some are vast, some are tiny. Some are gas giants, and some are rocky worlds like ours – and some could even have water just like our blue green world. To help visualize this astronomic assortment the creative minds at Halcyon Maps, under the direction of creative wizard Martin Vargic have created an artwork entitled: ‘The Exoplanet Zoo’ – to showcase the various sizes configurations and colors of these distant worlds. Each of the individual planets in the display is presented at scale; to show how different these worlds are from each other. It's estimated that our own Milky Way Galaxy could be home to somewhere between 100 and 200 billion worlds – with the number of galaxies in the universe numbering upwards to two trillion – with each of them home to billions of planets. That’s a lot of real estate where life can take hold. Are we alone? Not likely, and here are a few places in our immediate cosmic neighborhood where it may already have taken root – and is staring back at us wondering the same question right this moment. #universe #extrasolarplanet #halcyonmaps #extrasolar #nasa

NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster NGC 2005... It’s not an unusual globular cluster in and of itself, but it is a peculiarity when compared to its surroundings. NGC 2005 is located about 750 light-years from the heart of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), which is the Milky Way’s largest satellite galaxy some 62,000 light-years fro1m Earth. Globular clusters are densely packed groups of stars that can hold tens of thousands or millions of stars. Their density means they are tightly bound by gravity and therefore very stable. This stability contributes to their longevity: globular clusters can be billions of years old and are often comprised of very old stars. Studying globular clusters in space can be a little like studying fossils on Earth: where fossils give insights into the characteristics of ancient plants and animals, globular clusters illuminate the characteristics of ancient stars ...text credit: European Space Agency (ESA) Maisons Of Tomorrow editor@ maisonsoftomorrow #globularcluster #space #magellaniccloud #nasa

I'm not sure you fully understand just how lucky us Earthlings really are. There are so many factors that have to be just right in order to sustain life on a planet without massive intervention. I worked with Peter Edmonds at NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory to create this visualization to assist in explaining the findings of astrophysicist, Scott Wolk. The results certainly give me a greater appreciation for our own planet and Sun. Caption: This artist’s illustration represents the results from a new study that examines the effects of X-ray and other high-energy radiation unleashed on potential exoplanets from Wolf 359, a nearby red dwarf star. Researchers used Chandra and XMM-Newton to study the impact of steady X-ray and energetic ultraviolet radiation from Wolf 359 on the atmospheres of planets that might be orbiting the star. They found that only a planet with greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in its atmosphere and at a relatively large distance away from Wolf 359 would have a chance to support life as we know it. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/Melissa Weiss #melissaweiss #melissaweissscienceillustrator #mweiss #scienceillustration #sciart #scienceandart #artandscience #scottwolk #centerforastrophysics #harvardsmithsonian #exoplanet #wolf359 #XMMnewton #uv #ultraviolet #reddwarfstar #astrophysics #astronomy #nasa #chandraxray #chandraxrayobservatory #xrays

Asteroids, the rocky remnants from the dawn of our solar system, hold the keys to understanding its origins. Despite their vast numbers—1,385,738 cataloged by NASA as of July 2024—the combined mass of all asteroids is less than 10% of Earth’s Moon! These celestial bodies, found mainly between Mars and Jupiter and extending into the distant Kuiper Belt, range from Vesta, the largest at 329 miles across, to tiny rocks under 33 feet. Exploring these celestial objects helps unlock the mysteries of our universe and fuels our curiosity about space. #Astrophysics #SpaceFacts #SolarSystem #Astronomy

🚀✨ #SPHEREx: Unlocking the Secrets of the Cosmos! 🌌 Mark your calendars! 🗓️ In February 2025, NASA’s Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) mission is set to launch. 🌠 What makes SPHEREx extraordinary? 🔭 Near-infrared light surveys will uncover hidden cosmic details. 🎨 Mapping the sky in 102 color bands, providing unprecedented detail. 🌌 Helping us explore the Epoch of Reionization and icy mysteries across the universe. 🔗 Identifying future study targets for the James Webb and Nancy Grace Roman telescopes. Every six months, this innovative mission will transform the way we understand the cosmos and our place in it. A leap forward for humanity’s cosmic quest! 🌍🌌 What excites you most about SPHEREx and its mission? Let’s discuss below! 👇 #NASA #SpaceExploration #SPHEREx #Astronomy #Innovation