solar system

Visitor from alien star system wears insulating coat

Paris - Muslimchronicle

A cigar-shaped rock zooming through our Solar System -- the first object from a foreign star system ever spotted in our midst -- is cloaked in a coat of organic material, astronomers said Monday. Dubbed Oumuamua, Hawaiian for "messenger" or "scout", the object was first viewed by telescopes in October. Given its weird trajectory, surprised scientists immediately concluded it was from beyondRead more

No alien 'signals' from cigar-shaped asteroid

Paris - Muslimchronicle

No alien signals have been detected from an interstellar, cigar-shaped space rock discovered travelling through our Solar System in October, researchers listening for evidence of extraterrestrial technology said Thursday. The object, dubbed Oumuamua, was spotted by several Earthly telescopes two months ago. Given its weird trajectory, surprised researchers immediately concluded it was from beyond our planetary system -- the first interstellarRead more

Dwarf planet has a ring to it: study

Paris - Muslimchronicle

Move over Saturn! Scientists have found a ring around an unassuming mini-planet in our Solar System to debunk the theory that only giant planets can be so adorned. The planet, dubbed Haumea, orbits the Sun far beyond Neptune -- the eighth and furthest recognised "full" planet in our star system since Pluto was downgraded to dwarf status in 2006. Read more

Meteors splashing into warm ponds sparked life on Earth

McMaster University - Muslimchronicle

How did life on Earth begin? A study out Monday backs the theory that meteorites splashing into warm ponds leached essential elements that gave rise to the building blocks of life billions of years ago. The report is based on "exhaustive research and calculations" in astrophysics, geology, chemistry and biology, according a summary provided by McMaster University. "Because there areRead more

Exoplanets 101: Looking for life

Paris - Arab Today

Seven Earth-like planets orbiting a small star in our Galaxy called Trappist-1, revealed Wednesday, are the most recent -- and arguably the most spectacular -- in a string of exoplanet discoveries going back 20 years. Herewith a backgrounder on the search for life beyond the horizon of our Solar System. - What is an exoplanet? - Simple: any planet outsideRead more

7 Potentially Life-Bearing Planets Discovered by NASA

Washington – Arab Today

NASA has discovered seven planets the same size as earth. Scientists believe them to be temperate in climate and atmosphere which means there is the potential they are life-bearing, according to CNN. Scientists announced their findings during a news conference Wednesday. Seven earth-like planets, orbiting the same dwarf star, named TRAPPIST-1, just 40 light-years away. Three of the seven discoveredRead more

Morocco Might Be Part of NASA’s Major Discovery

Rabat - Arab Today

NASA will hold a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 22, to present “new findings on planets that orbit stars other than our sun, known as exoplanets,” announced the space agency on Monday. The event, which will be aired live on NASA Television and the agency’s website, has already caught the attention of Media and scientists giving hope that NASA couldRead more

Rosetta spacecraft set for final comet crash landing

Darmstadt - Arab Today

Europe's pioneering spacecraft Rosetta headed for a crash landing Friday on the comet it has stalked for two years, a dramatic end to a 12-year odyssey to demystify our Solar System's origins. Sent by ground controllers on a leisurely, 14-hour freefall, Rosetta was engaged in a last-gasp spurt of science-gathering on the 19-kilometre (12-mile) journey to its icy comet tomb.Read more

Kepler Telescope discovers 100 Earth-Sized Planets

Washington - QNA

Nasa's Kepler telescope has discovered more than 100 Earth-sized planets orbiting alien stars. It has also detected nine small planets within so-called habitable zones, where conditions are favourable for liquid water, and potentially life. The finds are contained within a catalogue of 1,284 new planets detected by Kepler , which more than doubles the previous tally. Nasa saidRead more