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☆ Crater offers new clue near-Earth asteroid is really a piece of the moon, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The space rock, known as 2016 HO3, is a rare quasi-satellite — a type of near-Earth asteroid that orbits the sun but sticks close to our planet. Astronomers first discovered it in 2016 using the Pan-STARRS telescope, or Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System, in Hawaii. Scientists call the asteroid Kamo’oalewa, a name derived from a Hawaiian creation chant that alludes to an offspring traveling on its own. Kamo’oalewa specimen: A connecting puzzle pieceStudying crater impacts on the moon can also help scientists better understand the consequences of asteroid impacts should a space rock pose a threat to Earth in the future. There’s no other place, no other planet in our solar system with a moon like our moon.

Persons: they’ve, Giordano Bruno, Yifei Jiao, ”, Erik Asphaug, Kamo’oalewa, “ You’d, Asphaug, ” Jiao, ” Asphaug, Renu Malhotra, China’s, Patrick Michel, Noah Petro, Artemis III, Petro, “, ” Petro, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Survey Telescope, University of Arizona’s, Laboratory, Tsinghua University, University of, London, NASA, Arizona State University, University of Arizona, National Centre for Scientific Research, Reconnaissance, Artemis Locations: Hawaii, Beijing, “, France

☆ Pluto’s heart was likely created by an ancient collision
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A deep basin called Sputnik Planitia, which makes up the “left lobe” of the heart, is home to much of Pluto’s nitrogen ice. The New Horizons spacecraft took an image of Pluto's heart on July 14, 2015. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute/NASAThrough new research on Sputnik Planitia, an international team of scientists has determined that a cataclysmic event created the heart. The teardrop shape of Sputnik Planitia is a result of the frigidity of Pluto’s core, as well as the relatively low velocity of the impact itself, the team found. The researchers believe that the new theory regarding Pluto’s heart could shed more light on how the mysterious dwarf planet formed.

Persons: Clybe Tombaugh, Pluto, it’s, ”, Harry Ballantyne, Erik Asphaug, ” Asphaug, “ That’s, Sputnik Planitia, Martin Jutzi, Kelsi Singer, ” Singer Organizations: CNN, Regio, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Research Institute, NASA, Sputnik, Pluto, University of Bern, University of Arizona’s, Laboratory, University of Bern’s Physics, Kelsi, Southwest Research, New Locations: United States, Switzerland, Boulder , Colorado

The sample capsule will parachute into the Utah desert as its mothership, the Osiris-Rex spacecraft, zooms off for an encounter with another asteroid. The asteroid samples will be handled inside nitrogen-purging gloveboxes by staff in head-to-toe clean room suits. ASTEROID AUTUMNThis fall is what NASA is calling Asteroid Autumn, with three asteroid missions marking major milestones. Both the NASA spacecraft and its target — a metal asteroid — are named Psyche. Japan’s first asteroid sample mission returned microscopic grains from asteroid Itokawa in 2010.

Persons: —, ”, University of Arizona’s Dante Lauretta, Rex, Bennu, Lauretta, NASA’s, Johnson, Kevin Righter, Lucy Organizations: NASA, University of Arizona’s, Empire, Defense Department’s Utah, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Apollo, Soviet Union, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Utah, Japan, Bennu, Colorado, Houston, Antarctica, Cape Canaveral , Florida, U.S, China

☆ Small moonquakes caused by Apollo lunar lander module, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A spacecraft left behind by US astronauts on the lunar surface could be causing small tremors known as moonquakes, according to a new study. The lunar surface is an extreme environment, oscillating between minus 208 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 133 degrees Celsius) in the dark and 250 degrees Fahrenheit (121 degrees Celsius) in direct sun, according to a news release about the study. Marusiak was not directly involved in the study, though she did have contact with the authors as a fellow expert in lunar seismology. “Every lunar morning when the sun hits the lander, it starts popping off,” said study coauthor Allen Husker, a research professor of geophysics at Caltech, in a statement. It’s important to note a key difference between the moon and Earth: On the lunar surface, there are no shifting tectonic plates that might cause catastrophic events.

Persons: Francesco Civilini, Artemis, Dr, Angela Marusiak, Marusiak, moonquakes Marusiak, “, —, ”, Allen Husker, I’m, seismometers, ” Marusiak, ” Husker Organizations: CNN, of Geophysical Research, California Institute of Technology, NASA Goddard Space Flight, NASA, University of Arizona’s, Laboratory, Caltech, Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO Locations: California

☆ Chandrayaan-3 landing: India could become the fourth country ever to land a spacecraft on the moon
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —India is on the brink of a historic attempt to land its Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft on the moon that could make it only the fourth nation ever to accomplish such a feat. India’s space agency will livestream the landing attempt starting at 5:20 p.m. IST (7:50 a.m. Previously, only the United States, China and the former Soviet Union have completed soft landings on the lunar surface. Russia’s Luna 25 spacecraft crashed into the moon on August 19 after its engines misfired, ending the country’s first lunar landing attempt in 47 years. Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty ImagesIndia’s mission has taken on even greater significance since Russia’s failed Luna 25 landing attempt.

Persons: nation’s, Russia’s Luna, Vikram, Angela Marusiak, she’s, Marusiak, “, ” Marusiak, Satish Dhawan, Indranil Mukherjee, Luna, landers, Artemis, Bill Nelson, India’s Organizations: CNN, Indian Space Research Organization, Soviet Union, University of Arizona’s, Laboratory, Satish Dhawan Space, YouTube, Getty, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, United, NASA Locations: India, United States, China, France, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, Mumbai, Israel, Japan, Artemis, Russia

☆ Luna 25 crash and Chandrayaan-3 landing attempt may signal another shift in the space race, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The failed landing attempt has experts questioning the future of the country’s lunar exploration ambitions and the geopolitical dynamics that underpin modern space exploration efforts. The spacecraft, Luna 25, lost contact with operators at Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos, on Saturday, August 19. Luna 25 was flying alongside India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft, which will attempt to land on the moon as soon as Wednesday. “I’m sure China must be really wondering what they saddled themselves with” after the Luna 25 mission, Samson said. Why missions like Luna 25 matterThe Luna 25 spacecraft was intended to land on the moon’s south pole.

Persons: CNN —, Roscosmos, Yury Borisov, ”, Victoria Samson, Borisov, Russia's Luna, Luna, Robert Pearson, Duke University’s, Pearson, “, haven’t, India’s Chandrayaan, Artemis III, ” Samson, “ It’s, it’s, India’s, Samson, ’ ”, Angela Marusiak, hasn’t, ” Pearson Organizations: CNN, Secure World Foundation, Soviet, Roscosmos, Space Corporation, Luna, U.S . Foreign Service, Diplomacy, European Space Agency, Lunar Research, US, NASA, SpaceX, University of Arizona’s, Laboratory Locations: Russian, Russia, Washington, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Turkey, United States, Europe, Russia’s, China, India, Artemis

☆ Supermoons will rise in the night sky twice this August
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Jackie Wattles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The most recent blue moon, for example, occurred in October 2020. The August 30 super blue moon will reach its peak at 9:36 p.m. What is a full moon, supermoon and blue moon? Supermoons occur when the moon is near or at its closest point to Earth (or, in scientific terms, its perigee) while also appearing full. Not all blue moons are supermoons, which makes the August 30 full moon even more exceptional.

Persons: Fred Espenak, it’s, supermoon isn’t, Adam Block, ”, Supermoons Organizations: CNN, Almanac, Britannica, NASA, United, Space Centre, University of Arizona’s Locations: Europe, United Kingdom, Africa, United States, Great, Tucson

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