Nature Noon – Page 10 – Take a break with nature

Living On Saturn (What Would Life Be on Saturn?)

Here’s how it would be to live on the planet Saturn: Simply because Saturn doesn’t have solid surfaces, you couldn’t live on it like that. However, ensuring that you have the tech you will need to live on Saturn isn’t as glam as it sounds with lightning storms and a 50% chance of diamond rain. So if you want to know how life on Saturn might be, this article is for you. Let’s get right into it! What Would It Be Like To Live on Saturn? So, you are thinking of living on Saturn? You have decided to inhabit the most famous planet in our solar system, Saturn. Recognized by people of all ages for its magnificent ring system, Saturn is one of the four gas giants of the outer solar system. However, living on Saturn is not as glitzy and glamorous as it may seem. Rather, it is a frigid world full of surprise and betrayal. And, like the other gaseous planets, you technically could not live on Saturn simply because it has no solid surfaces. But, let’s put that idea aside, assume that we are equipped with technologies needed to survive, and inspect your new home. Saturn – Quick Facts Distance from Sun: 887 million miles Text Message to Earth: Takes about 1.4 hrs. Mass: 95 x Earth Width: 9 x Earth Gravity: 92% of Earth Length of Day: 11 hours (46% of 1 Earth Day) Length of Year: 10,756 days (29 x 1 Earth year) Average Temperature: -288º F Pressure: Unknown Moons: 62 known Rings: Yes Scouting Your New Neighborhood Much like our article about living on Jupiter, selecting where you will actually be living on Saturn will be crucial. Given the radically different conditions, depending on where you are, things could get a bit unpleasant. Living On the Inside of Saturn If you are a warm-weather person or looking for a balmy place to retire, you could build your home in Saturn’s interior. However, be forewarned that temperatures are likely able to soar as high as 21,000º Fahrenheit. Even though Saturn is a frozen world, sitting 887 million miles from the Sun, its core is scorching hot. In fact, Saturn spits out double to heat it takes in from the Sun. Living Near the Surface Instead, it will be much more appealing to live on the outer regions of Saturn. Using proper technology, you will want to have a well-protected dome structure that can float in the ringed planet’s upper atmosphere. Up here, atmospheric pressure can drop to quasi-Earth-like levels and prove much more ideal. Although, ideal may not be the most fitting term, as your atmosphere is now made mostly of ammonia ice. Now that you have selected a location let’s review your new routine. Your Typical Day on Saturn You will quickly notice living on Saturn. Your days only last for 11 hours or 45% of your typical Earth day. So, on the bright side, two-day shipping on Saturn’s version of Amazon would technically be completed within a single Earth day. Now, it’s time to explore. And, you definitely have a planet full of visual wonders to enjoy. Your location and planning are highly important when sightseeing on Saturn, simply because of the sheer size. Your new home is nearly 240,000 miles around and almost 75,000 miles wide. So, traveling at highway speeds from the south to north pole would take a little over 1,100 hours. But, if you can make it northward, you can witness the stunning auroras. The mind-blowing light shows will remind you of Earth’s, except that Saturn’s auroras are actually bigger than the entire planet Earth itself. Plus, your new planet has a mysterious but fascinating hexagon shape on its north pole. And, this polar attraction has been a beautifully puzzling mystery to astronomers for decades. However, it is widely believed to be the cause of powerful jet winds interacting with each other. Your Typical Night on Saturn Although your night is now much shorter than your day, you are in for some spectacular treats. If you enjoyed the gleaming silver Moon on Earth, how would you like 62 Moons? In fact, you now get to enjoy the second-largest Moon in the solar system, Titan. At half the size of Earth, this massive satellite is the only Moon known to contain clouds and a planet-like atmosphere (summer vacation spot?). Plus, if you remembered to bring your telescope along, you now have constant access to truly dark skies, optimal for observing. Taking up amateur astronomy while living on distant Saturn may help cure your inevitable loneliness. For instance, here is actual audio recorded by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft in 2003, while orbiting your lonely planet: Viewing Saturn’s Infamous Rings Now, it’s time for the main attraction. The primary reason you moved to the sixth planet from the Sun, it’s rings. The multiple rings are composed almost entirely of water ice chunks. And, these ice chunks can be the size of sand grains to as big as a typical building. Astonishingly, the rings stretch out for 240,000 miles but are only around 30 feet thick. In other words, if the rings were scaled down to the size of a piece of standard paper, the paper would be 10,000 times thicker than the rings. A terrific and more thorough explanation of this scenario can be found on Phil Plait’s blog. There are several theories as to how your planet’s flagship landmark came to be. Some think a series of asteroid collisions with Saturn’s Moons caused leftover debris to be trapped in orbit. Others think it may be leftover debris from the original formation of our solar system’s planets over four billion years ago. Regardless, if you see one attraction in your first year on Saturn, make it the rings. Your Typical Year on Saturn Despite your short days and nights, your new year is much longer now. Because of its far-out orbit, a single year on Saturn lasts for nearly 10,800 Earth days. A single one of your new years is the same as 29 years on your previous planet. In other words, if you left Earth at 40 …

Astronomy

Living On Neptune (What Would Life Be on Neptune?)

This is about how it would be to live on the planet Neptune. How about bone-breaking winds? So if you want to know how life on Neptune might be, this article is for you. Let’s get right into it! What Would It Be Like To Live on Neptune? First predicted in 1781 by using only math, Neptune is a distant ice giant. Earning its name from the Roman god of the sea for its deep blue color, Neptune lies 2.7 billion miles away. Plus, upon Pluto’s planetary demotion in 2006, Neptune is our solar system’s most distant planet. But, what would it be like living on Neptune? Similar to most planets, Neptune is a volatile world with no solid surfaces. Besides, the desolate planet is no place for human life. However, let’s use our imagination and pretend that we have the tools needed to inhabit Neptune. Neptune – Quick Facts Distance from Sun: 2.8 billion miles Text Message to Earth: Takes about 4.3 hrs. Mass: 17 x Earth Width: 3.9 x Earth Gravity: 110% of Earth Length of Day: 16 hours (67% of 1 Earth Day) Length of Year: 60,190 days (165 x 1 Earth year) Average Temperature: -330º F Pressure: Unknown Moons: 14 known Rings: Yes Scouting Your New Neighborhood Now, similar to living on other planets in the outer solar system, your new planet has no solid surface. Therefore, living on Neptune will require constructing a bubble-like dome in the upper atmosphere. But, the dome will require tremendous strength to shelter you from deadly winds. Wind and Chills encompass all Neptune regions. But, the northern parts are slightly more favorable. Our only close encounter with Neptune happened with Voyager 2 in 1989. Despite the few missions, data indicates the southern region is home to the most extreme weather. Finally, living on Neptune will require advanced water technology systems. Frigid temperatures and sparse Sun energy mean most substances, including water, are frozen. Now, it is believed that liquid water may exist far below Neptune’s surface. However, the likely deadly pressures are well worth avoiding. Your Typical Day on Neptune Now, during your newly-shortened day, you venture out to explore. At 97,000 miles around, Neptune is not easily explored in a single day. Not to mention, your planet is mostly wild winds and deadly storms. Not necessarily a sight-seeing dream world. Yet, living on Neptune does have one infamous landmark. Technically, your new home’s day is only 16 hours and 6 minutes. Not so bad, right? However, not having solid surfaces means different parts of your planet rotate at varying speeds. Visiting central regions introduces 18-hour days. On the bright side, your new typical workday is five hours. In other words, the “nine-to-two” grind is now your daily routine. Journeying into the southern parts, you encounter the Great Dark Spot. First discovered by Voyager 2, the Dark Spot is a gigantic storm, big enough to fit your previous home planet, Earth. But, with recorded wind speeds of 1,500 miles per hour, you keep a safe distance. Approaching dinner time, you decide to return home. Although, with nearly zero sunlight, your days and nights are both permanently pitch black. Your Typical Night on Neptune Surprisingly, your sky shows six rings. Made of dark, dusty materials, your rings remained unseen until the 1980s. Paling in comparison to Saturn’s beautiful ring system, you are still in utter awe. Plus, astronomers believe your rings will be rather temporary. So, your move has happened at a special time. Now, after enjoying the rings, your telescope turns to your 14 known moons, including Triton, your largest moon. Triton spins in the opposite direction of its planet and is the only large moon to do so. Ultimately, captured by Neptune, Triton once wandered aimlessly through the solar system. Deemed one of the coldest places in the solar system, Triton’s surface is -391º Fahrenheit. Also, one of the few currently geologically active moons, Triton has volcanos. Yet, observing the volcanos from a safe distance, you instantly notice that they are unusual. Shimmering geysers of nitrogen and ammonia gas burst five miles into the sky. Finally, you enjoy a spectacular view of neighboring planets. As opposed to Earth, the previously hard-to-see planets are now your night sky staples. Though still distant, Uranus becomes slightly more visible, especially under such clear, dark skies. Even the tiny former planet, Pluto, is in play. Now, only a few hundred million miles away, Pluto is similar to Earth to Jupiter. Pluto’s micro size still proves difficult to see. Yet, much easier than your formerly 4.6 billion mile feat. Your Typical Year on Neptune Living on Neptune, your new calendar year will be a massive change. One single year on your new planet is more than 60,000 Earth-days-long. Actually, in 2011 your planet completed only its first orbit since its discovery in 1846. Basically, if you left Earth upon retiring at 65-years-old, you are now less than one year old (queue Frank Sinatra’s “You Make Me Feel So Young”). In fact, your first birthday party will not occur for another 24,000 days. So, keep in mind that your Dora the Explorer-themed party may seem rather foolish and outdated by then. However, you now move quite sluggishly, even for a toddler. Living on Neptune means 10% more gravity than Earth. Bodyweight, running speeds, and weight lifting abilities are now working against you. But, hey, you now have 165 Earth-years to work on meeting your New Year’s resolution. Your Local Weather Forecast Does Northface or Patagonia have any sales? You should check, simply because your new planet is an absolute Popsicle. Living on Neptune brings constant temperatures below -300º F. Being billions of miles away from the sun means little-to-no light or heat. Plus, any “heat” you do enjoy comes from processes in your new world’s interior. And, that ain’t much. Yet, believe it or not, the cold is not your worst enemy. Clocking the fastest winds in the solar system, Neptune is our cosmic Chicago. Wind speeds on Neptune can …

Astronomy

Living On Mars (What Would Life Be on Mars?)

This is about how it would be to live on the planet Mars. How about you’re only half your Earth age? So if you want to know how life on Mars might be, this article is for you. Let’s jump right in! What Would It Be Like To Live on Mars? We have fictionally spoken and written about sending Humans to our small neighbor, Mars, for many years. We have NASA’s Mars Rover permanently on the planet, allowing us to remotely explore and see Mars videos. Now, we even have genuine plans to send humans to the red planet within a decade. But have you ever stopped to truly think about what life would be like on Mars? Let’s assume all necessary technology and equipment is currently available, and let’s find out! Mars – Quick Facts Distance from Sun: 142 million miles Text Message to Earth: Takes about 13 min. Mass: 11% of Earth Width: 50% of Earth Gravity: 38% of Earth Length of Day: 25 hours (1.04 x 1 Earth Day) Length of Year: 687 days (1.88 x 1 Earth year) Average Temperature: -85º F Pressure: 1% of Earth Moons: 2 Rings: No Your Typical Day on Mars Your mornings and days on Mars would feel somewhat familiar to those on Earth. Your Sun would rise and set quite similarly to Earth in that the day is only one hour longer at 25 hours. However, as you explore your new home, you see a much different environment. Mars is infamously red because of rusting iron throughout its dusty surface. This dust also creates an orange-colored, hazy sky that blurs the Sun and causes its surrounding areas to appear slightly blue in color. To help your homesickness, Mars has what could easily be its own national parks. For instance, Olympus Mons, which is the largest known volcano in our solar system. Towering at a breath-taking 88 thousand feet, this giant is three times as high as Mount Everest. Plan your trip to Olympus carefully, as many astronomers believe it may still be active. If you never got to see the Grand Canyon on Earth, never fear. You can plan a trip to visit Valles Mariners. This vast system of valleys spans as far as the continental United States. Its valleys can reach almost five miles deep. That’s nearly six times as long and five times deeper than Earth’s Grand Canyon. Your Typical Night on Mars Unlike life on Mercury or Venus, your night sky would be full of action. You would instantly notice a canvas of thousands of shining stars from end to end. Since your new nights are almost the same length as Earth, you would feel comfortable knowing that you could fall asleep and wake up to a new day. Unlike the inner-most three planets (Mercury, Venus, and Earth), you have not one but two Moons, named Phobos and Deimos. Named after the horses that pulled the Roman god of war, Ares’ chariot, Phobos means “fear,” and Deimos means “panic.” But, despite their names, there’s no need to be alarmed. Even from your new planet, your Moons will appear very small and underwhelming in the night sky. Phobos is 14 miles wide, and smaller Deimos is only 8 miles wide. Occasionally, both Moons will rise together in the night sky. You will definitely want to pack your telescope. That will be quite a sight to see. Your Typical Year on Mars Your new calendar year, despite its extreme dangers, has some silver linings. It is nearly twice as long as an Earth year, but with that comes seasons that are twice as long, too. Because your planet is slightly tilted on its axis, like Earth, you will experience all four seasons. Your new Spring lasts seven months, your Summer six months, your Autumn 5 months, and Winter four months. For most of us, that’s ideal. At only 38% of Earth’s gravity, you can jump three times as high, lift weight three times as easily, and you now only weigh around one-third of your Earth-weight. Once you get used to controlling your body in this new environment, it may not be too shabby. Not to mention, you are now only around half of your Earth age. In other words, if you were 30 years old when you left Earth, you will be turning 16 on Mars. This is perfect timing because you can now legally drive the Mars Rover Curiosity. That is, assuming your new planet has the same legal driving age or licenses in general. Your Local Weather Forecast Your local forecast is very dusty with a chance of hot or cold. Due to your sparse atmosphere, your sky and environment are almost always very hazy with iron-rich dust. This is also what causes the red-orange-colored skies around you. You will often experience increasing winds that cause severe dust storms that cover your new planet entirely. You will want to keep an eye out for these. Your biggest concern will be the extremely high amount of radiation let in by incoming sunlight with your thin atmosphere. We recommend inventing an SPF 1,000,000 sunscreen before your move-in on Mars. Since your new atmosphere is only 1% as dense as Earth’s, heat and cold are not easily trapped, so your temperatures will fluctuate quickly. Though your temperature is typically around -80º Fahrenheit, it can suddenly jump up to around 70º F by the equator during your Summers. Afternoon rainstorms are highly likely, but you will never see a single drop hit the Mars surface because of your extremely dry climate. If you live around the poles, where you have large frozen icecaps, you may occasionally experience snowstorms. However, these storms differ from Earth in that they are flakes of dry ice. For Sale! Are you looking for extended Springs and Summers, starry night skies, and an additional Moon? Are your allergies unaffected by dust, and you truly appreciate the colors orange and red? Then, Mars may be the perfect place for you. But, with its extremely cold temperatures and risk for fatal radiation, you will …

Astronomy

Living On Mercury (What Would Life Be on Mercury?)

This is about how it would be to live on the planet Mercury. How about a black sky in the daytime? So if you want to know how life on Mercury might be, this article is for you. Let’s get started! What Would It Be Like To Live on Mercury? As most of us already know, living essentially anywhere besides Earth in our solar system would be extremely deadly. Let’s forget about that for a moment and assume that we have the technology and capabilities to do so. So, what would it be like to live on Mercury? Let’s find out! Mercury – Quick Facts Distance from Sun: 35 million miles Text Message to Earth: Takes about 3 min. Mass: 5% of Earth Width: 38% of Earth Gravity: 38% of Earth Length of Day: 1,408 hours (59 x Earth Day) Length of Year: 88 days (24% of 1 Earth year) Average Temp: 333º F Pressure: Unknown Moons: No Rings: No Your Typical Day on Mercury You would wake up, just like your Earth day. Except, when you woke up, you would only be about 2% of the way through the same day you went to sleep. This is because a Mercurial day is 59 times as long as one Earth day, or 1,400 hours. You decide to make some coffee and watch the sunrise on your porch. As opposed to the brief, sacred time that it takes for the Sun to rise on Earth, you would have a much different experience on this new planet. The Sun begins to rise and suddenly appears to come to a complete stop in the ski. After a while, it begins moving back in the opposite direction. Finally, it continues the other way on its original path and sets. You might be thinking that this actually sounds rather enjoyable. But, keep in mind that this sunrise would take over 170 Earth days because of the incredibly long day. Hope you made a large pot of coffee. Your Typical Night on Mercury As your freezing night begins, your sky would look identical to the way it did during the day (explained below), pitch black. The stars would certainly be bright and would not even twinkle once without a hazy atmosphere in your way. One large, noticeable difference would be that you have no moon to look at. In fact, you have no moons at all. If you’re looking to stay up late, you may want to keep in mind that midnight will not occur until almost 44 Earth days after the Sun has gone down. Your Typical Year on Mercury With Mercury’s low gravity, which is only around 38% of that on Earth, your first year would have some big upsides. For starters, you would be able to jump almost three times as high and lift three times as much. You would also weigh about one-third of your current weight on Earth without any exercise. With your new calendar year being only 88 days long, you would have four times as many birthdays. However, this would also make you four times as old. If you were 20 years old on Earth, you would be 85 years old on Mercury. Your Local Weather Forecast Mercury has essentially no atmosphere, which would make for very predictable, but brutal days and nights. For instance, without a thick atmosphere to scatter the Sun’s incoming light, your daytime skies would appear almost completely black, and stars would never twinkle. On most parts of the planet, your average temperatures would be around 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After all, this new planet is only 35 million miles from the Sun, which is not far in cosmic terms. When the Sun finally sets, temperatures plummet very quickly to around -200 degrees Fahrenheit because there is no atmosphere to trap the heat. With the high temperatures, if you are hoping for a nice rainstorm, don’t hold your breath. With little to no atmosphere, you would never have rain, or snow, or hurricanes. You could, however, experience earthquakes, or Mercuryquakes rather, because as the planet’s molten core cools over time, it’s slowly breaking down and causing Mercury to shrink. So, it looks like you can cross off weather reporter during your new job search. It’s definitely going to be really hot, then really cold with a 0% chance of precipitation. For Sale! If 100-day sunrises, scorching days, frigid nights, and lots of birthday parties are what you seek, then Mercury would be a great location for you. Only two space missions have ever visited Mercury for what it’s worth, so you might want to do some research first before moving there. See What Life Would Be Like on Another Plant Jupiter Mars Moon Neptune Saturn Sun Uranus Venus

Astronomy

10 Stars Which Turn Supernova Next

Here are the 10 stars most likely to go supernova next: RS Ophiuchi 119 Tauri Pi Puppis Rigel Gamma Velorum Betelgeuse Antares Alpha Lupi Spica IK Pegasi Supernovas are visible during the day for up to several weeks or months. So if you want to learn all about which stars are most likely to supernova next, then you’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in! Stars and Supernovas Stars are delicate machines, using perfect balances of gravity pushing in and nuclear power pushing out. When a massive enough star runs out of nuclear fuel, gravity wins, and the star collapses on itself. Now, a massive explosion happens, a supernova. But, what is the next star to go supernova? Supernovas emit tremendous energy. In fact, a supernova would temporarily shine brighter than everything except the Moon in our sky. Actually, it would even be visible during the day for up to several weeks or months. Now, that would be a true sight. Unfortunately, supernovas in our region of the Milky Way only occur once every 50 to 100 years. Therefore, the science community is constantly trying and hoping to predict which nearby star will explode next. So, here are the top 10 candidates for the next star to go supernova. Keep reading! #1 RS Ophiuchi Nearly 4,000 light-years away in the constellation, Ophiuchus, RS Ophiuchi is a white dwarf nova system. Plus, it’s in its late evolutionary stages. RS Ophiuchi is relatively close and prime to go supernova. #2 119 Tauri 119 Tauri is 1,700 light-years away, in the constellation Taurus. And, as one of the reddest stars seen with the naked eye, 119 Tauri is also 600 times the mass of our Sun and ready to explode. #3 Pi Puppis The next star to go supernova could be Pi Puppis. Constellation Puppis’ second brightest star is only 1,100 light-years from Earth. Plus, Pi Puppis is a supergiant that has already consumed all of the hydrogens in its core. #4 Rigel The next star to go supernova could be the seventh brightest star in the sky, Rigel. Actually, Rigel is part of a triple or quadruple star system. Plus, at 860 light-years away in the constellation Orion, Rigel would put on quite a show. #5 Gamma Velorum Gamma Velorum lies 800 light-years away in the constellation, Vela. And, as one of the brightest stars in the night sky, Gamma Velorum is part of a four-star system. Now, Gamma Velorum has already shed its outer layers and is on the way to going supernova. #6 Betelgeuse One of the most notable stars in Orion, and the ninth brightest in the ski, is Betelgeuse. At 640 light-years away, Betelgeuse is a massive red giant star. In fact, if Betelgeuse were our solar system’s star, it would extend beyond Jupiter’s orbit. Plus, nearing the end of its life, Betelgeuse is expected to go supernova any day now. #7 Antares Scorpius’ brightest star, Antares, is possibly the next star to go supernova. Not to mention, this massive red supergiant is only 600 light-years away. In other words, this explosion would create an unparalleled sight in our sky. #8 Alpha Lupi Constellation Lupus’ brightest star, Alpha Lupi, may be the next star to go supernova. At a measly 460 light-years from Earth, Alpha Lupi has a mass of more than 10 Suns. Alpha Lupi is locked and ready to go supernova. #9 Spica Spica is the Virgo constellation’s brightest star. It’s also a likely candidate for the next star to go supernova. Plus, at only 240 light-years away, Spica would put on a display, possibly brighter than a full Moon. Spica’s explosion would be seen in broad daylight for several weeks. #10 IK Pegasi Only 150 light-years from Earth, IS Pegasi is now a white dwarf. In other words, the star is in the late evolutionary stages of its life. Now, it’s only a matter of time before it explodes, giving us an incredible sight in the night and daytime skies.

What Is the Hottest Planet in Our Universe?

Astronomy

KELT-9b: Hottest Planet in Our Universe?

This is about the hottest planet in our universe: KELT-9b. The hottest planet in our solar system is Venus. So if you want to know more about the hottest planet in our universe is, you’re in the right place. Let’s get right into it! Hottest Planet in Our Universe Since confirming our first official exoplanet discovery in the early 1990s, we have spotted all shapes, sizes, speeds, and more. However, a new champion for the hottest known planet was crowned in 2017, KELT-9b. Hottest of Hot Jupiters In our exoplanet search, it’s not uncommon to find Hot Jupiters, gas giant of Jupiter’s size and mass with a close, almost Mercury-like orbit around its star. Often earning the alternate nickname, roasters, these planets clearly experience wildly hot temperatures. Yet, the discovered KELT-9b has officially blown the competition away, experiencing daytime temperatures of 7,800º Fahrenheit. In other words, KELT-9b is hotter than most stars. No, that’s not a typo. Announced at the 230th meeting of the American Astronomical Society by B. Scott Gaudi (Ohio State) and Karen Collins (Vanderbilt University), KELT-9b was discovered during the KELT survey (Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope). KELT surveys the sky for abnormally bright and large stars, typically left unexplored by other exoplanet missions, like NASA’s Kepler. At three times Jupiter’s mass and twice its size, even KELT’s small telescopes could spot KELT-9b orbiting its parent star. All in the Parent Star KELT-9b owes its record-setting temperatures mostly to its Sun, KELT-9. The large A-type blue giant star is around 2.5 times our Sun’s mass. However, KELT-9 produces staggering temperatures, blasting out lethal ultraviolet radiation. The scorching radiation is causing the planet to simply evaporate as it orbits the star. In fact, it may be losing 100 billion to 100 trillion grams of atmosphere per second, according to Gaudi. The evaporating material likely gives KELT-9b a comet-style tail. Plus, the KELT-9 parent star rotates so rapidly that it takes on an egg-like shape (depicted in article feature image). Actually, this same effect can be seen in our own solar system’s Saturn. Weird Behaviors of KELT-9b A planet slowly evaporating is strange enough. However, it is only one of many other odd things about KELT-9b. KELT-9b is tidally locked with its Sun, meaning the same side constantly faces the star. Our Moon is tidally locked with Earth, causing its so-called permanently “dark side.” As a result, this side experiences the sweltering 7,800º temperatures. Not to mention, molecules and potential for life are simply unable to be produced on this side. Alternatively, the “dark side” of KELT-9b lies in eternal darkness. But, with the planet’s minuscule atmosphere, heat is likely not easily transferred from the daytime side. As a result, the planet’s dark side is drastically “cooler.” However, under such radiation, the planet’s sheer surface temperature ensures truly hot conditions, regardless of side. Existing so close to its Sun, like Mercury, KELT-9b orbits rapidly in only 1.5 days! Not all that uncommon, right? But, unlike most planets, KELT orbits perpendicular to its star’s axis of rotation. In other words, the planet orbits over and under the star’s north and south poles. That is rather uncommon. Unlivable, but Worth It Indeed, this planet is completely unsuitable for human life as we know it. But, studying the mysterious planet is well worth our efforts. According to Gaudi, Earth-like planets orbiting Sun-like stars are both desirable and relatively easy targets. Yet, worlds like this help us learn how planetary systems form around hotter, brighter, more massive stars. While living on KELT-9b may be out of the question, it may provide one more puzzle piece for understanding our fascinating universe.

Astronomy

10 Fascinating Facts About Jupiter

These are 10 fascinating facts about Jupiter. That’s 300 times bigger than Earth all the way up to the most powerful electromagnetic field in the solar system. So if you want to learn 10 fascinating facts about Jupiter, then this article is for you. Let’s get started! 10 Jupiter Facts Jupiter is named after the king of the gods in Greek and Roman mythology. Jupiter shrouded himself in a cloak of clouds to hide his mischief. Similarly, planet Jupiter conceals exciting and fascinating mysteries beneath its deadly clouds. It’s also an absolute giant. In fact, the only thing bigger in our solar system is the Sun. As on of the naked eye planets, Jupiter shines bright and powerful in our night skies. It has been studied since the times of ancient human civilizations. Without further ado, here are 10 fascinating facts about Jupiter! #1 Jupiter Is Big. Like… Huge It’s no secret that Jupiter is the biggest planet in our solar system. But it’s actually more than 300 times as massive as Earth. Jupiter is 2.5 more massive than all other planets in our solar system combined. The only thing bigger and more massive in the solar system is our Sun. #2 Winner: Fastest Spinning Planet in the Solar System Jupiter may be gigantic, but it spins faster than any other planet. Kind of like an NFL lineman running a 4-second 40-yard-dash. It rotates at nearly 30,000 miles per hour. Due to this speed, Jupiter’s day is only 10 hours long. This incredible speed even causes the regions around Jupiter’s equator to bulge out significantly. #3 The Longest Storm: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Perhaps Jupiter’s most famous feature, the Great Red Spot, is a wild and gigantic storm. The storm is big enough to fit three Earths in its diameter. The Great Red Spot has been raging on for more than 350 years and shows little-to-no signs of slowing down any time soon. #4 Jupiter Is the Fourth Brightest Object in Our Sky Only the Moon, Sun, and Venus shine brighter from Earth. In fact, Jupiter is so bright that its observational recordings date back to the 7th century BC, by ancient Babylonians. It is the second brightest of what we call the naked-eye planets. #5 Winner: Largest Known Moon in the Solar System Of Jupiter’s award-winning 67 known moons, Ganymede takes the prize for the biggest Moon. At 3,200 miles across, Ganymede is even bigger than planet Mercury. On the other hand, our Moon is only 2,000 miles across. #6 Jupiter Could Have Been a Star Don’t worry. It won’t happen. Jupiter is similar to a star in that it is predominantly composed of hydrogen and helium. It’s also very massive, much like a typical star, but not quite enough. If the planet were to grow around 70 times as large as it is now, nuclear fusion would occur. If this growth were to happen magically and fusion kicked in, Jupiter would transform into a real star. That would cause quite a brutal situation for our solar system. We would have two Suns. #7 Jupiter, the Ringed Planet? That’s right, Jupiter has rings. Actually, it is one of four planets with ring systems (Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). However, the rings are quite faint and not something you could see through an amateur telescope. Jupiter’s rings even have sections, just like the famous rings of Saturn that we have all seen and know. #8 Jupiter Has Liquid Oceans Beneath Its Clouds Though these are not the kind of oceans you would want to go swimming in, they are liquid hydrogen. It obviously takes extreme conditions for elements like hydrogen to reach a liquid phase. Somewhere around -400º Fahrenheit, to be exact. Plus, the oceans are surrounded by thousands of miles of gases. #9 Jupiter Is Earth’s Protective Big Brother Due to its gigantic size and gravity, Jupiter pulls in many things floating around the solar system. Doing this has saved Earth from several comets and asteroids that otherwise would have hit us. This was particularly witnessed with the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet in 1994. Jupiter’s strong gravity broke the comet apart, and the pieces ultimately pummeled Jupiter. Thanks, big bro. #10 Jupiter’s Radiation Belt Is Huge Again, Jupiter has the solar system’s most powerful electromagnetic field because of its large size and extreme conditions. In fact, if it were visible to us, Jupiter would appear to be as big as our Sun. For this reason, missions like NASA’s Juno spacecraft must travel very carefully and protect their equipment.

Astronomy

Living On Jupiter (What Would Life Be on Jupiter?)

This is about how it would be to live on the planet Jupiter. How about a brisk -240º Fahrenheit? So if you want to know how life on Saturn might be, this article is for you. Let’s jump right in! What Would It Be Like To Live on Jupiter? What would it be like living on Jupiter? Well, it is a gigantic ball of gas, and therefore has no solid surface to live on. But, for now, let’s ignore that and journey past the inner, rocky planets to explore your new home, Jupiter. Jupiter, in Roman mythology, was the god of all gods. Jupiter, among planets, assumes this same role. This gas giant is the largest planet in our solar system, out-sized only by our enormous Sun. Actually, it is so large that it would have been another Sun if it were only 80 times bigger. Currently accepted theory even states that Jupiter likely played a key role in the formation of our entire solar system. Without further ado, let’s assume all necessary technology is in place to protect from harm and see what it would be like to live on Jupiter. Jupiter – Quick Facts Distance from Sun: 484 million miles Text Message to Earth: Takes about 48 min. Mass: 318 x Earth Width: 11 x Earth Gravity: 2.4 x Earth Length of Day: 10 hours (42% of 1 Earth Day) Length of Year: 4,333 days (12 x 1 Earth year) Average Temperature: -166º F Pressure: Unknown Moons: 67 known Rings: Yes Scouting a New Neighborhood You now officially live in the outer solar system, with your new home just under 500 million miles away from planet Earth. Out here, things start getting really weird and spooky. We have already visited the inner rocky planets, like Venus, Mercury, and Mars were dangerous enough. But, the outer solar system is an entirely new arena of dangers. Picking out the region in which you’ll now receive your mail will be most important. Let’s go over the options. Here is a video from NASA to hear the actual sound of Juno entering Jupiter’s eerie magnetic field: Remember the metallic hydrogen ocean inside of Jupiter? Yeah, that metal is now a super-conductor for these particles. That surface layer real-estate is looking pretty good right now, eh? Even still, you will need very sophisticated protection against this strong field and its radiant properties. According to a study using data from the Voyager and Galileo missions, Jupiter’s moon Io’s volcano clusters are offset hundreds of miles eastward of where they were predicted to be. (NASA/JPL) Your Typical Day on Jupiter Having a bad day? Hate Mondays? The good news is that your new day living on Jupiter only lasts five hours. So, you’ll only have to wait for 20% as long for the next episode of The Walking Dead to air. Jupiter is the biggest and fastest-spinning planet in our solar system. Kind of like an NFL lineman running a 4-second 40-yard-dash. The planet rotates once every 10 hours. Jupiter’s gravity is immense, nearly three times that of Earth. So, productivity will be a concern. The amount of sluggish activity you will fit in a five-hour day will be very little. You will want your office, your favorite restaurants, and your gym nearby. Between your sloth-like movement and your planet being almost 300,000 miles around, getting from point A to B will not be quick. However, living on Jupiter does have some perks. For instance, every two weeks, you can watch the Juno spacecraft fly by as it orbits. Nostalgically, this will be the new version of what the International Space Station was on Earth. Plus, depending on your selected location, you could get a close-up view of three faint rings (above). Yes, your new home has a ring system. They are very sparse, nothing like Saturn’s famous rings. Telescopes from Earth never see these, so this might be a nice treat. Your Typical Night on Jupiter Nighttime on Jupiter will be similar to your day; brief. Only lasting for a short five hours, you will want to maximize sleep. But, if you do want to stay up, there are some sights to see. Do you ever stay up late on Earth to see the Moon on a summer night? Living on Jupiter, you have 67 Moons, maybe more. Ganymede, our solar system’s biggest Moon, floats nearly 700,000 miles out. But, at over 3,000 miles wide, Ganymede is 8% larger than planet Mercury, so it should be easily viewed. Actually, Ganymede, alongside Io, Callisto and Europa, is one of four Galilean Moons. Discovered in 1610 by famous astronomer Galileo Galilei, these Moons were the first known object to orbit another planet. So, you will be front row for some of astronomy’s most epic history. Finally, if you venture up North, you can see the biggest auroras in the solar system. They are bigger than the entire planet Earth and are the main focus of Juno’s mission. Despite their incredibly dangerous radiation and electricity, they would put our northern lights to shame. Your Typical Year on Jupiter In contrast to your brief days and night, your new home’s calendar year lasts 4,333 Earth days. That is nearly twelve times your normal Earth year. Because of this long year, if you left Earth in your 30s, you are just now fighting your way through the “Terrible Two’s” on Jupiter. Also, with your nagging new gravity, your weight will spike … a lot. In other words, if you left Earth a fit 150 pounds, you now weigh in at 350 pounds. If you could leap 20 inches high on Earth, you sadly only have eight inches of “ups” now. Finally, if you were proudly bench-pressing 200 pounds on Earth, you are now putting up 80 pounds. Maybe you can open up a new Jovian gym called 10 Hour Fitness? Bottom line: you are now a slow, overweight two-year-old with a pathetic vertical, putting up disgraceful numbers in the gym. So, you might want to put healthy snacks, not far away, on the lowest possible shelves. Your Local Weather Forecast Living …

Astronomy

Dragonfly 44 Galaxy: 99.9% Dark Matter

This is about the galaxy Dragonfly 44. Dragonfly 44 is made of 99.9% dark matter. So if you want to learn more about the Dragonfly 44 galaxy, you’re in the right place. Let’s jump right in! Galaxy Dragonfly 44 Discoverd Using the W.M. Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, astronomers have located a unique galaxy, Dragonfly 44. Tucked 70,000 light-years away in the Coma Cluster, Dragonfly 44 has approximately the same mass as our own Milky Way galaxy. Yet, it contains less than one-hundredth of our star count. But, how can that be? If this galaxy contains drastically less matter than ours, how could it have the same mass? Astronomers believe this inconsistency is because Dragonfly 44 is composed of around 99.9% dark matter. What Is Dark Matter? The short answer: nobody really knows. But, dark matter is a type of matter that does not interact with the electromagnetic spectrum. In other words, it does not interact with the matter that our entire worlds and lives are based upon. Because of this, scientists are not able to directly observe, test, or see dark matter, hence the name. In fact, we now know that all of the normal matter in our known universe only accounts for less than 5% of its total mass. That means that all of the stars, planets, galaxies, and everything else you can imagine is only a fraction of the universe. So, when you look at the night sky, the black space in between stars is not quite as empty as you may think. How Do We Know Dragonfly 44 Is Made of Dark Matter? Currently, we are only able to observe dark matter through its impacts on surrounding visible matter. Astronomers can accurately measure a galaxy’s mass based on the motions of the galaxy’s stars. Basically, certain levels of mass cause specific speeds and motions of stars. However, when astronomers observed Dragonfly 44, stars were moving remarkably fast compared to the mass contained in the galaxy. Actually, their measurements indicated that around one one-hundredth of one percent of Dragonfly 44’s mass was in the form of visible matter, like stars. They knew something must be causing these puzzling speeds. This was when researchers became convinced that the missing mass must be in the form of dark matter. Why Is Dragonfly 44 Important? Unraveling the dark matter mystery is currently at the top of nearly very astronomers’ and physicists’ lists. This invisible matter that accounts for a very large portion of the known universe will be the discovery of the century, no doubt. Dragonfly 44 is relatively nearby in cosmic terms, allowing it to be observed much easier than distant, ancient galaxies. Also, if the galaxy truly is composed almost entirely of dark matter then, what better place to study the elusive material? Finally, with an unusually low surface brightness and sparse star count, Dragonfly 44 allows for clear, uncluttered observation. But, again, this can only help with attempting to understand dark matter. What Is Next For Dragonfly 44? Needless to say, the dark matter debacle will not likely be resolved in the very near future. But, Dragonfly 44 will certainly be a nice stepping stone to help with the quest. This galaxy sits in a group of more than a thousand identified galaxies, known as the Coma Cluster. Researchers are already seeking and identifying other galaxies in the cluster with similar low brightness to Dragonfly 44. Perhaps these peculiar entities will be one of the keys to solving modern astronomy’s arguably biggest mystery, dark matter.

Astronomy

Proxima Centauri B: Earth-Like Planet in Our Cosmic Backyard

This is about the exoplanet Proxima Centauri B. There might be life on Proxima Centauri B. So if you want to know more about Proxima Centauri B, this is the article for you. Let’s get started! Exoplanet Centauri B Proxima Centauri B looks to be the leading candidate for a cosmic home. In recent years, the search for exoplanets (planets beyond our solar system) has been productive and exciting. Since its official start in 1988, we have discovered over 3,500 confirmed exoplanets. More specifically, the search is for Earth-like planets. Most importantly, we seek planets orbiting within a particular distance from their star, known as the habitable zone. It is in this specific zone that a planet can support the presence of liquid water. Where this is liquid water, there is oxygen, and where there is oxygen, there is, or could be, life. How Far Away Is Proxima Centauri B? The exciting new exoplanet was confirmed orbiting the star Proxima Centauri, which is 4.42 light-years away. In cosmic terms, this is right in our backyard. Truly, this is the closest star to our solar system. Now, in human terms, this is nearly 25 trillion miles away, which poses obvious problems. Unfortunately, even traveling at 150,000 miles per hour would take us nearly 18,000 years to reach the neighboring star. But, as technology advances over upcoming decades, experts hope this time diminishes greatly. As it has always been, the goal is to find ways to increase our travel speeds and methods. Since light speed is the universe’s official speed limit, the goal is to travel as close to this velocity as possible. If we could travel at light speeds someday, journeying to Proxima Centauri B would be a short 4-year voyage. Could There Be Life on Proxima Centauri B? Confirming that a planet orbits in the habitable zone are only one step to determining whether it can harbor life. For instance, Venus is just inside our habitable zone and is one of the most lethal places in our entire solar system. Like many planets, Venus likely lost its atmosphere in its young life due to the harsh bombarding materials from the Sun. Two primary features are key for a planet’s habitability: atmosphere and magnetic field. Both items shield a planet from deadly incoming materials of stars and the rest of the universe. Without these protectors, even planets in the habitable zone, like Proxima Centauri B, can be barren, freezing wastelands. Proxima Centauri B Characteristics Part of searching for a human-friendly planet is mass. As we see in large planets like Jupiter, too much mass creates environments entirely unsuitable for human life. Fortunately, Proxima Centauri B is thought to be around 1.3 times Earth’s size, which is a completely acceptable (and exciting) size for a planet. Plus, if Proxima Centauri B does still have its atmosphere, its temperatures may be as high as 86º F on the sunny side and as low as -22º on the shaded side. These are absolutely manageable temperatures for human lifeforms. What Comes Next For Proxima Centauri B? Similar to most astronomical findings, the next step is research, research, and more research. Instead of jetting off to visit the newly found planet, astronomers will likely push telescopes to their limits to further investigate the world. Regardless, this discovery marks a turning point in science. This is a shot of hope and confidence that Earth-like planets orbiting similar stars in habitable zones are not out-of-the-question. Furthermore, finding a planet orbiting the closest star to Earth after years of observations tells us that we are likely to find these planets in many places if we continue searching. Thus, this kind of boost will only continue to heat up the search for habitable exoplanets.