Science, Space and Technology News 2024
A recent extreme solar storm has provided valuable insights into radiation exposure on Mars, crucial for future astronaut missions. High-energy particles caused visual disturbances on Mars’ rovers and orbiters, while NASA’s MAVEN captured the resulting auroras. Credit: NASA/University of Colorado/LASP
The biggest event occurred on May 20 with a solar flare later estimated to be an X12 — X-class solar flares are the strongest of several types — based on data from the. The flare sent out X-rays and gamma rays toward the Red Planet, while a subsequent coronal mass ejection launched charged particles. Moving at the speed of light, the X-rays and gamma rays from the flare arrived first, while the charged particles trailed slightly behind, reaching Mars in just tens of minutes.
Similarly, the star camera NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter uses for orientation was inundated with energy from solar particles, momentarily going out. Even with the brief lapse in its star camera, the orbiter collected vital data on X-rays, gamma rays, and charged particles using its High-Energy Neutron Detector.
Our home planet is shielded from charged particles by a robust magnetic field, which normally limits auroras to regions near the poles. Mars lost its internally generated magnetic field in the ancient past, so there’s no protection from the barrage of energetic particles. When charged particles hit the Martian atmosphere, it results in auroras that engulf the entire planet.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mysterious hole on Mars could protect explorers from cosmic radiationScientists are looking for vast lava tube networks on Mars, and they found a new candidate.
Read more »
Solar storm douses Mars in radiation as auroras flicker in the Red Planet sky (video)Keith Cooper is a freelance science journalist and editor in the United Kingdom, and has a degree in physics and astrophysics from the University of Manchester.
Read more »
Auroras and radiation from solar storms spotted on MarsIf we ever want to send people to visit the red planet, we're going to need to learn more about radiation and how it's affected by events like solar storms.
Read more »
Radiation will be a real challenge for Mars colonists, powerful solar storm showsMeredith is a regional Murrow award-winning Certified Broadcast Meteorologist and science/space correspondent. She most recently was a Freelance Meteorologist for NY 1 in New York City & the 19 First Alert Weather Team in Cleveland.
Read more »
NASA is Considering Other Ways of Getting its Mars Samples HomeSpace and astronomy news
Read more »
NASA is considering other ways of getting its Mars samples homeIn 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover landed in the Jezero Crater on Mars. For the next three years, this astrobiology mission collected soil and rock samples from the crater floor for eventual return to Earth.
Read more »