Discover Why This Unique Planetary System Is Revolutionizing Our Understanding of Solar Systems

Over the last thirty years, scientists have identified around 6,000 planets in distant solar systems. Interestingly, only a few of these planets have been actually photographed. Most were detected by observing how they cause stars to dim as they pass in front of them or by noting the gravitational effects they have on their stars. Recently, scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope made a breakthrough by capturing an image of one such planet, revealing new details about a fascinating solar system.

The star 14 Herculis, located about 60 light-years away in the constellation Hercules, hosts two planets. While 14 Herculis b is too close to its star to be seen, 14 Herculis c orbits at a greater distance and has an average surface temperature of about -3 degrees Celsius. This cold temperature made it tricky to photograph, but the James Webb Space Telescope’s infrared capabilities allowed researchers to finally capture it.

William Balmer, a Ph.D. student at Johns Hopkins University, said, “The colder an exoplanet is, the tougher it is to image. Webb’s sensitivity allows us to explore older, colder planets we couldn’t see before.” This new capability expands our understanding of the kinds of planets that exist.

In this unusual solar system, the planets have tilted orbital paths—40 degrees apart—creating an X-shaped configuration. Researchers think this peculiar alignment might be due to the possible past existence of a third planet that was ejected, affecting the orbits of the remaining ones.

Switching gears, let’s talk about space missions. The fourth private mission by Axiom Space to the International Space Station (ISS), named AX-4, recently faced delays due to a liquid oxygen leak from the Falcon 9 rocket set to launch it. The mission is led by veteran astronaut Peggy Whitson, who holds the U.S. record for the most time spent in space—675 days.

This mission is noteworthy for its inclusion of a significant Israeli-led experiment. Prof. Yoav Yair from Reichman University is studying atmospheric phenomena during thunderstorms—brief events known as “elves.” The AX-4 crew, including Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu, is trained to document these events as they fly over storms.

The experiment began with the first Axiom mission nearly three years ago. While the second mission didn’t bring much success, the last one showed promise, and researchers hope AX-4 will provide even better data. Additionally, the Rakia Mission helps link this experiment with educational projects in India, benefiting students like Shubhanshu Shukla, an astronaut from India.

In another space achievement, Rocket Lab successfully launched a radar satellite for the Japanese company iQPS, marking its fourth satellite for them. This mission enhances iQPS’s goal of creating a 36-satellite network for global radar imaging, which will allow for real-time tracking of various activities on Earth.

Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket has been a key player in the launch of small to medium satellites. With last week’s launch being the 66th for Electron, the company has plans to increase its operations, aiming for 20 successful launches in 2025. They’ve already lined up several contracts for both military and civilian satellites.

The advancements in space exploration—from capturing cold planets to launching satellites—show how rapidly our understanding and capabilities are evolving. As we better our technology and research methods, the mysteries of our universe become increasingly accessible, opening doors to new scientific discoveries.



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