Astronomers have found the Milky Way’s biggest stellar black hole. Stellar black holes are formed when massive stars collapse at the end of their lives.
BH3 was identified in the latest data gathered by the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission after experts saw an odd wobbling motion on the star that was orbiting the black hole. The existence of the black hole in the Milky Way galaxy was confirmed by powerful telescopes and it was measured at 33 times the mass of the Sun.
The spot where the Indian Space Research Organisation’s Vikram lander had touched down on the Moon during the groundbreaking Chandrayaan-3 mission has been officially named “Shiva Shaku”, following approval by the International Astronomical Union.
On August 26, 2023 the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the landing site would be called “Shiva Shakti”. The name “Statio Shiva Shakti” for the Chandrayaan-3 landing site was approved by the Paris-based organisation on March 19.
On April 8, 2024, Mexico, the US, and Canada will experience a total solar eclipse. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk. Total solar eclipses are rare. This solar eclipse will not be visible in India.
However, it’s essential to note that despite the global interest in this celestial event, not everyone will have the chance to witness it firsthand. In the case of the April 8, 2024 eclipse, it will not be visible from India, highlighting the geographical specificity of such phenomena. Nevertheless, thanks to modern technology and media coverage, people around the world can still partake in the experience through live broadcasts and online resources.
NASA is planning to launch the Europa Clipper Mission to Jupiter’s watery moon in October 2024. It is also proposing to send along with the spacecraft a unique message that has been recorded in 103 languages including Hindi. NASA has found strong evidence of an ocean under the icy crust of Jupiter’s moon Europa. It is estimated that the amount of water on Europa is more than twice the amount of water of all of Earth’s oceans combined.
The message is engraved on a plate made from metal tantalum. NASA collected recordings of the word “water” spoken in 103 languages from around the world. The audio files were then converted into waveforms (visual representations of sound waves) and etched into the plate.
India’s first mission to the Sun, Aditya-L1 reached its final destination in space on January 6, 2024. The spacecraft has positioned itself at Lagrange Point 1 in the Sun’s orbit. Aditya, named after the Hindu Sun God, has travelled around 1.5 million km from Earth. It is now at a point where the gravitational forces of both celestial bodies cancel out, allowing it to remain in a stable halo orbit around the Sun.
The Indian Space Research Organisation’s Aditya-L1 mission was launched on September 2, 2023 and took four months to reach the Sun’s orbit. The Indian scientists believe that now since Aditya-L1 is in the Sun’s orbit, it will be able to watch the Sun constantly and carry out scientific studies. Aditya L-1 will spend five years in space observing solar activity, solar wind, and solar flares – and their effect on Earth.
thehindu.com
The Indian space agency has also said that some of the instruments on board the satellite have already started work, gathering data, and taking images.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the mission “a landmark” and an “extraordinary feat”.
