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Recent Space Discoveries
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Discovery of Proxima b (2016)
Proxima b is an Earth-sized exoplanet found orbiting within the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Sun. Its discovery is significant as it may have conditions suitable for liquid water and possibly life.
Interstellar Visitor 'Oumuamua (2017)
'Oumuamua is the first known interstellar object detected passing through our solar system. Its unusual shape and surface properties challenge our understanding of the composition of other solar systems.
Artemis I Launch (2022)
Artemis I is an uncrewed mission around the Moon, the first of NASA's Artemis program aiming to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future Mars missions.
Gravitational Waves Detection (2016)
The LIGO and Virgo collaborations detected gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime, from two merging black holes. The event confirms a major prediction of Einstein's theory of general relativity and opens a new window for observing the universe.
China's Chang'e 4 Moon Landing (2019)
Chang'e 4 is the first spacecraft to land on the far side of the Moon, providing unique geological information and measurement of the lunar surface's radiation environment.
Discovery of Water on a Potentially Habitable Exoplanet (2019)
Water vapor was discovered on K2-18b, an exoplanet within its star's habitable zone. This marks the first detection of water on an exoplanet that could potentially support life.
Discovery of TRAPPIST-1 Planetary System (2017)
The TRAPPIST-1 system contains seven Earth-sized exoplanets, three of which are in the habitable zone. Studying these planets can help us understand the potential for life on other worlds.
Perseverance Rover Lands on Mars (2021)
NASA's Perseverance rover successfully landed on Mars, equipped to search for signs of ancient life, collect samples, and test oxygen production for future human missions.
Hayabusa2 Returns Samples from Asteroid (2020)
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 returned samples from the asteroid Ryugu to Earth, providing valuable material for studying the early solar system and the origins of water and life on Earth.
Detection of Phosphine in Venus's Atmosphere (2020)
Phosphine, a gas associated with life on Earth, was detected in Venus's atmosphere, raising questions about the possibility of life in extremely harsh environments.
Launch of the James Webb Space Telescope (2021)
The James Webb Space Telescope, the most powerful space telescope ever built, was launched to study the universe's history, from the Big Bang to the formation of galaxies and the evolution of our solar system.
Second Interstellar Visitor 2I/Borisov (2019)
2I/Borisov is the second observed interstellar object and the first such detected comet, allowing scientists to compare the materials of our solar system with those of other stars.
Parker Solar Probe Touches the Sun (2021)
NASA's Parker Solar Probe becomes the first spacecraft to 'touch' the Sun by flying through its corona, providing unprecedented information on solar wind and solar energetic particles.
First Image of a Black Hole (2019)
The Event Horizon Telescope captured the first-ever image of a black hole located in the M87 galaxy. This visual evidence confirms the existence of black holes and provides insight into the behavior of matter near a black hole's event horizon.
TESS Discovers TOI-700 d (2020)
The TESS space telescope discovered TOI-700 d, an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star. The find is crucial as one of a few potentially habitable exoplanets suitable for atmospheric characterization.
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