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NASA’s SPHEREx mission is set to embark on an extensive survey of the Milky Way, aiming to locate water ice and other essential compounds associated with the formation of life. Slated for launch no earlier than February 27, the spacecraft will be carried into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Once operational, it will analyse frozen elements in molecular clouds, vast regions of gas and dust where planets and stars originate. The mission seeks to understand the distribution and formation of these life-enabling substances, shedding light on their role in planetary evolution.

Mapping Molecular Clouds

According to the SPHEREx mission details, the telescope will conduct a large-scale survey of the galaxy, distinguishing itself from previous space observatories. Unlike missions such as NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and the retired Spitzer Space Telescope, which have detected frozen compounds in targeted regions, SPHEREx will provide a comprehensive map by analysing over 9 million line-of-sight observations. By measuring how ice accumulates in different environments within molecular clouds, scientists will gain insight into how these compounds influence planetary development.

Uncovering Hidden Water Reserves

As reported by NASA, previous research, including findings from NASA’s Submillimeter Wave Astronomy Satellite (SWAS), indicated that far less gaseous water was present in molecular clouds than expected. As per reports, scientists proposed that this water was likely locked in ice on interstellar dust grains rather than existing in a gaseous state. Gary Melnick, Senior Astronomer at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, stated in an official press release that these findings suggested deeper layers of molecular clouds could hold significant water ice reserves, protected from cosmic radiation that would otherwise break them apart.

Collaboration with Other Telescopes

SPHEREx is designed to conduct rapid, large-scale observations, making it a complementary tool for highly focused telescopes like James Webb. If the survey identifies regions of particular interest, these can be examined in greater detail by telescopes with higher spectral resolution. As stated by Melnick, Webb’s ability to observe specific targets with enhanced precision allows for a combined approach, where SPHEREx highlights key locations and Webb provides in-depth analysis.

Mission Management and Data Processing

Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, SPHEREx has been developed with contributions from multiple institutions. The telescope and spacecraft bus have been constructed by BAE Systems, while the scientific analysis will involve researchers from ten U.S. institutions, two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Data from the mission will be processed at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC) at Caltech. Once compiled, the SPHEREx dataset will be publicly accessible through the NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive, supporting further studies into the role of frozen compounds in planetary and stellar formation.

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Scientists Observe Rare Plastic Ice, A Hybrid Form of Ice and Water Under Extreme Conditions

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February 20, 2025

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Scientists Observe Rare Plastic Ice, A Hybrid Form of Ice and Water Under Extreme Conditions

A rare phase of ice, believed to exist deep within icy exoplanets and moons, has been observed in laboratory conditions for the first time. Scientists have identified a hybrid form of water called plastic ice, which exhibits characteristics of both solid ice and liquid water under extreme pressure and temperature. The discovery is expected to provide new insights into the internal composition of celestial bodies such as Neptune and Jupiter’s moon Europa, potentially influencing studies on planetary habitability.

Properties of Plastic Ice Identified Under Extreme Conditions

According to a study published in Nature, plastic ice forms when ice is subjected to temperatures above 177 degree Celsius and pressures exceeding 30,000 bars. This phase retains a cubic crystal lattice, similar to Ice VII, but allows water molecules to rotate while remaining fixed in position. Livia Bove, a physicist at Sapienza University of Rome, explained to Science News that the material exhibits plasticity, meaning it can be deformed while maintaining its structure.

Experiments were conducted at the Institut Laue-Langevin in France, where a neutron beam was used to measure molecular motion under extreme conditions. Water samples were exposed to high-pressure environments, and the scattered neutrons provided data confirming the existence of plastic ice VII. Unlike previous theoretical predictions, researchers found that the molecules rotated in a jerky manner rather than moving freely.

Potential Role in Planetary Evolution

Baptiste Journaux, a planetary scientist at the University of Washington in Seattle, stated to Science News that plastic ice VII may have played a role in shaping the internal structures of moons like Europa and Titan during their early formation. The presence of this phase could have influenced the retention of water within their interiors.

Beyond the solar system, plastic ice VII may exist within deep exoplanetary oceans, potentially affecting nutrient exchange between seabeds and overlying waters. Research into its ability to incorporate salts could enhance understanding of ocean chemistry on distant worlds.

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JWST Identifies Cooling Gas in Phoenix Cluster, Unlocking Star Formation Process

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February 20, 2025

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JWST Identifies Cooling Gas in Phoenix Cluster, Unlocking Star Formation Process

Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have revealed missing cooling gas in the Phoenix Cluster, a galaxy cluster located 5.8 billion light-years away. The discovery provides insights into how stars form despite the presence of a supermassive black hole at its core. Researchers have confirmed that the cluster contains the largest known reservoir of hot gas cooling at different rates.

JWST’s Role in Identifying the Missing Cooling Gas

According to a study published in Nature, data from JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) has allowed researchers to locate gas cooling at 540,000 degrees Fahrenheit (300,000 degrees Celsius). This gas was found trapped in cavities within the cluster, an area previously unobservable.

Michael McDonald, an astrophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and principal investigator of the study, told Space.com that earlier studies failed to detect this gas because only the extreme temperature ends of the spectrum were measurable.

Supermassive Black Hole and Star Formation in Phoenix Cluster

Despite a central black hole over 10 billion times the mass of the Sun, the Phoenix Cluster continues forming stars at an unprecedented rate. The discovery of trapped cooling gas helps explain this paradox.

The findings challenge previous assumptions about galaxy cluster cooling processes and suggest that similar techniques could be used to study other clusters. The researchers aim to apply these methods to further understand cooling mechanisms in space.

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Exoplanet WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More



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WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More

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February 20, 2025

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WASP-121 b’s Atmosphere Features Iron Rains, Jet Streams, and More

An exoplanet with extreme weather conditions, including iron rain and violent winds, has been identified around 900 light-years away. The planet, WASP-121 b, has been found to experience intense atmospheric activity, with wind speeds surpassing those of the strongest hurricanes known in the solar system. Astronomers studying this ultra-hot Jupiter have detected powerful jet streams that transport vaporised metals across different layers of its atmosphere, contributing to unique and complex weather patterns.

Atmospheric Phenomena Observed

According to a study published in Nature, observations were conducted using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile’s Atacama Desert. The findings reveal that elements such as iron and titanium are carried across the planet by strong atmospheric currents, leading to complex weather patterns. Dr Julia Victoria Seidel, a researcher at Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, said in an official press release that the planet’s climate challenges existing meteorological understanding.

As reported, WASP-121 b belongs to a category of planets known as ultra-hot Jupiters. With a mass approximately 1.2 times that of Jupiter, it orbits its star in just 30 Earth hours. Due to its close proximity, the planet is tidally locked, meaning one side is exposed to continuous daylight while the other remains in perpetual darkness.

On the dayside, extreme temperatures cause metals such as iron to vaporise. These elements are then transported by high-speed winds to the nightside, where they condense and fall as liquid metal rain. A jet stream spanning half of the planet has also been detected, moving atmospheric material between the two hemispheres. Dr Seidel explained to [news source] that a separate flow in the lower atmosphere moves gas from the hotter to the cooler side, an unprecedented meteorological phenomenon.

Advanced Observations Using VLT

The ESPRESSO instrument on the VLT was used to study the atmosphere in detail, allowing scientists to map different atmospheric layers. Light from multiple telescopes was combined to analyse fainter details of the planet’s atmospheric composition.

Tracking the movement of hydrogen, sodium, and iron provided insights into wind patterns at varying altitudes. Dr Leonardo A. dos Santos, a researcher at the Space Telescope Science Institute, told [news source] that such detailed observations would be challenging with space telescopes, highlighting the importance of ground-based research.

A surprising discovery was the presence of titanium in the planet’s atmosphere, which had not been detected in previous studies. Researchers believe that the element was hidden in deeper atmospheric layers. Dr Bibiana Prinoth, a researcher at Lund University, told [news source] that studying such distant planets in this level of detail is remarkable.

These findings contribute to the growing understanding of exoplanetary atmospheres, demonstrating the extreme and diverse conditions beyond the solar system.

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