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Significant space stories of 2015 in photos

Wednesday, 30 December 2015 2:46 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 30 December 2015 3:23 AM ]

The outgoing year of 2015 was full of significant stories in astronomical research and planetary exploration.

The outgoing year was brimmed with landmark achievements in astronomical research and planetary exploration, which made it a golden year for space science and opened a whole new chapter of human endeavor in knowing the immense world beyond our tiny cosmic home. From our celestial neighbor, the Red Planet, to the most remote galaxy deep rooted in time and space, astronomers and space agencies made startling discoveries and took stunning pictures. What follows are some of the most significant of all space stories we were told about in 2015.

*A high-resolution image of Pluto, taken by the New Horizons spacecraft (NASA)*

Unveiling Pluto’s heart

In July, the New Horizons spacecraft flew by the dwarf planet, studied it closely and sent highest-resolution snapshots of the icy world. It also discovered that Pluto has blue skies and patches of frozen water and its surface contains cratered, mountainous and glacial terrains.

*These dark, narrow, 100 meter-long streaks called recurring slope lineae flowing downhill on Mars are inferred to have been formed by contemporary flowing water. (NASA)*

Mars and its salty water

In September, NASA announced that it had detected flowing water on the surface of Mars. The water, though being super salty and briny, boosted the likelihood of existence of microbial life on the red surface of the planet. Moreover, it raised our hopes of traveling there and making a colony for a rainy day.

*A high-resolution image of Saturn’s moon Enceladus, taken by the Cassini spacecraft (NASA)*

Enceladus and the taste of life

In October, the Cassini spacecraft tasted the erupting water of the underground ocean of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. The water, which comes from the moon’s numerous Geysers opened mouth in its southern pole, revealed that it contains various organic chemicals, some of the essential building blocks for life. The spacecraft also sent high-resolution images of its rippled and grooved ice-covered surface.

*Astronomers have discovered an ancient galaxy dating back to 13.4 billion years ago. (Hubble)*

Open window to the young universe

In December, the Hubble space telescope found the oldest known galaxy, dubbed Tayna, which was formed just 400 million years after the Big Bang. The light of this galaxy had traveled some 13.4 billion years to reach the telescope and it is quite probable that the galaxy itself no longer exists.

In this artistic rendering, the planet Kepler-438b is shown in front of its violent parent star as it is being regularly irradiated by huge flares, rendering the planet uninhabitable. (University of Warwick)

Closest cousin found

In January, NASA announced the confirmation of an exoplanet, dubbed Kepler-438b, which is the most Earth-like planet discovered till now. The Planet, which is in the constellation Lyra and located some 470 light years away from our own planet, has so far been considered as the most likely candidate for harboring life.

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