On October 9, 2022, Earth was hit by a massive burst of energy from outside the solar system. The burst, named GRB 221009A, originated from a galaxy nearly two billion light-years away. It was one of the most powerful gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) ever recorded.
GRBs are the most powerful explosions in the universe. The high-energy radiation that swept over Earth is likely from the birth of a black hole.
If the burst had occurred any closer to the planet, it would have been dangerous for life on Earth. An explosion of this kind would have severed the ozone layer which protects Earth from the harmful Ultra Violet (UV) rays emanating from the Sun.
Earth’s ionosphere experienced a significant disturbance due to an intense gamma-ray burst (GRB) from a distant exploding star. This cosmic occurrence, named GRB 221009A, was detected on October 9, 2022 by the European Space Agency’s Integral space telescope and other high-energy satellites orbiting Earth.
Here are some recent developments in the solar system:
- Saturn’s rings: Saturn’s rings are expected to disappear in 2025.
- Earth’s water: Earth’s water is older than the sun.
- Neptune’s clouds: Astronomers have found a link between Neptune’s shifting cloud abundance and the 11-year solar cycle.
- Saturn: Saturn will be well placed for observation in November and will shine at 0.7 magnitude for most of the month.
- Near-Earth asteroid: A new study confirms that the near-Earth asteroid Kamo’oalewa was ejected from the moon.
Other recent developments in the solar system include:
- Scientists claim that the sun is fractionally smaller than we thought.
- Astronomers find 7 planets being “fried” by their star in the Milky Way.
- NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft discovers “Mini Moon” orbiting asteroid Dinkinesh.
- NASA’s Webb telescope finds no atmosphere in Earth-sized planet.
- Scientists find possible source of “unusual radar signatures” in space.
- Scientists find explanation for behavior of Oumuamua comet.
It’s unlikely that Earth will leave the solar system:
- Gravity: The sun’s gravity is too strong for any planet to escape.
- Earth’s momentum: Earth has a lot of mass and moves quickly in its orbit around the sun.
- Stellar flybys: Close stellar flybys are unlikely to occur in our solar system’s current location.
- Andromeda and Milky Way galaxies: If these galaxies collide, the Earth would be ejected.
- Chaotic instability: Jupiter can cause Mercury’s eccentricity to skyrocket, making it destabilize other orbits.
However, if Earth were to leave the solar system, it would probably result in the decimation of much — if not all — of the planet’s life.
Earth is the third planet from the sun in our solar system. It’s located between Venus and Mercury. Earth is the fifth-largest planet in the solar system in terms of size and mass.
Earth is traveling nearly 2.1 million kilometers per hour (1.3 million miles per hour) through outer space. It’s located at a distance of about 93 million miles (150 million km) from the sun.
The solar system is located about 25,000 light-years to the galactic center and 25,000 light-years away from the rim. This means that if you were to think of the Milky Way as a big record, Earth would be the spot that’s roughly halfway between the center and the edge.
Universe discoveries 