4.5 million years ago, two massive stars brushed past our solar system
Sandeep K S
Dec 4, 2025
1 min read
A cosmic close call occurred 4.4 million years ago when the bright stars Epsilon and Beta Canis Majoris passed near our solar system. This encounter left a mark on our local interstellar neighborhood, creating high levels of ionized hydrogen and helium. These interstellar clouds may even protect Earth from harmful radiation.
We thought Betelgeuse was dying alone. New evidence reveals a secret partner, "Siwarha," pushing the red giant toward its explosive fate.
Betelgeuse has been acting strange—dimming, brightening, and pulsing. While some of this is due to aging, a 6-year cycle stood out.
For 25 years, the ISS has been a factory for the impossible. From cancer research to space farming, discover how microgravity is changing life on Earth.
The Challenge: To design drugs for diseases like cancer or Alzheimer's, scientists need to see the exact shape of the proteins involved. On Earth, gravity crushes these proteins as they grow, creating small, messy crystals.
From the longest jet ever seen to the magnetic heart of a white dwarf, new images reveal the violent and beautiful mechanics of star formation and death.
The Discovery: Hubble has imaged HH 80/81, a pair of glowing shockwaves created by a jet of gas blasting across space.
Comments