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Electrifying Phobus

20 October 2017
Astronomy

At https://phys.org/print427551247.html … electricity in space is now out into the mainstream open as indicated in this post. Solar eruptions could electrically charge areas of the Martian moon Phobus to hundreds of volts, presenting a complex electrical environment that could possibly affect sensitive electronics used by future robotic exploreres (NASA report). Phobus has been considered a possible base for human exploration on Mars because of its weak gravity that makes it easier to land spacecraft – but there are problems. Eruptions on the Sun that drive streams of solar wind.

At www.astronomy.com/news/2017/10/nanoflares-heat-corona … also sent in by Jovan but has also been featured elsewhere this and last week. A study published in Nature Astronomy (Oct 2017) by a team of Japanese researchers produced evidence that small explosions, or nanoflares, may be responsible for the mysterious extreme temperatures surrounding the Sun. In order to make this observation the scientists launched a rocket known as FOXSI (Focusing Opitics X-ray-Solar Imager)

Finally, at https://phys.org/print427563413.html … a spinning or rotating comet has been seen to slow down as it approaches the inner solar system. What does that mean?Comet 41P (image captured in March 2017) shows two jets from the comet rotating clockwise. The gaseous jet increases in strength as sunlight strikes it (or that is the mainstream view of what is happening).

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