Solar System

• NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awakened from a period of hibernation to resume its mission. • The probe is now continuing its journey to explore the fringes of the solar system, targeting previously unmapped regions. • This mission is critical for gathering data on the outer reaches of our solar system and understanding the environment beyond Pluto.

• NASA has issued Amendment 60 to extend the final 2025 due date for the C.2 Solar System Science proposal solicitation. • The program seeks research, data analysis, and tool development to support investigations into the solar system, including data from missions like the Juno spacecraft. • This extension allows scientists and researchers more time to submit proposals for critical data preservation and analysis of planetary bodies.

• Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe a unique gas giant exoplanet orbiting a dead star. • The discovery provides a rare glimpse into the final stages of a planetary system's life cycle after its host star has ceased nuclear fusion. • This observation is significant because it serves as a "time machine," allowing scientists to predict the eventual fate of our own solar system.

• Astronomers utilizing data from the New Horizons spacecraft have discovered that solar winds gradually slow down as they travel toward the edge of the solar system. • The research indicates that the solar wind speed decreases by approximately 13% to 15% within the outer heliosphere. • This deceleration occurs because the solar wind picks up and interacts with interstellar material as it moves further away from the Sun.

• NASA released observations from the James Webb Space Telescope regarding interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, captured in December 2025. • The data reveals that the comet's composition is fundamentally different from any objects previously observed within our own Solar System. • This discovery is significant as it provides rare insight into the chemical makeup of other star systems and the materials that travel between them.