July 2024

Volume 3 | Issue VII

Galactica
Astronomy and Space Science Magazine

What's Inside?
SPACE Insights
Highlights From June 2024
Moon Phases And Planet Visibility
What's Awaiting in July 2024
Cultural Astronomy & Celestial Tales
Student's Corner
Historical Events Happened In July
July Born Legends
Train Your Brain

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 GALACTICA

Galactica is a monthly magazine about astronomy & space science published

by SPACE India targeting amateur astronomers. Each monthly issue includes
astronomy news, space launches, what's up in the sky every month, events
and announcements done by the space team, Astrophotographs and articles
on astronomy & astrophysics submitted by the readers for the general
audience, and the article about historical missions & events of astronomy and
more. All of this comes in an easy-to-understand user-friendly style that's
perfect for astronomers at any level.

Team
Editor in Chief
Sachin Bahmba

Managing Editor Editors

Shivam Gupta Ranjith Kumar E
Priyadharshini D
Section Contributors
Himanshu Gautam Assistant Editors
Kriti Jain Sruthi Nambiar
Madhumitha R Pruthvi Shree K S
Md.Shanawaz Khan Sunita Chauhan
Deepanshu Rai Shivani Bansode
HR Team Richa Dobal

Contributors
iAstronomers
Space Students

This magazine contains original photos used with permission, as well as free-use images. All
included photos are property of the author unless otherwise specified. If you are the owner of an
image featured in this publication believed to be used without permission, kindly contact us.

(i) JULY 2024

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 ABOUT SPACE Legacy of
24 years
Pioneer
Organization
10000+
Activities
Developed
1000+
Schools
Associated
1.5M+
Students
Engaged
10K+
Outreach
Events
10+
Cities
Presence

SPACE is the pioneer organization working towards the development of science and astronomy in
India. It aims to create a scientifically aware society and contribute to the technological and social
development of the country, SPACE organization belongs to an astronomical league. diligently working
towards development in astronomy and space science through astronomical tutorials, modules, and
curriculum for education requirements of schools & students in India. We constantly engage in offering
introductory astronomy, science about space, astrophysics, telescopes, and internet astronomy to the
masses.
Vision: To popularize hands-on space science & STEM Education through various fun-filled
pioneering concepts, services, and programs.
Mission: To develop and popularize space science & STEM Education In India and establish
a global association with national & international space science agencies, societies, amateur,
and professional organizations, government agencies, and space observatories.

CMD's Message MD’s Message

Education is integral to
Space and Astronomy
humankind growth and
are the future for the
it strongly contributes
young generation of our
towards innovation and
country. This is a great
developments. Space is
means to inculcate
transforming India to
scientific temperament
provide better learning
among the masses.
opportunities through Mr. Shivam Gupta,
Dr. Sachin Bahmba, Such astronomy MD, SPACE
CMD, SPACE Experiential and Hands-
sessions will provide on learning in the very niche field of
a hands-on learning platform for students Astronomy and Space Science. Our
wherein they explore the real world of mission to build from the grassroots level
is what drives us stronger and to
science, I wish for young students to let
inculcate scientific temperament so the
their ambitions soar and think big as they next generation can be entrepreneurs,
are the future of our country. scientists, and astronauts!

JULY 2024 (ii)

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 GALACTICA

LIST OF
Page no. Topics 4
1 SPACE Insights
Highlights of July 2024

11 China lands Chang'e 6 sample-return

probe on far side of the moon
10
12 Voyager 1 is back online! NASA's most
distant spacecraft returns data from all 24
4 instruments
12

13 Three craters discovered on Mars by

scientists of Physical Research
Laboratory

Isro's reusable launch vehicle completes

13
14
third landing test
40
15 ISS ‘Superbug’ discovery raises ‘Health
Concerns’ for astronauts with Sunita
Williams aboard
10 28
16 NASA Selects International Space
Station US Deorbit Vehicle

17 The Speed of Sound on Mars is

constantly Changing, Study finds

18 From the eyes of Webb

Cultural Astronomy 21
18
21 Saturn in Mythological Traditions Around 422
the World

23 The Stories in the Stars

24 What’s up in the Sky

Astronomical Events- July 2024

25 Earth at Aphelion
3 23
20
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 GALACTICA

CONTENTS
31 26 Celestial alignment OF Moon, Mars, Jupiter
25 And Pleiades
26 Lunar occultation of Antares
44 27 Conjunctions for the Month
24 28 Rocket launches -July 2024
31 July Born Legends
33 Students corner

40 Visual arts from SPACE associated

33 42
31 26 astronomers
42 Astrophotographs by Space Team

37 Historical Events Happened in July

43 Plunging into Jupiter

37 45 44 Cassini’s visit
45 New horizons
46 Savitskaya Spacewalks
56 Newsletter
30 47
43 49 Train your brain

32

40 21
46

31 41
48 54 31
JULY 2024 (iv)
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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

SPACE INSIGHTS
ASTRO CARNIVAL, MUMBAI
Space India organized an exciting Astro Carnival on the 30th of June (Asteroid Day, 116th anniversary of
Tunguska event) aimed at promoting astronomy and educating the public about the wonders of the
universe. The event was in collaboration with Dr Bhau Daji Lad Museum to spread awareness about
Asteroids and celebrate Asteroid day 2024. This location likely offers high foot traffic, allowing Space India
to reach a large and diverse audience. This approach provided an opportunity for meaningful interactions
and discussions with the public.

Space India's vision for its scientific outreach program is to ignite a passion for exploration and discovery,
empowering individuals to delve into the depths of the cosmos. Our goal is to not only impact the scientific
community but also inspire the next generation of astronomers and space enthusiasts. By fostering curiosity
and providing engaging experiences in astronomy and science education, we aim to add a touch of
excitement and wonder to the journey of understanding and resolving the mysteries of the universe.

Mr. Arvind Paranjpye, the Director of Nehru Planetarium, Mumbai, and Ms. Swati Kalwar, the former CEO of
the Energy Swaraj Foundation, graced the event as distinguished dignitaries. The event commenced at 11 am
with the arrival of guests. Mr. Paranjpye delivered an engaging address to the students, setting the stage for
an interactive session where the educator informed them about asteroids and their potential impact on
Earth. The session concluded with a stimulating quiz competition, allowing students to test their newfound
knowledge in a fun and competitive manner. The event featured a diverse range of engaging activities
designed to captivate attendees of all ages and backgrounds.
Arvind Paranjpye commented: “I am delighted to be at SPACE India’s Astro Carnival. This is a commendable
initiative. The team has travelled all the way from Delhi to Mumbai. I extend my best wishes to Dr. Sachin
Bahmba, Founder of SPACE Group, and Ms. Shalini Bahmba, Co-Founder of SPACE Group. Their outreach
programs have made a significant impact.”

One of the highlights of these events was the comet-making activity, where participants had the
opportunity to learn how comets are formed. This hands-on experience allowed audience to create their
own miniature comets, gaining insight into the composition and characteristics of these celestial objects.
The activity not only provided a fun and interactive way to understand comets but also sparked curiosity
about the science behind them.

1 JULY 2024
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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

Another fascinating activity was the

AR VR (Augmented Reality Virtual
Reality), where the public had access
to VR headsets enabling experiences
that range from realistic simulations
to entirely fantastical realms. This
experience allowed participants to
float in space. They observed
International Space Station, Sun,
Satellites, Stars and Milky way in a
simulation. They were awestruck
while describing their experiences
and thought the idea of inculcating
astronomy with such technology is
wonderful.
Additionally, there was an activity of Solar system hunt. Attendees could experience firsthand the
differences in sizes of the planets, while hunting them down in the museum’s area. This interactive treasure
hunt not only educated the public about the varying sizes and features on different planets but also made
the learning process engaging.
The event attracted a diverse crowd, over 1000 people of all ages showing keen interest and asking
numerous questions about space and astronomy. Several Mumbai schools, including Ideal English School,
Thane; Ryan International School, Panvel West, St. Joseph’s High School, Panvel West and St. Joseph's High
School, Khanda Colony New Panvel (W), were present at the event. It was a tremendous success, with a
large turnout of enthusiastic attendees. Parents praised our efforts in educating young minds and spreading
awareness about space and astronomy.

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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

MONTHLY TELESCOPIC
OBSERVATION
SPACE ARCADE team conducted 2024's 6th Monthly Telescopic Experience
session on the 15th of June 2024 in Delhi.
People from various places joined the observation with their telescopes,
binoculars, and other astronomical equipment. They learned and experienced the
breathtaking view of the Moon and planet Beehive Cluster. They also learned
about different types of telescopes and cleared all their queries on the
Alignment of various telescopes then did basic Astrophotography.
Everyone had their hands-on telescopic experience and enjoyed the view of the
moon and its craters through the 8'' Dobsonian telescope, 130EQ mount
telescope and Schmidt–Cassegrain telescope set up by the SPACE team.

Visit: www.spacearcade.in

3 JULY 2024
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 Space Group Highlights

Astronomy Ka Asli Mazaa, Telescope Se He Aata Hai - Ad Film Featuring:

Sanjana Sanghi (Actor & UNDP Youth Champion).

Watch the beautiful moment between siblings and how the right equipment
can spark curiosity and fascinate you and your loved ones. Every time you are
at your balcony or while traveling to your favorite destinations, whether in the
middle of the woods or next to the ocean, just point your Telescope to the sky
& explore the universe.

We are also thrilled to announce the launch of our new website. Check out our
website's fresh look and seamless user experience and enjoy the stunning
visuals of the cosmos while browsing our website. Explore now at
www.spacearcade.in and purchase Telescope, Binoculars and Accessories at
best prices with great customer service.

#SeeBeyondTheWorldWeLiveIn
Purchase now and use Coupon Code on our
website: ‘SANJANA500’
& get an Instant Discount of ₹500 on minimum
purchase of ₹10,000/-.

Visit: www.spacearcade.in https://youtu.be/IFIoGGtDvZ8?feature=shared

JULY 2024 4

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GALACTICA

Visit: www.astroportglobal.com
 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

PROJECT PARIDHI JULY 2024:

A FLAGSHIP PROJECT OF SPACE
On June 19th, 2024, the Edtech team of SPACE India conducted Project Paridhi for our young and
enthusiastic iAstronomers. This immersive learning experience aimed to provide practical astronomy
training, specifically exploring how to determine the circumference of the Earth with simple backyard tools.
The session began with an explanation of the history and fundamentals of the Project Paridhi, including
celestial measurements and calculations. iAstronomers were introduced to tools like the gnomon stick,
drawing board and pins, pencil, ruler, white sheet, and calculator, all essential for measuring shadows
accurately and precisely. The goal was to find the shortest shadow cast at local noon during the summer
solstice, which is a crucial part of the experiment.
The Edtech team guided the iAstronomers step by step to set up their experiments. On June 21st,
iAstronomers aligned the gnomon rod to cast its shadow precisely at noon, recorded the shortest shadow
length, and noted the exact time. They gathered essential data and performed calculations using
mathematical formulas.
Using the acquired data, iAstronomers applied the ancient formula derived by Eratosthenes, which relates
the angle of the sun's rays at different locations on Earth to determine its circumference. This mathematical
exercise reinforced their understanding of the formula and geometry while highlighting the practical
applications of astronomy in everyday life.
Project Paridhi concluded with iAstronomers eagerly discussing their findings and insights. The project
significantly highlighted the importance of hands-on learning in fostering scientific curiosity and critical
thinking among future astronomers.
As participants departed, inspired and empowered, they carried with them newfound knowledge and a
deeper appreciation for the wonders of astronomy and the scientific method. They also felt a sense of
responsibility to share their learnings with the community, create a meaningful impact, value scientific
exploration and discovery, and contribute to a more informed and scientifically aware society.

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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

MOONLIT MARVELS
On the evening of June 20th, 2024, the iAstronomer Club organized a highly anticipated physical
meet, bringing together astronomy enthusiasts for an engaging Moon observation session
complemented by various astronomical activities. Held from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM, the event was a
perfect blend of hands-on telescope experience and interactive educational activities.
Participants had the opportunity to observe the Moon through a variety of telescopes, including
a Celestron 6SE (6-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain), Meade LX200 (10-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain), an
8-inch Newtonian Dobsonian, and a 50 mm refractor. These telescopes provided stunning views
of the lunar surface, showcasing craters, maria, and other features with remarkable clarity. The
iAstronomers enjoyed watching the Moon through these different telescopes, each offering a
unique perspective and adding to the overall excitement of the event.
In addition to the telescope observations, the event featured several engaging activities designed
to enhance participants’ understanding of astronomy. Attendees used moon maps to identify and
mark lunar features, learned to determine their latitude using simple tools, and practiced using a
planisphere to identify stars and constellations. A session on smartphone astrophotography
taught participants how to capture celestial objects using their smartphones, adding a modern
twist to the traditional observation methods.
The iAstronomer Club’s physical meet was a resounding success, offering a rich and varied
experience that deepened attendees' appreciation and understanding of the Moon and
astronomy. The event was successful as it was attended by more than 20 iAstronomers. The club
looks forward to organizing more such events in the future, fostering a community of passionate
and knowledgeable astronomers.

iAstronomers clicked photograph of Moon with the help of Phone camera and learnt about the working of the Reflector
Telescope,features of the Moon and were briefed on the different aspects of Moon

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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

ASTEROIDS & INSIGHTS : A STELLAR EVENING

WITH ARUSHI NATH
On June 29, the iAstronomer club held an engaging 'Ask an Astronomer' event to celebrate Asteroid Day, aiming
to raise public awareness about the potential danger posed by asteroids, or 'near-Earth objects.' The special
event featured Arushi Nath, the 2023 Young Astronomers Award Winner of the Royal Astronomical Society of
Canada. The session was moderated by iAstronomer's very own Myraa Khattar, who expertly guided the
discussion.
The event began with an introduction to Asteroid Day and its significance, highlighting the global effort to
educate the public on asteroid threats. Arushi Nath shared her journey as an astronomer, delving into her
passion for studying asteroids and her notable achievements, including her award-winning discoveries.
The discussion covered a variety of topics, starting with the asteroid belt, the region between Mars and Jupiter
where most asteroids are found. Arushi explained the different types of asteroids, their composition, and how
they are categorized based on their proximity to Earth. She also addressed the potential threats these celestial
bodies pose and the measures being taken to monitor and mitigate these risks.
One of the most captivating parts of the event was when Arushi shared her personal experiences in discovering
asteroids. She described the meticulous process of identifying and tracking these objects, emphasizing the
importance of collaboration and technological advancements in her work. Her insights provided a fascinating
glimpse into the life of a young astronomer making significant contributions to the field.
The Q&A round was a highlight, allowing participants to interact directly with Arushi. iAstronomers asked a
range of questions, from technical details about asteroid tracking to personal inquiries about her journey and
future aspirations. Arushi's thoughtful and enthusiastic responses made the session both informative and
inspiring.
The event was a resounding success, attended by over 40 participants. The interactive format and Arushi Nath's
engaging presence made it a memorable experience for all. iAstronomers left the event with a deeper
understanding of asteroids and a renewed passion for astronomy.
In conclusion, the iAstronomer club's 'Ask an Astronomer' event with Arushi Nath was a testament to the power
of knowledge-sharing and community engagement. It not only celebrated Asteroid Day but also inspired
budding astronomers to pursue their curiosity about the cosmos.

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 GALACTICA Space Group Highlights

ASTEROID DAY 2024: CELEBRATING

CELESTIAL WONDERS
Asteroid Day, observed annually on June 30, took on a particularly vibrant hue in 2024 with a series of engaging
and educational events hosted by Space India. This global event, dedicated to raising awareness about asteroids
and the potential hazards they pose, saw active participation from enthusiasts of all ages, fostering a spirit of
curiosity and learning.
Space India orchestrated a suite of online competitions that captured the imaginations of the young generation.
For seniors, the "Celestial Sculpt Off-Crafting Asteroid Worlds" challenged participants to create detailed
models of asteroids, showcasing their understanding of these celestial bodies' composition and structure. The
entries ranged from scientifically accurate depictions to imaginative interpretations, all reflecting a deep
engagement with the subject matter and a keen eye for detail. Moreover, juniors participated in the "Asteroid
Prep Talk Showdown," where they shared their videos and demonstrated their knowledge and communication
skills by presenting compelling talks on asteroids. This competition not only highlighted the importance of
awareness but also encouraged the development of public speaking and critical thinking skills among young
participants. Their speeches underscored the need for innovative solutions and global cooperation in addressing
potential asteroid threats.
The youngest enthusiasts enjoyed the "Artistic Adventure with Asteroids" competition. This event invited kids to
express their fascination with asteroids through doodle art. The resulting pieces, bursting with creativity and
curiosity, were a testament to the boundless enthusiasm that space exploration can inspire. From impressing
doodles to intricate crafts, the children's works showcased a delightful blend of imagination and scientific
intrigue.
The competitions saw participation from iAstronomers and other space enthusiasts who brought their passion
and expertise to the forefront. The competition attracted iAstronomers and space enthusiasts, who showcased
their passion and skills. By joining these events, they unlocked new opportunities for learning and discovery.
Participants engaged in exciting challenges, gained valuable insights, and broadened their knowledge about
space. These competitions fostered a community of curious minds eager to explore the universe.
Asteroid Day 2024, with its blend of science, creativity, and community engagement, was a stellar success. The
event fostered a deeper understanding of asteroids and their significance, while also inspiring the next
generation of space explorers. By combining education with creativity, Space India managed to create an event
that was both informative and entertaining, further cementing Asteroid Day's role in educating and inspiring
minds across the globe.

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HIGHLIGHTS OF JULY 2024

CHINA LANDS CHANG'E 6 SAMPLE-RETURN PROBE ON

FAR SIDE OF THE MOON

A depiction of China's Chang'e 6 moon lander on the The drilled surface of the moon seen in a photo
far side of the moon after landing on June 2, 2024. released by China's lunar mission.
(Images source: CNSA)

According to Chinese space officials, the robotic Chang'e 6 mission landed inside Apollo Crater, in
the massive South Pole-Aitken basin, at 6:23 a.m. Beijing Time on Sunday (June 2). The landing
took place at 6:23 p.m. EDT (2223 GMT) on June 1. The probe "successfully landed in the pre-
selected area," China's space agency announced.

The China National Space Administration (CNSA) now has two far-side landings under its belt: this
one and Chang'e 4, which landed a lander-rover combination on the grey dirt in January 2019. No
other country has done it once.

On Tuesday, the Chang'e-6 lunar probe departed from the moon's far side, bringing the country
one step closer to completing an ambitious mission that highlights its growth as a space
superpower. In a momentous moment before takeoff, China reportedly became the first country to
put its national flag on the moon's far side, which is perpetually facing away from Earth.

The mission, carrying the first lunar rocks ever recovered from the moon's far side, blasted off and
entered lunar orbit early Tuesday Beijing time, following successful sample collection over the
previous two days, according to a China National Space Administration (CNSA) release.

Its return to Earth is projected to take roughly three weeks, with a landing in China's Inner
Mongolia region around June 25. The successful return of the samples would offer China an early
advantage in capitalizing on the geopolitical and scientific benefits of expanding lunar exploration
- an increasingly competitive field that has contributed to what NASA chief Bill Nelson refers to as
a new "space race."

This is China's second lunar sample collection, following the return of rocks from the near side by
the Chang'e-5 in 2020. The Chang'e-6 probe passed "the test of high temperatures" and collected
samples by drilling into the moon's surface and picking up soil and rocks with a mechanical arm.
After gathering the specimens, Chang'e-6 raised the Chinese flag using a robotic arm.

Engineer Zhou Changyi stated that the granite was crushed, melted, and pulled into filaments
roughly one-third the diameter of a human hair, which were then spun into thread and stitched into
cloth.

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GALACTICA

Voyager 1 is back online! NASA's most

distant spacecraft returns data from all 4
instruments
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has resumed normal science operations for the first time since a technical
glitch developed in November 2023. More specifically, it began broadcasting nonsensical data to Earth
rather than the usual binary code of 0s and 1s. Of course, Voyager 1 is 46 years old, which is ancient for a
spaceship, so it's not surprising that its health may be deteriorating.

The crew partially rectified the issue in April when they instructed the spacecraft to begin providing
engineering data, which included information about the spacecraft's health and state. On May 19, the
mission team completed the second phase in the repair process, sending a command to the spacecraft
to begin returning science data. Two of the four science instruments resumed their normal operations
immediately. Two more instruments required extra work, but all four are now producing valid scientific
data.

The four instruments investigate plasma waves, magnetic fields, and particles. The only spacecraft to
directly sample interstellar space are Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, which are located outside the
heliosphere, the Sun's protective bubble of magnetic fields and solar wind.

While Voyager 1 is returning to doing science, more minor work is required to mitigate the effects of the
problem. Engineers will, among other things, resynchronize timekeeping software on the spacecraft's
three onboard computers so that commands can be executed at the appropriate time.

The team will also undertake maintenance on the digital tape recorder, which stores data for the plasma
wave experiment, which is relayed to Earth twice a year. (The majority of the Voyagers' scientific data is
sent immediately to Earth and not recorded.)

Voyager 1 is more than 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) from Earth, whereas Voyager 2 is more than
12 billion miles (20 billion kilometers) away. The probes will celebrate 47 years of operation later this year.
They are NASA's longest-running and farthest-reaching spacecraft. Both spacecraft passed Jupiter and
Saturn, with Voyager 2 also passing Uranus and Neptune.

Even if Voyager 1 had gone black permanently, the mission would still have been a huge success. After
its launch in 1977, its primary purpose was to research Jupiter and Saturn, which was completed by 1980.
(The twin spacecraft, Voyager 2, went on to investigate Uranus and Neptune.) But Voyager 1 is on an
unstoppable trajectory. Continuing its voyage away from Earth, the spacecraft entered interstellar space
in 2012, returning vital information about this enigmatic domain.

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GALACTICA

Three Craters discovered on Mars by scientists

of Physical Research Laboratory
A Scientists from the Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) in Ahmedabad, a subsidiary of India's
Department of Space, have discovered three new craters on Mars. The International
Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature has formally
designated these craters, which are located at 21.0°S, 209°W in the Tharsis volcanic region. The
craters are named for a former PRL Director and two small Indian towns.

The craters are named as follows:

Lal Crater: This approximately 65-kilometer-wide crater is situated at -20.98° and 209.34°. It is
named for Prof. Devendra Lal, a well-known Indian geophysicist and former director of PRL, who
held the position from 1972 to 1983.

Mursan Crater is located on the eastern edge of the Lal Crater's rim and measures around 10 km
in width. It is named after Mursan, a town in Uttar Pradesh, India.

Hilsa Crater, located on the western side of the Lal Crater's rim, is similar in size to the Mursan
Crater and around 10 km wide. It was called after the town of Hilsa in Bihar, India.

Three craters of Mars named "Lal," "Mursan," and "Hilsa"(Photo- :X/@PRLAhmedabad)

Sedimentary deposit identified in the crater's subsurface using SHARAD/MRO.

This discovery provides solid evidence of considerable water activity on Mars, implying that wate
r carried enormous amounts of sediment into what is now known as the Lal Crater. The entire Lal
Crater in the Tharsis volcanic region is covered with lava. Geophysical data supports the
presence of materials other than lava, with a 45-meter-thick

This discovery proves that Mars was previously wet, with water flowing across its surface. The
two smaller superimposed craters, Mursan and Hilsa, on either side of Lal Crater provide a date
for the Lal Crater's infilling process.

This discovery proves that Mars was previously wet, with water flowing across its surface. The
two smaller superimposed craters, Mursan and Hilsa, on either side of Lal Crater provide a date
for the Lal Crater's infilling process. The evidence implies that this infilling was episodic, which
sheds light on the planet's geological past.

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On June 23, 2024, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) happily completed its third
consecutive successful Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Landing Experiment (LEX). The third
and final test in the LEX (03) series took place at 07:10 IST at the Aeronautical Test Range
(ATR) in Chitradurga, Karnataka. RLV LEX-03 proved the RLV's autonomous landing capability
under harsher release conditions (cross range of 500 m vs. 150 m for LEX-02) and more
severe wind conditions. At a height of 4.5 kilometers, the winged vehicle, called 'Pushpak',
was released from an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter.

Pushpak autonomously executed cross-range correction manoeuvres from a release point 4.5
km from the runway, approached the runway, and executed a precise horizontal landing at the
runway centerline. Because of the vehicle's low lift-to-drag ratio aerodynamic configuration,
the landing velocity exceeded 320 kmph, which is faster than 260 kmph for a commercial
aircraft and 280 kmph for a typical fighter aircraft.

Following touchdown, the vehicle's velocity

was reduced to nearly 100 kmph using its
brake parachute, after which the landing
gear brakes were utilized for deceleration
and runway stop. This mission validated
ISRO's competence in obtaining the most
important technologies needed for the
development of a Reusable Launch Vehicle
(RLV) by simulating the approach and
landing interface as well as high-speed
landing conditions for a vehicle returning
from space.
This mission has proven the enhanced guidance algorithm that
handles error corrections in the longitudinal and lateral planes,
which is crucial for the next Orbital Re-entry Mission. Using
sensors like as inertial sensors, radar altimeters, flush air data
systems, pseudosatellite systems, and NavIC, the RLV-LEX
employs multisensor fusion.

Notably, the RLV-LEX-03 mission demonstrated the resilience

of ISRO's design capacity to reuse flight systems for many
missions by using the winged body and flight systems as such
from the LEX-02 mission without any modifications.
This mission aims to replicate the high-speed landing
conditions and approach and landing interface of a spacecraft
return, hence confirming ISRO's proficiency in obtaining the
essential technologies needed for the creation of a Reusable
Launch Vehicle (RLV).

The Director of VSSC, Dr. S Unnikrishnan Nair, emphasized that ISRO's confidence in the vital
technologies necessary for upcoming orbital re-entry missions is increased by this continuous
success. For this mission to be successful, Shri. B Karthik is the vehicle director and Shri. J
Muthupandian is the mission director.

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 GALACTICA

ISS ‘Superbug’ discovery raises ‘Health

Concerns’ for astronauts with Sunita
Williams aboard
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
are working together to research a'superbug', a multidrug-resistant virus identified aboard the International
Space Station (ISS). This discovery has raised 'health worries' among astronauts, including Sunita Williams,
who is currently on board the ISS. The study of this disease could possibly have important applications on
Earth.

Enterobacter bugandensis, a prevalent nosocomial pathogen, was found on ISS surfaces. Indian-origin
Sunita Williams, 58, and Wilmore, 61, departed for their third space journey on Thursday, June 6. This
momentous event marked the first flight to the International Space Station (ISS) with Boeing's Starliner
spacecraft. Williams pilots the flight test, while Wilmore is the mission commander. "The current study
emphasises the critical need to investigate the pathogenic potential of microorganisms in space
environments to safeguard astronaut health and mitigate the risks associated with opportunistic
pathogens," the news agency PTI reported an IIT-M announcement as saying.

Researchers undertook a comprehensive study to investigate the genetic, functional, and metabolic
enhancements of multidrug-resistant bacteria, with a focus on Enterobacter bugandensis. The study
emphasizes the critical necessity to investigate the pathogenic potential of microorganisms in space
environments in order to preserve astronaut health and reduce risks from opportunistic diseases.

The study's results have interesting implications in controlled Earth environments, such as hospital intensive
care units, where multidrug-resistant infections pose considerable issues. Understanding the genetic
adaptations of multidrug-resistant E. bugandensis can help design tailored antimicrobial therapies. The
study found that understanding the persistence and succession patterns of E. bugandensis in space can
help guide strategies for managing microbial contamination in closed environments such as spaceships and
hospitals.

Another study quoted by NASA on E. bugandensis emphasized the International Space Station (ISS) as a
symbol of human progress in space exploration. Despite the space station's controlled environment, which
includes microgravity, elevated carbon dioxide levels, and enhanced solar radiation, microorganisms flourish
in a unique niche. These microbes have a significant impact on the health and well-being of astronauts on
board. Enterobacter bugandensis, which is widely detected in clinical samples such as the human
gastrointestinal tract, has been reported to have pathogenic properties, potentially causing a variety of
diseases.

This screengrab from NASA shows astronaut Suni Williams (seated L) and Butch Wilmore (seated R) posing with the
crew of the International Space Station (ISS) after the docking of the Boeing Starliner on June 6, 2024. (AFP)

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NASA Selects International Space Station

US Deorbit Vehicle
NASA said that SpaceX has been chosen to design and construct the U.S. Deorbit
Vehicle, which will enable the space station to be deorbited while guaranteeing that no
risk to populated regions is encountered. When station operations come to an end,
NASA and its foreign partners will be better able to ensure a safe and orderly transfer
in low Earth orbit by choosing a U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for the station.

This ruling permits the continuous use of space close to Earth and supports NASA's
ambitions for future commercial destinations."The orbital laboratory continues to serve
as a model for space research, collaboration, and science for the good of all." The
business will design the deorbit spacecraft, but NASA will acquire ownership and
manage it for the duration of its mission. As part of the re-entry process, it is
anticipated to destructively break apart together with the space station.

The International Space Station has been operated by five space agencies since 1998:
the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA), and State Space Corporation Roscosmos. Each agency is in
charge of overseeing and managing the hardware provided by the other agencies. The
station was intended to be mutually reliant and depends on contributions from both
parties in order to operate.

Operating the station through 2030 is a commitment made by the United States, Japan,
Canada, and the participating nations of ESA. Russia has promised to keep running the
station until at least 2028. All five space organizations are in charge of ensuring the
International Space Station is kept safely in orbit.

The potential value of the single-award contract is $843 million in total. A future
purchase will be made for the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle's launch service. Thousands of
researchers on the ground have carried out over 3,300 microgravity experiments with
the crews living on board the station. Lessons learnt aboard the International Space
Station are helping to transfer the torch to future commercial stations. The International

Space Station is the cornerstone of space commerce, from commercial crew and cargo
collaborations to commercial research and national lab research.

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The intricacies of how sound behaves on Mars at different times and locations have been
uncovered by researchers, and the findings differ greatly from those of Earth. Multiple
microphones are carried by NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars. These instruments have
detected a variety of extra sounds, including the unsettling spluttering of Martian dust devils, as
they investigate the characteristics of materials on the Red Planet. Sound on Mars already
exhibits unusual behavior, according to recordings.

For example, sounds below 240 hertz, or the middle C on a piano, move at a speed of around 30
feet per second (10 meters per second) more slowly than sounds at a higher pitch. This is due to
the fact that 95% of Mars' atmosphere is made up of carbon dioxide molecules, which absorb
some of the energy of sound at low frequencies. If left unaccounted for, such strange features
can jeopardize communications on upcoming Mars missions, especially crewed ones.

The researchers started by compiling data from the Mars Climate Database on a variety of
characteristics, such as temperature, chemical composition, and atmospheric pressure, at
different locations on the Red Planet. The sound speed and attenuation were measured at
various times of the planet's year, or around 687 Earth days, and in diverse locations throughout
the Martian terrain, such as valleys and mountain tops.

Because the underlying causes sound fluctuate greatly over time and space, this technique was
required. The largest distinction from Earth, however, is the massive daily variations in
temperature and, to a lesser extent, carbon dioxide concentration. For example, during the day,
the temperature in the region where the Perseverance rover currently resides varies by around 90
degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius).

This results in sound traveling at speeds of up to 100 feet per second (30 meters per second)
and dissipating three times more quickly during hotter hours than during colder ones. The
researchers told Live Science that the findings enable them to "predict the sound speed and
attenuation for any location at the Martian surface at any time of year and any time of day."
Additionally, the model can help scientists better grasp the true sounds of Mars' sound-
producing objects.

Sound on Mars may be the most Earth-like on mountaintops, like the purple mountain seen in
this Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter image, according to new research. Elsewhere, the speed of
sound varies greatly by location, time of day, and temperature. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-
Caltech/Univ. of Arizona)

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FROM THE EYES OF WEBB - JUNE 2024

Webb Finds Plethora of Carbon Molecules
Around Young Star
Planets form in disks of gas and dust
orbiting young stars. Observations
indicate that rocky planets are more
likely than gas giants to form around
stars much more lightweight than our
Sun. However, depending on
conditions within the disk, the planets
that form there could be very
different from Earth.
In a new study, astronomers used
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
to study a red dwarf star weighing
just one-tenth as much as our Sun. No
known planets have formed around
this young star yet, which is just one
Protoplanetary Disk
to two million years old.
The team found that the gas in the planet-forming region of the star is rich in carbon-
bearing molecules. Paradoxically, this means that any rocky planets that form there
could be carbon-poor.

NASA's Webb Opens New Window on

Supernova Science
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled
10 times more early universe supernovae than
previously known, offering new insights into the
cosmos. These findings, presented by Christa
DeCoursey at the American Astronomical Society
meeting, highlight the detection of supernovae
from when the universe was very young. Utilizing
the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey
JADES Transit Survey
(JADES) program, the team identified supernovae
A team of astronomers studying JADES data by analyzing imaging data and noting changes over
identified about 80 objects (circled in green) that time. They found about 80 supernovae, including
changed in brightness over time. Most of these
objects, known as transients, are the result of the most distant core-collapse and Type Ia
exploding stars or supernovae. Prior to this supernovae, crucial for measuring cosmic
survey, only a handful of supernovae had been
found above a redshift of 2, which corresponds to expansion. The discoveries reveal the nature of
when the universe was only 3.3 billion years old — early supernovae, aiding the understanding of star
just 25% of its current age. The JADES sample formation and explosion mechanisms in the
contains many supernovae that exploded even
further in the past, when the universe was less universe's infancy. Webb's sensitivity promises
than 2 billion years old. It includes the farthest further significant findings in transient science,
one ever spectroscopically confirmed, at a
redshift of 3.6. Its progenitor star exploded when
potentially revolutionizing our knowledge of the
the universe was only 1.8 billion years old. early universe.

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Investigating the Origins of the Crab

Nebula With NASA's Webb
A team of scientists utilized NASA's James
Webb Space Telescope to analyze the Crab
Nebula, a supernova remnant located 6,500
light-years away. Using the MIRI and NIRCam
instruments, they gathered data to clarify
its history. The Crab Nebula, resulting from
a core-collapse supernova in 1054 CE, shows
an expanding shell of gas and dust driven by
a pulsar. Previously attributed to an
electron-capture supernova, the new Webb
data suggest its composition could also be

Crab Nebula
from a weak iron core-collapse supernova.

Webb's spectroscopic capabilities provided new measurements of nickel and iron

ratios, offering a more accurate understanding of the nebula's origins. The team's
findings indicate both electron-capture and weak iron core-collapse scenarios are
possible. Further studies are needed to distinguish between these possibilities.
Additionally, Webb's observations allowed the team to map the Crab Nebula's
dust distribution, revealing it differs from other supernova remnants, with warmer
dust in the outer filaments

First-of-Its-Kind Detection Made in

Striking New Webb Image
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has
captured a groundbreaking image of
protostellar outflows in the Serpens
Nebula using its Near-Infrared Camera
(NIRCam). This discovery features jets of
gas from newborn stars aligned in the
same direction, contrary to previous
observations. These jets, appearing as red
streaks due to molecular hydrogen and
carbon monoxide, offer a direct view of
Serpens Nebula the star formation process.

The Serpens Nebula, 1,300 light-years away, is home to a dense cluster of young
stars. Future studies with Webb’s NIRSpec will analyze the chemical makeup of
these clouds, shedding light on the conditions of star and planet formation.

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Pillars of Creation Star in New Visualization

from NASA's Hubble and Webb Telescopes
The Pillars of Creation, a stunning feature
within the Eagle Nebula, gained fame
through NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
in 1995. Recently, NASA released a
groundbreaking 3D visualization using
data from both the Hubble and James
Webb space telescopes. This detailed
visualization showcases the pillars in both
visible and infrared light, revealing their
complex structures and star-forming
regions. Led by Frank Summers and based
on research by Anna McLeod, the project
provides an immersive experience,
illustrating the complementary
Pillars of Creation(Eagle Nebula) capabilities of Hubble and Webb.
The visualization, part of NASA's Universe of Learning initiative, is designed to engage
audiences of all ages, offering insights into star formation and nebular science. It also
includes a 3D printable model, further enhancing the educational experience. The Hubble
Space Telescope, a joint NASA and ESA project, continues to contribute to our
understanding of the universe after more than three decades of operation.

NASA’s Webb Reveals Long-Studied Star Is

Actually Twins
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope
revealed a surprising discovery in the WL
20 star group, previously studied since the
1970s. Using the Mid-Infrared Instrument
(MIRI), researchers found that what was
believed to be one star, WL 20S, is actually
a pair of stars formed 2-4 million years ago.
The discovery, presented at the 244th
American Astronomical Society meeting,
also showed matching jets of gas from the
stars' poles. Additional observations by the
Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter
Array (ALMA) revealed disks of dust and gas
around both stars, indicating potential
planet formation.

The findings offer new insights into the stars' transition from youth to adulthood. The
combined power of Webb and ALMA highlights the critical stages in star formation and
the life cycle of stars, providing unprecedented data and exciting prospects for future
discoveries.

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Saturn, the Roman god of agriculture, time, and

wealth, has parallels in various mythological
traditions across the globe. The following explores
the stories related to Saturn in ten different
cultures, highlighting the common themes and
unique interpretations each culture brings to this
mythological figure.
Roman Mythology
Saturn
In Roman mythology, Saturn is revered as the god
of agriculture, time, and wealth. He is most
famously associated with the Golden Age, a
mythical period of peace and prosperity where
humanity lived in harmony with nature. A dark
aspect of Saturn's myth is his act of devouring his
children to prevent them from overthrowing him,
mirroring the Greek myth of Cronus. This narrative
underscores the themes of power and the cyclical
nature of time.
Greek Mythology
Cronus
Cronus, the Greek counterpart of Saturn, is a Titan
who overthrew his father Uranus to become the
ruler of the cosmos. Fearing a prophecy that
foretold his downfall at the hands of one of his
children, Cronus swallowed each of his offspring at
birth. This dire situation was eventually resolved
when his son Zeus overthrew him, liberating his
siblings and establishing a new order of gods. The
story of Cronus highlights the themes of power
struggles and the inevitable passage of time.
Hindu Mythology
Shani
In Hindu mythology, Shani is the god associated
with the planet Saturn. He is a son of Surya, the
Sun god, and Chhaya. Shani is known as the god
of justice, who delivers rewards and punishments
based on one's deeds. His gaze is believed to
bring challenges and hardships, urging people to
lead a righteous life. Shani's role emphasizes the
moral aspects of justice and the influence of
celestial bodies on human destiny.

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Mesopotamian Mythology
Ninurta
Ninurta, a god of war, hunting, and agriculture in
Mesopotamian mythology, is associated with Saturn.
Worshipped in the Sumerian, Akkadian, and Babylonian
traditions, Ninurta is known for slaying the demon
Asag and using his victories to bring order and fertility
to the land. This narrative connects Saturn's attributes
with themes of agricultural prosperity and the
maintenance of cosmic order.
Egyptian Mythology
Horus
In Egyptian mythology, while not directly associated
with Saturn, Horus the Elder, a sky god, is linked to
time and seasons, aligning with some attributes of
Saturn. Additionally, the Egyptians identified Saturn
with Horus the Bull (Horus the Elder). This association
reflects the Egyptian emphasis on celestial cycles and
their influence on agricultural and temporal rhythms.
Chinese Mythology
Zhen Xing
In Chinese mythology, Saturn is associated with the
star Zhen Xing and is part of the Five Planets (Wu
Xing), each connected to an element and direction.
Zhen Xing corresponds to the earth element and is
linked to stability and authority. This connection
underscores the importance of Saturn in maintaining
cosmic balance and order in Chinese cosmology.
Japanese Mythology
Dosei
In Japanese mythology, Saturn is known as Dosei.
While there isn't a rich mythological narrative
comparable to other cultures, Dosei is associated with
the element of earth and is part of traditional
Japanese cosmology influenced by Chinese astrology.
This highlights the cultural integration of astrological
knowledge and its significance in understanding the
natural world.
Aztec Mythology
Tlaloc, the Aztec god of rain and fertility, shares
attributes with Saturn in terms of agricultural
influence. The Aztecs observed planetary movements,
including Saturn, to guide their agricultural practices
and religious ceremonies. This connection underscores
the importance of celestial bodies in ensuring
agricultural prosperity and sustaining life.

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The Stories in the Stars

Stories are a series of connected events told through various forms of media.
Anything can be a story, and it can occur during any period. They add value to
human culture overall and allow us to understand our world better while helping us
navigate the complexities of life. Stories entertain, inspire and teach us. It is also the
oldest form of escapism and the most important part of life.
Storytelling comes alive at night. During the day, practical matters took over, but at
nighttime, when there was limited light and little entertainment, storytelling ruled.
Thus, it is not a surprise that the bright beacons of light that shone down on us got
interwoven with our stories.

The stars have been revered as gods while being used to track seasons and navigate
the world. Ever since humans walked the Earth, we have given the celestial objects
in the sky a lot of power. Cultures have, throughout history, given names and
mythical stories to its brightest objects.

Pleiades are one such object.

Pleiades is an open star cluster, of which we can see 6 individual stars. Yet, many
cultures consider the cluster to have 7 stars, while utilising stories to explain why we
can see only 6 visible stars. It's believed that once we could observe 7 individual
stars in the Pleiades cluster until one of the stars 'disappeared'. To explain this
disappearance, we created a story to explain what happened.
Stories about the stars could also help us track human migration.

The asterism Big Dipper is seen as a bear in many cultures across Eurasia. In
particular, the traditional stories of the Serbains in Eastern Russia have the Big
Dipper as a Bear being chased by 3 hunters and a bird. Across the straits,
throughout the North American continent, the indigenous population have similar
stories for the Great Dipper. Given that there is existing evidence that humans
crossed over the ancient land bridge in the sea between modern-day Russia and
Alaska, it will not be far-fetched that one of the items carried through was the
stories of the stars.

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WHAT'S UP IN THE SKY - JULY 2024

MOON CALENDAR
LUNAR CALENDAR JULY 2024
IMPORTANCE OF MOON PHASES
FOR STARGAZERS
One might wonder why it is important to refer to moon
phases for star gazing. The reason is that the phases of
the Moon reflect a great deal of illumination, and
because the Moon is so close to us, it overrides the
brightness of other celestial objects.
So, What Moon phase is best for stargazing? "The New
Moon and the days immediately before and after the
new moon (Crescent phases)" are among the best times
for stargazing. Whereas the Remaining phases like Full
Moon, waxing or waning gibbous, the first or third
quarter Moon offers a time to zoom in and witness the
features of the Moon.

PLANETS VISIBILITY BRIGHT DEEP SKY OBJECTS

M4 located in the constellation Scorpius,
is a huge, spherical collection of stars
Mercury known as a globular cluster. Just 5,500
light-years away, it is the closest globular
Evening planet, not optimally placed. Best
cluster to Earth. Because of its apparent
visible at mid of the month.
magnitude of 5.9 and proximity to
Antares, one of the brightest stars in the
night sky, M4 is relatively easy to find
Venus with a small telescope.
Evening planet, not easily visible for this
month. Lagoon Nebula (M8) was discovered in
1654 by the Italian astronomer Giovanni,
Mars sought to catalog nebulous objects in the
night sky so they would not be mistaken
Morning planet near Jupiter. In close
for comets. This star-forming cloud of
conjunction with Uranus on 15 July. interstellar gas is located in the
constellation Sagittarius and its apparent
Jupiter magnitude of 6 makes it faintly visible to
Improving morning planet. Impressive scenes the naked eye in dark skies.
towards end of July with Jupiter close to
Mars and crescent Moon, against the stars of Discovered in 1702 by the German
Taurus. astronomer Gottfried Kirch, M5 is one of
the oldest globular clusters in the Milky
Way galaxy. With an apparent magnitude
Saturn of 6.7 and a location 25,000 light-years
Morning planet, best visibility occurs at away in the constellation Serpens, M5
the end of the month. appears as a patch of light with a pair of
binoculars and is best viewed during July.

Uranus
Morning planet in conjunction with Mars on Messier 83 also known as the Southern
15 July. Pinwheel Galaxy is a barred spiral galaxy
approximately 15 million light-years away
in the constellation borders of Hydra and
Neptune Centaurus. It is one of the closest and
Improving morning planet, best seen at the brightest barred spiral galaxies in the sky,
end of July. With an magnitude of 7.5 and is one of
the brightest spiral galaxies in the night
sky.

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ASTRONOMICAL EVENTS - JULY 2024

Earth's journey around the Sun follows an elliptical, or slightly oval, path, causing our distance
from the Sun to change over the years. The point where Earth is farthest from the Sun is known as
aphelion, which will occur on July 5, 2024.
The term "aphelion" is derived from the Greek words "apo," meaning away or apart, and "helios,"
referring to the sun god. In contrast, perihelion, the point where Earth is closest to the Sun,
happens about two weeks after the December solstice. Aphelion occurs around two weeks after the
June solstice.
Johannes Kepler clarified the concepts of aphelion and perihelion in the early 17th century through
his laws of planetary motion, fundamentally changing our understanding of orbits. This elliptical
orbit causes Earth's distance from the Sun to vary by about 3%, a change so subtle it is almost
unnoticeable. At aphelion in 2024, the Sun will be over 94 million miles (152.1 million kilometers)
away from us, more than 3 million miles farther than during perihelion. Although this distance
shifts slightly each year, it does not significantly impact our seasons.
Our seasonal weather patterns are driven mainly by the 23.5-degree tilt of Earth's axis, not by our
varying distance from the Sun. So, while aphelion marks the point when we are farthest from our
star, the axial tilt plays the starring role in shaping our seasons. Because Earth's orbit is elliptical,
our planet travels at different speeds during its journey around the Sun. We move faster when we
are closer to the Sun at perihelion and slower when we are farther away at aphelion.

Despite being farther from the Sun during aphelion, the difference in distance is not enough to
noticeably affect the amount of solar energy Earth receives. This is why summer in the Northern
Hemisphere still feels hot despite being at the farthest point from the Sun. During aphelion, the
Sun appears slightly smaller in the sky compared to when Earth is at perihelion, but this difference
is so minor that it's hard to notice without precise instruments.
Although Earth is farthest from the Sun during aphelion, temperatures can still be quite hot,
especially in the Northern Hemisphere where it's summer. This dispels the myth that distance from
the Sun directly dictates seasonal temperatures. Aphelion occurs at roughly the same time every
year, around early July, due to the stable nature of Earth's orbit. Earth's orbital speed is at its
slowest during aphelion, moving at about 29.29 kilometers per second (18.21 miles per second),
whereas at perihelion, Earth speeds up to around 30.29 kilometers per second (18.82 miles per
second).
The amount of solar energy Earth receives at aphelion is about 7% less than at perihelion, but this
slight difference doesn’t significantly affect global temperatures due to the thermal inertia of
Earth's atmosphere and oceans. The axial tilt of Earth has a far greater impact on seasons than the
slight difference in distance caused by aphelion and perihelion. This tilt ensures that one
hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun during summer and away during winter, driving seasonal
changes.
Aphelion is also a great time for amateur astronomers to observe the Sun, as it is a bit safer and
easier to view using proper solar filters due to its slightly smaller size and lower intensity.

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CELESTIAL ALIGNMENT OF MOON, MARS,

JUPITER AND PLEIADES
On July 29, 2024, a spectacular
celestial alignment will grace the
night sky, featuring the waning
crescent Moon positioned near the
glimmering Pleiades star cluster.
Alongside, the reddish planet Mars
will lie nearby, aligning with the
largest planet in our solar system,
Jupiter. This event promises a visual
treat for both amateur and seasoned
astronomers alike.
The Moon's brightness will serve as a
guide to this alignment, showcasing
Jupiter's prominent presence, easily
visible even in areas with moderate
light pollution. Mars, notable by its
distinctive reddish hue, will stand
Place: New Delhi/ Date: 29th July / Time: Around 02.00 a.m. out among the stars, adding to the
visual spectacle. The Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, a striking open star cluster in the constellation
Taurus, will be a highlight of this alignment. Even though it can also be seen with the naked eye, it is best
viewed with binoculars or a small telescope under dark skies, and will also offer one to see Uranus near
Pleiades which is otherwise not visible to the naked eye.
This event provides an excellent opportunity for astrophotography enthusiasts to capture the beauty of these
celestial bodies in one frame. Such alignments occur because all planets, including the Moon, generally follow
the ecliptic plane—the apparent path of the Sun across the sky—allowing for these rare but awe-inspiring
configurations. Throughout history, celestial alignments have held cultural significance, often marking
important events or seen as omens.
This July 29, 2024 alignment of the Moon, Jupiter, Mars, and the Pleiades offers a unique chance to marvel at
the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our night sky, making it a must-see event for astronomy enthusiasts
and casual stargazers alike.

LUNAR OCCULTATION OF ANTARES

On July 18, 2024, lunar occultation will occur in
the night sky, where the moon occults the star,
Antares. The term "occultation" originates from
Pleiades

the Latin "occultare," meaning "to hide." It

refers to the complete obscuration of light from
one astronomical body, such as a star, by
another, like a planet or satellite. For instance, a
total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon occults
the Sun. Astronomers utilize occultations to
measure the angular diameters of stars and
identify binary star systems by analyzing their
light intensity as they pass behind the Moon.
These events also enable precise measurements
of planet sizes, asteroid shapes, and the
temperatures of planetary atmospheres.
Antares, a red, semiregular variable star with an
apparent visual magnitude of approximately 1.1,
stands as the brightest star in the zodiacal Place: Sub-Saharan Africa/ Date: 18th July/ Time: 1.45 a.m.
constellation Scorpius and is among the largest
known stars. The lunar occultation will be Lunar occultations are geographically limited, visible
visible from Sub-Saharan Africa, the Moon will only from specific locations due to the Moon's proximity
pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii). to Earth causing significant parallax. These occurrences
Although this event won't be observable from provide astronomers with crucial insights into celestial
India, a close conjunction between the Moon objects, enhancing our comprehension of the universe's
and Antares will still be visible. dynamics and diversity.

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CONJUNCTIONS FOR THE MONTH

A phenomenon grabs the imagination of scientists and stargazers alike in the vast
panorama of the night sky, where stars shine like distant diamonds and planets roam over
the cosmic canvas. Conjunctions, those ethereal moments in the heavens when heavenly
bodies appear to collide, provide a mesmerizing sight that connects us to the beauty of the
cosmos. The word "Conjunction" comes from Latin, meaning to join together. From Earth's
perspective, a conjunction occurs when two planets or a planet and the Moon or Sun align.
Solar conjunctions are invisible to us. Moon-planet conjunctions occur throughout the
month, every month, as the Moon passes past each planet. The planets in The Great
Conjunction and when multiple align are rare and captivating conjunctions. Technically
speaking, objects are said to be in conjunction in that instant when they have the same
right ascension on our sky’s dome. Practically speaking, objects in conjunction will likely
be visible near each other for some days.

Conjunction of Uranus and Mars

On July 16th, the red Planet Mars will
meet the seventh planet Uranus in the
North east direction. The pair will be
visible in the sky at around 01.40 a.m.
but the close to each other at around
02.30 a.m. Mars will be at a magnitude
of 0.95 & Uranus will have a magnitude
of 5.97. Place: New Delhi/ Date: 16th July / Time:02.30 a.m.

Conjunction of Moon and Saturn

On July 25th, the ringed planet Saturn
and the Moon will have the closest
Saturn
Pleiades approach in the night sky & reaching an
altitude of 47° above the south-eastern
horizon. The Moon will be at magnitude
-12.60, and Saturn at mag 0.9. And it
will be visible around 1.45 am in the
night. For South India, it will be the
Place: New Delhi/ Date: 25th July / Time: 01.45 a.m.
occultation of Saturn and Moon.

Conjunction of Moon and Jupiter

On July 31, the Moon and the planet
Jupiter will appear very close to each
other in the early morning. They will be
in the eastern direction. Moon is at a
magnitude of -10.97, and the planet
Jupiter is at a magnitude of -1.97. The
Moon and Jupiter will be seen in the
night sky around 02.00 a.m., in the
Place: New Delhi / Date: 31st July / Time: 02.00 a.m.
north-east direction.

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India's ambitious Gaganyaan-1 mission, the first uncrewed test flight under the
Gaganyaan programme, is poised for launch in July 2024. This landmark event will
take place at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra
Pradesh. While the exact date and time of the launch are still to be finalized,
preparations are in their final stages, signaling a significant advancement in India's
space exploration efforts.
The name "Gaganyaan" is derived from the Sanskrit words "gagana," meaning
celestial, and "yāna," meaning craft or vehicle. This aptly describes the mission's
purpose: to explore and reach the celestial realms. The Gaganyaan-1 mission is
designed to validate key technologies and systems that will be crucial for future
crewed space missions.
The primary objective of this mission is to test the performance and reliability of
the launch vehicle, spacecraft systems, life support systems, and emergency escape
provisions. A critical component of this mission is the use of a humanoid robot,
which will simulate human physiological functions. This robot will provide essential
data on the environmental conditions inside the spacecraft, helping scientists and
engineers refine the design and systems for subsequent manned missions.
The success of Gaganyaan-1 will be a major step towards India's first human
spaceflight, which is planned for 2025. The data collected during this uncrewed
mission will be invaluable for ensuring the safety and success of future astronauts.
This mission underscores India's growing capabilities in space technology and its
commitment to becoming a significant player in human space exploration.
With the Gaganyaan-1 mission, India aims to join an elite group of nations capable
of sending humans into space. This endeavour not only highlights the advancements
in India's space technology but also serves as an inspiration for future generations
of scientists, engineers, and space enthusiasts. As the countdown to July 2024
begins, the world watches with anticipation as India takes its first giant leap
towards human spaceflight.

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Date: Expected In July, 2024 Rocket: Proton-M /

DM-03 Agency: Roscosmos Country: Russia
Launch Site: Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Purpose: Electro-L N5 is the fifth unit of Russian

electro-L geostationary satellites series. Electro-L
satellites are designed primarily for meteorological
and climate monitoring purposes. They provide
high-resolution images of Earth's atmosphere,
weather patterns, and climate dynamics.These
satellites are equipped with advanced imaging
instruments, typically including multi-spectral
cameras capable of capturing images in visible
and infrared wavelengths. This allows for detailed
observations of cloud cover, precipitation,
temperature gradients, and other meteorological
phenomena.

Date: Expected in July, 2024 Rocket: Atlas V 551

Agency: United Launch Alliance + Amazon Country:
USA
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral SLC-41, USA

Purpose: Project Kuiper is a mega constellation of

satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer
broadband internet access, this constellation will
be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary
of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be
composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are
projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three
orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km
altitude.

Date: June 30, 2024 Rocket: Ariane 6

Agency: ESA Country: Europe Launch site: Guiana
Space Centre, French Guiana

Purpose: In 2014, ESA selected a design for the

next generation Ariane rocket, the Ariane-6, which
becomes operational in the 2020s. Contrary to the
earlier dual-launch Ariane-4 and Ariane-5 rockets,
the new Ariane-62 is designed to be 40-50%
cheaper. It is capable of launching a wide range of
payloads, from small satellites to large spacecraft. It
can launch up to 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) into
geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and 10,350 kg
(22,820 lb) into low Earth orbit (LEO). It is is
primarily intended for government and scientific
missions. This is because it is more cost-effective
than Ariane 64 and is still capable of launching a
wide range of payloads.

29 www.space-global.com JULY 2024

 GALACTICA

Date: Early July Rocket: Falcon 9 Agency: ESA Country:

Europe Launch Site: Vandenberg SLC-4E, California,
USA

Purpose: The European Space Agency has built the Artic

Weather Satellite in just 36 months which is a
microsatellite. This is a meteorological satellite which will
observe the weather conditions specifically at the Arctic
region. There is a huge weather data collected for
different parts of the world. However, the monitoring of
the Arctic remains insufficient, as geostationary satellites
have no visibility of this northerly region. This is the first
satellite of the EPS Sterna mission which is a
constellation of six micro satellites. This mission will
provide constant data of temperature and humidity for
every location on Earth.

Date: June 25, 2024 Rocket: Falcon Heavy Agency:

PlanetIQ Country: USA Launch Site: Vandenberg SLC-4E,
California, USA

Purpose: PlanetiQ's GNOMES (GNSS Navigation and

Occultation Measurement Satellites) is a planned
constellation of 20 small satellites to provide radio
occultation data for weather forecasting, climate research,
and space weather monitoring, with the first satellites
launched in 2016. . The overall objective is to introduce
innovation to satellite weather observations.

For this reason, PlanetiQ’s satellites will carry the fourth-

generation “Pyxis” radio occultation (RO) sensor. Pyxis
builds on the heritage of the gold standard for RO
sensors.This state-of-the-art, next-generation RO sensor is
smaller, lighter, and consumes less power than prior
versions, but has nearly 3x the data collection capability
since it will receive signals from all four major GNSS
constellations (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Beidou).

StarLink Group 7-22/23/24/27/28/29/30

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation project developed by SpaceX,

with the goal of providing high-speed internet access to underserved and
remote areas globally. Satellite Deployment: SpaceX regularly launches
batches of Starlink satellites into orbit aboard its Falcon 9 rockets. Each
batch typically contains dozens to hundreds of satellites.

**Note: Launch dates of missions are scheduled to be launched in July 2024 but may subject to change.

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GALACTICA

Happy Birthday
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla Serbian Cyrillic (10 July 1856 – 7 January 1943) was a
Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer,
and futurist. He is known for his contributions to the design of the
modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. In 1899,
Tesla recorded first cosmic radio waves. Alone in his Colorado Springs,
Colorado Lab one night, Tesla heard strange rhythmic sounds. The
sounds were in such a regular pattern that Tesla concluded it could only
be an effort to communicate with Earth by alien beings. The signals
were indeed extraterrestrial: radio waves from distant celestial sources
– planets, comets, stars, or galaxies.

Hans Albrecht Bethe

Hans Albrecht Bethe (July 2, 1906 – March 6, 2005) was a German-
American theoretical physicist who made major contributions to
nuclear physics, astrophysics, quantum electrodynamics, and solid-
state physics, and who won the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics for his
work on the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. For most of his career,
Bethe was a professor at Cornell University.During World War II, he
was head of the Theoretical Division at the secret Los Alamothat
developed the first atomic bombs. There he played a key role in
calculating the critical mass of the weapons and developing the theory
behind the implosion method.

Giuseppe Piazzi
Giuseppe Piazzi, (born July 16, 1746, Ponte di Valtellina, Lombardy
[Italy], Habsburg crown land—died July 22, 1826, Naples), He was
Catholic priest of the Theatine order, mathematician, and astronomer.
He established an observatory at Palermo, He is the one who discovered
(January 1, 1801) and named the first asteroid, or “minor planet,” Ceres.
He supervised the compilation of the Palermo Catalogue of stars,
containing 7,646 star entries with unprecedented precision,including the
star names "Garnet Star" from Herschel, and the original Rotanev and
Sualocin.

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GALACTICA

Happy Birthday
Vera Florence Cooper Rubin
Vera Florence Cooper Rubin (July 23, 1928 – December 25, 2016) was
an American astronomer who pioneered work on galaxy rotation rates.
She uncovered the discrepancy between the predicted and observed
angular motion of galaxies by studying galactic rotation curves. By
identifying the galaxy rotation problem, her work provided evidence
for the existence of dark matter. These results were later confirmed
over subsequent decades. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is
named in her honor.

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel 22 July 1784 – 17 March 1846) was a German
astronomer, mathematician, physicist, and geodesist. He was the first
astronomer who determined reliable values for the distance from the
sun to another star by the method of parallax. Certain important
mathematical functions were named Bessel functions after Bessel's
death, though they had originally been discovered by Daniel Bernoulli
before being generalised by Bessel.

Chushiro Hayashi
Chushiro Hayashi (25, 1920 – February 28, 2010) was a Japanese
astrophysicist. Hayashi tracks on the Hertzsprung–Russell diagram are
named after him. Hayashi was born in Kyoto and enrolled at the Imperial
University of Tokyo in 1940, earning his BSc in Physics after 2½ years,
in 1942. He was conscripted into the navy and, after the war ended,
joined the group of Hideki Yukawa at Kyoto University. He made
additions to the Big Bang nucleosynthesis model that built upon the
work of the classic Alpher–Bethe–Gamow paper.

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GALACTICA

STUDENT'S CORNER

Black Holes: The most Mysterious

object in the universe
Kavin Pranaav K, iAstronomer
Black holes are points in space that are so dense that they create deep gravity sinks.
Black holes are so-called because the gravity in the center is so strong.
Anatomy of a Black Hole
 Event Horizon -This is what makes a black hole black
 Accretion Disk -The main light source from a black hole is a structure
 Event Horizon Shadow- The event horizon captures any light passing through it.
 Photon Sphere- From every viewing angle, thin rings of light appear at the edge of
the black hole shadow.
 Doppler Beaming – Viewed from most angles, one side of the accretion disk appears
brighter
than the other.
 Corona- It has been called one of the most extreme physical environments in the
universe.
 Particle Jets- A small amount of material heading toward the black hole.
 Singularity- It is the final destination for anything falling into the event horizon.
Types of Black Holes
Stellar: This type of black hole is formed by the gravitational collapse of a star.
Intermediate: The size should range from around one hundred to hundreds of
thousands of times the Sun's mass.
Supermassive: Almost every large galaxy, including our Milky Way galaxy, has a
supermassive black hole at its center.
Primordial: Scientists theorize that primordial black holes are formed in the first
second after the universe's birth.
Interesting Facts about black holes
 The lightest known black hole is only 3.8 times the sun's mass.
 The one who discovered the black hole is Christian Wolf.
 Anything that goes too close will be stretched and compressed like putty, called
spaghettification.
 The most massive black hole observed, TON 618 tips the scales at 66 billion times
than the sun's mass
 One time a black hole is born when massive stars run out of fuel and explode in
supernovae.
Conclusion
Black holes are the most mysterious cosmic objects, much studied but not fully
understood. They are huge concentrations of matter packed into very tiny spaces. A
black hole is so dense that gravity just beneath its surface, is strong enough that
nothing not even light can escape.

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GALACTICA

Remember the Aurora Party of 1859? What

Happens If the Sun Does It Again?
Sourajit Mandal,Astronomy Camp

On May 11, 2024 people around the world saw something strange in the sky. Something they
had never seen before. At least, not for the people born after 1859. Though at a smaller scale
than the 1859 event, people living even in the relatively lower latitudes such as that of Ladakh in
India saw bright auroras!
It was the first of September, 1859. The Carrington Event, the most powerful geomagnetic
storm in recorded history, was taking place. Strong auroras were seen even in low-latitude
locations like Mexico, Cuba, and Hawaii. According to reports from around the world, the storm
generated sparks and even fires in telegraph stations.
The 1859 geomagnetic storm was most likely caused by a coronal mass ejection from the Sun
impacting with Earth's magnetosphere. Whereas the recent event was due to a solar flare.
But that was the case 166 years ago. What will happen if something like that happens now? Can
the sun's radiation be the cause of massive problems?
Today, our dependence on technology has grown dramatically. In 1859, the main form of long-
distance communication was the telegraph. Now, we rely on a vast network of satellites, power
grids, and global communication systems. A geomagnetic storm of similar magnitude to the
Carrington Event could have catastrophic effects on our modern infrastructure.
Satellites orbiting the Earth are particularly in danger. A powerful geomagnetic storm could
damage or destroy these satellites, leading to a loss of critical services such as GPS navigation,
weather forecasting, and global communications. This would not only disrupt daily life but could
also have severe implications for global security and emergency response.
Our power grids will also be at risk. A massive solar storm could induce electric currents in the
Earth's crust, potentially leading to widespread transformer damage and power outages. The
resulting blackouts could last for days, weeks, or even longer, depending on the severity of the
damage. This would affect everything from heating and cooling systems to water supply and
healthcare services.
Modern communication systems, including the internet and mobile networks, could face
significant disruptions. The loss of satellites would be a major blow, but even ground-based
systems could be affected by the induced electric currents and magnetic fluctuations. This
would damage our ability to communicate, coordinate, and manage the crisis effectively.
Solar storms occur due to disturbances on the Sun's surface, often involving sunspots and solar
flares. These disturbances can result in the release of vast amounts of energy and plasma into
space in the form of coronal mass ejections.
When these ejections are directed toward Earth, they interact with our planet's magnetosphere,
causing geomagnetic storms. The intensity of these storms can vary, but the most powerful
ones have the potential to cause significant disruptions to our technological systems.
The heliosphere, a vast bubble-like region of space dominated by the solar wind and the Sun's
magnetic field, plays a crucial role in protecting our solar system from interstellar radiation. This
magnetic field acts as a shield, deflecting harmful cosmic rays and preventing them from
reaching the inner planets, including Earth. Without the Sun's magnetic field, our planet would
be exposed to a lot higher levels of radiation from space, which could have serious
consequences for life on Earth. Thus, while solar storms can pose a threat to our technology,
the Sun's magnetic field is also a vital protector of our planet from the dangers of interstellar
space.

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Type Ia Supernova: The Standard Candle to FLRW

Souryadeepta Majumdar,iAstronomer

There have been discussions on the Universe being homogeneous as per the Modern
Cosmological model renowned as the CDM model and a metric known as the Friedmann-
Lemaître-Robertson-Walker metric, using which, one can find the expansion rate of the universe.
However, there is one interesting fact that the Modern Cosmological Model supports the
establishment of the model of a flat universe and can be mathematically interpreted by using
Euclidean geometry. However, if we consider the computations of the expansion rate at the
present day, it is done with respect to a specific star known as the Type Ia Supernova (spelt as
‘type one-a supernova’). The further discussion will elaborate about Supernovae and this specific
type of Supernova, further showing how the expansion rate is measured using this as a referral
object.
Before explaining the Type Ia Supernova, a brief on what is a supernova. Supernova (plural:
Supernovae), comprises of two terms “Super” and “nova” where super implies the superlative or
massive version of an event and nova is the Latin term for “new”. In simple words, a Supernova is
the event of explosion of a star. Whenever a star reaches the death phase, provided it is at least 8
times or more heavier than the Sun, their explosion is termed as supernova. If we compare a star,
its functioning requires fuel, basically energy sources to continue the system.
A major contribution of this fuel is through nuclear reactions which are fission and fusion reaction.
The stability of a star is an equilibrium state between the gravitational pulls of the particles
towards the centre and the outward pressure that is generated due to such a nuclear pull. During
the death phase the equilibrium breaks and all the particles start approaching the centre of mass
of the system, ultimately leading to a drastic rise in temperatures in order of billion degrees. This
change leads to a massive explosion that produces shock waves that acts as fuel to the exploding
particles to create new elements and slowly gives rise to black hole, neutron star or a nebula
depending on physical parameters.
Based on physical types, Supernovae are of two categories: Type Ia and Type II. The former (Type
Ia) is a result of collapsing binary (two) star systems in which a white dwarf of carbon-oxygen
composition is accumulating matter from a companion. This means one of the stars in the binary
system is a carbon-oxygen white dwarf (a star with compressed volume and radius of about
4000km and average density 106 g cm-3). The latter, however, is due to the end of a massive
star’s lifetime due to weak nuclear reactions. Now, knowing what a Supernova is and what are the
types, we arrive in this crucial point, tracing to the FLRW metric. The FLRW metric helps in
determining the expansion rate of the universe.
The computations of the expansion rate of the Universe are achieved by measuring the distance
between a referred object and the time taken by light to travel the distance. In these cases, the
Type Ia Supernova is used widely and is also referred to as the Standard Candle or the Standard
Bulb. This means that this Supernova has enough light source (parameter known as ‘luminosity’) to
create the foundations of the Cosmic ladder, which is used to compute distances for distant
celestial objects like galaxies. However, addressing to a point that Type Ia Supernova is only
considered as a Standard Candle and that’s because, unlike Type II, Type Ia occurs when the stars
explode approximately at same masses which is almost 1.4 solar mass for a standard White dwarf.
Besides, the explosion is almost the same for all the Type Ia explosions and hence is referred to a
Standard Candle.
Hence, using these Supernovae to compute distances and speed, computation of the expansion
rate of the Universe using the FLRW has been conducted and are currently used for considerations
of studying Modern Cosmology, Stellar Entropy and Galaxies. Hence, the Type Ia Supernova along
with its fellow existing types is a vital consideration in the Cosmos to study the universe.

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A Chance of Life !!
Sourajit Mandal,Astronomy Camp

Huh! Imagine relaxing on your spaceship one day and suddenly the bell rings.
A friend of yours has come at the door to play video games with you. A friend
who is not a human but something else. A friend who is an alien. This though a
sci-fi, at present may be a possibility in the future. This is because we might
just have found aliens! This may be the first scientific proof of life outside of
our planet! But first let's dive deeper into the topic.
A few days ago it appeared in the news headlines that a planet named K2-18b
had a chance of being habitable and may even support life as per the data
provided by JWST. Dr Nikku Madhusudhan of Cambridge university while
examining the data provided by the JWST last year found carbon bearing
moleculeslike CO2 and methane which are signatures of life. Moreover this
means it's likely to have an ocean beneath the atmosphere, making it a Hycean
world.
But that is not the exciting news. The exciting news is that there is a chance
that a molecule named DMS is in the planet's atmosphere. Why is that so
interesting?
DMS or Dimethyl sulphide or methylthiomethane is an organic molecule that is
produced mainly by phytoplankton living in the ocean. Remarkably it accounts
for 80% of biogenic sulphur emissions and 50% of the global sulphur emissions
into the atmosphere. It reflects back the sun's rays into space, cooling the
Earth by 4 degrees. It is often considered as a biomarker for extraterrestrial
life. The presence of DMS on K2-18b, although requiring further confirmation,
is exciting because it suggests the possibility of biological processes similar to
those on Earth.
This discovery opens a new chapter in the search for life beyond our planet. If
future observations solidify the presence of DMS, it would be a significant leap
forward in our quest to find alien life. Imagine a future where we don't just
hypothesise about alien friends, but can actually play video games with them!
However, there are still some things to consider. Even if life exists on K2-18b,
it's likely to be very different from life on Earth. The planet is much larger and
has a different composition, so any organisms there would have likely adapted
to those specific conditions.
Regardless, the discovery of DMS on K2-18b is a thrilling development and
brings us closer to answering the age-old question: Are we alone in the
universe?

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VIPER- DISCOVERING WONDERS

ON THE MOON
Navya Kiran, IAstronomer

I am sure we all are aware about our very own natural satellite, the moon. The effulgent
shining body causes tides on Earth and illuminates our whole planet at night. But ever
seemed to wonder how its state was when it was first made and what mysteries it may still
hold that we can’t catch a glimpse of. Well, here is a remarkable piece made by the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration, which will be breaking the barriers between us and
the lunar’s one-of-a-kind game-changing resources. Welcome VIPER, bound to represent a
significant milestone in lunar exploration.

VIPER, or Volatile Investigating Polar Exploration Rover by NASA, has been designed with a
purpose to find game-changing resources on the moon which could be amazing news for
mankind.This rover has been designed to find resources needed for life on the moon, which
would totally transform the future of space exploration and would be a testament for life-
term presence on the moon and would also open boundaries for life on Mars and beyond.
Said to be launched in November 2024, scientists say that with the help of VIPER, our future
technology and living will be like never before. It is said to be the first robotic rover of NASA
to be going on the moon, ready to odyssey far and beyond on the surface of the South Pole
of the moon.

VIPER has been set several goals and milestones to effectuate:

1. Characterize the distribution and physical state of lunar polar water and other volatiles in
lunar cold traps and regolith to understand their origin.
2. Provide the data necessary for NASA to evaluate the potential return of in-situ resource
utilization from the lunar polar regions.
3. Provide the data and the information about the ice sheets of the Southern Polar Cap
Region of the moon and provide insights on whether life could be created or not.
VIPER has several instruments for deep researching and providing data back on Earth:
NSS (Neutron Spectrometer System)- As the rover drives across the lunar surface, it will
detect the presence of water on the lunar ice caps by seeing if there is hydrogen present or
not as hydrogen is one of the elements present in water. It will see the presence of atoms
and neutrons.
TRIDENT (The Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrains-These 3 feet drill will drill
into the surface below 3 feet, exploring the soil and other features of it to find water deep
within. With its sharp cuttings, it would provide major information about the properties and
characteristics of the soil.
NIRVSS (Near-Infrared Volatiles Spectrometer System)- After the TRIDENT has done its job,
NIRVSS will detect the type and properties of hydrogen detected earlier by NSS, whether it
is a water molecule or simply a hydrogen atom. It would be very useful to us to know about
the nature of the region and whether life could be attained there.
VIPER, to conclude, will be a major game-changer for the future of living. Nobody until now,
was able to believe life could exist on the moon. The VIPER mission would do wonders and
would completely evolve the future of space exploration.

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Discovering Exoplanets: How Scientists

Find Planets Around Other Stars
Aayan Kumar Chauhan,Astronomy Camp
Introduction
Exoplanets, or planets outside our solar system, have fascinated scientists and the public alike. But how do
astronomers find these distant worlds? This article explores the innovative methods used to discover
exoplanets, helping us understand more about the universe and the potential for life beyond Earth.
1. Transit Method
The transit method is one of the most successful techniques for discovering exoplanets. It involves observing
the light from a star and looking for periodic dips in brightness. These dips occur when a planet passes in front
of the star, blocking some of its light.
How It Works: When a planet transits, or crosses in front of its star, it causes a slight dimming that can be
detected with sensitive instruments.
Tools Used: Space telescopes like Kepler and TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) are designed
specifically for detecting these tiny changes in brightness.
Significant Discoveries: The Kepler mission alone has discovered thousands of exoplanets using this method,
revealing the diversity of planetary systems in our galaxy.
2. Radial Velocity Method
Also known as the Doppler method, this technique measures the changes in a star's velocity as it moves
towards or away from us due to the gravitational pull of an orbiting planet.
How It Works: A planet’s gravity causes its star to wobble slightly as they orbit their common center of
mass. This wobble changes the star’s light spectrum, shifting it towards blue when the star moves closer
(blue shift) and towards red when it moves away (red shift).
Tools Used: Ground-based observatories with precise spectrometers, like the HARPS (High Accuracy Radial
velocity Planet Searcher) instrument, are crucial for detecting these shifts.
Significant Discoveries: This method was used to discover the first exoplanet around a sun-like star, 51
Pegasi b, in 1995.
3. Direct Imaging
Direct imaging involves capturing actual images of exoplanets by blocking out the star’s light to see the dim
planets orbiting around it.
How It Works: Specialized instruments and techniques, such as coronagraphs and adaptive optics, are used
to block the star’s light and enhance the visibility of the planets.
Tools Used: Large telescopes like the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and upcoming space telescopes like the
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are equipped with these advanced instruments.
Significant Discoveries: Direct imaging has been used to discover and study young, massive exoplanets
located far from their stars, such as those in the HR 8799 system.
4. Gravitational Microlensing
Gravitational microlensing occurs when a massive object, like a star, passes in front of another star and acts as
a lens, magnifying the background star's light. If a planet is orbiting the foreground star, it can further magnify
the light.
How It Works: When a foreground star with an orbiting planet aligns with a distant star, the gravity of the
foreground star and planet bends and magnifies the light from the background star.
Tools Used: Observatories like the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and collaborations like
the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) project.
Significant Discoveries: This method is effective for finding planets at great distances from Earth, including
those in other galaxies.
5. Astrometry
Astrometry measures the precise movements of stars in the sky to detect wobbles caused by orbiting planets.
How It Works: By observing the star's position over time, astronomers can detect minute changes in its
movement, indicating the presence of a planet.
Tools Used: Space missions like Gaia, which is mapping the positions of stars with unprecedented precision.
Significant Discoveries: While astrometry has been challenging to use for exoplanet discovery, it holds great
potential for finding Earth-like planets in the future.
Conclusion
The discovery of exoplanets has revolutionized our understanding of the universe and our place in it. Each
method offers unique insights and challenges, contributing to a fuller picture of the myriad planetary systems
that exist beyond our own. As technology advances, we can expect to find even more fascinating worlds,
potentially answering the age-old question of whether we are alone in the universe.

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Nuclear Fission: Harnessing the

Power of the Atom
Nikhilesh.B,iAstronomer
Atomic parting could be a instrument that was found within the late 1930s that discharges a expansive amount of
vitality by part a overwhelming nuclear core into two lighter cores. This response has significant impacts on vitality
generation, therapeutic investigate, and national security. It is vital for atomic reactors and nuclear weapons. The
components of atomic parting, as well as its employments, points of interest, challenges, and potential for future
vitality era, are all inspected in this article.

When a overwhelming core, like uranium-235 or plutonium-239, gets a neutron, it gets to be unsteady and isolates
into two littler cores, a handle known as atomic parting happens. As a result of mass being changed over into
vitality agreeing to Einstein's condition E=mc2, this prepare discharges free neutrons and a critical amount of vitality.
A self-sustaining chain response can be made by new parting occasions activated by free neutrons. Atomic bombs
detonate as a result of an uncontrolled response, while atomic reactors are fueled by this directed response.

Atomic control offices are where atomic parting is most obviously utilized, creating warm through a controlled chain
response. Warm from this source changes water into steam, which powers turbines that are connected to
generators to provide energy. 10% of the world's control is created by atomic vitality, a noteworthy low-carbon
vitality source.

Therapeutic isotopes utilized in cancer treatment and demonstrative imaging are delivered through atomic parting.
One common parting item utilized in therapeutic imaging is technetium-99m. Atomic parting is additionally in favor
of atomic weapons, and the unstable drive of atomic bombs is delivered by the vitality discharged by an
uncontrolled response, which includes a critical affect on geopolitics and universal security.

In spite of its great title, nuclear fission has noteworthy downsides. Since parting creates amazingly radioactive
squander that has to be carefully put away for an expanded period of time, overseeing radioactive squander is vital.
Creating secure capacity alternatives is fundamental to the industry's long-term reasonability.

Another critical deterrent is the potential for atomic incidents. Occasions at Three Mile Island, Fukushima, and
Chernobyl have brought consideration to the possible risks related with atomic control. Indeed with all of the
security instruments that modern reactors have, there's continuously a chance of a disastrous disappointment.

Another issue related to atomic parting is the expansion of atomic weapons. Nuclear weapons may be created
utilizing the same materials and innovations as are utilized in reactors. Strong universal collaboration and control are
fundamental to halt the expansion of atomic weapons and to progress the tranquil utilize of atomic vitality.

Atomic fission's future depends on tending to its drawbacks and optimizing its preferences. Unused improvements
in reactor innovation, such Era IV reactors and Little Measured Reactors (SMRs), hold out trust for expanding
atomic power's sustainability, proficiency, and security. These unused forms are outlined to utilize gasoline more
successfully, cut down on squander, and reduce the chance of mischances. The objective of research into squander
administration methods and substitute fuel cycles is to relieve the issues related to radioactive squander. Curiosities
like transmutation, which abbreviates the half-lives of long-lived radioactive isotopes, give promising squander
transfer choices.

Atomic fission's future depends on tending to its downsides and optimizing its focal points. Unused improvements
in reactor innovation, such Era IV reactors and Little Secluded Reactors (SMRs), hold out hope for expanding
atomic power's maintainability, effectiveness, and security. These unused adaptations are planned to utilize gasoline
more effectively, cut down on squander, and reduce the chance of mishaps. The objective of inquire about into
squander administration strategies and interchange fuel cycles is to moderate the issues related to radioactive
squander.

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 GALACTICA

VISUAL ARTS FROM SPACE

ASSOCIATED ASTRONOMERS

Milkyway Arm Captured by Kautik Kanna,

Club student Partial Eclipse Captured by Srivainavi, iAstronomer

Moon Trail, Captured by Kautik Kanna, Club student Moon captured by Aryan Gupta,iAstronomer

Satun captured by Aryan Gupta,iAstronomer

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 GALACTICA

VISUAL ARTS FROM SPACE

ASSOCIATED ASTRONOMERS

Diya Avicot John, IAstronomer .Prisha Gulati,IAstronomer Rajita Singh, IAstronomer

Kavya Dwivedi, IAstronomer

Vincy Bansal, IAstronomer Poem By Deepa k , IAstronomer

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 GALACTICA

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHS BY SPACE TEAM

Celestial alignment of Moon, Saturn and Mars captured by
Mr. Arun Yadav, Educator - Delhi, STEPL.

Star Trail Captured by Mr. Ranjith Kumar E, Team Lead, Education - Chennai, STEPL.

Celestial alignment of Moon, Saturn and Mars captured by

Ms. Sanjana Nayak Educator - Delhi, STEPL.

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GALACTICA

HISTORICAL EVENTS HAPPENED IN JULY

PLUNGING INTO THE
JUPITER
On March 1993, when husband and wife duo Eugene M. and Carolyn Shoemaker, along with
their colleague and frequent collaborator, David Levy, discovered the comet that would bear
their names, Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9), the comet was already in its twilight years.
In July 1992, the SL9, captured by Jupiter's gravity decades earlier, had experienced the power
of the gas giant's tidal force when it passed within the planet's Roche's limit, resulting in the
comet getting broken up into more than 20 pieces. SL9 was the first time an active comet
orbiting a planet was observed.

More than a year after its discovery, SL9's fragments met their inevitable end between the 16th
and 22nd of July 1994. All the pieces of the comet plunged into Jupiter's hemisphere at
dizzying speeds of 216,000 km/h and with a force of 300,000,000 atomic bombs. In its descent,
the fragments created plumes as high as 3,000 km and heated the atmosphere to 40,000
degrees Celsius. SL9 left dark, ringed scars that were easier to spot than the Great Red Spot.
It was one of the most spectacular ends that humans ever witnessed.

SL9's original size, before July 1992, was calculated

to be between 1.5 and 2 kilometres wide. If an
object of similar size hits our home planet, it would
be devastating. For Jupiter, the collision allowed us
to learn more about Jupiter while highlighting the
The scars left by SL9 role Jupiter plays in reducing space debris in the
inner solar system and giving us new insights into
cosmic collisions. Through SL9's impact, we learned
more about the high-altitude winds in Jupiter. We
also got to study the relationship between the
magnetosphere and the atmosphere. Even today, the
changes brought about by the comet's impact are
recognizable.

Another legacy of SL9 was planetary defence. As it

was one of the first direct observations of an
extraterrestrial collision of a solar system object,
popular media covered it a lot. This led to NASA, in
1998, getting the authority to seek more Near Earth
Objects. In 2013, the dangers of Near Earth objects
to Earth reared their ugly head with the arrival of a
small asteroid that broke up over Chelyabinsk,
Russia. In 2016, NASA established the Planetary
Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) which
manages the agency's mission of finding, tracing and
understanding asteroids and comets that could be a
hazard to Earth. Today, over 90% of asteroids larger
Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9
than 1km have been identified. At least 33% of
Approaching Jupiter in 1994 asteroids between 140 and 1000 meters have been
identified.

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 GALACTICA

CASSINI’S VISIT
After a long, seven-year journey, Cassini has finally reached its destination, the Saturnian system.
It had taken the scenic route to the ringed planet, passing Venus (twice), Earth, 2685 Masursky
and Jupiter before, on 1st July 2004, getting inserted into Saturn’s orbit.

Cassini – Huygens, the spacecraft's full name, was named after two 17th-century astronomers:
Giovanni Cassini and Christiaan Huygens. The mission was a collaboration between NASA, ASI,
and ESA. ESA provided Huygens, a space probe designed to study the atmosphere of Titan,
Saturn’s largest moon. Huygens could land on the satellite’s surface, the first time such an event
occurred in the outer solar system.

A backlit image of Saturn from Cassini

Cassini’s work was daunting. The spacecraft was to study Saturn, its rings, Titan, other icy
satellites and the planet's magnetosphere. It had to collect data on the composition, structure
and interaction of the aforementioned parts of the Saturnian system along with other data.

The spacecraft, on a Titan IVB/Centaur, lifted off into space on 15th October 1997. It was the
fourth spacecraft to visit Saturn but the first to orbit it, collecting information on the planet,
rings, and moons. For over 13 years, Cassini orbited Saturn. That is until April 2017, when mission
control set Cassini on an impact course that lasted five months. This was Cassini’s Grand Finale.
The final part of Cassini’s mission gave us observations of the planet and its rings we have never
received before.

Finally, on 17 September 2017, after almost 2 decades travelling in space, Cassini plunged into
Saturn’s atmosphere. It sends data back to Earth as long as possible before disintegrating in the
atmosphere like a meteor. This was to preserve Saturn's moons, in particular Enceladus and
Titan, and prevent contamination from the spacecraft.

The Cassini-Huygens data revealed a lot about the Saturnian system. Through the mission, we
understood that Enceledus possesses a global ocean of liquid water with high potential
hydrothermal activity on the seafloor. We also learned that Saturn’s rings are active and dynamic
and could be a laboratory for how planets or moons form. Meanwhile, Titan was revealed to have
rivers, lakes and seas that are blanketed in thick atmosphere, among others.

Cassini has collected enough information about the system that its data, will continue to yield
discoveries for decades, despite the spacecraft no longer being with us.

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 GALACTICA

A lone spacecraft, in the vastness of space, wakes from its slumber. Except for brief annual checkups, it
has spent most of the previous eight years under hibernation. Now, New Horizons is prepared to
approach its primary mission goal. In six months, it will be flying by Pluto.

The National Academy of Sciences ranked the exploration of the Kuiper Belt, especially Pluto and
Charon, its moon, as a top priority for the 2000s. In response, as a part of its New Frontier program,
NASA produced New Horizons, a spacecraft designed to make history. History started from day one, on
19th January 2006, when, atop an Atlas V rocket, New Horizons travelled to space, reaching 58,500 km/h,
the fastest human-made object ever launched from Earth. New Horizons also became the select few
spacecraft to achieve the velocity required to leave the solar system.

New Horizons' flyby of the dwarf planet wraps up the five-decade-long period of observation that began
in the early '60s with Venus and Mars before continuing in the '70s and '80s when Mercury, Jupiter, Mars,
Uranus and Neptune were studied. Now, it was time for Pluto's secrets to be unveiled.

While studying Pluto and its system was New Horizon's primary mission, the spacecraft was also to study
one or more Kuiper Belt Object (KBO) with a flyby of the object. New Horizons was the first mission to
study the planet and explore the region with specialised instruments to gain a better understanding of
comets, dwarf planets, and the solar system, as the region has well-preserved material from the planet
formation era.

On 14th July 2015, New Horizons flew

12,500 km above Pluto's surface when
Pluto was 34 AU from the Sun. Through
the flyby, we learned that Pluto is a
diverse world, with towering water-ice
mountains and wide plains of exotic
nitrogen ice in the shape of a heart.

After collecting data on Pluto, New

Horizons continued on its way. In 2018,
at the edge of the solar system, New
Horizons confirmed the existence of
the 'Hydrogen wall' that was first
detected by the twin Voyager
spacecraft. Earlier this year, in 2024,
New Horizons raised the possibility that
the Kuiper Belt stretches out further
than previously thought. How this
knowledge affects our perception of
the Solar system is yet to be seen.

New Horizons has enough power and

propellant to operate through the
2040s. By this time, it will be beyond
100AU from the Sun and in the
interstellar medium, joining the twin
Voyagers spacecraft. Scientists are
interested in what its instruments will
record as the spacecraft transits from
the Sun's dominant region into the
interstellar region.
(Image credits: NASA)

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GALACTICA

On 17th July 1984, aboard Soyuz T-12, alongside Commander Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Research Cosmonaut
Igor Volk, Flight Engineer Svetlana Yevgenyevna Savitskaya launched into space. Shortly after launch, Soyuz T-
12 docked to the space station Salyut 7.
Soyuz T-12 was not Savitskaya's first trip to space. Two years earlier, aboard Soyuz T-7, she followed Valentina
Tereshkova's footsteps, becoming the second woman to visit space. With her second mission, Savitskaya
became the first woman to visit space twice.
A few days later, on 25th July 1984, when Savistskaya exited the Salyut 7 to conduct some welding
experiments, she became the first woman to spacewalk, scoring another milestone.
Spacewalk, formally known as extra-vehicular activity (EVA), occurs whenever the astronaut leaves the space
vehicle. The first spacewalk occurred in 1965, and it lasted 10 minutes long.
In contrast, Savistkaya's spacewalk lasted over 210 minutes as she conducted welding experiments.
Spacewalks are incredibly dangerous and, thus, are rarely utilised.
Savitskaya was selected as she had the flight experience and the physical ability required to perform the
necessary operations for multiple hours in a heavy, bulky space suit. Her excellent performance in space also
silenced those who didn't believe that women had the capabilities to perform well in space missions. Initially, in
1986, Savitskaya was supposed to return to Salyut 7, commanding an all-female crew for International
Women's Day. The mission got cancelled as the ageing space station was suffering technical problems.
Savitskaya did not return to space after her second mission.
According to Roscosmos, Russia's space agency, Savitskaya received the highest honour of her homeland,
Hero of the Soviet Union, on two separate occasions. She also received two Orders of Lenin and the Order of
the Badge of Honor. A main-belt asteroid, Asteroid 4118 Sveta, was named after her too.

Cosmonaut S. Savitskaya performs a deposition of coatings in space, overboard the orbital station
"Salyut-7" Image credits: researchgate.

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 NEWSLETTER
As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, there is no better way to bring
a burst of energy into our Spaceship than with a Summer Carnival-themed employee
engagement event. This was the perfect occasion to infuse our office with the
vibrant spirit of summer.
The program started with a warm welcome by Ms. Stuti Bhatia, Executive – Public
Relations, who introduced the theme and introduced an icebreaker session where
team members shared their fondest summer holiday memories. This followed by a
few childhood summer memories of our MDs, Mr. Mitul Jain and Mr. Shivam Gupta of
SPACE Group, after which they have shared one important topic of global warming
while spreading awareness amongst our team.
The program then continued with birthday celebrations, work anniversaries, and
sparkled with new joiners. But the epitome of the occasion was the announcement of
Spacian of the Month. Huge applause for Mr. Ash Mohammad, Graphic Designer –
Marketing & Communication, for his level of consistency and dedication. His
contributions to our success are enormous, more so in the form of developing
various content materials for nearly all departments at Space. Ash's commitment and
discipline are greatly admired.

A cake-cutting ceremony, followed by a

delicious lunch and refreshments, was held
to mark the program. The event got further
exciting by classic musical chairs game and
dancing. Furthermore, we rolled in an ice
cream cart into the office just about when
summer was brewing. The colourful display
of ice cream flavours and toppings
presented an atmosphere of festivity and
fun.
Finally, we added to the fun with a
photobooth that came with props and
backgrounds, where Spacians took their
time in group photo and selfie captures.

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 Intern Spotlight:
"As a marketing intern at Space, I got an
opportunity to work under the guidance
of Vinayak sir. This internship really
made a difference in giving me practical
experience in marketing within the
astronomy education industry. I got
hands-on experience in many
marketing-related tasks and projects.
From my experience, the internship
under the leadership of Vinayak sir was
an eye-opener, which has prepared me
for success in my marketing career." –
Saumya Garg
Summer Carnival event was vibrant and
energizing. There was fun, awareness,
and celebration—everything fused into
one. We look forward to many more
events that bring us together, inspire
creativity, and foster a sense of unity
within our Space family.

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 GALACTICA

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN

CROSSWORD
Across
3. What is the main component of the
Sun's atmosphere that can be seen during
a solar eclipse?
6. Who discovered planet Neptune?
7. What is the term for the distance light
travels in one year?
9. What is the colorful displays of lights in
the Earth's polar regions called as?
10. Who is the owner of The Blue Origin
Space company?
Down
1. What is the name of the first human-
made object to leave the Solar System?
2. Who was the First Indian Origin women
to travel Space?
4. Name the astronomer who discovered
the four moons of Saturn and also defined
the rotation period of Saturn?
5. Which Catalogue gives description of
110 celestial objects, serving as a
comprehensive guide for astronomers?
8. What is the primary component of the
Sun?

ASTRONOMY WORD PUZZLE

Find the galaxies from the mixed letters and mark them.
Answers for last month puzzles.

**Answers for this month puzzles will be shared in next magazine.

49 JULY 2024

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JULY 2024 | VOLUME 3 | ISSUE VII

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