{"id":125305,"date":"2024-11-13T09:41:59","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T02:41:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125305"},"modified":"2024-11-13T09:41:59","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T02:41:59","slug":"long-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125305","title":{"rendered":"Long ago, Voyager 2 might have caught Uranus at a bad time"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p>Much of what we understand about Uranus comes from data gathered by NASA&#8217;s Voyager 2 spacecraft. Thirty-eight years ago, this probe flew by the ice giant, providing humanity with its first close-up glimpse of the seventh planet from the sun.<\/p>\n<p>However, the snapshot delivered by Voyager 2 gave us a peculiar picture of Uranus. It suggested the world has an extreme <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/earths-magnetic-field-explained\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/earths-magnetic-field-explained\"><u>magnetosphere<\/u><\/a> \u2014 at risk of simplification, a giant magnetic field around the planet \u2014 that&#8217;s filled with energized particles swirling around. And, well, this just didn&#8217;t jive with scientists&#8217; knowledge of the way magnetic fields work. The problem was an observed lack of plasma in Uranus&#8217;s magnetosphere, which is an expected prerequisite for the energized particles Voyager 2 saw there.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"hawk-nest\" data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\"\/>\n<p>Ever since, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/45-uranus-seventh-planet-in-earths-solar-system-was-first-discovered-planet.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/45-uranus-seventh-planet-in-earths-solar-system-was-first-discovered-planet.html\"><u>Uranus<\/u><\/a> has been viewed as an outlier \u2014 called the planet with a weird magnetosphere. But a <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1588396&amp;xcust=space_us_3028731329587238056&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41550-024-02389-3&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fthe-universe%2Furanus%2Flong-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41550-024-02389-3\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-hl-processed=\"skimlinks\" data-placeholder-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1588396&amp;xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41550-024-02389-3&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fthe-universe%2Furanus%2Flong-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-merchant-name=\"SkimLinks - nature.com\" data-merchant-id=\"undefined\" data-merchant-url=\"undefined\" data-merchant-network=\"undefined\"><u>new analysis of that original 1986 data<\/u><\/a> may finally offer Uranus some reprieve. It&#8217;s possible, scientists say, that something altered Uranus&#8217;s magnetosphere long ago \u2014 right when Voyager 2 flew by.<\/p>\n<p>That something, the research team says, was a surge in <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/22215-solar-wind.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/22215-solar-wind.html\"><u>solar wind<\/u><\/a> pressure, or a high uptick in charged particles (or plasma) released from the sun\u2019s outer layer, the corona. The pressure could have drastically altered Uranus&#8217;s magnetosphere, compressing it to about 20% of what it normally would be. That pressure could also lead to plasma within the magnetosphere emptying out temporarily.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/uranus-moon-mission-habitability\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/uranus-moon-mission-habitability\"><strong>Some of Uranus&#8217;s moons might be able to support life. Here&#8217;s what a mission might reveal<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>So, in other words, our understanding of Uranus for the last few decades may have been highly skewed simply due to the unfortunate timing of Voyager 2&#8217;s flyby.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The spacecraft saw Uranus in conditions that only occur about 4% of the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/time-how-it-works\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/time-how-it-works\"><u>time<\/u><\/a>,&#8221; Jamie Jasinski, lead author of the new analysis and a space plasma physicist at NASA&#8217;s <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16952-nasa-jet-propulsion-laboratory.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16952-nasa-jet-propulsion-laboratory.html\"><u>Jet Propulsion Laboratory<\/u><\/a> (JPL), said <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/mining-old-data-from-nasas-voyager-2-solves-several-uranus-mysteries\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.jpl.nasa.gov\/news\/mining-old-data-from-nasas-voyager-2-solves-several-uranus-mysteries\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>in a statement.<\/u><\/a> \u201cIf Voyager 2 had arrived just a few days earlier, it would have observed a completely different magnetosphere at Uranus.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-NznQTga9xeJue4LoRHVtkj\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-NznQTga9xeJue4LoRHVtkj slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-a-magnetosphere-3\">What is a magnetosphere?<\/h2>\n<p>A magnetosphere is a &#8220;bubble&#8221; around a planet that plays a big role in the planet&#8217;s conditions by <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/heliophysics\/focus-areas\/magnetosphere-ionosphere\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/heliophysics\/focus-areas\/magnetosphere-ionosphere\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>shielding it<\/u><\/a> from both cosmic and solar particle radiation. Such particle radiation gets trapped along the magnetosphere\u2019s magnetic field lines, which concentrate the trapped particles into radiation belts. Earth&#8217;s magnetosphere, for instance, protects our atmosphere from solar winds that emanate from <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/58-the-sun-formation-facts-and-characteristics.html\"><u>the sun<\/u><\/a>. Without it, our atmosphere would deteriorate, which would make <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/54-earth-history-composition-and-atmosphere.html\"><u>Earth<\/u><\/a> uninhabitable.<\/p>\n<p>Uranus&#8217;s observed magnetosphere was puzzling for scientists because of how extremely intense its radiation belts appeared to be. They had an &#8220;intensity second only to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/7-jupiter-largest-planet-solar-system.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/7-jupiter-largest-planet-solar-system.html\"><u>Jupiter<\/u><\/a>&#8216;s notoriously brutal radiation belts,&#8221; according to the statement. Yet there was no recognizable source of energized particles, so those intense radiation belts remained a mystery \u2014 until now.<\/p>\n<p>When factoring in the solar wind surge theory, the picture starts making sense.<\/p>\n<p>Solar wind pressure likely drove out plasma from Uranus&#8217;s magnetosphere system and created a temporary condition in which the planet&#8217;s magnetosphere became quite extreme. The wind would&#8217;ve injected charged particles (recall it&#8217;s made of plasma) into Uranus&#8217;s radiation belts, potentially accounting for their surprising intensity.<\/p>\n<p>As a side note, the new analysis also suggests Uranus&#8217;s five major moons, which were previously thought to be inert, may in fact be geologically active.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"van-image-figure inline-layout\" data-bordeaux-image-check=\"\">\n<div class=\"image-full-width-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"image-widthsetter\" style=\"max-width:4704px;\">\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:65.05%;\"><picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-320-80.jpg.webp 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-480-80.jpg.webp 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-650-80.jpg.webp 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-970-80.jpg.webp 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-1024-80.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-1200-80.jpg.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a double image, with the sun in the top left of both, and blue uranus in the bottom right. Blue loops to show magnetic field surround the planet. On the right, a solar flare from the sun arches toward the planet.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-320-80.jpg 320w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-480-80.jpg 480w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-650-80.jpg 650w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-970-80.jpg 970w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c-1200-80.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1000px) 970px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/2FtpCgKrL24a8Xb8Kb7P7c.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption itemprop=\"caption description\" class=\" inline-layout\"><span class=\"caption-text\">These artist renditions show the behavior of Uranus\u2019s magnetosphere before Voyager 2 arrived (first panel) and then the changes when Voyager 2 flew by (second panel). <\/span><span class=\"credit\" itemprop=\"copyrightHolder\">(Image credit: NASA\/JPL-Caltech)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&#8220;We were searching for an explanation of its unusual behavior,&#8221; JPL scientist Linda Spilker, who remembers when Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, said in the statement. &#8220;This new work explains some of the apparent contradictions, and it will change our view of Uranus once again,&#8221; continued Spilker.<\/p>\n<p><a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-2\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-2\"><u>ASA launched Voyager 2<\/u><\/a> aboard the Titan IIIE-Centaur way back in 1977. It was the first of two probes designed to examine the outer planets. Voyager 1,essentially its twin, launched a few weeks later.<\/p>\n<p>Now, Voyager 2 is nearly 13 billion miles away from Earth, and NASA is still in contact with it, receiving valuable scientific data on our <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16080-solar-system-planets.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/16080-solar-system-planets.html\"><u>solar system<\/u><\/a> and beyond. A few weeks ago, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/38700-nasa-history.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/38700-nasa-history.html\"><u>NASA<\/u><\/a> made the difficult decision to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-2-science-instrument-shut-off\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-2-science-instrument-shut-off\"><u>turn off<\/u><\/a> one of Voyager 2&#8217;s science instruments to conserve power so it could continue its mission.<\/p>\n<p>The beloved Voyager 1 has also <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-mission-glitch-engineers-weighing-in-lucky-peanuts\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-mission-glitch-engineers-weighing-in-lucky-peanuts\"><u>nabbed plenty of headlines<\/u><\/a> in the last couple of months. Last year, <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/17688-voyager-1.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/17688-voyager-1.html\"><u>Voyager 1<\/u><\/a> put scientists and space lovers across the world on the edge of their seats, as NASA <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-flight-data-system-glitch\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-flight-data-system-glitch\"><u>lost contact<\/u><\/a> with the venerable <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/24870-what-is-space.html\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/24870-what-is-space.html\"><u>space<\/u><\/a> explorer, only to <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-communications-update-april-2024\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/voyager-1-communications-update-april-2024\"><u>regain it a few months later<\/u><\/a> due to the intrepid work of its operators.<\/p>\n<p>The research was <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1588396&amp;xcust=space_us_1277336768087518852&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41550-024-02389-3&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fthe-universe%2Furanus%2Flong-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41550-024-02389-3\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" rel=\"sponsored noopener\" data-hl-processed=\"skimlinks\" data-placeholder-url=\"https:\/\/go.redirectingat.com\/?id=92X1588396&amp;xcust=hawk-custom-tracking&amp;xs=1&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs41550-024-02389-3&amp;sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2Fthe-universe%2Furanus%2Flong-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time\" data-google-interstitial=\"false\" data-merchant-name=\"SkimLinks - nature.com\" data-merchant-id=\"undefined\" data-merchant-url=\"undefined\" data-merchant-network=\"undefined\"><u>published<\/u><\/a> in the journal Nature Astronomy on Nov. 11.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.space.com\/the-universe\/uranus\/long-ago-voyager-2-might-have-caught-uranus-at-a-bad-time\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Much of what we understand about Uranus comes from data gathered by NASA&#8217;s Voyager 2 spacecraft. Thirty-eight years ago, this probe flew by the ice giant, providing humanity with its &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=125305\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8628],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-125305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125305","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=125305"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125305\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=125305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=125305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=125305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}