Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X @skuthunur
An abundance of gases, including carbon and oxygen, are being stripped away from Venus' atmosphere, according to flyby data from Europe's BepiColombo space probe. This data was obtained as the Mercury-bound spacecraft flew past Venus, and could shed new light on the leaky atmosphere of our planetary neighbor. Down the line, the findings could help scientists catalog the makeup of Venus' fragile magnetic environment as well.
In August 2021, BepiColombo flew through this weak, comet-shaped magnetosphere for 90 minutes to slow down and adjust its course while heading toward its ultimate target, Mercury. Scientists analyzing data from the spacecraft's fleeting visit, however, found some valuable Venusian information. Charged particles, or ions, appeared to be escaping the planet due to sunlight accelerating molecules in the atmosphere to extremely high speeds.
Investigating the loss of these molecules and their escape mechanisms"is crucial to understand how the planet's atmosphere has evolved and how it has lost all its water," study co-author Dominique Delcourt, who is also a researcher at the Plasma Physics Laboratory, said in the same statement. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.RELATED STORIES—Oxygen detected in Venus' hellish atmosphere—Photographer snaps extremely rare 'green flash' coming from Venus
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Euclid 'dark universe' telescope gets de-iced from a million miles awaySharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur.
Read more »
NASA only needs a single grain of ice to detect alien life in our solar system, study showsSharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur
Read more »
Euclid 'dark universe' telescope's vision restored by deicing campaignSharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur.
Read more »
Tragic Baltimore bridge collapse aftermath seen from space (satellite photos)Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur.
Read more »
1st detection of 'hiccupping' black hole leads to surprising discovery of 2nd black hole orbiting around itSharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur
Read more »
365 days of satellite images show Earth's seasons changing from space (video)Sharmila Kuthunur is a Seattle-based science journalist covering astronomy, astrophysics and space exploration. Follow her on X skuthunur.
Read more »