2021's Biggest , Space Stories.
Space.com recently published a list of some of the biggest space stories of 2021.
, Here are five highlights:.
1.
Scientists discovered the largest-known comet to date.
, Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein may be 10 times wider and 1,000 times larger than known comets.
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The last time this comet swung around the sun was approximately 3 million years ago.
It is reportedly due to pass by again in 2031.
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The last time this comet swung around the sun was approximately 3 million years ago.
It is reportedly due to pass by again in 2031.
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2.
A new moon was discovered orbiting Jupiter by an amateur astronomer.
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has at least 79 moons.
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Amateur astronomer Kai Ly discovered the latest moon, EJc0061, in a data set from 2003.
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3.
In early June 2021, NASA announced two new missions to Venus by 2030.
The DAVINCI+ mission will study the planet's atmosphere.
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The VERITAS mission will try to map the planet's terrain from orbit.
They are the first dedicated missions to Venus by NASA since 1989.
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4.
The sun is reawakening as it reaches the active phase of its roughly decade-long cycle.
In early November, a series of CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections) triggered geomagnetic storms on Earth.
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CMEs interact with our planet's magnetic field and can cause satellite disruptions and energy losses.
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5.
The James Webb Space Telescope, , a project 30 years in the making, launched on Christmas Day 2021.
The successor to the Hubble will orbit at about a million miles from Earth.
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5.
The James Webb Space Telescope, , a project 30 years in the making, launched on Christmas Day 2021.
The successor to the Hubble will orbit at about a million miles from Earth.
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The powerful telescope will help answer questions about the evolution of the universe and our own solar system.
