Space has always been, and will always be, a mystery. As humans, we have naturally looked to the skies in hopes of finding the answers to life’s greatest mysteries. While scientists both past and present have worked tirelessly to provide answers, there are still an overwhelming number of questions that we, as a society, have. These are what I like to call, “the mysteries of space.”
As an avid fan of astronomy and space, I’d like to highlight a few of these mysteries.
The Sun’s Corona
Our Sun is absolutely crucial to our existence. Not only does the Sun keep us warm, it also keeps Earth in orbit so that we aren’t happlessly floating around space. Because of its importance, and its beauty, we have studied the Sun for centuries, and we’ve learned a great deal. However, one of its most defining features, is also one of its most curious. The Sun’s corona, or its outer atmosphere, is devastatingly hot. It’s been known to reach temperatures of up to 10 million degrees Fahrenheit. To this day, scientists are still unsure of how the Sun’s corona remains heated. Recent studies suggest that energy beneath the Sun’s surface and magnetic fields play a major role.
Black Holes
Black holes are, in essence, the big, bad villains of outer space. They are giant and they completely devour anything in their path. They sound absolutely terrifying. While we know how they form, we still don’t know what they look like. Unfortunately, black holes cannot be detected by our current technology, and we have no way of seeing what they look like on the inside.
Peggy
Not many people know this, but Saturn could have had a moon. Dubbed “Peggy,” this tiny formation was first discovered in 2013 by NASA. Astronomers quickly assumed that the small formation could have been a moon in the making, but, after a few years, scientists have concluded that “Peggy” will likely not grow in size. In fact, she may be coming undone. Scientists were hoping to use Peggy to gain some insight into how Saturn’s other satellites had been brought to life.
