James Webb Space Telescope Spots The Most Distant Black Hole Merger
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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
James Webb Telescope Finds Uranus Moon Smaller Than a City
Tiny objects hiding in the outer solar system have dodged detection for decades, but the James Webb Space Telescope just proved that era is over. Meet S/2025 U1—a previously invisible moon orbiting Uranus that's so small and faint it makes finding a grain of sand on a beach look easy. Infrared Vision Reveals What Human Eyes Cannot This six-mile-wide rock orbits just 35,000 miles from Uranus, completing each lap in under 10 hours. Dr. Maryame El Moutamid from the Southwest Research Institute spotted it using JWST's Near-Infrared Camera during a February survey. 'It's a small moon but a significant discovery, which is something that even NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft didn't see during its flyby nearly 40 years ago,' El Moutamid explained. The discovery bumps Uranus's moon count to 29 and demonstrates JWST's staggering sensitivity. While Voyager 2 revolutionized our understanding of the ice giant in 1986, it lacked the infrared precision needed to detect objects this dim. Think of it like upgrading from a flip phone camera to an iPhone 15 Pro—suddenly you're capturing details that were always there but invisible to older technology. A Solar System Full of Secrets S/2025 U1 orbits among Uranus's inner ring system, threading between larger moons Ophelia and Bianca. Its detection at magnitude 25.5 in infrared light required ten separate long-exposure images to confirm—a testament to both JWST's capabilities and astronomers' patience. Matthew Tiscareno from the SETI Institute noted that 'no other planet has as many small inner moons as Uranus, and their complex interrelationships with the rings hint at a chaotic history.' This tiny world likely represents just the tip of a hidden iceberg of undiscovered satellites. More Discoveries Coming The moon will eventually receive a proper name following Uranian tradition—likely drawn from Shakespeare or Alexander Pope characters. But the real excitement lies in what else might be lurking out there. If JWST can spot something this small around Uranus, imagine what other cosmic breadcrumbs await discovery throughout our solar system. This space discovery represents astronomy's new normal, where yesterday's impossible detections become routine surveys. The universe just got a little less mysterious and a lot more crowded. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
13 hours ago
- USA Today
New 'tiny' moon found orbiting Uranus, bringing satellite family to 29
A team at the NASA has discovered a new moon orbiting Uranus, and this one is even smaller than the others. A team led by the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) discovered the moon on Feb. 2. They made the discovery using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which the space agency says is the largest, most powerful telescope ever launched into space. The newly-discovered moon, called S/2025 U1, is about 6 miles in diameter, NASA said, calling it "tiny." Its discovery brings Uranus' total satellite family to 29. "This object was spotted in a series of 10 40-minute long-exposure images captured by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam)," said Maryame El Moutamid, a Colorado-based lead scientist from SwRI, in a news release. "It's a small moon but a significant discovery, which is something that even NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft didn't see during its flyby nearly 40 years ago." According to NASA, the NIRCam used to detect the new moon has high resolution and infrared sensitivity that allows it to pick up faint, distant objects. Where is the new 'tiny' moon? Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun, and the third-largest planet in our solar system, according to NASA. It is a cold, windy planet that is surrounded by faint rings. The planet differs from the others because it has more small inner moons, Matthew Tiscareno, who is on the research team that discovered the moon, said in the news release. "The new moon is smaller and much fainter than the smallest of the previously known inner moons, making it likely that even more complexity remains to be discovered," Tiscareno said. The new moon, Moon S/2025 U1, is located about 35,000 miles from Uranus' center, between the orbits of Ophelia and Bianca. It is the 14th small moon orbiting inward of these larger moons, NASA said. While Uranus now has a total of 29 moons, NASA said five of them are considered major moons: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Moons on Uranus are often called the literary moons because they are named after Shakespearean characters, as well as characters from titles by the English author Alexander Pope. Before the new moon gets an official name of its own, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) will need to approve it, according to the news release. The union is responsible for officiating names and designations for astronomical objects. Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@
Newsweek
19 hours ago
- Newsweek
Time-Lapse Shows Iran's Largest Lake Shrinking in Drought Crisis
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Lake Urmia, once the world's second-largest saltwater lake, has shrunk drastically, leaving salt-encrusted marshes and barren flats in its southern region. Its decline reflects deeper challenges facing Iran. Iran is enduring a historic drought, crippling energy shortages, and relentless heat waves with temperatures regularly surpassing 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Offices and schools in Tehran close intermittently to conserve power, while residents suffer without air conditioning. Rising frustration over these hardships has sparked protests, showing how environmental collapse and infrastructure failures are driving public unrest. Newsweek reached out to Iran's Foreign Ministry for comment. Why It Matters Frustration is mounting across Iran as drought, power shortages, and scorching heat push citizens to the brink. The collapse of Lake Urmia, once a symbol of national pride, underscores the consequences of environmental neglect and policy failures. Its decline highlights how climate pressures and governance shortcomings can destabilize both ecosystems and communities, turning ecological loss into a broader crisis of public trust and political legitimacy. Images captured by the ESA's Sentinel-2 satellites on in May 2020, left, and August 2025 show the declining water levels of Iran's Lake Urmia. Images captured by the ESA's Sentinel-2 satellites on in May 2020, left, and August 2025 show the declining water levels of Iran's Lake Urmia. Copernicus What To Know The scale of Urmia's collapse is visible from above. A time-lapse of satellite images, captured by the European Space Agency's Sentinel-2 satellites, part of its Copernicus Earth observation program, taken between 2020 and 2025, shows the southern portion shrinking year after year, leaving behind desolate salt crusts where vibrant waters once drew tourists. Once a thriving ecosystem supporting wildlife and local commerce, the area now stands as a testament to the combined impact of drought, overuse, and poor management. Tehran Suffers The human consequences are immediate. In Tehran, government offices close on some days to conserve energy, leaving workers sweltering in uncooled rooms. Hospitals face blackouts so severe that medics fan chemotherapy patients in pitch darkness. These scenes have fueled small but vocal protests. In Rasht, demonstrators chanted demands for water and electricity as police stood by, while in Babolsar, residents gathered outside a power station to denounce the relentless outages. An image of the Babolsar protest, shared by X user Nassem Aslam, purports to show crowds assembled outside the facility. IRAN PROTESTS ERUPT OVER BLACKOUTS AND WATER TRANSFERS In Babolsar, angry residents surrounded the city's governmental building after enduring daily power cuts of 6–8 hours, leaving them without water, internet, or mobile service. The unrest reflects mounting frustration over… — Naeem Aslam (@NaeemAslam23) August 16, 2025 Post-War Crisis The crisis is unfolding against the backdrop of war. In June, Israel and the United States launched a wave of airstrikes against Iran's nuclear program, targeting facilities tied to enrichment and missile development. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel, and later struck a U.S. air base in Qatar, further heightening regional tensions and marking one of the most dangerous escalations between the countries in years. Amid this heightened turmoil, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned his attention to Iran's domestic challenges. Last week, he issued a message directed at the Iranian people, urging them to rise against their government over the power outages and water shortages and promising that Israeli technicians would come to restore electricity and water systems if the regime was overthrown. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian dismissed the appeal, calling it nothing more than a mirage. An Iranian girl drinks water during a heat wave in the capital Tehran on August 9, 2025. An Iranian girl drinks water during a heat wave in the capital Tehran on August 9, People Are Saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: "Once you are free from the tyrannical regime that oppresses you, we in Israel will be happy to help the people of Iran solve the water problem, among other things, and bring back water to your lives." Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian: "A regime that deprives people of Gaza of water and food says it will bring water to Iran? A mirage, nothing more." What Happens Next Lake Urmia's southern basin is now almost entirely desiccated, its disappearance reflecting both environmental collapse and institutional failure. For many Iranians, the drying lake has become a symbol of the daily struggles tied to water, power, and governance.
