planets

A third of the planet’s ships depend on a single Norwegian company. And they have chosen Alicante for their global expansion

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In the world of shipping, there is a silent giant whose technology is responsible for ensuring that a third of the world’s fleet is not lost at ocean or collided in port. This is Kongsberg, the Norwegian conglomerate controlled mostly by its State, which has turned the province of Alicante into an indispensable piece of its global chess board. Today, more than 30,000 ships they are capable of plowing the seas thanks to systems that are managed, maintained and repaired from offices located between La Vila Joiosa and the NOBO business center in the capital of Alicante. A strategic divorce to conquer the stock market. The news that has shaken the foundations of the industry this year is the segregation of the matrix. According to the company itselfKongsberg Gruppen ASA has decided to split into two independent entities to gain agility: on the one hand, the Defense and “Discovery” division (fishing and research); and on the other, Kongsberg Maritime, the jewel in the crown dedicated to navigation systems, which will begin trading separately on the Oslo Stock Exchange on April 23, 2026. This financial independence is backed by solid figures on Spanish soil. According to the newspaper The Informationthe Spanish subsidiary invoiced a total of 31.7 million euros in 2024, with a profit of more than five million. It is not surprising that Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, future CEO of the new independent company, claim that they are “unitarily positioned for value creation in the global maritime sector.” Why Alicante and not Vigo or Algeciras? The story of how a Nordic power ended up installing its nerve center in the province of Alicante has a component that is as human as it is strategic. In 1995, the company was looking for a headquarters in Spain. Although ports like Vigo or Barcelona seemed logical options, the executive in charge of the expansion opted for the coast of Alicante. The reason was the existence of a historical and consolidated colony of Norwegians in municipalities such as La Vila Joiosa or Altea. However, what began as a small delegation for the fishing sector—under the name Simrad Spain— has mutated into something much more ambitious. After the purchase of the maritime division of Rolls-Royce, the structure became too small. Today, the move of Kongsberg Maritime to the NOBO business center in the capital of Alicante responds to a need to attract talent. Miguel Ángel González, general director in Spain, points out that this change seeks to increase the attractiveness of the firm to retain engineers and software developers, in addition to reducing emissions due to staff travel by 30%. The brain of the autonomous boat. Alicante is not a simple administrative office; It is one of the only three resource hubs that the group has on the planet, along with Poland and Norway itself, capable of serving ships around the world thanks to its strategic position between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. As explained by the company itselfnaval autonomy is not new — they have been developing Dynamic Positioning Systems (DPS) for 40 years that allow a ship to remain stationary at an exact point in the ocean without using anchors — but now the technology has reached a “critical mass.” Yara Birkeland: The world now look in amazement to the world’s first fully electric, autonomous and zero-emission container ship, developed by Kongsberg together with YARA. Reach Remote: This is a series of unmanned surface vessels (USV) that are controlled from a remote center. According to senior designer Erik Leendersthis allows a single captain to control several ships at once from dry land. The “Jewel in the Crown”: The DPS system is what allows that Sasemar (Maritime Rescue) oil platforms or rescue ships operate with extreme safety on the high seas. The horizon. The future of navigation involves electric motors that generate your own energy with the rotation of the propellers. To manage this complex flow of data, the firm Kognifai has launchedan Artificial Intelligence platform that optimizes ship operations. Although the technology is ready, the company’s technical report warns that the biggest current challenge is not engineering, but legislation. As the firm warnswe are in “uncharted territory” and the IMO still needs to define the rules for these ships without humans. What was born in 1995 as a fishing office in La Vila has become in 2026 the command post from which Norway and Alicante dictate the rules of the future of global trade by sea. Image | Kongsberg Xataka | The ships of the oil “ghost fleet” turn off their GPS to avoid being detected. Malaysia is going to hunt them with drones

There is brutal competition to guard the fortunes of the planet’s millionaires. The same guy as always is winning: Switzerland

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The ultra-rich around the world move their millions of dollars in search of the place safer for your fortunes. In recent years, countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia they have stepped on the accelerator as a destination for the greatest fortunes in the world. However, amid the latest geopolitical tensions, a report from the consulting firm Boston Consulting Group reveals a disturbing fact: Asian millionaires are turning their gaze to the old and reliable Switzerland to protect your wealth. According what was published for him Financial Timesmany Asian millionaires are diversifying the refuge for their assets and, instead of keeping them in their place of residence in Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore, they prefer to deposit part of their fortune in Swiss banks. Switzerland remains the world’s safe deposit box. According to the report Global Wealth Report 2025 Prepared by Boston Consulting Group, Switzerland managed $2.74 trillion in assets in 2024, which maintains it as the main offshore wealth center in the world. Very close to Switzerland’s management figures are important economic enclaves in Asia such as Hong Kong (which managed 2.65 trillion dollars) and Singapore (with 1.92 trillion dollars in the same year). The study estimates that, by 2029, these three destinations will concentrate almost two thirds of the new cross-border wealth. Boom of the rich in Asia. The study recognizes the enormous growth of Asian and Middle Eastern wealth centers, which have recorded a growth 50% since 2014. However, many of these funds end up in Switzerland, registering a increase in wealth cross-border savings held in the coffers of Swiss banks of 8.7% in 2024, up from 6.3% annually recorded in 2023. That is, although Asia has become a fertile ground for generating wealth, millionaires continue to see Switzerland as a safer place to store it. Geopolitical concerns. One of the main reasons for this behavior of the great fortunes settled in Asia are the political and geopolitical decisions that increase economic uncertainty. An example cited in the report points out that events such as the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong in 2019 or the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raised questions about the security of assets in Asia. “Private banking focuses on diversifying geopolitical risk: clients are always looking for safe havens,” declared to Financial Times Giorgio Pradelli, CEO of the Swiss private bank EFG. “Clients increasingly began to feel that, geopolitically, the situation was less predictable and therefore it was important to have assets in different jurisdictions,” says Christian Cappelli, head of Julius Baer’s Asia office in Zurich. Financial Times. That is, they were betting on sending part of their fortune to Switzerland to protect themselves against economic blockades, political changes or war conflicts. London is no longer a refuge. On the other hand, the tax changes that the United Kingdom has implemented have caused London to lose much of your interest for millionaires Asians, putting Zurich back on the map. According to Christian Frie, head of the Asia-Pacific business in Switzerland for LGT Private Banking, the majority of Asian clients managed by his banking entity allocate between 10% and 15% of their assets outside their countries, mainly to Switzerlandaccording to the report The Global Entrepreneurial Wealth Report 2025 prepared by UBS. In Xataka | The rich neighborhoods of Madrid and Barcelona have changed their accent: millionaires from the US and Mexico invest their fortunes in Spain Image | Pexels (Peter Steiner), Unsplash (Chi Lok TSANG)

Mars has just entered the exclusive club of planets with rays. This is discouraging news for NASA.

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NASA’s Perseverance rover has captured a lightning strike on Mars for the first time. Although it may seem strange, it is only the fourth planet in which we have confirmed the presence of this type of electrical activity, after Earth, Jupiter and Saturn. Confirmed. Despite its thin atmosphere, scientists have suspected for decades that the red planet, with its constant whirlwinds and dust storms, must have some type of electrical activity. Now, thanks to the Perseverance rover, we finally have definitive proof. The discovery, published in the journal Natureconfirms that the Martian atmosphere crackles with electricity, although not exactly like the Earthly storms we know. They haven’t seen it, they’ve heard it. As much as we would have liked the Perseverance rover to photograph a blinding flash across the Martian sky, the first evidence of electrical activity on Mars is not visual, but auditory. NASA’s rover’s SuperCam instrument, equipped with a microphone originally designed to listen to the rover’s laser hitting rocks, has captured something unexpected: the sound of electrical discharges. Among dust devils. According to the data analyzed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratorythe rover recorded 55 electrical discharge events over two Martian years. Most associated with dust storms, and 16 of them when the rover was directly crossed by sand devils. “We got some good recordings where you can clearly hear the click,” Ralph Lorenz, Perseverance mission scientist, explains in a statement. But in a specific recording from sol 215 (the 215th Martian day of the mission), you hear not only the electrical crack, but also the swirling wind hitting the rover and grains of sand impacting the microphone. The triboelectric effect. How do these rays form on a planet without rain clouds? Because of the triboelectric effect, exactly the same physical principle that happens when we walk with socks on a carpet and then you touch a doorknob and, ouch, a spark jumps. On Mars, dust devils act like giant generators of static electricity: Hot air rises and begins to rotate, forming a vortex. When rotating, it raises dust and sand. The dust grains rub against each other, transferring electrons and generating charge. It’s not very encouraging. Although on Earth it also occurs in deserts, on Mars this effect is much more likely to result in electrical shocks. The Martian atmosphere is extremely thin, so the amount of charge needed to break air resistance and generate a spark is much smaller. This discovery is not just a meteorological curiosity; has profound implications for the planet’s chemistry and the search for life. Confirmation of these electrical discharges suggests that the Martian atmosphere may become charged enough to activate powerful chemical reactions. These sparks could be creating highly oxidizing compounds, such as perchlorates, which are very aggressive and can destroy the organic molecules (the building blocks of life) that the rover is trying to find. Image | NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona In Xataka | Who or what excavated the ravines on Mars? The answer is even stranger than we always thought

We have just discovered three Earth-like planets orbiting two very close suns

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The iconic scene of Luke Skywalker watching the double sunset on the planet where he was raised, Tatooine, is one of the most indelible images in science fiction. Now, thanks to NASA TESS Space Telescopewe believe there are three planets similar to Tatooine within 72 light years of Earth. A unique system. It’s called TOI-2267 and it challenges what we thought we knew about how planets form. According to research published in Astronomy & Astrophysicsthis binary star system hosts three planets similar in size to Earth. But what makes it extraordinary is not that it can have two-sun sunsets, but rather its compact architecture. Two very close suns. TOI-2267 is formed by two M dwarf stars (M5V and M6V) that orbit very close to each other, at a distance of only 8 astronomical units. To put it in context, in our solar system, Saturn orbits 9.5 astronomical units from the Sun. Until now, theoretical models suggested that such a close binary environment was too chaotic and gravitationally unstable to allow planets to form and maintain stable orbits. TOI-2267 proves us wrong. How it works. The analysis of the system, in which the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia had an important participation, reveals that the three planets cannot be orbiting the same star, since the system would be unstable. The most plausible configuration, and the one that excites scientistsis that two of the planets orbit the main star (TOI-2267A), while the third candidate orbits the companion star (TOI-2267B). This makes TOI-2267 the first known binary system to host planets transiting both of its stars. The next step. After discovering the system with the TESS space telescope and carrying out follow-up observations with the SPECULOOS observatory, from Chile and Tenerife, and the TRAPPIST telescope, the next step will be to use more powerful instruments, such as the James Webb Space Telescope to try to measure the masses, densities and even analyze the possible atmospheres of these worlds. This system not only proves that Tatooine exists, but that the universe is capable of forming planets in the most extreme and unexpected places we can imagine. In Xataka | How the solar system was formed: for the Earth to be born, a star had to die first

Astronomers have been theorizing about “planets kamikaze.” They just found one and is 100 times more violent than it was believed

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We already know A good handful of exoplanetsbut astronomers of the European Space Agency have just added a fascinating category to the catalog of strange worlds. The Kamikaze planets. Using the Cheops space telescope, The first exoplature observatory of EuropeESA researchers have first observed a planet that causes flares in their own star, a suicidal custom that will end up sealing their own destiny. The “Kamikaze planets” are actually a phenomenon of cosmic self -destruction that has been theorizing since the 1990s. But it had never been observed directly, so far. And what astronomers have seen is a hundred times more energy than anyone had imagined. A violent neighborhood. The protagonist of this story is Hip 67522, a solar system located about 490 light years from Earth. Its star is a bit larger and cold than our sun, but it is very different: while the sun exceeds median age with 4.5 billion years, Hip 67522 is a teenage star of just 17 million years. Like any teenager, this star is full of energy, with a very agitated nucleus that does not stop turning, which makes it a very potent magnet. Around this violent cosmic magnet two planets turn. The one that interests us is the closest, Hip 67522 B, a world that completes an orbit in just seven days. The planet that plays with fire. Since they began to discover exoplanets, astronomers wonder if there are worlds orbiting enough close to their star to disturb their magnetic field and, in essence, “prick it” so that great flares are unleashed. Cheops space telescope observations They demonstrated that the planet Hip 67522 B is so close to its star that its own magnetic influence interacts with that of its host. The planet acts as a whip: as the star orbits, energy is accumulated in the form of waves along the lines of the star magnetic field. When these energy waves collide with the surface of the star, they trigger a gigantic solar flare, much more violent than expected. And absolutely destructive for the planet. Up to 15 lashes captured in camera. The Cheops telescope detected a total of 15 flares, almost all produced while the planet was ahead of the star from our perspective. This synchronization is the definitive proof: the fact that the flares occur just when the planet passes between us and the star confirms that it is the planet who is causing them. The tragic part of this story is that the planet is causing these gigantic energy explosions in its own direction. Hip 67522 B is being bombarded with six times more radiation than I would receive if it would simply stay still. The planet is shrinking. According to astronomers, in the next 100 million years it could go from being a gaseous giant of Jupiter’s size to a planet of Neptune size. It is a slow -chanted cosmic suicide. Image | THAT In Xataka | Astronomers have discovered a planet that should not exist: great as a jupiter and light like sugar cotton

No one has advanced NASA in the exploration of other planets from the USSR. China plans to do it even in Neptune

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While NASA applies Efficiency Department cuts Directed by Elon Musk, China has presented the most ambitious space exploration program in its history. A SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS directed by him newly created Deep space exploration laboratory that would not only advance to the US in several milestones: no one would arrive in the Solar System. Kamo’oalewa (2025). With the launch of the Tianwen-2 probe, scheduled for May of this year, China aspires to become the third country to collect samples of an asteroid near the Earth. Japan had only done (twice) and the United States (after the recent Osiris-Rex mission). 469219 KAMO’OALEWA is a “miniluna”a terrestrial quasisisatelite between 40 and 90 meters in diameter that China aspires to “touch” with Tianwen-2, a mission that will also study the Elst-Pizarro comet-asteroid and that will serve as a learning for the future mission of recovery of Mars samples. Mars (2028). Tianwen-3 is the mission for bruise that could mark the Sorpasso Symbolic of the Chinese Space Agency to NASA, since the American mission of return of Martian samples (in which the European Space Agency also participates) is found right now in pause. Tianwen-3 is simpler than Mars Sample Return. If what NASA wants is to go find the rocks that have Carefully selected the Rover PerseveranceChina forms to reach the red planet, pierce the ground, collect at least 500 grams of samples and take off with a small rocket so that a return probe brings them to the earth. 2015 XF261 (2028). The same year that China plans to launch Tianwen-3, it would also launch its First major planetary defense mission. Two Chinese probes will follow the steps of the missions NASA Dart and Hera of that. One will impact the near Asteroid 2015 XF261 and the other will observe the impact to confirm that humanity has diverted a second asteroid. Callisto and Uranus (2029). The Tianwen-4 mission, whose launch is scheduled for 2029, has a double objective. It would arrive in Jupiter in 2035. A first orbiting probe Callisto, one of the moons of the gaseous giant, at the same time as JUICE DE LA ESA Orbit Ganímedes, another of its moons. A second probe, equipped with thermoelectric radioisotope generators, would take advantage of Jupiter’s gravitational assistance to get to Uranus in 2045. It would be one of the first scientific missions to Uranus, which He received the visit of the Voyager 2 probe In 1986. Venus (2033). Another sampling recovery mission, but this time atmospheric. A Chinese probe would travel to neighbor Venus and take its “air” to analyze whether it has microorganisms or possible biological traces, such as Some recent studies suggest. Neptune (2033). A freshly proposed mission to the last planet of the solar system would orbit the ice cream giant and display an atmospheric probe equipped with a balloon, in addition to performing flycards from its Triton moon. With a useful life of up to 20 years to the thermoelectric generators of radioisotopes, it would be the first probe sent exclusively to Neptune. For its launch, the future CZ-9 rocket, the “Chinese starship” would be used. Mars (2038). In addition to a manned station on the moon, China plans to display an autonomous robotic station on Mars to investigate techniques for the use of Martian resources that could serve for future manned missions. China plans to step on Mars in the 2040s. Triton (2039). The second Chinese mission to Neptune and his Triton moon is the most ambitious of the program because he would use a nuclear fission reactor to feed the ship’s electrical thrusters. All that energy would not only allow you to orbit Neptune, but also penetrate the ice from the Triton surface to explore the hypothetical ocean that is hidden below in search of life. Image | Xinhua In Xataka | NASA has cut 420 million dollars following Doge’s guidelines. It is Elon Musk’s favorite number

They are planets orbiting other stars to 130 light years

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One of the original purposes of the James Webb space telescope was the direct observation of exoplanets: distant worlds that orbit stellar systems other than the sun. The latest images of the 10,000 million dollars observatory demonstrate the level of detail that is capable of capturing. Young and gaseous. The Webb Telescope, operated by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), has been observing a planetary system to 130 light years from the Earth. At the tender age of 30 million years, this neighborhood called HR 8799 It is much younger than our solar system, which is 4.6 billion years old. The four planets in the photo that revolve around the star HR 8799 are gaseous giants similar to Jupiter and Saturn. Being so young, in addition to giants, they retain the residual heat of their formation, which makes them emit a large amount of infrared light. This light is what has allowed Webb Space Telescope Capture clear and direct images of exoplanets. An important finding. One of the most surprising aspects of these observations is the remarkable presence of carbon dioxide in the atmospheres of the four giant planets. A study published by The Astronomical Journal Associates CO2 to a large number of heavy elements such as carbon, oxygen and iron in the gaseous body of these exoplanets. The study supports the theory of core’s accretion training, which is the same mechanism proposed by astronomers for the formation of Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system. According to this theory, the giant planets begin forming solid nuclei that then attract large amounts of gas from the protoplanetary disk that surrounds a young star. Cooked over low heat. The Chemical composition observed by the Webb In the HR 8799 system it is a clue that the planets were formed by slow accumulation of heavy materials, instead of faster alternative processes. Scientists have also been able to analyze important differences between the planets. For example, HR 8799 B, the farthest from its star, shows greater carbon dioxide wealth, while HR 8799 E, the closest to its star, seems to have formed in very different conditions, in a warmer region and with a different composition. Another Nircam job. Thanks to the Nircam Chamber and its coronograph, which blocks the bright light of the central star, the Webb has not only been able to observe the HR 8799 system, but also 51 eri ba relatively cold and young planet located in the 51 Eridani system, 96 light years from the earth. This orbit planet at a considerable distance from its star, similar to a location between Saturn and Neptune of our solar system. In this case, the webb has also detected a rich atmosphere in carbon dioxide, which further supports the hypothesis of the solid nucleus as a training mechanism. Images | NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, JHU In Xataka | We have just discovered a tiny planet where it is three days every year. Is orbiting the star closest to the sun

What planets can be seen with the naked eye from Spain in the great alignment (and what do we need for the rest)

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A planetary alignment is approaching very rare: one that will allow us to see all the planets (with permission from the Explaneta Pluto) of the solar system in the night sky. If the conditions allow it (something that It doesn’t seem very likely), On Friday we can see this great planetary alignment. Seen and not seen. Part of the protagonists of This planetary alignment They may be seen at first glance on Friday night. To see the rest we will have to resort to optical instruments, such as prismatic or telescopes, or even with a teleobjective camera or Zoom of a certain length. With the naked eye. A good part of the planets of our solar system can be seen with the naked eye, brilliant as stars, sometimes easier to see than these. In this list are the rest of the rocky planets inside our solar system (Mercury, Venus and Mars), and the two great gaseous giants (Jupiter and Saturn). The real visibility of each of these planets will depend on several factors, such as light pollution or meteorology. Of all these planets, the most difficult to capture will be Saturn. The reason is that when the dusk arrives, the planet of the rings will be very low by the horizon, and will disappear after this Around 20:00 (The exact time will depend on our location). Something similar will happen with Mercury, which will also disappear by the horizon just an hour after the sun. At the opposite end is Jupiter, which will be perhaps the planet with greater visibility during today. The visibility of Mars and Venus will be relatively good. Not so powerful. And what about the rest? If we exclude dwarf and satellite planets, our solar system has two other planets: Uranus and Neptune. These are the two major planets that are not visible to the naked eye in our space neighborhood, so they could only be discovered after the invention of telescopes. If we want to see Uranus, resorting to one of these gadgets is a good idea. The magnitude of this planet, discovered in the 18th century, is approximately 5.6 According to the portal calculations In-the-sky.orgwhich places this planet in the limit of what is visible by the human eye. That is why, if we want to see this planet, it is necessary in the necessary practice to resort to a telescope or, at least, to prismatic ones. Neptune however is a bit more elusive. Already discovered in the nineteenth century, Neptune’s magnitude is around 7.7 According to Del Portal In-the-sky.org. This puts it out of the range of what we can see with our own eyes. In any case, an especially powerful telescope is not necessary to see this planet. Other issues to take into account. To improve our visibility tonight there are three factors to take into account. The first, light pollution. Some of the planets that will be visible will be only in a very tenuous way, so away from areas where light pollution is minimal will be decisive if we want to see all visible planets today. The second of these factors is The weather. The night is not presented today as the most appropriate for the observation of heaven. A storm Located in the south of the Peninsula will leave skies covered in a good part of the country. Finally, it is convenient to know how to locate the planets we are looking for. For this we can assert us from different resources, including various applications Focused on astronomy and celestial observation. In Xataka | NASA’s most powerful computer has just detected something strange: there is a spiral structure surrounding the solar system Image | POT

The best applications and websites to locate the seven planets

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February says goodbye with a unique planetary alignment. The clouds will complicate their observation this Fridaybut we must not get impatient because all the planets will continue to align a week. These are some of the applications and tools that we can use to guide ourselves in the night sky. What you have to know about planetary alignment The Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands has prepared A guide about what you have to know of this planetary alignment. Although the planets are not in a straight line with respect to the sun, they occupy positions to the same side of the star, which allows us to see them reasonably aligned in the night sky. From February 28 and for a week, all the planets of the Solar System will be visible after sunset. Then, Saturn will be obfuscated by the brightness of the sun, followed by Venus and Mercury in mid -March. Of the eight planets, five will be visible to the naked eye (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) and two, with the help of telescopes (Uranus and Neptune). The eighth is the earth. Finally, the moon will also add to the parade: Finding Venus is easy, the brightest object located at medium height west. Jupiter, also brilliant, you will almost have it in the vertical to the sunset, and following the line to the east you will find Mars, bright and reddish. Mercury will be close to the west horizon, and Saturn, weaker and difficult to see between Mercury and the horizon. As of February 28, the Moon will make an appearance, increasing its day by day as usual. Applications to find the seven planets Image: Star Walk Star Walk 2 It is an interactive guide of the night sky that uses mobile sensors to show a map of the sky in real time. It has an increased mode of reality that overlaps constellations and planetary positions in the view of the camera. It includes detailed information of more than 200,000 celestial objects and an astronomical calendar that highlights events such as conjunctions and planetary alignments. It also sends notifications of important astronomical events. Available in iOS and Android. Free with ads or unique payment to delete ads Sky Tonight It is one of the same developers as Star Walk. It has a customizable interface to adjust the visualization of constellations and program reminders for celestial events. It also has augmented reality, astronomy news and a heavenly calendar with outstanding events. Its “visible tonight” section indicates which planets, stars or objects of deep space can be observed from our location. Available in iOS and Android. Free with payment options within the app Skysafari A powerful planetary application with a large database of stars, planets and objects of deep space. It includes all known objects of the Solar System and is famous for its precision in the simulation of the night sky. It has advanced planning tools and even offers telescope control, which makes it ideal for a bit more advanced amateur astronomers. The “The best of tonight” function highlights the most interesting celestial objects visible on a certain night, perfect for following planetary alignments. Basic version available in iOS and Android for 5.99 euros Stellarium Mobile A famous open source planetary software carrier for the phone. It shows a realistic and real time, as would be seen with the naked eye or with prismatic. You just have to point to the night sky to identify stars, planets, constellations and satellites or space stations. Your interface is minimalist and easy to use. The free version is sufficient for beginners, but the Plus version unlocks a larger database. Available in iOS and Android. Free with more complete payment version Skyview An intuitive app that uses the phone camera to overlap the sky with stars labels, planets and satellites in augmented reality. It also allows you to program alerts for astronomical events, such as the passage of the International Space Station or planetary alignments such as this. It works without internet connection. Available in iOS and Android. Free with more complete payment version Web tools to use from the browser If you prefer not to install apps, you can use the Stellarium web version. Simulates the night sky on any date and location and allows you to move forward or go back in time to see how the sky changes, ideal to plan the observation of planetary alignment according to meteorology Another useful tool is Time and Datein which we can enter a city and date to see which planets will be visible and what time they will appear. Finally, the Swiss razor of amateur astronomers: the online planetarium Beskylivewith information on conjunctions, eclipses and planetary transits. It also allows you to adjust the view of the sky according to date and location. Image | IAC, Stellarium In Xataka | Planet alignment of February 28, 2025: What is it and how you can see it

The Atlantic has a ‘lost city’ with the key to life on other planets. Now is in danger

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The earth seems to have no secrets at this point. That if we talk about the earth’s part, of course, because although nWe are putting the batteries With the oceanic background, much remains to be known. And one of the examples is the lost city found in 2000, a set of structures in the middle of the Atlantic that are not only curious, but they help us with the most unexpected: Study extraterrestrial ecosystems. And, ultimately, determine the clues that must be followed to find life in the universe. Only. More than 700 meters deep west of the Mesoatlantic dorsalon December 4, 2000, some explorers in command of remote control submersibles found something surprising: a set of walls and monoliths that reached 60 meters high and had a curious bluish tone due to the foci of the submarines. These carbonated structures were something that the scientific community had never seen and was baptized as the ‘lost city’. Among that we love giving rimbombant names and that could resemble Atlantis, the marketing part was already made. Chimneys. The full name is, really, ‘Hydrothermal field of the lost city’, and it is the oldest oceanic ventilation site, at least what we know. It is estimated that he is about 120,000 years old and, during all that time, his chimneys have been expelling gases at temperatures between 40 and 90 degrees Celsius. These hydrothermal vents release methane and hydrogen, but are not volcanic, so they do not produce co₂, hydrogen sulfide or metals. With the passage of the millennia, that expelled material was accumulated in the form of columns and walls of Brucita, Aragonito and Carbonate of calcium, with a whitish color and very particular schegic texture. Point of interest. For the scientific community, the lost city is a mine. Its particular environment and the conditions of its formation, as well as its age, can provide clues about the origin of life on Earth, as well as a more detailed vision of the planet’s composition. Over the years they have been studying their materials and, in 2024, a group of scientists advertisement The recovery of a rock sample more than a meter long. With her, they hope to find crucial evidence about the origin of life on earth. There are some spectacular formations. Researchers at the University of Washington described some vents as structures that “cry” fluids that form carbonated structures of multiple tips as curious as the one we see in the photo that we leave just on these lines. But there are not only rocks in the lost city. Extraterrestrials. At that depth, without oxygen, with a highly alkaline and hydrogen, methane and other gases dissolved in water, we might think that it is a ‘lunar’ ecosystem in which life is impossible. Curiously, It is full of animals such as anemones, microbial communities, crustaceans, snails and, occasionally, deep fish. The question is how life can prosper when it comes to an environment in which there is no sunlight, there is no oxygen and both hydrogen and methane, they camp their wide. That is precisely what also called the attention Of the researchers because the study of this fact can give us clues about what kind of life or signs of life to look for in environments that can be similar, such as redry or Europe (Saturn and Jupiter moons). Threatened heritage. Writing this has given me to think about ‘Avatar‘Not only because the film has attractive extraterrestrial structures, but because its director, James Cameron, is a passionate about underwater expeditions. And something that happens in his film is that we arrive at another planet and sweep it to get resources. We must not go to Pandora -the planet of ‘avatar’-, we continue to see it in areas such as the Amazon. And that we destroy the lost city is something that researchers fear. Poland got In 2018, the exploitation rights of the seabed around the lost city and, although the hydrothermal field has no valuable resources for us, altering its surroundings could endanger the entire area. That’s why you are working so that the lost city is declared a World Heritage Site with the aim of protecting it as much as possible and being able to continue studying it. We will see what happens with an area that is not the only hydrothermal field in the world, but one whose particularities can help understand how life develops in extreme conditions and in similar extraterrestrial environments. Images | Cairns S, Kitahara M In Xataka | Half a year ago we discovered oxygen in one of the most remote places on the planet. Now we want to know more

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