Latest news with #Venusian
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Asteroids around Venus pose possible 'invisible threat' to Earth: Should you be worried?
A swarm of large asteroids likely lurking around Venus could one day pose an "invisible threat" to Earth if left unchecked, astronomers have warned in new research. The giant space rocks are believed to be traveling in tandem with Venus as the planet orbits the sun, eluding our detection by staying hidden in the sun's glare. Because their orbits are unstable, a possibility exists – however remote – that the asteroids could break off from their current trajectory and one day head on a collision course for Earth. The findings are just the latest instance in which asteroids have gotten some ominous publicity in 2025. Earlier this year, an asteroid dubbed 2024 YR4 became infamous when astronomers briefly calculated a historically high chance of it impacting Earth. In that case, there was no reason to panic, as YR4 was ultimately ruled out as a threat. And there's likely no cause for alarm in this latest case, either. Rather, the team of researchers led by Valerio Carruba, an assistant professor at São Paolo University in Brazil, simply hopes to raise awareness among astronomers and attract more scientific interest in the asteroids. Here's what to know about the Venusian asteroids, and just how concerned you should be about whether there's any immediate danger of a collision with Earth. The second planet from the sun, Venus is sometimes called Earth's twin because it is not only our closest planetary neighbor, but similar in structure and size to our planet. Astronomers who authored the new research recently discovered around at least 20 asteroids around Venus. The space rocks are known as co-orbital asteroids because they orbit the sun alongside the planet without orbiting Venus itself. The asteroids are theorized to have most likely originated from debris in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. And astronomers think that because they're obscured from our view, there are most likely more of them yet to be discovered. Because they're at least 460 feet wide, the Venusian space rocks are large enough to be considered "city killers" – a size that would make them perfectly capable of doing some pretty serious damage to a populated area if given the chance. That moniker may be alarming, and it may have contributed to some of the sensationalistic media coverage the researchers' findings have attracted in tabloid publications. The New York Post, for instance, claimed Earth could be hit by the asteroids "within weeks." Rest assured, nothing in the study concretely supports such a wild assertion. But because these hidden asteroids can change their trajectories relative to Venus, it's possible they could be diverted on a path toward Earth sometime in the coming millennia. To reach their conclusions, the researchers conducted a series of computer simulations to determine whether any potential hidden asteroid circling Venus could threaten Earth in the future. This involved constructing replica computer models of the known co-orbital asteroids around Venus and observing their orbits across 36,000 years. The astronomers believe that new observational tools, like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory under construction in Chile, could help detect some of these asteroids in the future. The observatory, due to become operational in 2025, is set to scan the sky for 10 years. The researchers also advocate for dedicated missions to hunt for Venusian asteroids. The findings, uploaded May 21 to the preprint server arXiv and is undergoing peer review after it was submitted to the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. YR4 and its much larger cousin, the equally infamous Apophis were the most alarming space rocks astronomers have discovered and studied for decades. Now that they have been ruled out as threats to Earth, astronomers still studying such imposing space rocks could help the world's space agencies prepare to mount a planetary defense if the need ever arose. NASA and the European Space Agency bot had plans to send uncrewed spacecraft to observe Apophis in the years ahead to map and study its surface to gain further insights into near-Earth asteroids. However, NASA's mission is in jeopardy under President Donald Trump's budget. Protecting Earth from incoming space rocks could look a little like the test NASA pulled off in 2022 when it demonstrated that it was possible to nudge an incoming asteroid out of harm's way by slamming a spacecraft into one as part of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART. As of October, a craft from the European Space Agency is on the way to get an up-close look at the asteroid's remnants. NASA is additionally working on an asteroid-hunting telescope known as the NEO Surveyor to find near-Earth objects capable of causing significant damage. Now set to launch no earlier than 2027, the telescope is designed to discover 90% of asteroids and comets that are 460 feet in size or larger and come within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Earth, asteroids threat? Venus may be hiding 'killer' asteroids
USA Today
06-06-2025
- Science
- USA Today
Asteroids around Venus pose possible 'invisible threat' to Earth: Should you be worried?
Asteroids around Venus pose possible 'invisible threat' to Earth: Should you be worried? The giant space rocks are believed to be traveling in tandem with Venus as the planet orbits the sun, eluding our detection by staying hidden in the sun's glare. A swarm of large asteroids likely lurking around Venus could one day pose an "invisible threat" to Earth if left unchecked, astronomers have warned in new research. The giant space rocks are believed to be traveling in tandem with Venus as the planet orbits the sun, eluding our detection by staying hidden in the sun's glare. Because their orbits are unstable, a possibility exists – however remote – that the asteroids could break off from their current trajectory and one day head on a collision course for Earth. The findings are just the latest instance in which asteroids have gotten some ominous publicity in 2025. Earlier this year, an asteroid dubbed 2024 YR4 became infamous when astronomers briefly calculated a historically high chance of it impacting Earth. In that case, there was no reason to panic, as YR4 was ultimately ruled out as a threat. And there's likely no cause for alarm in this latest case, either. Rather, the team of researchers led by Valerio Carruba, an assistant professor at São Paolo University in Brazil, simply hopes to raise awareness among astronomers and attract more scientific interest in the asteroids. Here's what to know about the Venusian asteroids, and just how concerned you should be about whether there's any immediate danger of a collision with Earth. What to know about Venus, asteroids The second planet from the sun, Venus is sometimes called Earth's twin because it is not only our closest planetary neighbor, but similar in structure and size to our planet. Astronomers who authored the new research recently discovered around at least 20 asteroids around Venus. The space rocks are known as co-orbital asteroids because they orbit the sun alongside the planet without orbiting Venus itself. The asteroids are theorized to have most likely originated from debris in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. And astronomers think that because they're obscured from our view, there are most likely more of them yet to be discovered. Do asteroids near Venus pose a threat to Earth? Because they're at least 460 feet wide, the Venusian space rocks are large enough to be considered "city killers" – a size that would make them perfectly capable of doing some pretty serious damage to a populated area if given the chance. That moniker may be alarming, and it may have contributed to some of the sensationalistic media coverage the researchers' findings have attracted in tabloid publications. The New York Post, for instance, claimed Earth could be hit by the asteroids "within weeks." Rest assured, nothing in the study concretely supports such a wild assertion. But because these hidden asteroids can change their trajectories relative to Venus, it's possible they could be diverted on a path toward Earth sometime in the coming millennia. How might astronomers find more co-orbital asteroids? To reach their conclusions, the researchers conducted a series of computer simulations to determine whether any potential hidden asteroid circling Venus could threaten Earth in the future. This involved constructing replica computer models of the known co-orbital asteroids around Venus and observing their orbits across 36,000 years. The astronomers believe that new observational tools, like the Vera C. Rubin Observatory under construction in Chile, could help detect some of these asteroids in the future. The observatory, due to become operational in 2025, is set to scan the sky for 10 years. The researchers also advocate for dedicated missions to hunt for Venusian asteroids. The findings, uploaded May 21 to the preprint server arXiv and is undergoing peer review after it was submitted to the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. How might NASA, other agencies mount a planetary defense? YR4 and its much larger cousin, the equally infamous Apophis were the most alarming space rocks astronomers have discovered and studied for decades. Now that they have been ruled out as threats to Earth, astronomers still studying such imposing space rocks could help the world's space agencies prepare to mount a planetary defense if the need ever arose. NASA and the European Space Agency bot had plans to send uncrewed spacecraft to observe Apophis in the years ahead to map and study its surface to gain further insights into near-Earth asteroids. However, NASA's mission is in jeopardy under President Donald Trump's budget. Protecting Earth from incoming space rocks could look a little like the test NASA pulled off in 2022 when it demonstrated that it was possible to nudge an incoming asteroid out of harm's way by slamming a spacecraft into one as part of its Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART. As of October, a craft from the European Space Agency is on the way to get an up-close look at the asteroid's remnants. NASA is additionally working on an asteroid-hunting telescope known as the NEO Surveyor to find near-Earth objects capable of causing significant damage. Now set to launch no earlier than 2027, the telescope is designed to discover 90% of asteroids and comets that are 460 feet in size or larger and come within 30 million miles of Earth's orbit. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
New York Post
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
When Venus enters Taurus this week, these 3 signs should trust in lust
On Friday, June 6, Venus, our planet of attraction, attachment and aesthetics, is trading the flaming codpiece of Aries for the brocade bathrobe of Taurus. Venus will loll around in these pleasured pastures until July 4. Named for the Roman goddess of love and fertility, Venus is the fine, divine feminine counterpart to aggro jockstrap warlord Mars. According to myth, Venus was born from sea foam and the severed member of Uranus, emerging fully formed and boobs busting out in a scallop shell — with pleasure as her governing principle. Venus in Taurus 2025 6 On June 6, Venus, our planet of attraction, attachment and aesthetics, is trading the flaming codpiece of Aries for the brocade bathrobe of Taurus. – As the planetary ruler of Taurus, this transit is Venus coming home and basking in the typical and the tactile. Here in the herd, the planet of love is rapturously incarnated. Earth is luscious, movement is languid, the body is an altar — and in lust we trust. Those born with Venus in Taurus are natural-born hedonists. The inclination here is to revel in the pleasures of the animal body; consuming and consumating are the orders of the day. If Venus in Taurus were a fabric, it would be velvet. Meaning of Venus in Taurus 6 Named for the goddess of love, Venus colors attraction and attachment, assets and aesthetics. wowinside – If Venus in Taurus were a sexual position, it would be 69, because everyone gets to feel good while lying down. Venus in Taurus wants the delicious and the dependable, something or someone steadfast, cash, and/or a fairy tale ending. In turn, this transit makes us hungry for the stable and the sensual: a devoted lover, a piece of fruit ripe and warm from the vine, a fistful of wildflowers, a lavish meal, an unhurried afternoon. For the video embodiment of Venus in Taurus, see the recording of 'Rich Girl,' performed by Hall and Oates circa 1977. In terms of aesthetics, Venus in Taurus is tactile luxury, statuary-inspired silhouettes, and a general invocation of a Renaissance painting. For evidence, see Venus in Taurus natives Lana Del Rey, Princess Diana, Deborah Harry and Megan Fox. The great lesson of Taurus is that pleasure cannot exist without presence. In the ugly, capitalist, 'more' motivated world in which we live and toil, pleasure is often cheapened to a quick thrill and disappearing dopamine; in other words, fast food and a swipe right. In velvet revolt, Venus in Taurus refuses to rush what feels good, as it's not waiting for what's next or distracted by what's been — it's hungry for right now and exactly what it already has. 6 Venus in Taurus calls to mind the image of the horned Egyptian goddess Hathor, the patron saint of fertility, joy, dancing, drunkenness and, above all, gratitude for what gratifies. Kristina – The underbelly of the Venusian bull is indulgence that begets inertia and desire that becomes polluted by possessiveness. We cross this threshold when we move from wanting to hold to needing to own. Venus in Taurus calls to mind the image of the horned Egyptian goddess Hathor, patron saint of fertility, joy, dancing, drunkenness, and above all, gratitude for what gratifies. With this in mind, we are all called to not only take what we need but to honor the source of its delivery, be it the body of another or the earth itself. While we'll all be under the influence of this decadent transit, three signs will feel the effects most acutely. Read for your sun and rising sign. 6 Knstart Studio – Venus has come home to your first of the self, Taurus. A wise friend shared with me her philosophy that, as humans, we are meant to consciously create, not unconsciously consume, and when we lean into the latter, we are not only starved of the meat of what matters, but destined for depression. As an embodied earth sign, a child of Venus, and ruler of the second house of values and valuables, this transit is here to remind you that the process of making is endlessly more nourishing than the state of having. 6 Knstart Studio – You love hard and hold tight, Scorpio, preferring suffering to severance. Yet, Venus in Taurus asks you to imagine that relationships can and should be a joyful pursuit, that devotion is not measured in sacrifices made but pleasure exchanged. In this sense, every disaster that has befallen you, every fissure in your delicate heart, has brought you to the brink of right now and the knowledge that love is not a thing to hold or be held down by, but a constant resource for renewal. 6 Knstart Studio – Ahoy, Sagittarius! In his poem 'The Body,' Charles Simic writes of the body as if it were a shore to be explored: This last continent Still to be discovered. My hand is dreaming, is building Its ship. For crew it takes A pack of bones, for food A beer-bottle full of blood. It knows the breath that blows north. With the breath from the west It will sail east each night. The scent of your body as it sleeps Are the land-birds sighted at sea. My touch is on the highest mast. It cries at four in the morning For a lantern to be lit On the rim of the world. As Venus in Taurus turns the lovelight on your sixth house of ritual, self-care and the body, I implore you to think of the latter, and the other, as a continent unto itself and devote yourself with a poet's ardor to your own edges. Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
An 'invisible threat': Swarm of hidden 'city killer' asteroids around Venus could one day collide with Earth, simulations show
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A hidden swarm of "city killer" space rocks, known as co-orbital asteroids, is likely hiding around Venus and could pose an "invisible threat" to Earth over the coming millennia if the asteroids are not found, new simulations suggest. However, there is no immediate danger to our planet, researchers told Live Science. Co-orbital asteroids are space rocks that orbit the sun alongside a planet or other large body without truly orbiting the larger object. There are currently 20 known co-orbitals around Venus — ranging from "Trojan asteroids," which are fixed either in front of or behind a planet in its orbital plane, to a closely circling "quasimoon," known as Zoozve — all of which likely originated from the solar system's main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Dozens of similar co-orbitals also tag along with Earth, and more are being discovered all the time. All of the Venusian space rocks are likely wider than 460 feet (140 meters) — large enough to be considered "city killers," meaning they could potentially wipe out a heavily populated area if they impacted our planet. Although the co-orbitals pose no threat to us from afar, a close approach to Earth could cause them to be pulled away from their gravitational anchor — and thus put them on a collision course with our planet. Venus is one of our closest neighbors and comes closer to Earth than any other planet — within around 25 million miles (40 million km) at its nearest point — making its trailing asteroids a credible threat to our world. Related: Undiscovered extra moons may orbit Earth. Could they help us become an interplanetary species? Researchers think there are more hidden space rocks lurking around Venus. All but one of the planet's known co-orbitals have eccentricities greater than 0.38, meaning they have very elongated trajectories around the planet. This suggests there is an observational bias, likely because objects with lower eccentricities are probably being obscured by the sun's glare. Co-orbitals can also move around relative to Venus, which can change their chances of colliding with Earth in the future. Previous research has shown that this likely happens to the space rocks once roughly every 12,000 years — known as a co-orbital cycle. In a new study, which was uploaded May 21 to the preprint server arXiv and is currently undergoing peer review, researchers carried out a series of computer simulations to gauge whether hidden asteroids with lower eccentricities could threaten Earth. To do this, the researchers "cloned" known co-orbitals with eccentricities below 0.38 and simulated how they might behave over a 36,000-year period (three co-orbital cycles). The simulations revealed that some of the newly added co-orbitals could pose a threat to Earth during this period. However, the study offers no indication of how likely a future collision really is, because it is "hard to predict" how many co-orbitals there really are, study lead author Valerio Carruba, an astronomer at São Paulo State University in Brazil, told Live Science in an email. "How many exactly is an open question." Since the new study was first uploaded, several media outlets have overhyped the risk of an imminent collision, with several tabloids claiming Earth could be hit by Venusian asteroids "within weeks." But there is nothing in the study to support those claims. "None of the current co-orbital objects will impact Earth soon," Carruba clarified. Carruba has been disappointed by some of the reporting surrounding the new study, but is glad the topic is being covered. "There has been some sensationalism about this research, and our work has been cited with some liberties," he said. "But we hope that this attention could raise interest in a very exciting class of asteroids, which should be more carefully monitored." Related: 'Planet killer' asteroids are hiding in the sun's glare. Can we stop them in time? The researchers also highlighted the recent discovery of the city killer asteroid 2024 YR4, which was initially predicted to have a 2.3% chance of colliding with Earth in 2032, before the odds were later downgraded to zero. This was an important reminder of the importance of detecting and monitoring potentially hazardous asteroids, they wrote. RELATED STORIES —No, NASA hasn't warned of an impending asteroid strike in 2038. Here's what really happened. —Earth's gravity knocked pyramid-size asteroid off course during recent ultra-close flyby, NASA images reveal —US Representatives worry Trump's NASA budget plan will make it harder to track dangerous asteroids New observational tools — such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, which will capture its first light later this year — will improve scientists' ability to spot dangerous space rocks, including Venus' co-orbitals, in the coming decades. However, it may also be prudent to send a telescope to Venus' orbit to specifically hunt for these objects, the researchers wrote. "I believe that we should not underestimate their potential danger, but I would not lose sleep over this issue," Carruba said. "Soon, our understanding of this population will improve."
Refinery29
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
It's The Most Fabulous Time Of Year — Venus In Taurus Is Here
It's the most fabulous time of the year. Venus and Taurus bring us positivity, creativity, and luxury from June 6th to July 4th. In the weeks ahead we will surround ourselves with art, beauty, and pleasantness. There will be good food, good sex, good rest, and no real cares in the world. Doesn't that sound nice? And you're not dreaming. This will be our reality. You can let out a long sigh of relief. When it comes to style and flare, Venus in Taurus is a step above the rest. This placement is known for its fine palette and indulgent desires. Luxury, elegance, and taste are elements of Venus in Taurus's aesthetic. If you have super fine fits, take them out and wear them during this time. If not, you might consider going on a hunt for some items to align. When Venus is in Taurus not only do we want to feel good, we also want to look good. The same applies to our makeup, perfume, and self-care routines — look, we didn't make up the rules, we're just following the ideals of the Venusian placement. Venus in Taurus makes it a habit to go to spas to decompress. Physical touch through massage, acupuncture, or facials helps Venus in Taurus heal since it appeals to its earthly senses. Even cuddle parties can transcend Venus in Taurus to a better state of being. Put a class or treatment on iCal to lean into a healthier vibe in the weeks ahead. You may even start going weekly. If you cannot, walking in nature or forest bathing will also be fulfilling. So, let's talk about sex, bb. This transit is all about embracing our sensual pleasures. Say 'yes' to hedonism. Don't deny pleasure to yourself! Sex without a grand finale won't cut it, and we'll want to experience multiple orgasms both solo and with company. We may become momentary flirts and players. Anything with anyone is possible now that planetary ruler, Venus, is riding the Bull. Pop a bottle and have fun. This time around Venus in Taurus is a little friskier than ever. Venus will square Pluto on June 9th, intensifying relationships and power struggles within them. Reconciliation is possible and a stronger foundation will be built as a result, but it will take some time to resolve matters because Venus in Taurus hates when its peace is disrupted. The romantic planet is also making decisions about relationships on June 26th, when it connects with the Nodes of Destiny. We are defining partnerships and deciding how to proceed on July 4th, when Venus connects with your Uranus (the freedom seeking planet wants us to be autonomous on Independence Day) urging us to grant ourselves space to think. Acting aloof on this day is totally acceptable because we will want alone time away from the fireworks. Shake-ups and breakups are possible if boundaries aren't respected. All in all, this doesn't spell out doom or gloom in matters of love, we are in our heads and not our hearts trying to figure out our own lives. It's only until we get pressed by others will relationships start to get a temporary clap back. Most likely, we'll switch up the dynamic and evolve — for the better. Important Dates: June 6th: Venus glides into Taurus, bringing a lusty and relaxing vibe our way. June 9th: Venus in Taurus squares Pluto in Aquarius, creating drama and intense dynamics since our emotions are at a high. June 11th: Venus in Taurus and Mercury in Cancer link up, allowing us to communicate our innermost feelings. June 26th: Venus in Taurus connects with the Nodes of Destiny, pushing us to contemplate our romantic futures and present situations. July 4th: Venus forms a conjunction to Uranus in Taurus, urging us to reveal our true selves and state our deepest needs to those we love.
