A series of advances in the exploration of the cosmos marked the year, with cutting-edge observatories, such as the James Webb and the Vera C. Rubin, revealing unprecedented phenomena and expanding the catalog of known celestial bodies. The discoveries extend from our own Sistema Solar to distant galaxies, altering understanding of universal dynamics.
The increase in the volume of finds was driven by significant investments in technology and the application of artificial intelligence in the analysis and processing of large volumes of astronomical data and images. Essa synergy allowed the identification of objects that previously went unnoticed.
The results obtained reinforce and, in some cases, reshape scientific knowledge about the formation of planets, the evolution of stars and the composition of stellar systems, providing new bases for future investigations into the origin and destiny of the universe.
New satellites reset the count of moons in the solar system
The moon count in Saturno has been drastically updated, with the confirmation of 128 new natural satellites orbiting the gas giant. With this addition, the planet now has a total of 274 known moons, consolidating its position as the celestial body with the largest number of satellites in our system, almost double the total of the other planets combined. Paralelamente, the Telescópio Espacial James Webb made a precise discovery in the rings of Urano, identifying its 29th moon. The small object, provisionally named S/2025 U1, is only 10 kilometers in diameter and its detection was only possible thanks to the high sensitivity of the telescope, which was able to peer into the dark inner rings of the planet, where the satellite had remained hidden until then.
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Advanced observatories reveal exoplanets and distant worlds
The Gaia probe, from Agência Espacial Europeia, confirmed in October the existence of the exoplanet Gaia-4 b, a gas giant classified as a “super-Júpiter”. Localizado approximately 240 light-years from Terra, this distant world has an extraordinary mass, equivalent to 11.8 times that of Jupiter, making it one of the most massive exoplanets ever detected. The discovery provides crucial data for the study of planetary systems that host large planets and their gravitational interactions.
Telescópio James Webb’s capabilities continued to provide insights into planet formation. Pesquisadores detected the presence of crystalline water ice in the dust disk surrounding a young star, with characteristics similar to our Sol. Essa discovery is a strong indication of the potential for the formation of giant planets and suggests a mechanism for transporting water, in the form of oceans, to developing rocky worlds. In another notable observation, the telescope captured a direct image of a cold planet, with a mass close to that of Saturno, orbiting the young star TWA 7, making it the lightest object ever observed by this method.
Intense activity recorded on Mars and neutron stars
Scientists have released a detailed new catalog of dust devils in Marte, compiled from two decades of observations.
The data was collected by the Trace Gas Orbiter and Mars Express probes, resulting in the identification of 1,039 of these atmospheric phenomena.
One of the recorded whirlpools stood out for its dimensions, reaching a height of 800 meters and a width of 30 meters.
In a high-energy cosmic event, the Indian XPoSat satellite recorded a thermonuclear superburst on the surface of the neutron star 4U 1608-52, located 4 thousand light years from Terra.
Comets and auroras offer unique celestial spectacles
Comet 3I/ATLAS, with a nucleus estimated to be the size of the island of Manhattan, became an accessible target for amateur telescopes starting in November.
Another visitor, comet C/2025 R2 SWAN, made its closest approach to Terra on October 19, passing at 39 million kilometers. Sua next visit will occur in more than 20 thousand years.
Telescópio James Webb also turned its lens on Júpiter, capturing infrared images of its polar auroras in unprecedented detail, revealing a bright region that had not previously been detected.
Vera C. Rubin begins mapping a decade
Located at Chile, Observatório Vera C. Rubin has begun its ambitious sky survey, designed to last ten years.
The first images released already demonstrate the observatory’s ability to combine multiple exposures to create deep views of distant galaxies, dust clouds and asteroids.
Via Láctea and nebulae in unprecedented images
Astronomers have produced the largest low-frequency radio image of Via Láctea, a map that helps understand star formation and evolution in our galaxy. NASA also released a new image of Nebulosa and Colar, 15,000 light years away, formed by the interaction of two stars.
Distant universe has more accurately measured temperature
A joint study using data from the Euclid and Herschel space telescopes has enabled the most accurate measurement of Universo’s temperature to date.
Analysis of more than 2 million galaxies revealed that the most distant regions of the cosmos are, on average, cooler and have a significantly lower star formation rate.
