We present the progress of work to streamline and simplify the process of exoplanet observation by citizen scientists. International collaborations such as ExoClock and Exoplanet Watch enable citizen scientists to use small telescopes to carry out transit observations. These studies provide essential supports for space missions Such as JWST and ARIEL. Contributions include maintenance or recovery of ephemerides, follow up confirmation and transit time variations. Ongoing observation programs benefit from a large pool of observers, with a wide variety of experience levels. Our projects work closely with these communities to streamline their observation pipelines and enable wider participation. Two complementary approaches are taken: Star Guide applies human-centric design and community consultation to identify points of friction within existing systems and provide complementary online tools and resources to reduce barriers to entry to the observing community. Machine Learning is used to accelerate data processing and automate steps which are currently manual, providing a streamlined tool for citizen science and a scalable solution for large-scale archival research.

To capture images of Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars, advanced instruments with exceptional contrast ratios are imperative. While coronagraphs play a crucial role, they often lack the capability to achieve the requisite contrast levels independently. Hence, supplementary apodization techniques are indispensable for augmenting their rejection capabilities. In this context, we introduce an innovative apodization method that harnesses interferometry, seamlessly integrating a deformable mirror into the Michelson interferometer setup. This sophisticated approach entails splitting the incident Point Spread Function (PSF) into two components, introducing an additional inhomgenious phase φ(x, y) to one of them via a deformable mirror, and subsequently recombining them to yield an apodized PSF. We illustrate, in particular, the influence of several parameters of the deformable mirror on the optimization of the additional phase profile.

Saturn’s magnetism and diamagnetism of ice can help explain the emergence of visible dense rings by transformation of the protoplanetary cloud containing ice bodies into a disk-shaped system of stable visible dense rings with extreme flatness at Saturn’s equator. It can also explain the thin structure of the rings as a whole, the sharp edges of dense rings, the existence and specific features of B-rings, and the stability of the entire dense ring system around Saturn. Additionally, it allows calculation of equilibrium separation of ice bodies, as predicted by J.C. Maxwell, with the magnetic repulsion of the ice bodies compensating for their gravitational attraction.

Water, an essential molecule for sustaining life on Earth, plays a crucial role in the physical and chemical processes governing the formation of stars and planets, serving as a primary coolant in the environments surrounding emerging stars. The journey of water from the earliest stages of star and planet formation to its eventual incorporation to exoplanetary atmospheres and its potential oceans is still a matter of debate. Very recent works using ALMA and JWST data reveals that water can be found in the inner astronomical units in protoplanetary disks, in the terrestrial planet-forming zone. Detecting water molecules from ground-based telescopes is challenging due to the water vapor content within Earth’s atmosphere, severely limiting atmospheric transmissivity. Nevertheless, water is one of the few compounds capable of generating bright maser emission within star-forming regions. Their exceptional brightness, narrow spectral profiles, and their origin in highly compact regions offer a unique set of characteristics that render them invaluable tools for investigating circumstellar structure and dynamics at sub-arcsecond spatial scales. In this work we present our efforts to search and characterize water maser emission at submillimeter frequencies in a sample of young stellar objects.

Until now, there has been no evidence of the existence of life forms other than on Earth. The philosophical, ethical and theological corpus that has been built up on this subject over several millennia is therefore based on a thought experiment or a posture of belief. Between dealing with a heresy and applying the precautionary principle, extraterrestrials represent a special opportunity to question the boundaries of our systems of thought, and sometimes to shake up dogmatism.

We consider the dynamic evolution of the compact four-planetary system K2-72. We considered a few scenarios for the evolution of the K2-72 system over 100 Myr using the Posidonius software, which considers tidal interactions. We showed that the compact planetary system K2-72 likely evolves beyond low-order resonances. A significant change in the large semi-major axes of the orbits of the K2-72 b and K2-72 d planets leads to the moving of the adjacent planets b-d and d-c out of the 7/5 and 8/5 resonance regions, respectively. The adjacent planets K2-72 d and K2-72 c are located far from the 2/1 resonance, which excludes the possibility of forming chains of mean motion resonances and, hence, 3-planet mean motion resonances. If the orbital eccentricities do not exceed 0.03, the evolution of the compact planetary system K2-72 over 100 Myr remains stable even in the presence of tidal perturbations.

Both observations and models of flare-associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) suggest that magnetic reconnection in an ejection’s wake substantially increases the net, outward Lorentz force accelerating the CME. A stronger outward force can cause a feedback loop, driving further magnetic reconnection in a “reconnective instability.” The flux accretion model captures this by relating reconnected flux, ΔΦrec, and magnetic field strength, BCME, to increased outward Lorentz force, ΔFr. To better understand reconnection’s role in CME dynamics, we analyze two snapshots from a 2.5D, MHD simulation of a breakout eruption. Outward Lorentz forces increase substantially as reconnection proceeds, caused primarily by “flank currents,” which flow just inside the boundary of the rising ejection’s wake and parallel to its axis. This model’s reconnection jet also alters the ejection’s internal structure, an effect that could be sought in observations. Analyzing reconnection-induced Lorentz forces in 3D simulations could provide additional insights into CME dynamics.

Telkom-1 is a geosynchronous communications satellite owned by telecommunications company, PT Telkom Indonesia. This paper will discuss solar radiation pressure as one of the most significant perturbations in geostationary orbits. Solar radiation pressure models come in various types, each differing in complexity and accuracy. The simplest solar radiation pressure model is a spherical model, often used for educational or preliminary calculations. Based on our modelling, the results indicate that the semimajor axis values from the spherical model closely approximate the actual data. However, the eccentricity calculated from the spherical model is nearly ten times larger than that derived from the actual data. Additionally, the amplitude of the mean anomaly from the spherical model increases over time, and the spherical model of inclination also demonstrates an increasing trend with time.

The growing international public attention to astrobiology and SETI, combined with the immense costs of space exploration and the potential outcome, the discovery of extraterrestrial life, will likely increase the pressure for public justification and the need to address societal concerns about the risks of searching for, finding, or being found by extraterrestrial life. Understanding these perceptions and concerns warrants a more systematic inclusion of risk communication research in studying pre- and post-detection scenarios. In this chapter, we review the state of the art in risk perception/communication research related to astrobiology and detection. Based on three major challenges (social risk amplification/attenuation, misguided risk information seeking, ineffective risk message design), we explore the contribution of risk communication theory (SARF, RISP, EPPM, IDEA) to future research and institutional preparedness for potential detections of extraterrestrial life.

The Kepler and TESS missions have unveiled that cool stars frequently host exoplanets. These exoplanets are subject to environmental changes due to flares and associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that may change their atmospheric dynamics and chemistry. However, substantial observational evidence of CMEs from G-M dwarfs remains scarce. Recent efforts to detect stellar CMEs have predominantly utilized methodologies derived from solar observations. Notably successful approaches have been the detection of Doppler shifts and coronal dimming associated with stellar flares, which are interpreted as strong indicators of stellar CMEs. Although the detection of type-II radio bursts remains elusive, candidates for type-IV radio bursts have been recently reported. Numerous indicators have been tested; however, each methodology presents its own set of issues and limitations, and a definitive answer remains elusive. This paper reviews the recent progress and proposes several future directions in CME observations of active stars.

As part of the mission of the International Astronomical Union Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (IAU-CPS) Policy Hub to consider national and international regulations about the usage and sustainability in outer space, we also included discussion specific to the rights of Indigenous peoples with respect to outer space under the context of the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). In this work, we review how some of the articles of UNDRIP require various actors in the use and exploitation of outer space including satellite companies, nation states, and professional/academic astronomy to consult and support Indigenous peoples/nations and respect Indigenous sovereignties. This work is concluded with recommendations for consulting and collaborating with Indigenous peoples and recommendations for moving from the traditional colonial exploitation of outer space and building an anti-colonial future in relationship with outer space.

Magnetic flux ropes (FRs) are twisted structures appearing on the sun, predominantly in the magnetically concentrated regions. These structures appear as coronal features known as filaments or prominences in Hα observations, and as sigmoids in X-ray, EUV observations. Using the continuous vector magnetic field observations from Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory, we study the evolution of the magnetic fields in the active regions (ARs) to understand the conditions of twisted flux formation. While ARs emerge and evolve further, flux motions such as shearing and rotation are efficient mechanisms to form twisted flux ropes. Magnetic helicity quantifies the twisted magnetic fields and helicity injection through photosphere leads to its accumulation in the corona. Therefore, coronal helicity accumulation leads to twisted FR formation and its eruption. The magnetic helicity injection is seen to evolve distinctly in the regions of flux rope formation and eruption. The ARs that are associated with eruptive activity are observed with helicity injection predominantly with one sign over a period of a few days. The ARs that inject helicity with a changing sign are unlikely to form twisted FRs because coronal helicity during the period of one sign of injected helicity gets cancelled by the opposite sign of injection in the later period. As a result, the coronal field reconfigures from shared to potential structure. For a given AR, the upper limit of helicity that could cause a CME eruption is not yet understood, which can be the subject of future studies of ARs. Magnetic reconnection plays a crucial role in both the initiation and driving of FR eruptions after their formation. Data-driven simulations of the AR evolution provide more insights on the flux rope formation and its onset of eruption.

We have searched for new members of the young Emilkowalski asteroid family. The number of family members reached 13. We determined proper synthetic orbital elements of family members using Orbit9 software. We investigated the dynamical evolution of the young Emilkowalski asteroid family over a 5 Myr with Orbit9 software. To estimate the ages of the pairs, we used the method of simultaneous convergence of the nodes and perihelion orbits. We considered all possible pairs between asteroids of the family. In the case of the zero-drift rate of the semi-major axis due to the influence of the Yarkovsky effect, the ages of the pairs do not exceed 2 Myr. The obtained estimates of the age of pairs allow us to limit the integration interval in the study of the probabilistic evolution of asteroid family orbits to the range of 2 Myr.

Our study addresses the challenges of direct exoplanet observation by introducing an innovative technique based on numerical simulations. We developed and evaluated a method combining Lyot coronagraphy with an Interferometric Apodization by Homothety (IAH) in segmented apertures, aimed at next-generation large telescopes. Simulations conducted using a wavelength range centered around 0.5 μm with a 20% bandwidth show significant improvements in contrast and reduced angular separations. The technique demonstrates low chromaticity, maintaining almost constant contrast across the wavelength range, an advantage over traditional methods. These findings represent a breakthrough in enhancing exoplanet imaging capabilities, enabling more precise detection even at low angular separations, and emphasize the critical role of numerical simulations in designing high dynamic range space imaging techniques.

We study the relationship between the speed of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the height profile of the ambient magnetic field, quantified by its decay index, n(h). Our sample is composed of 15 very fast CMEs (VCME ≥ 1500 kms–1; all halo CMEs) and 22 halo CMEs below this speed limit from Solar Cycle 23. The very fast CMEs yield a high correlation of 0.81 between VCME and the slope of n(h) in a height range above the onset height of the torus instability if one extremely fast outlier, which closely followed another very fast CME, is excluded. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the torus instability plays a decisive role in CME acceleration. The whole sample yields a weaker correlation, which is still significant if events with a broad torus-stable dip in n(h) are excluded. A parametric simulation study of flux-rope eruptions from quadrupolar and two-scale bipolar source regions confirms the decelerating effect of such dips. Very fast, moderate-velocity, and confined eruptions are found.

We examine the phosphine on Venus debate using a multidimensional impact model covering scientific, social and psychological dimensions. We illustrate the results of the analysis with two spider diagrams.

This study analyzes the motion of bodies ejected from the Earth or the Moon. We studied the ejection of bodies from several points on the Earth’s surface, as well as from the most far point of the Moon from the Sun. Different velocities and angles of ejection of bodies were considered. The dynamical lifetimes of bodies reached a few hundred million years. Over the entire considered time interval, the values of the probability of a collision of a body ejected from the Earth with the Earth were approximately 0.3, 0.2, and 0.15–0.2 at an ejection velocity υej equaled to 11.5, 12, and 14 km/s, respectively. At υej≤11.3 km/s, most of the ejected bodies fell back onto the Earth. The total number of bodies delivered to the Earth and Venus probably did not differ much. The probabilities of collisions of bodies with Mercury and Mars usually did not exceed 0.1 and 0.02, respectively. At υej ≥11.5 km/s, the probability of a collision of a body ejected from the Earth with the Moon was about 15–35 times less than that with the Earth, and it was about 0.01. The probability of a collision with the Earth for a body ejected from the Moon moving in its present orbit was about 0.3–0.32, 0.2–0.22, and 0.1–0.14 at υej =2.5 km/s, υej =5 km/s, and at 12≤ υej ≤16.4 km/s, respectively.

Human civilization continues to experience rapid growth in energy consumption, while projections of population stabilization remain uncertain. A continued trajectory of exponential energy use would cause direct heating of the planet by ∼2300, which would also coincide with a transition to a Kardashev type-I civilization. If such patterns of energy consumption are typical for other technological civilizations, then the lack of evidence for extraterrestrial life suggests that Earth may be among the first. This implies that a “Great Filter” may exist in the near future, which would mark a critical juncture of whether civilization on Earth becomes spacefaring or extinct. Any extant technological civilizations are likely those that have achieved long-term equilibrium with energy consumption and population growth. The search for technosignatures by ongoing ground- and space-based observatories will provide a way to test the Great Filter hypothesis and examine the extent to which energy-intensive civilizations occur in the galaxy.