NASA has recently revealed that the Kepler Space Telescope is almost out of fuel and decided it to put the spacecraft in a hibernation-like state.
The Kepler telescope was originally launched in 2009 as part of NASA’s Discovery Program.
It is an observatory in space dedicated to finding planets outside our solar system.
It targets particularly alien planets that are around the same size as Earth in the “habitable” regions of their parent star.
Since 2009, it has discovered extra-solar planets in the range between the size of Earth and Neptune.
Most of these planets were discovered in a small region of the constellation Cygnus.
Kepler was the first telescope to find a planet (Kepler-69c) approximately the size of Earth in the habitable region of a star.
It examined the TRAPPIST-1 system which likely has multiple Earth-sized planets in it between December 2016 and March 2017.
It was approved far beyond its original mission length and was operating well until May 2013, when a second of its four reaction wheels or gyroscopes failed.
TESS
Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) is a new exoplanet hunting spacecraft.
While Kepler is nearing its mission lifetime, TESS is readying to take its place.
It was launched in 2018 to detect small planets with bright host stars in the solar neighbourhood.
The spacecraft will be looking for a phenomenon known as a transit, where a planet passes in front of its star, causing a periodic and regular dip in the star’s brightness.
It will do an all-sky survey from an orbit between the Earth and the moon.
Legal Entity for Animal Kingdom
The Uttarakhand High Court has declared the entire animal kingdom, including birds and aquatic animals, as a legal entity having rights of a “living person”.
The court has invoked Article 21 of the Constitution - safeguarding the rights of humans, protects life. The court has clarified that the word ‘life’ includes animal world.
According to the judgement, Legal Entity means “The entity acts like a natural person but only through a designated person, whose acts are processed within the ambit of law”.
This means the animal kingdom could be represented by a custodian.
It declared all citizens of Uttarakhand “persons in loco parentis” (in the place of a parent) giving them the responsibility to protect animals and ensure their welfare.
The high court, last year accorded the status of “living entity” to the Ganga and Yamuna rivers , a decision subsequently stayed by the Supreme Court.
World Sanskrit Conference
World Sanskrit Conference is to promote, preserve and practice the Sanskrit language all over the world by the people.
It is being held in various countries across the globe once in every three years and so far it has been held thrice in India.
The latest edition, 17th World Sanskrit Conference is going to be held at Vancouver, Canada.
Union HRD minister will be inaugurating the conference.
More than 500 scholars and delegates from over 40 countries will be participating in this conference on various subjects.
Formalin
Fish Samples in Chennai have shown the presence of Formalin.
This is the first time, samples of fish in Tamil Nadu have tested positive for formalin.
Formalin, a derivative of formaldehyde is a carcinogenic substance used to prolong the shelf life of fish.
It is harmful when consumed by humans.
Once ingested, formalin releases toxins into the body, and the sustained ingestion of formalin can eventually lead to cancer.
A solution which contains 37% formalin has the capacity to kill a fully grown adult.
Other chemicals added - Sodium benzoate was a preservative that was mixed when the ice was formed and Ammonia is also added to the ice, but it is done to prevent the ice from melting.
Mattala Airport
Mattala Airport is referred to as the world’s “emptiest airport” located in Sri Lanka.
India is negotiating a joint venture with Sri Lanka to operate this loss making airport.
It is located strategically very near to Hambantota port which is operated by China.
