Axios

Scientists may have detected the first moon orbiting a planet outside our solar system, known as an "exomoon."

Why it matters: Scientists are hunting for exoplanets that could harbor conditions suitable for supporting life. Exomoons could also be hosts of alien life in some form, according to the authors of the new study, published today in the journal Science Advances.

The scope from the damage of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck northern Indonesia on Friday and has killed more than 1,200 is becoming clearer now that satellite before and after photos have been released, and more aid workers are reaching the area.

The big picture: From space, the effects of the tsunami are clear, as are the landslides and liquefied soil indicative of a large quake. The quake was centered northeast of the town of Donggala on the island of Sulawesi. It sent a powerful series of waves, estimated to measure at least 20 feet tall, crashing into the provincial capital city of Palu. That city is situated at the end of a long, narrow bay, a geography that likely acted to heighten the severity of the waves.

As of early Tuesday, something unprecedented transpired across the Pacific Ocean. There were two Category 5 storms spinning at the same time, in opposite parts of the massive ocean basin — Super Typhoon Kong-rey and Hurricane Walaka.

Why it matters: According to meteorologist Jeff Masters of Weather Underground, this was the first time on record that two Category 5 storms occurred simultaneously in the Northwest Pacific and the Northeast Pacific.