Astronomy

NASA Delays Human Moon Landings To 2026 and Lunar Orbit Plans To 2025

The depicted crew is not slated to complete a lunar orbit until at least September 2025, and the earliest prospect for human lunar landing won't materialize until the subsequent year. Credit: NASA/Kim ShiflettNASA has officially confirmed a postponement in the schedule for human Moon landings and lunar orbit missions, with no expected landings until...

How Many Black Holes Are There?

Credit: DepositphotosEstimating the quantity of black holes poses a challenge due to their indirect detectability.Nonetheless, astronomers are diligently working to ascertain the count of black holes in space. Before addressing the question, "How Many Black Holes Are There?" it's crucial to note three types: stellar, intermediate, and supermassive. Each type displays distinct properties...

Historic Launch: First U.S. Lunar Lander in Over 50 Years Sets Course for the Moon

In this footage captured from NASA's video, the Vulcan rocket from United Launch Alliance, carrying Astrobotic Technology's lander, takes off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday, January 8, 2024. This marked the launch of the first U.S. lunar lander in over 50 years, initiating a competitive space race among private...

Reimagining Neptune and Uranus: New Images Challenge Perceptions of Planet Colors

The authentic color rendition of Voyager photos reveals a striking similarity in hue between the ice giant planets. Photo credit: Patrick Irwin/University of Oxford/NASAUranus and Neptune, the giant ice planets within our solar system, have long been recognized for their similarities. One noticeable distinction, their coloration, has captivated scientific curiosity, with Uranus appearing aquamarine...

Double Supernova Unveils Extraordinary Celestial Structure

The composite image features X-rays illuminated in purple overlaying the nebula structure and stars captured by Hubble.Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Penn State Univ./L. Townsley et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI/HST; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/SST; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt, N. Wolk, K. ArcandAn enigmatic nebula named Tarantula in the neighboring galaxy has been a cosmic theater of stellar births and...

Babylonian Tablets Help Unraveling Space’s Weirdest Mysteries

Babylonian tablet dating to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II | Earth's Magnetic Field (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images/Slemani Museum)Ancient Babylonian tablets from 3,000 years ago help scientists solve one of the most peculiar mysteries in space.A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that ancient Babylonian cuneiform tablets could hold...

Lunar Exploration in 2024: A Pivotal Year for Human and Robotic Missions

While the prospect of humans landing on the Moon this year appears doubtful, there remains a wealth of exploration on the horizon. Credit: Unsplash.The anticipation for a "Return to the Moon" has reached a climax, and 2024 emerges as a key year in lunar exploration. While some focus on the symbolic significance of humans...

Juno Finishes Its Nearest Pass by Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io

Juno provided detailed pictures of Io in the course of the flyby for NASA.NASA's Juno spacecraft had its closest encounter with Jupiter's moon Io in more than two decades on December 30, 2023. The robotic probe approached within 930 miles (1,500 km) of the volcanic moon, capturing detailed images of its south pole.Initiated on...

Observations for the Night Sky in January: Linking Celestial Patterns through Asterisms

Celestial bodies comprising the Winter Circle, visible on January 1, 2024, as observed through Sky Safari.In our notes about the night sky in December, we talked about how the Orion constellation looks like an hourglass and is easy to see. But guess what? It turns out that what we see as Orion is not...

NASA Unveils Images of Christmas Tree Cluster of Stars

A rendering of the NGC 2264 as captured by telescopes from NASA and the National Science Foundation. (X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: T.A. Rector (NRAO/AUI/NSF and NOIRLab/NSF/AURA) and B.A. Wolpa (NOIRLab/NSF/AURA); Infrared: NASA/NSF/IPAC/CalTech/Univ. of Massachusetts; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare & J.Major)Thousands of light-years from Earth, a cluster of stars in the NGC 2264 cluster is embracing...