To celebrate 35 years of discoveries, the Hubble Space Telescope has released a newly enhanced image of one of the sky’s most captivating galaxies: the Sombrero Galaxy. A Hat in the Sky: The Sombrero Galaxy’s Unique Appearance Also known as Messier 104, this celestial wonder lies about 31 million light-years from Earth in the constellation […]
Hubble Reveals a Dazzling New Look At The Iconic Sombrero Galaxy Read More »
Astronomers have long been intrigued by two puzzling phenomena at the center of our galaxy. First, the gas in the so-called Central Molecular Zone (CMZ)—a dense and turbulent region near the Milky Way’s core—appears to be ionized at a surprisingly high rate. That means atoms are losing electrons and becoming electrically charged. Second, scientists have
New Form of Dark Matter May Explain Milky Way’s Core Mysteries Read More »
The weather on Jupiter may, in some ways, resemble phenomena on Earth, but there are peculiarities that completely defy our understanding. The “Mushball” Hypothesis Scientists now propose an explanation for the strange properties of the planet’s chaotic clouds: during massive thunderstorms with lightning and thunder, Jupiter is bombarded by a rain of mushballs large clumps
Hailstorms on Jupiter Pelt Giant Slushee Balls of Ammonia and Water Read More »
New analyses from NASA’s Curiosity rover offer important clues about the fate of Mars’ ancient atmosphere and the processes that shaped the planet over time. A Long-Standing Carbonate Mystery For years, scientists have believed that Mars once had a thick, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere and liquid water on its surface. Theoretically, this combination should have led
NASA’s Curiosity Rover May Have Uncovered the Mystery of Mars’ Missing Carbonates Read More »
Decades of launching satellites into space have created a growing orbital pollution crisis. According to the Annual Space Environment Report from the European Space Agency (ESA), more than 6,600 tons of space debris are currently drifting in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), between 100 and 1,200 miles (160–2,000 km) above Earth’s surface. That’s an increase from
Over 6,600 Tons of Space Junk Are Floating Around in Earth’s Orbit Read More »
Just 120 light-years from Earth, astronomers have identified a truly astonishing and one-of-a-kind system in the known universe. Two Brown Dwarfs and a Planet With a Perpendicular Orbit It consists of two brown dwarfs orbiting each other in an eclipsing binary configuration, along with an exoplanet that orbits both bodies — but with a fascinating
A Quirk of Light Reveals the Strangest Planetary System Yet Read More »
Anyone who has read about life aboard spacecraft knows that astronauts live with very limited resources, including meals that are mostly rehydrated. Even though NASA and other space agencies work hard to provide a variety of dishes, astronauts still have few food choices. On top of that, nasal congestion caused by microgravity dulls their sense
Making Miso in Space Is Possible and the Result Has a Nuttier Flavor Read More »
The idea of harvesting solar power in space and beaming it down to Earth — something that could be described as a “Starlink for electricity” — might sound ambitious, maybe even a bit utopian. But that hasn’t stopped Baiju Bhatt from betting on it. Bhatt, the billionaire and co-founder of the financial app Robinhood, has
Space Solar Startup Prepares Laser Power Transmission Demo for 2026 Read More »
Asteroid 2024 YR4 is making headlines again, but there’s still no reason to panic—at least for Earth. The asteroid remains no threat to our planet, with collision odds stuck at a minuscule 0.001 percent. However, the Moon might not be as lucky. According to a study led by planetary astronomer Andrew Rivkin of Johns Hopkins
‘City-Killer’ Asteroid Impact Remains Possible—Just Not on Earth Read More »
Continental Europe’s initial attempt at an orbital space launch came to an unexpected end when Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket returned to Earth with a bang just 30 seconds after takeoff. The rocket crashed and exploded in the Norwegian Sea near the launch pad. Details of the Inaugural Flight from Andøya Spaceport The inaugural flight of
Watch: Europe’s First Orbital Launch Ends With a Bang Read More »