Space News & Blog Articles

They are known as Active Galactic Nuclei (aka. quasars), the core regions of galaxies that are so bright that they temporarily outshine all the stars in the galactic disk combined. This is the result of the Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) at their centers, which accelerate infalling gas and dust in their accretion disks to near the speed of light. This produces intense radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible light and infrared to microwaves and X-rays. For decades, astronomers have known that SMBHs reside at the centers of many massive galaxies, and the same was thought to be true of dwarf galaxies.

China made history in June 2024 when the Chang'e-6 mission made the first lunar sample-return in history, sending 1,935.3 grams (roughly 4.25 pounds) of lunar regolith and rock to Earth. Analysis of these samples has revealed a great deal of information about the Moon's composition and geological history, as well as notable differences between the two hemispheres. This data is crucial as China, NASA, the ESA, and other space agencies, along with commercial partners, plan to build lunar bases on the far side of the Moon in the near future.

Around the sun, there are countless small bodies whose orbits occasionally bring them in close proximity to Earth, known as Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). There are currently 37,000 known Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) and 120 known short-period near-Earth comets (NECs), though astronomers estimate that these objects number in the millions. Of particular concern are asteroids and comets that pose a potential impact risk to Earth, known as Potentially Hazardous Objects (PHOs). While scientists are confident that none of the known PHOs will pose a risk to Earth within the next century, planetary defense measures will be needed sooner or later.

When the Hubble Space Telescope began operations 35 years ago, it was motivated by some ambitious science goals. From its position in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO), the Hubble was poised to address fundamental questions in astronomy. It was tasked with determining the size and the age of the Universe, studying the formation and evolution of galaxies, and investigating quasars and black holes, among other things.