It’s almost impossible to over-emphasize the primal, raging, natural power of a star. Our Sun may appear benign in simple observations, but with the advanced scientific instruments at our disposal in modern times, we know differently. In observations outside the narrow band of light our eyes can see, the Sun appears as an enraged, infuriated sphere, occasionally hurling huge jets of plasma into space, some of which slam into Earth.
Space News & Blog Articles
NASA's Kepler telescope discovered 2 mini-Neptune exoplanets just before dying
Astronomers discovered two mini-Neptunes and a third potential exoplanet in the final data sent home by NASA's Kepler space telescope just before it was decommissioned in late 2018.
JWST Scans an Ultra-Hot Jupiter’s Atmosphere
When astronomers discovered WASP-18b in 2009, they uncovered one of the most unusual planets ever found. It’s ten times as massive as Jupiter is, it’s tidally locked to its Sun-like star, and it completes an orbit in less than one Earth day, about 23 hours.
You Can Detect Tsunamis as They Push the Atmosphere Around
Anyone who’s ever lived along a coastline or been at sea knows the effects of tsunamis. And, they appreciate all the early warning they can get if one’s on the way. Now, NASA’s GNSS Upper Atmospheric Real-time Disaster and Alert Network (GUARDIAN) is using global navigation systems to measure the effect these ocean disturbances have on our atmosphere. The system’s measurements could provide a very effective early warning tool for people to get to higher ground in the path of a tsunami.
James Webb Space Telescope finds water in super-hot exoplanet's atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope spotted water in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-18 b, which reaches nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,700 degrees Celsius).
Dark Sky Utah: A complete guide to astro-travel in America's darkest state
How to go stargazing and the best places for astrophotography in the home of the first, the most and the best International Dark Sky Parks in the world.
Mars helicopter Ingenuity went silent for 'agonizing' 6 days in April
NASA's Mars helicopter Ingenuity didn't check in with its handlers for nearly a week this spring, and communications could continue to be spotty for a while yet.
Find a Horizon and Savor the Bending of Light
The full Strawberry Moon on June 3rd invites us to experience the refractive power of Earth's atmosphere.
NASA Panel Talks Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena
NASA has held its first public meeting with its panel investigating Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena. The panel will publish a full report in July.
North Korean launch attempt fails, days after South Korea’s successful space shot
North Korea’s Chollima 1 rocket takes off from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station on May 31, local time. Credit: Korean Central News Agency
An attempt to place a small North Korean military spy satellite into orbit May 30 failed a few minutes after liftoff, five days after South Korea successfully launched the country’s homegrown Nuri rocket with several technology demonstration and scientific research spacecraft.
Exactly How Massive is the Milky Way?
How do you weigh a galaxy? It’s an astronomical challenge, particularly if it’s the galaxy you call home. It turns out there are several ways to get a handle on the mass of the Milky Way, and a recent study summarizes these methods to present the best value.
The Expanse: A Telltale Series preview — Trust your gut before your head gets in the way
Telltale Games is reviving The Expanse with a prequel game series, and we’ve played the first episode.
Odd supergiant star Betelgeuse is brightening up. Is it about to go supernova?
One of the brightest stars in the night sky has been getting oddly brighter, prompting speculations that it might soon explode in a supernova. Can we really expect that celestial spectacle?
Zany new trailer for Fox's 'Stars on Mars' reality show counts us down to launch (video)
Fox released a new trailer for the wild new reality TV series "Stars on Mars" hosted by William Shatner that tosses contestants into a simulated Martian habitat.
Trial by sound
Image: Trial by sound
Watch live: ‘Ready for the Moon’ conference
Join us live to follow the ‘Ready for the Moon’ event, a high-level political conference on the challenges and ambitions for Europe's space sector. ESA Web TV will broadcast on its Channel Two the conference, including the media briefing on 2 June starting at 14:00 CEST (13:00 BST).
Saturn's moon Enceladus is blasting a plume of water 6,000 miles high. Could life be lurking under its icy shell?
The James Webb Space Telescope has found a 6,000 mile-long plume of water squirting into space from Saturn's tiny moon Enceladus, creating a massive watery cloud in the planet's orbit.
Hubble captures starry tentacles of faraway 'jellyfish galaxy' in stunning detail (photo)
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has snapped a stunning image of a jellyfish galaxy, whose cosmic tentacles host massive amounts of star formation.
June: Solstice Nights & Summer Sights
June offers the shortest nights of the year for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere. So count on our monthly Sky Tour podcast to help you get the most out your casual stargazing. It’s a fun and informative way to introduce yourself to the nighttime sky!
Accelerating the Green Transition
Earth observation has been essential in identifying and monitoring climate change. Satellite data form the baseline for effective European mitigation and adaptation strategies to support the Green Transition, the European Union to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, as well as its Green Deal.
Galileo Second Generation enters full development phase
The main procurements batch of Galileo Second Generation initiated last summer has been finalised, leaving the system ready for its In Orbit Validation development phase. Today, following the opening session of the European Navigation Conference (ENC), ESA Director of Navigation Javier Benedicto invited Thales Alenia Space (Italy), Airbus Defence and Space (Germany) and Thales Six GTS (France) to sign the respective contracts commencing System Engineering Support for the next generation of Europe’s navigation satellite system.