To date, 5,250 extrasolar planets have been confirmed in 3,921 systems, with another 9,208 candidates awaiting confirmation. Of these, 195 planets have been identified as “terrestrial” (or “Earth-like“), meaning that they are similar in size, mass, and composition to Earth. Interestingly, many of these planets have been found orbiting within the circumsolar habitable zones (aka. “Goldilocks zone”) of M-type red dwarf stars. Examples include the closest exoplanet to the Solar System (Proxima b) and the seven-planet system of TRAPPIST-1.
Space News & Blog Articles
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China launches secretive Horus 1 remote-sensing satellite (video)
China sent a secretive remote-sensing satellite named Horus 1 to orbit on Friday night (Feb. 23) as the country begins to ramp up its launch activity.
Virgin Galactic's carrier plane flies back to New Mexico spaceport
On Monday (Feb. 27) VMS Eve flew from California's Mojave Air and Space Port to Spaceport America in New Mexico, the hub of Virgin Galactic's commercial operations.
'Absolutely unreal:' NASA astronaut snaps amazing photo of auroras from space station
NASA astronaut Josh Cassada captured a stunning shot of green auroras dancing in Earth's skies from his vantage point on the International Space Station.
A Fresh Look at Kepler-444’s Ancient Planetary System
Astronomers have taken a closer look at a system containing three stars and five planets and may have solved a mystery around its formation.
Powerful solar storm delays SpaceX rocket launch, stalls oil rigs in Canada amid aurora-palooza
A solar storm that swept across Earth on Monday (Feb. 27) forced SpaceX to delay a Starlink launch and temporarily disrupted operations of several Canadian oil rigs.
Speedrunning Star Formation in the Cygnus X Region
Stars are born in molecular clouds, massive clouds of hydrogen that can contain millions of stellar masses of material. But how do molecular clouds form? There are different theories and models of that process, but the cloud formation is difficult to observe.
JAXA selects 2 new astronaut candidates for future flights to the moon
Japan has selected its first new astronaut candidates in more than 13 years. Makoto Suwa and Ayu Yoneda were chosen by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
Record breakers! Super-close dwarf stars orbit each other in less than a day
Two ultra-cool dwarf stars in a binary system are so tight they're breaking records. The stars are so close that they orbit each other in less than a day.
Private Japanese lander sets distance record on its way to the moon
The Hakuto-R moon lander got 855,000 miles (1.376 million kilometers) from Earth on Jan. 20, farther than any other fully commercial spacecraft.
4 big asteroids are flying by Earth this week, but don't worry. They aren't getting too close.
A quartet of large asteroids are zooming by Earth this week, but they'll all pass our planet with millions of miles to spare, according to NASA.
Venus has a squishy shell that might be key to its youthful look
Earth's next-door neighbor Venus may have a "squishy" outer shell that gives the planet a "youthful" appearance and may reveal how it loses its interior heat, studies reveal.
Astronomers spy new class of dark, water-rich asteroids like dwarf planet Ceres
Astronomers interpret the spectra of 10 well-known dark asteroids and find them to be water-rich like the dwarf planet Ceres.
Great telescope Deal: The Celestron Travelscope 60 is under $40
You read that right, you can get the Celestron Travelscope 60 portable telescope for under $40 now, saving over $60 in doing so.
Occer 12x25 compact binoculars review
Can one of the best binoculars for kids, the Occer 12x25 compact binoculars, compete with the big-name brands? Our full binocular review and testing reveal the answers.
Watch SpaceX deploy its 1st V2 mini Starlink internet satellites in orbit in this stunning video
Spectacular video shows SpaceX deploying the first set of a new generation of Starlink internet satellites after a launch from Florida Monday (Feb. 27).
New 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture—Echoes' comic series channels the 1979 film
IDW Publishing is releasing a new five-issue comic miniseries called "Star Trek: The Motion Picture—Echoes."
How the fate of Europe's JUICE Jupiter mission depends on the risk of biological contamination
If the huge Jupiter moon Ganymede is more potentially habitable than previously thought, it could alter the end of Europe's JUICE mission.
FAA seeks to fine SpaceX for August 2022 Starlink launch
The FAA announced a proposal to issue a $175,000 fine against SpaceX for failing to submit a collision-avoidance analysis ahead of an August 2022 Starlink launch.
Watch SpaceX launch 51 Starlink satellites to orbit on Tuesday
SpaceX will launch 51 of its Starlink internet satellites to orbit on Tuesday (Feb. 28), and you can watch the action live.
China's Zhurong rover reveals complex layers beneath the surface of Mars
China's Zhurong rover has provided one of the few peeks into what lies below the surface of Mars.
