Two asteroids, 2016 CZ31 and 2013 CU83, are headed toward Earth for back-to-back flybys this weekend.
Space News & Blog Articles
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NASA taps Draper for first U.S. landing on far side of the moon
An illustration of Draper’s SERIES-2 lunar lander, which will deliver science and technology payloads to the moon for NASA in 2025. Credit: Draper
NASA has awarded Draper a $73 million contract to deliver science instruments to the far side of the moon on a commercial robotic lander in 2025, the eighth award through the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. Officials with the companies flying the first two CLPS missions, Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines, said recently their commercial landers are scheduled to launch late this year or early next year.
Astronomers witness the rare break up of a star couple
What happens when stellar couples break their embrace? New research reveals details of an important life event in the existence of binary stars.
New 3D cosmic map reveals 1 million previously hidden galaxies
Astronomers have created the largest ever 3D map of 1 million distant galaxies otherwise obscured by the Milky Way's dwarf galaxy neighbors, the Magellanic Clouds.
Rocket launches can create shiny clouds far from poles, study shows
Night-shining or noctilucent clouds are popping up farther from the poles, in part due to more rocket launches taking place from Earth.
Mysteries of some atmospheric halos remain unexplained after 5,000 years
The most extensive inventory of atmospheric optical illusions created in 5 millennia of observation reveals lingering mysteries.
Some messy 'coronal loops' on the sun may be an optical illusion
Since the 1960s, researchers have been searching for a 3D model of coronal loops of bright plasma seen on the sun. New research is causing scientists to rethink this phenomenon.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin targeting Aug. 4 for next space tourist flight
Blue Origin is targeting Thursday (Aug. 4) for the next crewed mission of its New Shepard vehicle, which will send six people to suborbital space and back.
The James Webb is Measuring Distant Galaxies 5-10 Times Better Than any Other Telescope
On December 25th, 2021, after many years of waiting, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) finally launched to space. In the sixth-month period that followed, this next-generation observatory unfurled its Sunshield, deployed its primary and secondary mirrors, aligned its mirror segments, and flew to its current position at the Earth-Sun Lagrange 2 (L2) Point. On July 12th, 2022, the first images were released and presented the most-detailed views of the Universe. Shortly thereafter, NASA released an image of the most distant galaxy ever observed (which existed just 300 million years after the Big Bang).
What is a parsec? Definition and calculation
A parsec is a standard astronomical measurement that is often misunderstood.
A triple meteoric spectacle is set to grace our skies this weekend
This weekend might have three meteor showers active at the same time, combining to provide a celestial firework display almost all through the night.
Galactic 'gem' sparkles in dazzling new Hubble image aided by citizen scientists
An unusual galaxy merger boasts multiple interwoven arms in a newly released Hubble Space Telescope image.
Meteor brightens up the sky above Sydney as peak meteor showers arrive
The peak shooting star season has arrived with six meteor showers expected to pepper Earth in the upcoming weeks as the planet hurtles through fields of cometary debris.
Possible SpaceX debris falls in Australia from Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft
Social media pictures suggest an unpressurized 'trunk' from the SpaceX Crew-1 Dragon spacecraft might have fallen to Earth near Dalgety on July 8, matching re-entry calculations.
When and where will China's big rocket debris fall to Earth this weekend?
A big Chinese rocket body will crash back to Earth tomorrow (July 30), but nobody knows exactly when or where.
The Southern Delta Aquariid meteor shower of 2022 is peaking now
The Delta Aquarrids meteor shower peaks tonight (July 29). The shower commonly generates about 15-20 meteors per hour and is best viewed around 3 a.m. local time.
Europe's new Venus probe will have to survive months-long scorching 'aerobrake' procedure
Europe's planned Venus exploration mission will depend on a challenging aerobraking procedure to lower its orbit, which will test the thermal resiliency of its materials to the limits.
New clues emerge about runaway star Zeta Ophiuchi's violent past
The runaway star is dashing across the galaxy at more than 100,000 mph, thanks to a massive explosion that happened more than a million years ago.
1 month away! NASA gearing up for launch of epic Artemis 1 moon mission
NASA is working toward an Aug. 29 launch target date for Artemis 1, which will use a Space Launch System megarocket to send an uncrewed Orion capsule on a multiweek mission around the moon.
International Space Station has 'peculiar odor,' astronaut says
A TikTok video from European astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti dished about the smells of the International Space Station, particularly the toilet and trash.
