Tracking exoplanets is hard – especially when that exoplanet is so far away from its parent star that the normally used “transit” method of watching it dim the light of the star itself is ineffectual. But it really helps if the planet is huge, and has its own infrared glow, no matter how far away from its star it might be. At least those properties allowed a team of scientists from the University of Hawai’i to track a particular exoplanet called (and we’re not kidding) Coconuts-2b.
Space News & Blog Articles
'Star Trek: Discovery' actor Doug Jones on conquering fear and stepping up screentime
The acclaimed creature performer reveals Captain Saru's inner workings on the Paramount Plus sci-fi series.
Scientists Figure out how the Asteroid Belt Attacked the Dinosaurs
How do you track an asteroid that hit the Earth over 60 million years ago? By using a combination of geology and computer simulations, at least according to a team of scientists from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). Those methods might have let them solve a long-standing mystery of both archeology and astronomy – where did the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs come from?
The best sci-fi movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix in August
A veritable treasure trove of sci-fi is available at your fingertips.
Where to see the northern lights: 2021 aurora borealis guide
Where should you go to get the best look at the dancing, dazzling display known as the aurora borealis?
The Sturm strike back in John Birmingham's brash sci-fi sequel, 'The Shattered Skies' (exclusive)
From his perch on the International Space Station, a French astronaut watched a long-running Russian space module break into pieces in a shower of fireworks.
Perseid meteor shower peak this month! New moon bodes well for skywatchers.
Perseid meteors are already beginning to fall in a display that promises to dazzle skywatchers this month.
Happy birthday, Fermi! Top 5 highlights from 13 years of the gamma-ray telescope
On Aug. 4, 2008, the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope began full science operations, scanning the entire sky through the highest-energy form of light.
Russia’s forests store more carbon than previously thought
Russia has the largest area of forest on the planet, with more than a fifth of the world's trees. A new study, led by Russian scientists using data from ESA’s Climate Change Initiative, has produced new estimates of biomass contained in Russian forests, and confirms that the vast forested area is storing more carbon than previously estimated.
Launch of Boeing's Starliner capsule delayed indefinitely
Boeing needs more time to figure out a possible issue with the valves in Starliner's propulsion system.
New sci-fi shooter 'The Ascent' comes to Xbox Series X and PC
"The Ascent," a new sci-fi action-shooter role-playing game (RPG) from game developer Neon Giant and publishers Curve digital, is now available.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission slips to spring 2022 after engine issue
File photo of a Hyperbola 1 rocket undergoing launch preparations. Credit: i-Space
The launch of a solid-fueled rocket developed by the Chinese commercial space firm iSpace failed Tuesday, the second launch failure in three orbital attempts by the startup company, Chinese state media said.
Best lens heaters in {year} and why every astrophotographer should have one
The giant, 29-engine Super Heavy vehicle known as Booster 4 rolled out to its South Texas launch site today (Aug. 3) to begin testing ahead of a planned orbital trial.
Samples from Asteroid Ryugu Are Most Primitive Material We've Found
Cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov gave a video tour of the new Russian "Nauka" module that docked at the International Space Station last week.
China launches Tianhui military mapping satellite
A Long March 2D rocket lifts off with the Tianhui 1-04 spacecraft. Credit: Xinhua
China successfully launched a Long March 2D rocket July 29 with a Tianhui military satellite on a mission to collect data for maps and land surveys.
GOES-17 satellite bounces back from glitch while monitoring California wildfires
A weather satellite has recovered from a brief anomaly and is back to studying Earth and its ongoing wildfires.
Chinese startup iSpace fails to reach orbit again with Hyperbola-1 rocket
The latest failure of a Chinese commercial rocket may point to growing pains as the country opens its space sector to more private participation, according to a news report.
Supermassive black holes can be surprisingly delicate eaters, astronomers find
Astronomers have imaged an extraordinary black hole picnic of cosmic proportions.
How the Comet Interceptor Will Chase Visitors to the Inner Solar System
How will engineers plan the trajectory of Comet Interceptor, a mission designed to fly by an interstellar visitor, when its target is still unknown?
Russian military communications satellite launched on Soyuz rocket
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft sits atop an Atlas 5 rocket at Cape Canaveral. Credit: Michael Cain / Spaceflight Now / Coldlife Photography
Officials scrubbed the planned launch of a Boeing-built crew capsule Tuesday to examine a potential technical issue in the spacecraft’s propulsion system, delaying the start of a critical unpiloted test flight to prove the ship is ready to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station.
Drone discount: Save $52 on the Holy Stone HS720 on Amazon
At 27 inches in length and 500 Galactic Credits ($350) in price, this would make the ultimate "Star Wars" shrine.