Although most potentially habitable worlds orbit red dwarf stars, we know larger and brighter stars can harbor life. One yellow dwarf star, for example is known to have a planet teaming with life, perhaps even intelligent life. But how large and bright can a star be and still have an inhabited world? That is the question addressed in a recent article in the Astrophysical Journal.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Exoplanets may be hiding behind the 'Neptunian ridge'
Astronomers have discovered a hidden feature in exoplanet distribution that could explain the absence of so-called "hot-Neptunes" close to their stars.
Who is Knull? An introduction to 'Venom: The Last Dance's big Marvel villain
The third Venom movie is almost here, and its latest trailer has unveiled the villain in the shadows: Knull, the King in Black.
Black hole 'bullets' fired at Mars could reveal more about dark matter
Tiny black hole "bullets" left over from the Big Bang could be passing through Mars at speeds in excess of 7,000 times the speed of sound, causing the Red Planet to "wobble."
Highlights of ESA’s Industry Space Days 2024
On 18–19 September, Europe’s space industry from start-up companies to large system integrators gathered at ESA–ESTEC in the Netherlands for Industry Space Days 2024.
SpaceX launches 20 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base
File: A Falcon 9 rocket stands ready to launch a Starlink mission. Image: SpaceX
SpaceX sent 20 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit on a Friday morning Falcon 9 rocket departing from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
This Week's Sky at a Glance, September 20 – 29
In this dark-of-the-Moon week, the Cygnus Milky Way crosses the zenith, and Arcturus, Capella, and Fomalhaut come to a certain balance.
Earth from Space: Burning Man festival
Image: The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission has snapped a souvenir of the Burning Man festival in the Black Rock desert in Nevada.
XRISM unveils black hole and supernova remnant surroundings
SpaceX blasts proposed FAA fines in complaint letter to Congress
SpaceX has sent a letter to high-ranking Senate and House committee members contesting the $630,000 fine proposed by the FAA for alleged launch violations.
Slime Mold Can Teach Us About the Cosmic Web
Computers truly are wonderful things and powerful but only if they are programmed by a skilful mind. Check this out… there is an algorithm that mimics the growth of slim mold but a team of researchers have adapted it to model the large scale structure of the Universe. Since the Big Bang, the universe has been expanding while gravity concentrates matter into galaxies and clusters of galaxies. Between them are vast swathes of empty space called voids. The structure, often referred to as the cosmic web.
Plants Would Still Grow Well Under Alien Skies
Photosynthesis changed Earth in powerful ways. When photosynthetic organisms appeared, it led to the Great Oxygenation Event. That allowed multicellular life to evolve and resulted in the ozone layer. Life could venture onto land, protected from the Sun’s intense ultraviolet radiation.
Europe's Mars 'fetch rover' nails sample pick-up test in the field (video)
Europe's Mars Sample Fetch Rover showcased its sample-picking skills in field tests for the first time this month.
The Polaris Dawn Crew is Back on Earth
On September 15th, 2024, the Polaris Dawn crew returned to Earth after spending five days in orbit. The mission was the first of three planned for the Polaris program, a private space project to advance human spaceflight capabilities and raise funds and awareness for charitable causes. The mission’s Dragon spacecraft safely splashed down off the coast of Florida at 3:36:54 a.m. EDT (12:36:54 p.m. PDT). Once their spacecraft was retrieved, the crew was flown to the Kennedy Space Center to see their families and undergo medical examinations before traveling to Houston to complete more of the mission’s studies.
NASA's Europa Clipper on track for Oct. 10 launch to Jupiter's icy moon despite radiation worries
The Europa Clipper will determine whether Jupiter’s icy moon has the right conditions for life as we know it.
Building a Worldwide Map of Light Pollution
As someone that has always lived in the UK countryside I am no stranger to the glory of a dark star-filled sky. Sadly 60% of the world’s population has already lost access to the night sky thanks to light pollution. Across Europe and the US that number climbs to nearer 80%. A team of researchers want to try and track the growth of light pollution and to that end have developed an inexpensive sensor made from “off-the-shelf” parts. Their hope is that people around the world will build and install these sensors to share their data enabling them to track the spread of light pollution. If you’ve got technical skills, this could be a fun project.
SpaceX fires up 6th Starship to prep for test flight (video, photo)
SpaceX fired up the engines of its sixth Starship vehicle on Wednesday (Sept. 18) to gear up for a test flight that's probably still several months away.
'Apollo 13: Survival:' Director Peter Middleton on his immersive new Netflix documentary (exclusive)
An exclusive interview with "Apollo 13: Survival" director Peter Middleton about his documentary full of archival footage and interviews.
Life Might Thrive on the Surface of Earth for an Extra Billion Years
The Sun is midway through its life of fusion. It’s about five billion years old, and though its life is far from over, it will undergo some pronounced changes as it ages. Over the next billion years, the Sun will continue to brighten.
The Decade-long Hunt for Arrokoth, a Strange New World in the Outer Solar System
Almost 10 years ago, New Horizons finally zipped by Pluto, returning fantastic images. But then it needed a new destination.
Jupiter-bound JUICE probe snaps photo of Earth, the moon and Uranus
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) mission photographed the Earth, moon and Uranus as it heads toward Venus for a gravity assist next year.
