Launched in December 2013, ESA’s Gaia spacecraft is on a mission to map the locations and motions of more than a billion stars in the Milky Way with extreme precision.
Space News & Blog Articles
More Than Half of Near Earth Objects Could Be “Dark Comets”
Next time you’re visiting the seaside or a large lake, or even sipping a frosty glass of water, think about where it all originated. There are many pathways that water could have taken to the infant Earth: via comets, “wet asteroids”, and outgassing from early volcanism. Aster Taylor, a University of Michigan graduate student has another idea: dark comets. They’re something of a cross between asteroids and comets and could have played a role in water delivery to our planet.
New Images From Webb Reveal Jupiter's Complex Atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has accomplished some spectacular feats since it began operations in 2021. Thanks to its sensitivity in the near- and mid-infrared wavelengths, it can take detailed images of cooler objects and reveal things that would otherwise go unnoticed. This includes the iconic image Webb took of Jupiter in August 2022, which showed the planet’s atmospheric features (including its polar aurorae and Great Red Spot) in a new light. Using Webb, a team of European astronomers recently observed the region above the Great Red Spot and discovered previously unseen features.
Pulsars are the Ideal Probes for Dark Matter
Pulsars are the remnants of the explosion of massive stars at the end of their lives. The event is known as a supernova and as they rapidly spin they sweep a high energy beam across the cosmos much like a lighthouse. The alignment of some pulsar beams mean they sweep across Earth predictably and with precise regularity. They can be, and often are used as timing gauges but a team of astronomers have found subtle timing changes in some pulsars hinting at unseen mass between pulsars and telescopes—possibly dark matter entities.
Webb Maps the Weather on the Closest Brown Dwarfs to Earth
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has done it again. A team of astronomers have used it to map the weather on a pair of brown dwarf stars. Infrared light was analysed from the pair and its variation over time was measured. The team were able to generate a 3D picture of the weather and discovered gasses in the atmosphere like water vapour, methane and carbon dioxide. Swirling clouds of hot sand were also found with temperatures reaching as high as 950 C!
Astronauts Struggle To Eat Their Space Food and Scientists Want to Know Why
Astronauts sometimes struggle to consume enough nutritious food on the ISS because it tastes bland. But astronaut food is of high quality and designed to be palatable and to meet nutrition needs. What’s the problem?
Discover the heavens for less: Save $450 on this five-star telescope at Adorama
Explore Deep Space for 15% less with the Celestron Advanced VX 8 Edge HD telescope.
Time might be a mirage created by quantum physics, study suggests
Physicists have struggled to understand the nature of time since the field began. But a new theoretical study suggests time could be an illusion woven at the quantum level.
Prime Day Lego Star Wars deal: 30% off Luke's X-Wing fighter
Join the Rebel Alliance and save 30% on this Lego Star Wars Prime Day deal: the 474-piece Luke Skywalker's X-wing fighter.
The Pococo Galaxy Star Projector has had a 44% Prime Day price drop
The rechargeable Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is one of our favorites, and today, it is available for its lowest-ever price of $79.99.
NASA rolls giant Artemis 2 moon rocket core off the factory floor for astronaut mission (video)
The SLS booster for NASA's next mission to the moon has left the Michoud Assembly Facility to ship to the Kennedy Space Center ahead of Artemis 2.
With its latest moon mission success, China's space program has the US in its sights
The moon's south pole is designated as the location for the future China-led International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). It is a bold move, as the US also has ambitions to establish bases at the Moon’s south pole – the Shackleton crater is prime real estate.
Road trip! Tour the universe with these gorgeous images from NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope
Newly released images from NASA's Chandra X-ray telescope capture a cloud complex called Rho Ophiuchi, the Orion Nebula, a spiral galaxy named NGC 3627 and a galaxy cluster known as MACS J0416.
Volunteers Complete a Simulated Year on Mars
The crew of NASA’s first Mars habitat simulation, CHAPEA 1, exited their Earth-based environment after 378 days on July 6 at 5 p.m. EDT. Greeted by friends, family, mission team members and project directors, the crew of four expressed gratitude and optimism about their time in isolation and the data collected, which will contribute to the future goal of putting boots on Mars.
SpaceX requests public safety determination for early return to flight for its Falcon 9 rocket
An unusual build up of ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 that launched the Starlink 9-3 mission. Image: SpaceX.
SpaceX is seeking to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket soon. In a statement to Spaceflight Now, the Federal Aviation Administration said the company was seeking a public safety determination.
This nerve-rattling 'Alien: Romulus' trailer reminds us that 'fear is bigger in IMAX' (video)
Don't miss the new "Alien: Romulus" IMAX teaser and behind-the-scenes featurette that give a terrifying glimpse at the upcoming installment of the legendary sci-fi horror franchise.
Sun blasts out 2nd X-class flare this week, triggers more radio blackouts (video)
Sunspot region AR 3738 fired off an X1.9 flare as it exited the sun's western limb on July 16, 2024 and caused radio blackouts over much of Africa, Europe, and parts of North and South America.
A new, deadly era of space junk is dawning, and no one is ready
A Saskatchewan farmer's near miss with potentially lethal debris falling from orbit highlights the skyrocketing risks and murky politics of space junk.
Save $99 on this Holy Stone HS720 drone with every accessory you could need
This very capable drone is reduced by almost $100 for Prime Day if you add a coupon.
Step into VR with this amazing Meta Quest 3 headset, $70 off for Prime Day
Whether you're a newcomer or trading up from a previous headset, this Meta Quest 3 headset the perfect way to experience VR and you won't even need a PC.
Hurry! Celestron NexStar 6SE is $979.99 for Prime Day
Though the sale price dipped to $879 earlier today, that deal was quickly pulled. Snap it up for $979.99 before the next price increase.