ESA’s gamma-ray space telescope Integral has played a decisive role in capturing jets of matter being expelled into space at one-third the speed of light. The material and energy were liberated when huge explosions occurred on the surface of a neutron star. This world-first observation proved to be 'a perfect experiment' for exploring astrophysical jets of all descriptions.
Space News & Blog Articles
'Constellation' season 1 episode 8 review: This isn't the conclusion you're looking for
The final season 1 episode of "Constellation" lacks satisfying answers and instead doubles down on shock value without clear goals.
Cosmic gold rush! Astronomers find 49 new galaxies in just 3 hours
Using the MeerKat radio telescope, astronomers discovered a "gold rush" of galaxies in just three hours, including three joined by their gas content.
What Will We See in the Sky During Totality?
Most of our time will be focused on Sun during the minutes of totality on April 8th, but consider tearing yourself away for a few seconds to put it all in context.
I toured NASA's Mission Control ahead of Boeing's 1st Starliner astronaut flight. Here's what it was like (exclusive)
Reporters toured NASA's Johnson Space Center last week, getting a look at the rooms from which the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner will be controlled. And we got to watch a SpaceX launch, too.
SOHO reaches 5000 comets
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A citizen scientist digging through data from the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory has found the mission’s 5000th comet.
Strong Magnetic Fields Swirl Near Milky Way’s Black Hole
Astronomers have detected twisted, orderly magnetic fields near the event horizon of Sagittarius A*.
New view of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way hints at an exciting hidden feature (image)
Astronomers have for the first time imaged the powerful magnetic fields that dwell around the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*.
Radar journey to centre of Hera’s asteroid with Juventas CubeSat
A small, shoebox-sized spacecraft delivered to ESA’s Hera mission this week promises to make a giant leap forward in planetary science. Once deployed from the Hera spacecraft at the Didymos binary asteroid system, the Juventas CubeSat perform the first radar probe within an asteroid, peering deep into the heart of the Great-Pyramid-sized Dimorphos moonlet.
Will the total solar eclipse on April 8 be the most watched ever?
With over 43 million people living in the path of totality, we look at how this eclipse measures up compared to previous years and the upcoming 'eclipse of the century'.
Mars Express celebrates 25 000 orbits
ESA’s Mars Express recently looped around Mars for the 25 000th time – and the orbiter has captured yet another spectacular view of the Red Planet to mark the occasion.
Vegetation gets a boost with data from space
When it comes to predicting what our climate will be like in the future, vegetation matters. Plants and trees exert a powerful influence over both the energy cycle and the water cycle. And, crucially, it is estimated that vegetation draws down well over three billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year – this is equivalent to a third of greenhouse-gas emissions from human activity.
Watch a Real-Time Map of Starlinks Orbiting Earth
In an effort to enhance the educational outreach of their Starlink constellation, SpaceX has an interactive global map of their Starlink internet satellites, which provides live coverage of every satellite in orbit around the Earth. This interactive map comes as SpaceX continues to launch Starlink satellites into orbit on a near-weekly basis with the goal of providing customers around the world with high-speed internet while specifically targeting rural regions of the globe. In 2022, Starlink officially reached all seven continents after Starlink service became available in Antarctica. Additionally, SpaceX announced in 2023 a partnership with T-Mobiel for Starlink to provide mobile coverage, as well.
In a Distant Solar System, the JWST Sees the End of Planet Formation
Every time a star forms, it represents an explosion of possibilities. Not for the star itself; its fate is governed by its mass. The possibilities it signifies are in the planets that form around it. Will some be rocky? Will they be in the habitable zone? Will there be life on any of the planets one day?
How are extreme "blue supergiant" stars born? Astronomers may finally know
Scientists have discovered that the hottest and brightest stars in the cosmos, blue supergiants, are created when two smaller stars spiral together and merge, new research suggests.
Euclid 'dark universe' telescope's vision restored by deicing campaign
The Euclid "dark universe" probe's vision has been restored, after an experimental campaign succeeded in evaporating water ice from the telescope's mirrors.
April 8 total solar eclipse could bring uptick in fatal car crashes, scientists caution
An analysis of car crashes during the 2017 solar eclipse in the U.S. suggests the upcoming April eclipse could also come with an uptick in fatal accidents.
Europe Has Big Plans for Saturn’s Moon Enceladus
Saturn’s moon, Enceladus, is a gleaming beacon that captivates our intellectual curiosity. Its clean, icy surface makes it one of the most reflective objects in the entire Solar System. But it’s what’s below that ice that really gets scientists excited.
Watch 'Doctor Who' visit the Victorian Era and the age of dinosaurs in new Season 14 trailer (video)
Watch the new trailer for "Doctor Who" Season 14 starring Ncuti Gatwa, premiering on Disney+ on on May 10 in the U.S. on May 11 in the U.K.
'Apollo: When We Went the Moon' exhibit lands at NYC's Intrepid Museum
Given it was navy ships that recovered the Apollo spacecraft, it is appropriate that the largest temporary exhibit ever hosted by the Intrepid is themed to the first lunar landings.
Mars’ Gale Crater was Filled with Water for Much Longer Than Anyone Thought
Even with all we’ve learned about Mars in recent years, it doesn’t stack up against all we still don’t know and all we hope to find out. We know that Mars was once warm and wet, a conclusion that was less certain a couple of decades ago. Now, scientists are working on uncovering the details of Mars’s ancient water.