Nacreous clouds also known as polar stratospheric clouds have been appearing across northern skies. We've rounded up some of the best photos of these rare 'rainbow clouds'.
Space News & Blog Articles
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Steve Wozniak's start-up Privateer develops ride-sharing spacecraft to reduce orbital clutter
Steve Wozniak's space sustainability start-up Privateer launched a prototype of its Pono space module to encourage users to share 'stuff' in space.
Can stars form around black holes?
Black holes create some of the most extreme environments in the cosmos — can stars form in such conditions?
Watch the 'Christmas Tree Cluster' twinkle in X-rays (video)
The twinkling lights of the Christmas Tree Cluster tell us about the science going on there.
Innovative X-ray lobster-eye mission set to launch
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) spacecraft Einstein Probe is ready to launch in January 2024. Equipped with a new generation of X-ray instruments with high sensitivity and a very wide view, this mission will survey the sky and hunt for powerful blasts of X-ray light coming from mysterious celestial objects such as neutron stars and black holes.
It Doesn't Take Much to Get a Runaway Greenhouse Effect
During the 1960s, the first robotic explorers began making flybys of Venus, including the Soviet Venera 1 and the Mariner 2 probes. These missions dispelled the popular myth that Venus was shrouded by dense rain clouds and had a tropical environment. Instead, these and subsequent missions revealed an extremely dense atmosphere predominantly composed of carbon dioxide. The few Venera landers that made it to the surface also confirmed that Venus is the hottest planet in the Solar System, with average temperatures of 464 °C (867 °F).
Virgin Galactic to launch 6th commercial spaceflight on Jan. 26
Virgin Galactic plans to launch its sixth operational spaceflight on Jan. 26, 2024 with four passengers, who are yet to be named.
SpaceX fires up giant Starship rocket ahead of 3rd test flight (video)
SpaceX conducted a static fire test today (Dec. 20) with Ship 28, a prototype that's being readied to make the third test flight of the Starship program.
Enjoy the Holiday-Themed Christmas Tree Cluster
Just in time for the holidays, a new composite image of the Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264) has been released. This image is a group effort: the blue and white stars in the cluster giving off X-rays are seen by Chandra, while the faint green nebula was imaged by the WIYN 0.9-meter telescope on Kitt Peak.
Finding life on Saturn's moon Enceladus might be easier than we thought
Scientists know that the vital ingredients needed for life lurk in oceans beneath the icy shell of Saturn’s moon Enceladus, and they may be closer to the surface than we knew.
Artemis program will land international astronaut on the moon by end of 2020s, VP Harris says
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pledged today (Dec. 20) that NASA's Artemis program will send a non-American to the lunar surface before this decade is done.
Everything we know about the Alien TV series: Release date, plot, cast & more
The first-ever TV show in the Alien universe is in development for FX on Hulu. Here's everything we know about the upcoming Alien TV series.
In the quest to find alien life, scientists are searching for extrasolar Earth-Jupiter duos
Jupiter played a key role in life developing on Earth, so to boost the search for life outside the solar system, scientists have built a catalog of small, Earth-like planets with Jupiter-like siblings.
National Space Council meeting to discuss legislative proposal for new space activities framework
Vice President Kamala Harris delivers opening remarks at the first meeting of the National Space Council, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021, at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington. Chaired by Vice President Harris, the council’s role is to advise the President regarding national space policy and strategy, and ensuring the United States capitalizes on the opportunities presented by the country’s space activities. Image: NASA/Joel Kowsky
The furtherance of international space cooperation is expected to be at the heart of the third meeting of the National Space Council under the Biden-Harris Administration. Building on multilateral agreements, like the Artemis Accords, Harris will focus on what’s deemed the U.S. Novel Space Activities Authorization and Supervision Framework.
Mars Express orbiter suggests evidence of ancient microbial life, water and volcanism on Red Planet
The European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter has imaged the vast lava plains of Elysium Planitia, showing evidence of recent volcanism and proving the Red Planet has a turbulent past.
Astronomers Find the Birthplaces of Stars in the Whirlpool Galaxy
Understanding how star-forming works at a galactic scale is challenging in our Milky Way. While we have a general understanding of the layout of our galaxy, we can’t see all of the details head-on like we would want to if we were exploring a single galaxy for details of star formation. Luckily, we have a pretty good view of the entirety of one of the most famous galaxies in all of astronomy – M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy. Now, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy has completed a survey of molecules throughout the galaxy and developed a map of potential star-forming regions.
Artemis 2 moon astronauts discuss 21st-century 'moonshots' with President Biden
New details about the Artemis 2 astronauts' White House meetings last week were released Dec. 19, on the eve of the new National Space Council meeting chaired by Vice-President Kamala Harris.
The Strangest Coincidence in Physics: The AdS/CFT Correspondence
Attempts to turn string theory into a workable theory of nature have led to the potential conclusion that our universe is a hologram: that what we perceive as three spatial dimensions is actually composed of only two. The greatest realization of this hologram-led program is a proposal that goes by the awkward and clunky name of the AdS/CFT correspondence, first proposed by string theorist Juan Maldacena in the late 1990’s.
'Kerbal Space Program 2' update delivers new Exploration Mode, 'For Science!'
New trailer and details launch for 'Kerbal Space Program 2's' latest Early Access update, "For Science!"
Telescopes Christmas gift guide 2023: Best for all budgets
Searching for the best telescope to gift to the astronomer in your life this holiday season? Whether they’re a beginner or a seasoned astronomer, we have options for all budgets.
