Dark matter remains mysterious and… well… dark. While we don’t yet have a definite idea of what this cosmic “stuff” is made of, astronomers are learning more about its distribution throughout the Universe. Since we can’t see it directly, observers need to use indirect methods to detect it. One way is through gravitational lensing. Another is by looking for emissions from hydrogen gas associated with small-scale dark matter structures in the Universe.
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FAA closes SpaceX-led Starship mishap investigation
The FAA has closed the SpaceX-led mishap investigation following the first Starship Integrated Test Flight (IFT). SpaceX founder Elon Musk also published the checklist of 63 items to be completed before the company can apply for a launch license modification for IFT-2.
Lucy Has its First Asteroid Target in the Crosshairs
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft launched almost one year ago, in October of 2021. Its journey is an ambitious one, and long. It’ll visit eight different asteroids in its planned 12-year mission. Two of them are main belt asteroids, and the other six are Jupiter Trojans, which share the gas giant’s orbit around the Sun.
Loral O’Hara Interview
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UAE's 1st long-duration astronaut says a moon mission is within reach
United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi just finished the 1st long-duration mission for his region on the International Space Station. But as he told Space.com, the UAE's space journey is just beginning.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio surprised by his accidental record in space (video)
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio's International Space Station mission was supposed to finish in March, but a leaky spacecraft kept him aloft for a full year.. He spoke about his experience in a new video.
Neil deGrasse Tyson takes a 'candid look' at the history of spaceflight in new StarTalk book (exclusive)
An exclusive interview with astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson for his new book, "To Infinity and Beyond," released on Sept. 12, 2023.
Not a fake, JFK 'choose the moon' lectern restored to public display
As it turns out, the lectern from which President John F. Kennedy proclaimed 'We choose to go to the moon' has been rightly on display for 30 years, contrary to a report that it was a fake.
Satellites watch rare, destructive Mediterranean hurricane Daniel swirl above the Sahara (photos)
Satellites watched as a rare Mediterranean hurricane, or "medicane," named Daniel swirled above the Sahara Desert, bringing catastrophic flooding to Libya.
How does Earth's relationship with the sun affect our planet's climate?
According to the Milankovitch cycles, Earth should actually be experiencing a cooling period right now — but the consequences of humanity's carbon emissions have completely swamped that eons-old relationship between the sun and Earth.
The Hubble Imaged Some Globular Clusters in an Unusual Place: Near the Milky Way’s Centre
Our galaxy has about 200 Globular Clusters (GCs,) and most of them are in the galaxy’s halo. Astronomers think most GCs were taken from dwarf galaxies and merged with the Milky Way due to the galaxy’s powerful gravity. That explains why so many of them are on the outskirts of the galaxy. But they’re not all in the halo. Some are towards the Milky Way’s galactic bulge. What are globular clusters doing there?
'The Six' author Loren Grush: 1st female astronauts set example for picking woman to land on moon
Forty-five years after selecting its first six women, NASA has 16 female astronauts who could be the first woman on the moon. For Loren Grush, the best thing is they don't have 'the right stuff.'
Do The Gaps in Protoplanetary Disks Really Indicate Newly Forming Planets?
Roughly 5 billion years ago Earth was in the process of forming. Gas and dust gathered with the young Sun’s protoplanetary disk, likely nudged a bit by the resonant gravitational pull of Jupiter and other large worlds. One can imagine that as Earth formed it swept its orbit clear of debris, leaving a gap in the disk visible from light years away. While we know this tale is reasonably accurate, the idea that planets such as Earth always clear gaps in a protoplanetary disk likely isn’t.
NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara ready for Soyuz launch to relieve delayed crew in space
NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara will launch toward the ISS in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft no earlier than Sept. 15. Her crew will relieve another Soyuz crewwho have been waiting six extra months to go home.
'Space: 1999' documentary focusing on the iconic Eagle spacecraft launches campaign on Kickstarter (exclusive)
Support for a crowdfunded 'Space: 1999' documentary has already been off the charts, including series star Barbara Bain, original Eagle designer, Brian Johnson and astronaut Charlie Duke.
New survey outlines what NASA must do over the next 10 years to help astronauts thrive beyond Earth
NASA wants astronauts to thrive on the moon, Mars and in deep space. A new survey outlines key challenges to solve over the next decade.
See Comet Nishimura at its closest point to Earth this week. It won't visit again for 435 years.
The newfound Comet P1 (Nishimura) passes its closest point to Earth on Tuesday (Sept. 12). Here's how to see it this week before it's gone for 400 years.
Astronomers may have discovered the closest black holes to Earth
These black holes could have also been ejected from the star cluster they live within.
OSIRIS-REx asteroid probe heads toward Earth for Sept. 24 sample delivery
NASA's OSIRIS-REx probe put itself on course toward Earth with a thruster firing on Sept. 10, two weeks before its highly anticipated asteroid-sample delivery.
Virgin Galactic just launched 2 million-year-old fossils of human ancestors to space on tourist flight
In a tribute to humankind's quest to explore the cosmos, two fossilized bones of ancient humans flew into space for the first time aboard Virgin Galactic's third commercial spaceflight on Sept. 8.
Marcus Wandt will fly to International Space Station on third Axiom Space mission
ESA project astronaut Marcus Wandt from Sweden will travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) no earlier than January 2024.
