We have discovered thousands of exoplanets in recent years. Most have them have been discovered by the transit method, where an optical telescope measures the brightness of a star over time. If the star dips very slightly in brightness, it could indicate that a planet has passed in front of it, blocking some of the light. The transit method is a powerful tool, but it has limitations. Not the least of which is that the planet must pass between us and its star for us to detect it. The transit method also relies on optical telescopes. But a new method could allow astronomers to detect exoplanets using radio telescopes.
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Brand New Stars in the Orion Nebula, Seen by Hubble
The Orion Nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust that spans more than 20,000 times the size of our own solar system. It one of the closest active star-forming regions to Earth, and is therefore one of the most observed and photographed objects in the night sky. The venerable Hubble Space Telescope has focused on the Orion Nebula many times, peering into giant cavities in the hazy gas, and at one point, Hubble took 520 images to create a giant mosaic of this spellbinding nebula.
This tiny moon rover has a leg up on traditional spacecraft designs
Students at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands are developing the world's smallest and lightest moon rover, called Lunar Zebro.
Black hole 'superradiance' phenomenon may aid quest for dark matter
Scientists think that when dark photons collect around black holes, they can get trapped and boosted to high energies, where they might transform into other particles (or even just normal photons).
Giant meteorite strikes in Earth's distant history may have helped form continents
Earth is the only planet we know possesses continents, a scientific mystery, but new research indicates the continents may have been created by meteorite impacts in Earth's distant history.
NASA film traces Artemis 1 rocket's 'Path to the Pad' as mission stack rolls out today
A new NASA video "Path to the Pad: The Rocket" details the awesome might of the SLS megarocket.
Satellites are Tracking Rivers of Garbage Flowing Across the Oceans
There’s an ocean of human-made garbage floating through Earth’s seas. From plastic straws to beverage bottles and food wrappers, the ocean waters are this planet’s fastest-growing junkyard. Some of the plastic gets ground into little beads, and ends up in the food chain, with humans at the top. For that reason, and many others, the European Space Agency is tracking ocean-bound plastics through the auspices of the MARLISAT project. It’s one of 25 efforts created to identify and trace marine litter as it moves through the world’s waterways. The ultimate goal is to help countries reduce ocean litter, particularly plastics.
Lunar Rocks Have Earth's Noble Gases Trapped Inside. More Evidence That the Moon Came From the Earth
Piecing together the history of the Solar System from the traces left behind isn’t easy. Bit by bit, however, we’re working it out. This month, new research examining the composition of lunar meteorites offers compelling evidence that the Moon and the Earth were formed from the same material, perhaps in the aftermath of a cataclysmic collision some 4.5 billion years ago.
Underwater snow on Earth could offer insight into Europa's icy crust
Studying unusual processes of how ice accumulates below ice shelves here on Earth could hold lessons for the exploration and habitability of Jupiter's moon Europa.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon mission will carry 2 water-seeking cubesats
The Lunar IceCube and Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) missions will search the moon for water using two different techniques.
Unusual 'revived' pulsars could be the ultimate gravitational wave detector
Astronomers hope to use pulsars scattered around the galaxy as a giant gravitational wave detector. But why do we need them, and how do they work?
Watch a NASA moon rover complete a lunar obstacle course (video)
A prototype of the lunar rover demonstrated its capabilities in navigating the moon's challenging terrain.
'Nope' sound designer Johnnie Burn reveals secrets of the sci-fi film's alarming soundscape (exclusive)
An interview with British sound designer Johnnie Burn on his masterful work for the sci-fi film "Nope."
NASA to move moon rocket to Florida launch pad after destruct system testing
NASA’s Space Launch System moon rocket moves back into the Vehicle Assembly Building on July 2 after completing a countdown demonstration test. Credit: Stephen Clark / Spaceflight Now
NASA plans to begin moving the first Space Launch System moon rocket to its launch pad in Florida Tuesday night after completing tests of the rocket’s flight termination system and winning an extension from range safety officials to certify the destruct mechanism’s batteries throughout the mission’s upcoming launch period.
How Astronomers Are Rendering the Universe in Sound
Presenting data as sound can open new opportunities for accessibility, engagement, and discovery, but the technique still faces challenges.
NASA's Artemis 1 moon megarocket faces final test before rolling out for launch
Engineers are testing a system designed to destroy NASA's massive Space Launch System moon rocket in case of a launch emergency.
NASA's massive moon rocket will roll out earlier than planned
NASA will roll out its massive rocket for a flight around the moon earlier than planned.
Extreme physics of 'supercritical' matter may be surprisingly simple
At 'supercriticality,' the difference between the liquid and gas phases of a material seems to disappear. New research finds that this weird tipping point may be simpler than scientists thought.
Giant voids of nothingness may be flinging the universe apart
Dark energy could be caused by pressure from giant voids of nothingness that may be flinging the universe apart.
Should you buy a DSLR camera?
With mirrorless cameras rapidly gaining popularity, is it still worth investing in a DSLR camera?
The 6th mass extinction hasn't begun yet, study claims, but Earth is barreling toward it
Earth has experienced five mass extinction events over its 4.5 billion-year history. A sixth mass extinction is underway as a result of human-driven climate change.
