Surrounding the brilliant Sun is a layer of diffuse plasma known as the corona. You can’t see it most of the time, but if you happen to experience a total eclipse, the corona is the glow that surrounds the shadow of the Moon. The corona is pale white, almost pink because it has a temperature of more than a million Kelvin. This is vastly hotter than the surface of the Sun, which is about 6,500 K. So how does the corona get so hot?
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The Milky Way is warped, and it might be the work of dark matter
The Milky Way is warped and scientists may finally know why. New research lays the blame for our 'wobbly disked' galaxy on an off-kilter, invisible halo of dark matter.
Fire in the sky: Chasing the annular solar eclipse 2023 on the Extraterrestrial Highway
The deserts of Nevada provided the perfect setting for the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023 in a region known for its love of strange sights in the sky.
Dead star at heart of cosmic graveyard predicts the sun's fate
Scientists have studied a planetary nebula in Messier 37, as though it were a cosmic crime scene, to determine how the dead star at its heart lived and died.
Blast into the first 5 pages of Marvel Comics' 'Star Wars: The High Republic #1'
A sneak peek at the first five pages of Marvel Comics' 'Star Wars: The High Republic #1.'
In 250 Million Years, a Single Supercontinent will Form, Wiping Out Nearly all Mammals
A recent study published in Nature Geoscience uses supercomputer climate models to examine how a supercontinent, dubbed Pangea Ultima (also called Pangea Proxima), that will form 250 million years from now will result in extreme temperatures, making this new supercontinent uninhabitable for life, specifically mammals. This study was conducted by an international team of researchers led by the University of Bristol and holds the potential to help scientists better understand how Earth’s climate could change in the distant future from natural processes, as opposed to climate change.
Mercury is Still Shrinking
Mercury is considered a scorching, barren landscape that would literally melt your face off if you were standing on it in full sunlight. But scientists have also known for a long time that it was shrinking…because it was cold. New research based on distinct features in Mercury’s geography suggests that it might continue to do so even today.
Annular solar eclipse of 2023 wows skywatchers with spectacular 'ring of fire' (photos, video)
On Oct. 14 an annular solar eclipse occurred across the Americas. We have rounded up some of the best photos here.
NASA's Psyche Mission is off to Asteroid Psyche
On October 13th, at 10:19 AM Eastern (07:19 AM Pacific), NASA’s Psyche mission successfully launched atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This spacecraft is now on its way to rendezvous with the M-type asteroid of the same name, an object in the Main Asteroid Belt almost entirely composed of metal. This metallic asteroid is thought to be the remnant of a planetoid that lost its outer layers, leaving behind a core of iron-nickel and precious metals. By studying this object, scientists hope to learn more about the formation of rocky planets.
China Chooses the Site for their TRIDENT Neutrino Detector
China is building a new neutrino detector named TRIDENT, the Tropical Deep-sea Neutrino Telescope. They’re building it in the South China Sea, near the equator. This next-generation neutrino telescope will feature improved sensitivity and should help clear up the mystery around cosmic rays and their origins.
The annular solar eclipse of 2023 is underway! See the 1st 'ring of fire' photos and video
The first images of the moon passing between the sun and the Earth in a so-called "ring of fire" solar eclipse visible are coming in and the views are amazing.
China discovers never-before-seen ore containing a highly valuable rare earth element
A new ore, dubbed niobobaotite, was discovered in Inner Mongolia's Bayan Obo deposit and contains the rare earth element niobium — a valuable metal that acts as a superconductor and could revolutionize battery technology.
The mysteries of the dark universe could be solved by the Rubin Observatory
The Vera C. Rubin observatory will potentially solve the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter with an extremely precise map of the universe.
October's new moon brings us a 'ring of fire' solar eclipse
October's new moon rises today (Oct. 14) and causes an annular or 'ring of fire' solar eclipse, which will delight skywatchers across the Americas.
Annular solar eclipse will turn the sun into 'ring of fire' today. Here's what you need to know.
An annular solar eclipse will set the skies alight with a magnificent 'ring of fire' today. The stunning scene will be visible across the Americas.
Live Coverage: SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink Satellites
A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 Starlink satellites, delayed by upper level winds and held up for the Falcon Heavy launch of NASA’s Psyche, is scheduled to liftoff from Cape Canaveral’s pad 40 at 7:01 p.m. EDT (2301 UTC) on Friday night.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio considers himself 'incredibly lucky' after accidental 1-year ISS stay
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is safely back on Earth after an eventful year in space. He talked about the spacecraft leak that kept him stuck there and what he learned from his stay.
Rare all-woman spacewalk this month won't be the last, NASA says
Two NASA astronauts will conduct an all-woman spacewalk on Oct. 30. While only one other crew has done so before, more such spacewalks will come, NASA says.
A Huge New Gaia Data Release: More Stars, Gravitational Lenses and Asteroids
The ESA’s Gaia mission is releasing a new tranche of astronomical data. The mission has released three regular, massive hauls of data since it launched in 2013, named Gaia DR1, DR2, and DR3. The ESA is calling this one a ‘focused product release,’ and while it’s smaller than the previous three releases, it’s still impactful.
Falcon Heavy launches NASA’s Psyche asteroid probe
Falcon Heavy climbs away from Kennedy Space Center, carrying NASA’s Psyche spacecraft. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now.
Getting off to a ground-shaking start, NASA’s $1.2 billion Psyche asteroid probe roared into space atop a Falcon Heavy rocket Friday, setting off on a 2.2-billion-mile voyage to a rare, metal-rich asteroid that may hold clues about how the cores of rocky planets like Earth first formed.
4th season of 'For All Mankind' moves from Mars to the asteroids (trailer)
The fourth season of 'For All Mankind' proves that an alternate space history series needn't be all about the past. It can be as current as this week, as the trailer for the Apple TV+ drama shows.
