An artist’s illustration of the planet K2-18b, one of the prime suspects to host life beyond this solar system. When astronomers announced last month they might have discovered the most…
Category: Space
After two setbacks, SpaceX could try to launch massive Starship next week
SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft. SpaceX said Friday it will make another launch attempt next week of the massive Starship rocket—key to CEO Elon Musk’s long-term vision of colonizing Mars—after two consecutive…
Numerical simulations reveal the origin of barred olivine crystals in early solar system
This figure illustrates the formation and numerical replication of barred olivine, a unique crystalline texture found in chondrules within meteorites. (a) A polarized light micrograph shows a natural chondrule containing…
When lightning bolts collide, do they unleash powerful gamma-ray flashes?
The most powerful explosions in the known universe come from what are known as gamma-ray bursts — though they may not sound particularly exciting, scientists usually speak about these incredible…
The formation of a new exoplanet can cause chemical discrepancies in paired stars
Image of a protoplanetary disk from ALMA. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) Co-paired stars, or stars that travel together, can provide insights into processes that other stars can’t. Differences in their brightness,…
The moon and Venus kick off Memorial Day weekend with a lovely conjunction early on May 23
Should your local weather forecast suggest that Friday morning — the start of the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend — will be fair and clear, it will be well worth setting…
Building a giant catcher’s mitt on the moon
Artist’s impression of MACEDONAS set up on the moon. Credit: Lunar Cargo / C. Kosmas Members of the space exploration community are always coming up with novel ideas to solve…
Watch tile-shedding private Chinese rocket launch 6 satellites to orbit (video)
The Chinese company LandSpace launched its methane-powered Zhugque-2E rocket on Saturday (May 17), carrying a batch of six satellites to orbit. Zhugque-2E lifted off Saturday at 12:12 a.m. EDT (0412…
Sunset at Mars’s Gusev Crater in 2005
Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Texas A&M / Cornell On May 19th, 2005, NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this stunning view as the sun sank below the rim of…
