This illustration of material swirling around a black hole highlights a particular feature, called the “corona,” that shines brightly in X-ray light. In this depiction, the corona can be seen…
Category: Planetary Science
Space Force’s X-37B will perform ‘never before-seen maneuvers’ in orbit
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle taxiing on the flightline on March 30th, 2010, at the Astrotech facility in Titusville, Florida. Credit: USAF The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) has been…
Sun reaches maximum phase in 11-year solar cycle
Images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory highlight the appearance of the sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) versus solar maximum (right, May 2024). These images are in the 171…
Asteroid-sample return mission enables researchers to conduct largest geophysical observation campaign of its kind
An animated OSIRIS-REx leaves the Bennu asteroid. Credit: NASA The OSIRIS-REx project made history last year as the first U.S. mission to bring back an asteroid sample from space—and with…
Is life possible on a Jupiter moon? NASA goes to investigate
Does Europa contain the ingredients that would allow life to be present? Is there anywhere else in our solar system that could support life? An imposing NASA probe is due…
In a first, Starship megarocket booster caught by SpaceX’s ‘chopsticks’
This still image taken from a SpaceX broadcast shows the Starship’s Super Heavy Booster being ‘caught’ mid-air as it returns to the launch pad near Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX successfully…
Lightning storms play cosmic pinball with space weather
Visualization showing how magnetic field lines, thin cyan lines, circling Earth can trap charged particles, thin yellow lines. Credit: UCLA EPSS/NASA SVS When lightning strikes, the electrons come pouring down. In…
Astronomers find Webb data conflict with reionization models
Simulation of galaxies ionizing hydrogen gas (bright areas) during the epoch of Reionization. Credit: M. Alvarez, R. Kaehler, and T. Abel / European Southern Observatory (ESO). Reionization is a critical…
Scientists long urged NASA to search for signs of life near Jupiter; now it’s happening
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain In 2015, Bill Nye was on Marine One with President Obama. The television personality and science advocate was officially there for an Earth Day event, but…
Hera probe heads off to see aftermath of DART’s asteroid impact
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sends the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft into space from its Florida launch pad. Credit: SpaceX The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft is on its…
