Apr 09 WATCH: What does a black hole look like? Scientists reveal the first picture By Nsikan Akpan The Event Horizon Telescope is expected to release the first image of a black hole on Wednesday. In preparation for what might be a momentous day, here’s what you need to know. Continue reading
Apr 06 A heavy-metal planet orbiting a dead star may foretell our world’s end By Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American The iron core of what was once a world has been found around a white dwarf star, shedding light on the final days of planetary systems — including our own. Continue reading
Dec 13 You may not even need a telescope this weekend to see this comet By Shannon Schmoll, The Conversation Comet 46P/Wirtanen is expected to make an appearance Dec. 14 to 19 that may well be visible even to the naked eye. Photo by Suchart Kuathan/via Getty Images… Continue reading
Sep 11 Meet the scientist behind these stunning images of Jupiter By Vicky Stein Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, a planetary scientist, has been photographing celestial bodies for decades. But for the Juno mission, her collaborators are citizen scientists. Continue reading
Jun 27 Hayabusa2, a Japanese spacecraft, arrives at Ryugu asteroid to retrieve minerals By Jeremy Hsu, Scientific American If all goes according to plan, two spacecraft will commence close encounters with two asteroids by the end of August, in order to retrieve organic materials dating back to the solar system’s birth. Continue reading
Jun 20 The science behind the summer solstice By Stephen Schneider, The Conversation The summer solstice brings the longest day and shortest night of the year for 88 percent of Earth’s people. Continue reading
May 10 5 things you never knew about the New Horizons mission to Pluto By Rashmi Shivni NASA New Horizons mission leader Alan Stern and astrobiologist David Grinspoon divulge the most intimate accounts of the decades of planning needed for the Pluto probe in the new book “Chasing New Horizons.”… Continue reading
Apr 16 WATCH LIVE: TESS, NASA’s new exoplanet hunter, launches on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket By Jason Steffen, The Conversation NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will monitor more than 200,000 stars to discover thousands of exoplanets, ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants. Continue reading
Dec 18 ‘Oumuamua, the alien asteroid, wears an organic coat. But what’s inside? By Rashmi Shivni In the latest ‘Oumuamua update, a research team deciphers the chemical makeup of the cigar-shaped rock. Continue reading
Nov 22 This asteroid is our solar system’s first known ‘alien’ visitor By Rashmi Shivni A cigar-shaped asteroid named ‘Oumuamua is our solar system's first interstellar visitor -- that we know of. Continue reading