Astronomy

James Webb telescope takes first-ever picture of a star (and it kind of failed)

The US space agency showed the first-ever images from the James Webb telescope tonight, including a selfie and a failed photo of a...

Charlie Elliott - February 12, 2022

Astronomy

Probe designed to tap the sun, surprisingly also glimpses Venus’ mysterious surface

The images, combined into a video, reveal continental areas, plains and plateaus on our sister planet. Smothered in thick clouds, the surface of Venus...

Charlie Elliott - February 12, 2022

Astronomy

Another planet discovered around Proxima Centauri

The star closest to our sun turns out to be home to not two, but three planets! The nearest star Proxima Centauri turns out...

Charlie Elliott - February 11, 2022

Astronomy

Astronomers watch dead star devour the debris of its planets

It was suspected that the remains of planets would be swallowed by white dwarfs. But now we know for sure. The fate of...

Charlie Elliott - February 10, 2022

Astronomy

Geomagnetic storm kicks up to 40 brand new satellites out of space

The newly launched Starlink satellites can almost certainly be considered lost. SpaceX is now experiencing the fact that our sun can be quite turbulent...

Charlie Elliott - February 10, 2022

Astronomy

Lockheed Martin to build rocket to bring pieces of Mars to Earth

The rocket should go down in the books as the first rocket launched from an alien surface. Mars rover Perseverance has been busy for...

Charlie Elliott - February 9, 2022

Astronomy

Youngest pair of asteroids observed to date – but how did it form?

Astronomers have observed two asteroids separated from each other only about three centuries ago. The blink of an eye, by astronomical standards. Our...

Charlie Elliott - February 8, 2022

Astronomy

What astronauts can learn from the squirrel’s winter nap

The unique way in which some squirrels burn almost no energy during hibernation without losing muscle mass, could have major consequences for space...

Charlie Elliott - February 7, 2022

Astronomy

Earthrise: why an ‘earthrise’ is impossible on the moon

In 1968, astronaut William Anders captured a beautiful photo of an Earth rise behind the moon's surface. But did you know that...

Charlie Elliott - February 6, 2022

Astronomy

Mysterious radio pulses

Illustration of a magnetar - the object that may be the There are many phenomena in the cosmos that produce short-lived or periodic signals...

Ashton Edwards - February 6, 2022

Astronomy

New observations could help explain mysterious ‘hole’ in our exoplanet catalog

Why is there nothing in between mini-Neptunes and super-Earths? At the end of January it was thirty years ago that the first exoplanets (planets...

Charlie Elliott - February 5, 2022

Astronomy

Earth appears to have a second, hefty Trojan

And the space rock will accompany our planet for at least another 4,000 years. In 2020, scientists will spot a new asteroid: 2020 XL5....

Charlie Elliott - February 3, 2022

Astronomy

Dying stars may still give birth to planets

If confirmed, it will change the prevailing theories about planet formation forever. Planets are usually not much older than the stars they orbit. ...

Charlie Elliott - February 2, 2022

Astronomy

Targeting distant layers of the atmosphere

Artist's impression of the exoplanet WASP-189b. (Image: Bibiana Prinoth) Complex and exotic: astronomers have gained a glimpse of the gas envelope of the exoplanet...

Ashton Edwards - February 2, 2022

Astronomy