Christopher Crockett is an Associate News Editor. He was formerly the astronomy writer from 2014 to 2017, and he has a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Trustworthy journalism comes at a price.
Scientists and journalists share a core belief in questioning, observing and verifying to reach the truth. Science News reports on crucial research and discovery across science disciplines. We need your financial support to make it happen – every contribution makes a difference.
All Stories by Christopher Crockett
-
Astronomy
This weekend, lunar eclipse coincides with supermoon
On September 27, sky gazers will be treated to a rare type of total lunar eclipse.
-
Astronomy
Black hole collisions evade detection
The environment in the centers of some galaxies might inhibit gravitational waves radiating from supermassive black holes, a new study suggests.
-
Planetary Science
Enceladus’ ocean goes global
A subsurface liquid water ocean envelops Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus.
-
Planetary Science
Mars’ ionosphere mystery explained
A decades-old disagreement between the Viking landers and spacecraft buzzing around Mars might come down to what time of day each was investigating the Red Planet’s ionosphere.
-
Planetary Science
Satellite captures double solar eclipse in action
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught a rare double eclipse as both Earth and the moon partially blocked the sun.
-
Planetary Science
Asteroid impacts may explain Venus’ missing oxygen
Asteroid impacts on Venus might have helped sequester oxygen left behind when Earth’s sister planet lost its water, new simulations show.
-
Planetary Science
The first spacecraft buzzed a comet today in 1985
Thirty years ago, a spacecraft became the first to fly past a comet.
-
Planetary Science
New Pluto photos show unprecedented detail
New images from the New Horizons spacecraft show off Pluto and Charon in unprecedented detail.
-
Planetary Science
Ceres’ mysterious bright spots come into focus
The Dawn spacecraft gets its best look yet at bright spots on Ceres.
-
Planetary Science
The wait for more Pluto data is almost over
As New Horizons prepares to tell us everything it learned about Pluto, fans of the dwarf planet take a crack at imagining what the spacecraft saw.
-
Astronomy
First known exoplanets have few counterparts
The first known exoplanets were discovered around pulsars — probably one of the least likely places to have been found, astronomers now say.
-
Astronomy
Two stars were once considered coldest known
Two stars once thought to be the coldest known are actually scorching compared with some truly frigid brown dwarfs.