headshot of Associate News Editor Christopher Crockett

Christopher Crockett

Associate News Editor

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.

All Stories by Christopher Crockett

  1. Planetary Science

    WISE satellite measures girth of Saturn’s widest ring

    Saturn’s dark, outermost ring is about 270 times as wide as the planet itself.

  2. Astronomy

    Some of sun’s magnetic fields may act more like forests

    A swaying forest of mangrovelike magnetic fields on the sun could be the answer to why the solar atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than the surface.

  3. Planetary Science

    Cassini gets last look at Saturn’s spongy satellite Hyperion

    The Cassini spacecraft buzzed Saturn’s spongy moon Hyperion for the final time and sent back more pictures of this odd little satellite.

  4. Planetary Science

    Pluto’s four littlest moons probably born in a crash

    On the eve of the arrival of the New Horizons spacecraft, Pluto’s tiny moons hint at a common origin.

  5. Astronomy

    Cosmic superlens gives telescopes a boost

    A map of galaxy cluster Abell 2744 unveils how gravity magnifies and smears images of far more distant galaxies.

  6. Astronomy

    In another universe, free-range planets could host life

    If other universes exist, then those with denser galaxies might harbor a larger fraction of habitable worlds.

  7. Planetary Science

    NASA picks nine instruments for future mission to Europa

    NASA has selected nine instruments to fly on a future spacecraft to Jupiter’s ice-covered moon Europa.

  8. Astronomy

    Brightest galaxy discovered

    The brightest known galaxy is about 350 trillion times as bright as the sun, and a supermassive black hole is to blame.

  9. Astronomy

    Peeks into early life of supernovas show how to blow up a star

    Multiple supernovas show off some of the ways a star can explode.

  10. Planetary Science

    Sea salt may stripe Europa’s surface

    Salt deposits on Jupiter’s moon Europa might be responsible for brown stripes on the icy satellite’s surface.

  11. Planetary Science

    Boulders balance on tiny tips as comet 67P zooms through space

    Three boulders on comet 67P resemble balancing rocks that are seen on Earth.

  12. Astronomy

    First quasar quartet discovered

    A quartet of quasars seen in the early universe may mark where a massive galaxy cluster is starting to form.