All Stories by Lisa Grossman
- Planetary Science
Hayabusa2 may have just snagged bits of asteroid Ryugu’s insides
In its second sampling attempt, Hayabusa2 became the first spacecraft to try to pick up some of an asteroid’s guts.
- Astronomy
Moons that escape their planets could become ‘ploonets’
If giant planets in other star systems lose their moons, the freed objects could become “ploonets,” and current telescopes may be able to find them.
- Astronomy
How the 2019 eclipse will differ from 2017’s — and what that means for science
This year’s total solar eclipse is visible late in the day from a relatively small slice of South America.
- Astronomy
The earliest known galaxy merger occurred shortly after the Big Bang
Telescopes show two distant blobs of stars and gas swirling around each other in the young universe.
- Astronomy
A new algorithm finds nearby stars that could host hidden worlds
An algorithm dubbed “Netflix for exoplanets” identified more than 350 stars that, based on their chemistry, might have planets orbiting out of sight.
- Astronomy
The cosmic ‘Cow’ may be a strange supernova
New observations suggest the strange bright burst called the ‘Cow’ was a supernova, rather than a shredded star.
- Astronomy
Astronomers may have spotted the ghost galaxy that hit the Milky Way long ago
Astronomers think they’ve identified a galaxy that hit the Milky Way and ruffled its edges millions of years ago.
- Astronomy
The accretion disk around our galaxy’s black hole has been spotted at last
The Milky Way's central black hole has a disk of gas and dust orbiting it, astronomers can finally say with confidence.
- Astronomy
Watch the oldest surviving film of a total solar eclipse
A short film of the 1900 total solar eclipse was restored by conservation experts and is now available to view online.
- Planetary Science
Icy volcanoes on Pluto may have spewed organic-rich water
Planetary scientists found ammonia-rich ice near cracks on Pluto, suggesting the dwarf planet had recent icy volcanoes.
- Physics
100 years ago, an eclipse proved Einstein right. Today, black holes do too — for now
In 1919, an eclipse affirmed Einstein’s famous general theory of relativity. Now scientists hope to use black holes to poke holes in that idea.
- Physics
Big black holes can settle in the outskirts of small galaxies
Astronomers have found dozens of surprisingly massive black holes far from the centers of their host dwarf galaxies.
