Astronomy
- Astronomy
Haze keeps Pluto cool by kicking heat out to space
Pluto may be the only place in the solar system whose atmosphere is kept cool by solid hazes, not warmed by gas.
- Astronomy
New camera on Palomar telescope will seek out supernovas, asteroids and more
The Zwicky Transient Facility at Palomar Observatory in California will seek supernovas, black holes and asteroids.
- Astronomy
Ancient spiral galaxy is 11 billion years old
The most ancient spiral galaxy seen to date is 11 billion years old and could help reveal how galaxies sprout arms.
- Astronomy
This star cheated death, exploding again and again
The weirdest supernova ever has lasted more than three years, and may be the third outburst from the same star.
- Astronomy
NASA wants your help naming New Horizons’ next destination
NASA’s New Horizons mission team is asking the public to vote on a nickname for the spacecraft’s next destination.
- Astronomy
A sandy core may have kept Enceladus’ ocean warm
Friction in Enceladus’ porous core could help heat its ocean enough to keep it liquid for billions of years.
- Planetary Science
See a new mosaic of images of comet 67P from the Rosetta mission
A montage of images taken by the Rosetta spacecraft and its lander, Philae, recap the daring mission to comet 67P.
- Astronomy
The way hungry young stars suck in food keeps most X-rays in, too
The columns of plasma that feed growing stars develop an extra layer that keeps X-rays in.
- Astronomy
Hot, rocky exoplanets are the scorched cores of former gas giants
Hot, rocky exoplanets are probably the scorched cores of former gas giants, so astronomers shouldn’t trust them for information about true Earth twins.
- Astronomy
An interstellar asteroid might have just been spotted for the first time
A newly spotted asteroid might be the first known to come from outside the solar system, and it could carry information about the makeup of alien planet systems.
- Astronomy
Dawn spacecraft will keep orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres indefinitely
NASA just gave the Dawn spacecraft a second mission extension to orbit Ceres indefinitely.
- Astronomy
Here’s what space toilets can teach us about finding signs of alien life
Lessons learned from flushing space toilets can help researchers plan life-hunting missions to icy moons.
