Oh, would it not be absurd if there was no objective state?
What if the unobserved always waits, insubstantial,
till our eyes give it shape?

— Peter Hammill

Feed aggregator

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

Early risers around planet


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

A study in contrasts,


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

Can you spot famous celestial objects in this image?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

A newly discovered comet is already visible with binoculars.


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

Can our Sun become dangerous?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

<p><a href="https://apod.nasa.gov/apod

APOD - 53 min 15 sec ago

Does the Sun set in the same direction every day?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

The Galaxy's Influence on Earth can be Found in Crystals

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Earth’s History Written in the Stars: Zircon Crystals Reveal Galactic Influence kerryhensley45577 Tue, 09/16/2025 - 10:27 Earth’s History Written in the Stars: Zircon Crystals Reveal Galactic Influence https://www.curtin.edu.au/news/media-release/earths-history-written-in-the-stars-zircon-crystals-reveal-galactic-influence/

Categories: Astronomy

Japan's Akatsuki Venus Orbiter Completes its Mission

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) conducted the termination procedure for the Venus Climate Orbiter “Akatsuki” (PLANET-C) starting at 9:00 AM on September 18, 2025 (JST), thereby ending the probe's operations.

Categories: Astronomy

How Do You Build Something On Mars?

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Let’s say you’ve picked the perfect spot for building a settlement on Mars. But this opens up some pretty nasty questions. Building…what? And building….with what?

Categories: Astronomy

A White Dwarf Makes A Meal Of A Pluto-Like Object

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted a white dwarf that's devouring a chunk of an icy body. It suggests that even in distant solar systems, icy bodies from the distant reaches can deliver water to planets in the inner solar system.

Categories: Astronomy

The Homebuyer's Guide to Martian Settlement

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Let’s say you’re in charge of a Mars mission. Okay boss, where do we land?

Categories: Astronomy

Destroying Asteroid 2024 YR4 Is The Best Option To Stop It From Hitting The Moon

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

arXiv:2509.12351v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 was discovered on 2024-12-27 and its probability of Earth impact in December 2032 peaked at about 3% on 2025-02-18. Additional observations ruled out Earth impact by 2025-02-23. However, the probability of lunar impact in December 2032 then rose, reaching about 4% by the end of the apparition in May 2025. James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations on 2025-03-26 estimated the asteroid's diameter at 60 +/- 7 m. Stu...

Categories: Astronomy

Black Hole Merger Provides Clearest Evidence Yet that Einstein, Hawking, and Kerr were Right

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

When two black holes collide and merge, they release gravitational waves. These waves can be detected by sensitive instruments on Earth, allowing scientists to determine the mass and spin of the black holes. The clearest black hole merger signal yet, named GW250114 and recorded by LIGO in January 2025, offers new insights into these mysterious objects.

Categories: Astronomy

It's Official. We Now Know Of 6,000 Confirmed Exoplanets

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

NASA says we now know of 6,000 confirmed exoplanets. At first there was just a trickle of discoveries. But the pace has quickened and shows no signs of slowing down.

Categories: Astronomy

Bad News And Good News: Hycean Worlds Aren't Real, But Earth's Water Isn't Unusual

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

New research shows that the purported water world K2-18b isn't a marine world with a deep ocean. In fact, so-named Hycean worlds may not exist at all. But on the bright side, Earth's water content may not be unusual.

Categories: Astronomy

Catch a Far-Flung Partial Solar Eclipse This Weekend

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Subtle astronomical events can still produce memorable scenes, hidden away in distant locales. Such a spectacle goes down on Sunday/Monday, September 21st/22nd, with a partial solar eclipse. Although the eclipse only skims the southernmost portion of the South Pacific, viewers along the eastern coast of Australia, Antarctica and all of New Zealand will see an unforgettable sight, as a partially-eclipsed Sun rises out of the sea.

Categories: Astronomy

Doubt Creeps Into Hayabusa 2's Planned Visit To Its Next Asteroid

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Hayabusa 2 may need to alter its visit to its next target. VLT observations show that the asteroid 1998 KY26 is three times smaller than thought and spinning much more rapidly.

Categories: Astronomy

Practicing for Mars Here on Earth

Universe Today - Sat, 09/20/2025 - 5:02pm

Before we get to Mars, we’re going to have to practice. And develop radical leaps in technology, but also practice.

Categories: Astronomy