Astronomy

The European Space Agency is funding the development of a hypersonic space plane pathfinder, which will start flying by 2031, if all goes according to plan.

The JWST has pushed the boundaries of exoplanet characterization. But one thing it hasn't done yet is to determine if rocky exoplanets close to our Solar System can retain their atmospheres. The authors of a new study propose a new "five-scale height challenge" that will help astronomers obtain more precise atmospheric information on rocky exoplanets using Webb.

Our quest for universal internet is stealing the stars. Thousands of satellites now travelling across the night sky are far brighter than international safety limits, turning what was once humanity's window to the cosmos into a highway of artificial lights. New research reveals that major constellations like Starlink and OneWeb are breaking the brightness rules designed to protect both cutting edge astronomy and the simple joy of stargazing potentially robbing future generations of the dark skies that have inspired wonder for centuries.

For over four centuries, the dark blemishes on our Sun's surface have puzzled astronomers. Now, German scientists have cracked the code behind sunspot stability, revealing how these Earth sized magnetic monsters, each powerful enough to rival an MRI machine yet spanning areas larger than our entire planet, maintain their grip on the solar surface for weeks or months at a time. This breakthrough not only solves one of astronomy's oldest mysteries but could revolutionize our ability to predict the explosive solar storms that threaten our satellite dependent world.

The source of Earth's water is one of the most compelling questions facing scientists. Earth's habitability depends on multiple factors, but water is the basis for life, and it had to come from somewhere. Did comets and meteorites deliver it after Earth formed? Or did water become part of our planet as it formed?

When astronauts live on the Moon permanently, they're going to need a safe habitat, ideally made out of local construction material. A new paper suggests that lunar astronauts could cover a 17-meter crater with a dome made from a lunar regolith-based geopolymer. A 3D printer would extrude a paste made of lunar regolith that would be sintered together into the shape of the dome. This would provide protection from radiation and could even maintain a pressurized habitat.

An international team of astronomers have discovered an Earth-size exoplanet on a very tight orbit around its star. It completes an orbit in only 5 hours and 22 minutes. Unfortunately, the planet will either be torn to pieces or crash into its star in about 31 million years.

The basaltic meteorite is a piece of lunar rock that formed in a lava flow 2.35 billion years ago, long after volcanism on the moon was supposed to have ended.

Neuroscientists have found that the brain can wake up in different ways, explaining why some mornings feel like a dream and some feel like a disaster

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 Flight Engineer Anne McClain shows off a hamburger-shaped cake to celebrate 200 cumulative days in space for JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi (out of frame) since his first spaceflight as an Expedition 48-49 Flight Engineer in 2016.

Titan shadow transit seasons occurs just once every 15 years.

The UK's Online Safety Act is intended to stop children from accessing pornography online, but its potential implications are much wider reaching

The UK's Online Safety Act is intended to stop children from accessing pornography online, but its potential implications are much wider reaching

All of the telescopes here are easy to set up on a tabletop, making them an easy option for beginners and professional stargazers.

China's Tianwen 2 mission captured stunning views of Earth and the moon from deep space just days after launch.

'It's fun to see Una come down on someone. We don't get to see that very often.'

Up to 200 worlds investigated by NASA's exoplanet-hunting TESS satellite could be bigger than predicted, a finding that could impact our search for alien life.

Astronomers unveiled a striking view of the new interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS on its journey toward the inner solar system.

These are the best telescopes for professional astrophotography and will allow you to capture high-definition images of planets, nebulas and galaxies.

Scientists are racing to learn as much as possible about the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS before it fades from view forever