The space of night is infinite,
The blackness and emptiness
Crossed only by thin bright fences
Of logic

— Kenneth Rexroth
"Theory of Numbers"

Astronomy

The best new science fiction books of June 2025

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 06/06/2025 - 5:00am
June’s sci-fi hot tips feature a sleep-killing neural chip from Laura Elliott, plus Will Carver's vision of a world where a virus makes us kinder
Categories: Astronomy

The best new science fiction books of June 2025

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 06/06/2025 - 5:00am
June’s sci-fi hot tips feature a sleep-killing neural chip from Laura Elliott, plus Will Carver's vision of a world where a virus makes us kinder
Categories: Astronomy

Why does NASA's Perseverance rover keep taking pictures of this maze on Mars?

Space.com - Fri, 06/06/2025 - 5:00am
NASA's Perseverance rover regularly images a Sherlock Holmes–themed maze to calibrate its chemical-hunting SHERLOC instrument.
Categories: Astronomy

Elon Musk says SpaceX could begin 'decommissioning its Dragon spacecraft' after Trump threat to cancel contracts

Space.com - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 6:56pm
Elon Musk and President Donald Trump are having a very public disagreement at the moment, and NASA could get caught in the crosshairs.
Categories: Astronomy

Marc Garneau, 1st Canadian astronaut to fly into space, dies at 76

Space.com - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 6:00pm
The first Canadian astronaut to fly into space, Marc Garneau, died on June 4, 2025 at the age of 76. In addition to his three launches, Garneau also led the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
Categories: Astronomy

Brand-new SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrives at pad for June 10 astronaut launch (photo)

Space.com - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 5:00pm
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that will fly the Ax-4 astronaut mission has arrived at its pad ahead of a planned June 10 launch.
Categories: Astronomy

Taurine may not be a key driver of ageing after all

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 3:00pm
Taurine supplements have previously been found to extend the lifespan of monkeys and mice, but a new study in humans shows that the amino acid doesn’t decline with age
Categories: Astronomy

Retinal implant restores sight for blind mice

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 3:00pm
Metallic nanoparticles injected into the retina partly restored vision in blind mice and could work as a treatment for conditions that damage light-sensitive cells in the eye
Categories: Astronomy

New NWS Hires Won’t Make Up for Trump Cuts, Meteorologists Say

Scientific American.com - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 1:00pm

Nearly 600 employees left the National Weather Service or were fired in recent months. Meteorologists say 125 expected new hires will still leave the agency dangerously understaffed

Categories: Astronomy

Fusion power may never happen if we don't fix the lithium bottleneck

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:00pm
Nuclear fusion power will probably require vast quantities of enriched lithium – but we aren’t making nearly enough, and ramping up production will mean using toxic mercury
Categories: Astronomy

We've figured out how our brains sort imagination from reality

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:00pm
Two brain regions seem to work together to determine whether we are seeing something real, or merely a product of our imaginations - and understanding them further may help treat visual hallucinations
Categories: Astronomy

Worms team up to form tentacles when they want to go places

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:00pm
Thousands of tiny nematode worms can join up to form tentacle-like towers that can straddle large gaps or hitch rides on larger animals
Categories: Astronomy

Mars in the Loop

APOD - Thu, 06/05/2025 - 12:00pm

This composite of images spaced a weather-permitting 5 to 9 days apart,


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Status Report: Gravitational Waves

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Mon, 08/12/2024 - 8:00am

Astronomers at the International Astronomical Union report that we have now detected more than 200 gravitational-wave events, most the merger of two black holes.

The post Status Report: Gravitational Waves appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Tonight's Perseid Meteor Shower May Be Dipped in Aurora Sauce

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Sun, 08/11/2024 - 7:15pm

The Perseids peak on Sunday night, August 11-12 and just might be joined by a colorful display of northern lights. 

The post Tonight's Perseid Meteor Shower May Be Dipped in Aurora Sauce appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Woo-hoo — The Perseid Meteor Shower Is Coming!

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Fri, 08/09/2024 - 6:39am

It's time again for the annual August meteor-shower fest, the Perseids. This year's display should be a beauty with only minor moonlight and a special surprise at dawn.

The post Woo-hoo — The Perseid Meteor Shower Is Coming! appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 9 – 18

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Fri, 08/09/2024 - 5:02am

The Perseid meteor shower peaks late Sunday night August 11th and maybe Monday night too. Jupiter and Mars have a close conjunction on the morning of the 14th, looking radically different in the same telescopic view.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 9 – 18 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Prepare for the Perseids and a Pretty Planetary Pairing

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Thu, 08/08/2024 - 10:20am

The year’s long-awaited Perseid meteor shower will be accompanied by a graceful planetary conjunction. It’s well worth staying up all night to watch.

The post Prepare for the Perseids and a Pretty Planetary Pairing appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field, 15 Years Later

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Wed, 08/07/2024 - 4:05pm

Fifteen years ago, the Hubble Space Telescope gazed intently at the infrared glow of galaxies in a tiny fraction of the sky. New research shows how this patch of space has changed since then.

The post The Hubble Ultra-Deep Field, 15 Years Later appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Neutron Stars Might Be Squishy Inside

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Tue, 08/06/2024 - 4:36pm

New data on the brightest pulsar observed with a telescope on the International Space Station suggests neutron star interiors are "squishy."

The post Neutron Stars Might Be Squishy Inside appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy