Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World.

— Inscription on Columbus' caravels

Astronomy

Exoplanetary Systems are Diverse. Our Search for Life Should Be the Same

Universe Today - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 8:57pm

With over 5,000 exoplanets now identified, astronomers have found that our Solar System isn't the only model of planetary formation. There are super-Earths, sub-Neptunes, hot-Jupiters, and Earth-sized worlds orbiting around red dwarf stars. In a new paper, researchers propose how the search for life could adapt to these bizarre environments, expanding the definition of a habitable world. Life could exist without a surface, or using different kinds of solvents than water.

Categories: Astronomy

Sea spiders 'farm' methane-eating bacteria on their bodies

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 5:02pm
Sea spiders living near deep-sea methane seeps appear to cultivate and eat bacteria on their exoskeletons
Categories: Astronomy

Sea spiders 'farm' methane-eating bacteria on their bodies

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 5:02pm
Sea spiders living near deep-sea methane seeps appear to cultivate and eat bacteria on their exoskeletons
Categories: Astronomy

NASA moon orbiter spies grave of crashed Japanese lunar lander (image)

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 5:00pm
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has imaged the crash site of Resilience, a moon lander built and operated by the Tokyo-based company ispace.
Categories: Astronomy

First Near-Complete Denisovan Skull Reveals What This Ancient Human Cousin Looked Like

Scientific American.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 4:00pm

A Denisovan skull has been identified for the first time. The find was based on proteins and calcified dental plaque

Categories: Astronomy

From 'Toy Story' to 'Elio', here's every space-themed Pixar movie and short so far

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 4:00pm
'Elio' isn't the legendary animation studio's first adventure on the final frontier. Here's every Pixar movie and short that explores space.
Categories: Astronomy

This galaxy cluster has mysterious cosmic tendrils over 200,000 light-years long (image)

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 3:00pm
Astronomers have taken an unprecedentedly detailed look at the tendrils and filaments that wrap around supermassive black hole-dominated galaxies of Abell 2255.
Categories: Astronomy

Hurricane Hunter Flights Improve Hurricane Forecasts, But Trump Budget Cuts Could Threaten Them

Scientific American.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 2:00pm

NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter airplane missions significantly increase the accuracy of hurricane forecasts, but President Trump’s proposed budget cuts jeopardize the data-gathering efforts and other forecasting tools

Categories: Astronomy

1st images from the Vera C Rubin Observatory will drop on June 23. Here's why that's such a big deal

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 2:00pm
The Rubin Observatory will reveal its first images on Monday. Space.com spoke to scientists who explained why this will be a monumental event for astronomy.
Categories: Astronomy

Get relaxed views of the universe for a fraction of the price with a huge $675 off the Unistellar Odyssey Pro

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 2:00pm
The Unistellar Father's Day sale ends in two days — grab the Odyssey Pro with $675 off
Categories: Astronomy

SpaceX traces Starship test-stand explosion to failure of pressurized nitrogen tank

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 1:30pm
The giant explosion that destroyed a SpaceX Starship vehicle on the test stand this week was likely caused by the failure of a pressurized nitrogen tank, the company said.
Categories: Astronomy

Could Israel's bombing trigger a nuclear accident in Iran?

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 1:21pm
Attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities have already triggered at least one internal radiation leak, but should we be concerned that Israeli bombing could cause a larger nuclear accident?
Categories: Astronomy

Could Israel's bombing trigger a nuclear accident in Iran?

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 1:21pm
Attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities have already triggered at least one internal radiation leak, but should we be concerned that Israeli bombing could cause a larger nuclear accident?
Categories: Astronomy

Leak on International Space Station delays SpaceX launch of Axiom-4 astronauts

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 1:00pm
An ongoing leak aboard the International Space Station is once again delaying the launch of Axiom Space's next private astronaut mission.
Categories: Astronomy

Ahead of Prime Day this Lego Star Wars set has hit its cheapest ever price — get the brilliant Acclamator-Class Assault Ship now, before it's gone, far, far away...

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:40pm
Seen in "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" the Acclamator-Class Lego set comes packed with authentic detail, has 450 pieces, and is part of a collectible Star Wars series.
Categories: Astronomy

Summer Begins in Northern Hemisphere

NASA Image of the Day - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:18pm
This full-disk image from NOAA’s GOES-13 satellite shows the Americas at the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere on June 21, 2012.
Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:00pm

What are all those streaks in the sky?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Lego Star Wars Acclamator-Class Assault Ship review

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:00pm
Its name might be a bit of a mouthful, but this Lego Star Wars ship is wonderfully pocket-sized while still packing in a lot of detail.
Categories: Astronomy

Summer solstice 2025 is here! Today marks the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 12:00pm
The 2025 summer solstice takes place on June 20, heralding the onset of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year.
Categories: Astronomy

Satellite streaks block out the Arctic sky | Space photo of the day for June 20, 2025

Space.com - Fri, 06/20/2025 - 11:00am
Researchers created a satellite tracking system to track satellite streaks across the Arctic for the first time ever.
Categories: Astronomy