These earthly godfathers of Heaven's lights, that give a name to every fixed star, have no more profit of their shining nights than those that walk and know not what they are.

— William Shakespeare

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Hubble Telescope shares stunning galactic view despite recent hardware malfunction (photo)

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 10:00am
A gorgeous new photo from the Hubble Space Telescope, which is down to two functioning gyroscopes, captures the barred spiral galaxy NGC 3059.
Categories: Astronomy

What Martian Gullies Mean for Water on Mars

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 10:00am

Martian gullies have been the center of a debate about whether Mars ever has flowing water. Now, a comprehensive study examines the question.

The post What Martian Gullies Mean for Water on Mars appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Ed Stone, who led NASA's iconic Voyager project for 50 years, dies at 88

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 9:37am
Ed Stone, who for 50 years served as the project scientist for NASA's iconic Voyager mission, died June 9 at the age of 88.
Categories: Astronomy

'Needs more aliens': Lego designer on kids' view of space as an endless playground (exclusive)

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 9:00am
In an exclusive interview with Space.com, Lego senior design manager Dan Meehan discusses the role 'space storytellers' have had on shaping the company's new space-themed sets.
Categories: Astronomy

First Wooden Satellite Will Test ‘Green’ Space Exploration

Scientific American.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 9:00am

Japan’s LignoSat will test wood’s resilience in space and could lead to a new era of more sustainable, less polluting satellites

Categories: Astronomy

We could detect a malfunctioning warp drive on an alien starship

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 8:00am
Faster-than-light warp drives are theoretically possible to build, and if aliens are using them, we should be able to detect the gravitational waves produced when one goes wrong
Categories: Astronomy

We could detect a malfunctioning warp drive on an alien starship

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 8:00am
Faster-than-light warp drives are theoretically possible to build, and if aliens are using them, we should be able to detect the gravitational waves produced when one goes wrong
Categories: Astronomy

A star that exploded like a nuclear bomb is still raising questions half a century later

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 8:00am
The nova caused HM Sge to brighten in our night sky by 250 times.
Categories: Astronomy

Meet Shaula: The Scorpion’s Triple-Pronged Stinger

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 8:00am

Meet Shaula, the bright star on the Scorpion's tail. It's a challenge for northern observers, but easy to find if it clears the horizon!

The post Meet Shaula: The Scorpion’s Triple-Pronged Stinger appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Ariane 6 launches RAMI: the interplanetary deployer

ESO Top News - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 7:30am

Europe’s newest rocket soon launches, taking with it many space missions each with a unique objective, destination and team at home, cheering them on. Whether launching new satellites to look back and study Earth, peer out to deep space or test important new technologies in orbit, Ariane 6’s first flight will showcase the versatility and flexibility of this impressive, heavy-lift launcher. Read on for all about the RAMI deployer, then see who else is flying first.

Categories: Astronomy

NASA weighs potential impacts of helium leaks and more on Boeing's Starliner astronaut test flight

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 7:00am
Starliner's two astronauts continue to put the capsule through a series of checks, while ground teams analyze helium leaks and other issues.
Categories: Astronomy

Australian pterosaur had a huge tongue to help gulp down prey

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 6:55am
Scientists have identified a new species of pterosaur from a 100-million-year-old fossil in Australia, which appears to have had a massive tongue to push prey down its throat
Categories: Astronomy

Australian pterosaur had a huge tongue to help gulp down prey

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 6:55am
Scientists have identified a new species of pterosaur from a 100-million-year-old fossil in Australia, which appears to have had a massive tongue to push prey down its throat
Categories: Astronomy

Atom-Thick Gold Coating Sparks Scientific ‘Goldene Rush’

Scientific American.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 6:45am

Ultrathin gold was achieved with the help of a century-old sword-making technique

Categories: Astronomy

'Absolutely gutted': How a jammed door is locking astronomers out of the X-ray universe

Space.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 6:00am
XRISM could change the way we see the X-ray universe, but a jammed door presents a mighty challenge. With the door closed, low energy X-rays are impossible to detect. But trying to open the door could put the rest of the mission at risk.
Categories: Astronomy

What’s Actually In Tattoo Ink? No One Really Knows

Scientific American.com - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 6:00am

Chemists are hard at work figuring out how to make tattoos last—and ensure they’re safe.

Categories: Astronomy

Drone test of planetary landing radar

ESO Top News - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 5:23am
Image: Drone test of planetary landing radar
Categories: Astronomy

Eclipse-making double-satellite Proba-3

ESO Top News - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 5:00am
Video: 00:02:54

Proba-3 is ESA’s – and the world’s – first precision formation flying mission. A pair of satellites will fly together relative to the Sun so that one casts a precisely-controlled shadow onto the other, to create a prolonged solar eclipse in orbit. In the process the mission will open up the Sun’s faint surrounding coronal atmosphere for sustained study. Normally this corona is rendered invisible by the brilliant face of the Sun, like a firefly next to a bonfire.

Due for launch together this autumn, the two Proba-3 satellites will fly 144-m apart for up to six hours at a time to create these eclipses. Beside its scientific interest, this experiment will be a perfect method to demonstrate the precise positioning of the two platforms. It will be enabled using a novel combination of guidance technologies. In this video the Proba-3 team details the mission concept.

Find out more here.

Access the related broadcast quality video material.

Categories: Astronomy

Space for a travel quiz!

ESO Top News - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 4:00am

A new collaboration between ESA and Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands has got passengers thinking about space. Digital screens throughout the airport featuring stunning  satellite images of Earth have been stopping travellers in their tracks. That's because these pictures from space are part of a fun Where on Earth? travel quiz.

Categories: Astronomy

Green light for Galileo Second Generation satellite design

ESO Top News - Wed, 06/12/2024 - 3:40am

Production of Galileo Second Generation satellites advances at full speed after two independent Satellite Critical Design Review boards have confirmed that the satellite designs of the respective industries meet all mission and performance requirements. This achievement is another crucial milestone hit on time in the ambitious schedule to develop the first 12 satellites of the Galileo Second Generation fleet.

Categories: Astronomy