Since becoming operational last year, the James Webb Space Telescope has made groundbreaking observations involving some of the universe’s earliest galaxies. One might call them galactic infants. But Webb has obtained even better data on galaxies a bit further along in development. Astronomers call these the galactic “teenagers.” And, as new research shows, they resemble human teenagers in … Read more
Let the sunshine in. Stunning new space images captured by the new Euclid telescope are revealing secrets of the “dark universe,” a mystery-filled combination of dark matter and dark energy believed to make up 95% of the cosmos. The one-of-a-kind photos have been released by the European Space Agency, which launched the groundbreaking tech into … Read more
Here’s your chance to see some drops of Jupiter. The planet will be highly visible this week as it reaches its closest point to our planet — a state known as perigee. Sky and Telescope reports a good time Wednesday to spot the gallantly bright Jupiter and its well-known exterior region called the Great Red … Read more
The iceball cometh. As if things didn’t seem apocalyptic enough already, scientists reported that a “horned” comet three times bigger than Mount Everest exploded and is hurtling toward Earth. The blast originated on Oct. 5 from 12P/Pons-Brooks a cryovolcanic — or cold volcano — comet that measures a colossal 18.6 miles in diameter, or the … Read more
They’re just going through a phase. The moon and Venus will visibly “snuggle,” as Space.com puts it, in the pre-dawn sky Tuesday morning. The two celestial bodies will share the same right ascension — which astronomers call a conjunction, the site reports. This special event is for early risers, as the spectacle will likely unfold … Read more
Things are going to get a bit rocky. A house-sized asteroid is set to soar by Earth Wednesday, with four other space rocks slated to follow in the coming days, according to NASA’s Asteroid Watch Dashboard. The near-60-foot big fella, named JA5, was discovered in 2021 and is expected to miss Earth by 3.17 million … Read more
There may be another world lurking between the orbital lines of our solar system. Astronomers in Japan have published their theory of an “Earth-like planet,” dubbed Planet Nine, that’s hiding in plain sight just a few billion miles behind Neptune. Published last month in the Astronomical Journal, researchers Patryk Sofia Lykawka and Takashi Ito, of Japan’s … Read more
A Park Slope man is on a mission to show New Yorkers the heavens — and not even the city’s universally nightmarish traffic can get in his way. Joe Delfausse, 82, went viral on Tuesday after a large group of people gathered in the middle of Ninth Avenue in Brooklyn to peer into his telescope … Read more
There’s a mystery on Mars. If you think time is whizzing by on planet Earth, try spending some time on the Red Planet. Mars is spinning faster and gradually shortening each day slightly, scientists have found — and it has left them puzzled. The findings, which were published in Nature, used data from NASA’s InSight … Read more
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered a giant cosmic question mark in space that has baffled scientists. The team operating the telescope at the European Space Agency released an image on Wednesday that offered the most detailed look yet at two actively forming young stars located some 1470 light-years from Earth in the Vela … Read more
Somebody warn Michael Keaton. Betelgeuse — a bright, red supergiant star, pronounced “Beetlejuice,” that’s around 640 light years from our planet — is now “a good candidate for the next galactic supernova,” according to new research. The explosion would be so bright that Earthlings would be able to see the cosmic fireworks display even in … Read more
Watch this space. The hunt is on for pieces of a meteor that crashed near Cairns, Australia on Saturday night. The meteoroid fireball, which gave off a neon green hue as it hurtled through the atmosphere, lit up the sky upon impact, startling citizens. The incredible astronomical event was captured by a security camera at … Read more
To find extraterrestrial life, follow the trail of radiation. Scientists in Germany believe that they have found the most likely star systems to host alien organisms. Oxygen-rich planets hosted by stars with relatively fewer metals are more likely to be habitable for life, according to a new analysis by a team of astronomers from the … Read more
Pink, when you turn out the light. Well, tonight anyway — April’s full moon, often referred to as a “Pink Moon,” will be shining at its brightest 12:34 a.m. EST on Thursday, April 6. But don’t be fooled by the name — despite its colorful moniker, this moon won’t look all that different from normal. The … Read more
This solar event will rock all your worlds. A rare parade of five planets will be visible in the night sky on Tuesday evening, so keep your eyes on the sky. Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus and Mars will all line up near the moon, giving stargazers a chance to spot an extraordinary sight. The five … Read more
Mind-blowing footage of a solar tornado measuring 14 times the height of Earth mesmerized skywatchers over the weekend. The gigantic vortex, comprised of unfathomably hot plasma caught in a frenzy of competing magnetic fields, was spotted by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on Friday before it dispersed the following day. “I spent 3 hours yesterday … Read more
The stars at night are big and bright. The Leonid meteor shower is set to reach its peak Thursday night, Nov. 17, and especially between midnight and dawn Friday. The astrological wonder started Nov. 3 and is expected to last through the end of the month, according to scientists at the Weather Channel. What is … Read more
They thought it was an a-steroid. A UK astronomer has been reinstated on Twitter after allegedly getting banned because her meteor video was mistaken for porn. A Tweet detailing her exile from the Elon Musk-owned platform is currently orbiting online. “I’m back!!!!!!!!!!” announced Mary McIntyre, an astronomer from Oxfordshire, in the jubilant post. “After 3 … Read more
The United States’ space agency announced it has selected 16 individuals to participate in the much-awaited study of unidentified aerial phenomena, or what are more commonly referred to as UFOs. The team will kick off the study Monday and is scheduled to spend nine months reviewing previous observations and determining how to analyze data on future … Read more