X-rays reveal a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in galaxy
In a new study published recently in Nature, we report the discovery of a new long-period transient – and, for the first time, one that also emits regular bursts of X-rays. Long-period transients are a recently identified class of cosmic objects that emit bright flashes of radio waves every few minutes to several hours. This …
Brief history of how we brought the stars indoors to planetariums
Picture this: a small audience is quietly ushered into a darkened room. They gasp in awe, as a brilliant night sky shines above. They wonder – as many after them will do – what trickery has made the roof above their heads disappear? But this is a performance; the stars above an ingenious projection. For …
Rubin Observatory assembling the most complete time-lapse record of the universe
On 23 June 2025, the world will get a look at the first images from one of the most powerful telescopes ever built: the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Perched high in the Chilean Andes, the observatory will take hundreds of images of the southern hemisphere sky, every night for 10 years. In doing so, it …
New model helps to figure out which distant planets may host life
The search for life beyond Earth is a key driver of modern astronomy and planetary science. The U.S. is building multiple major telescopes and planetary probes to advance this search. However, the signs of life – called biosignatures – that scientists may find will likely be difficult to interpret. Figuring out where exactly to look …
Landing on the Moon is still an incredibly difficult feat in 2025
Half a century after the Apollo astronauts left the last bootprints in lunar dust, the Moon has once again become a destination of fierce ambition and delicate engineering. This time, it’s not just superpowers racing to plant flags, but also private companies, multinational partnerships and robotic scouts aiming to unlock the Moon’s secrets and …
Astronaut Sally Ride’s legacy – encouraging young women to embrace science and engineering
On June 24, 1983, Sally Ride returned to earth after becoming the first American woman to fly into space, riding Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7 along with four other crew members. Only five years earlier, in 1978, she had been selected to the first class of 35 astronauts – including six women – who …
Voyager Missions Word Search
Launched in 1977, NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft have been expanding our knowledge of the solar system ever since. The twin probes are now traversing interstellar space. We’ve hidden 27 words related to the missions. They may be placed horizontal, vertical, or even diagonal. Good luck!
Radioisotope generators are the ‘nuclear batteries’ that power faraway spacecraft
Powering spacecraft with solar energy may not seem like a challenge, given how intense the Sun’s light can feel on Earth. Spacecraft near the Earth use large solar panels to harness the Sun for the electricity needed to run their communications systems and science instruments. However, the farther into space you go, the weaker the …
Voyager 1 thrusters, inoperable for 21 years, fixed from 15 billion miles away
Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California have revived a set of thrusters aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft that had been considered inoperable since 2004. Fixing the thrusters required creativity and risk, but the team wants to have them available as a backup to a set of active thrusters whose fuel tubes are …
Scientists discover ancient buried beach on Mars
In the 1970s, images from the NASA Mariner 9 orbiter revealed water-sculpted surfaces on Mars. This settled the once-controversial question of whether water ever rippled over the red planet. Since then, more and more evidence has emerged that water once played a large role on our planetary neighbour. For example, Martian meteorites record evidence for …