Latest articles by Charles Q. Choi
Indian and European Satellites Reach Orbit After Smooth Launch
Europe's workhorse rocket, the Ariane 5, launched two satellites into orbit in a smooth pre-sunset launch.
Alien Planets Circling Pulsing Stars May Leave Electric Trails
Electric tails of these "pulsar planets" may be a clue to finding more of the strange alien worlds.
Asteroid Dust Could Fight Climate Change on Earth
The space cloud would form a huge 1,600-mile-across sun shade.
Surprising Troughs on Asteroid Vesta Might Have Resulted From Collision
Another asteroid may have slammed into Vesta's south pole.
Source of Monster Black Hole's Energy Jet Identified
The intense energy jet from the supermassive black hole inside galaxy M87 comes from its accretion disk.
Brightest Star Explosion in History Reveals Lonely Supernova
The supernova of 1006 suggests that some star explosions are so fast, they obliterate a stellar binary partners.
Mercury's Surface Resembles Rare Meteorites
The surface of Mercury is unlike that of any other planet in our solar system.
Farthest Galaxy Yet Revealed by Cosmic Lens
The ancient galaxy formed less than 500 million years of the birth of the universe.
Meteors May Inject Methane Into Alien Planet Atmospheres
Methane on alien planets could spark hopes of extraterrestrial life. Not so fast, scientists say.
Russian Soyuz Rocket Launches New European Weather Satellite
A Russian Soyuz 2 rocket launched the new MetOp-B weather satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome on Monday (Sept. 17).
Giant Super-Magnetic Star Has Scientists Buzzing
The star is the most magnetic massive star ever seen.
Doomed Space Cloud Hints at Planet Formation in Milky Way's Core
The dust cloud, while doomed, shows the material to build planets exists in our galaxy's core.
India's 100th Space Mission Launches Satellites Into Orbit
India launched two satellites into orbit for its 100th mission.
Russia, US, China Clocked Similar Times Between Space 'Firsts'
You might be surprised how long it took Russia, the U.S. and China to move from animals to humans in space.
Voyager 1 Spacecraft Farther From Solar System's Edge Than Thought
NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has a bit farther to go before becoming a true interstellar spacecraft.
Newfound 'Tatooine' Alien Planet Bodes Well for E.T. Search
Kepler-47c shows that planets can reside in the habitable zones of two-star systems.
Two Alien Planets Found with Twin Suns Like 'Star Wars'' Tatooine
Astronomers have found an entire solar system with twin suns, just like Luke Skywalker's home.
Artificial Universe Similar to Ours Built with Supercomputer
Scientists can now create entire universes from scratch with computers.
Mysterious Origins of Brightest Star Explosions Revealed
Scientists are closing in on the origins of so-called superluminous supernovas.
Stellar Triggers of Exploding Stars Revealed
A red giant star force-fed a white dwarf companion until it exploded in a supernova.
Ingredients for Big Black Holes Detected in Milky Way's Core
The cosmic "seeds" may help explain how our galaxy's monster black hole formed.
Alien Planet Haul: NASA Space Telescope Spots 41 New Exoplanets
The new finds bring the total exoplanet tally to nearly 800.
Russia's Prime Minister Wants Space Agency Overhaul By September
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is not happy with Russia's recent rocket failures.
