Nola Taylor Tillman
Nola Taylor Tillman is a contributing writer for Space.com. She loves all things space and astronomy-related, and enjoys the opportunity to learn more. She has a Bachelor’s degree in English and Astrophysics from Agnes Scott college and served as an intern at Sky & Telescope magazine. In her free time, she homeschools her four children. Follow her on Twitter at @NolaTRedd
Latest articles by Nola Taylor Tillman
![illustration of blue light travelling through a tunnel.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WudvwQVLWMEdCSqHyjKXRX-320-80.jpg)
What are wormholes?
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Ailsa Harvey last updated
Reference The wormhole theory postulates that a theoretical passage through space-time could create shortcuts for long journeys across the universe.
![the curve of earth against the blackness of space, with part of a silvery spacecraft in the foreground.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HZFvmLDEh4bes4TZ3TCAZ-320-80.jpg)
Virgin Galactic launches researchers to suborbital space on 5th commercial flight (video)
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Virgin Galactic's reusable space plane VSS Unity aced its fifth commercial mission today (Nov. 2), continuing the one-flight-per-month tempo the company began this spring.
![the curvature of Earth can be seen behind a silver spaceplane](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pKNErAaFKSVmQNv9AoW7UC-320-80.jpg)
New Horizons' Alan Stern will fulfill a lifelong dream on Virgin Galactic spaceflight this week
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
When Alan Stern launches to space this week on Virgin Galactic's fifth commercial flight, he'll accomplish the goal of a lifetime. But it won't just be a joyride for Stern — he'll be working.
![The andromeda galaxy is the nearest galaxy to the Milky Way.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hCXYB5YKXzdq2WEHYEe36d-320-80.jpg)
Andromeda Galaxy: Facts about our closest galactic neighbor
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Rebecca Sohn last updated
Reference The Andromeda galaxy is the most distant object in the sky that you can see with your unaided eye. It's also on a collision course with our Milky Way.
![an image showing liftoff of osiris rex from asteroid bennu with gray boulders in behind the spacecraft](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/74MD5gBMq4hQ6pT7vG24xU-320-80.jpg)
OSIRIS-REx: A complete guide to the asteroid-sampling mission
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
Reference The OSIRIS-REx asteroid-sampling mission delivered pieces of asteroid Bennu to Earth on Sept. 24, 2023, before moving on to study asteroid Apophis in 2029.
![How long does it take to get to Mars? This graphic illustration of an astronaut on Mars looking back at Earth makes the red Planet look a lot closer than it is..](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Q4UQ2bWADBXqrRy9H3PcTo-320-80.jpg)
How long does it take to get to Mars?
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference How long it takes to get to Mars depends on several factors including planetary position and available technology.
![graphic illustration of what dark matter. Large black "veins" run through a grey background with sparks of light appearing through "cracks" in the image.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nWiuSCNGSL8rfrBgE5PMcJ-320-80.jpg)
What is dark matter?
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
Reference Roughly 80% of the mass of the universe is made up of dark matter, a material that scientists cannot directly observe. So why do scientists think it dominates?
![graphic illustration of a red giant star and a moon in the foreground. The bulging star is a fiery orange red.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9A228sxQbc8M5SRT7SUJuL-320-80.jpg)
Red giant stars: Facts, definition & the future of the sun
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
Reference A red giant star is a dying star in the last stages of stellar evolution. Our own sun will turn into a red giant, expand and engulf the inner planets — including Earth.
![animated selfie take by the Perseverance Mars rover with the Ingenuity helicopter.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bwSevfrrJAPVTwx2zGxi23-320-80.gif)
Perseverance rover: Everything you need to know
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Mike Wall last updated
Reference NASA's Perseverance rover isn't just exploring the Red Planet. The life-hunting robot will also help a little bit of Mars make it to Earth a decade or so from now, if all goes according to plan.
![a person stands on a ladder and reaches towards a large nasa logo pasted on the outside of a building](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wqkwy8CNJGgWVp9nZBSqXk-320-80.jpg)
What is NASA? Exploring the universe for 65 years
By Elizabeth Howell last updated
Reference NASA is the United States space agency and was founded in 1958 to do human and robotic exploration of the solar system and to study the universe as well.
![Outside a domed observatory is a bronze statue of Tycho Brahe wearing a cape.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3pQc9aBwcEkCRGtLfu9Ep8-320-80.jpg)
Tycho Brahe: Colorful life, accomplishments and bizarre death
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Emily Staniforth last updated
Reference Tycho Brahe was a pioneering Danish astronomer from the 16th century whose data collection and discoveries changed the way scientists looked at the skies.
![Saturn has 124 moons, Five of Saturn's moons from left to right are Janus, Pandora, Enceladus, Mimas and Rhea. Saturn is on the right.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tygisbM9c9TH3Q465b54TJ-320-80.jpg)
Saturn's moons: Facts about the weird and wonderful satellites of the ringed planet
By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference Saturn has the most moons of any other planet in the solar system. Here we explore some of the 145 moons that orbit the ringed planet.
![painting of Sir Isaac Newton shows him with shoulder length gray wavy hair.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/3buDqF4oZrEByNRVBgYwmm-320-80.jpg)
Sir Isaac Newton biography: Inventions, laws and quotes
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Jonathan Gordon last updated
Reference Sir Isaac Newton invented calculus and explained optics. His most significant work involved forces and the development of a universal law of gravity.
![a purple spiral galaxy with a bright star alone one arm](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aDSjqrbrZ7M4BdTBM6z7Xk-320-80.jpg)
How long will the new supernova visible in the night sky last?
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
A new supernova that burst into the night sky in May 2023 should remain visible in the Pinwheel Galaxy for some time, astronomers say.
![An artist's illustration of a supermassive black hole. Swirling orange lines surround a central black circle.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HsDtpFEHbDpae6wBuW5wQo-320-80.jpg)
Black holes: Everything you need to know
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference Black holes are real, they're some of the strangest objects in space. Discover what black holes are and how they form with our informative black hole guide.
![Graphic illustration of Einstein's theory of general relativity showing two spheres in close proximity and a series of ripples emanating from them.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ydwsrwtqwfCre2v6KPpJcn-320-80.jpg)
What is the theory of general relativity?
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Meghan Bartels, Scott Dutfield last updated
Reference Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity is based on the idea that massive objects cause a distortion in space-time, which is felt as gravity.
![Professor Stephen Hawking speaks about "Why We Should Go into Space" for the NASA Lecture Series, April 21, 2008](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RCw5VFrfosAvFugkPzUsx6-320-80.jpg)
Stephen Hawking biography: Theories, books & quotes
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference Delve into the life and theories of Stephen Hawking; one of the greatest theoretical physicists in history.
![What is the biggest star in the universe? Here a graphic illustration of a large star glowing orange against a backdrop of smaller stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QYC5zdDwUJwygKVYEexd4U-320-80.jpg)
What is the biggest star in the universe?
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
Reference The largest known star in the universe is UY Scuti, a hypergiant with a radius around 1,700 times larger than the sun.
![Countless white lines streak across the image of the Milky Way bar along the center. The white lines represent the motion of stars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CFsiKjKoUtiNbMtTcC5LsE-320-80.jpg)
Milky Way galaxy: Everything you need to know about our cosmic neighborhood
By Tereza Pultarova, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated
Reference We are living in a golden age of Milky Way research and exploration.
![Olympus Mons on Mars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FgDxtn3qXx4vf8AHj2NYGm-320-80.jpg)
Olympus Mons: The largest volcano in the solar system
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
Reference Olympus Mons rises 16 miles above the Martian surface, making it the solar system's tallest volcano.
![Plutonium-238 Production](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/faZMw3u5569KZSNbA6WZrP-320-80.jpg)
Space Plutonium: US Once Again Producing Fuel for Deep-Space Missions
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
![Our Sun is a main sequence star, a G-type yellow dwarf that has an estimated total lifetime of around 10 billion years before it leaves its main sequence phase.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wSFEXqHhfZinHUaTkZvpLf-320-80.jpg)
Main sequence stars: definition & life cycle
By Nola Taylor Tillman, Ben Biggs last updated
reference Most stars are main sequence stars that fuse hydrogen to form helium in their cores - including our sun.
![Earth's Stormy Heart](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/n8jx3rqnWJy8SubRFdgPjV-320-80.jpg)
Weird Shift of Earth's Magnetic Field Explained
By Nola Taylor Tillman last updated
As Earth's iron core cools unevenly, the resulting whirls create a slow westward drift in a region of the magnetic field.