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
![NASA astronaut Mae Jemison flew on space shuttle Endeavour in September 1992, becoming the first black woman to travel to space.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hk2QfJCsYUxDW9cEihGLMo-320-80.jpg)
Mae Jemison: Astronaut Biography
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Astronaut, scientist, physician, teacher — Mae Jemison wears many different hats.
![Delta II launching](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yoToWoGJdB46uRfxQyQDhf-320-80.jpg)
Delta II Rocket: 30 Years of Launches
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
After nearly 30 years of use, the Delta II rocket made its last launch on Sept. 15, 2018.
![NASA's Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/upZuG3JwJorzi5yiLm6Fr3-320-80.jpg)
Take a Look Inside Lockheed Martin's Proposed Lunar 'Gateway' Habitat for Astronauts
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Take a walk through Lockheed Martin's proposed habitat for NASA's moon-orbiting space station, which the agency plans to start building in 2022.
![Trappist 1 system](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/phGZx9BD9nGAdiWfyokfxK-320-80.jpg)
TRAPPIST-1 Worlds Are Rocky and Rich in Water, New Research Uncovers
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
The TRAPPIST-1 system boasts seven rocky worlds in the habitable zone of their star. New research reveals that these worlds may be rich in volatiles such as water, as well.
![Wet Mars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vPVBGE6nuECQACN3dMoi3K-320-80.jpg)
Was Young, Wet Mars Once Close Enough to the Sun to 'Dance' with Venus?
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
In its first hundred million years, Mars could have started off close to Venus, before gravitational interactions moved it out to its present position.
![Dione Up Close](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bpV4jrtYFbGk7wqHzsdxCA-320-80.jpg)
Dione: Saturn's Turned-Around Moon
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
A collision may have spun Saturn's fourth moon around 180 degrees.
![One year after the Great American Solar Eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017, data is still coming back. Here, the "diamond-ring effect" is seen during the eclipse. This photo was taken from a NASA Gulfstream III aircraft flying 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) over the Or](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/bhLANZozP4R3r2F7iaQdNk-320-80.jpeg)
A Year After the Great American Solar Eclipse, the Excitement Remains
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Solar scientists look back on what we've learned in the year since the Great American Solar Eclipse.
![Europa clipper art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dQEvR4QcmGtpJf2AfzkDFk-320-80.jpg)
NASA Planetary Science Program Remains on Track, Report Finds
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
NASA has met or exceeded many of the goals set by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine in the 2013-2022 planetary decadal survey, according to a new midterm assessment.
![Newton Crater](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HaYJFgC6FjncgrtxwiuHt5-320-80.jpg)
Water on Mars: Exploration & Evidence
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Mars has water trapped in the polar ice caps. More water may lie just beneath the surface. A new study suggests that water also flows on the surface.
![Omega Centauri](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uC8AjYEgxCbncUHZpBnf89-320-80.jpg)
Omega Centauri Is a Terrible Place to Look for Habitable Planets
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
The globular cluster Omega Centauri hosts an estimated 10 million stars, but they may be too tightly packed to hold on to habitable planets, a new study suggests.
![XMM-Newton Image of the Milky Way Galaxy's Center](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/om9G8K8TXTkUuVrDNRWfGG-320-80.jpg)
XMM-Newton: Europe's Powerful X-ray Telescope
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
XMM-Newton studies some of the most violent space phenomena. It investigates the X-ray emission characteristics of galaxies, black holes, neutron stars and pulsars.
![R136a1](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vrJkm9mWEgum396hfbWEPN-320-80.jpg)
What Is the Most Massive Star?
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
The most massive known star is R136a1, more than 300 times as massive as the sun.
![Exoplanet art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/w8EqY4KdiPWTHVD5djdkWR-320-80.jpg)
Sweet Super-Puffs: These 2 Exoplanets Have the Density of Cotton Candy
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
It turns out, exoplanets can be as sweet as a trip to the state fair: Two worlds discovered by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope have about the same density as a package of cotton candy.
![Universe expansion](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UetwCeBitTVC6Kd9L3tPH8-320-80.jpg)
Universe Expansion 'Detective Story' Examined with New Tool
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
A new technique that analyzes clashing observations may help solve the mystery behind the expansion of the universe.
![IceCube Neutrino Observatory](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CJ4pxsqgF4VwYdRXPvT3tK-320-80.jpg)
IceCube: Unlocking the Secrets of Cosmic Rays
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Buried deep in the Antarctic ice, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory may solve one of the biggest mysteries in astronomy, answering the questions behind the origin of neutrinos and cosmic rays.
![Charon comparison](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/e9Dq9FYd3h4kUzUuomCgCG-320-80.jpg)
Celebrating 40 Years of Pluto's Largest Moon, Charon
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Forty years ago, Pluto's largest moon Charon was discovered.
![Osuga Valles on Mars](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/DnCSU5iYyW3ayNJHLQ3pjU-320-80.jpg)
Geometry Helps Solve the Mystery of Mars' Water
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Studying the angles of river features on Mars helped a trio of scientists determine that the water fell from the air rather than seeping up from the ground.
![Neutrino and ice molecule interaction](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UyXa7fRxtuSKf22NgETm6Q-320-80.jpeg)
Neutrino-Discovery Inside Scoop: Q&A with 'Godfather of IceCube' Francis Halzen
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
IceCube Neutrino Observatory principal investigator Francis Halzen talks about how researchers worked together to track a high-energy neutrino to its source for the first time.
![IceCube Lab art](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VTx5NkV2UUpoyheh4hAVv9-320-80.jpg)
'Godfather of IceCube' Talks Hunting Neutrinos
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
IceCube principle investigator Francis Halzen discusses how the unique observatory was built and the plans for its future.
![Shades of Martian darkness](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VU3KmHFgF2v3EvedaFZ9T6-320-80.jpg)
Massive Mars Dust Storm Won't Stop NASA's Next Lander
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
The global dust storm currently raging on Mars shouldn't disrupt the touchdown of NASA's InSight lander this fall, agency officials said.
![Milky Way over La Silla telescope](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cTfeuVeEKYZ64sUX7ZWbxX-320-80.jpg)
Milky Weigh: New Method Pins Down Our Galaxy's Mass
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
Astronomers now have a much better idea of just how much the Milky Way weighs.
![A fake UFO hovers over a house in a black and white image](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kEufWn6VYztBo7pdgg6YqN-320-80.jpg)
Alien Life May Be Rare in Our Galaxy Today
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
The hunt for E.T. may have gotten more difficult. New research suggests that alien life may not be as widespread as we had hoped.
![Intermediate-mass black hole candidate](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kT9pXoGNYuSuBEG2LtBBTC-320-80.jpg)
Rarely Seen Middleweight Black Hole Gobbles Star
By Nola Taylor Tillman published
A rare, midsize black hole has been spotted as it devours a star. Intermediate-mass black holes are typically challenging to spot; the new finding is the best observation to date.