Stefanie Waldek

Space.com contributing writer Stefanie Waldek is a self-taught space nerd and aviation geek who is passionate about all things spaceflight and astronomy. With a background in travel and design journalism, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, she specializes in the budding space tourism industry and Earth-based astrotourism. In her free time, you can find her watching rocket launches or looking up at the stars, wondering what is out there. Learn more about her work at www.stefaniewaldek.com.

Articles by: Stefanie Waldek

Rocket exhaust pollution in the upper atmosphere might affect Earth's climate

By Stefanie Waldek published 23 May 22

A new study reveals how air pollution from rocket launches spreads in Earth's atmosphere.

A small white dwarf star pulls material off a companion star

This tiny space rock might be the 1st physical evidence of a rare supernova

By Stefanie Waldek published 20 May 22

Scientists who analyzed the chemical composition of a space rock called the Hypatia stone suspect they have discovered evidence of a rare type of supernova.

An artist's impression of a white dwarf nova.

Scientists witness a white dwarf's massive X-ray explosion for the 1st time ever

By Stefanie Waldek published 18 May 22

European scientists used the eROSITA X-ray telescope to observe a white dwarf nova for the first time.

Artist's impression of NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The Super Flower Blood Moon eclipse will leave these lunar spacecraft in the dark

By Stefanie Waldek published 15 May 22

The Super Flower Blood Moon lunar eclipse means solar power trouble for spacecraft on the moon

Illustration of radiation such as alpha particles released from atomic nucleus. A glowing orange ball with black background.

Alpha particles and alpha radiation: Explained

By Stefanie Waldek published 13 May 22

Reference Alpha particles, also known as alpha radiation, are the star players in the game of alpha decay — here's everything you need to know.

Artist's illustration showing a small moon Amalthea in the foreground and Jupiter in the background.

Amalthea: Jupiter’s unusual inner moon

By Stefanie Waldek published 13 May 22

Reference Learn about Jupiter’s weird inner moon Amalthea. It was not only the fifth Jovian satellite to be discovered, but it is also the fifth-largest.

A view of the tunnel housing part of the upgraded Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser.

A particle accelerator is now colder than space to produce 1 million X-ray pulses a second

By Stefanie Waldek published 12 May 22

At that temperature, the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser will be able to accelerate electrons close to the speed of light.

This is the first-ever image of a black hole as seen by the Event Horizon Telescope.

Watch the Event Horizon Telescope's 'groundbreaking' Milky Way discovery online today

By Stefanie Waldek published 12 May 22

Science institutions around the world will stream press conferences announcing the discovery; here's your guide to tuning in.

Carbon dioxide frost appears light blue in these images captured by NASA's Mars Odyssey rover.

Mars sports 'invisible' frost and dust avalanches, and scientists may finally know why

By Stefanie Waldek published 9 May 22

Martian frost may be camouflaged by dust, which could cause dust avalanches.

An illustration comparing the TRAPPIST-1 system of exoplanets and the inner solar system.

Rocky alien worlds may need to be young to support life

By Stefanie Waldek published 8 May 22

Scientists suggest that one of the key characteristics of a life-supporting, rocky exoplanet is that it needs to be young enough to generate heat through radioactive decay.

This image shows a wider view of the interacting galaxies NGC 1512 and NGC 1510 as seen by the Dark Energy Camera on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile operated by the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab.

Dark Energy Camera spies 'galactic ballet' of galaxies in stunning space photo

By Stefanie Waldek published 5 May 22

The total lunar eclipse on Sept. 27, 2015, as seen from Washington, D.C.

A total lunar eclipse will turn the moon red the night of May 15

By Stefanie Waldek published 3 May 22

This year's first lunar eclipse — one of two — will be able to be seen across the majority of the Americas.

An illustration of the new radar system being developed by National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the Green Bank Observatory.

Ground-based radar could be one of our best tools against asteroids, new decadal survey finds

By Stefanie Waldek published 3 May 22

According to the new decadal survey, one of the best tools to help protect the planet against the impact of near-Earth Objects (NEOs) is ground-based planetary radar.

An artist’s impression of a post-starbust galaxy.

These rare galaxies aren't forming stars like they should, and scientists don't know why

By Stefanie Waldek published 3 May 22

Post-starburst galaxies were once thought to expel their star-forming gas, creating a dormant galaxy. But new data shows otherwise.

Six images of Saturn's moon Titan that incorporate 13 years of data gathered by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

Saturn's weird moon Titan looks a bit like Earth, and scientists might finally know why

By Stefanie Waldek published 1 May 22

A new theory explains why Saturn's moon Titan looks a bit like Earth, though made of completely different stuff.

NASA's Spirit rover photographed this olivine-rich rock in the Gusev Crater on Mars in 2005.

Strange Mars rock type points to extremely violent volcanic eruptions

By Stefanie Waldek published 1 May 22

An unusual rock type spotted by two Mars rovers may indicate that the Martian landscape was shaped by cataclysmic volcanic eruptions.

A fireball observed by the CA000P Global Meteor Network camera in Ontario on April 17, 2022.

Fireball! Scientists advise meteorites may be scattered across southern Ontario

By Stefanie Waldek published 25 April 22

On Sunday (April 17), skywatching cameras in Ontario recorded a massive fireball that likely produced tens to hundreds of grams of meteorites.

An artist's depiction of the recurrent nova system RS Ophiuchi.

Violent stellar explosion produces highest-energy gamma-rays ever observed from a nova

By Stefanie Waldek published 23 April 22

The nova system RS Ophiuchi produced extremely high-energy gamma-rays in its most recent explosion, according to observations by the dual MAGIC telescopes in Spain's Canary Islands.

An artist's depiction of binary black holes.

Overlooked gravitational wave signals point to 'exotic' black hole scenarios

By Stefanie Waldek published 21 April 22

In a new analysis of their gravitational wave data, scientists with the international LIGO-Virgo Collaboration have discovered 10 new examples of merging binary black holes.

Pow! Scientists spot new 'micronova' stellar explosion

By Stefanie Waldek published 20 April 22

Astronomers have observed and identified a new type of thermonuclear stellar explosion — a micronova. It's a million times less powerful than a standard nova and lasts just a few hours.

The Butterfly Nebula, also known as W40, as seen by NASA's now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope.

Butterfly Nebula glows red in spectacular image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope

By Stefanie Waldek published 15 April 22

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope captured an image of the aptly named Butterfly Nebula, also known as Westerhout 40 (W40).

NASA's Artemis 1 Space Launch System moon rocket stands atop Launch Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida during a fueling test on April 4, 2022.

NASA aiming for big 2023 thanks to generous budget request

By Stefanie Waldek published 12 April 22

The $26 billion NASA budget allocation for 2023 will help advance the agency's Artemis program, space and Earth science efforts, X-plane development, and commercial partnerships.

An artist's rendering of a space telescope built with a liquid lens.

A private Ax-1 astronaut will test making a liquid telescope mirror in space

By Stefanie Waldek published 11 April 22

Ax-1's Mission Specialist Eytan Stibbe will perform the Fluidic Telescope Experiment (FLUTE), investigating the use of liquids to construct telescope lenses in microgravity.

The James Webb Space Telescope is protected from the sun's and Earth's heat by a giant shield.

James Webb Space Telescope's most heat-sensitive instrument continues cooling to absolute zero

By Stefanie Waldek published 8 April 22

The James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument needs to cool down almost to absolute zero, the temperature where the motion of atoms stops, before it can start observing the universe.

A total solar eclipse photographed from Madras, Oregon, in 2017.

We're two years away from the Great North American Solar Eclipse of April 8, 2024!

By Stefanie Waldek published 8 April 22

Book your travel, buy your glasses, and get ready for the show of the decade on April 8, 2024