Science & Astronomy

Latest

Graphic showing the moon phases and dates in November. The full moon is Nov. 8, the Third Quarter is Nov. 16, the New Moon is Nov. 23 and the First Quarter is Nov. 30.

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2022

By Tariq Malik last updated

Reference See the phase of the moon tonight and the rest of the moon phases for 2022, and when you can see them.

Reference
Protons are subatomic particles that form the nucleus of an atom.

Protons: The essential building blocks of atoms

By Keith Cooper published

Reference Protons are ubiquitous in the universe. They are found in the nuclei of all atoms and play a crucial role in how stars shine.

Reference
An artist's depiction of a star eating its planet.

Planet-killing stars can cover up their crimes. Here's how we could catch them.

By Paul Sutter published

Astronomers have found a way to catch planet-murdering stars red-handed and figured out how long we have until the case grows cold.

launch screenshot of rocket launching

SpaceX Dragon launches science, solar arrays to International Space Station

By Elizabeth Howell published

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft launched science and solar arrays to the International Space Station on Saturday.

The crater-riddled far side of the moon seen by the Orion spacecraft.

The top space stories of the week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated

The sunlight-riding LightSail 2 ends its mission, Artemis 1 flies close to the moon and Europe announces its newest astronauts. These are some of this week's top stories.

Close-up view of the lunar surface captured by the Orion spacecraft's onboard optical navigation camera during the mission's closest approach to the lunar surface on Nov. 21, 2022.

Space photos: The most amazing images this week!

By Doris Elin Urrutia last updated

A small Mars helicopter flies again, Artemis I takes lunar close-ups and astronaut finalists take the stage in Paris. These are some of this week's top photos.

Artist's illustration of NASA's BioSentinel cubesat, which launched with the Artemis 1 mission on Nov. 16, 2022.

Artemis 1's BioSentinel cubesat aces lunar flyby, readies for biology mission

By Andrew Jones published

The shoebox-sized BioSentinel spacecraft, which launched on NASA's Artemis 1 mission, is all set to begin its deep-space biology experiment after making a flyby of the moon.

An artist's depiction of a gas giant exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star.

Weird young super-Jupiter challenges theories of planet formation

By Robert Lea published

A weird planet with the diameter of Jupiter but eight times its mass has left astronomers questioning current theories about planet formation.

An image of a solar flare captured by the HXI instrument aboard China's ASO-S spacecraft on Nov. 11, 2022.

China's new solar probe snaps its 1st image of the sun (photo)

By Andrew Jones published

China's recently launched Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S) has returned its first image, showing an M-class flare erupting on the sun.

The city of Buffalo in the north of the U.S. covered in six feet of snow fallowing an extreme Lake Effect snowfall.

Pictures from space! Our image of the day

By Space.com Staff published

European Earth-observing satellite Sentinel-2 watched from orbit as a record-breaking amount of snow blanketed the city of Buffalo in the north of the U.S.

An artist's depiction of the twin Janus spacecraft.

NASA asteroid smallsats stranded by Psyche delay

By Andrew Jones published

NASA has removed the twin Janus smallsats from the Psyche asteroid mission after launch delays meant Janus would not be able to meet its science goals.

An illustration of a short gamma-ray burst traced back to its galaxy of origin.

Astronomers trace 84 bright blasts to colliding stars in ancient galaxies

By Robert Lea published

Astronomers have traced mysterious short gamma-ray bursts back to active star-forming galaxies in the distant early universe.

multicolored circular shape against black background

China tests novel 'lobster eye' X-ray telescope for observing cosmic events

By Andrew Jones published

A novel "lobster eye" telescope aboard a small Chinese satellite has delivered its first images, paving the way for more complex future missions using its technology.

A visualisation of the European ExoMars rover on the surface of the Red Planet.

Europe's record-breaking space budget to save beleaguered ExoMars rover

By Tereza Pultarova published

European Space Agency member states approved a record-breaking nearly 17 billion Euro budget that will help cover the cost of rebuilding the landing platform of the beleaguered ExoMars rover.

Time travel graphic illustration of a tunnel visualising speed and technology.

Is time travel possible?

By Vicky Stein, Ailsa Harvey last updated

Reference You are time-traveling right now, but how does real time travel differ to that of science fiction? Here, we explore some of the theories behind time travel and the science that supports time-bending.

Reference
Brightest stars: A star-studded sky with the bulge of the Milky Way stretching diagonally from top left to bottom right. A person is sitting on a rock in the foreground and looking up at the celestial light show.

The brightest stars in the sky: A guide

By Andrew May published

Reference Here we explore some of the brightest stars in our night sky. These luminous stars have been a familiar sight to humans since ancient times.

Reference
Artist's illustration of dark energy showing dark filaments filling a vast space and a bright blue light towards the left side of the image.

What is dark energy?

By Robert Lea published

Reference The dominating form of energy in the cosmos dark energy is driving the accelerating expansion of the universe, but its nature remains a mystery.

Reference
a large silver diamond shape with a beam connecting it to a rock, all against a starry background

NASA's Artemis 1 launched a solar sail cubesat to an asteroid. It may be in trouble.

By Meghan Bartels published

A tiny asteroid explorer that launched on NASA's moon mission last week still hasn't phoned home.

Jay Pasachoff views an annular solar eclipse in 2016. (Pasachoff is wearing solar viewing glasses, not regular sunglasses).

Astronomer and solar eclipse expert Jay Pasachoff dies at age 79

By Robert Lea published

Jay Pasachoff perhaps witnessed more solar eclipses than anyone else. But his greatest contribution to science may have been his public outreach and inspiration of future generations of scientists.

a robotic arm in the foreground, a reddish brown rocky landscape in the background

NASA's Perseverance rover opens a window to Mars' watery past

By Briley Lewis published

The Perseverance rover is approaching its one-year anniversary since landing on Feb. 18, 2021 — one Mars year, that is.