Astronomy - Part 3
81 reports
Rocket Launch Costs Plummet but New Barriers Emerge for Space Access
A new analysis of more than 4,400 launches reveals that the average cost to send a kilogram to orbit has dropped by 96% since 1960, but future reductions may be limited by debris, market dominance, and geopolitical shifts
How the Heliosphere Shields the Solar System from Interstellar Space
Researchers are mapping the heliosphere, the vast bubble created by the solar wind that surrounds the Sun and planets, to understand how it protects the solar system from cosmic radiation and shapes planetary environments
Curiosity Rover Reveals Ancient Sandstorm Evidence on Mars
NASA's Curiosity rover has imaged Martian rocks shaped by a powerful ancient sandstorm, offering new insight into the Red Planet's dynamic past and the processes that once shaped its surface
Atmosphere detected on rocky exoplanet in habitable zone
Astronomers have identified helium escaping from LHS 1140 b, a super-Earth orbiting in its star's habitable zone, using infrared spectroscopy. The finding offers the strongest evidence yet that a rocky exoplanet can retain an atmosphere for billions of years
Webb Telescope Maps Gas Feeding a Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have mapped gas flows around a supermassive black hole, revealing a self-regulating cycle that may explain rapid black hole growth in the early universe
Hayabusa2's Risky Asteroid Flyby Yields Unprecedented Close-Up Data
Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft has captured detailed images and thermal data of the near-Earth asteroid Torifune after a high-speed flyby, following intense debate over the mission's safety and scientific value
Webb Telescope Uses Gravitational Lensing to Reveal Ancient Galaxies
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed image of the galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342, using gravitational lensing to magnify galaxies from the universe's first billion years
Astronomers Warn of Night Sky Risks From Sun-Reflecting Satellite
A private company has received regulatory approval to launch a satellite equipped with a large reflective surface, aiming to direct sunlight to Earth after dark. Astronomers and scientific organizations are raising concerns about the impact on astronomical observations and public safety.
Asteroid Apophis to Make Exceptionally Close Approach in 2029
Researchers have mapped the 2029 flyby of asteroid Apophis, predicting that up to 90% of Earth's population could see the object with the naked eye as it passes closer than many satellites, offering a rare opportunity for direct observation
Dark Energy Camera Reveals Star Formation in Corona Australis Cloud
The Dark Energy Camera has imaged the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud, capturing intricate details of a nearby star-forming region and highlighting the interplay of gas, dust, and young stars in one of the closest stellar nurseries to Earth
Extreme Solar Storms May Exceed Previous Impact Estimates
A new analysis of solar wind data suggests that the most powerful solar storms could cause greater geomagnetic disturbances on Earth than previously calculated, with implications for satellites and power grids
Atmosphere Detected on Rocky Exoplanet in Habitable Zone
Astronomers have directly detected helium in the atmosphere of LHS 1140 b, a rocky exoplanet orbiting within its star's habitable zone, using infrared spectroscopy. The finding raises new questions about atmospheric survival and planetary habitability.
Webb Telescope Reveals Merging Young Galaxy Cluster 4.4 Billion Light-Years Away
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the galaxy cluster MACS J0553.4-3342 as it appeared 4.4 billion years ago, capturing two massive sub-clusters in the process of merging and highlighting the gravitational effects shaping distant galaxies
Soyuz MS-29 Launches NASA and Roscosmos Crew to Space Station
A Soyuz rocket has launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina to the International Space Station for a long-duration mission focused on scientific research
Starlink Satellites Face Near-Constant Collision Avoidance in Orbit
SpaceX's Starlink satellites have performed hundreds of thousands of collision avoidance maneuvers in the past year, highlighting the growing challenge of managing orbital traffic and the risks posed by increasing satellite numbers
Gravitational Wave Data Reveals Black Hole Event Horizon Properties
Researchers have extracted direct physical parameters from a black hole event horizon using an unusually strong gravitational wave signal, providing new experimental access to a region previously studied only through theory
Webb Telescope Detects Hidden Giant Planet in Beta Pictoris System
Astronomers have identified a third giant exoplanet in the Beta Pictoris system using the James Webb Space Telescope's spectroscopic capabilities, revealing a world previously concealed by the system's bright debris disk
Curiosity Rover Images Unusual Honeycomb Patterns on Martian Surface
NASA's Curiosity rover has captured detailed images of a honeycomb-like texture on Mars, revealing polygonal surface patterns and scattered dark rocks. Scientists are investigating the origin of these features using in situ rover observations and orbital data
NASA's IXPE Maps Magnetic Field of Unusual Pulsar in Milky Way
Astronomers have used NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer to directly map the magnetic field around the pulsar PSR J1101-6101, revealing how high-energy particles stream through the Milky Way and testing long-standing theoretical predictions
Total Solar Eclipse and Perseid Meteor Shower Align on 12 August 2026
On 12 August 2026, a total solar eclipse will cross parts of Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, coinciding with the Perseid meteor shower and a prominent Venus. Observers in North America and Europe will experience rare overlapping astronomical events
Hidden White Dwarfs Detected Near Earth in Red Dwarf Binaries
Astronomers have identified four white dwarfs concealed by red dwarf companions within 65 light-years, using ultraviolet observations from the Hubble Space Telescope to reveal these elusive stellar remnants
Part 3 of 3