Space News
20 Years of Hubble Photos Show how the Stingray Nebula is Fading
Universe Today - 7 Dec 2020 03:47
The Stingray Nebula is the youngest known planetary nebula. For half a century astronomers have witnessed its formation, and now they’ve noticed something strange: it’s fading away. "This is very, very dramatic, and ...
This is Not a Photo of the Milky Way. It's the Map of 1.8 Billion Stars From Gaia's Major New Data Release
Universe Today - 7 Dec 2020 01:36
Thanks to the latest data release from the ESA's Gaia mission, researchers are making all kinds of discoveries about the Milky Way and how its structure is evolving over time. The post This is Not a Photo of the Milky Wa...
Jupiter and Saturn Will Form Rare "Christmas Star" on Winter Solstice
Discover - 7 Dec 2020 19:00
On December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer in Earth's night sky than they have since 1226 A.D. You can watch the event live here, courtesy of Lowell Observatory.
World's largest atom smasher could seed microscopic black holes
SPACE.com - 7 Dec 2020 14:10
If teensy black holes could be produced inside the world's largest atom smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, that would be a boon for physics.
Monitoring European air traffic with Earth observation
ESA - 7 Dec 2020 14:05
In early 2020, ESA launched a contest asking the general public to submit ideas on how Earth observation data can help monitor the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, one of the winning ideas has been integrated into ...
Inouye Solar Telescope Releases First Image Of A Sunspot
SpaceRef - 7 Dec 2020 03:35
The world's largest solar observatory, the U.S. National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, just released its first image of a sunspot....
Supercomputer Simulations Could Unlock Mystery of the Moon's Formation
SpaceRef - 7 Dec 2020 03:32
Astronomers have taken a step towards understanding how the Moon might have formed out of a giant collision between the early Earth and another massive object 4.5 billion years ago....
Asteroid Ryugu dust delivered to Earth; NASA astrobiologists prepare to probe it
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 23:47
On Dec. 6 local time (Dec. 5 in the United States), Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa2 dropped a capsule to the ground of the Australian Outback from about 120 miles (or 200 kilometers) above Earth's surface. Inside that caps...
SpaceX capsules parked side-by-side at station for 1st time
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 23:40
A SpaceX supply ship bearing Christmas goodies arrived at the International Space Station on Monday, parking alongside another Dragon capsule that carried up astronauts three weeks ago.
New sunspot cycle could be one of the strongest on record, new research predicts
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 23:32
In direct contradiction to the official forecast, a team of scientists led by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is predicting that the Sunspot Cycle that started this fall could be one of the strongest ...
SpaceX wins big share of $9.2B RDOF broadband subsidy
Space News - 7 Dec 2020 23:10
SpaceX won $888 million of the $9.2 billion in broadband subsidies the FCC awarded Dec. 7 under its Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase 1 auction. SpaceNews
China plants its flag on the moon with Chang'e 5 lunar lander (photo, video)
SPACE.com - 7 Dec 2020 22:54
The sample-collecting Chang'e 5 moon lander deployed a small version of China's five-star red flag on Thursday (Dec. 3), shortly before the mission's attached ascent vehicle launched into lunar orbit.
What Explains the Decline of Serial Killers?
Discover - 7 Dec 2020 22:50
Since a dramatic peak in the 1980s, serial killers in the U.S. have been in decline for three decades. Experts have a few theories that can help explain why.
SpaceX's 1st upgraded Dragon cargo ship docks itself at space station with science, goodies and new airlock
SPACE.com - 7 Dec 2020 21:20
A SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station today (Dec. 7) to deliver vital supplies for NASA and try something brand-new: park itself without the help of astronauts.
A Sunspot Seen by the Most Powerful Solar Telescope in the World
Universe Today - 7 Dec 2020 21:14
A new image from the world's largest solar observatory shows a spectacular, high resolution view of a gigantic sunspot. The sunpspot measures about 16,000 km (10,000 miles) across, large enough that Earth could fit insid...
Japanese Space Capsule Carrying Pristine Asteroid Samples Lands in Australia
Scientific American - 7 Dec 2020 20:30
Gathered by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft, the material from asteroid Ryugu will deepen scientists’ knowledge of early solar system history --
Scientists get the lowdown on sun's super-hot atmosphere
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 19:50
A phenomenon first detected in the solar wind may help solve a long-standing mystery about the sun: why the solar atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than the surface.
Human muscle cells hitch a ride as SpaceX launches supply mission to space station
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 19:50
A SpaceX capsule full of science experiments studying everything from asteroid mining to in-flight medical treatment launched from Florida to the International Space Station on Sunday, in hopes the research will further ...
In their closest alignment in 800 years, Jupiter and Saturn will create a wonder: A Christmas Star
Phys.org - 7 Dec 2020 19:39
The lousiest year in living memory will end with an offering of heavenly wonder: a Christmas Star.
NASA Defines Science Priorities for First Crewed Artemis Landing on Moon
NASA Breaking news - 7 Dec 2020 19:28Who Has the Right Stuff to be a Private Astronaut?
Discover - 7 Dec 2020 18:30
For more than half a century, astronauts and test pilots have been judged by whether or not they have "the right stuff." But what does that mean in an era when anyone can buy a ticket to space?
Asteroid Ryugu Dust Delivered to Earth; NASA Astrobiologists Prepare to Probe It
PTTU - 7 Dec 2020 17:30
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center: