Astronomy (Page 22)

Latest in Astronomy

NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine published a bold essay outlining the space agency's plan to return astronauts to the Moon.

NASA Head: “This Time, When We Go to the Moon, We Will Stay.”

By Jon Christian

$Researchers at the University of Arizona designed an inflatable sailplane that could explore Mars at a fraction of the cost of a rover or satellite.$

Researchers Propose An Inflatable Sailplane to Explore Mars

By Victor Tangermann

A team of students created a design for a Moon base that involves placing inflatable modules in craters and covering them with rock.

Beautiful Moon Base Concept Puts Inflatable Modules in Craters

By Kristin Houser

Beautiful New Photo Shows the Moon With Earth In the Background

Beautiful New Photo Shows the Moon With Earth In the Background

By Victor Tangermann

Elon Musk announced a streamlined version of SpaceX's Raptor engine design that will take Starship to space and beyond as well.

Elon Musk’s New Goal: “Reach the Moon as Fast as Possible”

By Victor Tangermann

Actually, “It’s Colder than Mars” Could be True Year-Round

Actually, “It’s Colder than Mars” Could be True Year-Round

By Sarah Marquart

U.S. President Donald Trump offered NASA unlimited funding if it meant the agency could send a crewed mission to Mars by the end of his first term.

Trump Offered NASA an Unlimited Budget if It Sent Humans to Mars

By Jon Christian

Scientists published more data about an exoplanet named K2-22b, just one of three ever observed to be disintegrating in real time.

Astronomers Are Watching as a Neptune-Sized Exoplanet Disintegrates

By Dan Robitzski

Later this year, NASA might decide to fund a Johns Hopkins University mission that would send a drone to Saturn's largest moon Titan.

A Team of Scientists Want to Land a Drone on Saturn’s Largest Moon

By Victor Tangermann

China's space agency renewed its promises to launch future Mars exploration missions — including a mission to Mars as early as next year.

China Plans to Launch Its First Mars Lander Mission Next Year

By Victor Tangermann

Science journalists were obsessed with a seedling sprouted by China's Moon lander. The only problem: the Moon plant is already dead.

Bad News: That Moon Plant Everybody Was Talking About Is Dead

By Jon Christian

China announced Monday that the country's space program plans to launch three more lunar missions, with the eventual goal of an international Moon base.

China Announces Plans for Moon Base

By Jon Christian

China’s Lander Just Sprouted First-Ever Plants on the Moon

China’s Lander Just Sprouted First-Ever Plants on the Moon

By Victor Tangermann

The chair of Harvard University's Astronomy Department defended his controversial hypothesis that an interstellar object could be an alien probe.

Harvard Astronomer Defends Hypothesis That Object Is Alien Probe

By Jon Christian

In a new interview, a Harvard astronomer opens up about the hunt for alien life — and what first alien contact would mean for human civilization.

Harvard Astronomer Predicts What First Alien Contact Will Be Like

By Jon Christian

Barnard's Star b, a nearby exoplanet, could have 'life zones' under its frigid surface, according to a team of astrophysicists.

One of the Closest Exoplanets to Earth Could Support Alien Life

By Kristin Houser

China's moon lander just sent back more pictures, including a 360 degree panorama, and a video taken during its landing.

Here’s a 360 Degree Lunar Panorama Taken by China’s Moon Lander

By Victor Tangermann

wow! aliens seti comet

The 40-Year Old Mystery of the “Wow!” Signal Was Just Solved

The Chinese moon rover could be scoping out whether the Moon could be a source for helium-3, a fuel that could make it a gateway to interplanetary missions.

The Chinese Moon Rover Could Be Scouting for Interplanetary Fuel

By Jon Christian

See China’s Lunar Rover Set Off Across the Far Side of the Moon

See China’s Lunar Rover Set Off Across the Far Side of the Moon

By Victor Tangermann

In a world's first, Chinese lunar probe Chang'e-4 just touched down on the far side of the moon -- the more mysterious, and lesser known side.

China Just Landed a Rover on the Far Side of the Moon

By Victor Tangermann

A new lightweight drill, originally built to probe beneath the surface of Mars, is being used instead to drill down to Antarctica's bedrock.

A Drill Built for Mars Will Probe Antarctic Bedrock

By Dan Robitzski

New calculations suggest that Jupiter's moons could have active tidal waves, much like those here on Earth, under their thick icy shells.

The Moons of Jupiter and Saturn Could Have Earth-Like Tidal Waves

By Jon Christian

On Friday, Elon Musk speculated that a sophisticated artificial intelligence might touch down on the Red Planet before the first human Mars settler.

Elon Musk Thinks the First Mars Settler Could Be an AI

By Jon Christian

According to Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, crewed missions to Mars and hyped-up chatter of settling the planet are all a waste of time and money.

Apollo Astronaut: It Would Be “Stupid” to Send People to Mars

By Dan Robitzski

For the last 15 years, NASA and ESA scientists have found signs of methane in Mars' atmosphere. But a recent survey by an ESA orbiter didn't find any.

Scientists Thought Mars Was Covered in Methane. Now It’s Missing

By Dan Robitzski

The ESA has released several photos of a massive ice-filled crater on Mars that are stunning enough to adorn a Christmas card.

See Stunning New Images of a Mars Crater Full of Mile-Thick Ice

By Kristin Houser

NASA's InSight lander just successfully placed its seismometer five feet from itself onto the surface of Mars.

NASA’s Mars Lander Places Instrument to Listen for “Marsquakes”

By Victor Tangermann

A nuclear-powered tunneling bot could burrow through Europa's icy shell to probe its composition and, potentially, access the watery darkness under it.

NASA’s Nuclear-Powered Tunneling Bot Could Hunt for Life on Europa

By Jon Christian

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that launched in 2009 could assist future commercial and international lunar landers.

NASA’s Lunar Orbiter Could Assist Commercial Missions to the Moon

By Victor Tangermann

A new study from scientists at Stony Brook University found that moon dust particles could react with human cells — and potentially lead to cancer.

Breathing in Moon Dust Could be Even More Toxic Than We Thought

By Victor Tangermann

A Chinese lander destined for the side of the Moon — the side that always faces away from the Earth — has now entered lunar orbit.

China’s Moon Lander Just Entered Lunar Orbit

By Jon Christian

Building telescopes and other things in space, rather than on Earth, would vastly improve our ability to watch and explore the cosmos.

The Search for Aliens May Depend on In-Space Assembly

By Dan Robitzski

NASA's team at JPL just recorded the first sounds from the Martian surface ever to be heard back on Earth.

A World First: Listen to the Sounds of Mars

By Victor Tangermann

China just successfully launched a rocket with a lunar rover on board that will hopefully get the first-ever close-up look at the dark side of the Moon.

China Launches First-Ever Lander Headed to Far Side of Moon

By Victor Tangermann

In a new essay, think tank president and consultant Marko Kovic breaks down four unresolved legal and political challenges for off-world civilizations.

Four Legal Challenges to Resolve Before Settling on Mars

By Dan Robitzski

The InSight team at JPL have discovered that the spacecraft landed at a four degree angle in a large, sand-filled impact crater.

NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Landed in a “Large Sandbox” at a Slight Angle

By Victor Tangermann

China is officially launching its Chang'e--4 rover and probe on December 8, and it's planning to land them on the far side of the moon near the South Pole.

China to Land First-Ever Rover on Dark Side of the Moon

By Victor Tangermann

On Tuesday, NASA announced the nine companies it has contracted to help transport astronauts and cargo to the Moon within the next 12 years.

These 9 Companies Will Help NASA Return Humans to the Moon

By Kristin Houser

NASA and JPL have announced its InSight lander is officially collecting solar power on the Martian surface — completing yet another critical step.

NASA’s InSight Mars Lander Fires up Solar Cells and Sends Selfie

By Victor Tangermann

The successful landing of NASA's InSight probe on Mars set the internet ablaze Monday afternoon. Here's what the world had to say about the mission.

The World Reacts to the Success of NASA’s InSight Mars Lander

By Kristin Houser

Breaking: NASA’s InSight Lander Just Landed on Mars

Breaking: NASA’s InSight Lander Just Landed on Mars

By Victor Tangermann

NASA's InSight rover will land on Mars one way or another on Monday. Here's how you can tune in and watch how it goes down.

Here’s how to Watch NASA’s InSight Rover Land on Mars

By Dan Robitzski

A Ticket to the Moon: An Out-of-this-World Journey

A Ticket to the Moon: An Out-of-this-World Journey

By Sarah Marquart

During an interview with Axios, Elon Musk said he thinks there's a 70% chance he will go to Mars himself — and not just for a short visit.

Elon Musk Says There’s a 70 Percent Chance He’ll Move to Mars

By Kristin Houser

Scientists Are 3D Printing Fake Moon Dust Into Useful Objects

Scientists Are 3D Printing Fake Moon Dust Into Useful Objects

By Victor Tangermann

The Arecibo Observatory has unveiled the details of its New Arecibo Message global challenge, a contest to craft a new message to aliens.

Here’s How You Can Help Scientists Craft a Message to Aliens

By Kristin Houser

Noted science educator Bill Nye thinks people would need to be on drugs to believe we could turn Mars into a place where humans could live.

Bill Nye on Terraforming Mars: “Are You Guys High?”

By Kristin Houser

A giant space laser, built with mostly-existing technology, could serve as a homing beacon for any aliens that might be out there.

A Giant Space Laser on Earth Could Blast Messages at Alien Planets

By Dan Robitzski

Researchers discover that one area of the Red Planet was likely once home to dozens of Martian lakes, giving us a clue in the hunt for evidence of life.

Mars Used To Be Dotted With Life-Friendly Lakes

By Kristin Houser

Veloce, a new astronomical tool that can spot Earth-sized planets tightly orbiting dim stars, was just installed in an Australian observatory.

This Upgraded Telescope Hunts Exoplanets Orbiting Dim Stars

By Dan Robitzski

artificial moon

There’s No Way China’s Artificial Moon Will Work, Says Expert

By Kristin Houser

Scientists want to craft an updated version of the Arecibo Message, a radio communication that marked humanity's first attempt to talk to aliens.

Scientists Want Your Help Crafting a Message to Aliens

By Kristin Houser

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NASA Thinks Its Opportunity Mars Rover Might Be Truly Kaput

By Kristin Houser

Researchers: Mars Might Have Enough Oxygen For Underground Life

Researchers: Mars Might Have Enough Oxygen For Underground Life

By Jon Christian

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Future Mars Colonists Could Fly Rockets They 3D Printed Right on the Red Planet

By Jon Christian

Made of Mars says it's developing the technology to convert Martian minerals into materials we can use to "build the space civilization of tomorrow."

Here’s How We’ll Build Things Using Mars’ Natural Resources

By Jon Christian

The Chinese city of Chengdu plans to launch an artificial moon into the sky to provide light during the night, eliminated the need for streetlights.

A Chinese City Plans to Replace Its Streetlights With an Artificial Moon

By Kristin Houser

Watch the Boston Dynamics Robodog Twerk and Moonwalk to “Uptown Funk”

Watch the Boston Dynamics Robodog Twerk and Moonwalk to “Uptown Funk”

By Kristin Houser

SpaceX’s First Tourist Isn’t Worried About Training for His Trip to the Moon

SpaceX’s First Tourist Isn’t Worried About Training for His Trip to the Moon

By Kristin Houser

Researchers Identify the “Missing Link” in the Chemistry of Saturn’s Largest Moon

Researchers Identify the “Missing Link” in the Chemistry of Saturn’s Largest Moon

By Kristin Houser

Lockheed Martin is proposing to send a four-crew lunar lander from the Lunar Gateway to the surface of the moon. And it weighs a ton.

Lockheed Martin’s Giant Moon Lander Is an Absolute Unit

By Victor Tangermann

Researchers Think They’ve Discovered the First Moon Outside Our Solar System

Researchers Think They’ve Discovered the First Moon Outside Our Solar System

By Kristin Houser

The Arch Foundation plans to encode important books and crowdsourced images into synthetic DNA molecules and store them on the Moon.

A Nonprofit Plans to Store Human Knowledge in DNA and Store It on the Moon

By Jon Christian