Astronomers have discovered that an aging red giant star has a closely orbiting stellar companion, which could be causing havoc to the star’s processes. The discovery could help researchers better understand what will happen to Earth and the other solar system planets when the sun transforms into a red giant about five billion years from now.
The red giant in question is π1 Gruis, which…
Flagship European space science missions conducted in collaboration with NASA face a possible combined funding shortfall of nearly $2 billion due to budget cuts put forward by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. The European Space Agency hopes its member…
As our black hole images get more detailed, we may find Einstein wasn't quite right about them
November 19, 2025
New research suggests future images of black holes could be precise enough to allow scientists to determine if these objects are accurately described by Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity, general relativity — or if they are best modeled by alternative…
I’ve been fortunate enough to catch several northern lights displays in just a few years, including from my own backyard in Nottingham, U.K. (thank you Gannon Storm 2024). As an aurora reporter, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “Where’s the best place to see them?”
Here’s what I tell everyone: For your best chance, you’ll want to head above the…
Astrophotographer spies an ancient supernova remnant shining in the wing of a cosmic swan (photo)
November 18, 2025
Dutch astrophotographer Cornelis van Zuilen combined 35 hours of telescopic data to create an incandescent view of the Eastern Veil Nebula shining 2,100 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus.
Van Zuilen’s nebula image reveals breathtaking detail in these…
How the sun threatens your nuts: Inside the $100 million solar storm peanut problem
November 18, 2025
With solar activity likely to remain elevated for the next couple of years, more powerful geomagnetic storm events are possible. The northern lights may grab the headlines, but it’s the invisible GPS turbulence that can disrupt our technological world and determine the…
Mars may have had its own version of an Ice Age that reshaped parts of the Red Planet and carved deep “scratches” in its surface that remain visible today.
New high-resolution images from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars Express orbiter show ridges, troughs and swirl-like textures that bear a remarkable resemblance to glacial formations on Earth. Spotted in a rugged…
Next stop, not Mars: Why NASA's twin ESCAPADE probes are taking the long way to the Red Planet after Blue Origin launch
November 17, 2025
For the first time in more than five years, humanity has launched a mission to Mars — but it won’t be arriving at the Red Planet anytime soon.
NASA’s twin ESCAPADE probes launched Thursday (Nov. 13) on the second-ever flight of Blue Origin’s powerful New…
China's Shenzhou 20 astronauts return to Earth on different spacecraft after finding window cracks in their own (video)
November 17, 2025
The three astronauts of China’s Shenzhou 20 mission safely touched down on the Dongfeng Landing Site in China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region shortly before 3.45 a.m. EST (0845 GMT) on Nov. 14, after spending over 6 months in low-Earth orbit aboard the…
ESA's Role in NASA's Orion Mission Explained
November 14, 2025
The European Space Agency (ESA) has completed the service module for NASA’s Orion spaceship, which is meant to take the nearly cancelled Artemis 4 mission to the moon.
The module, which is supposed to be shipped to NASA this week, was nearly not needed after the Trump administration revealed plans to discontinue Orion and its rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), after the Artemis 3 mission…
