COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado — Asteroid Apophis is set to whisk by Earth in 2029 and serve as a wake-up call for getting our planetary defense act together.
Astronomers have shown that the huge chunk of extraterrestrial real estate will not hit Earth in 2029, but will come closer to Earth than our geostationary communications satellites. Radar measurements estimate Apophis is roughly 1,500 feet…
Looking for a star projector that’ll bathe a whole room in a cosmic display? At just $25, you can’t go wrong with this Fliti Galaxy Projector, but it’s a limited time deal so you’ll have to hurry.
Sick of star projectors disappointing you with their displays? Then…
NASA astronaut Don Pettit is showing off his pride and joy: a potato named “Spudnik.”
In their very minimal “free time,” astronauts aboard the International Space Station generally play instruments, make art, take photos, and more. But Pettit spent his time making…
A new citizen science project invites the public to scan never-before-seen images from the Euclid Space Telescope in search of galaxies bending spacetime.
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA), the initiative, called Space Warps, uses data from Euclid to crowdsource the search for rare cosmic distortions known as gravitational lenses. These occur when massive foreground objects such as galaxies…
What is quantum gravity? Scientists think it could explain the beginning of our universe
April 30, 2026
Scientists have redefined gravity to explain the Big Bang and perhaps change our picture of the earliest moments of the cosmos. This new framework of “quantum gravity” may explain aspects of the Big Bang that Albert Einstein’s 1915 theory of gravity, general…
Planets may form more easily around pairs of stars than around single stars like the sun, according to new research.
Binary star systems, in which two stars orbit each other, are common throughout the Milky Way — and, in fact, even our sun may not have always been alone.
Aurora expert captures rare pulsating northern lights in remarkable detail: 'One of the most profound sightings of my career'
April 29, 2026
When Tom Kerss, chief aurora chaser for the Norwegian coastal voyage operator Hurtigruten, was looking back through footage from his latest season of northern lights voyages, he stumbled upon something truly remarkable.
“I’ve been chasing the Northern Lights for more than 18 years, and this occurrence is one of the most profound sightings of my career and the most memorable night of…
By peering through thick veils of gas and dust, radio astronomers have been able to watch young binary stars orbit around one another in the heart of star-forming clouds – and, in the process, have revealed the stars’ masses.
Stars are born in vast clouds of molecular…
Could the moon ever be blockaded? Experts predict cislunar space could be the next Strait of Hormuz
April 29, 2026
The ongoing military conflict regarding Iran and the Strait of Hormuz may well mirror a future situation off-Earth — the use of cislunar space, the region between the moon and our planet. Think blockades, seizing of ships, impacts on the global economy, repercussions in…
Astrobotic fires next-generation 'rotating detonation rocket engine' in record-breaking test (video)
April 28, 2026
Pittsburgh-based Astrobotic has completed a successful series of hot-fire tests of its rotating detonation rocket engine prototype Chakram, marking a key milestone toward bringing the experimental propulsion technology to flight readiness.
Rotating detonation rocket engines (RDREs) work differently from conventional designs. Typical rocket engines rely on a steady, controlled process of…
