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Space

1020 posts

Stay informed with the latest space news. Explore the wonders of space, from astronomical discoveries to space exploration missions.

Is dark matter made of mysterious 'ghost particles?' Galaxy clusters could hold the answer

January 12, 2026

If dark matter particles decay, then scientists could hunt for signs of this process, including X-ray or gamma-ray radiation or even emitted “ghost particle” neutrinos, in vast clusters of galaxies. Not only could this finally reveal what particles comprise mysterious dark matter, but it could also help astronomers understand the universe’s structure like never before. And new…

Comet 24P/Schaumasse makes its closest approach to the sun today: But will you be able to see it?

January 9, 2026

Heads up! The solar system comet 24P/Schaumasse will make its closest approach to the sun in its current orbit on Jan. 8 during an event known to astronomers as perihelion. Here’s what to expect from the icy wanderer as it reaches peak visibility over the coming…

Space telescopes capture breathtaking galactic hug | Space photo of the day for Jan. 8, 2026

January 9, 2026

Recently, two NASA space telescopes, the James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-Ray Observatory, captured images of two galaxies beginning to collide. NASA released a composite image showing both the visible and X-ray spectra of the collision. The smaller galaxy, IC 2163…

'Super star' being shredded by black hole releases as much energy as 400 billion suns

January 9, 2026

Astronomers have witnessed a cosmic explosion that emitted as much energy as 400 billion suns. The event, which has been nicknamed “the Whippet,” is a staggeringly powerful example of a Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) and is the result of a super-sized star being shredded and devoured by a black hole. TDEs occur when stars wander too close to black holes. The immense gravity surrounding…

I thought I knew the night sky, but what I saw from the Canary Islands left me speechless

January 8, 2026

I should probably start with a confession for someone who writes about the night sky almost every day: until recently, I had never actually seen the Milky Way properly. Not as a bright, structured band stretching across the sky. Not in a way that made me stop and stare. I…

NASA Perseverance rover sees megaripples on Mars | Space photo of the day for Jan. 7, 2026.

January 8, 2026

In a mission update late last month, Perseverance team members described the rover’s most detailed look yet at a class of features called aeolian megaripples, oversized ripples of sand that can rise to around 6.5 feet (about 2 meters) tall. Unlike smaller ripples that…

Winning the Red Planet race: Returning Mars samples before China should be a top US priority, experts say

January 8, 2026

Moon boots and Mars boots: anyway you look at it there are a lot of NASA shoes still to drop. Among the agency’s missions in perpetual déjà vu status is Mars Sample Return (MSR), an attempt to bring samples of the Red Planet back to Earth, an endeavor viewed as a U.S. high priority. However, there’s also been a recurrent whirlwind of fallout about Mars Sample Return in recent years…

This Canadian crater looks like marbled meat | Space photo of the day for Jan. 6, 2026

January 7, 2026

From orbit, Earth often looks more like art than geography. Satellites such as the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel missions are designed to turn that beauty into information. Rather than taking only “normal” photographs, the Sentinel-2 satellites…

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS isn't an alien spacecraft, astronomers confirm. 'In the end, there were no surprises.'

January 7, 2026

Space fans hoping that the intruder from beyond the solar system known as Comet 3I/ATLAS is actually an alien spacecraft may be disappointed by new research that could close the book on this speculation once and for all. Astronomers used the Green Bank Telescope, employed in…

China's next moonshot: Chang'e 7 could search the lunar south pole for water this year

January 7, 2026

China’s next robotic moon mission is scheduled to launch later this year, helping set the stage for the nation’s planned multi-phased lunar outpost. The Chang’e 7 mission is on tap to reconnoiter the moon’s south pole, making use of an orbiter, lander, rover and a water-seeking, well-instrumented lunar hopper. This upcoming moon trek will also help advance the International…