Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Beam Rider: New 'Self-Centering' Laser Sail Could Enable Interstellar Travel
Spacecraft could fly to distant stars using sails with surfaces similar to those of CDs and DVDs to help them stay centered on laser beams, a new study finds.
What we know so far about Boeing plane that crashed in Iran
On Wednesday morning, a Ukraine International Airlines flight carrying 167 passengers and 9 crew en route to Kyiv crashed minutes after takeoff from Tehran’s main airport. Here’s what we know...
Glenn Weiss to direct Oscars telecast for the fifth time
Glenn Weiss has agreed to direct the Oscars telecast for a fifth time, show producers Lynette Howell Taylor and Stephanie Allain announced.
New map of Milky Way reveals giant wave of stellar nurseries
Astronomers at Harvard University have discovered a monolithic, wave-shaped gaseous structure – the largest ever seen in our galaxy – made up of interconnected stellar nurseries. Dubbed the “Radcliffe wave”...
Space Station May Have Many Commercial Suitors in Its Final Years
How close is the International Space Station to an endgame? Commercial providers recently discussed the possibility as they talked about capitalizing on a new commercial direction for the station.
Dancing debris, moveable landscape shape Comet 67P
A comet once thought to be a quiet dirty snowball cruising through the solar system becomes quite active when seen up close. Photography from the Rosetta mission reveals dancing gravel, whirling icy...
Black hole transient GRS 1716−249 investigated in hard and intermediate states
Astronomers have investigated a black hole transient known as GRS 1716−249 with NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). The new study provides crucial insights into properties of the source in...
Ray J introduces baby boy, Epik Ray, on Instagram
Ray J shared the first photos of Epik Ray, his baby boy with wife and "Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood" co-star Princess Love.
Planet WASP-12b is on a death spiral, say scientists
Earth is doomed—but not for 5 billion years. Our planet will be roasted as our sun expands and becomes a red giant, but the exoplanet WASP-12b, located 600 light-years away...
'Ugly Betty' stars mourn show creator Silvio Horta: 'Stunned and heartbroken'
The stars of "Ugly Betty" including America Ferrera, Vanessa Williams and Michael Urie are mourning the death of show creator Silvio Horta on social media.
NASA Preps Core Stage of Massive Space Launch System Megarocket for Big Test
The core stage of NASA's new megarocket, the massive Space Launch System (SLS), ready to leave its New Orleans home for an epic journey culminating in a space voyage.
All-Female Crew Sets Off for Historic 'Mars' Mission
This past Saturday (Jan. 4) in Hawaii, on the remote slopes of Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world, six scientists embarked on a historic "mission to Mars."
NASA Mulls Next Steps for Boeing's Starliner Astronaut Taxi After Shortened Test Flight
It'll be a little while before we know if the next flight of Boeing's new CST-100 Starliner capsule will carry astronauts.
Blue Origin Opens New Headquarters As It Aims For The Moon, Astronaut Flights
Blue Origin opened a new headquarters in Washington State as the company aims to send private astronauts into suborbital space later this year.
Origin of Deep-Space Radio Flash Discovered, and It's Unlike Anything Astronomers Have Ever Seen
Mysterious ultra-fast pinpricks of radio energy keep lighting up the night sky and nobody knows why.
The Milky Way's impending galactic collision is already birthing new stars
The outskirts of the Milky Way are home to the galaxy's oldest stars. But astronomers have spotted something unexpected in this celestial retirement community: a flock of young stars.
NASA needs new way to handle accident investigations, report says
NASA needs a new way to investigate accidents that occur during human spaceflight when private companies like SpaceX and Boeing are launching astronauts, a new report from an agency watchdog...
NASA, Boeing probe software glitch that stopped astronaut capsule from reaching space station
NASA is opening an independent investigation with Boeing over a software glitch that prevented its unmanned astronaut capsule from reaching the International Space Station in December, the agency said on...
It's Official: Vera Rubin Observatory Named to Honor Dark Matter Scientist
A U.S. facility — designed in part to solve the mysteries of dark matter — now officially carries the name of the scientist who concluded that the elusive substance must...
Fotis Dulos charged with felony murder of missing Conn. mom
Fotis Dulos, 52, the estranged husband of Jennifer Dulos, a Connecticut mom presumed dead after being missing for more than seven months, was arrested Tuesday and charged with murder, felony...
SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched
New SOFIA image reveals never-before-seen details of the Swan Nebula, including features that previous observations with space telescopes could not see.
How NASA's Webb Telescope Will Search for Oxygen on Alien Worlds
A new approach to detecting oxygen in the atmospheres of other planets may aid in the search for life beyond Earth.
SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched
Portal origin URL: SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched Portal origin nid: 457136Published: Tuesday, January 7, 2020 - 15:00Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: A new view of the Swan Nebula...
Largest gaseous structure ever seen in our galaxy is discovered
Astronomers at Harvard University have discovered a monolithic, wave-shaped gaseous structure — the largest ever seen in our galaxy — made up of interconnected stellar nurseries. Dubbed the “Radcliffe Wave” in honor of...
Vast 'star nursery' region found in our galaxy
Astronomers find a vast structure in our galaxy, made up of many interconnected "star nurseries".
Crucial Safety Test of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Capsule Delayed to Jan. 18
SpaceX's Crew Dragon astronaut taxi will have to wait at least another week to show its emergency-escape skills in flight.
Bubble-blowing galaxies could help solve a cosmic mystery
HONOLULU – A trio of bubble-blowing galaxies may offer clues about one of the greatest cosmic makeovers in the history of the universe. Sometime during the universe’s first billion or so years, most...
New map of Milky Way reveals giant wave of stellar nurseries
Astronomers at Harvard University have discovered a monolithic, wave-shaped gaseous structure—the largest ever seen in our galaxy—made up of interconnected stellar nurseries. Dubbed the "Radcliffe wave" in honor of the...