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Nova Scorpii 2023 shows months-long X-ray variability after stellar outburst

Using NASA’s Swift spacecraft, an international team of astronomers have performed X-ray observations of a classical nova named Nova Scorpii 2023. Results of the observational campaign, published October 21 on the pre-print server arXiv, deliver important insights into the properties and behavior of this eruption.

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Mini-Neptune exoplanet orbiting bright K-type star discovered with TESS

Using NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), an international team of astronomers have detected a new exoplanet orbiting a bright K-type star known as TOI-283. The newfound alien world, which received the designation TOI-283 b, is about 40% smaller than Neptune. The discovery was detailed in a research paper published October 16 on the pre-print […]

Research suggests Halloween fireballs could signal increased risk of cosmic impact or airburst in 2032 and 2036

Every year, the Taurid meteor shower lights up the night sky from late October through early November. Sometimes called the “Halloween fireballs,” they are named for the constellation Taurus—the bull—from which the meteors appear to radiate. The shower is best viewed from dark-sky locations.

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China says it’s on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 ahead of space station mission

China said Thursday it’s on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030 as it introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country’s ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration.

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What made the moon?

Our moon—or la Luna—has inspired humankind for millennia.

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New images reveal the Milky Way’s stunning galactic plane in more detail than ever before

The Milky Way is a rich and complex environment. We see it as a luminous line stretching across the night sky, composed of innumerable stars.

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A second instrument on HWO could track down nearby Earth-size planets

The Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) is slated to be the next Great Observatory for the world. Its main focus has been searching for biosignatures in the atmospheres of at least 25 Earth-like exoplanets. However, to do that, it will require a significant amount of effort with only a coronagraph, the currently planned primary instrument, no […]

Spaceflight study reveals men experience greater eye changes, while brain differences between sexes are subtle

A new study into how spaceflight impacts the human brain and eyes revealed notable sex differences in brain fluid shifts, with female astronauts showing a greater reduction in fluid around the uppermost part of the brain than their male counterparts.

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Postcards from ancient Mars: Isotopes illuminate early Martian climate

A new analysis of chemical signatures measured by NASA’s Curiosity Rover gives a peek at Mars’s past to a time some 3.7 billion years ago, when it was warmer and wetter.

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Preparation guide developed as Mars samples await transport to Earth

Mars is an inhospitable desert planet. Billions of years ago, things were different. In Jezero Crater, for example, fed by a vast river delta, there was probably a considerable body of water roughly the size of Lake Constance. Conditions conducive to life may have prevailed there.

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Simulations reveal how black hole collisions trigger flashes in distant galaxy

For the first time, scientists have the calculations and simulations to explain mysterious flashes from the galaxy OJ 287. Roughly twice every 12 years, from 3.5 billion light years away, the light equivalent of 1 trillion suns flashes in the night sky and then fades away over the next few months. It’s a phenomenon that […]

ESA’s first stand-alone deep-space CubeSat Henon takes shape

The European Space Agency’s upcoming Henon mission will be the first ever CubeSat to independently venture into deep space, communicate with Earth and maneuver to its final destination without relying on a bigger spacecraft. Once in its orbit around the sun, the carry-on luggage-sized CubeSat will observe the sun’s emissions to demonstrate technologies capable of […]

Solar gamma rays could unlock mystery of sun’s hidden magnetic fields

New research conducted by an international team of physicians has found that high-energy gamma rays might offer the key to unlocking the mysteries of the sun’s magnetic fields.

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A new, expansive view of the Milky Way reveals our galaxy in unprecedented radio color

Astronomers from the International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) have created the largest low-frequency radio color image of the Milky Way ever assembled. This spectacular new image captures the Southern Hemisphere view of our Milky Way galaxy, revealing it across a wide range of radio wavelengths, the colors of radio light.

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The Red Spider Nebula, caught by Webb

This new NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope Picture of the Month features a cosmic creepy-crawly called NGC 6537—the Red Spider Nebula. Using its Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam), Webb has revealed never-before-seen details in this picturesque planetary nebula with a rich backdrop of thousands of stars.

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