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New solar telescope turns sunspots into exoplanet-finding weapons

The Paranal solar ESPRESSO Telescope (PoET), installed at the European Southern Observatory’s (ESO’s) Paranal site in Chile, has made its first observations. The telescope will work with ESO’s ESPRESSO instrument to study the sun in detail. Described as a solar telescope for planet hunters, PoET aims to understand how the variation in the light from […]

‘Chills’: Artemis astronauts say lunar flyby still washing over them

They took thousands of photographs and documented copious observations on their voyage around the moon, but as they sped closer to home the Artemis astronauts said Wednesday they have barely started processing the extraordinary experience they shared.

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Artemis crew’s families enthralled by messages from space

A week after astronaut Jeremy Hansen blasted off on the historic Artemis II mission to the moon, his wife Catherine recalled the anxiety and thrill of witnessing the journey from afar.

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Artemis II astronauts follow Apollo tradition of naming lunar features after loved ones

Lunar love knows no bounds. Now hurtling home from the moon, the Artemis II astronauts took a poignant page from Apollo 8 earlier this week, proposing deeply personal names for a pair of lunar craters.

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Maple syrup or nutella? PM Carney calls Canadian Artemis astronaut

Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen told Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday that “teamwork is willingness” during an Earth-to-space call celebrating the achievements of the historic lunar journey.

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Houston, we have a problem … with the toilet

After a successful trip around the moon, everything has been going smoothly on the Orion spacecraft’s journey back to Earth—except for the $23 million toilet, which has gotten clogged.

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What if dark matter came in two states?

The absence of a signal could itself be a signal. This is the idea behind a new study published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, which aims to redefine how we search for dark matter, showing that it may not be necessary to find the same “clues” everywhere in order to interpret it. […]

Student research on coronal holes improves space weather forecasting

Fast solar winds originating from the sun can have direct impacts on Earth—disrupting systems like GPS, aviation, electrical grids, and satellite and radio communications. A new paper by New Mexico State University astronomy graduate student Khagendra Katuwal examines the connection between coronal holes and solar wind streams, helping improve our understanding of how the sun’s […]

Celestial wonders in Leo

Leo is a prominent sight for stargazers in April. Its famous sickle, punctuated by the bright star Regulus, draws many a beginning stargazer’s eyes, inviting deeper looks into some of Leo’s celestial delights, including a great double star and a famous galactic trio.

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‘Pinprick of light’: Artemis crew witnesses meteorite impacts on moon

During their historic lunar flyby, astronauts on NASA’s Artemis II mission witnessed meteorites striking the rugged surface of the moon, a sight that has piqued scientists’ curiosity.

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‘Screams of delight’: Artemis crew flying home to thrilled NASA scientists

The Artemis II astronauts were jetting toward Earth and sharing their lunar flyby souvenirs Tuesday, delighting colleagues both at home and in space with captivating tales of their historic journey.

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Artemis II astronauts make long-distance call to the space station as they head home from the moon

Still aglow from their triumphant lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts made more history Tuesday: calling their friends aboard the International Space Station hundreds of thousands of miles away as they headed home from the moon.

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Photos show stunning views of the moon and Earth from the Artemis II mission

The Artemis II astronauts—three Americans and one Canadian—hurtled deeper into space than any other humans during a moon flyby Monday that marks NASA’s lunar comeback.

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Parabolic flight test shows lasers can propel graphene aerogels in microgravity

Lasers could one day steer solar sails and adjust a satellite’s position in outer space, thanks to graphene. An experiment on a gravity rollercoaster ride showed how this innovative material has the potential to revolutionize propulsion beyond Earth.

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How Jupiter cultivated more large moons than Saturn

The two largest planets in our solar system, Jupiter and Saturn, also have the largest satellite systems, or the most moons. At present, Jupiter’s reported moon count stands at more than 100 moons, and along with its many rings, Saturn has more than 280 reported moons. Not all these moons are equal, however. Jupiter’s moon […]