Gliese 581g: Potentially Habitable Planet — If It Exists
This artist’s conception shows the inner four planets of the Gliese 581 system and their host star. The large planet in the foreground is Gliese 581g, which is in the middle of the star’s habitable zone and is only two to three times as massive as Earth. Some researchers aren’t convinced Gliese 581g exists, however. […]
Pluto's Hazy Layers Linked to Atmospheric Gravity Waves
Layering in Pluto’s atmosphere may form thanks to gravity waves, according to scientists with the New Horizons mission. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI Streaks seen in the slightly hazy atmosphere of Pluto may arise because of a phenomenon known as buoyance waves, also known as gravity waves. While scientists recently made headlines with the discovery of gravitational waves […]
Meteor Shower Spawned by Halley's Comet Peaks This Week
Justin Ng of Singapore captured this view of a bright Eta Aquarid meteor hurtling across the night sky over Mount Bromo, on the Indonesian island of Java. Credit: © Justin Ng If you missed out on seeing Halley’s Comet during its last Earth flyby in 1986, don’t despair — you can spot tiny pieces of […]
Where Did Planet Nine Come From?
Artist’s illustration of Planet Nine, a hypothesized world in the outer solar system thought to be about 10 times more massive than Earth. Credit: Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) It’s unclear whether Planet Nine exists, but astronomers are already digging into the mystery of the hypothetical world’s birth. In January, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown of the California Institute […]
May the 4th Be With You: A Bounty of 'Star Wars' Gifts and Goodies
The BB-8 app-enabled droid is one of many “Star Wars” products available in the Space.com store. Credit: Sphero/Lucasfilm Ltd. Today is “Star Wars Day !” (In case you haven’t heard). This unofficial holiday celebrates the beloved space-fantasy franchise created by George Lucas, and is based entirely on a pun: “May the 4th” sounds a lot […]
The Origins of Strange Swirls on the Moon are Coming to Light
This image from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter shows the Reiner Gamma lunar swirl. Credit: NASA LRO WAC science team An avalanche of new research illuminates the strange swirls of light and dark peppering the surface of the moon, suggesting that the weak magnetic field Earth’s only natural satellite offers a surprisingly strong shield to parts of […]
Model progress of Proba-3
Technology image of the week: the design evolution of ESA’s Proba-3 double satellite mission shown by this trio of 3D-printed models To source
White House Report Endorses FAA Oversight of Commercial Space Missions
Astreroid mining is one emerging commercial space application that isn’t currently covered by U.S. regulations needed to provide oversight as required by the Outer Space Treaty. Credit: Bryan Versteeg / DSI WASHINGTON — The White House has endorsed a proposal where the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would provide oversight of “non-traditional” commercial space activities, […]
Mercury Transit of the Sun on May 9: How to See It and What to Expect
On Monday (May 9), you will have an opportunity to witness one of the rarest astronomical events: a transit of Mercury across the face of the sun. <img class=”pure-img” big-src=”http://www.space.com/images/i/000/055/246/original/Widget-Solar-Filter.jpg?1462382208?interpolation=lanczos-none&downsize=*:1400″ src=”http://www.space.com/images/i/000/055/246/i01/Widget-Solar-Filter.jpg?1462382208?interpolation=lanczos-none&downsize=192:*” alt=”Safely observe this transit with high quality solar filters. Shop now! “/> Credit: Space.com Store Because Mercury and Venus are closer to the sun […]
NASA, FAA Demonstrate Wireless Communication with Aircraft
NASA Glenn and the FAA demonstrated technology that conveys aviation data to an airplane over a wireless communication system. To source
Mission Manager Q&A: Recovering The Kepler Spacecraft To Hunt For Exoplanets Again
Kepler’s mission manager tells us what happened to the spacecraft and the steps the team took to return it to the job of hunting for planets for the K2 mission. original
Space Station Flyover of Morocco
Expedition 47 Flight Engineer Jeff Williams of NASA captured this detailed photograph from the International Space Station during a daytime flyover of Morocco on May 2, 2016. Williams shared the image to social media and asked, “Reptile scales, or incredible and rugged geology in Morocco?” To source
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