Pisces is the 14th largest constellation but its stars are relatively faint. Pisces, named for the Latin plural of fish, occupies 889 square degrees, making it the 14th largest constellation overall. While it is a fairly large constellation, its stars are faint — none are brighter than fourth magnitude — making it challenging to see […]
This 146-second exposure, captured by Europe’s Rosetta spacecraft on Jan. 21, 2016, shows hundreds of dust particles rocketing away from Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Following a comet around the sun is no picnic, as a newly released photo dramatically shows. The image, taken by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Rosetta spacecraft, depicts hundreds of dust particles barreling […]
SpaceX and Iridium have set March 18, 2018 as the launch date for the fifth launch of Iridium Next satellites. The mission will use the same Falcon 9 rocket first stage as the third Iridium mission. WASHINGTON — SpaceX and mobile satellite services provider Iridium, now halfway through deploying the Iridium Next constellation, are preparing for […]
NASA’s Apollo 5 mission launched on Jan. 22, 1968 and marked the first test flight of the Lunar Module that would eventually carry astronauts to the moon. See photos from the historic mission here! This Image: In preparation for the Apollo 5 unmanned space mission, Lunar Module-1 is positioned to be attached to the Spacecraft […]
The final episodes of Star Wars Rebels return to TV on Feb. 19, 2018. [embedded content] A trailer for the final episodes of Star Wars Rebels has ben released by Lucasfilm and Disney XD. The final six episodes will air in pairs for three weeks beginning February 19. Take a look above. Especially noteworthy in […]
China successfully launched a Long March rocket October 8, 2011, with a military reconnaissance satellite and a university-built technology demonstration spacecraft. WASHINGTON — It should be no surprise that China is moving to challenge the United States for dominance in space , cyber, artificial intelligence and other key technologies that have wide national security applications. But […]
The colorful Trifid Nebula is immersed in an ocean of stars in this deep-sky view captured by astrophotographer Miguel Claro from Noudar Park, Barrancos, in the Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve, Portugal. Miguel Claro is a Lisbon, Portugal-based professional photographer, author and science communicator who creates spectacular images of the night sky. As a European Southern […]
An Electron rocket built by the commercial startup Rocket Lab successfully launched on its second test flight from New Zealand, carrying the company’s first customer payloads into orbit. The Electron blasted off today from the company’s private launch facility on the Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand at 2:43 p.m. local time, which is 8:43 p.m. EST […]
Christa McAuliffe, seen in 1985 taking a sip from a space-packaged drink prior to her ill-fated flight on space shuttle Challenger, was to teach from orbit. Some of her lessons, including working with liquids in zero-G, will now be completed on the International Space Station. Two educators turned astronauts will film science lessons while aboard […]
The full “supermoon” of Dec. 3, 2017, rises against a pink layer in Earth’s atmosphere known as the “Belt of Venus” in this photo captured by astrophotographer Miguel Claro near the village of Monsaraz in Portual’s Dark Sky Alqueva Reserve. Miguel Claro is a Lisbon, Portugal-based professional photographer, author and science communicator who creates spectacular […]
Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) at his Nov. 1 confirmation hearing to become NASA administrator. The Senate Commerce Committee voted on party lines Jan. 18 to advance his nomination to the full Senate, along with Barry Myers to be administrator of NOAA. WASHINGTON — A Senate committee voted on party lines Jan. 18 to advance the […]
Veteran space shuttle astronauts Scott Altman and Thomas Jones are the 2018 class of Astronaut Hall of Fame inductees. The commander of the final space shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and a three-time spacewalker who helped to install the U.S. laboratory on the International Space Station, will be inducted into the U.S. […]
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket. The small-rocket startup Rocket Lab will attempt to launch its first customer payloads into orbit tonight (Jan. 19), and you can watch it live online. Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is scheduled to lift off from the company’s private launch range in New Zealand on the afternoon of Jan. 20 local time, which […]