A small telescope beyond Saturn could solve mysteries of the universe better than giant telescopes near Earth

Dozens of space-based telescopes operate near-Earth and provide incredible images of the universe. But imagine a telescope far away in the outer solar system, 10 or even 100 times farther from the Sun than Earth. The ability to look back at our solar system or peer into the darkness of the distant cosmos would make …

Why Earth and Venus followed different paths

Earth is the only planet we know contains life. Is our planet special? Scientists over the years have mulled over what factors are essential for, or beneficial to, life. The answers will help us identify other potentially inhabited planets elsewhere in the galaxy. Antony Burnham, Australian National University and Hugh O’Neill, Australian National University

Moon samples returned from Chang’e-5 tell of recent volcanism

Change-5 represents China’s first mission to return moon samples to Earth, hence marks a major step forward for China’s lunar exploration program. Now, recent analysis suggests that the Moon samples returned from Chang’e-5 tell of recent volcanism.

A meteor strike wiped out an ancient city 3,600 years ago

As the inhabitants of an ancient Middle Eastern city now called Tall el-Hammam went about their daily business one day about 3,600 years ago, they had no idea an unseen icy space rock was speeding toward them at about 38,000 mph (61,000 kph). Christopher R. Moore, University of South Carolina

Orbits of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

NASA has published a disturbing image of the orbits of potentially hazardous asteroids on the APOD (Astronomy Picture of the Day) website. The image shows the orbits of the asteroids which are more than 140 meters (450 feet) across and will pass within 7.5 million kilometers (4.66 million miles) of Earth. If hits, a space …

Why don’t we shoot garbage into the Sun?

The Earth is getting full of waste, pollution, and garbage. Yes, the world should focus on recycling and reducing waste, but, the truth is that it’s just not that easy, and in fact, we’re not doing well so far. So, why not shoot the Earth’s garbage into space, or even better, into the Sun?

How Scientists “Look” Inside Asteroids

Asteroids can pose a threat to life on Earth but are also a valuable source of resources to make fuel or water to aid deep space exploration. Devoid of geological and atmospheric processes, these space rocks provide a window onto the evolution of the solar system. But to really understand their secrets, scientists must know …

From Destruction to Creation: Understanding Meteorite Impact Craters

Ever since the planets first formed, they have been bombarded with space rocks. Asteroid and cometary collisions are so powerful that planetary surfaces fracture and melt beneath them, leaving behind huge craters. These impact events have played an important role in our planet’s history, by shaping the geological landscape, producing valuable minerals, and affecting the …

New Horizons Photographs Voyager 1’s Location

On December 25, 2020, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft pointed its Long Range Reconnaissance Imager in the direction of its predecessor, the Voyager 1 spacecraft, and photographed its location from the Kuiper Belt. Launched on September 5, 1977, Voyager 1 is the farthest human-made object and the first spacecraft to actually leave the solar system. In …