The prospects for observing biosignatures in the short term may improve using transmission spectroscopy. This technique has been leading exoplanetary atmosphere science for the past two decades, because direct imaging of exoplanets is so difficult. …
SETI is a large-scale effort that requires extensive collaboration. One Planetary Society-funded project, for example, involves searching a wide range of radio frequencies using the world’s largest steerable radio telescope, the 100 meter Green Bank …
The Parker Solar Probe may have solved a Venusian mystery. The NASA mission passed by Venus on its way to its target, the Sun, in 2021. While nearby, the spacecraft collected data about Venus, which recently produced a new finding: that flashes of light …
There are other alternative launch windows in the early 2030s, as noted in the report, but a key consideration here is the long-term health of the existing orbiters and the Perseverance rover into the next decade. The later into the 2030s the project’s …
A space mission that will reveal the secrets of an asteroid made of metal is almost ready for launch. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft, bound for the same-name asteroid Psyche, is scheduled to lift off on Oct. 13, 2023 at 10:19 a.m. EDT (14:19 UTC). The launch was …
OSIRIS-REx successfully returned its sample to Earth. On Sept. 24, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft delivered a sample of asteroid Bennu to Earth, completing its seven-year mission that spanned 7.1 billion kilometers (4.4 billion miles). The sample return …
What was it like working with The Planetary Society at that time? How did you hear the news? MP: There was this lovely individual named Emily Lakdawalla who was in email cahoots with my parents. Initially, she had told them that I had been part of the top …
With all of these shadow effects, it’s easiest to see the crescent shapes if you cast the shadows on a smooth surface like concrete or a large piece of cardboard or paper. Shadows will also get sharper. Normally, the edges of a shadow under the full Sun …
The sample capsule endured an intense plunge through Earth’s atmosphere that began at 10:42 a.m. EDT. (14:42 UTC). Reaching speeds of 43,000 kilometers per hour (27,000 miles per hour), the capsule’s exterior was expected to encounter temperatures up to 2, …
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The Day of Action was a great success. More than 100 space enthusiasts from around the country traveled to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18, meeting with their representatives in Congress to advocate for increased investments in NASA’s space science programs …
Why do annular eclipses happen? The Moon’s orbit around the Earth is somewhat elliptical, meaning it is not perfectly circular. This means that the distance between the Earth and the Moon varies throughout the year, making the apparent size of the Moon as …
With an estimated 43.8 million people living in the path of totality, and many more expected to travel there for the big day, a multitude of events and festivals are springing up to welcome the Moon’s shadow on April 8. Is it better to watch the solar …
A particular emphasis was on the Mars Sample Return program, which is facing major cuts despite the fact that the scientific community and public are rallying in support of the multi-phased mission to return samples collected by the Perseverance rover. …
JWST has found methane and carbon dioxide in an exoplanet atmosphere. K2-18 b is an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth that lies about 120 light-years away, orbiting in its star’s habitable zone where surface liquid water could be possible. JWST’s new …
Lunar eclipse: A celestial event that occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Earth's shadow to be cast on the Moon, resulting in a darkening or reddening of the Moon. Total lunar eclipse: When the entire Moon is fully …
You can also see the Moon’s shadow by making a pinhole projector, holding up a colander, or by looking at the dappled shade from a tree. The quality of light As more and more of the Sun gets eclipsed, you’ll notice some strange lighting effects. Normally …
The Hera spacecraft is fully assembled. The European Space Agency’s mission will visit Didymos and Dimorphos to study the after-effects of the DART mission’s impact on Dimorphos in 2022, which modified the asteroid moonlet’s orbit around its parent …
Aside from being sure they come from a reputable source, there are ways to check that your solar eclipse glasses are safe and in good condition. Make sure that the lenses aren’t scratched, torn, or punctured, and that they aren’t coming loose from the …
Comet Nishimura will reach perihelion (the closest point to the Sun in its orbit) on Sept. 18 and, if it isn’t broken up by the Sun’s energy, will then swing back around and head back out into the Solar System. In that case, it will be visible to observers …
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