Stargazers and comet enthusiasts have a celestial treat coming in 2024—an opportunity to witness the rare comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) streak across the night sky. This astronomical event promises to be a spectacle, and you won’t want to miss it! Whether you’re an amateur astronomer or just curious about the night sky, this guide will walk you through how to see a comet, the best time to view it, and tips on how to use a telescope to catch a glimpse of this rare visitor …
For years, the concept of a doomsday asteroid has fueled imaginations and fears alike. Movies, media, and even some scientific predictions have painted terrifying scenarios where a massive asteroid—or worse, an asteroid swarm—threatens to wipe out life on Earth. However, a new study offers reassurance: the likelihood of such a catastrophic event is lower than previously thought. While the possibility of an asteroid impact is real, ongoing research and NASA asteroid defense strategies have provided more robust systems for asteroid tracking, impact prediction, and planetary …
In an extraordinary discovery, scientists have found ancient microbes alive in 2-billion-year-old rock formations deep below the Earth’s surface. These subsurface microbes have been sealed away from the world for billions of years, surviving in extreme conditions where life was previously thought impossible. This discovery has not only reshaped our understanding of early microbial life in rocks, but it also offers clues about the potential for life on other planets, including Mars. The oldest living organisms ever found, these microbes raise new questions about the …
The Vulcan Centaur rocket represents a bold step forward for United Launch Alliance (ULA), a company that has long been a cornerstone in American spaceflight. As ULA’s successor to the reliable Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, the Vulcan Centaur is designed to carry out the company’s national security, commercial, and civil space missions for decades to come. But the rocket’s road to full certification has been far from smooth, especially after experiencing recent issues, such as losing a solid rocket booster nozzle during testing. …
Mars has always captured the imagination of scientists and dreamers alike, particularly with the tantalizing possibility that it may have once been a habitable planet. In recent years, NASA’s Curiosity rover has provided critical data that deepens our understanding of how Mars evolved from a potentially life-supporting environment to the dry, inhospitable world we see today. As part of NASA’s Mars exploration mission, Curiosity has uncovered evidence of ancient Mars rivers, Mars water evidence, and clues about the Martian atmosphere, offering a clearer picture of …
For stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts alike, October brings a rare opportunity to witness one of the most captivating celestial events of the year — the Draconid meteor shower. This year, California’s clear autumn skies are set to be illuminated by the shower, giving residents the perfect chance to catch a glimpse of these fiery streaks known as shooting stars. While the Draconid meteor peak typically produces fewer meteors than other showers, its visibility in the early evening makes it a highly anticipated event for those …
In a rare collision of natural forces and technological ambition, Hurricane Milton has forced a delay in NASA’s mission to Jupiter. This event has stirred public interest in how natural disasters, especially hurricanes, impact major space missions. Florida, home to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, frequently faces severe weather threats during hurricane season, and Hurricane Milton is one of the most powerful storms to threaten the area in recent years. This blog will explore how Hurricane Milton’s path, storm tracking technologies, and NASA mission delays intertwine, …
The ocean depths have always been a frontier for scientific discovery, where bizarre creatures live under extreme conditions, often exhibiting adaptations and behaviors that seem alien to us. One of the latest revelations in deep-sea research has captivated scientists and the public alike: deep-sea creatures that, when injured, merge into a “single entity,” revealing bizarre new behavior. This finding has opened up new discussions about marine life behavior and the intricacies of how these species survive in their hostile environment. Through the use of ocean …
Asteroids have posed a threat to Earth since its formation, and while many large collisions have occurred over the millennia, modern science is now equipped with tools to prevent such disasters. At the heart of this progress are missions like NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) and ESA’s Hera mission, both aimed at studying and developing techniques for planetary defense. These missions not only explore asteroid deflection but also delve into the intricacies of binary asteroid systems, offering new insights that could one day save …
Raphaël Liégeois: In an exciting development for Luxembourg, Raphaël Liégeois has become the first astronaut to represent the nation in space. As a key figure in the European Space Agency (ESA), Liégeois’s journey marks a significant milestone not only for him personally but also for Luxembourg’s growing presence in the field of space exploration. As we explore the details of Liégeois’s mission and his contributions as a Luxembourg astronaut, we’ll also discuss the broader context of Luxembourg’s involvement in space initiatives, including upcoming missions and …