Carolyn Collins Petersen
Gaia Finds Hundreds of Asteroid Moons
The amazing Gaia mission to chart stars in the Milky Way Galaxy is also an expert asteroid hunter. Now, astronomers…
The Moon’s Atmosphere Comes from Space Weathering
How do you get an atmosphere at a world that doesn't have one and can't keep one? If it's the…
Predicting Solar Storms Before They Leave the Sun
When giant solar storms hit Earth, they trigger beautiful auroral displays high in Earth's atmosphere. There's a dark side to…
Space Debris From Every Angle
Near-Earth space is an orbiting junkyard of space debris. Everything from old rocket parts and pieces of dead satellites to…
We Might Find Life Just Under the Surface on Europa
What does it take to have life at another world? Astrobiologists say you need water, warmth, and something for life…
Is This How You Get Hot Jupiters?
When we think of Jupiter-type planets, we usually picture massive cloud-covered worlds orbiting far from their stars. That distance keeps…
Curiosity Drives Over a Rock, Cracking it Open and Revealing an Amazing Yellow Crystal
On May 30th, the Mars Curiosity rover was just minding its own business exploring Gediz Vallis when it ran over…
Why is Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Shrinking? It’s Starving.
The largest storm in the Solar System is shrinking and planetary scientists think they have an explanation. It could be…
Stars Can Survive Their Partner Detonating as a Supernova
When a massive star dies in a supernova explosion, it's not great news for any planets or stars that happen…
Neutron Star is Spraying Jets Like a Garden Sprinkler
X-ray binaries are some of the oddest ducks in the cosmic zoo and they attract attention across thousands of light-years.…