Observatories
James Webb is Fully Stowed Into its Launch Configuration
We're inching closer and closer to the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) launch date of March 30th, 2021, (or maybe…
Japan Suspends its Funding for the 30-Meter Telescope
Japan has suspended its funding contribution to the controversial Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) in Hawaii. An international consortium is behind…
WFIRST Passes an Important Milestone, it’s Time to Begin Development and Testing
Soon, astronomers and astrophysicists will have more observing power than they know what to do with. Not only will the…
China’s 500-Meter FAST Radio Telescope is Now Operational
The world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope is officially open for business according to Xinhua, China's official state-run media.…
James Webb Tests its Sun-Shield. So Far, So Good.
Rigorous testing is at the heart of any successful space mission. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be a…
China’s FAST Telescope, the World’s Largest Single Radio Dish Telescope, is Now Fully Operational
After years of construction, China's new radio telescope is in action. The telescope, called FAST (Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope)…
Great News! The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope Might be Named for Vera Rubin
The U.S. House of Representatives have passed a bill to change the name of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST.)…
New Instrument is Searching for Planets Around Alpha Centauri
Alpha Centauri is the closest star system to us, at 4.37 light-years (about 25 trillion miles) away. In 2016, astronomers…
A Very Rare Planet Discovered. Less Massive than Neptune, Hotter than Mercury. Very Few Should Exist
Astronomers have discovered a very rare, very unusual planet in a distant solar system. The planet, called NGTS-4b, is three…
Uh oh, Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 is Down
On January 8th, an important piece of equipment on the Hubble Space Telescope went down. The Wide Field Camera 3…