News

Asteroid 2024 YR4 will not impact the Moon

Last year, an approximately 60 metre near-Earth object captured global attention. For a brief period, asteroid 2024 YR4 became the most dangerous asteroid discovered in the last 20 years. While an Earth impact was soon ruled out, the asteroid faded from view with a lingering 4% chance of striking the Moon on 22 December 2032.Now, that risk has been eliminated. Astronomers have confirmed that 2024 YR4 will not impact the Moon using new observations made by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the

Michael's Miscellany: The Eclipsed Sky

During the recent total lunar eclipse on March 3, a friend who was watching it with me from my observatory here in Tucson commented, “It’s so cool to actually be able to see Earth’s shadow!” That got me thinking about the many times I’ve seen our planet’s shadow on days other than those that featuredContinue reading "Michael’s Miscellany: The Eclipsed Sky" The post Michael’s Miscellany: The Eclipsed Sky appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Scientists successfully harvest chickpeas from 'moon dirt'

As the U.S. plans to return to the moon with the upcoming Artemis II mission, a question endures: What will future lunar explorers eat? According to new research from The University of Texas at Austin, the answer might be chickpeas.

A History of the Deep Space Network

The story of humanity's reach into deep space is, in large part, the story of a network of dish antennas scattered across three remote corners of the planet. Without the Deep Space Network, or DSN, the images from Voyager 1 would never have arrived, the landing of Curiosity would have gone unwitnessed in real time, and the New Horizons flyby of Pluto would have been a silent event, its data forever unretrievable. The network exists because someone in the late 1950s recognized that sending a spac

Senate Committee Clears New NASA Authorization Bill, Calls for Moon Base

The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee approved a new NASA authorization bill today. Among its many provisions, the bill supports recent changes to the Artemis program, directs NASA to […]

The US Senate empowers NASA to fully engage in lunar space race

New Scientist recommends real-world stealth game LANDER 23

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

Artemis II astronauts will eat a lot of tortillas on their trip to the moon

NASA offers a look at the menu for this historic 10-day mission. The post Artemis II astronauts will eat a lot of tortillas on their trip to the moon appeared first on Popular Science.

Ex-NASA chief gives Isaacman's Moon reboot a thumbs up, stays schtum on the awkward bits

<h4>Jim Bridenstine says 'adjustments' to Artemis program were needed</h4> <p>NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has won an endorsement from his predecessor Jim Bridenstine, who praised Isaacman's shake-up of the perpetually delayed Artemis program.…</p>

New Artemis Plan Returns to Apollo Playbook

In their recent announcement, NASA has made official what pretty much anyone following the Artemis lunar program could have told you years ago &#8212; humans won&#8217;t be landing on the &#8230;read more

Intuitive Machines: I See The Opportunity, But I'm Not Chasing It

Blood-red tinted moon graces Mexico City skies during total lunar eclipse

The spectacle was visible Tuesday morning from North America, Central America and the western part of South America

With Artemis II facing delays, NASA announces big structural changes to the lunar program

Artemis II has been plagued by similar issues to those faced by its predecessor, leading NASA to shake up its plan to return humans to the Moon.

NASA is overhauling its Artemis program. What does that mean for humanity's return to the moon?

Creating an Ultra-Stable Lunar Clock With a Cryogenic Silicon Cavity Laser

Phase-coherent lasers are crucial for many precision tasks, including timekeeping. Here on Earth the most stable optical oscillators are used in e.g. atomic clocks and many ultra-precise scientific measurements, such &#8230;read more

The total lunar eclipse 2026 dazzles in incredible photos from around the world

No fooling: NASA targets April 1 for Artemis II launch to the Moon

Scientists Finally Found Something That Can Kill a Tardigrade

According to reporting on a new study in the International Journal of Astrobiology, even the most indestructible microscopic animals in existence, tardigrades, have their limits. That limit is the dirt on Mars. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University exposed two species of tardigrade to lab-made simulations of Martian soil, aka regolith, the technical term for the [&#8230;] The post Scientists Finally Found Something That Can Kill a Tardigrade appeared first on VICE.

Life forms can planet hop on asteroid debris—and survive

Tiny life forms tucked into debris from an asteroid hit could catapult to other planets—including Earth—and survive, a new Johns Hopkins University study finds. The work demonstrates that a certain hardy bacterium easily withstands extreme pressure comparable to an ejection from Mars after an asteroid hit, as well as the inhospitable conditions it would face during the ensuing interplanetary journey.

US citizens scramble to evacuate Middle East amid air chaos

12:30 Report is The Hill's midday newsletter. Subscribe here. 🗳️ Plus: Cornyn in the political fight of his life today {beacon} It’s Tuesday. Did anyone see the total lunar eclipse this morning? If so, send me your photos! Sadly, it was cloudy in Washington. &#8202; In today's issue: U.S. orders immediate evacuations in Middle East...