NASA’s asteroid redirection experiment has produced a new result with potential implications well beyond planetary science. Researchers reported that the agency’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, not only altered the motion of the small asteroid Dimorphos around its larger companion, Didymos, but also slightly changed the binary system’s path around the sun. Scientists described the finding as the first…
A Full Moon That Stands Out The first full moon of the year arrives with unusual intensity as the wolf supermoon, a lunar event tied to mid winter traditions and named for the historic association with howling wolves across North America. This full moon is also a supermoon, meaning it appears slightly larger and brighter than an average full moon…
Far above Earth, astronauts living aboard the International Space Station are finding creative ways to celebrate the Christmas season despite being separated from home. As the station circles the planet thousands of times each year, crew members have decorated their orbital home with familiar holiday symbols, creating a sense of warmth and togetherness in an environment defined by technology, routine…
A Quiet Finale to the Meteor Calendar The Ursid meteor shower, the last major celestial event of the year, is set to peak during the longest nights of winter, offering sky-watchers in the Northern Hemisphere a subtle but meaningful display. While the Ursids are far less prolific than more famous meteor showers, they hold a special place on the astronomical…
A Fresh Look at Titan’s Hidden Layers Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has long intrigued scientists because of signs pointing to a vast subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. Earlier interpretations of data from NASA’s Cassini mission suggested that Titan’s interior was largely liquid, a conclusion based on how much the moon flexes under Saturn’s gravitational pull. A new scientific analysis…
Launch Advances Amazon’s Satellite Network United Launch Alliance completed another major step in building Amazon’s satellite-internet system, sending 27 Amazon Leo spacecraft into low Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The predawn launch used an Atlas V rocket, a trusted workhorse nearing the end of its operational life. Amazon Leo, previously known as Project Kuiper, aims to create…
Overview of the Upcoming Peak The annual Geminid meteor shower, one of the most reliable and energetic sky shows of the year, is reaching its peak this weekend, offering stargazers around the world an opportunity to witness dozens of bright meteors streaking across the night sky. The shower is expected to reach its maximum activity from late Saturday evening through…
