Space

How Common are Water Worlds in the Galaxy?

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If Kevin Costner wanted to make a sequel, he’s got plenty of opportunities. Water is by far the most common molecule in the universe. It’s made of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. Hydrogen is element number 1 (both on the period table and in abundance), and has been hanging around since the first 15 minutes of the Big Bang. Oxygen is forged in the hearts of sun-like stars, and spreads around when those stars die and turn themselves inside out. And since sun-like stars are also very popular, oxygen gets quite a boost.

SpaceX vs. the Universe

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Fans of space are having a tough time picking sides over a recent controversy between SpaceX and astronomers. But what's the big debate all about? Astrophysicist Paul M. Sutter digs into both perspectives.

Billionaire Buys SpaceX Orbital Flight for a Good Cause

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Jared Isaacman, US billionaire and the founder of payment processing tech start-up Shift4 has purchased the first all-civilian mission to space with SpaceX--but it isn't just a joyride.

Celebrate the I Heart Pluto Festival, An Ode to the Beloved Planet

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Yes, we said "planet." Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona during the month of February in 1930.Last year on the 90th Anniversary of the discovery, the observatory held its first I Heart Pluto Festival. This year you can be a part of the action.

When Did the First Stars Shine?

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Our universe is home to up to two trillion galaxies, with each galaxy hosting hundreds of billions of stars. That’s…a lot of stars. Each one a ball of fearsome energies, powered by the nuclear fusion of fundamental elements in their hearts. Each one pouring out light into the empty cosmos, illuminating our universe for our wonder and delight.

The Perseid Meteor Shower Reaches its Peak

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Stargazers rejoice! The annual Perseid meteor shower is upon us. Here's what you need to know...(updated August 11, 2022)

Red Rover, Red Rover, Send Perseverance Right Over

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A few years ago, after the successful deployment of the Curiosity rover on Mars, the folks at NASA envisioned a bold new plan to send another mission to the red planet. The mission was scheduled to depart in the then-futuristic year of 2020.

NASA is Going Back to Venus. Here’s Why You Should Care.

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Recently NASA announced two brand-spanking new missions to our sister planet, Venus. This is the first time in over 40 years that Americans have led a mission to that enigmatic planet. What do they hope to find? Clues to our past…and answers to our future.

Success! NASA and SpaceX Crew-1 Complete Early Morning Splashdown

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(Updated: May 2, 2021) NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi completed a successful splashdown on Sunday, May 2, after a 165-day space research mission aboard the International Space Station. Here is what we know about their return to Earth.

Why Pluto Isn’t a Planet, but (Maybe) Should Be

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What, exactly, is a “planet”? For ancient astronomers it was pretty easy. When they stared up at the night sky, they saw a) the sun, b) the moon, c) a lot of fixed stars, d) a few wandering points of light. Those vagabonds were the planets. Indeed, our word planet comes from the Greek word for “wanderer”.

The Head of NASA Believes in Aliens

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“Are we alone? Personally, I don’t think we are,” Bill Nelson, former astronaut and Chief of NASA, said in a video interview.

November: What's New in Space Exploration This Month?

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It’s a November to remember in space. Here are some exciting space exploration highlights to look forward too!

NASA’s $10 Billion Space Telescope Hit by Micrometeoroid

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NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was recently hit by a micrometeoroid. One of the 18 golden mirror segments on the telescope was hit, causing some minor damage.

Water Molecules Found on Sunlit Surface of the Moon!

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Breaking News! At 12P ET today, October 26, NASA announced a new discovery about the Moon. Here are the agency’s findings resulting from the world’s largest airborne observatory, SOFIA.

First US Commercial Crew Port Relocation to Air Live on NASA TV

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On Monday, April 5, another first will occur for commercial space flight. For a look back at Crew-1's initial journey to the ISS, catch up on SPACE LAUNCH LIVE streaming now on discovery+.

A Jupiter-Sized Exoplanet Orbiting Two Stars

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One of my favorite things about exoplanet systems is just how weird they can get. It seems that every few months we are treated to another surprise. This time around, NASA's TESS observatory delivered a planet almost three times more massive than Jupiter orbiting around not one, but two stars. As an added bonus: that planet orbits its twin suns closer than the Earth does around the sun. Who wants to take a trip?

The Top 5 Weirdest Moons of the Solar System

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From the exotic to the just plain odd, our solar system is home to some of the most extreme worlds in the galaxy. But I’m not talking about the planets, I’m talking about their moons. Let’s take a look at the most strange...

Going for Gold: The Biggest Explosion in the Universe

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Meet the humble Ophiuchus galaxy cluster. It’s just another dense clump of galaxies, one of approximately a bajillion, dotting the universe. It sits about 240 million lightyears away from Earth.And its heart is missing.