Astronomy

Earth might gain another Moon, a miniature one, due to a rare phenomenon called gravitational trapping. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, researchers from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, have announced an intriguing celestial event. A small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, is set to become Earth's temporary mini-moon for appro...

Sagittarius A* (pronounced Sagittarius A Star), the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, is spinning in an unusual way, and scientists now believe they may know why. Based on new data from the Event Horizon Telescope, researchers suggest that this cosmic giant likely merged with another black hole billions of years ago. This colo...

Recent simulations suggest a very small chance that asteroid Apophis could be deflected onto a collision course with Earth before its close approach in 2029. Although current data points to a safe pass, the risk remains, especially if another space object were to strike Apophis. The odds are extremely low, but a final verdict won’t be available u...

NASA has released awe-inspiring photos of the Red Spider Nebula, located 3,000 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius. The nebula, with its vibrant red hues and spider-like structure, showcases shockwaves as high as 62 billion miles, created by one of the hottest stars known. This celestial marvel has left the internet buzzing, with s...

The European Space Agency (ESA) is concluding the Cluster mission, with the first of four satellites safely reentering Earth's atmosphere. This marks the end of a mission that has provided 24 years of valuable space data. In January, the satellite's orbit was adjusted to ensure its reentry would target an uninhabited area, reducing risks for humans...

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027, will explore ancient galaxies and investigate dark matter. With its wide field of view and high-resolution imaging, the telescope will study galactic fossils—groups of ancient stars that hold clues about galaxy formation. Dr. Robyn Sanderson, deputy principal investigator at the University of...

Saturn's rings, one of the most unique features of our solar system, are set to become nearly invisible in March 2025. This rare phenomenon will occur due to Saturn's unique axial tilt, which will align the rings edge-on with Earth's line of sight. The result is a brief period where these majestic rings will be almost unobservable from our planet. ...

Saturn will reach opposition on the night of September 7 and 8, marking a key astronomical event. During the event, Earth is positioned directly between Saturn and the Sun. This alignment allows Saturn to appear at its largest and brightest in the night sky. For those keen to observe Saturn in all its splendour, this is the ideal time as Saturn wil...

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,500-year-old astronomy observatory in Buto, Egypt, within a temple complex dedicated to the goddess Wadjet. This significant discovery dates back to the sixth century BCE, a period marked by political instability as pharaonic power began to wane. The observatory, spanning 850 square metres, is the largest known fro...

Scientists have unveiled high-resolution images of Polaris, the North Star, for the first time, thanks to the CHARA Array on Mount Wilson. This groundbreaking observation reveals unexpected details on Polaris’ surface, including large bright and dark spots similar to sunspots. The CHARA Array combines data from six telescopes to achieve this leve...

Registrations will conclude on September 14 for the National Science Olympiad Program in India.

Astronomers have traditionally relied on helioseismology to estimate the Sun's age by analysing the vibrations that ripple through its interior. However, recent research has uncovered a significant obstacle, the Sun's magnetic activity, which follows an 11-year cycle, appears to be distorting these measurements. Data from the Birmingham Solar Oscil...

On August 24, skywatchers will be treated to an impressive planetary parade featuring six planets: Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury. This alignment, occurring in the early morning hours, will provide a unique viewing opportunity. In the US, the best time to catch the spectacle is between 5:45 a.m. ET and sunrise at 6:15 a.m. ET. ...

Recent research has cast doubt on the certainty of the Milky Way-Andromeda galaxy collision, suggesting the event may not be as inevitable as once thought. Traditionally, astronomers have predicted that our galaxy would merge with Andromeda within the next 5 billion years, creating a new elliptical galaxy often referred to as "Milkomeda." However, ...

Super Blue Moon, a rare astronomical event, occurred on August 19. The much anticipated event was seen in the night sky after almost a year, as the previous Blue Moon was seen on August 30, 2023. But what exactly does that mean? Despite the exciting name, the Moon is not blue, and the change in its size is usually subtle.

Earth might gain another Moon, a miniature one, due to a rare phenomenon called gravitational trapping. Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and Raúl de la Fuente Marcos, researchers from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, have announced an intriguing celestial event. A small asteroid, named 2024 PT5, is set to become Earth's temporary mini-moon for appro...

Sagittarius A* (pronounced Sagittarius A Star), the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, is spinning in an unusual way, and scientists now believe they may know why. Based on new data from the Event Horizon Telescope, researchers suggest that this cosmic giant likely merged with another black hole billions of years ago. This colo...

Recent simulations suggest a very small chance that asteroid Apophis could be deflected onto a collision course with Earth before its close approach in 2029. Although current data points to a safe pass, the risk remains, especially if another space object were to strike Apophis. The odds are extremely low, but a final verdict won’t be available u...

NASA has released awe-inspiring photos of the Red Spider Nebula, located 3,000 light-years away in the constellation of Sagittarius. The nebula, with its vibrant red hues and spider-like structure, showcases shockwaves as high as 62 billion miles, created by one of the hottest stars known. This celestial marvel has left the internet buzzing, with s...

The European Space Agency (ESA) is concluding the Cluster mission, with the first of four satellites safely reentering Earth's atmosphere. This marks the end of a mission that has provided 24 years of valuable space data. In January, the satellite's orbit was adjusted to ensure its reentry would target an uninhabited area, reducing risks for humans...

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in 2027, will explore ancient galaxies and investigate dark matter. With its wide field of view and high-resolution imaging, the telescope will study galactic fossils—groups of ancient stars that hold clues about galaxy formation. Dr. Robyn Sanderson, deputy principal investigator at the University of...

Saturn's rings, one of the most unique features of our solar system, are set to become nearly invisible in March 2025. This rare phenomenon will occur due to Saturn's unique axial tilt, which will align the rings edge-on with Earth's line of sight. The result is a brief period where these majestic rings will be almost unobservable from our planet. ...

Saturn will reach opposition on the night of September 7 and 8, marking a key astronomical event. During the event, Earth is positioned directly between Saturn and the Sun. This alignment allows Saturn to appear at its largest and brightest in the night sky. For those keen to observe Saturn in all its splendour, this is the ideal time as Saturn wil...

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,500-year-old astronomy observatory in Buto, Egypt, within a temple complex dedicated to the goddess Wadjet. This significant discovery dates back to the sixth century BCE, a period marked by political instability as pharaonic power began to wane. The observatory, spanning 850 square metres, is the largest known fro...

Scientists have unveiled high-resolution images of Polaris, the North Star, for the first time, thanks to the CHARA Array on Mount Wilson. This groundbreaking observation reveals unexpected details on Polaris’ surface, including large bright and dark spots similar to sunspots. The CHARA Array combines data from six telescopes to achieve this leve...

Registrations will conclude on September 14 for the National Science Olympiad Program in India.

Astronomers have traditionally relied on helioseismology to estimate the Sun's age by analysing the vibrations that ripple through its interior. However, recent research has uncovered a significant obstacle, the Sun's magnetic activity, which follows an 11-year cycle, appears to be distorting these measurements. Data from the Birmingham Solar Oscil...

On August 24, skywatchers will be treated to an impressive planetary parade featuring six planets: Saturn, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Mars, and Mercury. This alignment, occurring in the early morning hours, will provide a unique viewing opportunity. In the US, the best time to catch the spectacle is between 5:45 a.m. ET and sunrise at 6:15 a.m. ET. ...

Recent research has cast doubt on the certainty of the Milky Way-Andromeda galaxy collision, suggesting the event may not be as inevitable as once thought. Traditionally, astronomers have predicted that our galaxy would merge with Andromeda within the next 5 billion years, creating a new elliptical galaxy often referred to as "Milkomeda." However, ...

Super Blue Moon, a rare astronomical event, occurred on August 19. The much anticipated event was seen in the night sky after almost a year, as the previous Blue Moon was seen on August 30, 2023. But what exactly does that mean? Despite the exciting name, the Moon is not blue, and the change in its size is usually subtle.