That giant sunspot that supercharged auroras on Earth? It’s back and may amp up the northern lights with June solar storms.
In mid-May 2024, an active sunspot region known as AR 13664 produced powerful solar flares that triggered geomagnetic storms on Earth and spectacular displays of the northern lights. This same sunspot region has now reappeared on the eastern edge of the sun after rotating around to the other side, and is now being called AR […]
Scientists pick their favorite Euclid ‘dark universe’ telescope images: ‘The best is still to come’
The Euclid space telescope recently released new images as part of its Early Release Observations program before it begins its main science operations. Euclid is studying dark energy and dark matter, collectively known as the “dark universe”, which are hypothesized to make up 95% of the universe. It aims to provide insights into these mysterious […]
June planetary parade could wow or disappoint: How to make the most of it
In early June, six planets – Jupiter, Mercury, Uranus, Mars, Neptune and Saturn – will line up in the morning sky in the Northern Hemisphere. This is known as a planetary conjunction. The alignment will be visible before sunrise on June 3rd from New York City. However, viewing all six planets together may be difficult […]
Why scientists say we need to send clocks to the moon — and soon
Scientists say we need to establish an accurate timekeeping system on the moon as space agencies plan lunar settlements and renewed exploration. Time passes slightly faster on the moon compared to Earth. On the moon, a single day is approximately 56 microseconds shorter than an Earth day. While a small difference, it can lead to […]
Scientists locate origin of the sun’s magnetic field
– Scientists have developed a new mathematical model to better understand the origin of the Sun’s magnetic field. The model finds that the field is generated closer to the Sun’s surface than previously thought. – The model accounts for the Sun’s unique interior structure and took over a decade to develop using NASA supercomputers. Scientists […]
NASA Voyager 1 Back To Science After Glitch In Interstellar Space
– NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is back operational and collecting science data after experiencing a serious glitch in November that stopped its work for months. – At over 15 billion miles from Earth, Voyager 1 is currently the most distant human-made object in space as it explores the region between stars known as interstellar space. […]
Germany Now Has So Much Solar Power That Its Electric Prices Are Going Negative
– Germany has installed a large amount of solar power capacity in recent years, installing 14,280 megawatts of solar capacity last year which is almost double compared to the previous year. – This high level of solar power generation has outpaced consumer electricity demand at times, pushing power prices down and even into negative territory, […]
Scientists have discovered a theoretically habitable, Earth-size planet
– Scientists have discovered an exoplanet called Gliese 12b orbiting a red dwarf star about 40 light years away. – Gliese 12b is estimated to be about 27% the size of Earth and falls within the habitable zone of its host star where liquid water could exist on its surface. – It orbits its star […]
A billionaire hopes to upgrade the Hubble Telescope on a private SpaceX mission, but could it really happen?
– Billionaire Jared Isaacman, commander of the private Inspiration4 SpaceX mission in 2021, has proposed upgrading the aging Hubble Space Telescope via a private SpaceX servicing mission. – Hubble is over 30 years old but still functioning well. However, it is gradually sinking into lower orbit and some systems have failed. A servicing mission could […]
Right again, Einstein! Scientists find where matter ‘waterfalls’ into black holes
– Scientists have observed for the first time the “plunging region” near black holes, where matter falls into the black hole in a final plunge. This confirms a key prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity. – Black holes cause extreme warping of spacetime due to their immense mass concentrated in a small space. Einstein […]