Space vehicle reentries shed exotic metal particles to Earth’s atmosphere

NOAA studies made of Earth's stratosphere suggest that space vehicle reentries shed exotic metal particles in Earth's atmosphere.

Deneb Kaitos marks the tail of Cetus the Whale

Deneb Kaitos is the brightest star in the constellation Cetus the Whale. It's at its highest in the sky on October and November evenings.

Some will see a partial lunar eclipse tonight

A shallow partial lunar eclipse takes place on October 28, 2023, visible in Europe, Africa, most of Asia and western Australia. Jupiter is the bright object nearby. Maps and details here.

Fast radio burst traveled 8 billion light-years to Earth

Astronomers have confirmed the most distant fast radio burst ever found so far. It resides in a small group of merging galaxies 8 billion light-years away.

Where is Proxima Centauri?

The closest star to our sun is Proxima Centauri, in the triple star system Alpha Centauri. But where is Proxima Centauri in our sky and in space?

The moon is 40 million years older than we thought

Researchers studied zircon crystals in lunar samples brought back by Apollo astronauts to determine the moon is 40 million years older than we thought.

Ancient mud lake on Mars could hold traces of life

Researchers at the Planetary Science Institute said that an ancient mud lake on Mars would be an ideal place to search for evidence of ancient microbial life.

Webb sees new feature in Jupiter’s atmosphere: a jet stream

The Webb space telescope revealed a jet stream in Jupiter's atmosphere above its equatorial region. The jet stream travels at about 320 mph (515 kph).

The Local Group is our galactic neighborhood

What is the Local Group? It's a collection of the nearest galaxies in space. Read more about these neighbors of our home Milky Way galaxy.

What’s a fairy ring of mushrooms? Why is it a circle?

Have you ever noticed mushrooms growing in a circle? It's known as a fairy ring, and it's the result of a fungus growing underground. But why is it round?