Today marks the international day of awareness and education about asteroids – Asteroid Day! It’s a huge program, organising events all over the world, and headquartered from Luxembourg. The date of June 30th was chosen specially to mark the anniversary of the Tunguska event. In 1908 Siberia, an asteroid exploded, flattening 2,000 square kilometres of …
Space Launches July 2020
Here is your one-stop shop for space launches in July 2020. This month sees up to 138 satellites launched, 3 missions to Mars and one cargo delivery to the International Space Station. Read on to find out more! Last updated: July 15th 2020 Satellite Launches LAUNCH FAILURE 4th: US private company Rocket Lab launch several …
Hot Jupiters’ Origins Made Clearer by New Discovery
Hot Jupiters are a mould-breaking type of planet; huge Jupiter-sized gas giants that orbit shockingly close to their star. The recent detection of HIP 67522 b could provide answers to the most pressing question about these goliaths. How did they form? We have no examples in our own solar system, so exoplanets like this one …
ESA’s Solar Orbiter approaches the Sun
On June 15th, ESA reached a milestone as Solar Orbiter approaches the Sun. It managed to get 77 million kilometres away from it! That might sound like a lot, but in reality it is about half the distance from the Earth to the Sun. It’s very difficult to get spacecraft close to the Sun, because …
Observing the Moon
If you’re just starting out in astronomy, observing the Moon is a good place to start! The Earth’s only natural satellite is a familiar sight in our night skies, but have you ever taken a closer look? Read on to find out what makes the Moon special. Spoiler alert: it’s not made of cheese! The …
NASA Astronauts Launch from America
Last weekend, the world witnessed 2 NASA astronauts launch from America for the first time in almost 10 years. Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley joined Expedition 63 aboard the International Space Station. They docked at 1:02pm EDT on 31st May. Known as the SpaceX Demo-2 Crew mission, the delivery of astronauts to the ISS marks …
Spotlight on Mercury
The closest planet to the Sun can often seem tricky to observe, but with keen eyes and a clear horizon, you can spot this alien world. Read on to find out more about Mercury, the small, rocky planet skirting the heart of our Solar System. Mercury in History Mercury, so named for the god of …
Laser Powered Rover will Explore Dark Lunar Craters
One of the darkest places in the universe could be explored for the first time. The craters at high latitudes on the Moon! In permanent shadow, these craters don’t allow for traditional solar powered rovers. But a new design to use lasers instead could pave the way for new discoveries from this region. The laser-powered …
A Bridge Between Galaxy Clusters
Some fascinating detail has come to light regarding a bridge of hot gas that exists between 2 galaxy clusters. Their collision several hundred millions of years ago created the bridge. The system, labelled Abell 2384, consists of 2 galaxy clusters 1.2 million light years away from the Earth. Together, they contain mass of over 260 …
Comets and Observing them
Comet C/2017 T2 PANSTARRS is in the sky this month. As a long-period comet, you won’t have another chance to see it, so catch a glimpse while you can! Here’s a short guide to comets and how best to observe them. What is a comet? Throughout history, comets have been given scientific and mystical importance …