Simulations explore nuclear mitigation of asteroid threats
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are developing three-dimensional simulations to examine how a nuclear device could be used to deflect or potentially disr…
Salt crystals could hold clues to life beneath Enceladus's ice
The ocean beneath Saturn's moon Enceladus lies under kilometers of ice, but some of its contents do reach the surface. Jets near the south pole spray out water vapor and icy parti…
On this day in space! Oct. 17, 2016: Private Antares rocket returns to flight after catastrophic launch explosion
On Oct. 17, 2016, the Antares rocket now built by Northrop Grumman Space Systems returned to flight to come back from a catastrophic explosion. Here's why it mattered.
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 232 — The Lunar Dump
On Episode 232 of This Week In Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Chelsea Gohd to talk about the recent large data dump from the Artemis II mission.
6 scientifically accurate star projectors to turn any room into a home planetarium
These six realistic star projectors are much more than mood lighting. Their projections are scientifically accurate enough to serve as actual stargazing practice, perfect for budd…
Lone, starless cloud may be a 'dark' galaxy
Astronomers using China's FAST radio telescope have discovered a compact cloud of hydrogen with no visible stars or galaxy around it. This could be one of the strongest candidates…
'Lanterns' shocking finale left us with a lot of unanswered questions for a potential season 2
John Stewart goes rogue in Sector 2814 and embraces fear hopefully leading into season 2
The Orionid meteor shower peaks next week! Here's what to expect
The Orionid meteor shower peaks overnight on Oct. 21-22, bringing a spectacular display of shooting stars to the autumn sky.
APOD: 2026 October 17 – 3D 67P
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 October 17… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos…
Astronomer leads global team on NASA mission to create unprecedented view of the early universe
A University of Missouri astronomer is leading a team of 130 researchers from 62 institutions—including NASA, the California Institute of Technology, Princeton University and Harv…
Plants shift gene activity within minutes of entering spaceflight, experiment reveals
Plants begin responding to spaceflight almost immediately after leaving Earth, according to a new University of Florida study that captured the earliest stages of biological adapt…
New 3D model reveals how shadows reshape chemistry in stellar nurseries
How do young stars reshape the clouds from which they are born? A new high-resolution 3D model developed by an international team led by Dr Brandt Gaches from the University of Du…
'It really does change you': SpaceX Crew-12 commander wishes we could all see our fragile Earth from space
The astronauts of SpaceX's Crew-12 mission wish that we could all see Earth as they just did —as a beautiful but fragile outpost of life in a vast void.
First comprehensive Mars soil classification offers framework for exploration and future farming
A Ph.D. student at the University of Sydney has produced the first comprehensive classification system and map of Martian soils, creating a new framework that could help scientist…
NASA Names Stephen Cash Marshall Space Flight Center Director
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Stephen Cash director of the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, effective Monday, Oct. 19. Cash, a veteran N…
When not to watch a meteor shower — why I'm not staying up for the Orionids
The Orionid meteor shower peaks next week, but a bright moon makes much of the night less than ideal. Sometimes the sensible observing decision is knowing when to stay in bed — an…
A distant supercluster of galaxies points to self-interacting dark matter
Seven billion light-years from Earth, there is an unexpected cluster of galaxies. It has two regions in the process of colliding with each other with a combined mass of more than …
How to see the Orionid meteor shower 2026 peak this week — and when to look
The Orionids peak around Oct. 21. Here's when and where to look for the best chance of spotting meteors.
Scientists find 'gemstones' in atmosphere of bizarre, scorching-hot 'marshmallow' exoplanet
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have unravelled some of the secrets of a bizarre, blisteringly hot exoplanet that has the consistency of marshmallow.
NASA's Hubble spies spiral's edge
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the edge-on, intermediate spiral galaxy NGC 1827, located roughly 37 million light-years away in the constellation Columba, the Dov…
SpaceX thrusters just made a Tesla Roadster 'fly' (and Elon Musk's car is still out there in space)
Tesla just unveiled its new Roadster with a spectacular stunt, using SpaceX thrusters to make the sleek vehicle "fly."
On this day in space! Oct. 16, 1975: NASA launches the 1st-ever GOES weather satellite to watch Earth from space
On Oct. 16, 1975, NASA launched the first operational GOES weather satellite. Here's why it mattered.
'Dark Matter's' Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly talk S2's marital disintegration and the humility of hanging on wires (interview)
'It makes you think about how you can be a better person in life. And there’s always room for improvement.'
Artemis II Heat Shield After Splashdown
Shortly after NASA’s Artemis II mission splashed down on April 10, 2026, U.S. Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. In the months after, t…