Latest articles by Brandon Specktor
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket grounded for 2nd time in 2 months following explosive landing failure
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket for the second time in as many months following a routine landing that ended in flames on Wednesday (Aug. 28).
See the moment the blue supermoon 'gobbled up' Saturn in epic astrophotography image
Overnight on Aug. 20-21, the full 'Sturgeon Supermoon' briefly occulted, or passed in front of, Saturn, snuffing the ringed planet's light from the sky. An epic new astrophotography image captures the entire spectacle from start to finish.
Auroras headed to the US again in aftermath of gargantuan 'X-class' solar flare
Auroras may once again be visible in northern parts of the U.S. this weekend as Earth braces for impact from a powerful coronal mass ejection.
Perseid meteor shower rains 'shooting stars' over Stonehenge in glorious astrophotography image
A UK-based astrophotographer captured this stunning composite image of the Perseid meteor shower raining "shooting stars" over Stonehenge.
'Severe' G4 geomagnetic storm strikes Earth, making widespread auroras likely
Earth was hit by a "severe" G4-class geomagnetic storm on Monday morning, increasing the chances of auroras in the northern U.S. tonight.
NASA shuts down down asteroid-hunting NEOWISE telescope as the sun drags it to its doom
NASA's asteroid-hunting NEOWISE space telescope will soon plunge into Earth's atmosphere and burn to bits. Here's a look back at its epic mission that defied all expectations.
Researchers want to build 'streetlights' on the moon — and they'd be taller than the Statue of Liberty
A private company has received funding from the U.S. government to build the first-ever "streetlights" on the moon — towering, Statue of Liberty-sized structures that could withstand the brutal lunar night.
Auroras expected tonight and through the weekend as US braces from 'cannibal' solar eruption
A chain of solar outbursts, including a "cannibal" coronal mass ejection that slammed Earth on Tuesday, will bring lovely auroras to parts of the northern US and most of Canada this weekend. Here's where to look.
Space photo of the week: Warped 'penguin galaxy' spotted by JWST is waddling toward certain doom
To mark its second anniversary of operations, James Webb Space Telescope scientists share a stunning view of the Penguin and Egg galaxies as they slowly collide.
Newly discovered asteroid larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza will zoom between Earth and the moon on Saturday
On Saturday (June 29), an asteroid larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza will fly past Earth at about three-quarters the distance from Earth to the moon. The asteroid, named 2024 MK, poses no risk to our planet.
Space junk: How broken satellites are creating a garbage crisis in the sky
Thousands of pieces of space debris, also known as space junk, are orbiting Earth, with tons more added each year. This orbital debris poses a significant threat to satellites, spacecraft, astronauts — and increasingly humans on Earth.
Milky Way's black hole 'exhaust vent' discovered in eerie X-ray observations
A gargantuan "exhaust vent" may be channeling hot gas away from the Milky Way's supermassive black hole at millions of miles per hour — and filling up two enormous bubbles that tower over the galaxy.
James Webb telescope spots a dozen newborn stars spewing gas in the same direction — and nobody is sure why
The James Webb telescope has spotted a peculiar group of baby stars firing enormous jets into space at nearly the exact same angle. The discovery could hold new insights into how stars are born.
5 space discoveries that scientists are struggling to explain
From "runaway" black holes shooting across the cosmos to secret planets in our own backyard, space is overrun with mysterious objects that scientists are clamoring to explain. Here are five of the strangest sights in the universe, as well as their possible origins.
LIFTOFF! Boeing Starliner carries 2 astronauts to space in 'final test' for NASA (watch live)
Boeing's Starliner spacecraft successfully carried two NASA astronauts to space today (June 5) in the final test of the spacecraft's capabilities. Starliner is bound for the International Space Station.
James Webb telescope discovers earliest galaxy in the known universe — and its shockingly big
The James Webb Space Telescope has detected the two earliest, most distant galaxies in the known universe, dating to just 300 million years after the Big Bang. The detection of even earlier galaxies is likely to follow.
James Webb telescope sees 'birth' of 3 of the universe's earliest galaxies in world-1st observations
The James Webb Space Telescope may have spotted the birth of some of the earliest galaxies in the universe for the first time ever, new research hints.
32 stunning photos of auroras seen from space
Auroras (also called the northern and southern lights) are visible from the ground after powerful solar storms, but these natural light shows look even more majestic from above. Here are 32 spectacular photos of auroras taken from space.
James Webb telescope spots 2 monster black holes merging at the dawn of time, challenging our understanding of the universe
New observations with the James Webb Space Telescope reveal the most distant pair of merging black holes ever spotted. The discovery further challenges leading theories of cosmology.
Sun launches strongest solar flare of current cycle in monster X8.7-class eruption
The strongest solar flare in half a decade just launched off the sun from the same sunspot group that triggered dazzling auroras last weekend. But don't expect northern lights this time around.
Space photo of the week: A planet-size explosion rocks the sun's 'mossy' corona
Coronal moss grows, solar rain falls and plasma eruptions rear their gargantuan heads in this fiery landscape of the sun's outer atmosphere, taken by ESA's Solar Orbiter.
No, the James Webb Space Telescope probably didn't detect signs of alien life — but it soon could
The James Webb Space Telescope's possible detection of biological chemicals on the exoplanet K2-18b may just have been methane gas, a new study cautions. Planned follow-up observations could solve the mystery for good.
Space photo of the week: NASA spots enormous pink 'flames' during total solar eclipse. What are they?
Fiery pink towers could be seen erupting from the sun during the total solar eclipse on April 8. What are they?
