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9 miles of solid diamonds may lurk beneath Mercury's surface, new study finds
By Deepa Jain published
New simulations suggest that a 9-mile-thick layer of diamonds may lurk deep below the surface of Mercury. The gems almost certainly can't be mined for bling — but they may help solve some of the planet's biggest mysteries.
Astronomers want to change how we define a planet — again
By Kristel Tjandra published
Astronomers are proposing a new, more quantitative definition of what makes a planet. The new definition looks more directly at the object's mass — but it would still leave Pluto out of the running.
Comet predicted to light up Earth's skies this fall may be falling apart
By Harry Baker published
A new paper suggests that comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, may completely break apart before it reaches its closest approach to Earth in October. If the comet does survive long enough to reach us, it should be bright enough to spot with the naked eye.
'Rare daylight fireball' meteor over NYC created loud boom near Statue of Liberty
By Sascha Pare published
Reports of a daylight fireball and loud booms across New York City and New Jersey suggest a meteor entered the atmosphere above the city and traveled west at 38,000 mph, NASA says.
Cosmic crime scene reveals ancient supernova aftermath of dead star merger
By Robert Lea published
A "guest star," briefly seen in 1181, was created by colliding dead stars, according to new simulations that may finally solve an 800-year-old cosmic mystery.
Fixing Boeing's leaky Starliner — and returning NASA's stranded astronauts to Earth — is much harder than it sounds
By Ian Whittaker published
Astronauts are stuck on the International Space Station after yet more problems with Boeing's beleaguered Starliner. Here's why an investigation into the issues is so difficult, even for NASA.
'Dark comets' may be a much bigger threat to Earth than we thought, new study warns
By Paul Sutter published
A strange class of space rock known as a "dark comet" has qualities of both asteroids and comets — and the hard-to-spot objects may pose a larger threat to Earth than we thought, according to new research.
Delta Aquariids 2024: July's next meteor shower offers ideal conditions for 'shooting stars'
By Jamie Carter published
The Delta Aquariid meteor shower begins this week, bringing as many as 20 "shooting stars" per hour to the night sky. Here's why this year's shower offers ideal conditions for stargazers.
Get one of our favorite star projectors for less than $20 at Amazon
By Lloyd Coombes published
Deals Nab a fantastic discount on this adorable Galaxy Projector with an Amazon coupon.
July's full 'Buck Moon' rises this week — and signals a big lunar transition is on the way
By Jamie Carter published
July's full moon — also known as the Buck Moon, the Thunder Moon and the Hay Moon — will be at its fullest on the night of July 21. It's the last "regular" full moon before a parade of four consecutive "supermoons" light up the sky.
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