Space & Physics
Giant Asteroid Vesta May Have Buried Ice
A new study using data from NASA’s Dawn mission suggests ice may exist beneath smooth patches of the asteroid’s surface
Stories by SPACE.com
Space & Physics
Sun Unleashes Strongest Solar Flare of Past Decade
The X-class flare was the most powerful seen since 2006, and created radio blackouts on Earth
Space & Physics
Hurricane Irma Closes Arecibo Observatory
The threat from the Category 5 storm has shuttered the world’s second-largest radio telescope until further notice
Space & Physics
Famous 600-Year-Old Nova Pinpointed in Modern Day
The result sheds new light on the long-term evolution of these stellar explosions
Space & Physics
Tropical Storm Harvey Shutters NASA's Johnson Space Center through Labor Day
Essential operations to support the International Space Station will continue, with the center reopening on September 5
Weather
Hurricane Harvey Closes NASA Center in Houston
Despite rising floodwaters, Johnson Space Center continues critical space station operations
Space & Physics
Astronomers Capture Best-Ever Image of Alien Star
The new image reveals the surface and atmosphere of the red supergiant star Antares in unprecedented detail
Space & Physics
Strange Dead Star Could Be Remnant of Mini-Supernova
Studies of the white dwarf LP 40-365 could reveal new details about mysterious stellar explosions
Space & Physics
Supermassive Black Holes May Dine on “Jellyfish” Galaxies
Galaxies with trailing ‘tentacles’ of gas and newborn stars could help feed some of the universe’s most powerful objects
Space & Physics
Deadline for Google Lunar X Prize Extended to March 2018
The remaining teams in this private space race have more time—and the opportunity for more money—on their way to the Moon
Space & Physics
New Group Works to Preserve Apollo Lunar Landing Sites
For All Moonkind is working with space agencies to develop formal protections for space archaeology sites
Space & Physics
NASA Debates How to Retrieve Rocks from Mars
The agency's next Mars rover will cache samples for return to Earth, but how and when they will be delivered remains undecided
Engineering
Space-Based 3-D Printing Reaches Milestone
Successful test suggests “Archinaut” system could soon assemble huge structures in orbit
Space & Physics
Icy Worlds May Bypass Habitability
New research suggests cold, Mars-like planets will, once warmed, skip over any Earth-like phase to Venus-like conditions
Space & Physics
Closest Supermassive Black Hole Tests Einstein’s Relativity
New observations of stars orbiting the Milky Way’s central giant black hole confirm Einstein’s theory yet again
Space & Physics
NASA’s Pluto Probe May See Double During Next Flyby
When New Horizons flies by Kuiper belt object MU69 in 2019, it may find two space rocks rather than one
Space & Physics
Hubble Detects Alien Stratosphere
The upper atmosphere of the giant exoplanet WASP-121b may be wreathed in layers of glowing water vapor
Space & Physics
Rare “Superluminous” Supernova Traced to “Heavy Metal” Galaxy
The finding raises new questions about the nature of these colossal cosmic explosions
Space & Physics
Rogue "Double Planet" Proves to Be 2 Failed Stars
The two co-orbiting brown dwarfs drift between the stars 95 light-years from Earth, and form the lightest binary system ever found
Space & Physics
Scientists Spot Water-Rich Rocks on Moon
Data from an Indian lunar orbiter hints at substantial water in the lunar interior
