Gaia faces double trouble: Micrometeoroid strike and solar storm
Launched in December 2013, ESA's Gaia spacecraft aims to map over a billion stars in the Milky Way with incredible precision.
However, space is a...
Scientists find six new exoplanets, passing 5,500 milestone
On August 24, 2023, scientists announced the discovery of six new exoplanets, bringing the total number of known exoplanets to 5,502.
This milestone marks another...
Astronomers discover exoplanet with wild orbit: A clue to hot Jupiter formation
Astronomers have found a planet with the most unusual orbit ever seen among planets outside our solar system, known as exoplanets.
This planet's extreme path...
Scientists capture first image of sprinkler-like jet from neutron star
Astronomers have captured the first-ever image of a jet shooting out from a neutron star, resembling a garden sprinkler.
This fascinating discovery was made by...
Ancient space secrets: Scientists unveil Bennu asteroid samples
Inside a vacuum-packed container within a FedEx box lies a piece of ancient history: a small sample from the Bennu asteroid.
This 120-milligram sample holds...
Six things we’ve learned about Earth from meteorites and comets
Apart from the sun, its planets and their moons, our solar system has vast amounts of space rocks—fragments left over from the formation of...
Astronomers discover 10 strange pulsars in the Milky Way
Towards the center of our Milky Way galaxy, in the constellation Sagittarius, astronomers have discovered 10 unusual neutron stars called pulsars.
These pulsars are located...
Sun-like stars found orbiting hidden companions
Most stars in our universe come in pairs.
While our own Sun is a loner, many stars like our Sun orbit similar stars, while a...
Pulsars help astronomers hunt for mysterious dark matter
Astronomers are using pulsars, known as the universe's "timekeepers," to find clues about dark matter.
Pulsars are neutron stars that rotate and emit beams of...
A walking balloon could one day explore Titan – or Earth’s sea floor
Novel ways to move on other celestial bodies always draw the attention of the space exploration community.
Here at UT, we’ve reported on everything from...