Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
NASA, Japan add 2 more astronauts to SpaceX's 1st operational Crew Dragon flight
The passenger list for SpaceX's first operational crewed mission is now complete.
Hubble finds best evidence for elusive mid-sized black hole
Astronomers have found the best evidence for the perpetrator of a cosmic homicide: a black hole of an elusive class known as "intermediate-mass," which betrayed its existence by tearing apart...
N.Y. coronavirus cases pass 75,000; firefighter among dead in N.J.
The number of new coronavirus cases in New York, the U.S. epicenter for the outbreak, has climbed by nearly 10,000 to almost 76,000, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
Gayle King to host 'ACM Presents: Our Country' special on CBS
Gayle King will host "Our Country," a TV special featuring performances from Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani, Carrie Underwood and more, Sunday on CBS.
NASA Selects Mission to Study Causes of Giant Solar Particle Storms
An array of six spacecraft, each about the size of a toaster oven, will help us understand our nearest star and better protect astronauts traveling beyond Earth.
NASA, University of Nebraska Release New Global Groundwater Maps and U.S. Drought Forecasts
Satellite data on the movement of water on Earth helps to improve the accuracy of moisture maps and forecasts.
A galactic crash could be behind Milky Way's warped appearance
The Milky Way's warped shape probably is due to a long-running collision with a smaller galaxy. But which galaxy this might be is a mystery.
Astronomers spot ancient effects from a supermassive black hole's jets
Astronomers have gleaned their first insight to what the jets blasting off of supermassive black holes may have done to surrounding gas in the young universe.
Electron-eating neon causes star to collapse
An international team of researchers has found that neon inside a certain massive star can consume the electrons in the core, a process called electron capture, which causes the star...
High-flying Moon Sensor Will Help Improve Earth Observations
PROJECT Airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance Instrument (air-LUSI) SNAPSHOT A new instrument flew aboard a high-altitude NASA plane to measure the Moon’s brightness and help Earth observing sensors make more accurate measurements. The air-LUSI...
North Korea missile images raise questions about authenticity
The possibility North Korea may have doctored the images released this week showing a test of "super-large multiple rocket launchers" cannot be ruled out.
Warped space-time to help WFIRST find exoplanets
NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) will search for planets outside our solar system toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy, where most stars are. Studying the properties...
Optical telescopes obtain long-term monitoring results of flux variability in blazars
Blazars are a special kind of rare active galactic nuclei. They are currently the most likely candidates for high-energy neutrinos. Their relativistic jets may be the origin area of super-high-energy...
High Altitude Water Cherenkov observatory tests speed of light
New measurements confirm, to the highest energies yet explored, that the laws of physics hold no matter where you are or how fast you're moving. Observations of record-breaking gamma rays...
Scary red or icky green? We can't say what color coronavirus is and dressing it up might feed fears
Images of the latest coronavirus have become instantly recognizable, often vibrantly colored and floating in an opaque background. In most representations, the shape of the virus is the same—a spherical...
Study determines burst properties of the most recurring transient magnetar
Using NASA's Fermi and Swift spacecraft, astronomers have investigated SGR J1935+2154, the most recurring transient magnetar known to date. The new research sheds more light on the burst properties of...
Gov. Gavin Newsom sticks to pressure, not force, in California's coronavirus shutdown
Coronavirus: Gov. Newsom has been steadfast in contending that his stay-at-home order should be enforced through persuasion, not punishment
Quasar winds with record energy levels were seen fleeing a distant galaxy
Black holes in the distant universe blow winds with 100 times the energy of all the stars in the Milky Way combined. These great gusts, called quasar outflows, carry enough material away...
Watch: BTS perform 'Boy with Luv' on James Corden's 'Homefest'
BTS appeared on James Corden's "Late Late Show" special, titled "Homefest," and performed their hit song "Boy with Luv."
On Mars, deep-water diversity has stood the test of time, meteorites show
The water buried deep within Mars likely came from at least two very different sources long ago, a new study suggests.
ESA to conduct BepiColombo flyby amid coronavirus crisis
Controllers at ESA's mission control center are preparing for a gravity-assist flyby of the European-Japanese Mercury explorer BepiColombo. The maneuver, which will see the mission adjust its trajectory by harnessing...
NASA selects mission to study causes of giant solar particle storms
NASA has selected a new mission to study how the Sun generates and releases giant space weather storms—known as solar particle storms—into planetary space. Not only will such information improve...
Saturn, Mars and Jupiter align over New York City in gorgeous night-sky photos
Three bright planets line up across the predawn sky above the New York City skyline in these gorgeous views by local photographer Alexander Krivenyshev.
New method predicts which black holes escape their galaxies
Shoot a rifle, and the recoil might knock you backward. Merge two black holes in a binary system, and the loss of momentum gives a similar recoil—a "kick"—to the merged...
Unravelling the mystery of black holes: Scientists release stellar code to the public
Today, team COMPAS (Compact Object Mergers: Population Astrophysics and Statistics) has announced the first public beta release of their rapid binary population synthesis code (available for download here).
Watch BTS perform from quarantine on James Corden's 'Homefest' special
K-pop supergroup BTS was among the acts that performed on James Corden's 'Homefest' special on Monday night.
Coronavirus invades SoFi Stadium construction as a dangerous dilemma is building
SoFi Stadium is scheduled to open in July, however, an unidentified construction worker has tested positive for coronavirus, which could delay the opening of the Rams' and Chargers' new home.
Watching more TV than ever? Here are 5 shows worth your time this week
The Times TV team recommends the five TV shows we're watching this week — and that you should be too.