Astronomy / Space

After the upcoming FSD legislation that will drastically increase the number of robotaxi permits, Elon Musk's companies are scoring more regulatory wins. This time it is SpaceX that has gotten favorable treatment by the Pentagon and FCC as it is positioning for an IPO.

NASA’s IXPE has given astronomers access to the energetic environment of a white dwarf for the first time. This unprecedented event resulted in findings that beat scientists’ expectations, some of them confirming existing theories.

Using NASA’s Webb, astronomers have found a chemically primitive galaxy making dust. This is unusual given that the galaxy does not have the required ingredients. The discovery is providing insights into how early galaxies evolved and developed dust.

Astronomers have discovered the violent past of the black hole located at the center of our galaxy. But while this discovery is important, further studies will need to be conducted in the near future.

Astronomers found nine galaxies with point-like appearances from Webb’s data. These galaxies defy current classification. Are they galaxies in early stages of formation? And what do they really tell us?

A team of astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope to examine a celestial object called Cloud-9. What was thought to be a faint galaxy has now been redefined as a dark-matter cloud with no stars. This discovery provides some insights into our understanding of dark matter and the early universe.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has discovered an asteroid spinning at record speed. But while this is a new record for its category, this celestial object remains very mysterious and further studies will need to be conducted.

Astronomers have detected a new rogue planet located about 10,000 light-years from Earth. But while this discovery is amazing, the mystery surrounding these planets remains unsolved, and further studies will need to be conducted.

The ESA/Webb final Picture of the Month for 2025 is an image of a star cluster called Westerlund 2. The image displays stars in their different phases of evolution, including those that have formed protoplanetary disks.

Hubble discovered the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star. The telescope also revealed an unusual detail — the disk is unexpectedly chaotic. This discovery could help astronomers understand more about how planets form in different environments.

NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory completed its first infrared map of the entire sky — and it did so in 102 colors. This is the most colorful mapping of the sky ever done. Each color is a different wavelength of infrared light, and they all reveal different things about the universe.

Hubble zoomed in on a neighboring region of the N159 star-forming complex. The image was selected as this week’s ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week. The image highlights the complicated interactions between stars and the gases from which they form.

Hubble’s Picture of the Week is a celestial pair known as Arp 4. The two galaxies appear deceptively close. However, in reality, they are not close at all. One of the pair is over ten times farther away from us than the other.

Two NATO states have published intelligence reports that describe a new weapon against Elon Musk's Starlink satellites. This system is intended to release clouds of shrapnel (high density pellets) in orbit. In an emergency, this would jeopardize all types space travel.

The $19 billion in spectrum purchase that will allow Starlink to offer 5G Internet service when its V3 satellites are in orbit is bringing other perks. EchoStar, the parent company of satellite TV provider Dish, is now benefitting from the partnership with SpaceX.

Astronomers observed the Fomalhaut system and found the impact of recent collisions around the star. This is the first time astronomers have witness such events. The collisions are believed to be between asteroids and planetesimals.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed an exoplanet called PSR J2322-2650b. This exoplanet orbits a rapidly spinning neutron star. But what is most strange about the exoplanet is the composition of its atmosphere — it mostly contains molecular carbon and helium.

Starlink will be having a couple of new promos coming to those who bought its Mini dish kit. The Mini dish may soon be served by Starlink's cheapest ever satellite Internet plan.

The US is preparing to build an alternative to the aging International Space Station by 2030, while SpaceX wants to launch 15,000 DTC satellites in total. Any number of things could go wrong, as a recent incident shows.

Using IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), astronomers have answered a long-standing question — Where do the X-rays in a supermassive black hole’s jet come from? To do this, IXPE had to observe a galaxy cluster for more than 600 hours over a 60-day period.

A photographer managed to capture two rare phenomena in the sky last month. And while this may be a first, scientists could use this image to study them, as they are still very mysterious.

NASA has announced a plan to use the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to view our Milky Way in unprecedented detail. Roman’s infrared vision is expected to pierce through the densest part of the galaxy and unveil up to 20 billion stars.

NASA Science Calendar Image of the Month is a sprite over Château de Beynac, France. Sprites are short-lived. They last only a few milliseconds. So, witnessing and capturing one is a big deal. Images of these transient events are helping scientists understand more about how and why they form.

A group of researchers has published their findings on how ice could be used in creating a human habitat on Mars. Their study concludes that thick ice can substitute as a material for insulation and radiation protection.

SpaceX is informing customers that it will discontinue software updates for the Starlink Gen 1 router, making the device obsolete in the near future. As a thank you to longstanding customers, the company is offering a free upgrade to the Starlink Router Mini, which supports Wi-Fi 6 and usually retails for $40.

During the next few days, it will be possible to observe the last meteor shower of the year, the Ursids. And it will be necessary to follow some tips to enjoy the show.

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured its 100,000th image of Mars, showing unique landscapes. And that's not all, because scientists are also studying this image for future missions.

Spiral galaxy NGC 4388 has featured in the ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week. The image revealed a stream of glowing gas flowing out from the galaxy’s disk. This gas has captured the interest of astronomers, and they are now seeking possible answers.

Astronomers detected a powerful explosion called a gamma-ray burst (GRB). But this particular GRB was not like any other that has been observed. It lasted at least seven hours, making it the longest-ever GRB.

On December 12, 2025, a rare event was observed, as a new impact was seen on the night side of the Moon. And if the object that collided with our natural satellite is unknown, certain hypotheses have been put forward.

A recent study suggests that most smaller galaxies may not have supermassive black holes in their center. This new finding goes against what scientists have previously known about galaxies and black holes. If proven to be true, it could reshape our understanding of how black holes form and even affect future space missions.

Lucas Sifoni built a pocket-sized, 3D-printed Dobsonian telescope around a 76 mm mirror, and was kind enough to detail its compact mechanical design, materials, optical testing, and limits, showing it is small but genuinely functional.

SpaceX has dropped its 'Residential 100Mbps' plan from Starlink's US site. This sudden change likely stems from high demand filling up network capacity in the areas where it was available. However, the plan is still available for users in Australia and Canada.

In recent weeks, Comet Lemmon has been visible in the sky, and recently, an impressive photo was unveiled showing this comet and the Milky Way in the night sky. And that's not all, because it is also possible to see other stars in this image.

Researchers studying the pieces of asteroid Bennu have discovered three ground-breaking things inside the samples — sugar, a mysterious gum-like object, and a huge amount of dust. These findings could tell us more about the early solar system and the origin of life.

During future missions to the Moon, astronauts will be assisted by a rover that will analyze lunar dust and the geology of our natural satellite. And this is essential for future space missions and for protecting astronauts on the Moon.

Astronomers have just unveiled images of an exoplanet orbiting two stars. And if this is already exceptional, this exoplanet is very young, because it formed only 50 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs.

NASA has finished assembling the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, a next-generation observatory designed to hunt for dark energy and previously forecast to detect ten times more supernovae than all existing telescopes combined have detected to date.

Over the next few days, the Geminids will reach their peak acitivity, and about 150 meteors will be visible per hour. But it will be necessary to follow several tips to observe this event in the best conditions.

The James Webb Space Telescope recently discovered the oldest supernova ever observed. And thanks to this unique discovery, astronomers can better understand the earliest moments of the universe.

Amazon is taking the fight to Starlink by deploying over 300 ground-based gateway stations to power its newly branded Amazon Leo satellite internet service. This massive infrastructure project aims to deliver robust speeds and direct AWS cloud connectivity for millions of future users.

The first Starlink store reviews have produced one surprise in the form of the first Starlink vending machine that offers great deals on equipment and service plans. The self-service kiosk promises to get you online in minutes and for free.

The Subaru telescope recently discovered two new celestial objects as part of the new OASIS program. And these discoveries will greatly assist astronomers in the future with new equipment, particularly by serving as a support.

The latest ESA/Hubble Picture of the Week features a strikingly bright galaxy called Markarian 178 (Mrk 178). The galaxy is loaded with numerous young, hot stars. But even more interesting is the presence of a rare class of stars called Wolf-Rayet stars.

Astronomers have observed celestial objects that manage to survive the supermassive black hole located at the center of our galaxy. And it seems that the environment around this colossal structure is calmer than expected.

NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) tracked a comet every four minutes from August 7 to October 5. This makes it possibly the longest any comet has been tracked at such a frequency. The data could help scientists understand more about the Sun’s effects on bodies in space.

Scientists finally have proof of something they have suspected for a long time — electrical discharges in dust devils. This discovery was thanks to an instrument on the Perseverance rover. The understanding gained from this discovery could help in the planning of human missions to the Red Planet.

NASA and its partners plan to launch a commercial robotic arm to low Earth orbit in late 2027. This move is set to provide opportunities for advancing in-space robotics, which scientists believe will be crucial in future space missions.

NASA launched a small satellite called R5-S7 in late November. It is a CubeSat built with cost-saving methods. It is set to showcase rapid, low-cost ways of building and operating satellites.

SpaceX is working with mobile chipset makers to integrate satellite connectivity modems in future phones. Elon Musk is apparently pushing ahead with plans to turn Starlink into a 5G carrier service.