space science
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Very Large Telescope Images 42 of the Biggest Asteroids in Our Solar System
Though not as massive or colourful as planets, asteroids have a lot to teach us about our local corner of the universe. That’s especially the case for asteroids close enough to be sampled — such as Bennu was in October 2020 — or when rocky fragments fall to Earth as meteorites.
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When to See the ‘Harvest Moon’ at Peak Brilliance This Month
The full moon that occurs nearest to the autumnal equinox, which is coming up on Sept. 22 — is nearly upon us. Which means, for all you infinity scarf and pumpkin spice disciples — squee! — fall is almost officially here. Let’s delve into why this moon is so unique, and when to see it…
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When Will There Be a New Solar Superstorm?
Just shy of 162 years ago — on the morning of September 1st, 1859 — a hobbyist astronomer named Richard Carrington peered through his telescope and noted, in the sky, “two patches of intensely bright and white light.” Beyond Carrington’s country estate, telegraphs were failing all over the world. In American cities that night, people…
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Ripples in Saturn’s Rings Reveal Planet’s Core Is Big and Jiggly
A team of astrophysicists looking at data from the Cassini spacecraft’s tour of Saturn have estimated a new size for the planet’s core. Studying gravitational effects on the icy rings, the team determined that Saturn’s core is a combination of ice, rock, hydrogen, and helium about 50 times as massive as Earth, making it much…