In 2015, the iconic Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) made the first-ever tangible detection of gravitational waves. The waves were the result of two black holes colliding far out in the universe; Since then, a wealth of such signals have been observed from merging black holes, neutron stars, and even a few mixed mergers between … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. An unusual horned comet known for its series of recent outbursts will be visible in the night sky for the rest of March – and astronomers expect the so-called Devil’s Comet to make a rare … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. An unusual horned comet known for its series of recent outbursts will be visible in the night sky for the rest of March – and astronomers expect the so-called Devil’s Comet to make a rare … Read more
SpaceX uses Falcon 9 rockets to transport batches of about 60 Starlink satellites at a time.Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images SpaceX became astronomers’ worst enemy when it started launching Starlink internet satellites. But SpaceX worked with scientists to try to reduce the brightness of the satellites in telescope images. Some of SpaceX’s solutions do … Read more
A look into the future of exoplanet science suggests the coming European extremely large telescope (ELT) will give us the best chance of detecting nearby biosignatures over the next twenty years rocky worlds orbiting other stars. That’s the conclusion of a new study that simulated what it would take to characterize worlds beyond our solar … Read more
South African large telescope. SAAO, author provided South African astronomy embarked on an important journey twenty years ago when an initiative to attract and train future scientists in the field welcomed its first group of students under the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme. This period saw the establishment of world-class facilities, the most notable … Read more
South African astronomy embarked on an important journey twenty years ago when an initiative to attract and train future scientists in the field welcomed its first group of students under the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme. This period saw the establishment of world-class facilities, the most notable of which are the Southern African Large … Read more
Two supernovasS in a galaxy, and a galaxy so far away that we see it as it was 10 billion years ago, could be crucial in helping to reveal the expansion rate of the universe. This is a measurement that has caused some tension within the scientific community. The galaxy and the two supernovae were … Read more
MAUNA KEA, Hawaii (AP) — Shane Palacat-Nelsen’s voice drops to a reverent tone as he tells the story of the snow goddess Poliahu, who native Hawaiians believe inhabits the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii’s highest point . The story tells of a chief who longed to woo Poliahu but was stopped by her servants who … Read more