The historic Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico has had a rough year after a partial collapse in August. Two additional collapses have now occurred, and the telescope is slated for destruction soon. The telescope’s cables have been failing, and most recently a large platform fell from its perch high above the dish. The massive radio …
A group of astronomers has been studying a 2008 proposal to build a telescope on the Moon. The telescope would be capable of peering back to the origins of the universe and could provide images of the first stars ever created. There are no guarantees that the telescope will be built, but it’s not out …
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a glorious image of a galaxy with a very unusual shape. The so-called “Meathook galaxy” was home to a large supernova explosion that was observed just a few years ago. Hubble continues to snap incredible images of the cosmos despite now being in service for over three decades. Our …
Scientists have pinpointed the best place on the planet to stick a telescope, but you wouldn’t want to live there. The highest ice dome on the Antarctic Plateau would provide the best view of the cosmos of any spot on Earth. Unfortunately, constructing and utilizing a high-powered observatory at such a location poses its own …
NASA scientists dream up a way to turn a Moon crater into a massive radio telescope. The concept relies on a large crater on the far side of the Moon, a pair of lunar landers, and a small army of robots to build it. NASA is planning on returning humans to the Moon by 2024. …
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has proven to be one of the most powerful tools in the agency’s arsenal for over a decade and a half, giving us gorgeous views of distant objects using the telescope’s ultra-sensitive infrared sensors. This week, the telescope celebrated its 16th year in space, and NASA wants to make the most …
Spring may already be in our rear-view mirror but NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is still in the mood for things that bloom. In a new post, NASA showcases a recent snapshot of a galaxy called NGC 972 which was captured by the powerful telescope. The galaxy is in the midst of a growth spurt, with …
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope is finally nearing the end of an absolutely incredible journey. The spacecraft has been peering deep into space for well over a decade and a half, and it’s outlived its original planned mission timeline by over 11 years. In that time, it’s made some incredible discoveries and offered scientists new insights …
The Hubble Space Telescope has provided mankind with some of the most incredible views of space that we’ve ever seen. It’s shown us breathtaking images of distant objects and structures for nearly three decades, and to celebrate the 29th anniversary of its launch NASA took the time to show us some of the best galactic …
For how much astronomers know about black holes — it’s a lot, trust me — it’s a bit of a shock that mankind has never actually seen one. Everything science knows about black holes is based on inference rather than actually witnessing one with our own eyes (electronic or otherwise), but that may be about …
