China’s Zhurong Mars rover is adjusting to its first winter on the Red Planet while its companion orbiter continues to map the world from above. Zhurong, part of China’s Tianwen-1 mission, has been operating in the vast basin of Utopia Planitia for 347 Martian days, or sols, and has traveled 6,302 feet (1,921 meters) across the planet’s surface, according to a May 6 update posted by the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. However, the rover is now receiving lower amounts of energy from the sun as winter takes hold in Mars’…
Read MoreMonth: May 2022
SpaceX’s Crew-3 astronauts dish on their action-packed 6 months in orbit
From dodging space debris to welcoming the first-ever fully private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, SpaceX’s Crew-3 mission had a very eventful six months off Earth. Crew-3 docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Nov. 11, and the mission’s four astronauts witnessed a rapidly changing space environment almost from the moment they arrived. For example, a Russian anti-satellite test on Nov. 16 created a cloud of debris that soon forced the astronauts to shelter in their SpaceX Dragon capsule Endurance as a precaution. “Scared would be the…
Read MoreWhen a White Dwarf Turned into a Thermonuclear Fireball
Astronomers have spotted the X-ray flash that precedes a nova. The brief flare is the first sign of a white dwarf erupting into a nuclear-fusion fireball. The post When a White Dwarf Turned into a Thermonuclear Fireball appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreHow to Image an Exoplanet with Just a Few Pixels
Using Earth as an example, astronomers are testing a new technique that could image rocky exoplanets without resolving them. The post How to Image an Exoplanet with Just a Few Pixels appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreLunar eclipses: Everything you need to know
Lunar eclipses occur when Earth aligns between the sun and the moon and casts a shadow across the lunar surface. A lunar eclipse only happens during a full moon and can last as long as six hours, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). There are three types of lunar eclipses depending on how the sun, Earth and moon are aligned at the time of the eclipse. Total lunar eclipse Partial lunar eclipse Penumbral lunar eclipse 2022 will see two total lunar eclipses that will be visible in many…
Read More‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ is a madcap rush into a magical maelstrom (review)
The Master of the Mystic Arts returned to the silver screen this weekend as Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” debuted with a stellar $450 million opening worldwide, pleasing Marvel Studios and Disney while becoming the biggest release of 2022 so far. Warning: Potential spoilers ahead But the multiverse may have overstayed its welcome as a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) plot device in this hurried affair that has Doctor Strange bouncing through a variety of alternate realities to protect a dimension-hopping girl named America Chavez and stop the…
Read MoreUS military wants nuclear rocket ideas for missions near the moon
The U.S. military is ready to take the next step in developing a nuclear rocket to help monitor Earth-moon space, an area it has deemed a high strategic priority. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced May 4 that it’s seeking proposals for the second and third phases of a project to design, develop and assemble a nuclear thermal rocket engine for an expected flight demonstration in Earth orbit by 2026. “These propulsive capabilities will enable the United States to enhance its interests in space and to expand possibilities for NASA’s long-duration…
Read MoreNASA to Provide Update on InSight Mars Lander
NASA will hold a media teleconference at 2 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. PDT) on Tuesday, May 17, to provide an update on the agency’s InSight Mars lander.
Read MoreS&T Authors Win Science Journalism Awards
Two Sky & Telescope authors have won prestigious awards recognizing excellence in science journalism. The post S&T Authors Win Science Journalism Awards appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreNina Wang: Bringing Accountability Into Focus
Nina Wang has more than a decae of experience in financial reporting and analysis, financial statement audits, and internal controls.
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