If you ask someone to name a constellation, chances are they’ll say Orion. With his three bright belt stars and a glowing sword, the Hunter is one of the rare star patterns that truly resembles its legend. For centuries he has ruled winter skies in the north. Yet travel far enough south—from New York to... Continue Reading →
The Heavyweights: The Long Haul to Saturn
Let’s drop the poetry. Once you pass the asteroid belt, the solar system stops being about rocky little worlds like Earth or Mars. Out there, it becomes the realm of giants. Jupiter and Saturn are the gas giants—the heavyweights of our planetary neighborhood. They dominate everything around them and play by rules very different from... Continue Reading →
A Comet, an Eclipse, and the End of the Ice Age
Around 12,900 years ago, as the last Ice Age was drawing to a close, Earth experienced a sudden and violent climate reversal. Temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere dropped rapidly, ecosystems were disrupted, large Ice Age animals vanished, and human cultures were forced to adapt or disappear. This period is known to science as the Younger... Continue Reading →
The Steam Above the Magma: How TOI-561 b is Defying the Rules of planetary Science
By Cosmic Watchers | December 16, 2025 In the search for habitable worlds, we usually look for "Earth 2.0"—blue oceans, green land, and fluffy clouds. TOI-561 b is the opposite of that in every way. It is a Super-Earth with a surface temperature of 3,100°F (1,700°C), likely covered in a global ocean of molten lava.... Continue Reading →
Could Artificial Magnetic Fields Shield Spacecraft from Cosmic Radiation?
When it comes to long-term human space exploration, radiation is one of the biggest threats we face. Outside Earth's protective atmosphere and magnetic field, astronauts are exposed to dangerous levels of cosmic radiation and solar energetic particles. This raises an intriguing question: could we build an artificial magnetic field on spacecraft to mimic Earth’s protective... Continue Reading →
Can You Take a Shower in Space? Life Without Gravity on the ISS
We take showers for granted here on Earth, where gravity obediently pulls water downward and drains whisk it away. But what happens when you leave gravity behind? Can astronauts take showers in space? Could they even climb into a water-filled rubber bath like on Earth? The answers are both fascinating and a little weird. Hygiene... Continue Reading →
SpaceNet: Internet on the ISS, the Moon, and Mars
In today’s hyper-connected world, the idea of being offline feels almost unthinkable. But what happens when we leave Earth behind? Is there internet access on the International Space Station (ISS)? Can astronauts get online on the Moon—or even Mars? Let’s explore how internet connectivity works in space today, and what the future holds for communication... Continue Reading →
A Cosmic Pit Stop: NASA’s Lucy Spacecraft to Visit Asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025
Get ready for a stellar road trip! On April 20, 2025, NASA’s Lucy spacecraft will zoom past asteroid 52246 Donaldjohanson, marking the second stop on its ambitious 12-year journey through the solar system. Launched in October 2021, Lucy is on a mission to explore the Trojan asteroids—mysterious space rocks that share Jupiter’s orbit around the... Continue Reading →
Soyuz Rocket Set to Launch Tomorrow for the ISS
Tomorrow, April 8, 2025, a Soyuz rocket will blast off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying a crew to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Soyuz MS-27 mission. Scheduled for 1:47 a.m. EDT (5:47 a.m. UTC), this launch will see NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey... Continue Reading →
Fun and Surprising Facts About Using a Telescope
Using a telescope is more than just pointing it at the sky and zooming in on cool things. It’s a journey into the past, a battle with Earth’s atmosphere, and sometimes even a test of patience. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been stargazing for years, here are some fun and surprising facts about... Continue Reading →