4th time lucky?

This week was the third time I have had to cancel a trip to Italy! Covid-19, ugh. My heart and thoughts to everyone who is struggling. Let’s all sing from the windows and clap from the doors! Stay safe. Stai al sicuro.

Starship’s Booster (and Donald Trump) Make a Splash With Sixth Flight Test November 20, 2024
SpaceX’s Starship launch system went through its sixth flight test today, and although the Super Heavy booster missed out on being caught back at its launch pad, the mission checked off a key test objective with President-elect Donald Trump in the audience. Trump attended the launch at SpaceX’s Starbase complex in the company of SpaceX […]
Alan Boyle
The Strange Pulsar at the Center of the Crab Nebula November 19, 2024
Thanks to the Hubble Space Telescope, we all have a vivid image of the Crab Nebula emblazoned in our mind’s eyes. It’s the remnant of a supernova explosion Chinese astronomers recorded in 1056. However, the Crab Nebula is more than just a nebula; it’s also a pulsar. The Crab Pulsar pulsates in an unusual ‘zebra’ […]
Evan Gough
The Biggest Black Holes May Start From The Tiniest Seeds November 19, 2024
The existence of gigantic black holes in the very early universe challenges our assumptions of how black holes form and grow. New research suggests that these monsters may have found their origins in the earliest epochs of the Big Bang. For years astronomers have been troubled by observations of fully grown supermassive black holes before […]
Paul M. Sutter
China’s Proposed Cargo Shuttle, the Haolong, Has Entered Development November 19, 2024
The 2024 China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition was held in Zhuhai last week – from November 12th to 17th, 2024. Since 1996, and with support from the Chinese aerospace industry, this biennial festival features actual products, trade talks, technological exchanges, and an air show. This year’s big highlight was China’s newly announced reusable space […]
Matt Williams
Up to a Third of Stars Ate Some of their Planets November 18, 2024
In recent years, astronomers have developed techniques to measure the metal content of stars with extreme accuracy. With that capability, astronomers have examined sibling stars to see how their metallicity differs. Some of these co-natal stars have pronounced differences in their metallicity. New research shows that stars engulfing rocky planets are responsible. Co-natal stars are […]
Evan Gough