Carolyn Collins Petersen
Webb Reveals Secrets of Neptune’s Evolution
A twinset of icy asteroids called Mors-Somnus is giving planetary scientists some clues about the origin and evolution of objects…
The Maximum Mass of a Neutron Star is 2.25 Solar Masses
When stars grow old and die, their mass determines their ultimate fate. Many supermassive stars have futures as neutron stars.…
Webb Sees a Star-Forming Region Blowing Vast Bubbles
Star birth is a messy and chaotic event. Some of the process remains well hidden behind clouds of gas and…
Cyborg Jellyfish Could Help Explore Oceans Autonomously
Earth's oceans are—like space—a largely unexplored frontier. Relatively few humans have explored either place, using specialized life-support equipment. Unlike space,…
This Galaxy Was Already Dead When the Universe Was Only 700 Million Years Old
When a galaxy runs out of gas and dust, the process of star birth stops. That takes billions of years.…
What’s the Best Way to Pack for Space?
Packing to go to space is a lot like getting ready for a plane ride with only a carry-on bag.…
Curiosity Rover is Climbing Through Dramatic Striped Terrain on Mars
Just about every day we here on Earth get a breathtaking picture of Mars's terrain sent back by a rover.…
Planets in Binary Star Systems Could be Nice and Habitable
The Star Wars world Tatooine is one of the most recognizable planets in the realm of science fiction. It's a…
A Planetary Disk in the Orion Nebula is Destroying and Replenishing Oceans of Water Every Month
Planet-forming disks are places of chaotic activity. Not only do planetesimals slam together to form larger worlds, but it now…
A Star Passed Through the Oort Cloud Less Than 500,000 Years Ago. It Wasn’t the Only One.
As stars in the Milky Way move through space, some of them have an unexpected effect on the Solar System.…