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three headshots of women in parachute helmets, side by side

1st stratospheric skydive by a woman delayed to 2026, Hera Rising says

By Elizabeth Howell published

Hera Rising, the first effort to bring a woman skydiver into the stratosphere, now plans to launch its historic mission in 2026. Fundraising is one of the things the group is working on.

Earth
Black tendrils are shown on top of a blue scene. In the center, a glowing white section exists.

In a way, Space.com and the dark universe grew up together

By Robert Lea published

The concept of dark energy came about just around the time Space.com booted up.

The Universe
A satellite photo of clouds over land and ocean

Scientists say they can now forecast El Niño Southern Oscillation years in advance

By Kristel Tjandra published

Scientists used thousands of years of climate data to show that El Niño Southern Oscillations can be predicted more than two years in advance.

Climate Change
An illustration of the solar system and the planet's orbits around the sun

How astronomers work out the size of our solar system

By Gareth Dorrian published

June 25, 2024 marked a new “first” in the history of spaceflight.

Solar System
(Main) an illustration of the jets of a supermassive black hole that could act as the "heart and lungs" of a galaxy; (inset) A simulation showing this galactic system at work.

Supermassive black holes provide 'hearts and lungs' that help galaxies live longer

By Robert Lea published

The universe would be filled with zombie galaxies and dead stars if not for supermassive black hole-powered 'hearts and lungs' that help slow star formation.

Black Holes
A blue sphere surrounded by light blues loops and lines next to two purple squares filled with orange and red swirls

Strange 'garden sprinkler' jets are erupting from a dead vampire star

By Robert Lea published

Scientists have seen a cannibalistic neutron star spraying S-shaped jets like a cosmic garden sprinkler as it feeds on a companion star.

Stars
three panels: one showing a greenish-white planet, one showing a hexagonal space telescope in orbit, and one showing streaks representing stars while moving at the speed of light

The greatest astronomical discoveries of the past 25 years

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

As we celebrate Space.com's 25th anniversary, take a look back at the greatest discoveries in astronomy in the past 25 years.

The Universe
A striped orange sphere against a black backgound with yellow and blue dots there is a glowing yellow orb to the right of the sphere

Exoplanet with weird orbit is transforming into a hot Jupiter before our eyes

By Robert Lea last updated

Astronomers may have solved the mystery of how hot Jupiter exoplanets are born, finding a gas giant with a weird orbit in the process of transforming into just such a world.

Exoplanets
A black shallow hole in a grayish surface.

Newly discovered cave on the moon could house future lunar astronauts

By Stefanie Waldek published

The lava tube is likely one of many on the lunar surface.

The moon
An illustration of several faint brown dwarfs surrounding a galaxy, viewed from a perspective slightly above the disk. The galaxy occupies the upper left quadrant of the image as a glowing disk extending out of view. The galaxy’s center is a bright yellow glow in the upper left. The bright center rapidly fades to a more subtle glow in the outskirts of the galaxy. Dark dust clouds spiral outward from the center and obscure some of the glow. Two fully illustrated brown dwarfs are visible at the center of the image and to the left, glowing red-orange and with horizontal stripes representing bands of clouds. Several reddish points of varying sizes dot the galaxy farther away, representing the ancient brown dwarfs that could be detectable by Rubin Observatory. The background is black sprinkled with the white pinpricks of distant galaxies.

How the Rubin observatory could detect thousands of 'failed stars'

By Robert Lea published

"It's possible we’re swimming in a whole sea of these objects that are really faint and hard to see."

Stars
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