Maram Kairé, 46, is the star of the documentary Star Chasers of Senegal. And his life could also be a movie. He has just launched the first Senegalese nanosatellite into space, an asteroid bears his name, he has led three missions for NASA and promotes a space bus that travels through Senegalese villages showing stars.…

Astronomers have discovered that sulfur may be a key to helping us narrow down our search for life on other planets. It’s not that sulfur is a great indication that a planet is inhabited. Instead, it’s the opposite: Significant amounts of sulfur dioxide in a planet’s atmosphere is a good sign that the world is…

The threat from space rock 2024 YR4 has surpassed that of Apophis, an asteroid feared by scientists 20 years ago. The danger remains low, but experts are estimating the damage that could be done. Astronomers on Tuesday said that the asteroid designated 2024 YR4 had become the most likely sizable space rock ever forecast to…

The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy will launch its first STARI mission into space in 2029. The mission will demonstrate satellite maneuverability critical for future missions. // Rendering courtesy of U-M The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor reports the first space mission led by the U-M Department of Astronomy is scheduled to launch…

The sky is awash with radio-frequency interference (RFI), but thanks to two astronomers who tracked down a stray TV broadcast reflected off a passing airplane, there may be a new way to wipe out some of the rogue signals that plague our radio telescopes. “Astronomy is facing an existential crisis,” said Jonathan Pober of Brown…

CHEYENNE — Like a lot of girls who grew up in the days of the first lunar landing in 1969, Marcy Curran heard often that girls aren’t supposed to be interested in space and the stars. “My folks were going to Denver that day, and I was in junior high,” Curran recalled about July 16, 1969,…

Most space enthusiasts know about NASA’s Kennedy Space Center or Chile’s famous observatories. But across our planet, there are hidden gems where the stars shine brighter, and space history runs deeper than most people realize. These places tell amazing stories about our connection to the cosmos, far from the usual tourist spots. Looking for places…

What it is: The Leo P dwarf galaxy Where it is: 5.3 million light-years away in the constellation Leo When it was shared: Jan. 16, 2025 Why it’s so special: Large galaxies like our own Milky Way come from small “seed” galaxies, which grow, collide and merge over time, with each interaction causing more stars…

The petals of a cosmic Valentine’s Day flower are unfurled in this image taken by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, revealing the most detailed X-ray image ever of the great star-forming nebula 30 Doradus in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The four blue petals depict hot gas that’s been energized by winds of radiation coming from nascent…