Space
Scientists Say: Planet
Planets have to orbit a star, be big enough to form a sphere and keep other objects out of their path around their star.
Space
More Stories in Space
-
PhysicsLet’s learn about gravity
Gravity is an attraction between objects with mass. The more massive the object, the more gravity it’s got.
-
SpaceOur feverish universe is getting hotter every day
For the first time, astronomers have taken the temperature of the cosmos at different times in its history. Galaxy clusters are cranking up the heat.
-
SpaceRogue planets wander the galaxy all alone
Some planets don’t orbit stars. They were kicked into space long ago. The newest, smallest one found is only about as massive as Earth.
-
SpaceMeet ‘Pi’ — a new Earth-sized planet
Searching through data from NASA’s K2 Mission, researchers found a new planet. Some call it K2-315b, others smile and refer to it as “Pi Earth.”
-
SpaceStar of science and movies, the Arecibo radio telescope is dead
Broken cables led to catastrophic damage of its history-making dish. The U.S. National Science Foundation will now dismantle what remains.
-
SpaceWhy Arecibo’s loss is such a big deal for astronomy
Damage to the radio telescope in Puerto Rico has robbed scientists of a special tool for studying everything from asteroids to galaxies.
-
SpaceJupiter may have ‘sprites’ or ‘elves’ in its atmosphere
This is the first time that scientists have seen hints of these weird side effects of lightning storms somewhere other than on Earth.
-
SpaceThere’s water on sunny parts of the moon, scientists confirm
The new observations were made by a telescope on board a jet in Earth’s atmosphere. They confirm the presence of water on sunlit areas of the moon.
-
PlanetsLet’s learn about Mars
Traveling to Mars offers many challenges, including life without gravity, cosmic rays and communication delays.