News
Meet Earth’s new mini-moon
Earth is getting a tiny new mini-moon for a few weeks. It won’t be the first – or the last.
Tag: astronomy
Science & Environment
Mapping confirms waves on Saturn’s moon
Most Australians are enthusiastic beachgoers, and we all take for granted the waves that wash our shores. But supposing there were seas on other worlds – would they have such waves too?
News
6 things learned about Earth from meteorites and comets
Comets and meteorites aren’t just space rocks; they’re a window into the history of Earth and have plenty to teach about the planet’s formation.
News
Avoiding asteroids: what do we do without a planetary defence mission?
NASA just shut down a planetary defence mission that tracks asteroids. So, what happens now?
Science & Environment
Astronomers liken gamma-ray bursts to lighthouse beams
What would happen if time suddenly began running backwards? Of course, it can’t do that, but the question is one that recently crossed the minds of a team of astronomers in the USA.
Science & Environment
What is an ‘ocean world’?
One of the big surprises that’s come in recent years from our exploration of the solar system is the existence of icy ocean worlds in its outer reaches. Most are moons of the giant planets, although some dwarf planets such as Pluto may also have a similar structure.
History & Culture
Outback starman
How does a former mineworker from Broken Hill end up working for the world’s biggest space agency, NASA?
Science & Environment
Australia’s space race: From red dirt to the stars
Despite the lack of a strong, overarching national strategy, engineers, scientists, academics and entrepreneurs across the continent have been busy developing Australia into a spacefaring nation, building our modern space industry from the ground up.
Science & Environment
Stargazing in broad daylight
Astronomers at Macquarie University have pioneered a new technique for observing celestial objects during the day, potentially allowing around-the-clock visual monitoring of satellites and greatly improving safety on Earth and in space.
News
What your school textbook didn’t tell you about the Earth’s orbit
Earth, the Sun and a bike wheel: why your high-school textbook was wrong about the shape of Earth’s orbit.