Space
Space is a seemingly infinite world of wonder and discovery, filled with mysterious black holes, stunning solar flares, elusive exoplanets and countless cosmic oddities. Our team of expert science writers and editors are ready to hold a James Webb Space Telescope-size lens beyond Earth, keeping those on this planet up to date with the latest space news, articles and features.
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![This artist's rendition shows one possible appearance for the planet HD 219134b, the nearest confirmed rocky exoplanet found to date outside our solar system. The planet is 1.6 times the size of Earth, and whips around its star in just three days. Scientists predict that the scorching-hot planet -- known to be rocky through measurements of its mass and size -- would have a rocky, partially molten surface with geological activity, including possibly volcanoes.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/z9zsLkba7JAfNMAXf94ftg-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
The oldest continents in the Milky Way may be 5 billion years older than Earth's
By Briley Lewis published
Several exoplanets at the edge of our galaxy could have formed continents — and advanced life — 5 billion years earlier than Earth, new research suggests.
![A James Webb Space Telescope image of the galaxy MACS0647-JD spotted just 400 million years after the Big Bang.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M5nLqpLgnYZkfofBLpgA6k-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
James Webb telescope finds an 'extreme' glow coming from 90% of the universe's earliest galaxies
By Ben Turner published
The universe's early galaxies are way brighter than they should be. The James Webb Space Telescope's discovery of brightly glowing gas around 90% of primordial galaxies may explain why.
![Red and green aurora above Penmon Lighthouse, Anglesey.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/5sxhsPBvkTA6GeJHghhDv6-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
See stunning images of STEVE and auroras from this weekend's powerful solar storm
By Daisy Dobrijevic published
Gorgeous photos show the stunning auroras and sky phenomena caused by a powerful geomagnetic storm that slammed into Earth Nov. 5.
![This image shows the asteroid Dinkinesh and its satellite as seen by the Lucy Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI) as NASA's Lucy Spacecraft departed the system.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/eCbX46rnAhj2AjbdqWy4yH-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Newfound 'moon' around asteroid Dinkinesh is actually two tiny moons touching
By Joanna Thompson published
Additional images from NASA's Lucy mission reveal that the "moon" orbiting asteroid Dinkinesh is actually a contact binary, made of two smaller moons touching.
![An illustration showing a quasar powered by a feeding supermassive black hole.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PNyLTTdPbHKtteChHvLaG-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Universe's oldest X-ray-spitting quasar could reveal how the biggest black holes were born
By Robert Lea published
The newly identified quasar, observed 13.7 billion light-years away by the James Webb Space Telescope and Chandra X-ray Observatory, could be an example of a heavy black hole "seed" in the early universe.
![A blurry image of a comet that appears to have two horns](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/NKpnWpP4XPUhc5yDyNAAvS-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Volcanic 'devil comet' racing toward Earth resprouts its horns after erupting again
By Harry Baker published
The massive volcanic comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, which grows giant horns when it erupts, has exploded for a third time in five months as it continues to race toward the sun.
![The planet Venus and the crescent moon are pictured on March 24, 2023 in Fuxin, Liaoning Province of China.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L4WGHmBiHcKyFishwBNF2K-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
The moon will 'smile' at Venus this Thursday. Here's how to see it.
By Jamie Carter published
Look up early Thursday (Nov. 9) to witness one of the most beautiful celestial sights of 2023 — a 'smiling' crescent moon dancing with bright Venus in the predawn sky.
![a space crew eating food around a table](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TrJUPkkmozMfWYHcMPeiBh-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
'The forbidden space meal': What happens if you need to be a cannibal on Mars?
By Kelly and Zach Weinersmith published
In this book extract, Kelly and Zach Weinersmith look at cannibalism in space from a legal and culinary perspective.
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