Astronomy

January 29, 2023

Tiny Meteorite Collected in 2021 Contains the Building Blocks of Life

Meteorites are chunks of space rock that make it through our atmosphere to land on Earth. When quickly identified and recovered, the extraterrestrial rock can tell astronomers a lot about the composition of the universe and even how life began on Earth. Meteorites can show evidence of minerals not seen on our planet or what looks like fossilized bacteria from Mars.

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January 7, 2023

50 Years Ago, We Discovered the Earth Through the Iconic ‘Blue Marble’

On December 7, 1972, the Apollo 17 team, made up of Eugene “Gene” Cernan, Ronald Evans, and Harrison Schmitt launched into space. They took part in the last mission of NASA’s Apollo program and the final manned mission to the Moon. When they were about 45,000 kilometers (28,000 miles) away from home—hurtling toward our natural satellite—the team captured something that forever changed the way we understand our planet.

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December 17, 2022

James Webb Space Telescope Releases Stunning New Shot of the Pillars of Creation

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has revolutionized the science of astronomy in the year since its launch on Christmas Day 2021. From stunning hi-res images of Jupiter to detailed, sparkling shots of the Tarantula Nebula and the Cartwheel Galaxy, every image returned to Earth has pushed boundaries of beauty and knowledge. Webb's latest image of the Pillars of Creation—gas and dust pillars within the Eagle Nebula—combines Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI)

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.