Working for a pioneering aerospace company is often romanticized in popular culture; however, the early days of SpaceX proved to be far tumultuous and gritty than glamourous. Eric Berger’s firsthand accounts and insights from former and current SpaceX employees unveil a raw and rigorous environment that defined the company during its fledgling years. The spirit
Space
For decades, astronomers have focused their attention on the tumultuous beasts that are supermassive black holes, particularly in quasars located at the edges of the observable universe, to understand the origins of the highest-energy gamma rays. However, the recent findings regarding V4641 Sagittarii challenge this established narrative. Located a mere 20,000 light-years away from Earth,
When Friedrich Nietzsche asserted in 1886 that “if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you,” he likely did not foresee the profound ways in which this philosophical introspection would morph into an astronomical metaphor. Fast forward nearly 140 years, and we find ourselves staring into the vastness of space,
In Norse mythology, Ragnarök signifies the twilight of the gods — a cataclysmic event that heralds the end of the world as we know it. Central to this tale is the legendary wolf Sköll, who is prophesied to consume the Sun in a celestial snare. This striking imagery of darkness overwhelming light serves as a
NASA has taken a bold leap forward in its quest to uncover extraterrestrial life with the recent launch of the Europa Clipper mission. Set in motion aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, this mission aims to explore Europa, one of Jupiter’s most fascinating moons. Unlike previous explorations, which focused largely on Mars and other terrestrial
This week, stargazers across the globe are treated to a remarkable cosmic display as the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year makes its appearance. Described by NASA as a full moon that occurs comparatively close to Earth, this extraordinary sight promises to captivate viewers from various locales. Visible from urban settings to remote areas,
The center of the Milky Way galaxy presents itself as an epicenter of cosmic activity, standing in stark contrast to the seemingly serene understanding we might have about black holes. While it’s true that the supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, is relatively stable in nature, the cosmic environment surrounding it is anything but calm. This
In an ambitious endeavor to bridge the gap between humanity and the cosmos, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a unique multidisciplinary initiative in May 2023. The Exomars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), which was set to orbit Mars, sent a transmission back to Earth. This was not just any ordinary comms signal; it was designed
The groundbreaking image of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) team in 2022, represented a monumental achievement in astrophysics. However, recent re-evaluations by researchers at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) suggest that our understanding of this cosmic
Recent astronomical discoveries continue to raise profound questions regarding our comprehension of the Universe’s architecture and its evolutionary narrative. Among these revelations is a colossal ring-like structure located 6.9 billion light-years away. Named the Big Ring, this gigantic formation spans an astounding diameter of 1.3 billion light-years, prompting a reevaluation of existing cosmological models. As
The universe is an expansive expanse of mysteries, and prominently among these mysteries is the elusive nature of dark matter. While traditional matter makes up everything we can see, dark matter is theorized to account for a substantial portion of the universe’s mass yet is invisible to current detection methods. Among the theoretical candidates vying
Located approximately 7,800 light-years away in the constellation of Cygnus, the black hole system known as V404 Cygni has intrigued astronomers for years with its bizarre behaviors and phenomena. Recently, new discoveries related to this intriguing trinary system have sparked a revolution in our understanding of black hole formation and evolution. The revelation of a