Tag Archives: gravitation

Home on the moon

By Stephen Ornes / February 1, 2013
Life on the moon — but not ours. This illustration shows two large moons orbiting a giant, gassy planet (in orange). Astronomers say the right type of moon could harbor alien life. Credit: R. Heller, AIP

Astronomers say rocky moons orbiting distant planets might support alien life

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Planetary paparazzo

By Stephen Ornes / April 20, 2011
Flying circles around Mercury MESSENGER, shown in an artist’s drawing, will spend 12 months in orbit around Mercury. . Credit: NASA

NASA satellite snaps historic photographs of Mercury

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Wrong-way planets do gymnastics

By Stephen Ornes / April 28, 2010

A group of planets that orbit the wrong way may have flipped over their stars.

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The solar system’s biggest junkyard

By Stephen Ornes / September 23, 2008

The science of tracking millions of pieces of garbage that orbit Earth is tricky and essential.

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Strange Universe: The Stuff of Darkness

By Emily Sohn / February 9, 2004

Figuring out what’s hidden in outer space between the visible stars and galaxies isn’t easy.

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