Space
This cosmic oddity blurs the line between planet and moon
The object orbits a brown dwarf that orbits a star. Astronomers aren’t sure if it’s a planet, a moon — or something else entirely.
MS-ESS1-3
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
More Stories in MS-ESS1-3
- Space
NASA’s DART spacecraft changed 2 asteroids’ orbit around the sun
In 2022, NASA smashed a spacecraft into an asteroid. New data show how that impact changed the orbit around the sun of this space rock — and its partner.
- Physics
Exploding black holes could solve a big cosmic mystery
Tiny black holes in the early universe could explain why matter is common and antimatter is not.
- Space
Scientists Say: Observable universe
No light will ever reach Earth from beyond this distant horizon of space.
- Planets
Massive underground lava tube found on Venus
A collapsed structure, which turned up in 30-year-old radar data from Venus, may be one of many underground caves.
- Space
Artemis II just made a historic loop around the moon
The astronauts had a front-row view of the lunar farside and the first eclipse ever seen from the moon.
- Space
Astronauts are flying to the moon aboard Artemis II
This first human trip to the moon in more than 50 years will take four astronauts farther than anyone has gone before.
- Space
Supermassive black holes might trace back to huge, ancient stars
Hefty stars might have collapsed into “intermediate mass” black holes — the building blocks of supermassive ones, a teen’s research suggests.
- Planets
Let’s learn about Venus
Venus’ surface is hot enough to melt lead, studded with volcanoes and shrouded in clouds of corrosive acid.
- Space
Fast, mysterious clouds swarm around our galaxy
Astronomers want to know the source — and importance — of these faint, fast-moving clouds that zoom beyond and toward our Milky Way’s disk.
