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solar systemsolar system
+5+5
The immense Vera C. Rubin sky survey has begun!

The immense Vera C. Rubin sky survey has begun!

This will be a huge game changer for astronomy

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
Hubble Space TelescopeHubble Space Telescope
+5+5
Another tiny galaxy found WITHOUT dark matter
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Another tiny galaxy found WITHOUT dark matter

The invisible material is ubiquitous, so finding a galaxy without it is pretty weird

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
Hubble Space TelescopeHubble Space Telescope
+6+6
Another JWST jaw-dropper: a galaxy that looks like it’s exploding but is actually doing the opposite

Another JWST jaw-dropper: a galaxy that looks like it’s exploding but is actually doing the opposite

M82 is really just doing what galaxies do: making lots and lots of stars

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
Hubble Space TelescopeHubble Space Telescope
+10+10
Crabiversary issue, Two brown dwarfs may soon become one

Crabiversary issue, Two brown dwarfs may soon become one

Just a fun tip o’ the hat to a great gas cloud, and a brown dwarf is eating another one and may become a star

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
Hubble Space TelescopeHubble Space Telescope
+6+6
A spiral galaxy whizzes through the Virgo Cluster
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A spiral galaxy whizzes through the Virgo Cluster

M88 looks a bit — and kinda sorta acts a bit — like a cosmic buzz saw

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
solar systemsolar system
+3+3
Jupiter is (ever so slightly) less gigantic than we thought!

Jupiter is (ever so slightly) less gigantic than we thought!

Maybe it should eat some naan pizza.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
exoplanetsexoplanets
+4+4
Sometimes, stars eat their planets
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Sometimes, stars eat their planets

Astronomers trace lithium to find some red dwarfs that dined on some rocky worlds

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
miscellanymiscellany
+6+6
Protons are very, very small
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Protons are very, very small

It takes a lot of them to fit across an orange, for example. And a mole, too.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
miscellanymiscellany
+5+5
I experienced a meteoric rise in my understanding

I experienced a meteoric rise in my understanding

Connecting facts for that “aha” moment

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
exoplanetsexoplanets
+2+2
Dinky stars don’t make giant planets, or even middle-sized giants
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Dinky stars don’t make giant planets, or even middle-sized giants

Low-mass red dwarfs show a paucity of mini-Neptunes. It’s not clear why.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
MarsMars
+7+7
See Venus and Jupiter tonight! Plus: Phobos isn’t hollow. Shocker.
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See Venus and Jupiter tonight! Plus: Phobos isn’t hollow. Shocker.

The two brightest planets are close together after sunset. And, the tiny moon of Mars is not artificial. Probably.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
miscellanymiscellany
+4+4
Space is way bigger than you think

Space is way bigger than you think

Go ahead and think about it. Nope, it’s bigger. Try again. Nope, still too small. This game can go on a long time.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
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