Stars are massive – even the smallest are far larger than Earth. That doesn’t stop them from trying to get bigger, though, and astronomers have just discovered one that’s managed exactly that. A binary system is when two stars orbit around each other. Generally, they don’t directly interact, but occasionally one will steal material from … Continue reading Shadow of the vampire star
Category: Space
How to get away with space piracy
You're probably wondering what a headline like that is doing on a science blog like this. Space piracy is firmly the stuff of science fiction - or is it? The final frontier is opening up for business, and bringing with it a whole new set of morally questionable opportunities. Asteroid mining, while sounding just as … Continue reading How to get away with space piracy
Lost Opportunity
On the 24th of January 2004, the Mars rover Opportunity landed on the planet’s surface. The mission was supposed to last ninety days. It didn’t. Fifteen years later, NASA has finally declared the project complete, and said goodbye to our most experienced Martian explorer. What is a Rover? Rovers are large, remotely-controlled vehicles sent to … Continue reading Lost Opportunity
Lachlan Writes Science 