Several Kepler Planets Turn Out to be Small Stars

Several Kepler Planets Turn Out to be Small Stars

Using updated stellar measurements based on new data from the Gaia mission, three (and possibly four) Kepler exoplanets are actually small stars, but it’s unlikely new calculations will reveal many more such issues. Plus, Ingenuity, astronauts, permafrost, and This Week in Rocket History, we look back at STS-3 and the first use of the Canadarm.

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Pretty Pictures, Strange Exoplanets, and a New GOES Satellite

Pretty Pictures, Strange Exoplanets, and a New GOES Satellite

To bring some joy into a fraught world, we have rounded up a few of the latest image releases of star mergers and galaxies to brighten your day. Plus, we’ll look at a few strange exoplanetary systems and their amazing science, talk about the latest GOES satellite to launch, and this week in rocket history is all about Envisat.

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Science is the Same, Everywhere, Everywhen

Science is the Same, Everywhere, Everywhen

Today, we bring you stories proving that we do understand some things, like black holes, and that we have forgotten other things, like that the Earth’s crust can sag under the weight of ice. It’s all a lot more complicated than we like to think. But it sure is pretty, and when the science makes your head hurt, our What’s Up segment will fill your eyes with some beauty.

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Space Junk Hitting the Moon is not From SpaceX

Space Junk Hitting the Moon is not From SpaceX

Observers tracking a piece of space debris that is expected to impact the far side of the Moon early in March have now corrected the origin of the object, which isn’t from SpaceX but is from a Chinese Long March 3B involved in the Chang’e 5TI mission. Plus, asteroid 16 Pysche, craters in Wyoming, more launches, and an interview with Katharine Hesse from the TESS mission.

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