Ian writes about space and especially enjoys writing about astrophysics, Mars exploration, black holes and our brave space robots that allow humanity to push beyond the final frontier. He's a British guy living in Los Angeles with a Ph.D. in solar physics and a master's degree in astrophysics. He digs tea and craft beer, and has an obsession for science fiction and computer games. He's forever optimistic that, despite the chaos and uncertainty of our daily lives, we are only at the beginning of the human story from a cosmic perspective. Space exploration is an adventure; it's his job to chronicle our journey. You can also follow his writing and videos on Astroengine.com.
Recent Contributions
In this stellar nursery, firstborn stars are ruthless.
So what does that mean for good ol' Earth someday?
No worries though. Jupiter, Neptune or Uranus could create their own beautiful, bright ring display in the distant future.
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It's tricky to see the true shape of the Milky Way when you're stuck inside it. So how did scientists figure it out?
As the search for Planet Nine wears on, and astronomers have yet to get so much as a glimpse of it, researchers are pondering what else the object might be.
The planned Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, or LISA, will be able to detect the gravitational waves generated by massive collisions in the deep cosmos.
Researchers at the Zwicky Transient Facility have found an asteroid in Earth's orbit. And this one has the shortest year yet.
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And one of the exoplanets in the Teegarden star system could have a temperature range between 32 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
Water surrounds us, falling from the sky and pouring from faucets, and yet many of us never ask where it comes from. The answer stretches way back — before tides and thunderclouds to the big bang.
The wait is over. NASA confirms Mars is seismically active.
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Rovers are getting some practice hunting for microbes here on Earth before they head to Mars in 2020.
Auroras are one of the best parts about living on a planet with a global magnetic field. And they still puzzle space weather experts.
Those stars twinkling in the nighttime sky may actually be crystal spheres. And our beloved star is headed in that direction, too. Eventually.
After cruising 300 million miles and spending seven months in space, the InSight spacecraft successfully touched down on Mars' surface. How awesome is that?
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A stunning accusation has been made: About 10 billion years ago, a small galaxy strayed too close to ours, so our galaxy ate it.
Something very strange is afoot above the frozen landscape of Antarctica.
This stellar noodle is the strongest material in the cosmos!
Maybe there aren't more dimensions beyond the four that we know and love so well.
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Jupiter has been notoriously bad about revealing any water deep in its thick atmosphere. That's changing though.
A tiny black hole or a more monstrous neutron star? Astronomers are on the case.
Once upon a time, the sun caught an interstellar orphan and adopted it as its own. It's named 2015 BZ 509.
Astronomers have just discovered a gas in Uranus' clouds that does nothing to help the planet being taken seriously.
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Yep, 'Oumuamua was probably kicked out of its own star system by an overbearing gas giant like Jupiter.