Space and Astronomy

UA researchers get the spotlight in new NASA documentary

The film follows asteroid hunters at telescopes in Arizona and around the world.

Are there signs of life on alien planet K2-18b, or is it just a lot of hot air?

The James Webb Space Telescope may have detected life-associated gas in the atmosphere of a far-off planet. The news is being greeted with both enthusiasm and skepticism.

New satellite constellation program expected to worsen outer space congestion

Amazon's Project Kuiper plans to place thousands of new communications satellites into low Earth orbit.

Tucson's Flandrau Planetarium receives national recognition

Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this fall, is ranked among the top in the US.

UA Science lecture series returns for its 20th year

The presenters will focus on topics combinng science and communication.

Rogue Theatre's "Marjorie Prime" creates a conversation about what it means to be human in the age of AI.

Also on Arizona Spotlight: Understanding canyons on the moon; and more voices from The Class of 2024.

Searching the entire sky for the secrets to our universe

A new telescope could launch as early as late February. SPHEREx will look into deep space and also search for organic molecules.

The moon's grand canyons were carved in the blink of an eye

The Earth's Grand Canyon took millions of years to carve, but the moon's grand canyons took about ten minutes.

First big results from OSIRIS-REx revealed

The ingredients for life were found on the asteroid.

James Webb Space Telescope's 'little red dots' come into focus

When the cosmic oddballs first showed up in some of JWST's early observations, in December of 2022, it was a surprise.

Latest private moon landing venture begins this week

Blue Ghost designed to carry a dozen scientific experiments to the lunar surface

Arizona asteroid hunters detected space rock that fell over Russia

The team used a University of Arizona telescope to track the object to its fiery fate.

Parker Solar Probe making history six years after launch

Robotic explorer is the first to sail through the sun's atmosphere.

Stargazers can see the final supermoon of the year this weekend

If you miss this supermoon, you won't be able to see the next one until October 2025.

Webb telescope delivers new ideas about Milky Way star Vega

UA-built camera shows vast, smooth dust disk surrounding the star.

New NASA spacecraft ready to launch toward Jupiter moon Europa

Europa Clipper will observe surface features that could conceal a vast ocean.

Earth welcomes temporary new moon

Scientists say the traveling companion will only stick around for a few weeks.

NASA's Webb telescope detects traces of carbon dioxide on the surface of Pluto's largest moon

The latest detection is key to studying how Charon and other icy objects in the Kuiper Belt came to be.

Kitt Peak celebrates 60 years of public tours

Public telescopes reopen after COVID, fires caused closures on the mountain.

A celestial trifecta: What to know about Tuesday’s lunar eclipse

Stargazers will be in for another celestial treat Tuesday night as three cosmic events will occur at the same time during the full moon.

Cassini orbited Saturn 20 years ago this summer

The robotic explorer made historic discoveries about the ringed planet and its moons.

Remembering the historic Rosetta space flight to a comet 10 years ago

The European-built robotic explorer orbited and landed on the chunk of ice and rock in 2014.

Lunar surface science literally hit-or-miss in 2024

But scientists expect more high profile attempts to land on the moon later this year.

Volunteers who lived in a NASA-created Mars replica for over a year have emerged

Participants entered the 3D-printed Mars replica on June 25, 2023, as part of a NASA experiment to observe how humans would fare living on the Red Planet.

Quantum Consciousness and the Origin of Life

Did consciousness come before life? Researchers search for answers in NASA asteroid samples.

Planetary Seismometer

Discover how seismometers unveil secrets beneath moons, planets, and asteroids.

Europa Clipper

Europa Clipper is a NASA mission to study Jupiter’s moon Europa, an ocean world that might harbor alien life beneath its icy crust.

Field Notes: Meteor Crater

An Exploration of Awe

Sky School

The University of Arizona Sky School is an innovative educational program that takes students of all ages to the summit of Mt. Lemmon for a retreat to learn about the ecosystems atop Arizona’s sky islands.

OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return

Watch the conclusion of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission as it safely returns an asteroid sample to Earth.