Discover Space
Your gateway to the cosmos — stargazing tools, weekly space news, and real astronomy, made for curious minds.
Space Exploration
Every mission is a balance of what we gain against what it costs.
In favour
- Leads to major scientific discoveries
- Inspires future generations of explorers
- Drives new technology used on Earth
- Prepares us for future planetary challenges
Against
- Extremely expensive to fund and sustain
- Carries real risk to human life
- Raises concerns over militarization
- Diverts resources from other issues
Space Junk
Space junk is debris left behind in Earth's orbit — from dead satellites to spent rocket stages — and it's a growing hazard for everything we send up next.
Carbon Emissions — Space
Rocket launches release emissions into the upper atmosphere, a layer far more sensitive to disruption than the one we're used to hearing about.
Life Outside of Earth
Ten worlds astronomers keep coming back to — some next door, some hundreds of light-years away.
Black Holes
Black holes are among the most mysterious objects in space: extremely dense, with gravity so strong that not even light can escape once it gets too close.
World by World
Mars
Sol System · Terrestrial Planet
The fourth planet from the Sun, known for its reddish appearance caused by iron oxide on its surface. It has polar ice caps, the largest volcano in the solar system, and possible signs of ancient water flows.
Europa
Moon of Jupiter
One of Jupiter's largest moons, with a smooth icy surface. Beneath the ice, scientists believe a global ocean exists, making Europa a strong candidate for extraterrestrial microbial life.
Enceladus
Moon of Saturn
A small moon that ejects plumes of water vapor and ice from its surface. These geysers suggest a subsurface ocean that may harbor the conditions for life.
Kepler-186f
~582 light-years · Earth-sized
Orbits within its star's habitable zone and is close in size to Earth. It receives less sunlight than Earth, but liquid water could still exist under the right conditions.
Gliese 581g
~20 light-years · Super-Earth candidate
Thought to lie in the habitable zone of its star. While its existence is debated, if confirmed it could have conditions suitable for life.
HD 40307g
~42 light-years · Super-Earth
Orbits in the habitable zone of its parent star. Its size suggests a rocky composition, and it may have a stable atmosphere that supports habitability.
Proxima Centauri b
~4.24 light-years · Nearest exoplanet
Orbits the closest star to the Sun, within its star's habitable zone. Despite strong stellar flares, it remains one of the best nearby candidates for life.
TRAPPIST-1e
~40 light-years · One of seven
One of seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a red dwarf star. It sits in the habitable zone and has conditions that could allow for liquid water.
Kepler-22b
~600 light-years · Super-Earth
About 2.4 times the size of Earth and orbits within its star's habitable zone. Scientists speculate it could have a water-rich environment.
Gliese 667Cc
~23 light-years · Triple star system
Orbits in the habitable zone of a triple star system. Its location and potential surface temperatures make it a strong candidate for supporting life.