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A Meditation on the Chemistry of WASP-39b
If you’re feeling off balance due to something outside of your control, it’s not a bad idea to take some time to relax and find your equilibrium once again. You might even try meditation or yoga. But if stress is always present in your life, being out of equilibrium may become your new normal. And that’s okay! Lots of people, and even planets, exist in a state of disequilibrium every day. Now, let us be mindful of one such example: the exoplanet WASP-39b, which is the focus of today’s paper.
How Do Spiral Galaxies Form?
Read more for a brief historical and scientific review.
Do Galaxies Really Glow in Sync — or Are We Just Tilting Our Heads?
When galaxies are viewed from far away, their radio, infrared, and gamma-ray emissions line up in tight correlations long taken as proof that cosmic rays dump all their energy before escaping. New modeling argues this tightness is mostly a trick of geometry and viewing angle, not evidence of cosmic-ray calorimetry at all.
A Swift recovery: Why NASA’s Swift X-ray observatory is getting an orbital boost
A rescue mission is underway to save the Swift X-ray observatory! Today’s bite takes a look at how this will work and why Swift deserves a second life.
SPHEREx: the niftiest space telescope you may not have heard of
NASA’s SPHEREx mission is collecting an infrared spectrum for every point in the sky. That data set could revolutionize our understanding of cosmic inflation, galaxy formation, and how ices drive planet formation and surface chemistry.
The Protoplanetary Mid-life Crisis
What happens when protoplanetary disc systems stop following the rules? Today’s paper looks at how some stars with protoplanetary discs in the Upper Scorpius Region experience a mid-life crisis and behave unexpectedly.
Beyond astro-ph
Astronomy beyond the research
A Swift recovery: Why NASA’s Swift X-ray observatory is getting an orbital boost
A rescue mission is underway to save the Swift X-ray observatory! Today’s bite takes a look at how this will work and why Swift deserves a second life.
Why messing up my crocheting makes me a better scientist
It’s easy to be self-critical and fall into the trap of perfectionism, but mistakes are how we learn and discover new things. Embrace imperfection!
What is life, really? A case for interdisciplinary science
We’re trying to find life beyond Earth… but we still can’t fully agree on what life actually means. Astronomers, chemists, and biologists all approach it from different angles and they don’t always speak the same scientific language. So what happens when you try to solve one of science’s biggest questions in a very multilingual group chat? Keep reading if you want to join the conversation.
Navigating careers in astronomy
Career advice
Black Space Week 2026: Interview with Dr. Nola Haynes
As part of Astrobites coverage of Black Space Week, we interviewed members of the Black in Astro community. Today’s interviewee is Dr. Nola Haynes!
Black Space Week 2026: Interview with Flore Milien
As part of Astrobites coverage of Black Space Week, we interviewed members of the Black in Astro community. Today’s interviewee is Flore Milien!
Meet the AAS 248 Plenary Speakers: Dr. Cara Battersby
Today we interview Milky Way scientist and Central Molecular Zone expert, Prof. Cara Battersby from the University of Connecticut, for her Plenary Talk at #AAS248!