Ashley Strickland - Writer

Ashley Strickland

Writer

Ashley is a space and science writer for CNN.

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To mark the 34th anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, NASA released this photo of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. Also known as Messier 76, the nebula is 3,400 light-years away from Earth.

NASA, ESA, STScI

Hubble Space Telescope marks 34 years with new portrait of a ‘cosmic dumbbell’

To mark 34 years of service, the Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula, which may contain evidence of one star devouring another.

Looking Into Ioâs Loki Patera

Unprecedented images reveal jaw-dropping features of Jupiter’s ‘tortured moon’

Flybys of Jupiter’s moon Io, the only known volcanic world in our solar system, have captured images of a massive lava lake and a towering Matterhorn-like mountain.

NASAâs Voyager 1 spacecraft is depicted in this artistâs concept traveling through interstellar space, or the space between stars, which it entered in 2012.

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Voyager 1 is sending data back to Earth for the first time in 5 months

Engineers finally received a status update from the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after identifying the cause of the aging probe’s five-month communication issue.

CALIFORNIA, USA - APRIL 24: A view of the Lyrids Meteor Shower and Milky Way in Panamint Springs of California, United States on April 24, 2023. (Photo by Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Look up to the sky for the Lyrid meteor shower and the full pink moon

April’s full moon, or the pink moon, will shine bright right around the peak of the Lyrids meteor shower. Here’s how to view the two celestial events.

a).-Gabriel-Ugueto.jpg

11-year-old’s fossil discovery reveals ancient creature larger than a blue whale

This week, encounter the largest marine reptile ever to roam the seas, see a rainbow-like phenomenon on another planet, marvel at underwater bees, and more.

Artistic representation of the huge and slow impact on Pluto that led to the heart-shaped Sputnik Planitia structure on its surface.

Pluto gained a ‘heart’ after colliding with a planetary body

Astronomers believe a planetary body collided with Pluto early in its history to create a gigantic heart-shaped feature on the dwarf planet.

For the first time, potential signs of the rainbow-like âglory effectâ have been detected on a planet outside our Solar System. Glory are colourful concentric rings of light that occur only under peculiar conditions.

Data from ESAâs sensitive Characterising ExOplanet Satellite, Cheops, along with several other ESA and NASA missions, suggest this delicate phenomenon is beaming straight at Earth from the hellish atmosphere of ultra-hot gas giant WASP-76b, 637 light-years away.

Scientists spot ‘glory effect’ on a world beyond our solar system for the first time

Astronomers have detected the signal of a rainbow-like phenomenon known as the “glory effect” on a planet outside our solar system for the first time.

Part of the research team in 2020 examining the initial finds (at the back) of the new discovery made by Ruby and Justin Reynolds. Additional sections of the bone were subsequently discovered. From left to right, Dr Dean Lomax, Ruby Reynolds, Justin Reynolds and Paul de la Salle.

11-year-old’s beach find was likely largest known marine reptile to swim Earth’s oceans, scientists say

Fossil collectors contributed to finding the jawbone of a giant ichthyosaur new to science that’s likely the largest known marine reptile to swim Earth’s seas.

Astronomers have found the most massive stellar black hole in our galaxy, thanks to the wobbling motion it induces on a companion star. This artistâs impression shows the orbits of both the star and the black hole, dubbed Gaia BH3, around their common centre of mass. This wobbling was measured over several years with the European Space Agencyâs Gaia mission. Additional data from other telescopes, including ESOâs Very Large Telescope in Chile, confirmed that the mass of this black hole is 33 times that of our Sun. The chemical composition of the companion star suggests that the black hole was formed after the collapse of a massive star with very few heavy elements, or metals, as predicted by theory.

L. Calçada/ESO

Astronomers spot a massive ‘sleeping giant’ black hole less than 2,000 light-years from Earth

Astronomers have found the most massive stellar black hole to date in the Milky Way galaxy, and it was all due to the wobble of the object’s companion star.

01 NASA Perseverance Mars Rover SCREENSHOT

NASA rethinks plan to return rare Mars samples to Earth

Due to budget constraints, NASA is rethinking the architecture of the Mars Sample Return program, developed in partnership with the European Space Agency.

Mariel Williams of Royal Oak, Michigan, traveled to her family's hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to witness the total solar eclipse. "The whole neighborhood was outside with their glasses, saying their 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' as the moon creeped in," she said.

Mariel Williams

See what totality looked like across the country during the eclipse

This week, eclipse viewers share their photos, researchers uncover how Ötzi the Iceman’s tattoos were made, hunter-gatherers may have kept foxes as pets, and more.

Mariel Williams of Royal Oak, Michigan, traveled to her family's hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to witness the total solar eclipse. "The whole neighborhood was outside with their glasses, saying their 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' as the moon creeped in," she said.

Mariel Williams

Striking eclipse photos from CNN readers across the continent

People across the United States and Canada who witnessed Monday’s total solar eclipse captured the celestial spectacle and shared their images and stories with CNN.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The STS-107 crew arrives at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities. Standing, left to right, are Payload Commander Michael Anderson, Pilot William "Willie" McCool, Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialist David Brown, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (the first Israeli astronaut), and Mission Specialists Laurel Clark and Kalpana Chawla. STS-107 is a mission devoted to research and will include more than 80 experiments that will study Earth and space science, advanced technology development, and astronaut health and safety.

More than 20 years later, families of the Columbia crew carry on their loved ones’ legacies

More than 21 years after the Columbia space shuttle tragedy, families share their favorite memories and the ways they honor their loved ones who were aboard.

Tourists ride on camels next to the Pyramid of Khufu on the Great Pyramids of Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, April 27, 2015. Local media reported Egypt's Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh al-Damaty attended the opening of two tombs that were under rennovation on Monday. One tomb belongs to the Priest of King Khufu while the other belongs to his eldest son. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Mohamed Abd El Ghany/Reuters

When is the next total solar eclipse? It depends on how far you’re willing to travel

It will be a bit of wait for the next total solar eclipse if you missed out this year — but just how long depends on how far you’re willing to travel.

CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS - APRIL 08: People view the start of the total eclipse on the campus of Southern Illinois University on April 08, 2024 in Carbondale, Illinois. People have travelled from around the country to the campus to view the rare celestial phenomenon. Cities around the country that are in the path of totality are experiencing a similar influx of tourists. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Scott Olson/Getty Images

How to tell if you have eye damage after viewing the eclipse

If you’re experiencing a loss of vision, altered vision or eye discomfort after viewing the eclipse, it’s time to book an appointment with an eye doctor.

White light image of the solar corona taken from Mitchell, Oregon, on 21 August 2017, by Peter Aniol, Miloslav Druckmuller and Shadia Habbal. Image was processed by M. Druckmuller. Funding for the eclipse observations was provided primarlly from a grant from NASA and partially by NSF to the University of Hawaii, S. R. Habbal, PI. Peter Aniol (ASTELCO, Germany) provided the optical systems for this white light image.

Peter Aniol/Miloslav Druckmüller/Shadia Habbal/Courtesy NASA

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Total solar eclipse 2024

A total solar eclipse, which was experienced Monday by millions of skygazers in parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada, has concluded its path over North America.