Photo of author Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Latest Posts From Sarah

Powerful New Satellite Will Track Extreme Weather Over the Eastern Pacific
Space & Innovation
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Powerful New Satellite Will Track Extreme Weather Over the Eastern Pacific

GOES-S will provide vastly improved monitoring of storms, wildfires, and volcanic ash plums over the Pacific Ocean and the western United States.

NASA’s Space Launch System May Not Be Ready Until 2020
Exploration
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

NASA’s Space Launch System May Not Be Ready Until 2020

The space agency said program delays and tornado damage to a New Orleans assembly plant mean take off of its Space Launch System may be pushed back several months.

Cassini Prepares to Crash Into Saturn as NASA Reflects on Mission's Discoveries
Planets
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Cassini Prepares to Crash Into Saturn as NASA Reflects on Mission's Discoveries

The probe's 13-year observation of Saturn and its moons will come to an end on September 15 and "has been insanely, wildly, beautifully successful," according to a NASA official.

The Sun Just Released the Most Powerful Solar Flare in More Than a Decade
Space & Innovation
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

The Sun Just Released the Most Powerful Solar Flare in More Than a Decade

Solar flares occur when the sun's magnetic field twists up and reconnects, blasting energy outward that can cause radiation storms in Earth's atmosphere.

Total Solar Eclipse Could Prove the Sun Is Bigger Than We Think
Astronomy
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Total Solar Eclipse Could Prove the Sun Is Bigger Than We Think

Making a precise measurement of the sun is difficult, but the August 21 eclipse will offer scientists an opportunity to refine their calculations.

Using Astronomy to Prospect for Asteroids Could Help Us Mine the Heavens
Space & Innovation
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Using Astronomy to Prospect for Asteroids Could Help Us Mine the Heavens

Choosing which asteroids will be worth the mining trip is a critical problem — and astronomers are in a position to play a crucial role in that determination.

NASA's Method of Tracing the Great American Solar Eclipse, Explained
Astronomy
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

NASA's Method of Tracing the Great American Solar Eclipse, Explained

Here's how NASA scientists figure out exactly where the moon's shadow will fall on the surface of the Earth, down to the city block.

Cassini Gets ‘Ringside Seat’ to Saturn's Changing Seasons
Planets
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Cassini Gets ‘Ringside Seat’ to Saturn's Changing Seasons

Nearing the end of its extended mission to Saturn, NASA's Cassini probe continues to provide scientists with new insights about the planet and its moons.

The Sun’s ‘Sphere of Influence’ May Be Shaped Like a Bubble, Not a Comet
Astronomy
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

The Sun’s ‘Sphere of Influence’ May Be Shaped Like a Bubble, Not a Comet

The solar wind and the sun's magnetic field act as a protective bubble around the solar system and shield it from cosmic rays.

Warp in Space-Time Mega-Magnifies Supernova Explosion for Hubble
Astronomy
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

Warp in Space-Time Mega-Magnifies Supernova Explosion for Hubble

Astronomers caught an extremely rare phenomenon: a galaxy positioned perfectly to give them a peek at a distant supernova through a gravitational lens, magnified 50 times.

An Earth-like Planet With an Atmosphere Has Been Discovered for the First Time
Planets
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

An Earth-like Planet With an Atmosphere Has Been Discovered for the First Time

While there are atmospheres around much larger gas giants orbiting other stars, this is the first evidence of an atmosphere around an exoplanet that's near Earth's size.

These Odd Pulsars Are the Universe's Most Temperamental Time Keepers
Space & Innovation
By Sarah Lewin, Space.com

These Odd Pulsars Are the Universe's Most Temperamental Time Keepers

Two weird pulsars serve as extremely powerful and accurate cosmic clocks — some of the time.