Meghan Bartels
Meghan is a senior writer at Space.com and has more than five years' experience as a science journalist based in New York City. She joined Space.com in July 2018, with previous writing published in outlets including Newsweek and Audubon. Meghan earned an MA in science journalism from New York University and a BA in classics from Georgetown University, and in her free time she enjoys reading and visiting museums. Follow her on Twitter at @meghanbartels.
Latest articles by Meghan Bartels
Stunning image shows galactic dance of stars swirling around a supermassive black hole
By Meghan Bartels published
Young stars surround a supermassive black hole in a stunning new image captured by an instrument designed to search for dark energy.
Fowl play: Turkey turmoil at NASA center in California
By Meghan Bartels published
A flock of wild turkeys has gotten a little too interested in space exploration, so a NASA facility is helping the hefty birds explore a nice reserve instead.
When the next interstellar object comes, James Webb Space Telescope will be there to study it
By Meghan Bartels published
The next time a space rock races through the solar system from beyond, humans will be a little more prepared to unlock its secrets.
Scientists spot 10,000th medium near-Earth asteroid in planetary defense milestone
By Meghan Bartels published
Scientists watching the skies for asteroids that may threaten Earth have hit a new milestone, spotting the 10,000th sizable space rock that circles the sun near Earth's orbit.
Incredibly rare stellar merger may have created strange stars
By Meghan Bartels published
Two particularly strange stars may have formed in a lucky collision, according to new research.
Want to use the James Webb Space Telescope? Here's how scientists book time with the giant observatory.
By Meghan Bartels published
The hottest commodity in astronomy these days is time — specifically, time using NASA's brand-new, ultra-powerful observatory.
Behold the 1st images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope!
By Meghan Bartels published
The team behind NASA's James Webb Space Telescope released some of the first images from the much-anticipated observatory on Friday (Feb. 11).
What happened at the Arecibo Observatory? New inquiry launched into iconic telescope's collapse.
By Meghan Bartels published
It's been more than a year since scientists lost one of the most iconic telescopes ever built — and yet the collapse remains something of a mystery.
UAE's Hope spacecraft marks 1 year in orbit around Mars
By Meghan Bartels published
It's been a full year since the United Arab Emirates made history when its first-ever interplanetary mission slipped into orbit around Mars.
India to attempt its next moon landing with Chandrayaan 3 launch in August
By Meghan Bartels published
India plans to give landing on the moon a second try with its Chandrayaan 3 mission, which is now targeted to launch in August.
Strange twin asteroids, the youngest ever seen, likely broke apart just 300 years ago
By Meghan Bartels published
Scientists spotted two space rocks that may be Earth's freshest asteroid neighbors, but have to wait until 2033 to see them again.
The International Space Station will eventually die by fire
By Meghan Bartels published
The end of the International Space Station is inevitable — and complicated.
NASA prepares for moon's dark south pole in eerie lights-out 'spacewalk' (photo)
By Meghan Bartels published
NASA is preparing for the day its astronauts explore the south pole of the moon by heading underwater with the lights out.
NASA delays rollout of Artemis 1 moon mission's SLS megarocket until March. Hear why today.
By Meghan Bartels last updated
NASA won't roll its first moon-bound megarocket out to the launch pad any earlier than March, again delaying the launch of its Artemis 1 mission.
Lunar New Year 2022 roars in with celebratory Google doodle
By Meghan Bartels published
Today (Feb. 1) marks a new moon and the first day of a new lunar year.
Bizarre alien planet has layered atmosphere of vaporized metals
By Meghan Bartels published
Scientists have spotted the first evidence of an alien world with an atmosphere that's layered like Earth's — although perhaps a little too toasty for human tastes.
European sun probe flew through the tail of Comet Leonard
By Meghan Bartels last updated
As Comet Leonard bid farewell to Earth and flew past Venus, a sun-studying spacecraft flew through the comet's long tail, giving humans a new perspective on the icy wanderer.
Animals in space
By Elizabeth Dohrer published
The first animals reached space in 1947, but it wasn't until 1960 that animals orbited Earth and landed safely.
NASA's Lucy asteroid spacecraft still has a wonky solar array as it flies through space
By Meghan Bartels published
Three months after launch, a new NASA asteroid spacecraft is still getting settled into its life beyond Earth.
NASA planet-hunting mission finds 5,000 possible alien worlds in less than 4 years
By Meghan Bartels published
It's been a busy four years for NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the scientists who seek planets in its data.
NASA and Axiom ink deal for 1st private astronaut mission to space station
By Meghan Bartels last updated
NASA and Texas-based company Axiom Space have agreed on terms for the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, which will launch as soon as January 2022.
Axiom Space picks Thales Alenia to build commercial space station modules
By Meghan Bartels last updated
A new commercial agreement marks a step forward in the quest to add a new module to the International Space Station — one that will become an independent space station after the massive lab's tenure.
Ghostly glow in alien skies: 'Zodiacal light' possibly spotted on 3 exoplanets
By Meghan Bartels published
Watch the sun set from a particularly dark patch of Earth and you may spot a triangle of what scientists call zodiacal light extending from where our star passed below the horizon.
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