Stefanie Waldek
Space.com contributing writer Stefanie Waldek is a self-taught space nerd and aviation geek who is passionate about all things spaceflight and astronomy. With a background in travel and design journalism, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University, she specializes in the budding space tourism industry and Earth-based astrotourism. In her free time, you can find her watching rocket launches or looking up at the stars, wondering what is out there. Learn more about her work at www.stefaniewaldek.com.
Latest articles by Stefanie Waldek
![A full-disk view of the sun as it unleashed a major X1.1 class solar flare from an active sunspot cluster on April 17, 2022. This view was taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VMsoDPnCYWFvPYAu8SBsoc-320-80.jpg)
This new AI-powered computer model can predict dangerous solar storms
By Stefanie Waldek published
A new AI-powered computer model is trained to predict when and where solar storms will strike Earth, giving us time to prepare infrastructure that could be impacted, such as the power grid.
![a colorful galaxy-like object in deep space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/gshncx8PFpUkvLRbMAPY6U-320-80.jpg)
Hubble telescope spies mysterious celestial object that defies classification
By Stefanie Waldek published
The Hubble Space Telescope has imaged celestial object Z-229-15, which is simultaneously classified as a Seyfert galaxy, an active galactic nucleus (AGN), and a quasar.
![The Moon and Mars in the Winter Hexagon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/MN63g2iX8qroADPLJhJBh5-320-80.jpg)
Watch Mars near the first quarter moon in the night sky tonight
By Stefanie Waldek published
This month's first quarter moon occurs today, March 28, meaning it will appear half-full in the night sky.
![A meteorite found in Texas on Feb. 18, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/i2xPsNcUJzoFzze3CTaX3a-320-80.jpg)
Scientists find meteorite in Texas from fireball that exploded with the force of 8 tons of TNT
By Stefanie Waldek published
The meteoroid was traveling about 27,000 mph (43,452 kph) when it struck the atmosphere, exploding into smaller pieces — some of which hit the ground.
![A three-panel image consisting of photographs of the surface of Mars. China's Zhurong rover can be seen in the same location in each panel.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/yC5efQEK4a6cBJK2gSrQbF-320-80.jpg)
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter confirms that China's Zhurong rover has been stationary for months
By Stefanie Waldek published
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed China's Zhurong rover in the same location for five months, indicating the rover has not yet awoken from hibernation.
![Graphic showing the moon, Jupiter and Venus in the night sky at 7 p.m. local time on Feb. 22, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/cFT2s5JnT5FTEQvsEwRjiG-320-80.jpg)
See the moon and Venus dance together in Wednesday evening's sky
By Stefanie Waldek published
On Wednesday (Feb. 22), the moon and Venus will make a close approach and also reach conjunction, which happens when they share the same right ascension.
![A photograph of the winter triangle](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UaSSzGDnYanSXizmQZvfj-320-80.jpg)
February's new moon makes this a great night to view the Winter Triangle
By Stefanie Waldek published
The moon will be completely dark tonight as it enters the new moon phase of its 29.5-day cycle.
![An image of a Barred spiral galaxy with a double ring structure.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/aTNsPWAfPzbeARubNj4pE9-320-80.jpg)
James Webb Space Telescope spies baby stars dancing in swirling gas and dust (photos)
By Stefanie Waldek published
The James Webb Space Telescope spied the arms of barred spiral galaxy NGC 1433 teeming with young stars that are affecting the clouds of gas and dust around them.
![An illustration of a black hole.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iWbt6ewM92P2v22WEmcDoi-320-80.jpg)
Black holes may be the source of mysterious dark energy
By Stefanie Waldek published
Black holes may be the origin of dark energy, according to a study by a team of researchers led by the University of Hawaii.
![A greenish comet streaks through the night sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FNYMfVAta6jsmuHy8p3nKe-320-80.jpg)
Comet C/2022 A2 (Pan-STARRS) passes close by the sun this weekend
By Stefanie Waldek published
The comet C/2022 A2 (Pan-STARRS) will reach perihelion, or the closest point to the sun in its orbit, on Saturday, Feb. 18. The comet will be visible from Earth at dawn and dusk.
![An artist's rendering of HD 219134b, another "local" Earth-sized exoplanet that could be similar to the newly discovered world K2-415b.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EQNWMhcLyvkNUC4uW2e34D-320-80.jpeg)
Earth-size exoplanet spotted just 72 light-years away
By Stefanie Waldek published
The newfound exoplanet K2-415b is not within the habitable zone of its red dwarf host star, but it could have a neighbor that is.
![An illustration of how the third quarter moon will appear in the night sky on Feb. 13, 2023.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vznH6B9iuDzns3kkMkgGXH-320-80.jpg)
See the half-lit last quarter moon rise tonight
By Stefanie Waldek published
Tonight the moon will reach its third-quarter phase, the last phase in the moon's monthly four-phase cycle. It will continue to wane until the new moon on Feb. 20.
![Illustration of a sunset on Mars.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EqgzkMmxjQpEMo4ZTPYuL-320-80.jpg)
Mars atmosphere mystery could be solved by rocks in Minnesota
By Stefanie Waldek published
We know precious little about how Mars got its atmosphere or how it disappeared. Now, thanks to some rocks from Duluth, Minnesota, scientists have a new theory.
![A composite image of galactic cluster Abell 2256 shows the chaotic entanglement of three smaller clusters within it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/TX2dCoG2HvZrHiyKpRSTMC-320-80.jpg)
Chaotic 'knot' of merging galaxy clusters captured in multiple wavelengths
By Stefanie Waldek published
Combining X-ray, radio, optical and infrared wavelengths, astronomers have imaged the messy collision of three galactic clusters leading to the formation of Abell 2256.
![An illustration of the night sky on Monday (Jan. 30) showing the close approach of Mars and the moon.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/HJ5BfLZoQSkDd7UiPs6q8a-320-80.jpg)
Watch the moon eclipse Mars tonight
By Stefanie Waldek published
On Monday (Jan. 30), the moon will pass in front of Mars from the perspective of Earth in what's known as an occultation. The moon and Mars will also reach conjunction and appulse.
![An illustration of the first quarter moon as it will appear in the sky on Saturday (Jan. 28).](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9tEoMN4LJNNvykUHm7aUPa-320-80.jpg)
Watch the 1st half-lit first quarter moon of 2023 rise tonight
By Stefanie Waldek published
On Saturday, Jan. 28, skywatchers will be able to see the year's 1st first quarter moon, when the moon appears to be half-lit from the perspective of Earth.
![Mercury - Jan2023](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/XceLdeUrUDKH2caFWhJCda-320-80.jpg)
See Mercury at its highest point in the sky Tuesday morning (Jan. 24)
By Stefanie Waldek published
Mercury will reach its highest altitude of its Jan.–Feb. 2023 morning apparition on Tuesday, Jan. 24. From New York City, it will reach 14 degrees above the horizon in the southeast sky.
![An artist's depiction of a star surrounded by a protoplanetary disk.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/uinCmrdUqFtihAHR4rSFMD-320-80.jpg)
'Little hurricanes' around young stars can help astronomers measure infant exoplanets
By Stefanie Waldek published
Researchers can use vortices in protoplanetary disks to weigh and date exoplanets.
![Jan21-2023 at 2053 GMT - New Moon](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QTGTBhpLBKB3Ryas8ERE8Y-320-80.jpg)
The new moon is the closest in nearly 1,000 years tonight
By Stefanie Waldek published
The new moon on Saturday (Jan. 21) is the closest new moon in 992 years at just 221,561 miles (356,568 km) away, but you won't be able to see anything from Earth.
![A NASA/JPL image showing Venus and Saturn moving together in the night sky.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WjoPwtmYXEoceevWsDcJsR-320-80.jpg)
Watch Venus and Saturn begin joining up in the night sky this week
By Stefanie Waldek published
The planets will begin closing in on one another ahead of a conjunction on Sunday (Jan. 22), during which they will appear just one-third of a degree apart.
![The moon's Tycho Crater in 16-foot (5-meter) resolution detail, as imaged by a prototype radar system at the Green Bank Telescope.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WXJ3iyyg9YSCAaYXs75fpd-320-80.jpg)
These are the most detailed images of the moon ever taken on Earth
By Stefanie Waldek published
The final project, which will be 1,000 times more powerful, will be used to help spot potentially hazardous objects flying toward Earth.
![The Milky Way as seen from the Southern Hemisphere.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9aBvQFhJeqkxZwuFU2TSyd-320-80.jpg)
Astronomers spot the most distant stars in the Milky Way — a million light-years away
By Stefanie Waldek published
Researchers have discovered more than 200 RR Lyrae stars in our galaxy's stellar halo.
![An astrophotographer with a telescope in front of the Milky Way.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qgBKnfSdNyDah6SfoTMVT4-320-80.jpg)
Astronomy photographer of the year competition opens for submissions
By Stefanie Waldek published
The institution's annual photography competition seeks to find "the most striking images of our cosmos."
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