
Brandon Specktor
Brandon is the space/physics editor at Live Science. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post, Reader's Digest, CBS.com, the Richard Dawkins Foundation website and other outlets. He holds a bachelor's degree in creative writing from the University of Arizona, with minors in journalism and media arts. He enjoys writing most about space, geoscience and the mysteries of the universe.
Latest articles by Brandon Specktor

James Webb telescope spots Milky Way's long-lost 'twin' near the dawn of time
By Brandon Specktor published
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered Zhúlóng, a candidate for the most distant spiral galaxy in the universe. The perplexing Milky Way 'twin' dates to 1 billion years after the Big Bang, and appears too big to explain.

Mars: Facts about the Red Planet, its moons, and possibilities for life
By Adam Mann, Brandon Specktor last updated
Discover interesting facts about Mars, its moons, its atmosphere, and the possibilities of life.

James Webb telescope takes emergency look at 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 ahead of close encounter in 2032
By Brandon Specktor last updated
The James Webb Space Telescope has taken its first look at the near-Earth asteroid 2024 YR4 before a perilous close approach in 2032. The telescope confirmed Earth is safe, but there is a 3.8% chance that our moon may be in trouble.

Full moons of 2025: When is the next full moon?
By Jamie Carter last updated
April's full moon is the Pink Moon, rising April 12. It will also be a micromoon, appearing slightly smaller than usual.

How to watch tomorrow's solar eclipse from anywhere on Earth
By Brandon Specktor last updated
A rare sunrise solar eclipse will be visible from 13 U.S. states tomorrow (March 29), as well as locations in Canada and Europe. Here's how to watch for free online, no matter where you are.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore spent 286 days stuck in space — is that a new record?
By Brandon Specktor last updated
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams spent 286 consecutive days aboard the International Space Station after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth empty. Is their extended spaceflight record-setting?

Solar eclipse glasses: Where to buy a safe, certified pair before the March 29 eclipse
By Brandon Specktor last updated
You MUST wear protective eyewear to view a partial solar eclipse like the one coming to North American on March 29. Here's how to find a pair of certified solar eclipse glasses from an approved vendor.

Watch: Spacecraft films 'diamond ring' solar eclipse from the surface of the moon as 'blood moon' looms over Earth
By Brandon Specktor published
While millions of Earthlings watched the "blood moon" total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, the private Blue Ghost spacecraft caught an ultra-rare view of Earth blocking out the sun from the surface of the moon.

Top-secret X-37B space plane returns to Earth in dead of night after mysterious 434-day mission, US military reveals
By Brandon Specktor published
The U.S. military's top-secret X-37B space plane has returned from a mysterious 434-day mission in orbit. The enigmatic mission 'broke new ground' for reusable space technology, according to the U.S. Space Force.

'We're disappointed in the outcome': NASA shares photo of sideways Intuitive Machines moon lander, which died 12 hours after touchdown
By Brandon Specktor published
The second moon landing attempt by Texas-based Intuitive Machines has ended much like the first, with its Athena lander falling sideways into a crater and shutting down after 12 hours.

In emergency decision, James Webb telescope will study 'city-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 before its close approach to Earth
By Brandon Specktor published
In a rare "time-critical" decision, the James Webb Space Telescope will study the true size of the "potentially hazardous" asteroid 2024 YR4 twice over the next few months. The asteroid has a roughly 2.3% chance of impacting Earth in 2032.

Auroras predicted over US this weekend as solar storm rips toward Earth
By Brandon Specktor published
A solar explosion called a coronal mass ejection is poised to graze Earth on Friday or Saturday (Jan. 24 or Jan. 25), potentially triggering colorful auroras over the northern U.S.

Enormous, mountain-size asteroid will be visible from Earth this weekend in rare 'once in a decade' event
By Brandon Specktor published
The enormous near-Earth asteroid (887) Alinda has made its closest approach to our planet in decades, and it's about to peak in brightness in a rare once-in-a-decade event. Here's how to watch it live this weekend.

10 jaw-dropping space photos that defined 2024
By Brandon Specktor published
From solar storms to "shooting stars" over Stonehenge, here are our top 10 favorite space photos of 2024 — and what they told us about our beautiful cosmos.

Space news quiz: From Starliner to solar storms, do you know the year's top space stories?
By Brandon Specktor published
QUIZ From impressive moon missions to unbelievable auroras, 2024 was a year that got many of us looking up. How well do you remember the year's top space news stories?

Our favorite space stories of 2024 — from lost planets to human-caused meteor showers
By Brandon Specktor published
From the mysterious Planet Nine to the prospect of a "human-caused meteor shower," space and physics editor Brandon Specktor lists his favorite stories of 2024.

Winter solstice 2024: When does winter start?
By Laura Geggel last updated
When does winter start in 2024? Here's the science of the winter solstice, and why its the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

12 strange reasons humans haven't found alien life yet
By Brandon Specktor published
Scientists have been searching for evidence of extraterrestrial life for decades. So, where are all the aliens? Here are 12 intriguing theories ...

Thanksgiving auroras? Solar storm likely to hit Earth on Thursday and Friday, NOAA warns
By Brandon Specktor last updated
An outburst of solar energy looks primed to hit Earth on Thursday, potentially bringing auroras to the northern U.S. on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

James Webb telescope spots 'feasting' black hole eating 40 times faster than should be possible
By Brandon Specktor published
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have spotted a feeding black hole in the early universe that seems to be eating 40 times faster than is theoretically possible.

Witch's head to God's eye: 12 of the spookiest objects in the universe
By Brandon Specktor last updated
A shrieking skull, a cackling witch, a ghostly hand and other cosmic illusions haunt our skies. Which do you think is the spookiest object in the universe?

Voyager 1 loses contact with NASA, turns on retro transmitter not used since 1981
By Brandon Specktor published
NASA lost contact with the interstellar Voyager 1 spacecraft for nearly a week after a technical glitch shut off the probe's main transmitter. Using Voyager's weaker backup transmitter, engineers are assessing the problem from 15 billion miles away.

James Webb telescope finds 1st possible 'failed stars' beyond the Milky Way — and they could reveal new secrets of the early universe
By Brandon Specktor published
The James Webb Space Telescope may have found dozens of elusive brown dwarfs — strange objects larger than planets but smaller than stars — beyond the Milky Way for the first time ever.

42 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images
By Brandon Specktor last updated
From nebulas and black holes to baby star nurseries and ancient collisions, the universe has never looked more beautiful thanks to NASA's $10 billion-telescope.

'Severe' solar storm that hit Earth Thursday could be 'global phenomenon' with auroras as far south as California
By Brandon Specktor last updated
A powerful solar outburst hit Earth Thursday, triggering a "severe" geomagnetic storm. Auroras could be visible as far south as California and Alabama, NOAA predicts.
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