Guest Writer

Christopher Crockett

Astronomy Writer, 2014-2017

Christopher Crockett is a freelance science writer based in Montgomery, Alabama. He was the astronomy writer at Science News from 2014 to 2017. He has a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Christopher Crockett's Articles
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Science Visualized

Satellite smashups could have given birth to Saturn’s odd moons

Nearly head-on collisions between icy moonlets might be responsible for the peculiar shapes of some of Saturn’s moons, computer simulations suggest.

1 month ago

Planetary Science
News

4 surprising things we just learned about Jupiter

Polar cyclones, surprisingly deep atmosphere and a fluid mass spinning as a rigid body are among the latest discoveries at Jupiter.

3 months ago

Planetary Science
Television

‘Death Dive to Saturn’ celebrates the Cassini probe’s accomplishments

A new documentary, “Death Dive to Saturn,” takes a look back at the Cassini spacecraft’s 13 years at Saturn and what to expect from its final days.

10 months ago

Planetary Science
Feature

Life might have a shot on planets orbiting dim red stars

The number of planets in the habitable zone of dim red suns, known as M dwarfs, is growing. They’re a good place to look for life.

1 year ago

Exoplanets
Science Visualized

Observers caught these stars going supernova

Thirty years ago, astronomers witnessed a nearby stellar explosion, but it wasn’t the first. Humanity has been recording local supernovas for nearly two millennia.

1 year ago

Astronomy,

Supernova 1987A
Feature

30 years later, supernova 1987A is still sharing secrets

The 1987 explosion of a star near the Milky Way 30 years ago set off years of fascinating findings.

1 year ago

Astronomy,

Supernova 1987A
News in Brief

The moon is still old

New analysis of moon rocks points to our satellite forming about 4.51 billion years ago, roughly 60 million years after the start of the solar system.

1 year ago

Planetary Science
News in Brief

Milky Way’s black hole may hurl galactic spitballs our way

Gas blobs formed in the wake of stars shredded by the black hole in the center of the galaxy could pass within several hundred light-years of Earth on their way to intergalactic space.

1 year ago

Astronomy
News in Brief

Earliest galaxies got the green light

Galaxies in the early universe might have emitted lots of green light, powered by large populations of stars much hotter than most found today.

1 year ago

Astronomy
News in Brief

Some pulsars lose their steady beat

Two pulsars spend most of their time switched off, hinting at a large population of part-time pulsars hiding in the Milky Way.

1 year ago

Astronomy