Facts Nero https://factneros.space/ Space facts, explained: the probes, rockets, stars and missions behind every Facts Nero YouTube video, written up in full with sources. en Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530 Gaia-Enceladus: the galaxy the Milky Way swallowedhttps://factneros.space/articles/gaia-enceladus-milky-way-merger/https://factneros.space/articles/gaia-enceladus-milky-way-merger/Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530GalaxiesAbout 10 billion years ago the Milky Way merged with Gaia-Enceladus, the 'Gaia Sausage'. Gaia found its stars in 2018, and its core may be Omega Centauri. Why rocket flames almost vanish in spacehttps://factneros.space/articles/why-rocket-flames-vanish-in-space/https://factneros.space/articles/why-rocket-flames-vanish-in-space/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530RocketsOn the pad a rocket rides a pillar of fire. Higher up the engine is still firing, but the flame almost vanishes. Two things explain it: air and oxygen. S301: the fastest known star in the Milky Wayhttps://factneros.space/articles/s301-fastest-star/https://factneros.space/articles/s301-fastest-star/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530UniverseS301 reaches 25,000 km/s, more than 8% of the speed of light, near our galaxy's central black hole. Why it is so fast, and what it could reveal. Why Artemis III won't land on the Moonhttps://factneros.space/articles/artemis-iii-moon-landing/https://factneros.space/articles/artemis-iii-moon-landing/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530MissionsArtemis III was meant to land astronauts on the Moon. Now it will test Moon landers in Earth orbit, and the first landing has moved to Artemis IV in 2028. Apophis 2029: the asteroid that once had a 1 in 37 chance of hitting Earthhttps://factneros.space/articles/apophis-2029-flyby/https://factneros.space/articles/apophis-2029-flyby/Sun, 25 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530AsteroidsOn Friday 13 April 2029, the 340-metre asteroid Apophis will pass closer to Earth than many satellites. In December 2004, nobody could rule out a hit. Why is space black if there are billions of stars?https://factneros.space/articles/why-is-space-black/https://factneros.space/articles/why-is-space-black/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530UniverseIf there are billions of stars, every direction should end on one and the sky should blaze. Why it doesn't: Olbers' paradox, explained. Voyager 1 is about to be one light-day from Earthhttps://factneros.space/articles/voyager-1-one-light-day-from-earth/https://factneros.space/articles/voyager-1-one-light-day-from-earth/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530Space probesIt was built in the 1970s, it has less memory than one photo on your phone, and on 18 November 2026 a message to it will take a full day to arrive. 49 years in space, and Voyager 1 never crashed into anythinghttps://factneros.space/articles/voyager-1-never-crashed/https://factneros.space/articles/voyager-1-never-crashed/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530Space probesIt has flown for 49 years at about 61,000 kilometres an hour without hitting a thing. How? Deep space is far emptier than we imagine. NASA's nuclear spaceship is heading to Marshttps://factneros.space/articles/nasa-nuclear-spaceship-sr-1-freedom/https://factneros.space/articles/nasa-nuclear-spaceship-sr-1-freedom/Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0530SpacecraftSR-1 Freedom will carry a small nuclear reactor and fly past Mars after a planned launch in late 2028. Here is why that is a big deal.