Ankita Garkoti
Ankita Garkoti is a writer and editor who has spent the better part of a decade working on getting good stories in front of the people they are meant for. At Starlust, she writes about astronomy, spaceflight, and space exploration. She came to science writing because she believes space is one of the most important and under-covered beats in journalism, filled with stories that matter but are often told in ways that make them feel inaccessible. Her focus is on changing that. She writes for readers curious about space and brings clarity to complex ideas without losing their depth.
Latest From Ankita Garkoti
NASA's Chandra finds two of the Milky Way's arms are 10% farther than we thought
This small correction could make us rethink how massive our galaxy actually is.
Rare, long-lasting black hole outburst is giving scientists a better look at the early universe
"We are dealing with the prototype of a new class of galaxies that undergo rapid changes in radio emission."
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Why haven't aliens contacted us? Here's what a NASA-based scientist says
Turns out, the reason might not be as complicated as we think.
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These 5 moons are the strangest in our solar system
Meet 5 of the strangest moons and learn what makes them so odd.
New James Webb Space Telescope data challenges one of dark matter's strongest pieces of evidence
Hidden stars, not hidden matter, might explain this decades-old mystery.
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5 of the most mysterious UFO sightings ever reported
Decades later, these five UFO cases are still open.
Why is Sun's atmosphere hotter than its own surface? Long-standing mystery may finally have an answer
This question has stumped scientists for decades, and the answer may have been hiding in plain sight.
A Jupiter-sized planet miraculously survived the death of its host star—James Webb finds how
There are two theories about how planet WD 1856 b survived. Here's what scientists think happened.
NASA's TESS telescope found a planet 40,000 light-years away and it wasn't even looking for it
"When TESS launched, no one expected it to ever be capable of finding this kind of planet."
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5 space myths everyone grew up hearing (that aren’t true)
A lot of things you think you know about space might be wrong.
Rubin Observatory begins 10-year survey to create the 'greatest cosmic movie ever'
Rubin is now capturing a new detailed image approximately every 40 seconds, covering faint objects, as well as fleeting events in the sky.
Scientists witness a black hole's point of no return for the first time ever
The event horizon of a black hole should be virtually impossible to study, yet an international team of researchers figured out a way.
NASA is going all out for America's 250th birthday—here's the full lineup
Get ready for aerial shows, Artemis 2 patches, Moon Base models, and a chance to win NASA prizes!
International Asteroid Day 2026: Here's a look at NASA's most important asteroid missions
NASA has reached major milestones in asteroid exploration. Here are five highlights.
What would really happen if an asteroid hit Earth today—and is NASA ready?
When we think of planet killer asteroids, survival odds might seem slim. But we aren't defenseless.
Did NASA's Perseverance find signs of life on Mars? Study points to complex carbon in Martian rocks
On Earth, these kinds of markings are usually linked to microbial life. Could this be true for Mars?
ESA's Euclid took the most detailed photo ever of the Milky Way's core—and made a surprising discovery
Euclid captured more than 60 million stars, with nebulas and star clusters, and planets among them.
All about Soyuz 11: The first crewed space station mission and the fatal disaster that followed
'Goodbye...till we see you soon on Mother Earth,' were the hopeful last words of the ill-fated Soyuz 11 crew.
NASA's James Webb cuts through dust to reveal 16.5 million never-before-seen stars in Cigar Galaxy
Prior observations of M82 were unable to peer through the haze. Here's what James Webb Space Telescope found.
What happened to the historic American flags planted on the Moon by Apollo astronauts?
The flags are still up there after over 50 years. But they're not what they used to be.
NASA's James Webb dates back comet 3I/ATLAS to 'cosmic noon,' raises questions about our solar system
The data obtained by Webb had two things that took researchers by surprise.
In our search for alien life, a swarm of space telescopes could be the missing link
The European-led LIFE mission aims to use spacecraft in formation to look for biosignatures.
The Milky Way’s core is emitting mysterious gamma rays. Scientists think it could be linked to dark matter.
Currently there exist two explanations behind the mysterious signals. The study strengthened one.
NASA astronaut Anil Menon will spend eight months aboard the ISS—here's what he'll be doing in orbit
"I think humans are just amazingly resilient. There will be challenges, but that's why we have the space station"