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Jonti Horner

Professor (Astrophysics), University of Southern Queensland

I'm an astronomer and astrobiologist based at the University of Southern Queensland, in Toowoomba, Queensland.

I first became interested in astronomy as a five-year-old, as a result of viewing an accidentally recorded episode of the Sky at Night.

I've always been particularly interested in our Solar system, especially the small objects therein - the comets, asteroids and meteors.

In recent years, I've been expanding my research to include astrobiology and the search for, and study of, exoplanets.

Want to get into stargazing? A professional astronomer explains where to start

Dec 29, 2023 12:12 pm UTC| Life

There are few things more peaceful and relaxing than a night under the stars. Through the holidays, many people head away from the bright city lights to go camping. They revel in the dark skies, spangled with myriad...

Space Science Series

The Geminids: the year's best meteor shower is upon us. And this one will be a true spectacle

Dec 11, 2023 06:52 am UTC| Science

As an astronomer and meteor enthusiast, Id say its the most wonderful time of the year. Each December sees the return of the Geminid meteor shower the best natural fireworks display of the year - and people the world...

Will Saturn's rings really 'disappear' by 2025? An astronomer explains

Nov 13, 2023 12:31 pm UTC| Science

If you can get your hands on a telescope, there are few sights more spectacular than the magnificent ringed planet Saturn. Currently, Saturn is clearly visible in the evening sky, at its highest just after sunset. Its...

‘Like blood, then turned into darkness’: how medieval manuscripts link lunar eclipses, volcanoes and climate change

Apr 06, 2023 07:14 am UTC| Science

Before humans started heating the planet by burning fossil fuels in the 19th century, Earth had experienced centuries-long widespread cool period known as the Little Ice Age. Scientists believe this cold spell may have...

Astronomers just discovered a comet that could be brighter than most stars when we see it next year. Or will it?

Mar 13, 2023 11:41 am UTC| Science

Hot on the heels of the disappointing Green Comet, astronomers have just discovered a new comet with the potential to be next years big story C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). Although it is still more than 18 months from...

How big is the Moon? Let me compare ...

Jul 18, 2019 23:53 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

Even though we can see the Moon shining brightly in the night sky and sometimes in daylight its hard to put into perspective just how large, and just how distant, our nearest neighbour actually is. So just how big is...

A Goblin could guide us to a mystery planet thought to exist in the Solar system

Oct 20, 2018 15:25 pm UTC| Insights & Views Science

Out in the depths of the Solar system, astronomers recently discovered a small, icy object, named 2015 TG387. First observed in October 2015, it has been nicknamed The Goblin by its discoverers. It is currently almost...

Economy

Asian Currencies Rally as Dollar Weakens Amid Iran Ceasefire Hopes

Most Asian currencies gained ground on Thursday as the U.S. dollar extended its losing streak for a ninth consecutive session, driven by renewed optimism surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace talks ahead of next weeks...

U.S. Crude Oil Exports Surge Toward Record Highs Amid Global Supply Crisis

The United States came remarkably close to becoming a net crude oil exporter last week for the first time since World War Two, as American shipments surged to meet surging international demand. The dramatic shift was...

Chile's Kast Unveils 40-Point Economic Reform Package to Boost Growth

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast introduced a sweeping economic reform package this week, outlining 40 measures aimed at reinvigorating the countrys economy and stabilizing employment. Addressing the nation for the...

China's Economy Surpasses Q1 2026 Growth Forecasts

Chinas economy outperformed expectations in the first quarter of 2026, with official GDP data released Thursday confirming a 5% year-on-year expansion ahead of the 4.8% analysts had forecast and a notable acceleration...

China's New Home Prices Continue to Fall in March Despite Signs of Recovery in Major Cities

Chinas new home prices extended their downward trend in March, according to fresh data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, though some of the countrys largest cities began showing modest month-on-month...

Politics

Trump Pushes for Lebanon-Israel Dialogue Amid Renewed Hezbollah Conflict

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the leaders of Lebanon and Israel are set to hold direct talks for the first time in roughly 34 years, signaling a diplomatic push to ease escalating tensions between the two...

Russia Launches Deadly Missile and Drone Strikes Across Ukraine, Killing Three Including a Child

Russian forces launched a wave of missile and drone attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities in the early hours of Thursday, leaving three people dead among them a 12-year-old boy and wounding more than 20 others. The...

Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Attempting to Block Hawaii's Climate Case Against Oil Giants

A federal judge in Honolulu has dismissed a Trump administration lawsuit that sought to prevent Hawaii from pursuing climate change litigation against major fossil fuel companies in state court. U.S. District Judge Helen...

Pentagon Taps Auto Giants to Supercharge U.S. Weapons Production

The Pentagon is in early discussions with major American manufacturers including automotive leaders General Motors and Ford Motor about redirecting a portion of their factory capacity and workforce toward producing...

U.S. Senate Blocks Resolutions to Halt $450 Million Weapons Sale to Israel

The U.S. Senate voted Wednesday to reject two resolutions that sought to block approximately $450 million in military equipment sales to Israel, including bombs and bulldozers. Republicans united in opposition to the...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

TSMC Posts Record Q1 Profit Fueled by AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, delivered a record-breaking first-quarter profit in 2026, surpassing analyst expectations as artificial intelligence continues...

Elon Musk's Terafab Foundry Courts Top Chipmaking Giants for AI Self-Sufficiency Push

Elon Musks ambitious semiconductor venture, Terafab, is moving closer to reality after his team began reaching out to some of the worlds leading chipmaking equipment suppliers. According to Bloomberg, staff representing...

Sam Altman Moves to Dismiss Punitive Damages in Sister's Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, has filed a motion in St. Louis federal court seeking to strike punitive damages from a civil lawsuit brought by his sister, Annie Altman, who accuses him of repeated sexual abuse...

Samsung Races to Deliver Next-Gen HBM4E Memory Samples to Nvidia

Samsung Electronics is pushing hard to deliver engineering samples of its next-generation HBM4E high-bandwidth memory to Nvidia as early as next month, according to South Korean outlet ChosunBiz. The move signals Samsungs...

ASML Raises 2026 Revenue Outlook as AI Chip Demand Surges

ASML Holding N.V. lifted its full-year 2026 revenue forecast after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant surpassed first-quarter profit and sales expectations. The results were fueled by accelerating AI-driven chip...