SUNSET: 
China Launches Ambitious Sample-Return Mission to the Moon
The aim of China's Chang'e 5 mission is to return samples of lunar soil to Earth by the end of 2020.
Meet Capella, the Goat Star
Capella is the sixth-brightest star in the sky — and it's more than one star! The main two stars in the system are near-twins, bright yellow giants.
Earth's New "Minimoon" May be a 1960s-Era Rocket Booster
An object set to pass near Earth next month may in fact be a relic of the early Space Age.
Gamma-ray Flash Heralds Birth of a Magnetar
What happens when two neutron stars don't add up to a black hole?
Iconic Arecibo Telescope Damaged, To Be Dismantled
The iconic Arecibo telescope, damaged by two cable failures within three months, is beyond repair.
The Case of the Blue Ring Nebula
After 16 years, astronomers have figured out the origin of a strange ring of ultraviolet light, and shed light on a common — but rarely observed — event.
Is the Phosphine Biosignature on Venus a Calibration Error?
The already tentative detection of phosphine is under heavy scrutiny from the scientific community. A problem with the ALMA data hasn't helped.
Leonid Meteor Shower to the Rescue
Modest but reliable, the annual Leonid meteor shower returns this week. Take an hour or two to relax and enjoy the show.
SpaceX Launches Four Astronauts to the International Space Station
A crew of four is headed to the International Space Station, on Crew Dragon’s first operational launch, Crew One.
Stellar Fossils Reveal the "Kraken" in the Milky Way's Past
Astronomers have reconstructed the Milky Way's merger history, finding that our galaxy has absorbed five large satellite galaxies in the last 12 billion years.
Mars Sample Return Program Forges Ahead
It's full steam ahead for the joint NASA-ESA Mars Sample Return, a complex plan to collect bits of Mars and — for the first time — send them to Earth.
Radio Transmission from a Brown Dwarf
The radio discovery of a brown dwarf holds promise for future exoplanet detections.
Another Cable Snaps at the Arecibo Observatory
Engineers are looking at stabilizing the dish, as the Arecibo Observatory has suffered a second cable failure.
Under One Sky — Help Address Light Pollution
Do you care about protecting the night sky? Join the International Dark Sky Association’s virtual conference this weekend.
The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle
Big Black Holes Dominate New Gravitational-Wave Catalog
Gravitational-wave scientists have unveiled their latest catalog of events, revealing a surprising number of massive black holes.
How Big Is Betelgeuse Really?
Knowing Betelgeuse’s size is crucial to understanding its recent bizarre behavior — and predicting when it will go supernova. But it’s harder to figure out than you might think.
Earth-size Planets Are Common, Kepler Retrospective Finds
A new, full analysis of Kepler data finds at least 300 million Earth-size planets in the habitable zone around Sun-like stars in our galaxy.
Magnetars Make Some — Maybe All — Mysterious Radio Flashes
In-depth analysis of a flash of radio waves coming from a Milky Way magnetar have convinced astronomers: Magnetars produce at least some fast radio bursts.
Tiny Asteroid Flora and Mighty Uranus Team Up
Both Uranus and the asteroid 8 Flora came to opposition on Halloween. Catch them both in the same corner of the sky the next clear night.
Astronomers Dim Street Lights to Home in on Light Pollution
Street lights contribute to light pollution, but they are far from the only culprits — and fixing street lights is far from the only solution.
