SUNSET: 
The Not-Quite Closing of Yerkes Observatory
The University of Chicago is ending its support for Yerkes Observatory, a historic, castle-like building built to house a gigantic telescope, on October 1st. Its future remains unclear.
60-Second Astro News: A Relic Galaxy, Changing Ceres & The Aurora Named "Steve"
Hubble reveals a relic galaxy, Dawn sees the surface of asteroid Ceres changing, and scientists probe an auroral phenomenon named "Steve."
Stephen Hawking, 1942–2018
Stephen Hawking, renowned physicist, famed science communicator, and all-around inspiration, has passed away at the age of 76.
Hubble: Weather Watcher of the Outer Solar System
Hubble's powerful eye scouts the outer planets once an Earth year, shedding light on planetary weather, like Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Neptune's Great Dark Spot.
The Fate of Exomoons when Planets Scatter
Planet interactions are thought to be common as solar systems are first forming and settling down. A new study suggests that these close encounters could have a significant impact on the moons of giant exoplanets — and they may generate a large population of free-floating exomoons.
Neutron Stars Discovered on Collision Course
Got any plans in 46 million years? If not, you should keep an eye out for PSR J1946+2052 around that time — this upcoming merger of two neutron stars promises to be an exciting show!
Amazing Storms, Jet Streams on Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has found breathtaking cyclones at Jupiter’s poles and probed how deep the planet’s jet streams go.
Rocket Barrage to Study Northern Lights
A series of 11 sounding rocket flights from two remote locations in the Arctic circle will help unlock the secrets of the processes behind the Northern Lights.
Dwarf Galaxy Collision Evicted Milky Way Stars
A long-ago encounter between our galaxy and an orbiting dwarf might have ejected some of the Milky Way’s stars.
James Webb Space Telescope: Additional Delays "Likely"
A non-partisan government office has issued a report warning of additional delays for the James Webb Space Telescope, which could pit the mission against its funding cap.
Could a Giant Impact Have Vaporized Earth to Create the Moon?
In a new twist on the giant impact theory, a new idea posits that the Moon might have formed from the vaporized remains of Earth after an epic collision with another planet-sized body.
Tour March's Sky: Planet Peeks at Dusk
With winter's chill fading away, this is a great time to gaze up into the stars — and to be ready for an evening appearance by fleet-footed Mercury. This month's astronomy podcast guides you around the nighttime sky.
Primordial Chill Hints at Dark Matter Interactions in Early Universe
A simple experiment has detected a signal from the first stars forming just 180 million years after the Big Bang. The observations have intriguing implications for the nature of dark matter.
An Eccentric Planet Skims a Giant Star
As part of a major survey of evolved stars, scientists have discovered the most eccentric planet known to orbit a giant. What can we learn from this unusual object before it’s eventually consumed by its host?
Neutron Star Powers Ultraluminous X-rays
It turns out that neutron stars — not black holes — power at least some ultraluminous X-ray sources.
Astronomers Watch Donut Rotate Around Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have detected a torus rotating around the supermassive black hole at the center of spiral galaxy Messier 77, collecting observations that may shed light on why these weird structures exist.
60-Second Astro News: Merging Black Holes, Distant Super-Supernova, and Arecibo's Fate
Supermassive black holes en route to merger have strange dynamics in their gas disks. Astronomers have spotted the most distant spectroscopically confirmed supernova. And NSF decides the fate of the Arecibo Observatory.
Amateur Astronomer Captures Supernova’s First Light
In 2016 an amateur astronomer was testing his camera — and captured the first flash of a supernova.
Venus Peeps Back Into View at Dusk
After a long drought, a bright planet emerges in the western sky. Welcome back, Venus!
NASA Budget Proposal Cancels WFIRST
The recent budget proposal for NASA dealt a blow to the astronomical community, putting several key missions — including WFIRST, a successor to Hubble — under the financial axe.
