3061–3080 of 6,731 results
Milky Way from Arches National Park

Astronomy and Society

It's International Dark-Sky Week!

What began as a student's simple idea a decade ago has grown into a worldwide celebration of the night sky and easy ways to reduce light pollution.

Pi in the Sky

Astronomy & Observing News

April 1st Astronomy Hijinks

In breaking news today, astronomers have discovered Pi in the sky, proposed a revolutionary search for extraterrestrial environmentalism . . . and oh yes, April Fools’!

Viewing Mercury in April 2016

Celestial News & Events

Tour April's Sky: Morning & Evening Planets

This month's astronomy podcast takes you on a guided tour of the night sky. You'll find Mars and Saturn near each other before dawn, while Jupiter and Mercury join the fading constellations of winter in the evening sky after sunset.

55 Cancri e, animated

Exoplanets

Hot Nights, Hotter Days on Exoplanet 55 Cancri e

A new thermal map of a super-Earth exoplanet is puzzling astronomers.

Stellar Fingerprints

Stellar Science

Spectral Types For Spring Nights

Hidden within the subtle hues of the stars are the keys to their temperatures and compositions. Get acquainted with the classic OBAFGKM spectral sequence through real stars you can see on a spring night.

Jupiter impact by John McKeon

Celestial News & Events

Another Impact on Jupiter?

Two amateur videos shot early on March 17th show a brief but bright flash on the edge of Jupiter's disk. Did the King of Planets get whacked again?

artist's impression of a black hole

Black Holes

Astronomers Gauge Spin in Black Hole Duo

Astronomers have measured the spin of one of the universe's most massive black holes — and provided evidence that the behemoth has a companion.

Astro-H/Hitomi

Space Missions

Malfunction Cripples Hitomi X-ray Observatory

Ground controllers are scrambling to recover the Hitomi satellite from a mysterious 'debris anomaly' over the past weekend.

Haze layers in Pluto's atmosphere

Solar System

Pluto's Atmosphere Confounds Researchers

Observations by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, combined with new modeling of long-term trends, suggest that Pluto's atmosphere is far more dynamic than anyone imagined.

Resolving the Cosmic Infrared Background

Galaxies

Hidden Galaxies Revealed

Astronomers studying the infrared glow that pervades the universe have pinned down its source: dusty, faint, and faraway galaxies.

Telescopic view of Comet 252P/LINEAR

Celestial News & Events

Comet 252P Zooms North, BA14 Grows Tail

Splintered comet duo 252P/LINEAR and P/2016 BA14 liven up both dusk and dawn this week. Naked-eye 252P finally debuts in northern skies, while BA14 makes a beeline through the Big Dipper.

Mars gravity map

Solar System

Mars Gravity Map

By tracking deviations in spacecraft orbits, planetary scientists have created a high-resolution map of the Red Planet's gravitational pull.

super spiral and normal galaxies

Galaxies

Super Spiral Galaxies

Astronomers have identified 53 “super spirals” — spiral galaxies that are huge and incredibly luminous — as part of a project exploring archived observations.

And Lo - A Tail!

Celestial News & Events

Comet PanSTARRS 2016's Historic Flyby of Earth

Not one, but two, possibly related comets will make exceptionally close flybys of Earth on March 21–22. Here's what we know and a guide on how to see them.

ExoMars at the Red Planet

Space Missions

ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Heads to Space

The launch of ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli lander heralds a new phase of Mars exploration.

Milky Way Galaxy Halo

Milky Way

Galactic Archaelogy in the Milky Way Halo

The motions of thirteen stars in our galaxy’s halo outline a shell-like structure, perhaps the remains of an ancient galactic collision.

Solar eclipse from Indonesia

Celestial News & Events

Total Solar Eclipse Reports from Indonesia

Skygazers thronged to Indonesia hoping to see a total solar eclipse — and most were rewarded with breathtaking views of the event.

Indonesia Solar Eclipse Tour Group

Celestial News & Events

A Spectacular View of the Total Solar Eclipse

On the morning of Wednesday, March 9th, 240 members of a Sky & Telescope cruise were treated to a spectacular total solar eclipse.

Harvard College Observatory

Astronomy and Society

Flood Threatens Photographic Plates

A burst pipe flooded Harvard College’s Observatory Hill, submerging thousands of historic photographic plates underwater. Recovery is now under way.

The alignment of CANYVAL-X

Space Missions

CANYVAL-X: Two CubeSats, One Telescope

An innovative CubeSat mission, slated to take to space this year, will demonstrate the feasibility of free-flying satellites.