SUNSET: 
NASA Nixes Launch of InSight in March 2016
A mechanical problem in the spacecraft's seismometer can't be fixed before the planned launch date, so NASA managers have postponed the mission until 2018.
Astronomers Predict a Supernova
For the first time, astronomers have predicted the appearance of a supernova.
NASA's Plans for Putting Humans on Mars
Scientists and engineers gathered together to figure out what would make a good Martian landing site and what hurdles they’ll have to overcome for a 2035 launch.
China Launches Dark Matter Probe
China's recently launched Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) takes the hunt for elusive dark matter to space.
Newborn Star Puts on Star Wars Show
Infrared observations by the Hubble Space Telescope reveal jets from forming stars.
New Star and Exoplanet Names OK'd by IAU
Following a wildly popular contest, the International Astronomical Union has named 14 stars and 31 planets that orbit them.
Hubble Peers Inside Exoplanets' Atmospheres
Astronomers studying hot Jupiter exoplanets revealed when and how clouds form on these alien worlds.
Bright Spots on Ceres: Mystery Solved?
Results from NASA's Dawn spacecraft hint that the stark brightenings in and near scores of craters on Ceres might result from salty brines seeping onto the surface.
Kepler’s Giant Exoplanet Candidates — Real or Not?
A new study shows that about half of Kepler’s giant exoplanet candidates aren’t real planets. But astronomers expected this.
Japan’s Akatsuki Reaches Venus . . . At Last
Engineers executed an innovative contingency plan to save the Akatsuki spacecraft and place it in orbit around our sister planet.
Geminids in 2015: Moonless and Marvelous
The nights of December 13th and 14th offer dark nights for this popular under-appreciated meteor display.
Simulation Sees Supernova Innards
A new computer simulation provides a brief glimpse at what makes stellar bombs tick.
Rate the Darkness of Your Sky
A new website shows how light pollution spreads around the globe — using data gathered by its users.
Forming Exoplanets Near and Very Far
Astronomers at the Extreme Solar Systems III conference announced several exciting results this week.
Our “Magnetic” Black Hole
Astronomers have detected magnetic fields writhing around the Milky Way's central black hole.
Get a Predawn Peek of Comet Catalina
Our current visitor from the Oort Cloud, rising into northern skies at last, can be glimpsed with binoculars low in the east before dawn. Spotting it will be especially easy on December 7th.
LISA Pathfinder Heads to Space
An exciting new mission takes the hunt for gravitational waves into space.
Moon Occults Venus on December 7th
After taking us to Comet Catalina's doorstep, the Moon covers Venus in a spectacular daytime occultation visible from most of North and Central America on Monday, December 7, 2015.
Tour December's Sky: Planets and Meteors
This month offers great variety in the night sky: planets (and a comet!) before dawn, a strong meteor shower, and a parade of bright stars after sunset.
Will Phobos Create a Ring Around Mars?
Dynamicists predict that the larger of Mars's two moons will shatter to create a ring, slam into the planet — or both — in 20 to 40 million years.
