1301–1320 of 6,730 results
Saturn and Mars in dawn conjunction near Venus, April 4 2022with Venus

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 1 – 9

The evening Moon climbs toward the Arch of Spring, then through it. Orion's Belt levels, the Leaps of the Gazelle cross the zenith, and Saturn and Mars conjoin near brilliant Venus in early dawn.

Taurine in HL Tau

Astronomy and Society

Floofy Objects and Other Tales of Astronomical Impossibility

Astronomers aren't holding back this year, with brand-new submissions to this year's highly prestigious (and fictitious) Acta Prima Aprilia.

Comet ATLAS (C/2019 L3)

Night Sky Sights

Comets to View in 2022

Like comets? We've got 11 frozen fuzzies to share with you in the coming months, including a couple that could become fine binocular objects.

Lensing close-up

Cosmology

Meet Earendel, the Most Distant Star Astronomers Have Observed

The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed a single star whose light has traveled for 12.9 billion years to Earth — the most distant star known.

Uranus and Neptune

Solar System

Where Did the Ice Giants Form?

Conventional planet formation scenarios have Neptune and Uranus forming closer to the Sun. But a new study shows that the ice giant planets could have formed right where they are now.

Protoplanetary debris cloud (artist's concept)

Exoplanets

“Lucky” Images Reveal Dusty Debris Around a Star 330 Light-years Away

The transit of a large cloud of protoplanetary rubble across the face of a young star gave the Spitzer Space Telescope our best view yet of planetary evolution in action.

Odd Radio Circle (ORC) 1

Galaxies

New Image Reveals Possible Origins of “Odd Radio Circles”

This faint ring of radio emission might signal a momentous event in galactic evolution. Then again, it might be something else entirely.

Venus, Mars, Saturn and waning Moon, March 27-28, 2022

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 25 – April 2

What constellation trots behind Sirius and Canis Major across the southern sky? Puppis, not a puppy but the poop deck of Argo Navis. In this dark of the Moon, try for the Clown-Face Nebula high in Gemini. And the three dawn planets dance through two more isosceles triangles.

Milky Way, edge-on view

Milky Way

Hundreds of Thousands of Stars Reveal the Milky Way’s “Teenage” Years

A census of hundreds of thousands of subgiant stars in our galaxy provides a window into the Milky Way's early history.

Canis Minor

Night Sky Sights

Meet Procyon, Orion’s Littler Dog

Meet Procyon, the brightest of the few stars in Canis Minor, the Lesser Dog. On its way to becoming a giant, this star is part of the Winter Triangle and Wniter Hexagon asterisms.

Venus (radar image vs artist's concept of oceans)

Solar System

The History of Venus in Air, Rock, and Water

Forty years ago, NASA's Magellan mission “closed the book” on Venus. Now, a new generation of astronomers think the planet next door deserves a second chance.

ISS view of Earth at night

Astronomy and Society

Is “Slow Science” the Answer to Astronomy's Carbon Footprint?

The first quantitative assessment of professional telescopes’ carbon footprint finds that these facilities contribute more emissions than all other astronomy research activities combined.

Venus, Mars, Saturn at dawn, March 19, 2022

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 18 – 26

Sirius sparkles on the corner of the Meat Cleaver, two open clusters hide under the Cleaver's handle, Orion's Belt levels out for the turning of spring, and Venus, Mars and Saturn slow-dance at dawn.

Pulsar

Stellar Science

Pulsar Shoots 7-light-year-long Phaser Blast

Nature proves truth is still stranger than fiction: A pulsar has shot energetic particles in a thin, straight line that extends for light-years into space. The discovery might explain how antimatter makes its way to Earth.

Saturn 2011 Cassini

Night Sky Sights

Will Saturn Sprout Spots this Observing Season?

As Saturn returns to the morning sky, will this otherwise serene-looking planet experience another bout of severe weather? Keep your eyes peeled for white spots!

OneWeb Launch

Astronomy and Society

Russia-Ukraine War: Impacts on Space (Updates)

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has far-reaching consequences for spaceflight and the international space community.

a white planet with orange and green strip against a black background

Exoplanets

First Look at an Unusual Exoplanet’s Atmosphere

AAS Nova reports on a "super-puff" exoplanet that's nearly 15 times less dense than Jupiter.

Space Missions

Mission Update: Mars and the Moon

Mission teams presenting at this week's Lunar and Planetary Science Conference provided updates on the Perseverance and Zhurong rovers at Mars, Chang'e 5's lunar sample return, and more.

Moon crossing Gemini, March 11-13, 2022

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, March 11 – 19

Sirius, bright dogtag of Canis Major, offers observing challenges day and night. The Big Dipper balances Cassiopeia, and the nearly full Moon occults a Leo star.

Apollo 17 sample

Solar System

How Apollo 17 Is Preparing Artemis for a Return to the Moon

Researchers gear up for Artemis and a new generation of lunar exploration, with a look at samples from the final crewed mission to the Moon.