1901–1920 of 6,731 results
Star-forming outflow in a Milky Way-like galaxy

Milky Way

Is the Milky Way Throwing Out Forming Stars?

Some of the scant stars dwelling in the Milky Way's halo may have an unexpected origin: They may come from the galaxy itself.

Exoplanets

Rescuing an Overlooked Planet

The Kepler False Positive Working Group has identified an Earth sized planet in the habitable zone of a M-dwarf star that was marked as a false positive.

Galileo

History and Sky Lore

Galileo: Work-from-home Wizard, and Other Tales from Lockdown

To give readers encouragement during difficult times, here are six moments in history when astronomers found themselves locked down with nowhere to go.

USGS Geologic Map of the Moon

Solar System

New, Incredibly Detailed Geologic Map of the Moon

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released a new 1:5,000,000 map of the Moon that provides a wealth of information about its surface.

NGC 2014 and NGC 2020

Professional Telescopes

Celebrating 30 Years: The Universe Through Hubble's Eye

Amateurs celebrate the venerable space telescope’s 30th anniversary with a look at some of its most mesmerizing images.

Pluto atmosphere

Solar System

Did Pluto Harbor an Ancient Subsurface Ocean?

New studies shed light on the early years of Pluto's formation, and whether it ever hosted a subsurface ocean.

Celestial News & Events

Chase a Potentially Hazardous Asteroid As It Flies by Earth

Break out your binoculars or a small telescope, we've got a busy week ahead! Watch as a bright asteroid approaches Earth, the Moon steals a star, and Comet ATLAS's last hurrah.

Illustration of black hole merger

Black Holes

Mismatched Black Holes Merge

For the first time, the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave detectors have "heard" gravitational waves from an unequal pair of black holes.

Asteroid collision

Exoplanets

Fomalhaut b: Exoplanet or Puff of Dust?

Is Fomalhaut b “the planet that never was”? Astronomers continue to contest the nature of this directly imaged object around a nearby star.

Comet 2I/Borisov

Solar System

The Origins of Interstellar Objects

The first two interstellar visitors to the solar system are finally shedding light on their places of origin.

International Dark Sky Week Milky Way

People, Places, and Events

International Dark Sky Week Is Here: Celebrate the Night!

The weeklong celebration of the night sky we all share has always been an opportunity for people to connect with each other. This year, connecting with each other takes on a significance all its own.

Big Dipper, stars labeled

Night Sky Sights

Meet Dubhe, Giant of the Big Dipper

Of the seven stars in the Big Dipper, Dubhe is an outlier. Its color, speed across the sky, and evolutionary age set it apart from its comrades.

star draws rosette around black hole

Black Holes

Black Hole Changes Star’s Orbit in Gravity Test

A long-awaited measurement indicates that a star whizzing around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole has changed its trajectory.

Magnetic channels in distant galaxy

Galaxies

Vast Magnetic "Strings" Puzzle Astronomers

New observations have revealed plasma strung along vast magnetic "strings" crossing hundreds of thousands of light-years.

Celestial News & Events

New Comet Alert! Quartet of Comets Grace Our Skies

There's a lot happening in the northern sky these days, namely lots of comets! Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) is still worth watching, but look for the new Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8) and Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y1). And you can still catch a glimpse of our old friend, Comet PanSTARRS (C/2017 T2).

Bob King blog post

Night Sky Sights

Shadow-casting with Venus

Venus has a been powerful presence at dusk for months — bright enough to cast shadows. How would you like to put it to the test? The Moon won't spoil the darkness until at least April 24th — April 25th if you wait till after moonset — making it the perfect time to see your own shadow by the light of another celestial body.

Brightest supernova

Stellar Science

Astronomers Detect One of the Most Luminous Supernovae Ever

One of the most luminous supernovae ever discovered provides evidence that such extremely bright explosions require exotic sources.

JWST

People, Places, and Events

Space and Astronomy in the Time of COVID-19

The ongoing worldwide COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant impact on spaceflight, science, and professional and amateur astronomy.

Night Sky Sights

A Farewell to Orion

As winter transitions into spring, the mighty hunter is gradually slipping into evening twilight as new constellations rise in the east.

Mini-moon discovered

Solar System

Is Earth's Mini-moon Still Here?

Reports of the loss of Earth's minimoon may have been somewhat exaggerated — new research suggests the moonlet will leave Earth orbit in early may.