SUNSET: 
ALMA Minds the (Planet‑Forming) Gap
For the first time, astronomers have imaged a key stage in planet formation, witnessing the gas streams that signal two gas giant planets sweeping up material around a star.
Radio Astronomy in the Aussie Outback
It's not easy to get to the Murchison Radio Observatory in Western Australia. Being in one of the most remote regions of the country means there's hardly any radio interference that might otherwise compromise the astronomical observations. It's one of the most radio-quiet zones on the planet.
The Flares from Milky Way’s Black Hole
Our galaxy’s central supermassive black hole emits regular, mysterious X-ray flares. For the first time, NASA’s newest sharp-eyed telescope has captured a high-energy view of the action.
World-Class Telescope For Sale
The impending closure of the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope might be averted if the observatory’s director can find a buyer.
Astronomers Approach Black Hole
The Event Horizon Telescope team has unmasked the heart of the jet-shooting galaxy M87, paving the way for astronomers to discover how black holes create their superpowered streamers.
Four Mammoth Cameras Take On the Sky
The Dark Energy Camera is one of four new cameras that started taking images of big chunks of the night sky this past month.
Sharpest Ever Images of the Sun
Astronomers at Big Bear Solar Observatory in sunny California have upgraded their 1.6-meter telescope with a new adaptive optics system. The scope is now producing the highest-resolution images ever taken of the Sun.
A Changing Landscape for U.S. Astronomy
The budgetary writing is on the wall: the National Science Foundation doesn't have enough money both to operate all of its existing facilities and to build big, expensive new ones. Something's got to give.
Fly Through a 3D Map of the Universe
A mind-boggling 1.5 million galaxies trace out the filaments, clusters, and voids in Sloan Digital Sky Survey's new 3D map of the universe.
Discovery Channel Telescope's Debut
After seven years of construction, Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope is about to come online. The DCT team expects the state-of-the-art 4.3-meter scope to breathe new life into the storied observatory and allow astronomers new views of comets, stars, and deep-space objects.
Little Scope Makes Big Finds
Scientists using the diminutive KELT North telescope have discovered two extrasolar planets, one of which is unlike anything yet seen. The finding provides researchers with raw material to study exoplanets, but it also demonstrates that sometimes, the little guys can still win big.
Green Light for Largest-ever Telescope
It's hard to imagine a telescope with a primary mirror as tall as a 13-story building. But that's just what European astronomers are hoping to build now that the E-ELT project has been approved.
Small Planets’ Evolutionary Edge
The discovery that planets can form around a variety of stars — and not just specific types, as previously thought — might open the floodgates on the search for habitable worlds in the galaxy.
NASA’s New Spy Scopes
Out of the blue, NASA finds itself the new owner of two new Hubble-class space telescopes sitting in a warehouse, courtesy of a spy agency that didn't want them. But like many gifts, they aren't exactly free.
ALMA Coming Together
As one of the world's greatest new telescopes takes shape, preliminary results impress.
Closure Nears for Two Observatories
Although not a total surprise, a decision announced on May 31st by the United Kingdom's Science and Technology Facilities Council means that two long-time residents of Mauna Kea's observatory complex might soon be shut down.
The "Exoplanet" Venus
Observing the Transit of Venus won’t be just a memorable experience. Astronomers hope the event will help them understand alien worlds around other stars, too.
Square Kilometer Array: A Split Decision
Astronomers from South Africa and Australia had each made a case for hosting what will become the world's largest radio telescope. But the international partners decided to award portions of the project to both countries — an unexpected compromise.
Europe's New Eye on the Sun
The just-completed Gregor telescope, situated on Tenerife in the Canary Islands, ranks as Europe's largest solar sentinel and the third largest in the world.
New Eye for Giant Russian Telescope
From 1975 until 1993, Russians astronomers could boast about having the world's largest optical telescope. Now they're hoping to extend the 6-meter scope's cosmic reach by completely refurbishing its original primary mirror.
