SUNSET: 
Radio Waves Unveil Supernova Origin
Astronomers have observed an unusual supernova, in which a helium star fed a white dwarf until it exploded.
Astronomers Find the Remains of the Universe’s First Stars
The first stars are too faint and far away to detect directly, but their gaseous remains can be seen absorbing the light of distant galaxies.
Mystery Bursts Give Astronomers a View into Galaxy Halos
Flashes of radio waves — whose exact sources are still a bit of a mystery — are helping astronomers learn about the hot gas that surrounds the Milky Way.
Focusing on the Brightest Gamma-ray Burst of All Time
Gamma-ray bursts are the most luminous explosions in the universe, and we’ve learned much about these superlative outbursts since their discovery in 1967.
Catch Birth Flickers of Budding Suns in Orion
Three flickering stars in Orion offer insight into what life looks like before the main sequence.
White Dwarf Survived 850-year-old Supernova
A supernova that skywatchers in the Far East observed almost 850 years ago has produced the most unusual remnant astronomers have ever found
Astronomers Spot A Tiny Binary System
A tiny binary system is not only small but also ancient, billions of years older than other such systems, which raises questions about its origins.
Astronomers Discover Giant Blinking Star
A red giant star thousands of light-years away "blinked," dimming significantly for seven long years, before returning to normal.
Deep Dive Off the Cosmic Cliffs
The James Webb Space Telescope's early-release image of the Cosmic Cliffs is revealing growth spurts in young stars.
Gamma-ray Burst Surprise
Gamma-ray bursts are generally thought to come in two flavors — supernovae or neutron star mergers. But discoveries are blurring that line.
Four Stars, Many Eclipses
Stars are most often born as multiples. Now, the TESS telescope has caught one of these multiple systems in a unique setup.
A Supernova Hits a Cosmic Speed Bump
Why did a supernova abruptly change color? A recent study suggests a change in ejecta velocity — a cosmic speed bump — might be the culprit.
Webb Telescope Reveals Starbirth in a Riot of Colors
A riot of colors in this James Webb Space Telescope infrared image show the warm glow of a feeding infant star, representing a look back in time at a star very like the Sun.
Ancient White Dwarf Hosts Planetary Graveyard
Scientists have discovered one of the oldest planetary graveyards in the Milky Way: a cool white dwarf "polluted" with rocky debris.
Hubble Spies Supernova in Early Universe
Archival Hubble Space Telescope images taken more than a decade ago have revealed an ancient star in the act of exploding.
Lightest Neutron Star Ever? Maybe, Maybe Not
A team of astronomers claims to have measured the lightest neutron star, but others say extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Brightest Gamma-Ray Burst Yet Lights Up the Sky
A recently detected gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A was so intense that it temporarily blinded instruments and disturbed Earth’s atmosphere.
Tentative Evidence of the First Generation of Stars
Scientists have detected something unusual around a distant quasar — perhaps the first real evidence of a first-generation star.
Dance of Giant Stars Creates Ripples of Dust
Every time two giant stars swing around each other, they enrich the cosmos with complex organic molecules.
Astronomers Map the Milky Way's "Underworld"
A simulated map of the Milky Way shows the location of our galaxy's stellar corpses — and they're not where you might think they'd be.