SUNSET: 
A Pileup of Perpendicular Planets
In some planetary systems, the direction that a star spins and the direction its planets orbit don’t always line up. A new study explores what we can learn from these nonconformists.
Jumping the Gap to Probe Large Black Holes
Gravitational-wave detectors should be able to locate a population of huge black holes soon. A new study predicts when we'll find them, and what they'll teach us.
Redefining a Heavy Collision
Could the biggest — literally — gravitational-wave discovery yet be something other than what it initially seemed?
Flares from the Milky Way’s Supermassive Black Hole
The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way released an unusual number of strong flares in 2019. Now, astronomers are trying to figure out why.
Seeking the Origins of Galactic Stellar Streams
A recent study has identified the origins of many of the long streams of stars that encircle the Milky Way. These streams may contain hints about our galaxy's past.
Spotting a Faint Escaping Atmosphere
Low-density exoplanets orbiting close to their host stars tend to lose their atmosphere. Now, astronomers can measure how fast it disappears.
A Map of a Stellar Explosion
Scientists may have discovered a clue to how massive stars form in the Orion Nebula and a stellar birthplace.
Measuring Solar Eruptions with a Rare Alignment
New analysis of a coronal mass ejection detected by the alignment of two spacecraft reveals that it experienced erosion and restructuring as it traveled.
How to Warn of Imminent Neutron Star Collisions
What if gravitational-wave observatories could send out alerts right after — or even before — receiving signals of neutron star collisions?
The Eventual Fate of Our Solar System
Have you ever wondered about the future of our solar system? Astronomers have predicted the effect of the Sun's expansion on its planets.
Casting Doubt on a Nearby Black Hole
New research has shown that the recently-discovered closest black hole to Earth might not be a black hole after all but a binary star.
Taking Stock of Backyard Worlds
Scientists have used the Spitzer Space Telescope to confirm seventy-five new substars uncovered by the citizen science project Backyard Worlds: Planet 9.
Will Radio Bursts Reveal Hidden Baryons?
Scientists are using radio emission from pulsars and fast radio bursts to probe the circumgalactic medium around the Milky Way.
Hints of Young Solar Systems
By studying the images of small young star systems, astronomers expect to learn more about the formation of our solar system.
An Infant Pulsar Defies Categorization
The discovery of the youngest pulsar yet has lead astronomers to question the current classification system of these objects.
Alignment of a Star and a Planet
Unlike in our solar system, not all planets orbit in the same direction as their stars rotate. A nearby planetary system may reveal how these orbits form.
Exploring Links Between Nearby Asteroids
In preparation for the launch of Destiny+, a new study reveals that two near-Earth asteroids may share the same parent.
Are We Watching a Planet Disintegrate?
Among the wealth of exoplanets we’ve discovered beyond our solar system, some are temperate, some less so. New observations have now revealed what may be a particularly inhospitable environment: a planet literally disintegrating as it orbits its host.
What Kinds of Black Hole Partners Merge?
New research on black hole mergers reveals that the black hole pairs tend to have similar masses — suggesting that they start out as massive stellar pairs.
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.