SUNSET: 
(Unofficially) Naming Pluto
Amidst all the excitement of seeing Pluto’s unique features for the first time, NASA researchers have been using unofficial names to talk science until official terms come down the pipeline.
An Inspirational Guide to the Sky
This “Black Friday in July” only, you can save 40% off this book, as well as off most items in our online store.
Astronomers Spot Unusual Five-Star System
Two binary systems and a fifth stellar wheel make for a rare, and so far unique, set of stars.
A Sleeping Black Hole Awakens
On June 15th a quiet black hole, V404 Cygni, suddenly flared for the first time since 1989.
Pulsar System to Put On a Show in 2018
Astronomers are looking forward to 2018, when a young pulsar will pass through its binary star companion’s disk.
Glimpsing Pluto’s Curious Equator
Here’s a taste of what New Horizons hopes to resolve when it passes by Pluto next Tuesday, July 14th.
Photos of the Venus-Jupiter Conjunction
For the last few weeks, countless numbers of the world’s 7 billion people watched the western evening sky as the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, edged closer and closer to one another. Last night, June 30th, they reached their least separation: 0.3° apart (at the time of twilight for the Americas).
Witnessing Light Echoes from a Neutron Star
X-ray echoes from binary star system Circinus X-1 are helping astronomers measure its distance from Earth.
Volcanoes on Venus: Active or Not?
Hotspots on Venus might be researchers’ long-sought evidence for active volcanoes.
A Budding Nebula May Hatch a Butterfly
Super-sharp imaging confirms that the nearby red giant star L2 Puppis is forming a tiny bipolar nebula as it comes to the end of its life.
New Insights From Rosetta's Comet Mission
Rosetta continues to help astronomers better understand the way comets form and how they interact with the universe around them.
Star Party Season Has Begun!
It’s time to get away from all those city lights and gather together to share in the secrets of the universe.
