SUNSET: 
Neutron Star Powers Ultraluminous X-rays
It turns out that neutron stars — not black holes — power at least some ultraluminous X-ray sources.
Astronomers Watch Donut Rotate Around Supermassive Black Hole
Astronomers have detected a torus rotating around the supermassive black hole at the center of spiral galaxy Messier 77, collecting observations that may shed light on why these weird structures exist.
Chorus Waves Drive the Beat for Pulsating Northern Lights
Scientists have finally confirmed a decades-old theory on what causes the faint flickering seen in the Northern Lights toward dawn.
A Closer Look at the Worlds of TRAPPIST-1
Two new studies of the seven planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1 shed light on how these worlds formed and what they look like now.
60-Second Astro News: Dark Matter, Mars, and the Earth-Sun Connection
Dark matter particles may travel more slowly than we thought, hindering their detection. Dust storms may aid atmospheric loss on Mars. And a new mission is investigating magnetic fields at an unprecedented scale.
Where to Watch the Lunar Eclipse Online
If you're not in the right place in the right time, you can still view Wednesday morning's total lunar eclipse online via several live streams. We list several options here.
Amateur Astronomer Donald Bruns Receives Chambliss Award
Amateur astronomer Donald Bruns has received the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award from the American Astronomical Society for his work in repeating and improving upon an iconic experiment during the August 2017 total solar eclipse.
60-Second Astro News: Black Holes Galore
Supermassive black holes are difficult to observe and measure, yet they have profound effects on their host galaxies. Read up on the latest black hole discoveries presented at the Washington D.C. meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Galaxies Show Order in Chaotic Young Universe
New observations of galaxies in a universe just 800 million years old show that they’ve already settled into rotating disks. They must have evolved quickly to display such surprising maturity.
Metal-rich Stars Host Closer Planets
Iron-rich stars host planets on closer orbits than their iron-poor siblings, astronomers find. The results could help reveal how planets form.
Hefty Stars Prompt Birth Debate
A new study found more massive stars than expected in an intensely star-forming region. The results beg the question whether the process of star formation really is universal.
Top 10 Astronomy News Stories for 2017
Multiple gravitational-wave detections, a total solar eclipse, and exploration of the outer system number among the top astronomy news stories of the year.
Neural Network Finds 8-Planet System
Scientists have applied a brand of artificial intelligence to data from the exoplanet-hunting Kepler satellite, resulting in the discovery of the first eight-planet system outside our own.
Does New Horizons’ Target Have a Moon? (Update: Nope)
New analysis from the New Horizons team suggest that the spacecraft's next target in the Kuiper Belt might have a third companion.
Stars Map Dark Matter in Dwarf Galaxy
A combo of Hubble and Gaia data reveal the distribution of dark matter in a tiny galaxy by tracking the galaxy’s stars.
A Deeper View of Hubble’s Ultra Deep Field
The iconic image of faraway galaxies, and one of the most-observed regions of space, has just received a spectroscopic upgrade.
Atmosphere, Not Lava Flows, for Exoplanet 55 Cancri e
Previous studies of 55 Cancri e haven’t been able to determine whether this super-Earth hosts an atmosphere. A new study settles the question.
Sky-sweeping Telescope Sees First Light
The Zwicky Transient Facility has taken its first image, covering an area equivalent to 247 full Moons in a single shot. This beginning is part of an ongoing sea change in astronomy.
The Star That Wouldn’t Die
Observations of a stellar explosion that refused to fade away have astronomers scratching their heads. What created the blast — and could it explain massive black holes?
Astronomers Decode a Black Hole Jet
Two telescopes — one on the ground and one in space — watched a black hole’s jet turn on, enabling astronomers to probe its origin.
