SUNSET: 
Seeing the Far Side of the Milky Way
The detection of a star-forming region 66,500 light-years from Earth, on the other side of our galaxy’s center, lends weight to the existence of an extended arm of the Milky Way.
James Webb Space Telescope Launch Delayed til 2019
The long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope — the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope — has slipped its launch date by several months. It will now launch between March and June 2019.
Is There a Difference Between Starving and Feasting Black Holes?
A few decades ago, astronomers thought they had figured out how quasars operate. Now, a new study has thrown a wrench in the works.
Supermassive Black Holes Discovered in Close Tango
Astronomers have found what could be the closest known pair of supermassive black holes detected via direct imaging, orbiting each other only a light-year apart.
Kepler Discovers Pulsations in the Pleiades
The exoplanet-hunting Kepler satellite has long monitored thousands of stars, but the brightest ones have largely remained out of its reach — until now.
Meet the New Interactive Sky Chart!
Our new-and-improved interactive sky chart is here — create and print a customized view of your night sky for any date, time, and location.
Where to Watch the Solar Eclipse Online
Multiple organizations are live-streaming the total solar eclipse from groundbased telescopes, racing Volvos, and high-altitude balloons — take a look!
Solar Eclipse Activities for Kids and Families
Enrich the eclipse experience — especially the long, partial phases — with solar eclipse activities for the young and young at heart.
Four Exoplanets Might Orbit Sun-like Star
Astronomers have used an innovative technique to discover four super-Earth-size planet candidates orbiting Tau Ceti, a Sun-like star 12 light-years away.
Rogue Planets: Not as Plentiful as Thought
A new study finds that rogue planets — those floating free in the galaxy, unbound to any star — are not as plentiful as we once thought.
ALMA Captures Star Formation in Action
New ALMA observations reveal a forming star as it launches a wind from the edge of the disk that feeds it.
Supermassive Black Holes Observed in Close Dance
Astronomers monitoring a tight pair of supermassive black holes have observed their orbital motion.
Does the Milky Way Live in a Void?
A sparse galactic neighborhood could clear up certain problems with our understanding of the universe.
Ring Found Around a Galaxy’s “Hidden” Black Hole
A team of astronomers has taken a close look at a nearby galaxy — and discovered an unusual structure that sheds light on supermassive black holes’ relationships with their host galaxies.
Potential “Failed Supernova” Black Hole Discovered
Astronomers may have watched a star collapse directly into a black hole — minus the supernova. The failed supernova could help understand how stars die.
The Origin of the Milky Way's Mysterious Gamma Rays
Our galaxy's center region is producing gamma rays, but astronomers are still debating whether pulsars or dark matter are the source. Three recent studies tackle the debate head-on.
Finally! The Galaxy’s Most Mysterious Star Is Dimming
Tabby's star, otherwise known as the most mysterious star in the galaxy, is dipping drastically in brightness, giving astronomers an opportunity to figure out what has been causing this star's weird behavior.
Meet Valkyrie, NASA’s Space Robot
In just a month, teams will guide this 300-pound, 6-foot-tall humanoid robot in a series of simulated trials as part of NASA’s Space Robotics Challenge.
