SUNSET: 
Two Ancient Exoplanets Discovered
Kapteyn’s star — a nearby star that likely formed outside this galaxy — hosts two planets more than twice as old as Earth.
Three Exoplanet Molds: Metals Matter
Data from NASA's Kepler space telescope point to three distinct molds of exoplanets — rocky worlds, gas dwarfs, and ice/gas giants — distinguishable based on the abundances of heavy elements in their host star’s atmosphere.
Quark Nova Spotted in Cas A?
Two elements deep within Cassiopeia A, hint the supernova remnant underwent a quark nova — a theoretical second explosion that leaves behind a quark star — just days after the original supernova.
Spotting a Nearby Quasar’s Winds
A neighboring galaxy’s central black hole powers strong winds, allowing astronomers — for the first time — to spot those gales pushing out star-forming gas.
Best Model Yet for Cosmic Evolution
Astronomers have created the most realistic computer simulation of the universe’s evolution to date, tracking activity across 13 billion years of cosmic history.
Planets’ Wacky Orbits Solved
By combining nearly 1,500 observations with sophisticated computer models, astronomers have shed light on a nearby planetary system, proving that the planets' bizarre orbits will actually remain stable for the next 100 million years.
Watch a Star Evolve in “Real Time”
The odd behavior of a star in the heart of the Stingray Nebula provides tantalizing evidence that we may be seeing, first-hand, its helium-shell flash: an explosive phase of nuclear burning at the end of a star’s life.
Most “Earth-Like” Planet Found Yet
The newly discovered planet, Kepler-186f, is the first Earth-size exoplanet circling in its star’s habitable zone. The media worldwide is gleaming with fantastical headlines, but readers in the know may have an inkling the result is less than it seems.
Supernova Remnant in Technicolor
Take a look at this supernova remnant from radio waves to x-rays to see multiple features of its bubble-like expanding shock wave. Supernovae — the dramatic explosions of massive stars ending their lives — can outshine their host galaxies for weeks, allowing them to be seen across millions of light-years…
Hot Jupiters Keep Their Stars Young
Sizzling gas giants circling close to their host stars — so-called hot Jupiters — keep their host stars young and active, a new study suggests.
Amateurs Flocking to NEAF this Weekend
The Northeast Astronomy Forum in Suffern, NY, will welcome visitors from across the world on April 12–13, 2014. Sky & Telescope will be there. Will you?
Celebrate the Night Sky This Month
Join the world’s largest celebration of astronomy — Global Astronomy Month — throughout April.
Fooling with the Universe
This year’s April Fools' provides a wealth of alarming results. Catch up on all the scientific shenanigans here.
Dark Matter Spotted in the Milky Way?
A team of astronomers claim to have the most compelling case for annihilating dark matter yet.
Young Stars Lead the Magellanic Stream
Astronomers have discovered hot, young stars in the Leading Arm of the Magellanic Stream, calling the history of the Magellanic Clouds once again into question.
Planets Form With Magnetic Storms
Astronomers might have solved an outstanding mystery of why forming planetary systems emit more infrared light than expected. The key lies with gas and dust suspended in giant magnetic loops.
Fingerprinting the Circumgalactic Medium
A new study finds the space surrounding dwarf galaxies in the nearby universe to be shockingly pristine.
Kepler's Planets by the Hundreds
Old data from NASA’s crippled Kepler space telescope has yielded a new windfall of confirmed exoplanets, nearly doubling the number tallied since 1992.
3-D Mapping of Large Magellanic Cloud
A team of astronomers has assembled the first fully three-dimensional view of stellar motions in a nearby galaxy.
The Purest Star Tells an Ancient Tale
Astronomers have discovered the purest star to date. Composed almost exclusively of hydrogen and helium — with 15 million times less iron than our Sun — it illuminates what happened among the first supernovae in the early universe.
