Astronomy
Astronomers Spy First Star-Forming Disk beyond the Milky Way
No one has ever seen a newborn star feeding on its natal disk anywhere outside our galaxy—that is, until now
Astronomy222 articles archived since 1845
Astronomy
In the Search for Life beyond Earth, NASA Dreams Big for a Future Space Telescope
Astronomers are moving ahead in planning NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, a telescope designed to answer the ultimate question: Are we alone in the universe?
Astronomy
How to Find the Darkest Night Sky for Stargazing
Where can you find the best sites for stargazing—and why is a dark sky important?
Astronomy
‘Cannibal’ Solar Eruption Headed to Earth May Trigger Auroras
A strong geomagnetic storm is expected to hit Earth after several outbursts from the sun merged into one large blob of plasma
Astronomy
Sun Unleashes ‘Canyon of Fire’ Filament of Plasma
A solar outburst shoots charged particles into space—and toward Earth
Astronomy
How to Buy Your First Telescope
This beginner’s guide to telescope basics will help make holiday shopping a little more heavenly
Astronomy
Astronomy Is Facing an End of the Era of Monster Telescopes
Money, engineering and sheer geometry may mark an end of the line for building ever larger astronomical telescopes
Astronomy
China Delays Launch of Its Xuntian Space Telescope
The Xuntian Space Telescope is China’s entry in a global race to unlock the secrets of dark energy, and it will now lift off no earlier than mid-2025
Astronomy
Leonid and Geminid Meteor Showers Bring Bonanza before Year’s End
Two unusual annual meteor showers come at the end of the year, and each can spark astonishing celestial fireworks
Astronomy
See JWST’s Spectacular New View of the Crab Nebula
The James Webb Space Telescope’s studies of the Crab nebula may shed new light on the supernova remnant’s origins
Astronomy
Can We Even Have Babies in Space? Why We’re Not Ready for Life Off-Planet
Reproducing in space is just one of many reasons we should delay settlements beyond Earth
Astronomy
Euclid Space Telescope Releases Stunning First Science Images
Fresh images show off the Euclid space telescope’s ability to capture crisp pictures of vast swaths of sky
Astronomy
Zoomable JWST Image Brings Far-Distant Galaxies to Your Fingertips
The James Webb Space Telescope is gazing across the universe to find galaxies close to the “cosmic dawn”—and you can explore them from the palm of your hand
Astronomy
A Possible Crisis in the Cosmos Could Lead to a New Understanding of the Universe
Several unexplained measurements are threatening to upend scientists’ understanding of the universe’s origin and fate
Astronomy
Astronomers May Have Witnessed Worlds in Collision
A planet-vaporizing impact is the leading explanation for a distant star’s curiously fluctuating light
Astronomy
JWST Detects Quartz Crystals in an Exoplanet’s Atmosphere
Astronomers have found high-altitude clouds formed from quartz crystals on the gas-giant world WASP-17b
Astronomy
Stunning Images Reveal Rogue Planets of the Orion Nebula
The James Webb Space Telescope’s infrared gaze sheds new light on the Orion nebula, an icon of the night sky
Astronomy
The Sun’s Magnetic Poles Are Vanishing
The sun’s magnetic poles are about to reverse as part of a regular 11-year sunspot activity cycle
Astronomy
How Would We Know There’s Life on Earth? This Bold Experiment Found Out
Thirty years ago, astronomer Carl Sagan convinced NASA to turn a passing space probe’s instruments on Earth to look for life — with results that still reverberate today
Astronomy
The Milky Way May Be Missing a Trillion Suns’ Worth of Mass
Slow-moving stars at the Milky Way’s outskirts suggest our galaxy may be far lighter than previously believed, with profound implications for dark matter
