Field: Astronomy
Perseverance rover kicks off new hunt for life on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover has begun its Delta Front Campaign, the part of its mission most likely to produce evidence of past life on Mars.
Chinese rover makes surprise discovery about liquid water on Mars
Data from China’s Zhurong rover suggests there was substantial liquid water on Mars far more recently than we thought.
Stanford’s gravity telescope concept uses the sun to see exoplanets
Stanford scientists have designed a gravity telescope concept that could take stunningly clear images of exoplanets.
How the Kessler Syndrome can end all space exploration and destroy modern life
The sheer amount of stuff already floating in space makes the domino effect of explosions a likely possibility.
Everything we now know about the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole
The Event Horizon Telescope team has finally revealed what the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way looks like.
How NASA’s liquid lenses could revolutionize space exploration
NASA recently tested a liquid lens technology that could make a space telescope so large it would dwarf all that have come before.
First of its kind “black widow” pulsar discovered
A new black widow pulsar has been discovered eating its companion star while a third star circles the binary system.
Space Force claims interstellar object hit Earth in 2014
The astronomy community is divided on whether a meteor detected in 2014 is the first interstellar object spotted in our solar system.
Gravitational waves could be “pushing” the Moon
A new study suggests we use the orbit of the Moon to find gravitational waves we can’t currently detect in other ways.
Largest comet ever seen is 80 miles wide, says NASA
Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein is the largest comet ever observed, according to a new study based on Hubble Space Telescope data.
NASA’s massive SLS rocket is one test away from launch
NASA's moon-bound SLS rocket is at Kennedy Space Center and ready for its wet dress rehearsal — the last major test before launch.
Farthest galaxy from Earth discovered by Tokyo astronomers
Astronomers have discovered a new farthest galaxy from Earth, and it could change what we thought we knew about the early universe.
Rover images confirm Jezero crater is an ancient Martian lake
Without driving anywhere, the rover was able to solve one of the big unknowns, which was that this crater once held water.
Hubble smashes record for farthest star ever seen
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has smashed its own record for farthest star ever seen with the detection of “Earendel.”
ESA space telescope snaps pic of new NASA neighbor
ESA’s Gaia observatory has snapped a photo of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, its new neighbor at Earth’s second Lagrange point.
Meteorite’s fall to Earth retraced with dashcam footage
The unconventional method could help astronomers better track meteorites that fall during the daytime.
NASA shares stunning star image taken by Webb telescope
A star image taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope suggests the first-of-its-kind spacecraft is going to work even better than expected.
New asteroid spotted just before impact with Earth
NASA successfully pinpointed almost exactly where and when a new asteroid would hit Earth’s atmosphere, before it made contact.
Drones and AI recover a meteorite for the first time
Australian researchers have trained an AI to locate fallen space rocks using footage from autonomous drone surveys.
NASA opens untouched moon rock container from 50 years ago
NASA is opening a vacuum-sealed sample of moon rock and gas to help astronauts prepare for the next mission to the moon.
An asteroid could wipe out an entire city – here’s NASA’s plan to prevent catastrophe
Cosmic bodies, like asteroids and comets, are constantly zooming through space and often crash into our planet.
NASA considers stingray-like drone to fly the skies of Venus
The winged drone is designed to ride 200-mph Venusian winds.
Hubble gets first good look at the dark side of a “hot Jupiter”
The first detailed look at the dark side of a hot Jupiter exoplanet reveals conditions that could create metal clouds and liquid gem rain.
A rogue rocket is on course to crash into the Moon. It won’t be the first.
Earlier in the Space Age, little thought was given to leaving what many call “trash” on the lunar surface.
Record-breaking supernova manages to “X-ray” the entire Universe
“When I saw the data, I didn’t believe the analysis...This is the brightest Cow supernova seen to date."
New exoplanet discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri
A third exoplanet has been discovered orbiting Proxima Centauri, and it’s one of the lightest astronomers have ever detected.
NASA gets first images from James Webb telescope
NASA has shared the James Webb Space Telescope’s first images, and so far, it looks like the epic spacecraft is working exactly as hoped.
Astronomers have found the biggest group of rogue planets yet
Using ground telescopes and satellite observations taken over decades, researchers have identified the largest number of wandering rogue planets yet.
The most anticipated space missions of 2022
2022 will be a big year for space missions, with huge rocket launches, several rover rollouts, and a first-of-its-kind asteroid collision.
Water on Mars found hidden in massive canyon
Scientists have discovered a huge store of hidden water on Mars, and it’s just below the surface of the Valles Marineris canyon system.
The Hubble Space Telescope is dying. Here’s what’s next.
With Hubble living on borrowed time, NASA and its partners prepare to launch the satellite's successor: the James Webb Space Telescope.
This near-Earth asteroid may be a chunk knocked off of the moon
A near-Earth asteroid discovered in 2016 may have once been part of the moon — making it unlike any space rock we’ve ever discovered.
See the surface of the sun evolve in stunning time lapse
A stunning time lapse of the surface of the sun created using NASA images shows the activity that occurs over the course of just one month.
Mystery of Chinese supernova solved after 800 years
A new study explains where the mysterious “Chinese supernova” went after disappearing from the night sky more than 800 years ago.
Space radiation won’t stop missions to Mars
A new study predicts that space radiation alone wouldn’t make missions to Mars too risky for astronauts — as long as we timed them right.
Astronomers discover solar system’s fastest-orbiting asteroid
Astronomers have discovered an asteroid that orbits the sun in just 113 days, making it the fastest-orbiting asteroid in our solar system.
Twin Mars satellites have greenlight for launch
Two tiny Mars satellites will head to the Red Planet in 2024 as part of a NASA program testing smaller spacecraft on planetary missions.
Astronomers catch “ghosts” dancing around radio galaxies
Astronomers with the EMU Project have released a spooky image of “dancing ghosts” emanating from a pair of distant radio galaxies.
Psyche asteroid might not be a planetary core after all
The first high-res heat emissions map of the Psyche asteroid suggests the hunk of metal might not be the core of a developing planet.
“Star shrapnel” from a supernova explosion is exiting the galaxy
A metallic star is hurtling out of the Milky Way, propelled by a supernova explosion triggered after it ate its partner star as a white dwarf.
Water vapor found on Jupiter’s moon Ganymede
Astronomers have detected the first evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Jupiter’s massive moon Ganymede.
Light from behind supermassive black hole detected for first time
The first direct observation of light from behind a supermassive black hole confirms a prediction in Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
Harvard astrophysicist will lead hunt for alien technology
Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb’s new Galileo Project will hunt for alien technology using proven scientific methods and equipment.
Baby exoplanet appears to be forming a moon
A unique baby exoplanet surrounded by a disc of gas and dust could unravel some of the mystery surrounding planet and moon formation.
Amateur astronomer discovers new moon of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has spotted an unknown moon of Jupiter, marking the first discovery of a planetary moon by a non-professional.
Sky-mapping system can predict whether cancer treatment will work
Johns Hopkins researchers are using image analysis developed for astronomy to study cancer immunotherapy.
New evidence discovered of underground water on Mars
Either underground water on Mars is far more prevalent than previously thought or something we can explain is going on beneath the Red Planet’s surface.
Black holes caught eating neutron stars for first time
Using gravitational waves, astronomers have observed collisions between black holes and neutron stars for the first time.
Chunks of Venus’ crust float like icebergs on its mantle
New evidence of tectonic activity on Venus expands our understanding of the hellish planet and offers a window into Earth’s own geological past.
See the first 3D map of the heliosphere
Astronomers have created the first ever 3D map of the heliosphere, using satellite data to reveal the part of the universe influenced by our sun’s solar wind.
Ion propulsion will power new space station
China's new space station will get a boost from an ion propulsion system, making it the first crewed spacecraft to feature the sci-fi-sounding engines.
Astronomers find more than 100,000 "stellar nurseries"
The biggest survey of stellar nurseries to date, PHANGS-ALMA, charts more than 100,000 star formation regions across our corner of the universe.
NASA probe snaps stunning photos of Ganymede
NASA has shared new photos of Ganymede taken by the Juno probe when it was just 645 miles away from Jupiter’s icy moon.
NASA announces first missions to Venus since the '80s
NASA has just approved two missions to Venus that will provide the scientific community with a wealth of new data on Earth’s closest planetary neighbor.
Colorful clouds on Mars captured in new rover pics
NASA’s Curiosity rover has captured images of colorful clouds on Mars, forming at higher altitudes and earlier in the Martian year than expected.
See the most realistic simulation of star formation yet
A new simulation of star formation is the most realistic ever created, giving scientists an unprecedented opportunity to study the birth of a star.
Radioactive plutonium from space found in Pacific Ocean
A rare form of plutonium has been discovered on Earth for the first time — and an exploding star appears to have helped it get here.
Volcanoes on Mars might still be active
New evidence suggests that volcanoes on Mars may have erupted just 50,000 years ago, far more recently than previously thought.
Algorithm quickly simulates massive universes in high-res
A new algorithm lets astrophysicists produce high-res cosmological simulations of large parts of the universe far more quickly than was previously possible.
New black hole image reveals swirling magnetic fields
A new black hole image depicts one of the supermassive objects in polarized light, making it possible to see its magnetic field lines.
A distant exoplanet made itself a second atmosphere
A distant exoplanet, GJ 1132 b, appears to have created a second atmosphere for itself after being stripped of its first.
New underwater telescope could explain birth of the universe
The world’s second-largest neutrino detector is now observing “ghost particles” from below the ice of Siberia’s Lake Baikal.
Ancient computer found in shipwreck decoded by scientists
A new model explains how an ancient computer known as the Antikythera Mechanism could have made complex astronomical predictions.
Space hurricane rains electrons down on North Pole
A space hurricane formed above the North Pole in 2014, marking the first discovery of the theorized — but never proven — extreme space weather event.
Solar probe snaps surprising photo of the surface of Venus
The Parker Solar Probe has taken an image of the surface of Venus that may change what we thought we knew about the planet — or possibly the probe itself.
See 25,000 supermassive black holes in one map of the sky
Astronomers used supercomputers and an international network of antennas to create a map of 25,000 supermassive black holes.
This planetoid is officially the farthest known object in our solar system
A planetoid nicknamed Farfarout is officially the most distant known object in our solar system — but its reign might not last for long.
This cloudless “hot Jupiter” is unlike any known exoplanet
Astronomers have discovered a first-of-its-kind cloudless hot Jupiter — and it could expand our understanding of exoplanet formation.
An AI has discovered new craters on Mars
An AI trained to spot signs of fresh craters on Mars in photos of the Martian surface has already discovered dozens of new impacts.
Scientists may have found the hum of the universe
Scientists may have recorded the "hum" of the universe for the first time by measuring irregularities in gravitational waves.
See the Milky Way 1.6 million years from now
Using data from the Gaia spacecraft, ESA scientists predict where 40,000 stars in the Milky Way will be 1.6 million years from now.
Fresh ice spotted in unexpected part of Saturn's moon Enceladus
Saturn’s moon Enceladus is already suspected of hosting extraterrestrial life, and new Cassini data suggests where that life might exist.
Signs of life found on Venus
Scientists found the gas, phosphine, in Venus’ atmosphere. So far, the only explanation is alien life.
Did life on Earth travel here from Mars?
Bacteria that survived on the outside of the ISS for three years suggests that panspermia is still a viable theory for the origin of life on Earth.
The dwarf planet Ceres may hide a subterranean sea
The largest body in the asteroid belt, the dwarf planet Ceres may hide a salty subterranean sea.
Massive 3D map of the universe fills in “troublesome” gap
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) has released the largest 3D map of the universe ever created, detailing 11 billion years that were previously uncharted.
This 10-year time lapse of the solar cycle is breathtaking
Using images collected by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), NASA has created a stunning time lapse of the sun’s solar cycle.
Space architects are building a home to live on the moon
The space architects of Saga have developed a habitat for people on the moon. Now they want to put it to the test in the endless arctic sun of Greenland.
You can help scientists during the coronavirus quarantine
Getting bored during the coronavirus quarantine? Researchers are looking for volunteer citizen scientists to help analyze distant galaxies from home.
This 93-million mile deep space mission might catch the next super solar storm
A newly funded satellite mission could help us keep a watchful eye on the sun’s activity, buying us more time to prepare for a potential solar storm.
Want to visit the moon? NASA is accepting astronaut applications
NASA has announced plans to begin accepting applications for its next class of Astronaut Candidates, some of whom may go on to visit the moon or even Mars.
Move the sun, save the earth: the plan to relocate our solar system
This stellar engine could harness the power of the sun to drag our solar system throughout the galaxy, preventing a catastrophic collision.
Closer to the Sun: NASA’s Parker Solar Probe
NASA is getting closer to the sun than ever before with the Parker Solar Probe, leaving researchers excited and bewildered by the data they saw.
Is anybody out there?
New breakthroughs in the technology used for exoplanet discovery mean we could find proof for the existence of extraterrestrials in our lifetime.
Series| Through the Looking Glass
AR in use: NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan With a keen curiosity to learn more about how life formed on Earth, NASA has plans to send a spacecraft called the Dragonfly to Saturn’s largest moon, and they’re using augmented reality to make it happen.
What is inside a black hole?
In partnership with John Templeton Foundation
Rendering the first black hole image was an important milestone. But in many ways, the true value of the project lies in how it created an opportunity for researchers to change the way they explore the world.