Professional Telescopes

Really Remote Observing

Chances are you've never heard of Dome A. It's 600 miles from the South Pole, and if astronomers are right it could soon prove to be the best observing site on Earth.

Solar System

A New Cycle is Dawning

It's nothing more than an inconspicuous blemish in the Sun's northern hemisphere, but a new sunspot has heralded the start of the next 11-year-long cycle of solar activity.

Dawn

Solar System

Dawn Heads to Vesta (Finally!)

After many delays (and near termination), NASA's ambitious asteroid mission is finally under way following a picture-perfect launch on Thursday.

Solar System

Comet Discoverers Awarded

This year's Edgar Wilson Award went to three unique amateur comet discoverers.

Astronomy & Observing News

Opportunity Readies for Crater Dive

The Mars rover Opportunity will soon make a risky but scientifically rewarding descent into Victoria crater.

Astronomy & Observing News

Saturn's Smoking Guns

Following a trail of charged particles, Cassini scientists find that two more of Saturn's moons may be active.

Leaving Venus Behind

Astronomy & Observing News

So Long Venus, Onward to Mercury

Scientists release the first pictures taken during the Messenger spacecraft's flyby of Venus last week.

Astronomy & Observing News

Messenger's Last Visit to Venus

NASA's Mercury-bound spacecraft scrutinized Earth's sister planet with its complement of instruments and teamed up with Europe's Venus Express orbiter.

Astronomy & Observing News

A Stunning Look Into Spiral Galaxy M81

Hubble has taken a super-high resolution image of M81 — and found star clusters, dust, glowing regions of gas, and more.

Astronomy & Observing News

Scientists Find New Way to Measure Black Holes

Astrophysicists have developed a new way to measure the mass of black holes — by watching how matter clumps before it falls in.

Astronomy & Observing News

South Pole Telescope Readied for Operation

On February 16th, at the bottom of the world, engineers pointed a brand-new telescope toward Jupiter, cooled its detectors to an unfathomable ¼° above absolute zero, and collected "first light."

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