SUNSET: 
New Cosmic Background Radiation Found
Astronomers have found something in the very distant universe filling the sky with a radio roar at frequencies they did not expect. No one knows what it is.
Surprising Trove of Gamma-Ray Pulsars
Pulsars flash in radio, but some of them flash a lot more powerfully in gamma rays, due to different processes happening in different places around them.
Exoplanets Dance in the Same Plane
Three planets orbit the red dwarf star Gliese 876, and at least two of them do so in nearly the same plane, according to an ingenious new study of their interaction.
Black Holes First, Galaxies Second
Back when the universe was young, a new study finds, galaxies grew their central black holes faster than the holes' starry surroundings. But how?
Fly Through a Supernova Remnant in 3-D
Astronomers have figured out the three-dimensional structure of Cassiopeia A, an expanding supernova remnant. From this, it looks like the star blew up in two parts.
The Mystery of the Missing Brown Dwarfs
Fewer of these dim, glowing coals exist than astronomers once expected. And in particular, they shy away from associating with normal stars.
Milky Way Doubles Its Mass
Our Milky Way Galaxy rotates 15 percent faster and is twice as massive as formerly believed — making it an equal match for the Great Andromeda Galaxy rather than its little brother.
The Brightest Burst
On March 19, 2008, NASA’s Swift satellite captured an intense burst of gamma rays from outer space. What made this event so amazing was its distance: halfway across the visible universe.
First True Exoplanet Images…Probably
Although questions remain, it appears that astronomers have at last taken images of actual planets orbiting other stars.
George Ellery Hale’s Journey to Palomar
Todd and Robin Mason's new documentary, which airs on public television starting Monday, November 10th, recounts the remarkable story of the telescopes that unlocked the secrets of the cosmos.
Click here for a preview of their television documentary, which airs on public television starting Monday, November 10th.
NASA Satellite Spots New Type of Pulsar
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has made its first major discovery.
Double-Barrel Blast
A gamma-ray burst detected on March 19th was so bright it could be seen with the naked eye. And now astronomers think they know why.
Milky Way's Central Monster Measured
Astronomers have refined the mass of the Milky Way's central black hole by tracking the orbits of several stars whizzing around it. The job hasn't been easy.
NASA Space Observatory Gets New Name
The best-ever gamma-ray satellite is living up to expectations and NASA has just given it a new name.
Monster Black Holes Soon to Collide?
The members of a binary black hole in Cancer, one of which is unbelievably massive, look to be on a collision course.
Amateurs Spot Transiting Exoplanet
Using modest gear and a lot of skill, amateur astronomers catch a record-breaking planet crossing the face of its star 250 light-years away.
A Pristine Galaxy Heading Our Way
A dwarf galaxy apparently untouched since the beginning of the universe is offering a view into the past.
Why Monster Black Holes Don't Run Away
It’s hard to kick a monster around, especially when the beast weighs millions or even billions of times the mass of our Sun. But in recent months, computer simulations by five independent groups have shown that something astonishing can happen when two supermassive black holes spiral together and combine in the aftermath of a galaxy merger.
A Hot Earth-Neptune Hybrid
With 236 exoplanets now known, most new discoveries meet with indifference. But when one of them introduces a new class of planets, a data point on a graph turns into a real world that stirs the imagination.
