21–40 of 1,200 results
comparison of two images of an orange circle with a dark center, no labels

The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle

The Black Hole Shadow in M87: One Year Later

The Event Horizon Telescope collaboration has released the image from its second major campaign, confirming the existence of a persistent black hole shadow and a potentially turbulent environment.

Crab Nebula

Night Sky Sights

The Night I Met the Crab Pulsar

An account of my journey to the heart of one of most violent cosmic explosions witnessed on Earth. Plus, there's a bright supernova now visible in a Virgo Cluster galaxy.

The Orion Nebula

Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis

Let Your Astronomy Nerd Flag Fly!

“Space gear” lets us celebrate the night sky while the sun shining — and connect with others who want to do the same.

Small and Large Magellanic Clouds

Southern Stargazing with Jonathan Nally

Clouds, Large and Small, of the Southern Sky

Jonathan Nally sets out to explore the Southern Hemisphere sky, starting with two uniquely southern sights: the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds.

a dark circle with a spiral galaxy inside of it and spiral arms coming off it; the right side more detailed and colorful than the left

The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle

Black Holes in Early Universe Are Too Big

JWST observations of the universe as it was 12 to 13 billion years ago indicate that the black holes at the centers of small, early galaxies were more massive than expected.

Launch

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

China Launches Einstein X-ray Observatory

China’s Einstein Probe, an X-ray astronomy mission, heads to orbit.

Peregrine Mission On

Space Missions

Peregrine Mission Launches Successfully, But Misses the Moon

The first launch of the United Launch Alliance Vulcan-Centaur rocket attempted to send Peregrine Mission One moonward, but a propulsion problem has likely stymied that goal.

Europa Clipper

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

Top Space Missions to Watch for in 2024

Humans' return to cis-lunar space and a flagship spacecraft to Europa are among the missions to come in 2024.

Geminids and aurora

Celestial News & Events

Catch Luyten's Star and the Quadrantid Meteor Shower

Relish the slow, steady pace of nearby Luyten's Star then switch things up with speedy meteors from a well-timed shower.

XPoSat

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

First Launch of 2024: India Flies New X-Ray Satellite

ISROs XPoSat will unlock the secrets of the X-ray universe.

NEOWise

Solar System

As an Asteroid-Hunting Mission Approaches Its End, What's Next?

The pioneering NEOWISE observatory celebrates a milestone, even as the end of the mission draws near.

Vesta and Orion

Explore the Night with Bob King

Vesta Sets Sail Across Orion

Look who's visiting this winter in Orion: Vesta, a bright asteroid with a dark side.

Geminids 2020

Explore the Night with Bob King

Get Ready to Greet the Geminid Meteor Shower!

The year's most spectacular meteor shower is upon us. Prepare to enjoy the Geminids under a dark, moonless sky, when you might see more than 100 meteors per hour.

Titania from Voyager 2

Occultations

Watch Uranus's Moon Titania Cover a Star Monday Night

Observers across much of the U.S. and Canada have a unique opportunity Monday night, November 20–21, to see Uranus's brightest moon occult a star.

Ryugu

Astronomy in Space with David Dickinson

Samples of Asteroid Ryugu Show Signs of Ancient Water

The distribution of elements seen in the samples of Ryugu brought back by Hayabusa 2 hints at a wet past.

GRS 2017 Juno

Explore the Night with Bob King

Jupiter's Great Red Spot Just Keeps Getting Smaller

Jupiter's Great Red Spot may be reaching a milestone this year by shrinking to its smallest size in recorded observational history.

Why We Look Up with Jennifer Willis

To the Stars, Through (or Despite) Hardship

Ad astra per aspera — to the stars through hardship. The saying applies universally, but personally, it might hit home in different ways.

Theia Impact

Solar System

Bits of Theia Might Be in Earth's Mantle

A "smoking gun" for the ancient calamity that formed Earth’s large Moon may still exist deep in the mantle of our planet.

Starlink flares

Explore the Night with Bob King

How to See Freaky Starlink "Cluster Flares", Plus the Latest on Comet Lemmon

Alien invasion or flares from satellites in multiple orbits? It depends on your point of view. We also check in on Comet Lemmon, poised to possibly reach binocular-visibility.

An artist’s impression of the collision of two black holes

The Black Hole Files with Camille Carlisle

Black Hole Rain

The planned LISA gravitational-wave detector might discover a shower of hundreds of small black holes falling in galactic centers.