
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Was Never Meant to Look at the Sun. Astronomers Tried It Anyway
A little-known chapter of the Hubble Space Telescope’s history is a reminder of the risks of looking at the sun

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope Was Never Meant to Look at the Sun. Astronomers Tried It Anyway
A little-known chapter of the Hubble Space Telescope’s history is a reminder of the risks of looking at the sun

Here’s What to Watch in 2025’s Skies
The heavens will provide a bounty of viewing treasures in the coming year


Largest Camera in the World Will Look for Planet Nine
Pluto was unseated as the ninth planet in our solar system. Will we find a real Planet Nine?

What Is the Zodiac—And What Does It Mean for You?
The familiar zodiac constellations are defined by Earth’s motion around the sun, but they don’t define your fate

Auroras May Light Up New Year’s Sky after Solar Outbursts
Will still more auroras ring out 2024, a year marked by the celestial displays?

An Earth-Rocking Cosmic Explosion Turns 20
Twenty years ago today a magnetar’s epic tantrum made our planet ring like a bell from tens of thousands of light-years away

What’s in a (Star’s) Name?
With billions of stars in the Milky Way, some nomenclature standardization is necessary

Behold! 2024’s Most Stunning Space Photos
See the year’s most striking images from the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes, NASA’s Mars rover and the best sky watching on offer

Wildfires Are Threatening Astronomy, and the Worst Is Yet to Come
As wildfires grow in severity and frequency, they’re not only threatening lives but also our visual connection to the cosmos

How Do Astronomers Navigate the Sky?
The celestial equivalent to latitude and longitude lets astronomers find their way across the heavens

What’s Inside Our Galaxy’s Darkest Place?
Barnard 68 is often mistaken for a hole in space, but it’s actually a dense, opaque cloud of dust—for now

Sunbeams and the Belt of Venus Are Delightful Twilight Sights
“Twilight rays” are but one of several viewing treats for the liminal time between day and night