Astronomy
The Most Surprising Discoveries in Physics
Experts weigh in on the most shocking, paradigm-shifting and delightful findings in the history of physics
Astronomy200 articles archived since 1845
Astronomy
‘Millennium Falcon’ Comet Sprouts Icy Wings as It Loops around the Sun
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, headed for its closest encounter with the sun next year, has started to heat up, leading to a cinematic outburst of icy volcanism
Astronomy
Only 26 Black Women Have Ever Become Astrophysicists in the U.S. Here’s One’s Story
Astrophysicist Aomawa Shields recounts her alternative career path in a new memoir about life, space and motherhood
Astronomy
Earthshine Lights up the ‘Dark Side’ of the Moon
This week—and any time there’s a new crescent moon—the lunar night is a little less dark, thanks to the bright reflected light of Earth
Astronomy
Meet the Stars of the ‘Summer Triangle’
Get to know the stellar trio behind one of the most iconic sights in summer’s night sky
Astronomy
Earliest Merging Galaxies Discovered in New JWST Photos
Astronomers found two colliding galaxies dating back to less than 500 million years after the big bang
Astronomy
Solar Maximum Could Hit Us Harder and Sooner Than We Thought
The sun is quickly approaching a major peak in solar activity. Experts warn it could potentially begin by the end of 2023, years before initial predictions suggested
Astronomy
Earth’s Aphelion Isn’t the Reason for the Seasons
Our planet’s not-quite-circular orbit means that on July 6 we’ll be about 2.5 million kilometers farther from the sun than average—but we won’t feel any colder
Astronomy
A ‘Captured’ Alien Planet May Be Hiding at the Edge of Our Solar System
The cold and mysterious Oort cloud at the edge of our solar system may be hiding a rogue planet
Astronomy
A Potentially Spectacular Comet Will Fly by Earth Next Year
Professional and amateur astronomers alike are hoping that Comet C/2023 A3 will sparkle in Earth’s skies in the fall of 2024, although comets are notoriously difficult to predict
Astronomy
This Astronomer Discovered What the Stars Were Made Of, and Few Believed Her Discovery
Nearly 100 years ago a young astronomer named Cecilia Payne changed the way we see the stars in the sky because she was able to look into their burning heart and see something no one else ever had...
Astronomy
JWST’s Hunt for Habitable Exoplanets Finds Disappointment, Again
Observations from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that TRAPPIST-1 c, the second world in a seven-planet system, lacks an atmosphere
Astronomy
Scientists Solve Star Spin Mystery
Magnetic fields help to explain why some stars are spinning more slowly than astronomers thought they should
Astronomy
Why Does Smoke Turn the Sky Orange?
The wildfire smoke that smothered the U.S. Northeast last week has surprising connections to astrophysics—and to the historic search for our place in the cosmos
Astronomy
Have Astronomers Seen the Universe’s First Stars?
The James Webb Space Telescope is giving us our first glimpse of stars in the early universe.
Astronomy
At Last, Astronomers May Have Seen the Universe’s First Stars
Telltale evidence gathered by the James Webb Space Telescope suggests we’re closer than ever before to finding elusive Population III stars
Astronomy
Why Venus Is So Bright Right Now
Our planetary neighbor Venus becomes a brilliant beacon in the sky each time it reaches its greatest orbital distance from the sun
Astronomy
Astronomers Have Spotted a Once-in-a-Decade Supernova—and You Can, Too
The death throes of a massive star in the galaxy M101, located just 21 million light-years away from Earth, are entrancing professional and amateur astronomers alike
Astronomy
Saturn’s Youthful Rings and Newfound Moons Put It in Stargazing Spotlight
Saturn’s surprisingly young rings and record-breaking bounty of moons make the planet a ripe target for springtime sky watchers
Astronomy
JWST Will Hunt for Dead Solar Systems—And Much More—In Its Second Year of Science
White dwarfs, Earth-sized exoplanets, early galaxies and even Saturn’s moon Enceladus are on the agenda for JWST’s second year in space, but exomoons and others miss out
