Astronomy

Although Arecibo Observatory is slated to become an education center, astronomers hope research might one day return to the site

A new view of a record-shattering distant star shows it to be twice as hot as our sun and likely accompanied by a stellar companion

All you need to see one of the year’s best meteor showers is a clear, dark sky—and patience

Marvel for a moment at the Milky Way’s night-sky spectacle—and the scientific revolutions it has sparked

The European Space Agency's ambitious Euclid space telescope is on its way to decoding the secrets of dark matter and dark energy

An artist, a programmer and a scientist have created a simulation of extraterrestrial communication to test Earthlings’ ability to understand it

The “magnitude scale” for measuring stellar brightness also reveals the limits of naked-eye stargazing

Experts weigh in on the most shocking, paradigm-shifting and delightful findings in the history of physics

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

Astrophysicist Aomawa Shields recounts her alternative career path in a new memoir about life, space and motherhood

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

Get to know the stellar trio behind one of the most iconic sights in summer’s night sky