Astronomy

The observatory must complete about 50 major deployments after liftoff

Four candidate worlds found via flashes of radio emission may be the first of many revealed by a new planet-hunting technique

The agency found no evidence that the flagship observatory’s namesake was involved in anti-LGBT+ activities, but some say that Webb bears responsibility

Before it can study the first stars and galaxies, the observatory must endure a sea voyage, a rocket launch and an all-or-nothing deployment sequence in deep space

A chance celestial alignment is allowing astronomers to witness a distant star’s explosive death, again and again

Years of weather monitoring suggest a high-altitude locale in Qinghai Province could host future telescopes

A battle for the future of American stargazing is about to begin—and the stakes are sky high

The groundbreaking scientist ushered in a revolution in how we think about the universe. She also lived by a set of principles that made her an exceptional human being

With nearly $2 million in private funding, the controversial new initiative is targeting unidentified phenomena in Earth’s skies and beyond

Both are low-probability but catastrophic events—and both can be mitigated if we act early enough

Astronomers have observed record-breaking photons that strain classical theories of acceleration

The huge object may be the biggest comet ever seen. And it is already showing signs of activity as it approaches the orbit of Saturn