Galaxy Crashes May Give Birth to Powerful Space Jets
Explosive geysers of material that shoot away from black holes at nearly the speed of light seem to form more often in galaxies that are the product of two galaxies merging together
On Mauna Kea, Astronomers and Hawaiians Can Share the Skies
The Thirty Meter Telescope can revolutionize astronomy and become a part of the holy mountain’s rich cultural heritage
Giant Telescope in Hawaii Progresses, with New Restrictions
The embattled Thirty Meter Telescope project can proceed on Mauna Kea, but only by cutting back astronomy elsewhere on the mountain
Just Another Cloudy Morning on a Hot Exoplanet
Astronomers use Kepler telescope to study weather on Jupiter-size planets beyond our solar system
Galactic Signal Boosts LHC's Dark Matter Search
High-energy photons from the Milky Way’s core suggest dark matter may soon be found by the world's most powerful particle accelerator
Space Supervoid Sucks Energy from Light
A vast region of space colder than expected is also largely devoid of galaxies, and the two observations are no coincidence. Clara Moskowitz reports
Astronomers Seek Super-Size Hubble Successor to Search for Alien Life
Controversy swirls around a bold proposal for a bigger, better—and expensive—replacement for NASA’s premier space telescope
Life Ain't Easy: What Would Make an Exoplanet "Earth-Like"? [Excerpt]
Two prominent scientists update our view of the history of life on Earth, featuring the prominent roles of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and question claims that it is fairly easy to initiate life—even on a planet such as ours
MESSENGER’s Mercurial Swan Song and Other Interplanetary Smash-Ups
On April 30, if all goes well, after running out of fuel to fight off orbital decay NASA’s long-running MESSENGER spacecraft will end its mission to Mercury by crashing into the planet’s surface at nearly 4 kilometers per second.
Agony and Ecstasy: Hubble's Top Moments and Near-Death Episodes
Scientists and astronauts recall the telescope’s finest hours as well as threats to its 25-year existence
Hubble Space Telescope Struggled to Get Off the Ground
The telescope’s chief scientist started work on the project in 1972, garnering support for the world's first telescope free of Earth's atmosphere's blurring effects
Building an Earth-Size Telescope, One Station at a Time
Imagine a trio of aerobatic aircraft. Over the years they've gotten very good at their routine. But they want to add another five or six or seven members.