A Brilliant Flash, Then Nothing: New “Fast Radio Bursts” Mystify Astronomers
Ultrafast, ultrabright radio pulses from sources unknown could help map intergalactic matter, but only if astronomers can figure out their origin
Can Matter Exist without Space? [Video]
Theoretical physicist and New York University professor Matthew Kleban answers viewer questions submitted to our YouTube Space Lab Channel
Russian Rocket Crash Details Revealed
An unmanned rocket carrying $200 million in satellite technology likely crashed due to an emergency booster shutdown
2 Pluto Moons Get New Names (Sorry Star Trek Fans)
A poll to rename Pluto's moons throws out the most popular choice: a Star Trek inspired name
Astronomers Search for Signs of Life in the Skies of Distant Exoplanets
The galaxy is teeming with planets. Scientists are straining to peer into their atmospheres to seek signs of extraterrestrial life
A Cosmic Map of the Exoplanets [Interactive]
An interactive graphic charts the location and distance to 861 known exoplanets, highlighting those that might hold life
Primordial Galaxy Shows How to Make a Big One
Looking at the Himiko Galaxy as it was just 800 million years after the big bang offers a glimpse at how the most massive galaxies took shape. John Matson reports
Galaxy of a Thousand Stars
Segue 2, one of dozens of "companion" galaxies that orbit the Milky Way, is now the smallest galaxy known. Michael Moyer reports
Trifecta of Celestial Wonders in Next Week's Night Sky
Even stargazers without telescopes will be able to see Saturn and the bright star Spica as they join the moon in the night sky next week
Hunt for Closest Exoplanet Gets Boost from Rare Stellar Alignment
Upcoming cosmic alignments will give planet hunters an opportunity to intensify the search for potential exoplanets
Asteroid to Fly within Moon's Orbit Tomorrow
A "garbage truck-size" but harmless asteroid will fly within the moon's orbit tomorrow
New Telescope Strategy Could Resolve Dark Matter Mystery
A call for NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope to focus on the center of the galaxy could clear up the identity of dark matter