Astronomy

Astronomy

Here’s what really happened to Hanny’s Voorwerp

Glowing clouds of gas known as Hanny’s Voorwerp offer a way to study galaxies and black holes in the distant past.

Astronomy

Here is Cassini’s last broad look at the Saturn system

Two days before plunging into Saturn, Cassini took a mosaic image of the gas giant, its rings and its moons.

Astronomy

The Arecibo Observatory will remain open, NSF says

The iconic Arecibo radio telescope has survived Hurricane Maria and dodged deep funding cuts.

Physics

Colliding black holes are reported for a fifth time

LIGO spots another merger, this time with less fanfare.

Science & Society

In science, some big risks are worth the rewards

Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill says scientists sometimes take risks that can lead to significant rewards and important discoveries.

Astronomy

Haze keeps Pluto cool by kicking heat out to space

Pluto may be the only place in the solar system whose atmosphere is kept cool by solid hazes, not warmed by gas.

Astronomy

New camera on Palomar telescope will seek out supernovas, asteroids and more

The Zwicky Transient Facility at Palomar Observatory in California will seek supernovas, black holes and asteroids.

Astronomy

Ancient spiral galaxy is 11 billion years old

The most ancient spiral galaxy seen to date is 11 billion years old and could help reveal how galaxies sprout arms.

Astronomy

This star cheated death, exploding again and again

The weirdest supernova ever has lasted more than three years, and may be the third outburst from the same star.

Astronomy

NASA wants your help naming New Horizons’ next destination

NASA’s New Horizons mission team is asking the public to vote on a nickname for the spacecraft’s next destination.

Astronomy

A sandy core may have kept Enceladus’ ocean warm

Friction in Enceladus’ porous core could help heat its ocean enough to keep it liquid for billions of years.

Planetary Science

See a new mosaic of images of comet 67P from the Rosetta mission

A montage of images taken by the Rosetta spacecraft and its lander, Philae, recap the daring mission to comet 67P.