Astronomy

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.

Astronomy

The way hungry young stars suck in food keeps most X-rays in, too

The columns of plasma that feed growing stars develop an extra layer that keeps X-rays in.

Astronomy

Hot, rocky exoplanets are the scorched cores of former gas giants

Hot, rocky exoplanets are probably the scorched cores of former gas giants, so astronomers shouldn’t trust them for information about true Earth twins.

Astronomy

An interstellar asteroid might have just been spotted for the first time

A newly spotted asteroid might be the first known to come from outside the solar system, and it could carry information about the makeup of alien planet systems.

Astronomy

Dawn spacecraft will keep orbiting the dwarf planet Ceres indefinitely

NASA just gave the Dawn spacecraft a second mission extension to orbit Ceres indefinitely.

Astronomy

Here’s what space toilets can teach us about finding signs of alien life

Lessons learned from flushing space toilets can help researchers plan life-hunting missions to icy moons.

Astronomy

Neutron star collision showers the universe with a wealth of discoveries

A collision of neutron stars was spotted with gravitational waves for the first time. Telescopes captured gamma rays, visible light and more from the smashup.

Astronomy

Measured distance within the Milky Way gives clues to what our galaxy looks like

Astronomers used an old but challenging technique to directly measure the distance to a star on the opposite side of the galaxy for the first time.