Astronomy
- Astronomy
So long, Titan. Cassini snaps parting pics of Saturn’s largest moon
The last swing past Saturn’s largest moon sent Cassini heading directly towards the planet — and showed how future spacecraft will explore other moons.
- Astronomy
The sun’s strongest flare in 11 years might help explain a solar paradox
The sun tends to release its biggest flares at the ends of solar cycles — and we might finally be able to test why.
- Astronomy
Final flyby puts Cassini on a collision course with Saturn
A “last kiss goodbye” with Saturn’s largest moon sent the Cassini spacecraft on its final trajectory into the planet’s atmosphere.
- Astronomy
Pluto’s pits, ridges and famous plain get official names
From Adlivun to Voyager, the International Astronomical Union officially names 14 surface features on the dwarf planet.
- Planetary Science
Readers were curious about rogue planets, exomoons and more
Readers had questions about rogue planets, human arrival in Australia, and exomoons.
- Astronomy
Tabby’s star is probably just dusty, and still not an alien megastructure
New looks at older data on the weirdly flickering Tabby’s star muddy possible explanations — but it’s still probably not aliens.
- Astronomy
Star that exploded in 1437 tracked to its current position
Astronomers have hunted down a star seen exploding in the year 1437 and traced it since, offering clues to the stages of a white dwarf.
- Astronomy
Rumors swirl that LIGO snagged gravitational waves from a neutron star collision
Telescopes seem to be following up on a potential gravitational wave sighting.
- Astronomy
Here’s what the Science News family did for the eclipse
On August 21, 2017, the path of a total solar eclipse went coast to coast across the United States. Here are our dispatches.
- Science & Society
Patience is one virtue scientists must embrace
Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how being patient isn't always easy in scientific work.
- Astronomy
Inquiries about the moon’s twilight zone, and more reader feedback
Readers had questions about the moon's tidal locking, quantum communication, microneedles and more.
- Astronomy
As Cassini’s tour of Saturn draws to a close, a look back at postcards from the probe
As Cassini prepares to plunge to its death, we celebrate the spacecraft's discoveries and breathtaking images of Saturn, its rings and moons.