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.