Astronomy

Astronomy

Afterglow alerts astronomers to gamma-ray burst

Astronomers have spotted the remnant glow from a gamma-ray burst without first observing its beam of high-energy gamma rays.

Astronomy

Source of puzzling cosmic signals found — in the kitchen

One type of radio burst has a pretty mundane origin: prematurely opened microwave ovens.

Astronomy

Cyanides around young star signal complex organic chemistry

Abundances of cyanide compounds around a young star match those found in comets in our solar system.

Science & Society

One anniversary to celebrate, one to contemplate

In this issue, both feature articles focus on anniversaries, though of two very different kinds.

Astronomy

Celebrating 25 years of the Hubble Space Telescope

The Hubble Space Telescope has served for more than two decades as the sharpest eyes ever to peer into the universe.

Astronomy

The art of astronomy

Astronomer Zoltan Levay uses the Hubble Space Telescope to create stunning images of cosmic landscapes.

Astronomy

Saturday’s lunar eclipse will be total, but brief

A brief total lunar eclipse on April 4 favors observers from western North America to Australia.

Planetary Science

Minisatellites could detect dangerous asteroids, researchers propose

Five tiny telescopes orbiting the sun could provide early warning for an Earth-bound asteroid, though other researchers disagree.

Astronomy

Primordial stars left their imprint on dwarf galaxy

A smattering of stars in a dwarf galaxy outside the Milky Way witnessed explosions from the first generation of stars.

Earth

Spot the northern lights with Aurorasaurus

Crowdsourced Aurorasaurus project uses Twitter to track the northern lights.

Astronomy

Fountains of spewing gas provide look at megastar formation

Fountains of gas erupt from a young massive star, giving astronomers a play-by-play on how stellar heavyweights form.

Astronomy

‘Supernova sweeping’ cleans up a galaxy’s gas

Supernovas might sweep the remaining gas out of a galaxy after a supermassive black hole triggers the end of star formation.