Astronomy

Astronomy

Revived Kepler telescope finds first exoplanet

NASA’s Kepler space telescope finds its first planet — a possible super-Earth — since getting a second chance at life.

Planetary Science

Rosetta may have spotted comet’s primordial ingredients

Photos taken by the Rosetta spacecraft may show pristine material that formed the solar system’s comets, asteroids and planets roughly 4.6 billion years ago.

Astronomy

Year in review: Dust obscures possible gravitational wave discovery

A possible signal from moments after the Big Bang may be due to dust in the Milky Way galaxy.

Planetary Science

Year in review: Rosetta mission hits its target

The Rosetta spacecraft and its lander Philae are providing an intimate look at the life of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Astronomy

Gamma-ray bursts may repeatedly wipe out life

Brief bursts of high-energy radiation may sterilize most planets across the universe, hampering the chances for widespread intelligent life.

Astronomy

Year in review: Kepler gets second chance at life

This year, Kepler engineers figured out how to stabilize the almost-defunct Kepler telescope, while astronomers found hundreds more worlds.

Planetary Science

Rosetta casts doubt on comets as Earth’s water providers

Water in comet 67P’s thin, hazy atmosphere doesn’t chemically match Earth’s oceans, suggesting that asteroids, not comets, brought water to the planet.

Astronomy

Radio burst from beyond Milky Way detected in real time

First real-time detection of radio burst from outside galaxy triggers worldwide hunt for cause of mysterious signals.

Astronomy

NASA’s Orion spacecraft has flawless first test flight

NASA’s new vehicle for human exploration of deep space has successfully completed its first unmanned test flight.

Astronomy

Starlight robs galaxy of stellar ingredients

Light from newborn stars drives gas out of a distant galaxy, a process that may prevent future stars from being born.

Cosmology

Most precise snapshot of the universe unveiled

New results from the Planck satellite provide the most detailed look yet of the makeup of the universe.

Planetary Science

Comet lander’s exploration cut short

The comet lander Philae made history with its touchdown on comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko, but a series of small hiccups prevented the robot from recharging its batteries, giving it only about 57 hours to explore the alien world.