Space

Astronomy

All you need to know about the history of black holes

From dreaming up black holes to snapping the first picture of one, the history of black holes has had many twists.

Astronomy

The first picture of a black hole opens a new era of astrophysics

Astronomers used a network of telescopes around the world to take a picture of the supermassive black hole in the galaxy M87.

Science & Society

The delight of discovering an asteroid that spits

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses recent news about the asteroid Bennu and Kuiper Belt–object Ultima Thule.

Planetary Science

Hayabusa2 has blasted the surface of asteroid Ryugu to make a crater

Japan’s Hayabusa2 spacecraft shot a projectile at Ryugu. Next: collecting asteroid dust from the probable impact crater left behind.

Astronomy

This planetary remnant somehow survived the death of its sun

A small, sturdy piece of planet survived the collapse of its sun and now orbits the dead star.

Planetary Science

Metal asteroids may have once had iron-spewing volcanoes

Two groups of scientists introduce the idea of “ferrovolcanism,” or iron volcanoes, that could have occurred on metal asteroids like Psyche.

Physics

The LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors are back on

Souped-up instruments could spot never-before-seen sources of gravitational waves.

Astronomy

4 things we’ll learn from the first closeup image of a black hole

Scientists are gearing up to release the first image of the black hole at the center of the galaxy. Here’s what they hope to find out.

Planetary Science

Saturn’s rings paint some of its moons shades of blue and red

Moons located among Saturn’s inner rings are different colors depending on their distance from the planet, suggesting they’re picking up ring debris.

Planetary Science

Kuiper Belt dust may be in our atmosphere (and NASA labs) right now

Bits of space debris that collect in Earth’s atmosphere may come from as far as the cold, distant Kuiper Belt region beyond Neptune.

Planetary Science

Ryugu is probably a chip off one of these two other asteroids

Japan’s Hayabusa2 team has narrowed down the asteroid Ryugu’s origins based on its color.

Astronomy

X-ray ‘chimneys’ connect the Milky Way to mysterious gamma-ray bubbles

Two columns of X-rays that are hundreds of light-years long could explain the existence of giant bubbles of energetic light that sandwich the galaxy.