Space

Astronomy

A neutron star crash may have spawned a black hole

The neutron collision that took the astronomical community by storm last year probably created a black hole, researchers say.

Planetary Science

Never-before-seen dunes on Pluto spotted in New Horizons images

Images from the New Horizons spacecraft reveal dunes on Pluto — but the sand-sized grains must have had an unusual boost to get moving.

Astronomy

Two-faced star reveals a pulsar’s surprising bulk

An ultramassive pulsar is frying its stellar companion so that the star shows two different temperatures.

Astronomy

Astronomers scrutinized last year’s eclipse. Here’s what they’ve learned

Astronomers observed the 2017 total solar eclipse from the ground and the air, and found some never-before-seen features of the sun’s atmosphere.

Astronomy

Pluto’s demotion ignores astronomical history

A historical review of asteroids’ planetary status suggests Pluto’s demotion was not justified.

Astronomy

Plasma rain in the sun’s atmosphere falls in surprising places

Scientists found rain in the sun’s corona where they didn’t expect it, which could help solve the mystery of why the corona is so hot.

Planetary Science

Satellite smashups could have given birth to Saturn’s odd moons

Nearly head-on collisions between icy moonlets might be responsible for the peculiar shapes of some of Saturn’s moons, computer simulations suggest.

Astronomy

Maverick asteroid might be an immigrant from outside the solar system

A space rock’s backward orbit could be a hint of unusual origins.

Planetary Science

China is set to launch a satellite to support a future lunar rover

China is set to launch a satellite to support a future lunar rover that will make the first-ever visit to the farside of the moon.

Cosmology

These stars may have been born only 250 million years after the Big Bang

Scientists find evidence that stars were forming just 250 million years after the universe was born.

Animals

Readers amazed by Jupiter discoveries, giant viruses and more

Readers had questions about the latest findings of Jupiter, giant viruses being recognized as a new kingdom of life and tardigrade poop.

Planetary Science

Another hint of Europa’s watery plumes found in 20-year-old Galileo data

A fresh look at old data suggests that NASA’s Galileo spacecraft may have seen a plume from Jupiter’s icy moon Europa in 1997.