Superhot blob of gas discovered orbiting Milky Way's black hole at 'mind-blowing' velocity By Harry Baker published 28 September 22 Astronomers have detected an X-ray flare from a blob of superhot gas orbiting Sagittarius A* at 30% the speed of light.
Astronomers discover secret star at the center of gorgeous Cat's Eye Nebula By Brandon Specktor published 28 September 22 Astronomers modeled the stunning Cat's Eye Nebula in 3D, revealing the mysterious planetary nebula's history for the first time.
Watch NASA's DART spacecraft hit 'bullseye' by smashing into an asteroid By Ben Turner published 27 September 22 This is the first ever test of the Earth's planetary defence system
The Milky Way is 'rippling' like a pond, and scientists may finally know why By Brandon Specktor published 27 September 22 New research suggests that a strange 'ripple' is causing the Milky Way's stars to vibrate out of step, and an ancient collision with Sagittarius may be to blame.
NASA just redirected an asteroid by smashing a spacecraft into it By Ben Turner published 26 September 22 The test will help scientists learn how to stop catastrophic asteroid impacts.
Jupiter will be at its closest to Earth today (Sept. 26) in 59 years By Robert Lea published 26 September 22 Skywatchers will get a rare opportunity to see Jupiter in its full glory when its opposition happens at the same time as its closest approach to Earth.
NASA calls off Artemis 1 launch as Hurricane Ian threatens Florida By Ben Turner published 26 September 22 The rocket has been plagued by technical and weather problems since its wet dress rehearsal in April.
What is the largest known star in the universe? (What about the smallest?) By Isobel Whitcomb published 24 September 22 The big stars make our sun look puny.
China discovers rare lunar crystal and nuclear power source on near side of the moon By Brandon Specktor published 23 September 22 Chinese researchers have discovered a brand new type of crystal in a sample of moon rocks, as well as a source of helium-3 — a potential fuel for nuclear fusion reactors.
NASA will smash its DART spacecraft into an asteroid on Monday. Here's how to watch. By Ben Turner published 22 September 22 The test will provide vital information on how to stop catastrophic asteroid impacts.
Ghostly rings of Neptune shine in new James Webb Telescope images By Brandon Specktor published 22 September 22 The James Webb Space Telescope zooms in on Neptune to reveal the icy planet's collection of little-known rings
Scientists blasted plastic with lasers and turned it into tiny diamonds and a new type of water By Robert Lea published 21 September 22 Shock-compressing PET plastics can create tiny nanodiamonds with a range of technological applications.
What is the moon phase today? By Colin Stuart published 21 September 22 Reference A look at the phases of the moon, from new moon to full moon, including's tonight's lunar phase.
Why are sunspots black? By Brandon Specktor published 21 September 22 Why are sunspots black? According to astronomers, it may be a big, cosmic optical illusion.
Blazing fireball illuminates skies over Scotland and Northern Ireland By JoAnna Wendel published 20 September 22 Astronomers say the fireball was likely caused by a space rock the size of a golf ball disintegrating in Earth’s atmosphere.
Can the James Webb Space Telescope really see the past? By Brandon Specktor published 19 September 22 Astronomers are using the James Webb Space Telescope to look back in time. How is this possible? It's just the nature of light, according to NASA.
Whip-cracking burst of energy from sun could explain solar wind By Ben Turner published 16 September 22 Scientists have long hypothesized about this phenomenon, but this is the first time it’s been directly observed.
Never-before-seen 'strange quark star' may have formed after cosmic collision, physicists say By Paul Sutter published 16 September 22 A team of physicists has found that the remnant of a neutron star merger observed in 2019 has just the right mass to be a strange hypothetical quark star.
Blazing comet tail is whipped by solar winds in astonishing astronomy photo By Stephanie Pappas published 16 September 22 A never-to-be-seen-again view of Comet Leonard took top prize at the Royal Observatory Greenwich's Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.
NASA announces third launch attempt date for its 'mega moon rocket' By Ben Turner published 15 September 22 The Artemis 1 mission will be a crucial test of NASA's next generation rocket
