(Image credit: Haitong Yu / Getty Images)
Staring up into the night sky, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite expanse of space, with every pinprick of light in the vast canopy of darkness a star holding secrets forged by 13.8 billion years of the universe's existence. And yet, despite its great age and the unfathomable distance between us and even our nearest neighbor, through the study of astronomy we are able to understand more about the world beyond our atmosphere.
Join our expert writers and editors as we reveal the greatest mysteries in cosmology, such as how black holes form, and explore celestial bodies like exoplanets and nebulas, that are scattered throughout our universe. You will also discover how scientists are pushing the boundaries of space exploration using observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope with the latest astronomy news, features and articles.
Discover more about astronomy
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Space Photo of the WeekJames Webb telescope captures never-before-seen glimpse of 'Centaur' galaxy's battle wounds — Space photo of the week -
The Milky Way may be wider, heavier, and more lopsided than we realized -
'What we found was striking': Scientists detect new kind of signal from a black hole's 'point of no return' -
Euclid telescope discovers the 2 most ancient monster black holes in the universe — each brighter than a trillion suns -
Interview'It's more than a hope, it's a guarantee': The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's 10-year movie of the universe is about to 'blow our minds,' chief scientist says -
James Webb telescope reveals largest-ever map of the universe's megastructures4 Comments
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Watch a newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid fly super close to Earth today -
All 5 'letters' of DNA found on an asteroid speeding through our solar system. What do they tell us about the origins of life?4 Comments -
'City killer' asteroid will narrowly miss the moon, James Webb Telescope reveals2 Comments -
Asteroid 2024 YR4's collision with the moon could create a flash visible from Earth3 Comments
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'Potentially hazardous' asteroid 2024 YR4 was Earth's first real-life planetary defense test -
Astronomers discover skyscraper-size asteroid hidden in sun's glare -
$100,000 quadrillion asteroid Psyche may be the product of metal volcanoes, study hints3 Comments -
Sneaky asteroid zooms past Antarctica closer than a satellite — and astronomers didn't catch it until hours after -
Our solar system's asteroid belt is slowly disappearing
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'What we found was striking': Scientists detect new kind of signal from a black hole's 'point of no return'
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Euclid telescope discovers the 2 most ancient monster black holes in the universe — each brighter than a trillion suns
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'Crystals' of space-time could be the origins of rare black holes, theoretical study hints2 Comments -
James Webb telescope detects most distant dormant black hole ever, invisible in all wavelengths of light -
James Webb telescope discovers 'naked' black hole that somehow formed before its own galaxy -
2 supermassive black holes may collide 100 years from now — and Earth would feel it12 Comments -
The first black hole ever discovered is spewing 'dancing jets' at half the speed of light -
Stephen Hawking's black hole paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensions7 Comments -
The hungriest black holes in the universe are running out of food, survey of 8,000 cosmic monsters reveals
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Eta Aquariids to peak this week: How to see 'shooting stars' dropped by Halley's Comet -
'What are the odds': Superbright comet and exploding fireball meteor form near-perfect X over European castle -
'RIP, Comet MAPS': Watch the superbright sungrazer become a 'headless wonder' after being ripped apart by the sun -
How to see Comet PanSTARRS as it brightens in the night sky this week2 Comments -
Rare 'sungrazer' comet MAPS could appear brighter than ever on Saturday: What to know -
'Farting' comet seen reversing its spin for the first time ever -
'Interstellar messenger' 3I/ATLAS could be nearly as old as the universe itself, James Webb telescope observations reveal2 Comments -
Scientists propose new plan to 'catch' comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fast -
City-size, cold-volcano comet transforms into a glowing 'snail shell' after major explosive outburst2 Comments
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Superintelligent AI in space could explain the Fermi Paradox -
Physicists find possible errors in 100-year-old model of the universe9 Comments -
James Webb telescope zooms in on a black hole that could reveal the truth about 'little red dots' -
New AI algorithms are 95% better at showing how the universe changes over time -
The universe may end trillions of years sooner than we thought18 Comments -
Interview'The chances of you living 50 years are very small': Theoretical physicist explains why humanity likely won't survive to see all the forces unified29 Comments -
Largest-ever 3D map of the universe shows 47 million galaxies, from the Milky Way to 'cosmic noon' — Space photo of the week34 Comments -
Our leading theory of dark matter may be wrong, huge new gravity study hints8 Comments -
'Invisible scaffolding of the universe' revealed in ambitious new James Webb telescope images3 Comments
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Ultra-rare meteorite could be evidence of a lost planet that once orbited near Earth — Space photo of the week7 Comments -
NASA confirms meteor exploded over northeastern US with force of 230 tons of TNT -
Brilliant-green fireball meteor explodes over erupting volcano in the Philippines -
Lyrid meteor shower 2026: See spring's first rain of 'shooting stars' peak in moonless skies -
Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding above famous Viking raid site in UK7 Comments -
I found a new meteor shower — and it comes from an asteroid getting baked to bits by the sun -
Cannonball-size meteorite crashes through roof of Texas home as multiple 'fireballs' rain down on the US6 Comments -
Rare 'daytime fireball' meteor creates powerful sonic boom as 7-ton space rock explodes above eastern US -
Falling meteorite smashes hole in roof of German house after spectacular 'fireball' explosion over Europe
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Alien life on nearby 'super Earth' much likelier than we thought, study claims5 Comments -
NASA rover finds record-breaking trove of complex organic molecules on Mars6 Comments -
2 vanished 'super Earths' once orbited near Uranus and Neptune, new study hints -
'Totally counterintuitive': Scientists accidentally discover magnetic fields around 7 distant planets, opening new window in the search for life -
'I would never have guessed it': Unexpected effect is squeezing Mars' atmosphere like toothpaste, experts say -
Bizarre patterns on Venus have scientists puzzled -
The solar system's largest moon may be heating up -
Mars looks blue and bruised in surreal new images from Psyche spacecraft — Space photo of the week -
One of Neptune's 16 moons is not like the others, James Webb telescope finds
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When does the next full moon rise? -
May's Flower 'micromoon' will look extra small tonight, with a rare Blue Moon following2 Comments -
There were 'audible screams of delight': Why Artemis II sightings of meteor flashes on the moon have scientists giddy -
Does the moon look the same from everywhere on Earth?2 Comments -
The moon is green and brown? Why scientists are already excited about Artemis II's historic lunar photos7 Comments -
'So much magic': Artemis II shares first images from the far side of the moon, including new 'Earthset' and total eclipse in space -
INTERVIEW'This generation's moment': How the Artemis missions will reframe humanity's relationship with the moon -
How to catch the full 'Pink Moon' in April followed by a 'Blue Moon' in May -
'Blood moon' total eclipse dazzles millions around the world (photos)
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'Machine-gun sun' could bring auroras to more than a dozen states this Independence Day weekend -
Earth may survive the fiery death of the sun after all, new models suggest4 Comments -
'Cannibal' CME from rare 'anti-Hale' sunspot will slam into Earth today, bringing auroras to 23 US states -
Eruption blows hole in sun's atmosphere, unleashing solar flare and potentially triggering northern lights -
Northern lights may be visible from several US states Friday and Saturday as giant hole opens up in sun's atmosphere2 Comments -
March could be the best month for the northern lights for nearly a decade -
The sun just experienced its first 'spotless days' in 4 years — but we're not in the clear yet6 Comments -
Lucky few to see 'ring of fire' solar eclipse over Antarctica on Feb. 17 -
Auroras likely as most active sunspot in years turns toward Earth
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Space Photo of the WeekJames Webb telescope captures never-before-seen glimpse of 'Centaur' galaxy's battle wounds — Space photo of the week
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The Milky Way may be wider, heavier, and more lopsided than we realized
-
'What we found was striking': Scientists detect new kind of signal from a black hole's 'point of no return'
-
Euclid telescope discovers the 2 most ancient monster black holes in the universe — each brighter than a trillion suns
-
Interview'It's more than a hope, it's a guarantee': The Vera C. Rubin Observatory's 10-year movie of the universe is about to 'blow our minds,' chief scientist says
-
James Webb telescope reveals largest-ever map of the universe's megastructures4 Comments
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Superintelligent AI in space could explain the Fermi Paradox
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Space photo of the weekNASA celebrates America's 250th birthday with red, white and blue snaps of the cosmos -
Alien life on nearby 'super Earth' much likelier than we thought, study claims5 Comments
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'Machine-gun sun' could bring auroras to more than a dozen states this Independence Day weekend
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