Space

Editor's Picks

an illustration showing the hypothetical Planet 9 with blue rings and a question mark over it, with stars and a galaxy in the background
Planet Nine: Is the search for this elusive world nearly over? Astronomers have been scouring the outer solar system for signs of a hypothetical ninth planet for almost a decade, without success. However, we may finally be on the cusp of finding it, experts say.
Each bright spot in this image, the first all-sky image by eRosita, is black hole or a neutron star.
5 space discoveries that scientists are struggling to explain From "runaway" black holes shooting across the cosmos to secret planets in our own backyard, space is overrun with mysterious objects that scientists are clamoring to explain. Here are five of the strangest sights in the universe, as well as their possible origins.
An illustration of a large, round asteroid having a close encounter with the blue Earth
NASA's most wanted: The 5 most dangerous asteroids to Earth What is the most dangerous asteroid, how probable is an impact, and how much destructive power would a collision with Earth have? Here are 5 big space rocks that NASA is watching closely.

Latest about Space

A black and white image of the Boeing Starliner parachuting down from the sky

Astronauts would have been fine on Boeing's Starliner during landing, NASA says

By Josh Dinner published

With Boeing's Starliner spacecraft is safely back on Earth, NASA says Crew Flight Test astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams could have returned onboard.

Space Exploration
A composite image of an annular solar eclipse showing baily's beads.

'Exceptional' eclipse image and stunning 'Dolphin Head nebula' among 2024's Astronomy Photographer of the Year winners

By Sascha Pare published

A composite image of an annular solar eclipse showing Baily's Beads won top prize at the 2024 Astronomy Photographer of the Year contest.

Astronomy
A series of concentric circles in a diagram, with one medium-size circle tilted and off to the side intersecting the others

'Potentially hazardous' asteroid the size of a skyscraper to skim past Earth on Tuesday

By Ben Turner published

The gigantic asteroid 2024 ON, about the size of a skyscraper, will fly close to Earth next Tuesday, missing our planet by 2.6 times the distance between Earth and the moon.

Asteroids
A swirling ring of orange light

The Milky Way's supermassive black hole is spinning incredibly fast and at the wrong angle. Scientists may finally know why.

By Ben Turner published

Observations from the Event Horizon Telescope may reveal a secret merger in our supermassive black hole's past, potentially explaining the cosmic monster's unusual spin.

Black Holes
A diagram showing a direct image of Betelgeuse on the left, and its position in the Orion constellation's shoulder on the right

Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse? One of the brightest stars in the sky may actually be 2 stars, study hints

By Deepa Jain published

Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the sky, may have a secret sunlike companion that drives the star’s mysterious six-year-long "heartbeat," new research suggests.

Astronomy
An asteroid looming near Earth

'God of Chaos' asteroid Apophis could still hit Earth in 2029, study hints — but we won't know for 3 more years

By Harry Baker published

New simulations reveal that there is an extremely small chance that the "city-killer" asteroid Apophis could be nudged onto a collision course with Earth by another asteroid before it flies past our planet in 2029.

Asteroids
A pink smiley face with meteor craters for eyes on the surface of mars

Scientists spot ancient 'smiley face' on Mars — and it could contain signs of life

By Harry Baker published

Newly released images of Mars reveal a "smiley" salt deposit on the Red Planet's surface. A related study suggests that similar deposits, which were left behind from ancient lakes, may be a good place to look for signs of former life on Mars.

Mars
An image of a red swirling galaxy with many individual stars visible

The Andromeda Galaxy glows rosy red in gorgeous new Hubble Telescope image

By Samantha Mathewson published

The Andromeda Galaxy, the Milky Way's closest galactic neighbor, glows brightly in a new Hubble Space Telescope image with swathes of ionized gas that fuel star formation.

Astronomy
A view of the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System

NASA spacecraft captures 1st photo of its giant solar sail while tumbling in space

By Monisha Ravisetti published

NASA's testing a solar sail system in space, and the spacecraft that brought the tech there has snapped a photo.

Space Exploration
A telescope image showing many distant galaxies, with some forming a question mark-like shape in the middle

What??? James Webb telescope finds giant question mark in space

By Brandon Specktor published

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a pair of distant galaxies being twisted into a cosmic question mark thanks to a rare form of gravitational lensing.

Astronomy
123456789Archives