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'A real revolution': The James Webb telescope is upending our understanding of the biggest, oldest black holes in the universe For years, the James Webb Space Telescope has been spotting enormous black holes in the early universe that defy all expectations. Now, astronomers are finally deciphering the origins of these cosmic behemoths.
Image of a planet in space. The planet has red land masses surrounded by large areas of blue water dotted with white clouds.
An ocean the size of the Arctic once covered half of Mars, new images hint Mars may have been a "blue planet" with an ocean the size of today's Arctic Ocean, a new study suggests.
Image of a horizontal oval with many orange and blue dots scattered throughout.
Dark matter and neutrinos may interact, hinting at 'fundamental breakthrough' in particle physics Astronomers found evidence that dark matter and neutrinos may interact, hinting at a "fundamental breakthrough" that challenges our understanding of how the universe evolved.
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Latest about Space

Composite image of the star-forming region NGC 1333 obtained by combining data from the 8.2 m Subaru Telescope and the Digitized Sky Survey.

Stunning array of 400 rings in a 'reflection' nebula solves a 30-year-old star-formation mystery — Space photo of the week

By Jamie Carter published

The discovery is the first direct observational confirmation of a theory for how young stars feed on, and then explosively expel, surrounding material.

Space
Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) shows the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) region in mid-infrared light, with warm dust glowing brightly. To the right is one clump of clouds that captured astronomers’ attention.

James Webb telescope spies a monstrous molecular cloud shrouded in mystery — Space photo of the week

By Shreejaya Karantha published

In this James Webb telescope image, the gigantic molecular cloud near our galaxy's center appears as a canvas of pink and purple clouds set against a shadowy backdrop.

Astronomy
This illustration lays a depiction of the sun's magnetic fields over an image captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on March 12, 2016.

Is the sun really a dwarf star?

By Charles Q. Choi published

Our sun is huge, at least compared to Earth and the other planets. So is it really a dwarf?

The Sun

Uranus and Neptune may be 'rock giants,' not 'ice giants,' new model of their cores suggests

By Mason Wakley published

A new computational model suggests that Uranus' and Neptune's cores may be less icy than their "ice giant" nickname suggests.

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Planets
man holding a lantern on a rock formation under orion

The easiest constellations for beginners to spot in winter (and what you need to see them)

By Jamie Carter published

From Orion and Taurus to Auriga and Perseus, here are 10 easy sets of stars to find in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter night sky.

Space

Science history: James Webb Space Telescope launches — and promptly cracks our view of the universe — Dec. 25, 2021

By Tia Ghose published

The James Webb Space Telescope blasted off from a launchpad in French Guiana in 2021, before reaching a spot in orbit a million miles away. It soon began breaking cosmology.

Space
An artist's concept of the exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b (at left) orbiting a pulsar (right)

'What the heck is this?' James Webb telescope spots inexplicable planet with diamonds and soot in its atmosphere

By Elizabeth Howell published

Scientists using the James Webb telescope observed a distant exoplanet with an atmosphere of soot and diamonds, challenging all explanations.

Astronomy

First-ever 'superkilonova' double star explosion puzzles astronomers

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

A double explosion, in which a dying star split, then recombined, may be a long-hypothesized but never-before-seen "superkilonova."

Space
man stood in a snowy field under the night sky

The 9 best things to see in the night sky with binoculars from November 2025 to January to 2026

By Jamie Carter published

Discover the highlights of the Northern Hemisphere’s winter night sky with our guide to the top celestial sights to enjoy through binoculars between November 2025 and January 2026.

Space

NASA spacecraft takes milestone 100,000th image of Mars (photo)

By Brandon Specktor published

NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft has just taken its milestone 100,000th photo of the Red Planet using its high-definition camera. It reveals a dark region of moving sand dunes.

Mars
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