Milky Way
Latest about Milky Way

A rare 'black moon' rises this weekend: What is it, and what can you see?
By Jamie Carter published
Saturday's new moon is a seasonal "black moon" — a rare phenomenon that occurs once every 33 months. Here's what that means and why it's a great night for stargazing.

'Ice cube' clouds discovered at the galaxy's center shouldn't exist — and they hint at a recent black hole explosion
By Brandon Specktor published
Twin orbs of superhot plasma at the Milky Way's center known as the "Fermi bubbles" contain inexplicable clouds of cold hydrogen, new research reveals. They could help scientists figure out when our galaxy's black hole last erupted.

100 undiscovered galaxies may be orbiting the Milky Way, supercomputer simulations hint
By Ben Turner published
Our Milky Way could have many more satellite galaxies than we've detected so far. They're just too faint to be seen.

Echoes from the Big Bang suggest Earth is trapped inside a giant cosmic void, scientists claim
By Ben Turner published
Astronomers claim to have found new evidence supporting a controversial observation that our galaxy is residing in an unusually sparse region in space. If it's correct, it could rewrite cosmology.

Scientists discover rare planet at the edge of the Milky Way using space-time phenomenon predicted by Einstein
By Ben Turner published
Using gravitational microlensing, scientists have discovered a rare, large planet at the edge of the Milky Way. The planet is only the third to be found on the outskirts of our galaxy's dense central bulge.

How to see the Milky Way at its best in June
By Jamie Carter published
"Core season" for the Milky Way has arrived, with our galaxy visible all night as a band of light arching across the sky. Here's where, when, and how to get the best views in June.

Catastrophic collision between Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies may not happen after all, new study hints
By Ben Turner last updated
Astronomers have long predicted that a collision between our galaxy and nearby Andromeda could be inevitable, but new calculations suggest this may be an over exaggeration.
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