science

Latest about science

This landscape of "mountains" and "valleys" speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s new James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals for the first time previously invisible areas of star birth.

The James Webb Space Telescope's first images are here, and they're spectacular

By Brandon Specktor last updated

On Tuesday (July 12), NASA revealed the five debut images of the James Webb Space Telescope — the most powerful space telescope in history.

Space Exploration
The Buck Moon rises big and bright and Wednesday, July 13.

July’s 'Buck supermoon' on Wednesday will be 2022's biggest full moon

By Brandon Specktor published

On July 13, the 'Buck Supermoon' rises as this year's third consecutive supermoon.

Astronomy
An artist's impression of a near-Earth asteroid.

Scientists just detected a bus-sized asteroid that will fly extremely close to Earth tonight

By Brandon Specktor published

Astronomers detected a small asteroid called 2022 NF that will pass within 23% of the distance from Earth to the moon tonight.

Asteroids
A diagram showing the locations of five bright planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, in the predawn sky on June 17, 2022. (Image credit: Starry Night)

The best-ever view of an epic 5-planet alignment is happening this week

By Brandon Specktor published

Earth's moon will join a rare 5-planet alignment in the predawn hours of June 23 to 25, for the first time in more than 150 years.

Planets
Auroral images taken over New Zealand, showing a red auroral arc (left), the skyglow called STEVE (middle), and a partial arc with green picket fence structures (right).

Blood-red aurora transforms into 'STEVE' before stargazer's eyes

By Brandon Specktor published

New footage shows the mysterious auroral phenomenon called STEVE emerging from a blood-red arc of light in New Zealand in 2015.

Astronomy
An illustration of the mysterious spiral's history, showing (from bottom to top) its evolution 12,000 years ag, 8,000 years ago, 4,000 years ago, and today.

Bizarre spiral object found swirling around Milky Way's center

By Brandon Specktor published

A large star surrounded by a spiral-shaped disk of dust could be the result of an ancient near-miss collision at the Galactic Center.

Cosmology
The Strawberry Supermoon will rise over Earth on June 14, 2022.

Watch a glorious 'Strawberry Supermoon' burst into the sky on June 14

By Brandon Specktor published

How to watch the June full moon, a supermoon known as the Strawberry Moon, rise on June 14.

The Moon
Artist's impression of an energy jet blasting out of quasar 3C 273

Massive, unknown radio structure detected around the universe's brightest quasar

By Brandon Specktor published

Two previously unknown radio structures have been detected around quasar 3C273, the first and brightest quasar ever detected.

Cosmology
Asteroid 7335 (1989 JA), measuring four times as wide as the Empire State Building is high, will make a close approach to Earth on May 27, 2022.

Asteroid four times the size of the Empire State Building barreling toward Earth on May 27

By Brandon Specktor published

The near-Earth asteroid 7335 (1989 JA) will make a close approach to our planet on May 27, 2022, flying within about 2.5 million miles of Earth.

Asteroids
Artist’s impression of newly discovered extra-galactic pulsar, PSR J0523-7125, within the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Distant 'galaxy' isn't a galaxy at all — but one of the brightest pulsars ever detected

By Brandon Specktor published

The pulsar PSR J0523−7125 is so bright that astronomers thought it was a distant galaxy.

Cosmology
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Archives