Astronomy & Space News

This composite image shows the progression of a total solar eclipse over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain on, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.

The constellation Orion is framed by two Perseid meteors on Aug. 12, 2018, in Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah.

A total solar eclipse is seen from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope imaged the planetary nebula NGC 2392, the Lion Nebula, using the observatory’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments. The central star’s remains are responsible for the nebula’s structure, including a lion face-shaped bubble of ionized gas and dust “mane.”

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir wears a set of virtual reality goggles, also called the Nevada Screening Vision System, for a test that measures visual function using a series of vision screening apps testing visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and more.

A first of its kind measurement of a magnetar may have captured empty space behaving in a way physicists have predicted for 90 years, but never directly observed. The results published Wednesday in Nature.

NASA astronaut candidate Adam Fuhrmann prepares for a training flight aboard NASA’s WB-57 aircraft.

Engineers connect the Orion crew and service modules for the Artemis III mission inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Technicians inside the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center complete installation of a commemorative plaque on the agency’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, as photographed on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

Relatively low tidal waters expose sandflats and mudflats in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau in this image acquired on November 28, 2025, with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. These coastal landforms support an array of invertebrates, making the archipelago a popular stopover for migratory shorebirds.

NASA opened its newest wind tunnel, the Flight Dynamics Research Facility at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on Friday, providing a critical resource for the agency and its partners to test the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, and space exploration vehicles.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the nearby galaxy Centaurus A, exposing the dusty structures and hidden activity that shape this unusual system.

This illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars' atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA's MAVEN mission.

NASA astronaut Chris Williams is seen outside the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft after he landed with Expedition 74 Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikaev in a remote area near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Sunday, July 26, 2026. The trio returned to Earth after logging 241 days in space as a members of Expeditions 73 and 74 aboard the International Space Station.

From left, Expedition 74 flight engineers Anna Kikina and Pyotr Dubrov of Roscosmos, and Anil Menon of NASA pose for a portrait while holding a cake celebrating their recent arrival aboard the International Space Station.

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 14: Mars meets M35 Mercury and Jupiter meet in a close conjunction this morning, as Mercury passes just 0.6° north of Jupiter at 5 A.M. EDT. The pair rises an hour before the Sun, some 3° southeast of open cluster M44,Continue reading "The Sky Today on Saturday, August 15: A conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter"

The post The Sky Today on Saturday, August 15: A conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back toContinue reading "2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases"

The post 2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

NASA’s Explorer 6 satellite was launched Aug. 7, 1959, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The spacecraft’s mission was to study Earth’s magnetic fields and radiation, as well as cosmic rays, geomagnetism, and micrometeorites. It also carried a photocell scanner, an instrument intended to photograph Earth’s cloud cover. A complication with one of its solar cells leftContinue reading "Aug. 14, 1959: Explorer 6 images Earth"

The post Aug. 14, 1959: Explorer 6 images Earth appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 13: Catch streaming shooting stars Mars stands within 1° of the open cluster M35 in the early-morning sky. Both are located at the feet of Gemini the Twins, after Mars crossed into the constellation from Taurus just two days ago.  AroundContinue reading "The Sky Today on Friday, August 14: Mars meets M35"

The post The Sky Today on Friday, August 14: Mars meets M35 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Friday, August 14Mars stands within 1° of the open cluster M35 in the early-morning sky of the 14th. Both are located at the feet of Gemini the Twins, after Mars crossed into the constellation from Taurus just two days ago.  Around 4:45 A.M. local daylight time, you’ll find the Red Planet nearly 30° high inContinue reading "The Sky This Week from August 14 to 21: Mercury and Jupiter meet"

The post The Sky This Week from August 14 to 21: Mercury and Jupiter meet appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Likely the best-known meteor shower of the year, the Perseids occur from late July through late August annually, typically peaking around Aug. 12-13. Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through the debris field left behind as a comet orbits the Sun. In the case of the Perseids, that comet is Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, discovered inContinue reading "Aug. 13, 2011: Perseids from space"

The post Aug. 13, 2011: Perseids from space appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Erly Alexandrino da Silva Neto from Vitória, Brazil NGC 6188 gets its nickname — The Fighting Dragons of Ara — for the ridges of dust that appear at the center of this frame, arched against a blue backdrop of gas and dust lit by the hot young stars of open cluster NGC 6193. Below itContinue reading "The dragons’ lair"

The post The dragons’ lair appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.  August 12: A total solar eclipse, plus the Perseids peak The early-morning hours of August 13 will be the best time to view this year’s Perseid meteor shower, peaking under the New Moon that brought August 12’s total solar eclipse.The shower’s highContinue reading "The Sky Today on Thursday, August 13: Catch streaming shooting stars"

The post The Sky Today on Thursday, August 13: Catch streaming shooting stars appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

On the evening of August 12, 2026, a group of about 50 Astronomy readers witnessed a terrific and mesmerizing total solar eclipse that lasted about 1 minute 30 seconds. Our group consisted of Americans who traveled to Madrid and began our journey over a week of exploration before capturing the beauty of one of Nature’s grandest spectacles.Continue reading "Astronomy readers see a wonderful Spanish eclipse"

The post Astronomy readers see a wonderful Spanish eclipse appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

AI’s appetite for power and water is growing as fast as its role in daily life. In 2024, artificial intelligence data centers accounted for roughly 4% of the U.S.’s electricity consumption. This figure is expected to more than double by 2030. To meet those increasing demands, several of Silicon Valley’s biggest names have turned theirContinue reading "AI outgrows Earth"

The post AI outgrows Earth appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

After eclipsing the Sun last Wednesday, the Moon returns to the evening sky as a crescent low in twilight. Watch it pass Venus, then Spica.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 14 – 23 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Sky & Telescope editors traveled the world, both literally and figuratively, to see the solar eclipse that darkened the world in the most magical way on August 12, 2026. Here are some of their stories.

The post Did You See the Solar Eclipse? Here’s What We Saw, from Around the World appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

With a new Moon in play, skywatchers anticipate a fine Perseid performance this year.

The post A Perfectly Timed Perseid Meteor Shower appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

The star at the heart of the oft-observed Helix Nebula powered a clumpy wind before it died. Now, new images capture these clumps’ dissolution into the space between stars.

The post The Helix Nebula is Hurling Clumps of Gas through Space appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

The only total solar eclipse of the year coincides with the Perseid meteor shower. Here's what you need to know to watch the eclipse.

The post Rare Total Solar Eclipse-Perseid Meteor Shower Double-Header August 12th appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

View the August 12th total solar eclipse from anywhere — the livestream options are plentiful!

The post Where to See the August 12th Solar Eclipse Online appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

In twilight, watch bold Venus and tiny Spica approach each other to meet September 1st. And check whether you'll be able to see anything of Wednesday's solar eclipse!

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 7 – 16 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Several science campaigns plan to greet the racing shadow of the Moon on August 12th.

The post Science Campaigns Planned for the August 12th Total Solar Eclipse appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Scientists observing the Sun with the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope have caught a wave-like shape that's never been seen on the Sun's visible surface.

The post Inouye Solar Telescope Sees the Sun Closer Than Ever appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Brief but powerful flashes of radio waves are aiding astronomers' quest to find and map cosmic gas.

The post A New Way to Map the Universe's Missing Matter appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

JWST has uncovered surprising clues that Neptune’s strange inner moons may be the wreckage of an ancient cosmic catastrophe. Researchers detected clay-like minerals on Larissa, Galatea, and Neptune’s rings that form in the presence of liquid water—yet the moons themselves show no obvious water ice. The material likely came from deep inside much larger icy moons that were shattered when Triton was captured by Neptune, destroying much of the planet’s original satellite system.

Astronomers have released more than three million new spectra in a sweeping expansion that, for the first time, brings SDSS-V optical observations to the Southern Hemisphere. The data reveal everything from rare stars and glowing nebulae to hundreds of thousands of X-ray sources and supermassive black holes changing over time.

NASA’s Perseverance rover caught a striking first from Mars: Earth disappearing behind the tiny moon Phobos. Seen from nearly 195 million miles away, our planet was reduced to a single point of light before briefly vanishing behind Phobos. The rare alignment created an unusual cosmic portrait of Earth as seen from another planet.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a bizarre object from just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang that looks like an enormous star but shines far too brightly to actually be one. The mysterious red object, dubbed a “black hole star,” may contain a black hole about 100,000 times the mass of the Sun wrapped inside a dense, star-like cocoon of hydrogen roughly the size of our solar system.

James Webb has captured a striking new infrared view of NGC 2392, the Lion Nebula, revealing the dramatic aftermath of a dying Sun-like star. At its center, a scorching white dwarf is blasting radiation into surrounding gas and dust, carving out the nebula’s lion-like face while illuminating a sprawling “mane” of surviving dusty clumps.

Some black holes roaming the Universe today may actually be older than the Big Bang. A new cosmic “bounce” model suggests the Universe expanded from an earlier contracting phase, allowing ancient black holes to survive the transition as cosmic fossils. These relics could potentially explain dark matter and why surprisingly massive objects appeared so early in cosmic history.

NASA is assembling the foundations of a future Moon Base through a wave of robotic missions and powerful new commercial landers. More than 20 landings are planned through 2029, testing everything from precision landings and lunar communications to rovers, power systems, and technology that can survive the Moon’s extreme conditions. Upcoming missions could also make history by exploring the Moon’s far side and a mysterious magnetic lunar swirl. Each landing brings NASA closer to a sustained human presence on the lunar surface.

A total solar eclipse will plunge parts of Europe into darkness on August 12, 2026, with Spain offering some of the best views. ESA will livestream the spectacle from the Javalambre Observatory, combining telescope feeds, drone footage, and expert commentary. At 20:31 CEST, the observatory will experience 1 minute and 21 seconds of totality, revealing the Sun’s normally hidden outer atmosphere.

NASA engineers have found a clever way to squeeze more life out of Voyager 2, nearly half a century after it left Earth. In an operation nicknamed the “Big Bang,” the team simultaneously shut down certain power-hungry hardware and switched to lower-power alternatives while keeping the spacecraft warm enough to survive.

Cassini data has revealed a surprising twist in Saturn’s magnetic shield: the planet’s rapid rotation appears to drag a key opening in its magnetosphere far toward the afternoon side instead of keeping it near noon, as happens on Earth. The finding confirms that giant planets like Saturn operate under a fundamentally different magnetic regime, where fast spin and charged material from moons such as Enceladus can overpower the Sun’s influence.

A rare meteorite that crashed through a New Jersey roof contains evidence of ancient salty fluids, organic compounds, and amino acids from a primitive asteroid. Its pristine chemistry could offer new clues about how space rocks helped supply early Earth with some of the ingredients needed for life.

Scientists have discovered incredibly tiny plasma whirlpools swirling across the Sun’s surface, some just 20 kilometers wide. These previously invisible vortices may twist magnetic fields and help build up the energy released in small solar eruptions called nanoflares. They may also help magnetic fields spread through the Sun’s atmosphere far faster than current models can explain.

A ten-month Antarctic experiment found that astronauts may struggle not only with loneliness but also with spending too much time around the same people. Frequent contact was linked to greater tension and mistrust, while the crew increasingly divided into cultural and language-based groups.

Metal-rich asteroids could one day become hardware stores for Mars, supplying the materials needed to build and repair a growing colony. A new analysis shows that carefully selected asteroids may be reachable with current spacecraft technology. Some could even provide the ingredients for making rocket fuel in space, dramatically reducing the burden of hauling supplies from Earth.

A supermassive black hole has been found lurking about 30,000 light-years from the center of its galaxy—the first dormant black hole detected so far from a galactic core. It revealed itself only after shredding a passing star and producing a brief, brilliant flare. Astronomers think it may be the remnant of a devoured galaxy or a black hole flung outward during a chaotic cosmic encounter.