Astronomy & Space News

This image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) of star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot young stars carve out cavities in surrounding gas and dust.

The ocean holds about 97 percent of Earth's water and covers 70 percent of our planet's surface. According to the United Nations, the ocean may be home to 50 to 80 percent of all life on Earth. Even if you live hundreds of miles from a coast, what happens in the ocean is fundamental to your life.

NASA Engineer Cindy Fuentes Rosal waves goodbye to a Black Brant IX sounding rocket launching from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The rocket was part of a series of three launches for the Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP) mission to study the disturbances in the electrified region of Earth’s atmosphere known as the ionosphere created when the Moon eclipses the Sun. The rockets launched before, during, and after peak local eclipse time on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

A team of engineers lifts the mast into place atop of NASA’s VIPER robotic Moon rover in a clean room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

This spectacular image showing the Moon’s shadow on Earth’s surface was acquired during a 20-second period starting at 2:59 p.m. EDT (18:59:19 UTC) on April 8, 2024, by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

The new era in space flight began on April 12, 1981. That is when the first Space Shuttle mission (STS-1) was launched. The Marshall Space Flight Center developed the propulsion system for the Space Shuttle. This photograph depicts the launch of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia crewed with two astronauts, John Young and Robert Crippen.

A total solar eclipse is seen in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, left, Frank Rubio, Warren Hoburg, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, right, pose for a photo wearing solar glasses, Tuesday, March 19, 2024, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Bowen, Hoburg, and Alneyadi spent 186 days aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 69; while Rubio set a new record for the longest single spaceflight by a U.S. astronaut, spending 371 days in orbit on an extended mission spanning Expeditions 68 and 69.

“… I've just seen such tremendous things happen since I've been part of the Astrobiology Program, and that's why I'm pretty confident we're going to find life elsewhere, because there are just so many brilliant people working on this.” — Melissa Kirven-Brooks, Exobiology Deputy Branch Chief and Future Workforce Lead of the NASA Astrobiology Program, NASA’s Ames Research Center

What looks like highways going through a metropolitan area are actually a series of glaciers carving their way through the Karakoram mountain range north of the Himalayas. This photograph was taken from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above.

The primary structure of the Gateway space station's HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) module is one step closer to launch following welding completion in Turin, Italy. HALO is one of four Gateway modules where astronauts will live, conduct science, and prepare for lunar surface missions. NASA is partnering with Northrop Grumman and their subcontractor Thales Alenia Space to develop HALO.

Safety is important, no matter where you're viewing the eclipse. NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station show off their eclipse glasses, which allow safe viewing of the Sun during a solar eclipse.

“One of my cornerstone pinnacles [is], ‘Show up to work [and] life with integrity and intent.’ So, accomplish your goals with integrity, intent, and a mission. Stick to that and have the confidence to do that, and be OK with messing up and failing, and have fun with those things." — Meghan Everett, International Space Station Program Deputy Chief Scientist, NASA’s Johnson Space Center

An Atlas-Centaur launched at 5:22 p.m. EST on March 27, 1969, to send Mariner 7 on its way to Mars. Mariner 7 joined its sister spacecraft, Mariner 6, on a journey that carried them within 2,000 miles of the red planet that summer. Mariner 6 was launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 24 and investigated the Martian equatorial area while Mariner 7 concentrated on the south polar cap.

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft will carry a special message when it launches in October 2024 and heads toward Jupiter's moon Europa. The moon shows strong evidence of an ocean under its icy crust, with more than twice the amount of water of all of Earth's oceans combined. A triangular metal plate, seen here, will honor that connection to Earth. The plate is made of tantalum metal and is about 7 by 11 inches (18 by 28 centimeters). It is engraved on both sides and seals an opening in the electronics vault, which houses the spacecraft's sensitive electronics. The art on this side of the plate features waveforms that are visual representations of the sound waves formed by the word "water" in 103 languages. The waveforms radiate out from a symbol representing the American Sign Language sign for "water."

Early last month, a hunk of metal crashed into a Florida home and tore through two floors before it punctured the floor, missing the homeowner’s son by two rooms. A home security camera recorded the crash at 2:34 pm local time (19:34 UTC) on March 8; five minutes prior, the U.S. Space Command cataloged theContinue reading "The metal chunk that burst through a Florida home came from the ISS"

The post The metal chunk that burst through a Florida home came from the ISS appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Temperature: The average temperature at the top of clouds on Jupiter is –244° F (–153° C). Escape velocity: To escape Jupiter’s gravity, you have to travel 133,100 miles (214,200 km) per hour, compared to 25,000 miles (40,200 km) per hour necessary to escape Earth’s gravity. Other information: The Great Red Spot on Jupiter can beContinue reading "Jupiter: Size, distance from the Sun, orbit"

The post Jupiter: Size, distance from the Sun, orbit appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

The most volcanic body in the solar system, Io is an infernal hellworld that constantly spits sulfurous magma into space. And a new study suggests that it’s been that way for a long, long time. The study, published in Science, indicates that for most of — or possibly all — its 4.57 billion years ofContinue reading "Jupiter’s moon Io has likely been active for our solar system’s entire history"

The post Jupiter’s moon Io has likely been active for our solar system’s entire history appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Full Moons wield a magnetic charm. This monthly event has been the inspiration behind myths, tales, traditions, and even farming. We’ll update this article multiple times each week with the latest moonrise, moonset, Full Moon schedule, and what you can see in the sky each week. The Full Moon in April 2024 is at 7:49Continue reading "2024 Full Moon calendar: Dates, times, types, and names"

The post 2024 Full Moon calendar: Dates, times, types, and names appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Friday, April 19The Moon reaches apogee, the farthest point from Earth in its orbit, at 10:10 P.M. EDT. Our satellite will sit 252,043 miles (405,624 kilometers) away at that time. As the Moon rises this evening, you’ll notice it is nearly Full. We’re just a few days from that lunar phase, as sunrise quickly sweepsContinue reading "The Sky This Week from April 19 to 26: Look out for bright Lyrids"

The post The Sky This Week from April 19 to 26: Look out for bright Lyrids appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Three hours before the 2024 total solar eclipse veiled parts of Indiana, the early afternoon cacophony of birds echoes through the forest. The rapid woody knock of a downy woodpecker, the longing call from a mourning dove, the cardinal’s signature whistle, and the lazy buzz of a bumble bee are all noted in the observationContinue reading "While millions watched the eclipse, these Purdue University scientists listened"

The post While millions watched the eclipse, these Purdue University scientists listened appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy a product through the links on this page, we may earn a commission. Finding the right telescope within your budget can be difficult whether you’re a novice stargazer or an experienced astronomer seeking to dive deeper into the cosmos. This buyer’s guide is here to help.Continue reading "The best telescopes if you want to spend somewhere from $90 to $11,000"

The post The best telescopes if you want to spend somewhere from $90 to $11,000 appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Saturn has 146 confirmed moons – more than any other planet in the solar system – but one called Enceladus stands out. It appears to have the ingredients for life. From 2004 to 2017, Cassini – a joint mission between NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency – investigated Saturn, its rings and moons. Cassini delivered spectacular findings. Enceladus,Continue reading "The search is on for extraterrestrial life on worlds like Enceladus"

The post The search is on for extraterrestrial life on worlds like Enceladus appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Atop a small hill, just north of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, lie the remains of what was once the most advanced astronomical observatory in the world. While the building itself has not survived, the underground section of its 151-foot-long sextant remains intact. The observatory and the discoveries made there sprang from the passion of a single man,Continue reading "The clever prince Ulugh Beg built — and used — an ingenious observatory in the 15th century"

The post The clever prince Ulugh Beg built — and used — an ingenious observatory in the 15th century appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Abhijit Patil, taken from Death Valley National Park, California The Milky Way is reflected in the flooded salt flats of Death Valley’s Badwater Basin in this 21-panel panorama with an astro-modified Nikon Z 6ii and zoom lens at 20mm. Sky panels were exposures of 180 seconds taken at f/3.2 and ISO 800; foreground and reflectionContinue reading "Salt lake pretty"

The post Salt lake pretty appeared first on Astronomy Magazine.

Springtime Leo walks high in the south, springtime Hydra snakes a quarter of the way around the celestial sphere, and the bright Moon aligns with Spica.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 19 – 28 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Millions of viewers were wowed by last week’s total solar eclipse. Now, we get to see the eclipse from another angle: space.

The post See Amazing Views of the April 8th Total Solar Eclipse from Space appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Wide-field photos of the total solar eclipse taken by several astronomers along the path of totality, caught a comet approaching the Sun.

The post Amateur Astronomers Caught Sungrazing Comet during Solar Eclipse appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Jupiter aligns with distant Uranus before it exits the evening sky as a bright supernova flares in the southern galaxy NGC 3621.

The post Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

NASA's Perseverance mission has been collecting samples for later retrieval and return to Earth. Now, it's unclear how we'll get those samples home.

The post NASA Struggles to Find Way Forward for Mars Sample Return appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

A star in the constellation Norma appears to have been created when two stars merged.

The post See What Happens When Stars Collide appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Jupiter is easy to spot, shining low in the west at nightfall. Near it are Uranus and Comet Pons-Brooks, tougher catches that require binoculars or a wide-field telescope — and some finding skills.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 12 – 21 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

New research suggests Exoplanet K2-18b may actually be a gas-rich planet with no habitable surface instead of a habitable water world.

The post The Planet K2-18b May Not Be Habitable After All appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

On August 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will be visible across Greenland, Iceland, and Spain, with plenty of inspiring itineraries.

The post Plan Now for the 2026 Total Solar Eclipse in Europe appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

With Sky & Telescope’s editors and writers scattered across the eclipse path, we have dozens of stories to share. Here are a few.

The post The Totality Experience: S&T’s Eclipse Stories appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Astronomers have discovered methane emission on a brown dwarf, an unexpected finding for such a cold and isolated world. The findings suggest that this brown dwarf might generate aurorae similar to those seen on our own planet as well as on Jupiter and Saturn.

Scientists have developed a new method using knot theory to find the optimal routes for future space missions without the need to waste fuel.

A nearby supernova in 2023 offered astrophysicists an excellent opportunity to test ideas about how these types of explosions boost particles, called cosmic rays, to near light-speed. But surprisingly, NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope detected none of the high-energy gamma-ray light those particles should produce.

Astronomers have identified the most massive stellar black hole yet discovered in the Milky Way galaxy. This black hole was spotted in data from the European Space Agency's Gaia mission because it imposes an odd 'wobbling' motion on the companion star orbiting it. Astronomers have verified the mass of the black hole, putting it at an impressive 33 times that of the Sun.

Physicists solve a puzzle linked to JWST-ER1g, a massive ancient galaxy that formed when the universe was just a quarter of its current age.

Physicists solve a puzzle linked to JWST-ER1g, a massive ancient galaxy that formed when the universe was just a quarter of its current age.

In 2022, astronomers discovered the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) of all time. Now, astronomers confirm that a 'normal' supernova, the telltale sign of a stellar collapse, accompanied the GRB. The team also looked for signatures of heavy elements like gold and platinum in the supernova. They found no evidence of such elements, deepening the mystery of their origins.

An international research team has for the first time directly detected stellar winds from three Sun-like stars by recording the X-ray emission from their astrospheres, and placed constraints on the mass loss rate of the stars via their stellar winds.

A star's magnetic field must be considered in order to correctly determine the characteristics of exoplanets from observations by space telescopes such as Kepler, James Webb, or PLATO. Researchers show that the distribution of the star's brightness over its disk depends on the star's level of magnetic activity. This, in turn, affects the signature of an exoplanet in observational data. The new model must be used in order to properly interpret the data from the latest generation of space telescopes pointed at distant worlds outside our Solar System.

When astronomers looked at a stellar pair at the heart of a stunning cloud of gas and dust, they were in for a surprise. Star pairs are typically very similar, like twins, but in HD 148937, one star appears younger and, unlike the other, is magnetic. New data suggest there were originally three stars in the system, until two of them clashed and merged. This violent event created the surrounding cloud and forever altered the system's fate.

Astrophysicists shed light on the relationship between the Milky Way and the Egyptian sky-goddess Nut. The paper draws on ancient Egyptian texts and simulations to argue that the Milky Way might have shone a spotlight, as it were, on Nut's role as the sky. It proposes that in winter, the Milky Way highlighted Nut's outstretched arms, while in summer, it traced her backbone across the heavens.

High sensitivity radio observations have discovered a cloud of magnetized plasma in the Hydra galaxy cluster. The odd location and shape of this plasma defy all conventional explanations. Dubbed the Flying Fox based on its silhouette, this plasma will remain a mystery until additional observations can provide more insight.

Captured by cutting-edge radio telescope technology, a chance reactivation of a magnetar -- the Universe's most powerful magnets -- has revealed an unexpectedly complex environment.

Scientists may be one step closer to unlocking one of the great mysteries of the universe after calculating that neutron stars might hold a key to helping us understand elusive dark matter.

The CHEOPS space telescope is providing new information on the mysterious exoplanet WASP-76b. This ultra-hot giant is characterized by an asymmetry between the amount of light observed on its eastern terminator -- the fictitious line that separates its night side from its day side -- and that observed on its western terminator. This peculiarity is thought to be due to a 'glory', a luminous phenomenon similar to a rainbow, which occurs if the light from the star -- the 'sun' around which the exoplanet orbits -- is reflected by clouds made up of a perfectly uniform substance. If this hypothesis is confirmed, this would be the first detection of this phenomenon outside our solar system.