Space

Editor's Picks

an illustration showing the hypothetical Planet 9 with blue rings and a question mark over it, with stars and a galaxy in the background
Planet Nine: Is the search for this elusive world nearly over? Astronomers have been scouring the outer solar system for signs of a hypothetical ninth planet for almost a decade, without success. However, we may finally be on the cusp of finding it, experts say.
Each bright spot in this image, the first all-sky image by eRosita, is black hole or a neutron star.
5 space discoveries that scientists are struggling to explain From "runaway" black holes shooting across the cosmos to secret planets in our own backyard, space is overrun with mysterious objects that scientists are clamoring to explain. Here are five of the strangest sights in the universe, as well as their possible origins.
An illustration of a large, round asteroid having a close encounter with the blue Earth
NASA's most wanted: The 5 most dangerous asteroids to Earth What is the most dangerous asteroid, how probable is an impact, and how much destructive power would a collision with Earth have? Here are 5 big space rocks that NASA is watching closely.

Latest about Space

A photo of the sun showing a bright flash on its surface

Monster X-class flare launches massive solar storm towards Earth — and could trigger auroras this weekend

By Harry Baker published

The sun just unleashed one of its largest solar explosions in recent years, temporarily causing a radio blackout on Earth and spitting out a coronal mass ejection that will likely collide with our planet this weekend.

The Sun
An artist's rendering comparing the "eyeball planet" to Earth. It is about twice as large and features a circular liquid ocean surrounded by ice.

32 alien planets that really exist

By Brandon Specktor published

Beyond our solar system, countless alien worlds of lava, ice, water and noxious gas swirl through the cosmos. Here are some of the strangest exoplanets that scientists have discovered so far.

Exoplanets
Sega Toys Homestar Matataki on a shelf next to a plant

Sega Toys Homestar Matataki star projector review

By Tantse Walter published

Review How does the Sega Toys Homestar Matataki compare with the fan-favorite Homestar Flux? We put it to the test.

Review
An illustration of an asteroid orbiting above the blue Earth with the moon in the background

Can you see Earth's new 'minimoon' with the naked eye?

By Brandon Specktor published

On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "minimoon" called 2024 PT5. The bus-size asteroid is expected to orbit our planet for 57 days, but is too small to be visible to amateur skywatchers.

Asteroids
Artist impression of planet WASP-103b and its host star.

Are there any planets in the universe that aren't round?

By Ashley Hamer published

Earth is round, but are there any planets in the universe that aren't?

Space
This image from ESO’s VISTA telescope captures a celestial landscape of vast, glowing clouds of gas and tendrils of dust surrounding hot young stars.

Space photo of the week: Hot young suns glow blue, white and orange in the Lobster Nebula

By Jamie Carter published

The massive star-forming complex known as the Lobster Nebula is part of the biggest infrared map of the Milky Way galaxy ever created.

Space
An illustration of a blue laser beam shooting out of a black hole and passing a binary star system

Black hole 'blowtorch' is causing nearby stars to explode, Hubble telescope reveals

By Ben Turner published

Star explosions called novas are happening twice as often near a gargantuan black hole jet as they are in the rest of the galaxy, and astronomers aren't sure why.

Black Holes
An artists interpretation of starlink satellites in the sky

Newest Starlink satellites are leaking even more radiation than their predecessors — and could soon disrupt astronomy

By Harry Baker published

A new study reveals that Generation 2 Starlink satellites are leaking up to 30 times more radio waves than their predecessors. If SpaceX continues to deploy the newer versions as planned, we could reach an "inflection point" where astronomers can no longer properly study the cosmos, researchers warn.

Space Exploration
The galaxy GS-NDG-9422 surrounded by a field of stars and other galaxies.

James Webb telescope spots rare 'missing link' galaxy at the dawn of time

By Ben Turner published

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have spotted a rare galaxy at the dawn of time that may be a "missing link" between the oldest generation of stars and the ones we see near Earth.

Astronomy
An artist's illustration of Earth and the moon orbiting a white dwarf star.

Astronomers spot a possible 'future Earth' — 8 billion years into its future

By Ben Turner published

The rocky planet, roughly twice Earth's size, has offered astronomers a glimpse of one of Earth’s possible futures — if it doesn’t get engulfed by our expanding sun.

Exoplanets
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