Astronomy

Astronomy

All you need to know about the history of black holes

From dreaming up black holes to snapping the first picture of one, the history of black holes has had many twists.

Astronomy

The first picture of a black hole opens a new era of astrophysics

Astronomers used a network of telescopes around the world to take a picture of the supermassive black hole in the galaxy M87.

Science & Society

The delight of discovering an asteroid that spits

Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses recent news about the asteroid Bennu and Kuiper Belt–object Ultima Thule.

Astronomy

This planetary remnant somehow survived the death of its sun

A small, sturdy piece of planet survived the collapse of its sun and now orbits the dead star.

Physics

The LIGO and Virgo gravitational wave detectors are back on

Souped-up instruments could spot never-before-seen sources of gravitational waves.

Astronomy

4 things we’ll learn from the first closeup image of a black hole

Scientists are gearing up to release the first image of the black hole at the center of the galaxy. Here’s what they hope to find out.

Astronomy

X-ray ‘chimneys’ connect the Milky Way to mysterious gamma-ray bubbles

Two columns of X-rays that are hundreds of light-years long could explain the existence of giant bubbles of energetic light that sandwich the galaxy.

Astronomy

One of the strongest known solar storms blasted Earth in 660 B.C.

Ice cores and tree rings reveal that Earth was blasted with a powerful solar storm 2,610 years ago.

Astronomy

Merging magnetic blobs fuel the sun’s huge plasma eruptions

Solar eruptions called coronal mass ejections grow from a series of smaller events, observations show.

Astronomy

Readers have questions about Ultima Thule, thirsty plants and vitamin D

Readers had comments and questions about Ultima Thule, photosynthesis and more.

Astronomy

The first planet Kepler spotted has finally been confirmed 10 years later

Astronomers had dismissed the first exoplanet candidate spotted by the Kepler space telescope as a false alarm.

Cosmology

Hidden ancient neutrinos may shape the patterns of galaxies

The gravitational pull of subatomic particles born in the universe’s first second seem to influence how galaxies cluster into rings.