Astronomy

Astronomy

Tabby’s star is probably just dusty, and still not an alien megastructure

New looks at older data on the weirdly flickering Tabby’s star muddy possible explanations — but it’s still probably not aliens.

Astronomy

Star that exploded in 1437 tracked to its current position

Astronomers have hunted down a star seen exploding in the year 1437 and traced it since, offering clues to the stages of a white dwarf.

Astronomy

Rumors swirl that LIGO snagged gravitational waves from a neutron star collision

Telescopes seem to be following up on a potential gravitational wave sighting.

Astronomy

Here’s what the Science News family did for the eclipse

On August 21, 2017, the path of a total solar eclipse went coast to coast across the United States. Here are our dispatches.

Science & Society

Patience is one virtue scientists must embrace

Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill discusses how being patient isn't always easy in scientific work.

Astronomy

Inquiries about the moon’s twilight zone, and more reader feedback

Readers had questions about the moon's tidal locking, quantum communication, microneedles and more.

Astronomy

As Cassini’s tour of Saturn draws to a close, a look back at postcards from the probe

As Cassini prepares to plunge to its death, we celebrate the spacecraft's discoveries and breathtaking images of Saturn, its rings and moons.

Astronomy

These chip-sized spacecraft are the smallest space probes yet

Space initiative dubbed Breakthrough Starshot sent the smallest spacecraft yet into orbit around Earth.

Astronomy

On a mountain in Wyoming, the eclipse brings wonder — and, hopefully, answers

Astronomy writer Lisa Grossman joined scientists on a mountain in Wyoming who were measuring the corona using four different instruments to try to figure out why it’s so hot.

Astronomy

Eclipse watchers will go after the biggest solar mystery: Why is the corona so hot?

Usually when you move away from a heat source, it gets cooler. Not so in the sun’s atmosphere.

Astronomy

Does the corona look different when solar activity is high versus when it’s low?

Carbondale, Ill., will get two eclipses in a row, seven years apart — making it the perfect spot to watch the solar cycle in action.

Astronomy

Cosmic lens lets astronomers zoom in on a black hole’s burps

The beginnings of a jet from an active black hole in a distant galaxy were spotted thanks to a lucky alignment.