Astronomy
Against the odds, a burbling lava planet retains an atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope detected an atmosphere on a lava-covered exoplanet, evidence that small planets close to stars can have atmospheres.
Astronomy
More Stories in Astronomy
- Astronomy
Dark matter ‘nuggets’ could explain the Milky Way’s mysterious glow
A mysterious excess of far-ultraviolet light seen across the Milky Way could come from the annihilation of clumpy dark matter.
- Life
How these strange cells may explain the origin of complex life
The tiny pantheon known as the Asgard archaea bear traits that hint at how plants, animals and fungi emerged on Earth.
- Space
America risks losing its role as a space science pioneer
Funding uncertainties are pushing U.S. space scientists out of the field and putting existing and future space missions on the chopping block.
- Astronomy
Early views of a supernova’s first moments reveal a lopsided blast
Some of the earliest images ever taken in the wake of massive star’s death give astronomers important clues about what triggers a supernova.
- Astronomy
See the largest, most detailed radio image of the Milky Way yet
Supernova remnants, stellar nurseries and more populate the new edge-on view of the Milky Way as seen from Earth’s southern hemisphere.
- Astronomy
Some planets might home brew their own water
Tests on olivine hint that water-rich exoplanets could generate H2O internally, possibly explaining ocean worlds and even some of Earth’s early water.
- Astronomy
Astronomers saw a rogue planet going through a rapid growth spurt
The growth spurt hints that the free-floating object evolves like a star, providing clues about rogue planets’ mysterious origins.
- Astronomy
See a 3-D map of stellar nurseries based on data from the Gaia telescope
The map, spanning 4,000 light-years from the sun in all directions, combines a chart of space dust with the effects of a rare type of young, hot star.
- Space
This black hole flipped its magnetic field
Event Horizon Telescope data reveal the magnetic field around M87* shifted, weakened and then flipped, defying theoretical expectations.
