Astronomy
21 stories related to this topic, newest first.
NASA / Harrison H. Schmitt / Wikimedia (Public domain)NASA Releases Thousands of Photos from Artemis II Lunar Mission
NASA has released over 12,000 images from the Artemis II mission, which orbited the moon in April 2026. The photos capture views of Earth, the lunar surface, and a solar eclipse observed during the crew's return. Astronauts from the mission also visited the United Nations headqua…
NOIRLab/NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory/NSF/AURA/R. Proctor / Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)Study Links Sun's 11-Year Cycle to Accelerated Orbital Decay of Space Debris
Researchers have identified a connection between peak solar activity and faster altitude loss for space junk in low Earth orbit. The findings, based on tracking 17 debris objects over three decades, show decay rates increasing when sunspot numbers reach 70 percent of their peak.…
Lunar and Planetary Institute from Houston, TX, USA / Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)Uranus's Outermost Rings Show Different Compositions Based on Telescope Data
Observations from multiple telescopes reveal that Uranus's mu and nu rings differ in color and material makeup. The mu ring consists of tiny ice grains, while the nu ring contains dust and organic molecules. These findings raise questions about the sources of the rings' materials…
Reid Wiseman/NASA / Wikimedia (Public domain)NASA Releases New Photos from Artemis II Mission Capturing Earth, Moon and Eclipse
NASA has released additional photographs from the Artemis II mission, depicting Earth and the Moon from space during the crew's journey and return. The images, taken in early April 2026, include views of the Earth passing behind the Moon and the Moon eclipsing the Sun. All 12,217…
app.buzzsumo.comAsteroid Apophis to Pass Within 20,000 Miles of Earth in 2029, NASA Says
An asteroid named Apophis will pass closer to Earth than many satellites on April 13, 2029, with no risk of impact, according to NASA. The object, classified as potentially hazardous, was discovered in 2004 and has been monitored since. Space agencies plan to study it during the…
app.buzzsumo.comAstronomers Detect Thin Atmosphere Around Kuiper Belt Object Beyond Pluto
Astronomers have detected a thin atmosphere around the Kuiper Belt object (612533) 2002 XV93, marking it as the smallest known body with a global atmosphere bound by gravity. The discovery, made through observations in Japan, challenges assumptions about atmospheres on small cele…
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope from Greenbelt, MD, USA / Wikimedia (CC BY 2.0)Astronomers Detect Thin Atmosphere on Tiny Icy World Beyond Pluto
Japanese astronomers have identified a thin atmosphere around the distant object (612533) 2002 XV93, challenging views on atmospheric presence in small solar system bodies. The finding, based on 2024 observations, was published in Nature Astronomy. Experts call for verification t…
ESO / Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)Astronomers Identify 27 Potential Planets Orbiting Binary Star Systems
A new survey using NASA's TESS telescope has identified 27 potential circumbinary planets, which orbit two stars instead of one. Researchers developed a method to detect these planets by monitoring changes in binary star orbits and eclipse schedules. The findings suggest thousand…
photo: Dr.Hausderivative work: an-d (talk) / Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)Comet C/2025 R3 PanSTARRS Visible in Southern Skies for Next Two Weeks
A comet originating from the Oort Cloud is currently visible in the southern hemisphere after passing around the sun. Viewers in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Pacific can observe it with binoculars or a telescope just after sunset. It will fade in brightness over…
ESO, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/Wong et al., ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit / Wikimedia (CC BY 4.0)Japan Launches First SETI Organization with Plans for 2027 Radio Observations
Astronomers in Japan formed the Japanese Society for SETI in April 2026, the country's first group dedicated to searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. The society, led by astrophysicist Shinya Narusawa, plans radio observations in August 2027 at Misato Observatory targeting…
DESI Completes Five-Year Sky Survey Mapping Over 47 Million Galaxies and Quasars
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument has finished its main five-year survey, capturing data on more than 47 million galaxies and quasars. This enables the creation of the most detailed map of the universe to date. The data will aid in studying dark energy and galaxy distribut…
ndtv.comLight Pollution Threatens Astronomical Sites in Chile's Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert in Chile provides optimal conditions for astronomy due to its dry climate, high altitude, and low light pollution. Recent proposals for development projects near observatories have raised concerns about potential impacts on sky clarity. Efforts are underway to…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Study Identifies 45 Rocky Exoplanets Potentially Capable of Supporting Life
An international research team has pinpointed 45 rocky exoplanets in the Milky Way that could sustain life, based on habitable zone analysis. The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, draw from data by the European Space Agency and NASA. Re…
Science NewsJames Webb Telescope Data Reveal Pristine Gas Clump 450 Million Years After Big Bang
Data from the James Webb Space Telescope show a bright clump of pristine gas, potentially housing first-generation stars, just 450 million years after the Big Bang. The clump, dubbed Hebe, lacks elements heavier than helium and emits light from highly energized helium and hydroge…
Science NewsNASA's SPHEREx Maps Water Ice Across Hundreds of Light-Years in Milky Way Stellar Nurseries
NASA's SPHEREx observatory has charted vast clouds of interstellar water ice in the Cygnus X and North American Nebula regions. The findings, reported in the April 20 Astrophysical Journal, confirm water's widespread presence in space. The maps are dozens of times wider than thos…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Interstellar Comet Passed Earth Last Year from Isolated Galactic Region, Astronomers Report
A comet from another star passed by Earth last year, originating in a cold, isolated part of the galaxy without its own solar system. Astronomers reported these findings on Thursday. The details come from @ABC reporting.
nasa.govNASA Unveils Fully Assembled Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope for Fall Launch
NASA has unveiled the fully assembled Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, marking a key milestone in its development as the agency's next-generation space observatory. The telescope completes a critical phase ahead of operational deployment. A launch is scheduled as early as this…
Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks on April 21 with Up to 20 Meteors Per Hour Visible
The annual Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak on April 21, 2026, producing bright meteors from comet debris. NASA astronaut Jessica Meir photographed a meteor streaking through Earth's atmosphere from the International Space Station. Prime viewing occurs overnight into April 22…
Photo: Beat Schuler / UnsplashNew Measurements Confirm Faster-Than-Expected Universe Expansion
Recent astronomical studies have confirmed a discrepancy in the universe's expansion rate, known as the Hubble tension. A collaboration measured the Hubble constant at 73.50 kilometers per second per megaparsec with high precision. Separate research suggests dark energy may be we…
Substrate placeholder — needs review · Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)Scientists Quantify Energy Output of Black Hole Cygnus X-1 Jets Traveling at Half Light Speed
A new study published in Nature Astronomy has measured the energy produced by the black hole Cygnus X-1, revealing jets that travel at half the speed of light and shine as bright as 10,000 suns. The research combined global radio telescope data to analyze the black hole’s plasma…
app.buzzsumo.comAsteroid Apophis to Pass Within 20,000 Miles of Earth on April 13, 2029
The asteroid Apophis will approach within about 20,000 miles of Earth's surface on April 13, 2029, closer than many satellites. NASA stated there is no danger to Earth or space assets during the flyby. The event offers a rare chance to study near-Earth asteroids with modern techn…