Staring up into the night sky, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite expanse of space, with every pinprick of light in the vast canopy of darkness a star holding secrets forged by 13.8 billion years of the universe's existence. And yet, despite its great age and the unfathomable distance between us and even our nearest neighbor, through the study of astronomy we are able to understand more about the world beyond our atmosphere.
Join our expert writers and editors as we reveal the greatest mysteries in cosmology, such as how black holes form, and explore celestial bodies like exoplanets and nebulas, that are scattered throughout our universe. You will also discover how scientists are pushing the boundaries of space exploration using observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope with the latest astronomy news, features and articles.
Discover more about astronomy
—35 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images
—What is the hottest place in the universe?
—Best telescopes 2024: Beginner and advanced scopes for stars, galaxies and nebulas
Latest about Astronomy
-
-
When does the next full moon rise?By Jamie Carter Last updated -
One of Neptune's 16 moons is not like the others, James Webb telescope findsBy Elizabeth Howell Published -
James Webb telescope reveals largest-ever map of the universe's megastructuresBy Ivan Farkas Published -
Watch a newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid fly super close to Earth todayBy Harry Baker Last updated -
Webb and Hubble sink deep into the dazzling Whirlpool Galaxy — Space photo of the weekBy Jamie Carter Published -
The Milky Way ate a galaxy called Loki, and scientists think they found its bonesBy Shreejaya Karantha Published
-
Explore Astronomy
Asteroids
-
-
Watch a newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid fly super close to Earth todayBy Harry Baker Last updated -
All 5 'letters' of DNA found on an asteroid speeding through our solar system. What do they tell us about the origins of life?By Patrick Pester Published 4 Comments -
'City killer' asteroid will narrowly miss the moon, James Webb Telescope revealsBy Brandon Specktor Last updated 2 Comments -
Asteroid 2024 YR4's collision with the moon could create a flash visible from EarthBy Deepa Jain Published 3 Comments -
'Potentially hazardous' asteroid 2024 YR4 was Earth's first real-life planetary defense testBy Andy Tomaswick Published -
Astronomers discover skyscraper-size asteroid hidden in sun's glareBy Patrick Pester Published -
$100,000 quadrillion asteroid Psyche may be the product of metal volcanoes, study hintsBy Deepa Jain Published 3 Comments -
Sneaky asteroid zooms past Antarctica closer than a satellite — and astronomers didn't catch it until hours afterBy Brandon Specktor Published -
Our solar system's asteroid belt is slowly disappearingBy Mark Thompson Published
-
Black Holes
-
-
2 supermassive black holes may collide 100 years from now — and Earth would feel itBy Kenna Hughes-Castleberry Published 12 Comments -
The first black hole ever discovered is spewing 'dancing jets' at half the speed of lightBy Harry Baker Published -
Stephen Hawking's black hole paradox could be solved — if the universe has 7 dimensionsBy Andrey Feldman Published 7 Comments -
The hungriest black holes in the universe are running out of food, survey of 8,000 cosmic monsters revealsBy Ivan Farkas Published -
Universe-shaking collision of black hole and neutron star could upend our understanding of monster cosmic mergersBy Brandon Specktor Published -
Exotic prime numbers could be hiding inside black holesBy Lyndie Chiou Published -
Science history: Stephen Hawking writes a tiny paper — and turns our understanding of black holes inside out — March 1, 1974By Tia Ghose Published 2 Comments -
Scientists spot 'rule-breaking' black hole growing 13 times faster than should be possibleBy Ivan Farkas Published 6 Comments -
Scientists may have seen a star collapse directly into a black hole without exploding firstBy Evan Gough Published
-
Comets
-
-
Eta Aquariids to peak this week: How to see 'shooting stars' dropped by Halley's CometBy Jamie Carter Published -
'What are the odds': Superbright comet and exploding fireball meteor form near-perfect X over European castleBy Harry Baker Published -
'RIP, Comet MAPS': Watch the superbright sungrazer become a 'headless wonder' after being ripped apart by the sunBy Harry Baker Published -
How to see Comet PanSTARRS as it brightens in the night sky this weekBy Jamie Carter Published 2 Comments -
Rare 'sungrazer' comet MAPS could appear brighter than ever on Saturday: What to knowBy Jamie Carter Published -
'Farting' comet seen reversing its spin for the first time everBy Harry Baker Published -
'Interstellar messenger' 3I/ATLAS could be nearly as old as the universe itself, James Webb telescope observations revealBy Patrick Pester Published 2 Comments -
Scientists propose new plan to 'catch' comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fastBy Matthew Williams Published -
City-size, cold-volcano comet transforms into a glowing 'snail shell' after major explosive outburstBy Harry Baker Published 2 Comments
-
Cosmology
-
-
Physicists find possible errors in 100-year-old model of the universeBy Andrey Feldman Published 7 Comments -
James Webb telescope zooms in on a black hole that could reveal the truth about 'little red dots'By Ivan Farkas Published -
New AI algorithms are 95% better at showing how the universe changes over timeBy Paul Sutter Published -
The universe may end trillions of years sooner than we thoughtBy Paul Sutter Published 17 Comments -
Interview'The chances of you living 50 years are very small': Theoretical physicist explains why humanity likely won't survive to see all the forces unifiedBy Tia Ghose Published 27 Comments -
Largest-ever 3D map of the universe shows 47 million galaxies, from the Milky Way to 'cosmic noon' — Space photo of the weekBy Jamie Carter Published 32 Comments -
Our leading theory of dark matter may be wrong, huge new gravity study hintsBy Paul Sutter Published 8 Comments -
'Invisible scaffolding of the universe' revealed in ambitious new James Webb telescope imagesBy Joanna Thompson Published 3 Comments -
Every major galaxy is speeding away from us, except one — and we finally know whyBy Ivan Farkas Published 26 Comments
-
Meteoroids
-
-
Lyrid meteor shower 2026: See spring's first rain of 'shooting stars' peak in moonless skiesBy Jamie Carter Published -
Bright-green fireball meteor caught exploding above famous Viking raid site in UKBy Harry Baker Published 7 Comments -
I found a new meteor shower — and it comes from an asteroid getting baked to bits by the sunBy Patrick M. Shober Published -
Cannonball-size meteorite crashes through roof of Texas home as multiple 'fireballs' rain down on the USBy Harry Baker Published 6 Comments -
Rare 'daytime fireball' meteor creates powerful sonic boom as 7-ton space rock explodes above eastern USBy Harry Baker Published -
Falling meteorite smashes hole in roof of German house after spectacular 'fireball' explosion over EuropeBy Harry Baker Published -
Ursid meteor shower 2025: When and where to see 'shooting stars' on the longest night of the yearBy Jamie Carter Published -
See up to 150 'shooting stars' per hour this weekend as the Geminid meteor shower reaches its stunning peakBy Jamie Carter Last updated 3 Comments -
100,000 mph 'comet fragment' explodes in green fireball over Great Lakes, eerie videos showBy James Price Published
-
Planets
-
-
One of Neptune's 16 moons is not like the others, James Webb telescope findsBy Elizabeth Howell Published -
Watch NASA's Curiosity rover 'struggle' to remove a rock that got stuck on its robotic arm for nearly a weekBy Harry Baker Published -
'I was not looking for this': Scientist accidentally finds shortcut to Mars that could slash travel time in halfBy Sharmila Kuthunur Published 21 Comments -
Scientists identify 10,000 'impossible' exoplanet candidates, potentially tripling the number of known alien worldsBy Harry Baker Published -
NASA's Curiosity rover finds a surprising number of giant 'dragon scales' littered across MarsBy Harry Baker Published -
A giant 'shadow' has been creeping across Mars for 50 years — and scientists aren't sure whyBy Harry Baker Published 4 Comments -
Saturn's chaotic atmosphere revealed in most comprehensive view yet by James Webb and Hubble telescopesBy Kenna Hughes-Castleberry Published -
NASA rover discovers first ruby-like crystals on MarsBy Ivan Farkas Published -
An anomaly in Mars' mantle could trigger volcanoes to erupt — and may be causing the whole planet to spin fasterBy Kenna Hughes-Castleberry Published 5 Comments
-
The Moon
-
-
When does the next full moon rise?By Jamie Carter Last updated -
May's Flower 'micromoon' will look extra small tonight, with a rare Blue Moon followingBy Jamie Carter Published 2 Comments -
There were 'audible screams of delight': Why Artemis II sightings of meteor flashes on the moon have scientists giddyBy Sharmila Kuthunur Published -
Does the moon look the same from everywhere on Earth?By Deepa Jain Published 2 Comments -
The moon is green and brown? Why scientists are already excited about Artemis II's historic lunar photosBy Elizabeth Howell Published 7 Comments -
'So much magic': Artemis II shares first images from the far side of the moon, including new 'Earthset' and total eclipse in spaceBy Ben Turner Published -
INTERVIEW'This generation's moment': How the Artemis missions will reframe humanity's relationship with the moonBy Kenna Hughes-Castleberry Published -
How to catch the full 'Pink Moon' in April followed by a 'Blue Moon' in MayBy Jamie Carter Published -
'Blood moon' total eclipse dazzles millions around the world (photos)By Brandon Specktor Published
-
The Sun
-
-
Eruption blows hole in sun's atmosphere, unleashing solar flare and potentially triggering northern lightsBy Patrick Pester Published -
Northern lights may be visible from several US states Friday and Saturday as giant hole opens up in sun's atmosphereBy Pandora Dewan Published 2 Comments -
March could be the best month for the northern lights for nearly a decadeBy Jamie Carter Published -
The sun just experienced its first 'spotless days' in 4 years — but we're not in the clear yetBy Harry Baker Published 6 Comments -
Lucky few to see 'ring of fire' solar eclipse over Antarctica on Feb. 17By Jamie Carter Published -
Auroras likely as most active sunspot in years turns toward EarthBy Brandon Specktor Last updated -
How long does it take the sun to rotate?By Ashley P. Taylor Published 4 Comments -
How to see 2 total solar eclipses in the next 2 years — including the 'eclipse of the century'By Jamie Carter Published -
Stunning time-lapse video captured using 'artificial eclipse' shows 3 massive eruptions on the sunBy Harry Baker Published
-
More about Astronomy
-
-
When does the next full moon rise?By Jamie Carter Last updated -
One of Neptune's 16 moons is not like the others, James Webb telescope findsBy Elizabeth Howell Published -
James Webb telescope reveals largest-ever map of the universe's megastructuresBy Ivan Farkas Published -
Watch a newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid fly super close to Earth todayBy Harry Baker Last updated -
Webb and Hubble sink deep into the dazzling Whirlpool Galaxy — Space photo of the weekBy Jamie Carter Published -
The Milky Way ate a galaxy called Loki, and scientists think they found its bonesBy Shreejaya Karantha Published -
Physicists find possible errors in 100-year-old model of the universeBy Andrey Feldman Published 7 Comments -
Eruption blows hole in sun's atmosphere, unleashing solar flare and potentially triggering northern lightsBy Patrick Pester Published -
James Webb telescope zooms in on a black hole that could reveal the truth about 'little red dots'By Ivan Farkas Published -
Watch NASA's Curiosity rover 'struggle' to remove a rock that got stuck on its robotic arm for nearly a weekBy Harry Baker Published
-