The atmosphere of an exoplanet reveals secrets about its surface
As astronomers have begun to gather data on the atmospheres of planets, we’re learning about their compositions and evolution.
Thick atmospheres are the easiest to...
How exoplanets can rapidly switch from habitable to hellish
Scientists have made a startling discovery about how a planet's climate can switch from being habitable, like Earth, to extremely hostile, like Venus, with...
What will happen if there is a black hole inside the sun?
In a striking blend of astronomy and theoretical physics, scientists have explored a mind-bending scenario: what if black holes existed inside stars?
This concept, stemming...
Webb sees a supernova go off in a gravitationally lensed galaxy – for the...
Nature, in its infinite inventiveness, provides natural astronomical lenses that allow us to see objects beyond the normal reach of our telescopes.
They’re called gravitational...
NASA tightbeams a cat video from 31 million kilometers away
NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) has been responsible for maintaining contact with missions venturing beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) since 1963.
In addition to relaying...
Why the universe might be a hologram
A quarter century ago, physicist Juan Maldacena proposed the AdS/CFT correspondence, an intriguing holographic connection between gravity in a three-dimensional universe and quantum physics...
Enjoy the holiday-themed Christmas tree cluster
Just in time for the holidays, a new composite image of the Christmas Tree Cluster (NGC 2264) has been released.
This image is a group...
Astronomers find the birthplaces of stars in the whirlpool galaxy
Understanding how star-forming works at a galactic scale is challenging in our Milky Way.
While we have a general understanding of the layout of our...
Can Webb find the first stars in the universe
The Universe’s very first stars had an important job.
They formed from the primordial elements created by the Big Bang, so they contained no metals.
It...
Astronomers find two planetary systems around sun-like stars
NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has been busy.
Clocking in over 5000 exoplanet candidates, the researchers who manage the telescope’s data have enlisted an...