Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighboring planets, in nebulae—clouds of interstellar dust and gas—hundreds or thousands of...

Where exactly is the edge of the Milky Way? That question is harder to answer than one might expect. Since we’re inside of the galaxy...

For a long time, scientists believed that having two stars in one system would make it difficult for planets to form. The strong gravitational pull...

Stars may look calm and steady in the night sky, but deep inside they are constantly moving and changing. One of the most important changes...

Scientists know that the behaviour of stars can dictate planetary habitability. Research shows that young stars emit powerful radiation that can strip planetary atmospheres away. And...

NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a surprising variety of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals that scientists consider important building blocks for life on...

From Earth, we only ever see half of the sun. The other half—the far side—is always hidden from view. But what happens there still matters. Powerful...

A star’s mass decides almost everything about its life, from how bright it shines to how it eventually dies. But for young stars hidden deep...

Astronomers have discovered a distant planet similar to Jupiter that may be covered with thick clouds, offering new insights into how giant planets form...

Fungi are already known for being tough, but new research suggests that some types might be strong enough to survive the long and harsh...

Scientists have found new evidence that Mars may once have been home to a vast ocean covering about one-third of the planet. The discovery comes...

Traveling to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri, is far beyond the reach of today’s rockets. With current technology, such a journey would take...

The explosion of a star is a dramatic event, but the remains the star leaves behind can be even more dramatic. A new mid-infrared image provides one stunning example.

New research suggests that aging stars may be destroying the giant planets orbiting nearest to them—a dramatic process that could foreshadow the distant future...

Scientists from the University of Leicester have made a groundbreaking discovery on Uranus. For the first time ever, they've detected a special kind of light...

A "deep learning" approach to detecting storms on Saturn is set to transform our understanding of planetary atmospheres, according to University College London and...

The composition of the atmosphere, especially the abundance of greenhouse gases, influences Earth’s climate. Researchers at Purdue University, led by Stephanie Olson, assistant professor of...