Space

The latest discoveries from space agencies and astronomers as they explore galaxies, black holes, exoplanets, and more. Also learn about night sky watching events right here on the home planet.

Latest in Space

A photomosaic taken by the Curiosity Rover on April 30, 2023 at the Ubajara drill site in Gale Crater, Mars. Rock powder samples drilled here contained substantial amounts of siderite (an iron carbonate mineral). The siderite played a role in ancient carbon cycling processes that impacted conditions at the planet’s surface. Rover tracks in the foreground are 40 cm wide. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars Curiosity rover finds key ingredient for past life on Mars

Red tinged spiral galaxy made with infrared wavelengths

The universe isn’t just expanding—it may be spinning The universe isn’t just expanding—it may be spinning

An illustration of what the aurora might have looked like during a polar reversal about 41,000 years ago. The green glow of an aurora is much further south than we see it today.

Sunscreen may have kept ancient humans alive during a polar reversal Sunscreen may have kept ancient humans alive during a polar reversal

By Laura Baisas

This is an artist’s impression of the exoplanet 2M1510 (AB) b’s unusual orbit around its host stars, a pair of brown dwarfs. The newly discovered planet has a polar orbit, which is perpendicular to the plane in which the two stars are travelling. Polar planets around single stars had been found before, as well as polar discs of gas and dust capable of forming planets around binary stars. But thanks to ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) this is the first time we have strong evidence that such a planet actually exists in a polar orbit around two stars. The two brown dwarfs appear as a single source in the sky, but astronomers know there are two of them because they periodically eclipse each other. Using the UVES spectrograph on the VLT they measured their orbital speed, and noticed that their orbits change over time. After carefully ruling out other explanations, they concluded that the gravitational tug of a planet in a polar orbit was the only way to explain the motion of the brown dwarfs.

Exoplanet with two ‘suns’ is even more unique than Tatooine Exoplanet with two ‘suns’ is even more unique than Tatooine

Earth's oceans seen from space

How did water end up on Earth? New evidence upends long-held theory. How did water end up on Earth? New evidence upends long-held theory.

A bright disc of purplish, white and gold lines surrounds a black ellipse-shaped area, that looks like a hole in space. A ball of shining material pierces through the disc; an eruption of bright white-to-gold rays encircles the small hole in the disc provoked by the passage of the shining ball

For the first time, astronomers watch a black hole ‘wake up’ in real-time For the first time, astronomers watch a black hole ‘wake up’ in real-time

Jared Isaacman speaking at congressional hearing

NASA nominee: ‘We will prioritize sending astronauts to Mars’ NASA nominee: ‘We will prioritize sending astronauts to Mars’

Lunar rover prototype in parking lot

All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon All-terrain space truck hopes to drive astronauts on the moon

This Hubble image shows Uranus and dynamic aurora activity on 10 October 2022. The centered planet is dominated by a blue hue and a large white region in the lower left. A faint ring is also visible around the planet. Fuzzy blue/purple regions hovering over the planet on the left and ride indicate the presence of aurorae

Uranus has a longer day than astronomers thought Uranus has a longer day than astronomers thought

By Laura Baisas

An illustration of a potential NASA lunar base for the Artemis missions.

Scientists want to turn moon dust into solar panels Scientists want to turn moon dust into solar panels

An artistic rendering of the newly discovered binary star system in the moment where the first white dwarf has just exploded, hurtling material towards its nearby companion which is on the cusp of explosion too. This event will occur in about 23 billion years, yet in only 4 seconds do both stars explode

Astronomers find spiraling stars heading towards a rare cosmic explosion Astronomers find spiraling stars heading towards a rare cosmic explosion

By Laura Baisas

A collage of three images showing the black expanse of space. Two-thirds of the collage is taken up by the black background sprinkled with small, blurry galaxies in orange, blue, and white. There are two images in a column at the right side of the collage. On the right side of the main image, not far from the top, a very faint dot is outlined with a white square. At the right, there are two zoomed in views of this area. The top box is labeled NIRCam and shows a fuzzy dot at the center of the inset. The bottom box is labeled MIRI and shows a fuzzy pinkish dot.

JWST snaps first image of asteroid that threatened Earth JWST snaps first image of asteroid that threatened Earth

Martian landscape taken by NASA rover

Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick Toxic dust on Mars could make astronauts sick

The Lyrid Meteor Shower is visible with competition from the bright light of the full Pink Moon in Joshua Tree National Park on April 25, 2024. The Lyrids are produced by dust particles left by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and there are roughly 20 meteors per hour during its peak.

April skygazing: A pink micromoon, the Lyrid meteor shower, and more April skygazing: A pink micromoon, the Lyrid meteor shower, and more

Green ocean island water against blue sky with mountains in distance

Earth’s oceans weren’t always blue, scientists say Earth’s oceans weren’t always blue, scientists say

Mars Curiosity rover selfie picture against Martian background

Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars Curiosity finds largest-ever organic molecules on Mars

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed Herbig-Haro 49/50, an outflow from a nearby still-forming star, in high-resolution near- and mid-infrared light.

JWST spots an energetic ‘Cosmic Tornado’ 625 light-years away JWST spots an energetic ‘Cosmic Tornado’ 625 light-years away

The Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope imaged these giant radio jets stretching 6 million light-years across with an enormous supermassive black hole at the heart of spiral galaxy J23453268-0449256. Could this cosmic anomaly hint at the future of our own Milky Way galaxy? Image via Bagchi and Ray et al/ Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope/ Royal Astronomical Society/

A terrifying fate may lurk inside the Milky Way A terrifying fate may lurk inside the Milky Way

Sunset at Buckingham Palace

The sun has literally set on the British Empire The sun has literally set on the British Empire

An Apollo 12 high-oblique view of the lunar nearside looking northeast toward the crater Copernicus (in center near horizon), as photographed from lunar orbit.

A startup wants to mine the moon for helium A startup wants to mine the moon for helium