Astronomy
Lovejoy and X1 LINEAR: How to See Comets That Will Warm Up Your Mid-Winter Mornings
My hands are still cold from the experience, but there's no denying the pleasure I felt at seeing C/2013 R1…
Double Vision! These ‘Twin’ Quasars Are Actually The Same Thing
Optical illusions are awesome. In the center of this image are what appear to be two quasars (or galaxies with…
‘Cosmic Flashlight’ Makes Gas Glow Like A Fluorescent Light Bulb
Funny how a single quasar can illuminate -- literally and figuratively -- some of the mysteries of the universe. From…
After A Long Nap, NEOWISE Springs Into Action With Asteroid Discoveries
If anything, NASA's asteroid-hunting spacecraft seems to be refreshed after going into forced hibernation for 2.5 years. In the first…
Nearby Brown Dwarf Captured in a Direct Image
A recent find announced by astronomers may go a long ways towards understanding a crucial “missing link” between planets and…
Black Hole Steals Gas From Trillions Of Stars
Got gas? The black hole in galaxy cluster RX J1532.9+3021 is keeping it all for itself and stopping trillions of stars…
Watch: An Amazing, Mesmerizing Full Rotation of Jupiter
Jupiter is a happening place in the solar system. While bashful Mars only puts on a good show once every…
Bright New Supernova Blows Up in Nearby M82, the Cigar Galaxy
Wow! Now here's a supernova bright enough for even small telescope observers to see. And it's in a bright galaxy…
An Incredible Time-lapse of Venus Passing Through Inferior Conjunction
Some of the most amazing celestial sights are hidden from our view in the daytime sky. Or are they? We…
Milky Way Shakes, Rattles and Rolls…
For decades astronomers have puzzled over the many details concerning the formation of the Milky Way Galaxy. Now a group…