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
Latest about Astronomy
Space photo of the week: Milky Way's galactic twin captured by Dark Energy Camera
NGC 6744 is a spiral galaxy bigger than, but otherwise very similar to, our own. NASA has dubbed the large spiral galaxy the Milky Way’s ‘big brother’.
Astronomers discover new 'odd radio circle' near the center of our galaxy
A mysterious ring invisible at all wavelengths except radio could be a trace of a dramatically unstable star shedding its skin.
NASA discovers planet-wide electric field around Earth that's shooting bits of our atmosphere into space
NASA scientists have discovered a planet-wide electric field surrounding Earth, confirming a 60-year-old hypothesis. Studying the field could yield some vital information about how our planet's atmosphere has evolved.
AI uncovers the universe's 'settings' with unprecedented precision, and it could help to resolve the Hubble tension
The new AI system can estimate cosmological parameters with stunning precision, and it could help astronomers unpick one of the thorniest problems in the field.
James Webb telescope spots 6 enormous 'rogue planets' tumbling through space without a star
The James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered six "rogue planets" careening through space without a star. The objects are believed to have formed directly from gas collapse, blurring the lines between planets and stars.
Gravitational waves hint at a 'supercool' secret about the Big Bang
Scientists might be on track to revealing new facets of physics.
200 meteorites on Earth traced to 5 craters on Mars
Astronomers have traced the origins of 200 meteorites to five impact craters in two volcanic regions on Mars, known as Tharsis and Elysium.
Supercharged 'cocoon of energy' may power the brightest supernovas in the universe
Every so often, astronomers detect a supernova explosion that's 100 times brighter than it should be. A new paper may reveal the strange source of these "superluminous" supernovas.
Fallout from NASA's asteroid-smashing DART mission could hit Earth — potentially triggering 1st human-caused meteor shower
A new study suggests that millions of tiny space rock fragments, which were ejected from the 2022 collision between asteroid Dimorphos and NASA's DART spacecraft, may be on a collision course with Earth and Mars.
