https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/outer-space/RSS feed for Outer SpaceenMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:26:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/active-supermassive-black-holes-may-be-engines-of-star-formation-not-just-destruction-study-suggests-180989517/Scientists mapped out the structure of nine bright cores of galaxies located near the Milky Way and revealed common patterns that could shed light on how the universe evolvedMon, 21 Sep 2026 17:26:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/active-supermassive-black-holes-may-be-engines-of-star-formation-not-just-destruction-study-suggests-180989517/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-detected-a-hint-of-dark-matter-the-mysterious-invisible-stuff-that-holds-the-universe-together-180989440/A South Dakota-based instrument built to detect theoretical dark matter particles has sensed a particle interaction that's difficult to explain with known phenomena. But more data is needed to confirm that the strange substance—which scientists have never directly observed—is, indeed, the culpritTue, 08 Sep 2026 15:23:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-detected-a-hint-of-dark-matter-the-mysterious-invisible-stuff-that-holds-the-universe-together-180989440/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-capture-the-beauty-and-wonder-of-flight-these-celebrated-artists-created-spectacular-visions-of-astronauts-aviators-rocket-launches-and-the-moon-180989437/At the National Air and Space Museum, a recently opened gallery space features artworks by Norman Rockwell, Alma Thomas, Francisco Goya and other luminariesThu, 03 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/to-capture-the-beauty-and-wonder-of-flight-these-celebrated-artists-created-spectacular-visions-of-astronauts-aviators-rocket-launches-and-the-moon-180989437/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-southern-half-is-weirdly-warm-underground-the-thermal-anomaly-might-explain-why-the-planets-hemispheres-look-so-different-180989424/Researchers used a novel technique to figure out what's going on inside the Red Planet. The work suggests that the interior of the southern hemisphere is hundreds of degrees hotter than that of the northern hemisphere and partially moltenTue, 01 Sep 2026 15:47:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/mars-southern-half-is-weirdly-warm-underground-the-thermal-anomaly-might-explain-why-the-planets-hemispheres-look-so-different-180989424/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches-to-find-exoplanets-and-unravel-mysteries-of-dark-matter-and-dark-energy-180989268/The new observatory will complete three surveys of the universe in five years, although it's designed to function at least twice as long. Its data could change scientists' basic understanding of the cosmosSun, 30 Aug 2026 11:26:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasas-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches-to-find-exoplanets-and-unravel-mysteries-of-dark-matter-and-dark-energy-180989268/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-star-orbits-our-galaxys-heart-at-a-record-breaking-speed-and-could-help-uncover-secrets-about-the-behemoth-black-hole-there-180989393/The speedster travels at up to 56 million miles per hour, or about 8 percent the speed of light. It also gets very close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky WayFri, 28 Aug 2026 15:45:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-star-orbits-our-galaxys-heart-at-a-record-breaking-speed-and-could-help-uncover-secrets-about-the-behemoth-black-hole-there-180989393/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turn-your-eyes-to-the-night-skies-this-week-to-see-a-near-total-lunar-eclipse-itll-temporarily-turn-the-moon-red-180989404/During the peak, 96 percent of the moon will be within the darkest part of our planet's shadow. The orb will take on an eerie glow because of how sunlight gets filtered through Earth's atmosphereWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:57:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turn-your-eyes-to-the-night-skies-this-week-to-see-a-near-total-lunar-eclipse-itll-temporarily-turn-the-moon-red-180989404/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-telescope-still-under-construction-accidentally-reveals-how-a-dying-star-returns-matter-to-space-180989349/Researchers captured an unprecedented image of the stellar recycling process while calibrating a Chile-based instrument called MOTHRA, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-new-telescope-still-under-construction-accidentally-reveals-how-a-dying-star-returns-matter-to-space-180989349/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/once-the-solar-systems-ninth-planet-pluto-was-reclassified-20-years-ago-heres-why-planetary-scientists-and-the-public-alike-love-the-small-icy-body-180989383/Pluto is now the most well known of the outer worlds beyond Neptune—and the darling of the solar systemMon, 24 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/once-the-solar-systems-ninth-planet-pluto-was-reclassified-20-years-ago-heres-why-planetary-scientists-and-the-public-alike-love-the-small-icy-body-180989383/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-funded-mission-to-rescue-a-falling-space-telescope-officially-ends-in-failure-180989376/The commercial LINK spacecraft was supposed to give NASA's Swift observatory a boost, pushing it higher into orbit to extend its life. But after launch, LINK experienced several problems. Swift is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up by the end of this yearThu, 20 Aug 2026 19:35:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-funded-mission-to-rescue-a-falling-space-telescope-officially-ends-in-failure-180989376/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/earths-organisms-developed-via-evolution-some-theorists-wonder-what-if-the-entire-cosmos-did-too-180989338/The idea that universes evolve like organisms sat on the fringes of theoretical physics for decades. Then, a Substack post and a 2022 find by the James Webb Space Telescope boosted the conceptTue, 18 Aug 2026 16:00:01 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/earths-organisms-developed-via-evolution-some-theorists-wonder-what-if-the-entire-cosmos-did-too-180989338/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-may-have-spotted-a-galaxy-in-the-early-universe-with-three-behemoth-black-holes-180989344/The galaxy’s light took about 12.5 billion years to reach the James Webb Space Telescope, meaning the instrument saw the black holes a little more than one billion years after the Big Bang. Two of the black holes seemed on track to merge, illustrating how the objects growMon, 17 Aug 2026 19:13:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-may-have-spotted-a-galaxy-in-the-early-universe-with-three-behemoth-black-holes-180989344/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-peered-at-the-early-universe-and-may-have-discovered-a-new-kind-of-celestial-object-black-hole-stars-180989334/Since the James Webb Space Telescope started collecting data in 2022, it has found puzzling objects dubbed little red dots. A new study suggests they might be giant black holes with some characteristics of starsFri, 14 Aug 2026 15:47:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/astronomers-peered-at-the-early-universe-and-may-have-discovered-a-new-kind-of-celestial-object-black-hole-stars-180989334/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-aerospace-startup-just-got-approval-to-test-beaming-sunlight-to-earth-heres-why-experts-are-worried-and-petitioning-180989323/By 2035, Reflect Orbital aims to launch up to 50,000 satellites equipped with mirrors to provide sunlight to Earth-based solar panels. Critics are concerned about impacts on wildlife, astronomy research and human healthThu, 13 Aug 2026 17:38:44 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-aerospace-startup-just-got-approval-to-test-beaming-sunlight-to-earth-heres-why-experts-are-worried-and-petitioning-180989323/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-magnificent-photos-of-the-total-solar-eclipse-over-europe-that-showcase-the-suns-beauty-and-the-wonder-of-skywatching-180989325/The moon’s shadow swept over Earth on Wednesday, captivating millions across the planet. It was the first total solar eclipse since the North American eclipse of April 2024Thu, 13 Aug 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-magnificent-photos-of-the-total-solar-eclipse-over-europe-that-showcase-the-suns-beauty-and-the-wonder-of-skywatching-180989325/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-completes-daring-big-bang-fix-on-the-voyager-2-probe-allowing-it-to-keep-studying-interstellar-space-180989312/Scientists swapped three of the probe’s heating devices for ones that use less energy, and they might do the same with Voyager 1. Both spacecraft launched almost 50 years agoWed, 12 Aug 2026 20:09:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/nasa-completes-daring-big-bang-fix-on-the-voyager-2-probe-allowing-it-to-keep-studying-interstellar-space-180989312/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-new-images-reveal-whirlpools-on-the-suns-surface-the-swirling-strutures-might-help-power-solar-flares-180989292/Observed directly in the solar photosphere for the first time, the vortices might braid magnetic fields, thought to be responsible for energy buildups and eventual outbursts. The features also offer clues about why the sun’s outer atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than its surfaceWed, 12 Aug 2026 18:19:56 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/stunning-new-images-reveal-whirlpools-on-the-suns-surface-the-swirling-strutures-might-help-power-solar-flares-180989292/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-on-a-live-stream-witnessing-the-rare-view-of-the-suns-corona-from-your-own-home-180989315/Wednesday’s eclipse will bring dark skies to parts of Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and Spain. But with these online broadcasts, you can view the spectacle from anywhereTue, 11 Aug 2026 20:35:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-to-watch-the-total-solar-eclipse-on-a-live-stream-witnessing-the-rare-view-of-the-suns-corona-from-your-own-home-180989315/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-perseid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-amid-ideal-viewing-conditions-heres-how-to-watch-the-events-bright-shooting-stars-180989298/The much-anticipated annual event peaks on the night of August 12 into the next morning. This year, the moon won’t crash the party, as our natural satellite will be in its dark new moon phaseMon, 10 Aug 2026 18:32:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-perseid-meteor-shower-peaks-this-week-amid-ideal-viewing-conditions-heres-how-to-watch-the-events-bright-shooting-stars-180989298/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/like-a-hole-in-the-universe-artemis-2-astronaut-victor-glover-reflects-on-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-while-flying-by-the-moon-180989284/The four astronauts who rounded Earth’s natural satellite in April got an extremely rare view of the dark lunar disk blocking out the sun. Researchers say the observations provide unique scientific value for understanding our star’s mysteriesMon, 10 Aug 2026 14:11:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/like-a-hole-in-the-universe-artemis-2-astronaut-victor-glover-reflects-on-seeing-a-total-solar-eclipse-while-flying-by-the-moon-180989284/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-spacex-rocket-part-just-slammed-into-the-moon-creating-a-dust-plume-and-crater-heres-what-some-scientific-instruments-saw-180989299/The Korea Aerospace Research Institute captured before-and-after images of the impact site, and a telescope in Chile detected signs of the plume. However, no one was able to watch the collision liveFri, 07 Aug 2026 21:26:02 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-spacex-rocket-part-just-slammed-into-the-moon-creating-a-dust-plume-and-crater-heres-what-some-scientific-instruments-saw-180989299/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-may-have-spotted-a-supermassive-black-hole-that-wandered-to-the-edge-of-its-galaxy-180989233/These giant celestial objects have mostly been identified at the centers of galaxies, where they're known to reside. But a recently discovered one—found because of the light emitted while it snacked on a star—appears to be more than 30,000 light-years from its host galaxy's heartTue, 04 Aug 2026 16:16:17 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-a-first-astronomers-may-have-spotted-a-supermassive-black-hole-that-wandered-to-the-edge-of-its-galaxy-180989233/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-images-provide-the-best-evidence-yet-that-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-does-inded-have-a-long-theorized-stellar-companion-180989225/The research team is mostly convinced by the data, but they want to capture additional observations in 2027 to confirm what they've foundMon, 03 Aug 2026 20:07:35 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-images-provide-the-best-evidence-yet-that-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-does-inded-have-a-long-theorized-stellar-companion-180989225/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-little-known-photographer-captured-the-first-clear-image-of-a-total-solar-eclipse-175-years-ago-today-these-celestial-events-still-reveal-the-mysteries-of-the-sun-180989208/Ever since that first daguerreotype on a light-sensitive metal plate, eclipse observations have continued to unveil the star's corona and bring people together to experience the solar system's majestyTue, 28 Jul 2026 20:40:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-little-known-photographer-captured-the-first-clear-image-of-a-total-solar-eclipse-175-years-ago-today-these-celestial-events-still-reveal-the-mysteries-of-the-sun-180989208/