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Astronomy

Spiral galaxies imaged by JWST that rotate in the same direction relative to the Milky Way (red) and in the opposite direction relative to the Milky Way (blue). The number of galaxies rotating in the opposite direction relative to the Milky Way as observed from Earth is far higher.

James Webb Space Telescope Reveals That Most Galaxies Rotate Clockwise

This preferred direction of spin might be due to one of two reasons: either our entire universe exists in a black hole, or astronomers have been measuring the universe’s expansion incorrectly

Mars and Deimos viewed by Hera's Hyperscout H

Check Out These Rare Images of Deimos, One of Mars’ Mysterious Moons

The spacecraft Hera’s photographs are some of the few visuals ever captured of the Martian moon’s dark side

An artistic rendering of Saturn and a few of its many moons

Cool Finds

Astronomers Discover 128 New Moons Orbiting Saturn, Cementing the Planet’s Title of ‘Moon King’

The sheer number of objects suggests scientists will soon have to grapple with what counts as a moon versus what’s just a large rock

The new SPHEREx telescope and PUNCH satellites took off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on March 11.

NASA’s New Space Telescope Launches to Explore the Origins of the Universe After a Series of Delays

Called SPHEREx, the instrument will map 450 million galaxies and search for water molecules that may be clinging to space dust

The Large Magellanic Cloud, photographed here by the Hubble Space Telescope, is about 160,000 light-years from Earth.

Astronomers Discover Evidence of a Stealthy Supermassive Black Hole Hiding Right ‘Under Our Noses’

The Large Magellanic Cloud is one of the most well-studied galaxies, but new findings suggest it might have been holding a giant secret

This is the first image of Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy, captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) and released in 2022.

This Comprehensive Guide Will Answer the Questions You Have About Black Holes—and Spark Some New Ones

In a new book release, two scientists combine forces to explain the discoveries, developments and theories made in the realm of the densest objects in space

Don’t let the placid and bland surface fool you—Uranus is a singularly dynamic planet.

The Six Most Amazing Discoveries We’ve Made by Exploring Uranus

Its bland exterior belies a dynamic world full of surprises

During a total lunar eclipse, shown here from Austria in 2018, the moon becomes bathed in a red hue.

How to See This Month’s Stunning ‘Blood Moon,’ the First Total Lunar Eclipse Since 2022

On the night between March 13 and 14, most of North and South America will be in for an astronomical treat

Blue Ghost captured its first lunar sunrise, marking the beginning of its operations.

See the Striking New Images From the Blue Ghost Lunar Lander, Now the Second Private Spacecraft to Touch Down on the Moon

Firefly Aerospace’s lander reached lunar soil early Sunday morning, after a 2.8-million-mile journey lasting 45 days

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide uses a vacuum cleaner aboard the ISS. A new study suggests the space station's sterility may be harmful to astronauts' health.

Is the ISS Too Clean for Astronauts’ Health? New Study Finds the Space Station Lacks Microbial Diversity

Humans have evolved alongside microbes in Earth’s environment that help strengthen our immune systems. But sterile living conditions can reduce that beneficial exposure

A planet alignment photographed on June 23, 2022, featuring the moon as the brightest object

Seven Planets Will Gather in the Night Sky This Weekend. Here’s What to Expect During the Rare Alignment

While such a lineup is uncommon, the event might not look exactly how you’re imagining it

The impact risk associated with asteroid 2024 YR4 rose and fell in the months following its discovery. The red dots represent the possible locations of the space rock on December 22, 2032, while the yellow dot represents its most likely location.

The ‘Riskiest Asteroid Ever’ Is No Longer a Threat as Impact Probability Drops to Near Zero

As astronomers predicted, asteroid 2024 YR4 is not expected to hit Earth in 2032. This week, NASA gave the “all clear”

Mars, known as the red planet, might have gotten its hue from a different mineral than scientists once thought.

The Red Dust on Mars Might Be a Different Mineral Than Scientists Thought, Shedding Light on the Planet’s Past

A new study suggests the iron oxide responsible for the red planet’s distinctive hue is ferrihydrite, pointing to the bygone presence of water, an important ingredient for life

An artist's illustration portrays the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A*.

James Webb Telescope Reveals a Dazzling Light Show From the Milky Way’s Black Hole

Unpredictable bursts of light are pulsing from the debris surrounding Sagittarius A*, offering new insights into the mysterious behavior of the most massive object in our galaxy

Discovery images of asteroid 2024 YR4, which is highlighted in green

Chance of Asteroid Strike in 2032 Drops Sharply After Record-Setting Rise. Here’s Why It Keeps Changing

NASA announced that asteroid 2024 YR4 now has a 0.28 percent chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but that number is expected to continue shifting with further observations

Scientists suggest finding extraterrestial intelligence is more likely than thought, arguing that complex life is not a cosmic fluke.

Intelligent Life May Be More Likely to Exist on Other Planets Than Previously Thought, Scientists Say

Researchers present an alternative to the long-held “hard steps” theory to explain the evolution of complex life, suggesting it’s the natural outcome of a habitable environment rather than a lucky break

A digital optical module of the K3MNeT collaboration telescope, which identified the high-energy neutrino.

A Record-Breaking ‘Ghost Particle’ From Outer Space Made a Splash of Light in the Mediterranean

The neutrino was 30 times more energetic than any other previously observed particle of its kind. Scientists still don’t know exactly where it came from

An impression of the large-scale structure of the universe, showing galaxy clusters and superclusters arranged in long filaments and concentrated at nodes.

An Enormous, Branching String of Galaxy Clusters Is the Largest Known Structure in the Universe, Scientists Say

The cosmic superstructure Quipu is more than 13,000 times the length of the Milky Way, and its mass is 200 quadrillion times that of the sun, according to preliminary research

Looking through a telescope or binoculars can help you see Venus in its crescent phase on Valentine's Day—but the planet is visible to the naked eye.

Venus, the Planet of Love, Will Shine Bright on Valentine’s Day. Here’s How to See It

Around the time of your romantic dinner, head outside and look to the southwest to spot the super brilliant planet in the night sky

Galaxy NGC 6505 and its surrounding Einstein ring, which represents light from a more distant galaxy behind it.

Cool Finds

Astronomers Discover Extremely Rare Einstein Ring in Early Euclid Telescope Data, Revealing Warped Space-Time

Such examples of gravitational lensing can help astronomers learn more about the properties of dark matter

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