Year of the Comet
Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)

PANSTARRS information

Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

ISON information

Astronomy News

Your online destination for news articles on planets, cosmology, NASA, space missions, and more. You’ll also find information on how to observe upcoming visible sky events such as meteor showers, solar and lunar eclipses, key planetary appearances, comets, and asteroids.

January 2006
Abell 1689
A new analysis shows that dark energy, the engine driving the universe's speeding expansion, may be changing fast. Cosmologists aren't buying it — yet.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 30, 2006
Earth's Magnetosphere
The spacecraft that gave scientists their first view of the magnetic field around Earth has fallen silent.
By Matthew Quandt
Published: January 30, 2006
South America and Antarctica
A colossal asteroid's breakup millions of years ago spread a profusion of extraterrestrial dust onto Earth's surface.
By Laura Layton
Published: January 27, 2006
Before and after
In just 3 months, the SDSS had added significantly to the supernova tally.
By Liz Kruesi
Published: January 23, 2006
Ion thruster
Will ion propulsion replace engine thrusters on future deep-space missions?
By Laura Layton
Published: January 20, 2006
Superbubble
A new image may lead astronomers to the furnace that heats the gas throughout space.
By Matt Quandt
Published: January 20, 2006
New Horizons
With liftoff a success, New Horizons will spend the next 9 years en route to small, icy Pluto.
By Laura Layton
Published: January 19, 2006
The Red Rectangle
Nano-scale diamonds illuminate a long-standing astronomical mystery.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 17, 2006
Capsule transfer
After nearly 7 years in space, NASA's Stardust mission fulfilled its destiny and returned comet particles to Earth.
By Jeremy McGovern
Published: January 15, 2006
Aerogel
Amateur astronomers can join in the hunt for Stardust's microscopic cargo.
By Tracy Staedter
Published: January 13, 2006
Cartwheel composite
NASA's GALEX observatory discovers an extended starry disk around the Cartwheel Galaxy. The new addition makes the Cartwheel more than twice the Milky Way's size.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 13, 2006
Stellar plot
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey reveals a Milky Way satellite preparing to merge.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 12, 2006
Echo
Astronomers may now be able to identify a long-past supernova event's age, location, and, ultimately, type.
By Laura Layton
Published: January 11, 2006
Michael Griffin
NASA Administrator Griffin warns the agency's redirection will mean less money for research.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 11, 2006
Large Magellanic Cloud
As the Magellanic Clouds plow through the Milky Way's dark matter, they set our galaxy's disk in motion.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 10, 2006
Big and Little Dippers
Astronomers glimpse a Sun-like star orbiting in Polaris' glare.
By Francis Reddy
Published: January 10, 2006
Pluto and Charon
Astronomers take Pluto's temperature while others measure the weight of its moon Charon.
By Jeremy McGovern
Published: January 5, 2006
Milky Way arms
Researchers find the galactic spiral arm nearest to where the Sun resides is closer than they thought.
By Laura Baird
Published: January 4, 2006
ALMA plans
The largest European industrial ground-based astronomy contract will allow ALMA to study cool gas and dust, the remnants of the Big Bang.
By Laura Layton
Published: January 4, 2006
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