Features

Is the Sun an oddball?

Accepted wisdom holds that the Sun is an ordinary, run-of-the-mill star. But astronomers are having a hard time finding true solar twins.

Web extra: The Sun’s biggest blasts

Although solar activity currently may be in the doldrums, a coronal mass ejection could erupt at any time.

Mysteries of the Magellanic Clouds

They produced the nearest supernova in 400 years, are connected by a giant stream of matter, and may collide with the Milky Way.

Web extra: Putting the Magellanic Clouds on the map

The closest known supernova in centuries, SN 1987A, focused the public’s attention on these little-known satellite galaxies.

What makes stars tick?

Inside most stars is a chaotic and high-energy environment. How do changes inside stars coincide with what we see?

Join the CCD revolution

Choose one of these top 23 cameras to help you capture the universe.

How an amateur astronomer captured a black hole scoop.

When Stephen G. Cullen imaged Cygnus X-1, he discovered the effect a black hole has on its neighborhood.

Web extra: “Seeing” the Cygnus X-1 in a different light

These images of the enigmatic region show activity in different wavelengths.

Amplify your view of the night sky

Night Vision Astronomy’s Binocular Photon Machine will triple your telescope’s aperture through electronics.

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