NEWS & FEATURES

Photo courtesy of Astrobotic

Solar-powered Moon rovers will help scientists seek lunar ice

Solar energy may fuel our space explorations, but only if the equipment doesn't shatter, freeze, or explode.

READ MORE

Say Aloha to Hawaii with TravelQuest!

Our journey crisscrosses the Big Island of Hawaii, exploring the basalt-lava rock pools of Hilo, pristine beaches, waterfalls, lush rainforests, and Volcanoes National Park. Ascend to great heights with a visit to Mauna Kea Observatories, where our small group of intrepid sky watchers will discover what secrets the Hawaiian skies reveal!

NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva

Giant comet found hidden in dark energy data

The largest and most distant incoming comet discovered in modern times, this icy world from the Oort Cloud will swing around the Sun in 2031.

READ MORE

ESO

Track down the 25 best planetary nebulae in the night sky

These dying stars' final acts put on a great show through amateur scopes.

READ MORE

FoxPictures/Shutterstock

The future of satellites lies in the constellations

Numerous companies are planning to launch and operate swarms of small satellites in coming years. Earth orbit is about to get crowded.

READ MORE

NASA, ESA, and J. Olmsted (STScI)

Ask Astro: Can planets be pear-shaped, or are they all spheres?

Could planets that orbit other stars be non-spherical shapes, such as ovals or pears, depending on composition?

READ MORE

OBSERVING

Luis Argerich (Flickr)

The sky this week

Your daily digest of celestial events coming soon to a sky near you.

READ MORE

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Pete Scifres from Westlake Village, California

I hear you

The Owens Valley, California, Radio Observatory stands under the summer Milky Way in this image. The red light comes from an aircraft warning beacon atop a nearby telescope.

VIEW NOW