The latest headlines from around the cosmos.

Featured Articles

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Fermi bubbles

A snapshot from the Digital Universe shows a representation of the Fermi bubbles emerging from our Milky Way galaxy. Lines show the view from Earth to distant quasars, used to determine that the Fermi bubbles formed millions of years ago during an outburst from the Milky Way’s central supermassive black hole.

Of Bubbles and Black Holes

You may have heard the rumor—that a supermassive black hole lurks at the center of our galaxy? It's true.

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Two merging black holes

Simulation of light emitted by two merging supermassive black holes surrounded by nearly transparent gas. (Image courtesy NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.)

Black Holes Near and Far

How do black holes form? And why do they always feel like the popular kids in school?

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ESO 137-006

This image from the MeerKAT radio telescope shows bright lobes of energetic gas emitted by an active galaxy—with surprising filamentary features connecting them!

Thoughts from a Planetarian: Universe Update for April 2020

In lieu of a live planetarium show, Ryan Wyatt highlights his favorite astronomy stories from the past month.

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ISS-35 Crew
Living in Space or Sheltering in Place?

We provide tips for sheltering-in-place based on mental health studies of astronauts in space.

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Artists Illustration of two neutron stars colliding

Artists illustration of a neutron star collision. Image Source: NASA

A Stellar Smash Up Makes Waves—and What Else?

News Headline, Gravitational waves, gamma ray bursts, and reading between the lines.

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Vivien Parmentier/Aix-Marseille University (AMU)
The Life of Water on an Ultrahot Jupiter

Even water needs sunscreen when the stars are this close.

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Image courtesy of NASA Image Gallery
Radiation: An Obstacle for Life

We're well-protected from solar radiation. But what about life on other planets and moons? Could it survive?

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TESS, NASA
Your Space Trash—My Space Treasure?

Could we use space debris to find technologically advanced life on other planets?

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AAS image
Small, Spinning Galaxies

Big surprises coming from little galaxies…

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NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona
Rolling Grains of Sand on the Red Planet

The dark streaks on Mars may have no equivalent on Earth.

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Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA
The Origin of Organic Matter on Ceres

Ceres icy crust may be sliding on water

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Proton Shower

The accompanying image shows data for a simulated cosmic ray shower occurring over New York City, courtesy of the University of Chicago COSMUS Project.

Bowling at (Nearly) the Speed of Light!

In water, cosmic rays break the speed limit and reveal their origins…

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Chime, McGill University
CHIME Rings in Epic Sky Survey

These half-pipes are for science!

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Saturn’s Northern Polar Hexagon
The Many Tempests of the Ringed Giant

As we say farewell to Cassini, we reflect on many of the storms its observed.

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