Space
Family of stars set to leave home and zip across the galaxy
The Gaia mission has spotted a family of stars that is getting to ready to leave home in record time and zip in all directions across the galaxy.
Astronomy Essentials
Human World
Happy May Day! Today is an astronomy holiday
Happy May Day! This annual celebration has its roots in astronomy as 1 of 4 cross-quarter days. Dancing around a maypole is a traditional May Day celebration.
Astronomy Essentials
Tonight

Visible planets and night sky guide for May

Visible planets and night sky guide. After sunset tonight, look for the waxing crescent moon between bright planet Jupiter and the twin stars Castor and Pollux.
Earth
Sun

Sun news: Huge region calms after an explosive entrance

Sun news May 1, 2025. After a big entrance, AR4079's activity has dropped to C and even B flares. Has it got more in store?
Space

Surprise! Super-Earth exoplanets in Saturn-like orbits

The discovery of a super-Earth orbiting farther from its star than Saturn orbits the sun suggests that super-Earth exoplanets are common in our galaxy.
Astronomy Essentials
Clusters Nebulae Galaxies

Meet M13, the Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Many stargazers call it the finest globular cluster in the northern half of the heavens. It's M13, also known as the Great Cluster in Hercules.
Space

NASA orbiter spots Curiosity rover making tracks on Mars

A spacecraft orbiting Mars has caught the Curiosity rover in action as it drives to its next science mission. See the image and read more here.
Space

New study says rain on ancient Mars fed rivers and lakes

Did it rain on ancient Mars? A new study suggests that heavy precipitation - rain or snow - helped form rivers that fed into lakes billions of years ago.
Tonight

Hercules is between 2 bright stars: Vega and Arcturus

The bright stars Arcturus and Vega can help you find the constellation Hercules and its Keystone asterism. Hercules is home to 2 fabulous globular clusters.
Earth

Chimpanzees know how to party. Boozy fruit, anybody?

Do chimpanzees meet in parties to ingest alcohol like we do? For the first time, scientists have recorded chimps repeatedly eating and sharing fermented fruit.

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