Space
Super-Earths might be solid deep on the inside
Super-Earths might be solid in their deep insides, a new study says. Minerals might take unusual forms and remain solid despite the intense heat and pressure.
Sun
Sun news: Auroras continued last night, and more to come!
Sun news August 19, 2026: A pair of geomagnetic storms brought auroras to northerly latitudes overnight, with more likely today and tomorrow.
Clusters Nebulae Galaxies

The Great Rift is a dark swath in the Milky Way

The Great Rift or Dark Rift is a darkened swath of the Milky Way where new stars are forming. It's best seen from a rural location away from light pollution.
Constellations

Is Ophiuchus the 13th constellation of the zodiac?

The sun passes through Ophiuchus for about 2 weeks every year, so why isn’t this constellation considered the zodiac’s 13th sign?
Astronomy Essentials
Tonight

Visible planets and night sky guide for August

Visible planets and night sky guide: Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd for a livestream preview of the August 27-28 near total lunar eclipse at noon CDT (17 UTC).
Space

1st ultra-faint Milky Way satellite galaxy found by Rubin

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has only just begun its survey, yet it has already discovered its first ultra-faint Milky Way satellite, Aquarius IV.
Astronomy Essentials

Give me 5 minutes and I’ll give you Saturn

We're now in the best months for viewing Saturn in 2026. It'll be at it's best around October 4 when it's closest to Earth and visible all night.
Space

A moon for Mars! Asaph Hall finds Phobos 149 years ago

On this date in 1877, astronomer Asaph Hall discovered a moon for Mars: Phobos, the larger of 2 moons. He discovered the other moon, Deimos, later that year.
Space

Swift spacecraft, and a mission to save it, caught on video

The Swift space telescope is falling back to Earth. The LINK spacecraft is trying to save it. See both in orbit in a new video.
Space

Were these polygonal cracks on Venus once on a seafloor?

Sprawling, huge cracks on Venus have long puzzled scientists. A new study suggests the polygon shapes formed from drying mud on an ancient seafloor.