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Astronomers spot primordial galaxies swimming in dark matter
Astronomers thought the 1st galaxies would be small. Now they've spotted 2 giant galaxies from when the universe was only 5% of its current age.
December 16, 2017
Gaia’s view of Large Magellanic Cloud
The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the nearest galaxies to our Milky Way, as viewed by ESA's Gaia satellite after its first 14 months of operations.
December 16, 2017
See a star that changes its brightness
Sheliak is a variable star in the constellation Lyra the Harp. You can notice its brightness changes in a cycle lasting 6.5 days.
December 16, 2017
IAU approves 86 more star names
"These professional astronomers are claiming the exclusive right to give 'approved' names to the stars. But the stars - and the sky - belong to all of us."
December 15, 2017
Lengths of lunar months in 2017
Longest lunar month of 21st century (2001 to 2100) starts with December 18 new moon. It's also the farthest new moon of the year. Coincidence?
December 15, 2017
Sirius in many colors
When you see the sky's brightest star - Sirius - low in the sky, you're seeing it shine through an extra thickness of Earth's atmosphere. At such times, its colorful flashing might surprise you.
December 15, 2017
A grand year for the Geminids
The 2017 Geminid meteor shower was thought to have a better-than-average chance of producing a rich display, since the Geminids' parent body - a strange rock-comet called 3200 Phaethon - is nearby. And so it was! Photos here.
December 15, 2017
Study: A third of Asia’s glaciers likely gone by 2100
Meltwater from the glaciers supplies water to 800 million people, so that loss would mean serious consequences for water management, food security, energy production.
December 15, 2017
Juno probes depths of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot
Juno spacecraft data show the Great Red Spot - nearly 1.5 Earths wide - with roots penetrating some 200 miles (300 km) into Jupiter's atmosphere.
December 14, 2017
How to see rock-comet 3200 Phaethon
You can't see 3200 Phaethon - parent of the Geminid meteor shower and a strange asteroid-comet hybrid - with the eye alone. But backyard telescopes can pick it up. Charts and more here.
December 13, 2017
