Space-based observatories detected a violent explosion in a galaxy billions of light-years away. It became the brightest source of high-energy cosmic gamma rays seen so far. Specialized Earth-based telescopes detected it via faster-than-light particles cascading through Earth's atmosphere.
In movies and books, fictional astronauts enter ‘suspended animation’ to cross the vastness of space. Recently ESA investigated how real-life crew hibernation would impact a space mission to Mars.
Scientists are still trying to figure out where Mars' methane comes from. Now there's a new mystery that might be connected: unusual fluctuations of oxygen in Mars' atmosphere, detected by the Curiosity rover.
Astronomers have spotted a star - S5-HVs1 - speeding out of the Milky Way at around 4 million miles (more than 6 million km) per hour. They believe it's being ejected from our galaxy after venturing too near the giant black hole at the Milky Way's heart about 5 million years ago.
Observatories are great places to view and photograph the night sky. Tips from an astrophotographer's trip to the Very Large Array in New Mexico - to help you plan your next astrophotography adventure - plus awesome photos.
Click in to learn how to watch 2 International Space Station astronauts perform the 1st in a series of spacewalks NASA is calling "the most complex in a decade."
From ESA's Proba-2 satellite, images of the sun in January or February of each year from 2010 to 2019. This mosaic neatly shows the variability in the solar atmosphere in beautiful detail.