Why these astronomers now doubt there’s a Planet Nine

In the search for the hypothetical 9th planet in our solar system, these scientists may have uncovered another explanation for the patterns in the orbits of Kuiper Belt objects.

ALMA spots the twinkling heart of our Milky Way

Astronomers used the ALMA telescope in Chile to observe irregular flickers in millimeter-waves from the center of our Milky Way galaxy: the twinkling heart of the galaxy.

View Comet SWAN online

We suspect most of you have not seen this comet, which is rising only shortly before the sun now. Let the Virtual Telescope's Gianluca Masi show it to you online this week.

Is Mars still volcanically active? New study says maybe

Scientists studying the ancient Martian Tissint meteorite say they've found new evidence that Mars was volcanically active a few hundred million years ago ... and may still be today.

One of Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids has a comet-like tail

Trojan asteroids orbit 60 degrees ahead of and behind Jupiter, in its wide orbit at 5 times Earth's distance from the sun. Now the 1st Trojan asteroid has been found with a comet-like tail.

Why clouds form near black holes

Clouds in the greater universe are clumpy areas of greater density than their surroundings. Space telescopes have observed these cosmic clouds in the vicinity of supermassive black holes.

More evidence for watery plumes on Europa

Scientists in Europe have found more yet evidence for water vapor plumes on Jupiter's ocean moon Europa.

Here’s how SOHO and a skywatcher discovered comet SWAN

Almost every day, the SWAN instrument aboard the sun-watching SOHO spacecraft makes a map of the sky. Anyone with internet access can view the maps and join the search for new comets. To date, 12 comets have been spotted in the SWAN data!

Saturn’s bizarre polar hexagon is really hazy

Researchers in Spain have published a new study revealing details of a multi-layered, sandwich-like haze that hangs above the famous hexagon at Saturn's north pole.

A famous Mars meteorite, now with nitrogen

For the first time, nitrogen-containing organic molecules have been discovered in a Martian meteorite. The famous meteorite - Allan Hills 84001 - was picked up in Antarctica in 1984. The discovery provides more clues about habitable conditions on early Mars.