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The best-observed X-flare in history
NASA says the March 29, 2014 X-flare was the best-observed in history. This post contains beautiful images of that intense event on the surface of the sun.
May 11, 2014
Mid-level solar flare erupts from sun on May 8
The May 8 solar flare is classified as an M5.2-class flare. M-flares are about one-tenth as strong as the most intense flares, called X-flares.
May 8, 2014
This is cool! Watch a realistic virtual universe unfold
If astronomers had used an average desktop computer to run the new Illustris simulation, the calculations would have taken more than 2,000 years to complete.
May 8, 2014
Our sun now has a brother star, the first one ever found
These astronomers say there's a “small, but not zero” chance that brother stars to our sun could host planets that harbor life.
May 8, 2014
Star clusters form from outside in, not inside out, study says
Astronomers studied two clusters where sun-like stars are still forming. Both clusters had older stars on their outskirts than toward their centers.
May 8, 2014
Nearest hypervelocity star found speeding through space at 1 million mph
Astronomers think hypervelocity stars happen when the galaxy's central back hole captures one of two stars in a binary system and slingshots the other out of the galaxy.
May 7, 2014
Rainbow rings of Saturn
Turquoise-hued rings of Saturn contain particles of nearly pure water ice, while reddish rings contain ice particles with more contaminants.
May 7, 2014
Are we ready for contact with extraterrestrial intelligence?
Do we need a greater or different kind of awareness of the cosmos in order to make contact with extraterrestrial civilizations?
May 6, 2014
Bright daytime meteor seen over Canada and U.S. Northeast
People in the U.S. Northeast and Canada began reporting a bright daytime meteor on the afternoon of May 4, 2014. Photos and some dashcam videos here.
May 5, 2014
See Uranus from Saturn
Looking beyond the rings of Saturn, Uranus is that tiny blue dot in the upper left in this first ever image of the planet, taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
May 1, 2014
