(Image credit: Haitong Yu / Getty Images)
Staring up into the night sky, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite expanse of space, with every pinprick of light in the vast canopy of darkness a star holding secrets forged by 13.8 billion years of the universe's existence. And yet, despite its great age and the unfathomable distance between us and even our nearest neighbor, through the study of astronomy we are able to understand more about the world beyond our atmosphere.
Join our expert writers and editors as we reveal the greatest mysteries in cosmology, such as how black holes form, and explore celestial bodies like exoplanets and nebulas, that are scattered throughout our universe. You will also discover how scientists are pushing the boundaries of space exploration using observatories like the James Webb Space Telescope with the latest astronomy news, features and articles.
Discover more about astronomy
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Space Photo of the WeekAstronomers find water in the harsh environment near the Milky Way's black hole — Space photo of the week -
Black HolesJames Webb telescope just spotted the oldest, closest pair of black holes in the early universe -
MarsOldest-known Martian meteorite holds clues to a watery past -
The SunTotality! See incredible photos of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse from across Europe -
The SunWatch now! The Aug. 12 total solar eclipse has begun (live stream) -
Poll'They'll surf into the eclipse': Readers share their plans for today’s epic solar eclipse and meteor shower mash-up
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Asteroids'Shared cosmic experience': 90% of the world's population may see 'once-in-a-millennium' asteroid fly by Earth in 2029 -
AsteroidsWatch a newly discovered, blue-whale-size asteroid fly super close to Earth today -
AsteroidsAll 5 'letters' of DNA found on an asteroid speeding through our solar system. What do they tell us about the origins of life?4 Comments -
Asteroids'City killer' asteroid will narrowly miss the moon, James Webb Telescope reveals2 Comments -
AsteroidsAsteroid 2024 YR4's collision with the moon could create a flash visible from Earth3 Comments
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Asteroids'Potentially hazardous' asteroid 2024 YR4 was Earth's first real-life planetary defense test -
AsteroidsAstronomers discover skyscraper-size asteroid hidden in sun's glare -
Asteroids$100,000 quadrillion asteroid Psyche may be the product of metal volcanoes, study hints3 Comments -
AsteroidsSneaky asteroid zooms past Antarctica closer than a satellite — and astronomers didn't catch it until hours after
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Space Photo of the WeekAstronomers find water in the harsh environment near the Milky Way's black hole — Space photo of the week
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Black HolesJames Webb telescope just spotted the oldest, closest pair of black holes in the early universe
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Black Holes'What we found was striking': Scientists detect new kind of signal from a black hole's 'point of no return' -
Black HolesEuclid telescope discovers the 2 most ancient monster black holes in the universe — each brighter than a trillion suns -
Black Holes'Crystals' of space-time could be the origins of rare black holes, theoretical study hints2 Comments -
Black HolesJames Webb telescope detects most distant dormant black hole ever, invisible in all wavelengths of light -
Black HolesJames Webb telescope discovers 'naked' black hole that somehow formed before its own galaxy -
Black Holes2 supermassive black holes may collide 100 years from now — and Earth would feel it12 Comments -
Black HolesThe first black hole ever discovered is spewing 'dancing jets' at half the speed of light
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CometsEta Aquariids to peak this week: How to see 'shooting stars' dropped by Halley's Comet -
Comets'What are the odds': Superbright comet and exploding fireball meteor form near-perfect X over European castle -
Comets'RIP, Comet MAPS': Watch the superbright sungrazer become a 'headless wonder' after being ripped apart by the sun -
CometsHow to see Comet PanSTARRS as it brightens in the night sky this week2 Comments -
CometsRare 'sungrazer' comet MAPS could appear brighter than ever on Saturday: What to know -
Comets'Farting' comet seen reversing its spin for the first time ever -
Comets'Interstellar messenger' 3I/ATLAS could be nearly as old as the universe itself, James Webb telescope observations reveal2 Comments -
CometsScientists propose new plan to 'catch' comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fast -
CometsCity-size, cold-volcano comet transforms into a glowing 'snail shell' after major explosive outburst2 Comments
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OpinionSuperintelligent AI in space could explain the Fermi Paradox -
CosmologyPhysicists find possible errors in 100-year-old model of the universe9 Comments -
CosmologyJames Webb telescope zooms in on a black hole that could reveal the truth about 'little red dots' -
CosmologyNew AI algorithms are 95% better at showing how the universe changes over time -
CosmologyThe universe may end trillions of years sooner than we thought18 Comments -
Interview'The chances of you living 50 years are very small': Theoretical physicist explains why humanity likely won't survive to see all the forces unified29 Comments -
CosmologyLargest-ever 3D map of the universe shows 47 million galaxies, from the Milky Way to 'cosmic noon' — Space photo of the week34 Comments -
CosmologyOur leading theory of dark matter may be wrong, huge new gravity study hints8 Comments -
Cosmology'Invisible scaffolding of the universe' revealed in ambitious new James Webb telescope images3 Comments
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MeteoroidsPerseid meteor shower 2026: What it is, where to see it, and how to watch -
Meteoroids2 meteor showers peak on the same night this week — when to get the best views -
Meteoroids'Fireball' meteorite that smashed into New Jersey home contains ingredients of life from ancient proto-planet -
MeteoroidsUltra-rare meteorite could be evidence of a lost planet that once orbited near Earth — Space photo of the week7 Comments -
MeteoroidsNASA confirms meteor exploded over northeastern US with force of 230 tons of TNT -
MeteoroidsBrilliant-green fireball meteor explodes over erupting volcano in the Philippines -
MeteoroidsLyrid meteor shower 2026: See spring's first rain of 'shooting stars' peak in moonless skies -
MeteoroidsBright-green fireball meteor caught exploding above famous Viking raid site in UK7 Comments -
OpinionI found a new meteor shower — and it comes from an asteroid getting baked to bits by the sun
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MarsOldest-known Martian meteorite holds clues to a watery past
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Exoplanets'It's absolutely exciting!': Astronomers discover atmosphere around an Earth-like planet in the habitable zone for first time3 Comments -
ExoplanetsAlien life on nearby 'super Earth' much likelier than we thought, study claims6 Comments -
MarsNASA rover finds record-breaking trove of complex organic molecules on Mars6 Comments -
Planets2 vanished 'super Earths' once orbited near Uranus and Neptune, new study hints -
Exoplanets'Totally counterintuitive': Scientists accidentally discover magnetic fields around 7 distant planets, opening new window in the search for life -
Mars'I would never have guessed it': Unexpected effect is squeezing Mars' atmosphere like toothpaste, experts say -
VenusBizarre patterns on Venus have scientists puzzled -
JupiterThe solar system's largest moon may be heating up
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The MoonWhen does August's full Sturgeon Moon rise? (And when to see it eclipsed) -
The MoonA SpaceX rocket will hit the moon at 5,000 mph tonight. Here's what to expect. -
The MoonCatch an orange 'Buck Moon' rise tonight before a month of solar and lunar eclipses -
The MoonMay's Flower 'micromoon' will look extra small tonight, with a rare Blue Moon following2 Comments -
The MoonThere were 'audible screams of delight': Why Artemis II sightings of meteor flashes on the moon have scientists giddy -
The MoonDoes the moon look the same from everywhere on Earth?2 Comments -
The MoonThe moon is green and brown? Why scientists are already excited about Artemis II's historic lunar photos7 Comments -
The Moon'So much magic': Artemis II shares first images from the far side of the moon, including new 'Earthset' and total eclipse in space -
INTERVIEW'This generation's moment': How the Artemis missions will reframe humanity's relationship with the moon
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The SunTotality! See incredible photos of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse from across Europe
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The SunWatch now! The Aug. 12 total solar eclipse has begun (live stream)
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Book excerpt'No longer will anything seem impossible or marvellous': How an 'immoral, foul-mouthed and violent man' wrote the first eyewitness account of a total solar eclipse -
The SunWhere and when to see the Aug. 12 solar eclipse — exact times for North America and Europe -
The SunScientists reveal most-detailed-ever view of the sun's surface -
The SunWhy the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse appears to move backward -
The SunHow to make a solar eclipse viewer to safely watch the solar eclipse on August 12 -
The SunSolar eclipse glasses: Where to buy a safe, certified pair before the August 12 eclipse -
The SunWhy Aug. 12 could be the greatest single day and night for skywatchers for years2 Comments
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Space Photo of the WeekAstronomers find water in the harsh environment near the Milky Way's black hole — Space photo of the week
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Black HolesJames Webb telescope just spotted the oldest, closest pair of black holes in the early universe
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MarsOldest-known Martian meteorite holds clues to a watery past
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The SunTotality! See incredible photos of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse from across Europe
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The SunWatch now! The Aug. 12 total solar eclipse has begun (live stream)
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Poll'They'll surf into the eclipse': Readers share their plans for today’s epic solar eclipse and meteor shower mash-up
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Book excerpt'No longer will anything seem impossible or marvellous': How an 'immoral, foul-mouthed and violent man' wrote the first eyewitness account of a total solar eclipse
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AstronomyAstronomers drop one of the largest-ever maps of the universe, charting 4 billion objects -
MeteoroidsPerseid meteor shower 2026: What it is, where to see it, and how to watch
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PollWill you be looking up on Aug. 12, the best skywatching day and night of the year?2 Comments
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