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'Rare and enigmatic' structures found at the Milky Way's center in largest-ever map of its kind

By Brandon Specktor last updated

Scientists using the ALMA telescope have created the most-detailed-ever map of the Milky Way's chaotic center. The observations could open a window to the ancient universe as it appeared shortly after the Big Bang.

Astronomy
A series of four small boxes on the left of the image and one large box on the right, each showing a circle with blue in the bottom left of the circle and a ring of glowing red around it, representing Uranus' atmosphere.

James Webb telescope spots giant auroras rolling through Uranus' atmosphere

By Elizabeth Howell published

JWST observed Uranus for nearly a full rotation, charting the planet's upper atmosphere and magnetic environment for the first time.

Astronomy
A close up of a bright orange blood moon in the night sky, the top half more yellow than orange

'Blood moon' total lunar eclipse: How to see the March 3 celestial spectacle from anywhere on Earth

By Jamie Carter published

The final "blood moon" total lunar eclipse until 2029 is coming to North America this Tuesday (March 3). Here's how to watch it online.

The Moon

Scientists spot 'rule-breaking' black hole growing 13 times faster than should be possible

By Ivan Farkas published

An ancient, fast-feeding quasar is breaking the rules of how black holes consume matter and generate galaxy-shaping jets.

6 Comments
Black Holes
An illustration of the planets in our solar system lined up against a blue starry background, with Venus then Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus

Rare 'planetary parade' will return to the evening sky this week

By Jamie Carter published

Six planets will shine together in the evening sky on Feb. 28. Here's how to get the best view before they disappear.

Planets
An image of the egg nebula, with a glowing streak of pink gas in the middle surrounded by concentric circles of white like with four diagonal beams of light streaking from top left to bottom right all in front of a deep space starry background

Closest baby nebula to Earth 'hatches' in strange new Hubble image – Space photo of the week

By Jamie Carter published

A stunning new Hubble image reveals the most detailed look yet at the Egg Nebula, the youngest and closest pre-planetary nebula to Earth.

Astronomy
Image of disk-galaxy Andromeda taken by Hubble space telescope

Scientists may have seen a star collapse directly into a black hole without exploding first

By Evan Gough published

A new study looked at how a massive star in the Andromeda Galaxy disappeared due to the formation of a black hole

Black Holes
Hubble image of 3I/ATLAS. White dashes on a black background.

Scientists propose new plan to 'catch' comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fast

By Matthew Williams published

A new study explores the challenges of catching interstellar comets like comet 3I/ATLAS

Comets
Illustration of two moons smashing into one another

Saturn's largest moon may actually be 2 moons in 1 — and helped birth the planet's iconic rings

By Harry Baker published

A new study hints that Saturn's largest moon, Titan, was created around 400 million years ago, when two massive moons smashed into each other. This hypothesis could also help to solve several other mysteries surrounding other moons and the planet's iconic rings.

Saturn
Photo of comet with a close-up of its coma showing off a distinctive spiral shape

City-size, cold-volcano comet transforms into a glowing 'snail shell' after major explosive outburst

By Harry Baker published

Following a massive cryovolcanic eruption, the mysterious Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann has been morphed into a giant spiral and is now shining 100 times brighter than normal.

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Comets
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