space

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an illustration of our solar system
A 'planetary parade' will dance across the sky on Jan. 21 — but that's not the best night to see it Worlds will align for a "planetary parade" in January, with four bright and easily visible to the naked eye. But an even better view arrives in February and March. Here's what you need to know.
An artistic image of the outline of the human body in front of a cosmic image
Most of the atoms in your body left the Milky Way on a 'cosmic conveyor belt' long before you were born, new study reveals New research suggests that most of the atoms within the human body likely spent part of their lives drifting beyond the Milky Way on a cosmic "conveyor belt," before eventually returning to our galaxy.
Around Earth, an invisible magnetic field traps electrons and other charged particles.
New NASA robot with X-ray vision will watch Earth 'breathing' from the moon NASA's LEXI instrument is set to land on the moon's surface sometime this month. Using X-ray sensors, the device will watch Earth's atmosphere "breathing out and breathing in" to uncover key space weather mysteries.

Latest about space

This computer-simulated image shows a supermassive black hole at the core of a galaxy. The black region in the center represents the black hole’s event horizon, where no light can escape the massive object’s gravitational grip. The black hole’s powerful gravity distorts space around it like a funhouse mirror. Light from background stars is stretched and smeared as the stars skim by the black hole.

Black hole growth is slowing down in the universe. New research could help explain why.

By Fan Zou, W. Niel Brandt published

Black hole growth is slowing down, suggests a team of astrophysicists who looked back in time across the universe's 13.8 billion-year history.

Black Holes
Astronaut shown doing a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. They are in the center of the image and appear to be bending towards the camera

Astronauts could ditch diapers on spacewalks thanks to new device that let's them drink their pee

By Emily Cooke published

A new device may someday soon allow astronauts to drink purified water made from their filtered pee during spacewalks.

Health
A photo collage of hundreds of exoplanets

Space photo of the week: 900 alien worlds packed into a single image

By Jamie Carter published

Slovakian artist Martin Vargic's spectacular new infographics artistically portray, visualize and compare more than 1,600 planets in other star systems.

Exoplanets
A red giant star and white dwarf orbit each other in this animation of a nova.

A 'new star' will appear in the sky any night now. Here's how to watch the Blaze Star ignite.

By Jamie Carter last updated

The "Blaze Star" T Coronae Borealis is expected to erupt with a magnificent explosion sometime between now and September, becoming visible to the naked eye. Here's how to find it when it does.

Astronomy
An artist's illustration of two black holes merging.

Astronomers discover the 1st-ever merging galaxy cores at cosmic dawn

By Ben Turner published

Two superluminous quasars, or active black holes at the centers of large galaxies, were found just 900 million years after the Big Bang — the earliest detection of a pair of merging quasars ever seen.

Black Holes
An illustration of a large, round asteroid having a close encounter with the blue Earth

NASA's most wanted: The 5 most dangerous asteroids to Earth

By Robert Lea last updated

What is the most dangerous asteroid, how probable is an impact, and how much destructive power would a collision with Earth have? Here are 5 big space rocks that NASA is watching closely.

Asteroids
The milky way

Three bright stars mark the beginning of summer. Here's how to spot the 'Summer Triangle' this week.

By Jamie Carter published

The appearance this week of the three bright Summer Triangle stars — Vega, Deneb and Altair — marks the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Here's how to spot them.

Astronomy
An artist's rendering of the sun rising over the earth

Have days on Earth always been 24 hours?

By Sarah Wells published

Earth's day used to be five hours shorter, and it's predicted to continue lengthening over time.

Planet Earth
Each bright spot in this image, the first all-sky image by eRosita, is black hole or a neutron star.

5 space discoveries that scientists are struggling to explain

By Brandon Specktor published

From "runaway" black holes shooting across the cosmos to secret planets in our own backyard, space is overrun with mysterious objects that scientists are clamoring to explain. Here are five of the strangest sights in the universe, as well as their possible origins.

Astronomy
A photo of galaxy NGC 4449, with red and orange sparkling clouds

Space photo of the week: James Webb telescope spots galaxy churning out stars in overtime

By Jamie Carter published

The James Webb Space Telescope peers into NGC 4449, a small galaxy showing explosive star formation that astronomers can't quite explain.

Astronomy
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