Some ancient texts record what were likely dying stars, faintly visible from Earth. If close enough, these events can disturb telescopes and even damage the ozone layer.
An illustration of the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will head to Jupiter’s moon Europa.
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Douglas Vakoch, California Institute of Integral Studies
Europa Clipper will contain a plaque that celebrates humanity’s relationship with water and a decades-old tradition of searching for life outside Earth.
Nuclear explosions on a neutron star feed its jets.
Danielle Futselaar and Nathalie Degenaar, Anton Pannekoek Institute, University of Amsterdam
Powerful jets are launched from the most massive objects in our universe, but we don’t fully understand how. This measurement gets us a step closer to solving the mystery.
The corona of the sun can be clearly seen in this image taken in 2007.
(NASA/JPL-Caltech/NRL/GSFC)
The solar corona can be seen during the solar eclipse on April 8. Astronomers are still trying to figure out the mysteries of the corona, including why it’s so hot.
Eclipses have inspired myths, predictions and scientific discoveries. The total solar eclipse occurring on April 8 provides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to engage with science and the cosmos.
Solar eclipses happen because of a few factors, including the Moon’s size and distance from the Sun.
AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley
Many people will see a dazzling eclipse this April, but these events are possible only because of the sizes and precise distances between Earth, the Moon and the Sun.
The surface of Mars is cold, dry and rocky.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU