Tanya Hill, Museums Victoria Research Institute and Jonti Horner, University of Southern Queensland
Scientists say they have evidence that the solar system has an extra planet, bigger than Earth and way beyond Pluto. So how come we never knew this before?
20 tons of Ohara E6 borosilicate glass being loaded onto the mold of one of the GMT’s mirrors.
Ray Bertram, Steward Observatory
The laws of physics dictate that to pick out ever fainter objects from space and see them more sharply, we’re going to need a bigger telescope. And that means we need massive mirrors.
The November 27 fireball as photographed by the Desert Fireball Network observatory at William Creek, South Australia.
Desert Fireball Network
It’s no easy task to find a meteorite that’s just been seen flashing across the sky. But it helps if you have an automatic network of “eyes” on the night sky.
The moon can be used to help in the hunt for high energy particles.
Flickr/Neil Hall
From the high-speed journey to Jupiter to solar eclipses, meteor showers and planetary alignments visible in the skies above – add these space highlights to your 2016 calendar.
A brilliant fireball lights up the sky above the Southern Ocean at the 12 Apostles National Park on the Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia.
Alex Cherney
Dawn’s mission director and chief engineer describes his ‘dream come true’ job – and how the new data coming back from Ceres could unlock some of the secrets of the earliest days of our solar system.
‘What difference would it make to human life if a celestial event were unequivocally linked to the very night of Jesus’ birth?’
Nathan Rupert/Flickr
Darkness is precious to astronomers, but it’s also good for everybody. We should ensure we preserve the dark by using the latest technologies responsibly.
A telescope can open up on the wonders of the heavens.
Grand Canyon National Park/Flickr
Stargazing in your back yard or on a camping trip can amaze and inspire. If you’re thinking of buying a telescope, here are a few key things you should look out for.
The light shining through an exoplanet’s atmosphere can give us a hint of whether the planet supports life.
NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)
Astronomers have built a new observatory in the cold dry air of a high plateau in Antarctica to peer through our atmosphere and observe carbon in our galaxy.
Great Comet of 1577, which Kepler witnessed as a child.
Climate change is altering the iconic face of Jupiter, too
Is this what we’re seeing around KIC 8462852 - a colossal megastructure built by alien intelligence? Probably not. The reality might be even more interesting.
Kevin Gill/Flickr
There’s a lot of speculation about a star behaving strangely in our galaxy. But even if it’s not evidence of alien intelligence, it’s sure to be an amazing discovery.
People throughout Africa can play a part in the work of the Square Kilometre Array even if they are not scientists.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Citizen science will ensure that the skies have no limit when it comes to research, as ordinary people are encouraged to take part in simple acts of exploration.