Astronomy

The JunoCam on NASA's Juno spacecraft has given us fantastic images of Jupiter and its moons, especially volcanic Io. But the instrument is suffering after years of exposure to Jupiter's intense radiation. There are few options for repairing that damage from such a great distance, but it looks like NASA's done it.

From an engineering perspective, space is surprisingly hot. Or, more specifically, solar energy can make systems that need to be kept at a very cold temperature heat up much more quickly than expected, given the reputation that space has of being cold. In some cases, this heating causes issues with long-term missions, which is why NASA is actively testing a two-stage active cryogenic system to keep one important consumable as cold as possible - fuel.

A team of astronomers using the Netherlands' powerful LOFAR radio telescope has found a white dwarf that's defying everything we thought we knew about them. Located over 3,500 light-years away, it’s pulsing out radio signals every 14 minutes with a twist, its radio waves mysteriously switch between spinning in circles and vibrating in straight lines. It's like discovering a lighthouse that randomly changes the shape of its beam, except this lighthouse is a star that died long ago and should be quietly cooling in space.

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 22, 2025 NASA has awarded $621,000 to University of Massachusetts Amherst microbiologist James Holden to investigate what life might look like on Europa, Jupiter's ice-covered moon. To pursue answers, Holden is focusing his research on Earth's deep-sea volcanic hydrothermal vents-environments that may closely resemble Europa's subsurface conditions. Europa, beneath its frozen exterior, is believed

Astronomers have detected a Trans-Neptunian Object (TNO) that's moving in rhythm with Neptune. It's called 2020 VN40 and is the first confirmed object that orbits the Sun once for every ten Neptune orbits. It could be an example of an object caught by Neptune's gravity.

What could we choose as the seven most remarkable celestial objects visible either with our eyes or with a small telescope?

The glowing light shows the intricate details that make this cutting-edge telescope work.

Looking at dunes and other rock formations on both Earth and Mars can tell scientists the environmental conditions that created them

The US West Coast is the world's worst mega-drying region.

The House and Senate bill drafts keep NASA near current funding levels, but the Trump administration is prematurely readying the agency for heavy cuts

The post Congress’s NASA and NSF Budgets Counter Trump, Fund Science appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

A red supergiant star is surrounded by a sphere of dust and gas so large there is no known explanation for what produced it

A red supergiant star is surrounded by a sphere of dust and gas so large there is no known explanation for what produced it

Earlier this year, astronomers reported possible evidence of life on another planet – but new observations from JWST suggest the apparent biosignature isn’t there after all

Earlier this year, astronomers reported possible evidence of life on another planet – but new observations from JWST suggest the apparent biosignature isn’t there after all

Ultimately, we do not understand where glitches come from or exactly what's going on inside pulsars.

Nebulas are perhaps as famous for being identified

The cast of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" has to cover a wide range of dramatic genres, aided in part by the show's ample stockpile of wigs.

A new behind-the-scenes featurette from Hulu's upcoming 'Alien: Earth' show why the series will be pure nightmare fuel.

The European company Eos X Space has acquired Space Perspective, one of its key rivals in the nascent field of stratospheric balloon tourism.

Satellite data allows meteorologists to keep track of the location, structure and intensity of severe weather, helping to keep people safe. Now they're losing access to these satellites.