We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

— Oscar Wilde

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Updated: 14 hours 38 min ago

Distant Little Red Dot Hosts a Huge (and Growing) Black Hole

Tue, 08/19/2025 - 9:00am

A "little red dot" galaxy from when the universe was roughly half a billion years old shows signs of the most distant black hole known.

The post Distant Little Red Dot Hosts a Huge (and Growing) Black Hole appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Might Have Weird “Space Rainbows”

Mon, 08/18/2025 - 9:00am

Scouring old data from NASA’s Cassini mission revealed puzzling atmospheric stripes that could help probe Saturn’s icy moon.

The post Saturn’s Moon Enceladus Might Have Weird “Space Rainbows” appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

No Evidence for Atmosphere on Trappist-1d

Fri, 08/15/2025 - 12:32pm

New James Webb Space Telescope observations of the third world in the seven-planet TRAPPIST-1 system rule out a variety of atmospheres.

The post No Evidence for Atmosphere on Trappist-1d appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 15 – 24

Fri, 08/15/2025 - 4:44am

Saturn glows through the evening near the Andromegasus Dipper. Venus and Jupiter, drawing apart, still light the dawn dramatically. The Moon joins them.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 15 – 24 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

A Fast Radio Burst from the Early Universe

Tue, 08/12/2025 - 10:19am

Astronomers at the South African MeerKAT observatory have discovered the most distant flash of radio waves to date, most likely stemming from activity around a magnetar.

The post A Fast Radio Burst from the Early Universe appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Moon or Not, the Perseid Meteor Shower Is On!

Mon, 08/11/2025 - 6:19pm

Sure, the Moon will be a problem. But clouds are worse. Don't miss one of the best meteor showers of the year.

The post Moon or Not, the Perseid Meteor Shower Is On! appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Were the Very First Stars Really That Massive?

Mon, 08/11/2025 - 8:00am

New research suggests the first stars weren't the behemoths we expected them to be — which might explain why we haven't seen them yet.

The post Were the Very First Stars Really That Massive? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 8 – 17

Fri, 08/08/2025 - 5:08am

Set an alarm and take a peek east in early dawn to follow Venus and Jupiter through their spectacular conjunction this week.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 8 – 17 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Alpha Centauri Might Have a Planet, Webb Telescope Finds

Thu, 08/07/2025 - 12:25pm

Direct images from the James Webb Space Telescope show what could be a Saturn-mass planet around Alpha Centauri.

The post Alpha Centauri Might Have a Planet, Webb Telescope Finds appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Honoring the Women of Astronomy

Tue, 08/05/2025 - 11:47am

Even today, the names of women in astronomy are not as well known as they should be.

The post Honoring the Women of Astronomy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Southern Splendors on Safari

Mon, 08/04/2025 - 5:11pm

Sky & Telescope Associate Editor Sean Walker and Contributing Editor Stephen James O’Meara accompanied nine adventurers on a stargazing safari for an immersive experience in the African bush in Botswana.

The post Southern Splendors on Safari appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 1 – 10

Fri, 08/01/2025 - 4:52am

The waxing gibbous Moon of August haunts the low south. Venus and Jupiter are drawing toward a spectacular conjunction in early dawn.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, August 1 – 10 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

August Podcast: Planets Dance at Dawn

Thu, 07/31/2025 - 4:22pm

Find out “what’s up” in the August sky. We’ll track down four planets before dawn; have some fun with New Moons; peek at some Perseids; and gaze at the center of our galaxy. So load up on the bug juice, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.

The post August Podcast: Planets Dance at Dawn appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Satellite Constellations Are Too Bright for Astronomy

Wed, 07/30/2025 - 9:00am

The International Astronomical Union has recommended brightness limits for satellites, but companies aren't abiding by them.

The post Satellite Constellations Are Too Bright for Astronomy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: What We Know Now

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 11:54am

Observations have revealed the comet’s fuzzy coma, hinted at a weird tail, and suggested an ancient history. Plus, some missions might keep observing the interstellar comet when it ducks behind the Sun.

The post Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: What We Know Now appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Congress’s NASA and NSF Budgets Counter Trump, Fund Science

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 8:00am

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.

Categories: Astronomy

Betelgeuse's Companion Has Been Found — Or Has It?

Fri, 07/25/2025 - 10:38am

A new image from the Gemini Observatory might show a stellar companion to Betelgeuse, but the discovery is tentative.

The post Betelgeuse's Companion Has Been Found — Or Has It? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 25 – August 3

Fri, 07/25/2025 - 4:32am

The newly waxing Moon passes Mars low in the west, then Spica and Antares while growing more robust. At dawn, Jupiter heads toward Venus.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 25 – August 3 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

NASA Launches TRACERS Mission to Study Space Weather

Wed, 07/23/2025 - 2:58pm

NASA’s TRACERS spacecraft will look at the snap of magnetic field lines at the boundary between the solar wind and Earth's magnetic field.

The post NASA Launches TRACERS Mission to Study Space Weather appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Webb Space Telescope Spies Baby Planetary System

Wed, 07/23/2025 - 1:04pm

Astronomers have found a baby system that’s just beginning to build planets — and it can tell us about how and where planet formation starts.

The post Webb Space Telescope Spies Baby Planetary System appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy