Astronomy Archives

Why Your Zodiac Sign Is Probably Wrong

The science of astronomy is now at odds with one of the basic organizing principles...

Did this Woman Really Discover What ‘the Universe is Made of’?

We look deeply at viral claims about Cecilia Payne, one of the most influential and...

What’s the Deal With Those “Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts from Deep Space”?

Despite what you may have read on the internet, several explanations are more likely than...

The Science Behind Those Viral Oumuamua “Alien Spacecraft” Stories

ʻOumuamua, the first interstellar object to be detected passing through our solar system, does not...

NASA Announces Discovery of Seven Earth-Sized Exoplanets in Orbit Around a Nearby Star

It is unclear how Earth-like any of these new planets actually might be, but the...

Closest “Supermoon” Since 1948 to Occur in November 2016

The largest full moon in several decades won’t be surpassed until November 2034.

Scientists May Have Found Two New ‘Moonlets’ Lurking In Uranus’ Rings

Though we can’t yet see them directly, decades-old data may suggest the presence of two...

Starlight May Be Integral to Life’s Existence, Scientists Find

New discoveries indicate that ultraviolet light emitted by stars might have created the basic molecules...

Friday’s ‘Black Moon’ Promises to Be an Underwhelming Spectacle

The Internet is abuzz over an impending astronomical event called a "black moon." What is...

Aliens Are (Probably) Not Broadcasting a Signal from Space

A supposed signal originating from a star about 95 light years from Earth is causing...

Bright Object Streaks Across the Sky Over the Western United States

The object, which was visible from Los Angeles to at least Colorado, is thought to...

Video Shows the Empire State Building Get Struck by Lightning

As a thunderstorm hit New York City, a photographer grabbed a nifty timelapse image of...