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This illustration shows a black field speckled with white, yellow and red galaxies. A black hole, near the left, bottom corner of the image, plows through space, leaving a diagonal trail of newborn stars stretching back to the black hole's parent galaxy.
James Webb telescope confirms a supermassive black hole running away from its host galaxy at 2 million mph, researchers say JWST peered at the glowing trail of stars left behind by a candidate runaway supermassive black hole deep in space, revealing new insights after other telescopes looked at the event.
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A region of space mostly filled with background galaxies, with one prominent star at upper left. A large blob of purple haze occupies much of the field. Within the purple region, an unremarkable area is outlined with a dashed white circle.
Hubble telescope discovers 'Cloud-9,' a dark and rare 'failed galaxy' that's unlike anything seen before Astronomers have revealed a new type of cosmic object called Cloud-9 — a dim, starless gas cloud anchored by a massive dark matter halo that may be the first-confirmed failed galaxy.
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A photo of the exploding sun with an inset photo showing the giant sunspot that caused it
Giant sunspot that triggered recent solar 'superstorm' shot out nearly 1,000 flares and a secret X-rated explosion, record-breaking study reveals The massive sunspot that sparked an "extreme" geomagnetic storm in May 2024 unleashed hundreds of other dangerous solar flares, including a hidden X-class outburst, a new paper reveals. The study sets a record for the longest continuous observation of a single active region on our home star.

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illustration of spacecraft nearing a green comet

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is rapidly moving away from us. Can we 'intercept' it before it leaves us forever?

By Harry Baker published

3I/ATLAS has passed its closest point to Earth, meaning we will soon lose sight of it for good. Some scientists want to send a spacecraft to chase down the alien comet — or the next interstellar object.

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Space Exploration

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS makes closest pass of Earth. Where's it heading next?

By Patrick Pester published

Everyone's favorite interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, flew past Earth overnight, coming within about 168 million miles (270 million kilometers) of our planet.

Comets

Comet 3I/ATLAS reaches its closest point to Earth tonight: How to see it

By Jamie Carter last updated

Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar object ever detected, reached its closest point to Earth overnight from Thursday to Friday (Dec. 18 to 19), and it remains in a good viewing position tonight. Here's how to see it.

Comets
santa's sleigh being pulled by 4 reindeer against the moon in a dark sky above a snowy forest scene

Stargazing over the Christmas holidays 2025: 10 great reasons to look up

By Jamie Carter published

Your guide to the best sights the night sky has to offer from Dec. 20, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026 — and the gear you'll need to see them.

Space

Ursid meteor shower 2025: When and where to see 'shooting stars' on the longest night of the year

By Jamie Carter published

Here's how to see the Ursid meteor shower, which peaks in dark skies close to a new moon this year.

Meteoroids

NASA eyes 3I/ATLAS with alien-hunting Clipper spacecraft in new image

By Brandon Specktor published

NASA's alien-hunting Europa Clipper spacecraft took seven hours of ultraviolet observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS while both objects zoom toward Jupiter.

Comets

NASA's Parker Solar Probe mapped an unseen part of the sun at its most active moment

By Joanna Thompson published

Data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe has enabled astronomers to map the unssen surface of the sun's atmosphere for the first time.

Astronomy
This artist illustration shows the Local Bubble surrounding the Sun.

Mysterious, irradiated 'scar' in our galaxy may finally have an explanation

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Astronomers traced a mysterious 'scar' of ionized gas around the solar system to two stars that had a close flyby with our sun millions of years ago.

Astronomy
A photo of Europa's surface with a red ring around the spider-like feature

Spiders on Jupiter? Scientists uncover secret origins of arachnid-like 'demon' lurking on gas giant's moon.

By Harry Baker published

A new study reveals the likely origin of a mysterious spider-like pattern first spotted on Jupiter's moon Europa in 1998. The finding could have implications for a NASA spacecraft en route to the frozen world.

Jupiter
Six infrared images of Titan.

Saturn's largest moon may be riddled with 'slushy tunnels' that contain alien life, new study hints

By Elizabeth Howell published

Decades ago, a spacecraft suggested Saturn's largest moon, Titan, had an ocean. New observations suggest that the liquid may look more like slush.

Saturn
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