#Astronomy13

27 May 2026

Clouds form each morning on WASP-94A b

Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope found a daily cloud cycle on the Hot Jupiter WASP-94A b: sand-like clouds appear each morning and clear by evening. The finding helps measure the planet’s atmosphere more accurately.

Read

Photo by Billy Huynh, Unsplash

14 May 2026

JWST map reveals the cosmic web across time

A new map from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) traces the cosmic web across 13.7 billion years, reaching back to when the universe was one billion years old. The COSMOS-Web survey released maps, data and public tools.

Level

Read

21 Apr 2026

Most metal-poor star found near the Large Magellanic Cloud

Astronomers discovered a star on the outskirts of the Milky Way that contains almost no metals and is made mainly of hydrogen and helium. It is the closest known example similar to the universe’s first stars.

Level

Read

17 Apr 2026

Decaying dark matter may explain early giant black holes

Researchers propose that tiny energy from decaying dark matter changed gas chemistry in the first galaxies. This could let some gas clouds collapse directly into massive black holes, helping to explain early observations by the James Webb Space Telescope.

Level

Read

31 Mar 2026

Astronomers find evidence of two planets colliding

A team found rare signs that two planets collided around a distant star named Gaia20ehk. Rocks and hot dust blocked visible light while infrared light rose, and researchers say the debris likely came from a catastrophic planetary impact.

Level

Read

28 Feb 2026

A quasar can slow star formation in nearby galaxies

Astronomers report that intense radiation from a very active supermassive black hole can reduce recent star formation not only in its own galaxy but also in neighboring galaxies millions of light-years away.

Level

Read

20 Dec 2025

Astronomers image two collisions at Fomalhaut

Astronomers imaged the dusty aftermath of two collisions between large bodies around the nearby young star Fomalhaut, the first such images beyond the solar system. Teams will track the expanding dust with Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.

Level

Read

16 Dec 2025

Webb finds an unusual planet orbiting a pulsar

Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope observed a strange exoplanet with a helium–carbon atmosphere, soot clouds and possible diamond formation. The planet orbits a fast-spinning pulsar and challenges known formation theories.

Level

Read

15 Dec 2025

New models rethink the insides of Uranus and Neptune

A University of Zurich team created new interior models for Uranus and Neptune. The work shows the planets could be rock-rich or water-rich, helps explain their odd magnetic fields, and says we need dedicated missions to learn more.

Level

Read

15 Dec 2025

Study: Many small galaxies may lack central black holes

A University of Michigan-led study using Chandra X-ray data finds many dwarf galaxies do not show signs of central supermassive black holes. The result suggests the biggest black holes may have formed large early and could be tested by future missions.

Level

Read

8 Dec 2025

New isotope evidence on the Moon’s origin

A new study finds that the object that hit early Earth and formed the Moon—called Theia—likely formed closer to the Sun. Researchers used isotopes from Earth rocks, Apollo samples and meteorites to reach this conclusion.

Level

Read

6 Dec 2025

New images reveal complex nova eruptions

Astronomers used interferometry at the CHARA Array to take direct images of two novae soon after they erupted. The pictures show multiple outflows and, in one case, a delayed release of material.

Level

Read

1 Dec 2025

Searching for Life on Exoplanets

Since a 1995 discovery, astronomers have found over 4,000 exoplanets. Scientists study biosignatures and technosignatures to learn if life or technology exists elsewhere. A NASA grant supports Adam Frank's work on technosignatures.

Level

Read