Frontier science, explained
Space, physics and materials news from NASA, NIST, ESA/Hubble, ESA/Webb, ESO, NOIRLab and ALMA.
NASA’s Hubble Captures Crimson Cloud Sparkling with White, Blue Stars
Blue and white stars shine brightly against crimson gas in this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.
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NASA’s Hubble Spots Star-Spangled Cosmic Scene
More than 500,000 stars blaze red, white, and blue in this NASA Hubble image of the globular cluster Messier 3 (M3).
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NASA’s Webb Reveals Stars Sparking to Life in Cosmic Celebration
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the infrared light of numerous features that previously were impossible to see beyond the thick dust of the FS Tau star system.
astrophysicsgoddard space flight centerprotostarsscience & researchstarsthe universe"Beyond the limit": one million satellites and mirrors in space pose grave threat to the night sky
A new European Southern Observatory (ESO) study has found that current proposals to launch over 1.7 million satellites into orbit, including extremely bright ones, would have “devastating consequences for astronomy.”
astrophysics
NASA’s Chandra Examines Milky Way at Arms’ Length
A new result using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory shows that the outer spiral arms in the Milky Way galaxy may reach wider than previously thought. This finding may lead astronomers to adjust their understanding of our home galaxy’s structure.
astrophysicschandra x-ray observatorygalaxiesmarshall astrophysicsmarshall space flight centerthe milky way
NASA’s TESS Mission Finds Planetary System in New Way
For the first time, NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission has identified a planet orbiting a distant star thanks to ripples in space-time.
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NASA’s Webb Studies How Planet Survived Death of its Star
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is giving us new insight into the far-future of solar systems like our own, as the agency continues to reveal the secrets of the universe and our place in it.
astrophysicsexoplanet atmosphereexoplanetsgoddard space flight centerscience & researchthe universe
NASA’s Chandra Reveals ‘Red, White, Blue’ Universe for US 250th
In celebration of the 250th birthday of the United States, NASA has unveiled four cosmic images from its Chandra X-ray Observatory rendered in red, white, and blue that represent the wonders of the universe the agency explores.
astrophysicschandra x-ray observatorygalaxiesmarshall astrophysicsmarshall space flight centernebulaeAction! NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Begins Capturing the Greatest Cosmic Movie Ever Made
The wait is over: NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, is now capturing the cosmos in unprecedented detail, transforming the way we study the dynamic Universe.
astrophysics
Hubble Spies Starry Chandelier
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular cluster NGC 6723, sometimes called the Chandelier Cluster.
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NASA’s TESS Mission Reveals the “Puffiest” Planets Ever Found
NASA has revealed two new “super-puff” planets, giant worlds so light that their density is comparable to cotton candy. Scientists calculate that these Jupiter-sized planets are the “puffiest” worlds ever found.
ames research centerastrophysicsexoplanet discoveriesexoplanet scienceexoplanetsgas giant exoplanets
Hubble Details Early Galaxy Transforming Neighborhood
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have found something they never expected — ultraviolet light from a galaxy that existed just 1.4 billion years after the big bang.
astrophysicsastrophysics divisiongalaxiesgoddard space flight centerhubble space telescopethe universe
NASA’s Webb Pinpoints Millions of Stars Within Cigar Galaxy
Located 12 million light-years away and undergoing rapid star formation, edge-on spiral galaxy Messier 82 (M82) is a scientifically unique sight to behold, and now NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed previously unseen details.
astrophysicsgalaxiesgoddard space flight centerhubble space telescopescience & researchthe universe
NASA’s Webb Finds Clues to Ancient, Distant Origin of Comet 3I/ATLAS
As interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS began moving away from the Sun in December 2025, astronomers took the opportunity to turn NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope in its direction and capture detailed measurements of its chemical components.
astrophysicscometsgoddard space flight centerscience & researchthe solar systemthe universe
ALMA Reveals a Hidden Starburst Galaxy Linked to a High-Energy Neutrino
Gravitational lensing allowed astronomers to study a compact, dust-obscured galaxy from 11 billion years ago that is the most plausible counterpart candidate to an IceCube neutrino event
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