Astronomy

miscellanyHubble Space TelescopeMarsclimate changesupernovaeexoplanetscometssolar systemESA2025Jupiterwhite dwarfsPlutoaliensdustasteroidsastrophotographymeteoritesstar clustersvolcanoesmathEarthcosmologymoonsthe SunscifiFast Radio BurstsVera Rubin ObservatorynebulaAstronomybrown dwarfsNASAPoliticsgalaxy clusterslight pollutiondebunkingblack holesphysicsTVgravitational lensingAbout the newsletterMoonAbout meimpactsnovaebinary starsSgr A*starsTNOssciencegalaxiesJWSTGamma-ray burstsColliding galaxiesMilky Way GalaxyScientific AmericanGaia
exoplanetsexoplanets
+5+5
The woman who discovered the first black hole

The woman who discovered the first black hole

Betty Webster is a name to remember. Also: more rogue binary jovians

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
asteroidsasteroids
+2+2
Taurus in 3D!

Taurus in 3D!

Cool animation does a big circle around a nearby star cluster

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
solar systemsolar system
+4+4
Amateurs aid astronomers’ ammonia ascertainment, Lovely short flick about the Kármán Line
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Amateurs aid astronomers’ ammonia ascertainment, Lovely short flick about the Kármán Line

Jupiter’s clouds are now more easily mapped

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
AstronomyAstronomy
+3+3
Is the WR 104 system pointing a gamma-ray burst at Earth? Probably not.

Is the WR 104 system pointing a gamma-ray burst at Earth? Probably not.

New observations indicate it’s aimed away from us

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
EarthEarth
+3+3
INCREDIBLE SPACE PHOTO: The lunar eclipse seen from the Moon!

INCREDIBLE SPACE PHOTO: The lunar eclipse seen from the Moon!

Also, come see me at GalaxyCon in Richmond, Virginia, March 27-29!

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
exoplanetsexoplanets
+3+3
Four planets for Barnard’s Star! Also Danger, Will Robinson!
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Four planets for Barnard’s Star! Also Danger, Will Robinson!

The nearest solo star in the Universe has four planets orbiting it, and I still love “Lost in Space”

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
AstronomyAstronomy
+3+3
The chance of an impact from the asteroid 2024 YR4 just went way down

The chance of an impact from the asteroid 2024 YR4 just went way down

It’ll likely drop to zero, but it may be a while before we know for sure

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
AstronomyAstronomy
+1+1
Black hole versus White Dwarf!

Black hole versus White Dwarf!

A colossal supermassive black hole is (possibly) tangling with a tiny white dwarf. Guess who’ll win?

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
AstronomyAstronomy
+3+3
Two colossal stars send out waves of dust in an amazing JWST image

Two colossal stars send out waves of dust in an amazing JWST image

WR 140 is a terrifying star system, but it sure is beautiful. Also, announcing a new rate for the newsletter.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
meteoritesmeteorites
+4+4
A wee meteorite impact caught on video, Gaia closes its eyes

A wee meteorite impact caught on video, Gaia closes its eyes

Very rare footage of a mini-impact, and the Gaia spacecraft has been shut down

Philip Plait
Philip Plait
20252025
+3+3
What do teeny galaxies have in common with dogs farting in cars? More than you might expect. Also, 2025 is a cool number.

What do teeny galaxies have in common with dogs farting in cars? More than you might expect. Also, 2025 is a cool number.

Hey, look, nature is the one creating the circumstances for these analogies. I’m just pointing them out.

Philip Plait
Philip Plait