Stars differ in size, luminosity and distance from us. We discuss how astronomers measure these three values to understand the three-dimensional sky.

Find out what you can see in the night sky for tonight, from planets and stars to dazzling meteor showers.

The exact cause of 'Devil Comet' 12P/Pons-Brooks' flare-ups is unknown, though the best guess is that perhaps a fissure has developed on the comet's nucleus due to a build-up of gas.

An independent mass measurement of Sagittarius A* suggests we have been right all along about how utterly massive this black hole is.

This guide to the planets in our solar system will show you what to look out for in the sky in 2024.

The sensitivity of LIGO has squeezed the quantum limit, meaning it can now detect merging black holes and neutron stars on smaller scales and at greater distances than ever before.

New observations from the MeerKAT radio survey suggest our estimates of the cosmic dipole effect are actually in line with the large scale structure of the universe.

The enormous waves are the result of gravitational tides dragging around stellar material.

Gravitationally lensed light from a distant quasar, powered by a supermassive black hole, could help constrain the properties of dark matter.

Check out these stargazing targets that you can see with the naked eye this week (July 22 to July 28), from planetary meet-ups to meteor showers and more!

On Friday, Dec. 8, Halley's Comet reaches its farthest point from the sun and begins its journey back through the solar system.

Astronomers worry that an impending future of widespread satellite constellations could darken our bridge to the stars.

When the total solar eclipse travels across North America on April 8, the skies will darken. Here's what to look for during totality.

Having launched on Oct. 13, the Psyche spacecraft has been journeying to a metal asteroid reminiscent of Earth's core. It just snapped its first image.

Whether you're a frequent jet-setter or a couch potato, you travel much more than you think, thanks the motion of the Earth, sun, Milky Way galaxy and more.

Satellite measurements have revealed the extent of ground movement caused by the 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco last week, killing nearly 3,000 people.

The different ways red giants "sing" could affect distance measurements of the universe, potentially helping soothe a cosmic headache: The Hubble tension.

Three teams have progressed through to the final round of the MagQuest Challenge to design a better way of measuring the shifts in the geomagnetic field.

All you'll need to see comet 12P/Pons-Brooks this month, besides fair weather and a little luck, are good binoculars or a telescope and sky map to help guide you.

T Coronae Borealis will erupt with a magnificent explosion sometime between now and September, becoming visible to the unaided eye. Here's how to find it when it does.

A Very Large Telescope instrument designed to study exoplanets has turned its focus to our own cosmic neighborhood to measure Jupiter's wind speeds.

Unlike physical theories describing the other three fundamental forces in physics, the general theory of relativity has only been tested in weak gravity.

Yet another faraway world has come to sharper focus thanks to the collective scientific muscle of citizen scientists.

Astronomers have measured supermassive black hole winds that existed when the universe was less than 3 billion years old, showing how these cosmic titans shape galaxies.

These observations could hint at how the cosmic titans grow to hold the immense masses we calculate.

Knowing that black holes tend to have these masses could help provide a new way of measuring the expansion rate of the universe.

A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck Japan on Jan. 1, causing uplift that extended the coastline along areas of the Noto Peninsula by up to 820 feet (250 meters), as new satellite images show.

Scientists have acknowledged for months that the mission's end was near, and now, a continent-size dust storm is darkening the Martian skies, further impacting power production.

Astronomers have weighed the halos of dark matter that surround ancient galaxies with profound implications for our understanding of cosmic evolution.

A new study suggests an earthquake of estimated magnitude 7.5 or 8 shook the Indian subcontinent 2,500 years ago, changing the course of the Ganges.

Saturn will be directly opposite of the sun on Aug. 26 and 27, making this weekend a great time to observe the ringed gas giant.

A powerful jet erupting from a distant supermassive black hole released 100,000 trillion times more energy than the sun will over its entire life, forging a chain of star clusters.

Skywatchers can see Mercury half-lit and bright in the sky on Saturday, Oct. 8 as the planet is far enough from the sun to be spotted.

We provide the latest details on this comet, which might (or might not!) blossom into a bright naked-eye object in our October evening skies.

Mercury will appear brighter in the sky over the coming weeks. At dawn on Saturday, Oct. 8, skywatchers in the northern hemisphere can see Mercury at its farthest from the sunrise.

Astronomers have discovered the most massive stellar-born black hole ever seen in the Milky Way, and it lies relatively close to Earth.

The moon will meet up with the planet Venus for an early morning tryst on Oct. 10. At the same time, the two celestial bodies will be in conjunction.

Scientists think they've uncovered a cosmic "glitch" in gravity that could require a revision in Einstein's theory of general relativity.

While social media has been abuzz with talk of new Comet Nishimura being visible to the naked eye in September, experts aren't so sure.

The moon and Saturn will take a night swim together in the watery constellation of Aquarius on Tuesday (Oct. 24) as the two bodies make a close approach and come into conjunction.

The moon will make a close approach to Mars in the evening on Friday, Aug. 18 as the two celestial bodies enjoy the sunset together.

A new computer simulation flies through tangled galaxies and zooms in on a black hole to dissect how these voids feats on surrounding matter.

The XMM Newton space telescope has seen a feeding supermassive black hole as it throws a major tantrum, "flipping over the table" and preventing its parent galaxy from birthing new stars.

A machine learning-based search for TESS data anomalies could lead us to proof of alien life.

A seamount sitting on a subducting tectonic plate off the coast of Japan and plowing its way into Earth's mantle may be at the root of several magnitude 7 earthquakes in the past 40 years.

Scientists have traced the biggest marsquake detected by Insight in May 2022 to tectonic forces within Mars' crust, ruling out a meteorite impact.

The brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius, Antares will appear below the moon on Friday evening.

A new image from the European Southern Observatory captures a cosmic wildflower in space.

Skywatchers will see both Mars and Uranus in the same field of view overnight using a pair of binoculars. Here's how to spot the planetary pair.

NOAA is researching how to update its Space Weather Scales and how it can better communicate its space weather forecasts with the public and government agencies.

Scientists have used solar flares from the sun to determine the physics driving powerful and violent 'superflares' on massive stellar bodies that are up to 10,000 times brighter than our star.