
What’s Inside Our Galaxy’s Darkest Place?
Barnard 68 is often mistaken for a hole in space, but it’s actually a dense, opaque cloud of dust—for now

What’s Inside Our Galaxy’s Darkest Place?
Barnard 68 is often mistaken for a hole in space, but it’s actually a dense, opaque cloud of dust—for now

Sunbeams and the Belt of Venus Are Delightful Twilight Sights
“Twilight rays” are but one of several viewing treats for the liminal time between day and night

Why Is the Sky Dark at Night? You Can Thank the Big Bang
Called Olbers’ paradox, the seemingly simple mystery of the sky’s darkness is something that stumped astronomers for centuries

What’s the Roundest Object in the Universe?
Finding a perfect sphere is actually pretty difficult

Happy New Year! (If You’re a Martian)
The Martian new year arrives with the Red Planet’s vernal equinox. Explaining why requires a deep dive into celestial mechanics and Earth’s calendrical history

The Three Types of Twilight
At dusk and dawn, the sky dances with three phases of in-between light

Treat or Trick? Astronomical Objects Are Beautiful—And Creepy
If you’ve ever seen faces in clouds, these heavenly entities will leave you haunted

Why Does the Moon Look Bigger Near the Horizon?
The rising moon looks huge on the horizon, but it’s all in your head

A ‘Once-in-a-Lifetime’ Nova Explosion Is Running Late
The famous exploding star T Coronae Borealis is due to detonate any day now, but it’s running a little late

How Dark Is the Night Sky?
The night sky isn’t perfectly dark—instead it glows faintly, and the source isn’t exactly local

Will This Comet Be the Brightest of 2024?
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) could soon shine very bright in Earth’s skies

Why Do So Many Tiny Asteroids Have Moons?
Scientists are putting a new spin on the creation of binary asteroids