"You need so much water that we think these could be evidence of an ancient warmer and wetter climate where there was rain falling for millions of years."
A galaxy's powerful magnetic fields have a fundamental effect on light, and it's all because of dust. Tiny dust grains in interstellar space are elongated rather than spherical. In the presence of a magnetic field, these grains align themselves with the field. That means they preferentially absorb and reflect light.
This is the first time humans have laid eyes on these deep space objects.
NASA's upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission is historic, but it's designed to pave the way for even bigger things.
This Hubble Picture of the Month shows NGC 7722, a lenticular galaxy about 185 million light-years away. It's known for its striking appearance, where dramatic dust lanes can't quite block out the light from its central region. The dusty lanes are likely from a past merger. In fact, astronomers think all lenticular galaxies are the result of past mergers, or at least gravitational interactions with other galaxies.
From dazzling Jupiter high in the evening sky to elusive Mercury low at sunset, February 2026 offers one of the year's best planetary lineups.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 25 Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026.
When satellites eventually fall back down to Earth, they mostly burn up because of the friction caused by the atmosphere. Scientific data about this atmospheric reentry process is urgently needed to design future satellites for a quick, safe and sustainable demise at the end of their mission – reducing risks on the ground and in space.
One of the brightest stars in the night sky will vanish as seen from North America and Europe in a rare event.
Arizona skywatchers got treated to both a beautiful sunset and a blazing comet streaking across the skies.
A smaller Lego Star Wars BB-8 model replaces the one that retired in 2019. It’s a great model, but we’re not sure it offers value for money.
Astronomical winter reaches its true midpoint on Feb. 3, as daylight gains begin to accelerate across the Northern Hemisphere.
Monday, Feb. 2, 2026: Follow NASA's last major test of SLS before the launch of Artemis 2 and a crew of astronauts around the moon.
A rapidly growing sunspot has fired off at least 18 M-class and three X-class flares in just 24 hours, including an intense X8.3 eruption.
See beautiful photos of February's full Snow Moon captured worldwide.
"JADES-ID1 is giving us new evidence that the universe was in a huge hurry to grow up."
The 2026 ESA Graduate Trainee positions are now open! If you’re passionate about engineering, science, IT or business, this is your chance to turn your dreams into reality.
NASA will conduct a crucial fueling test with its Artemis 2 moon rocket today (Feb. 2), and you can watch the action live.
File – SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands in the vertical launch position at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base ahead of the launch of the Starlink 17-5 mission on Aug. 18, 2025. This was the ninth flight for Falcon 9 booster, tail number B1088. Image: SpaceX
SpaceX is kicking off the month of February with a Monday morning Falcon 9 rocket launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base.
A full moon rises behind NASA’s Space Launch System moon rocket atop pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. If a practice countdown and fueling test Monday go well, NASA is expected to press ahead with launch of the Artemis 2 mission on Feb. 8, sending four astronauts on a flight around the moon. Image: NASA/Sam Lott
Braving rare sub-freezing temperatures, Kennedy Space Center workers pressed ahead with a dress-rehearsal countdown Sunday, readying NASA’s huge SLS rocket for a critical fueling test Monday to clear the way for launch on a flight to send four astronauts on a flight around the moon.
While the world awaits the first crewed moon mission in more than 50 years, Time magazine is celebrating the momentous event with a special Artemis 2 cover issue that hit newsstands on Jan. 30.
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