Unlike YR4, finding earlier observations of 3I/ATLAS to model where it might have come from was easier said than done. During its July 1, 2025 detection, the interstellar object happened to be moving through a particularly crowded part of the sky, packed with stars from the Milky Way. That made detection much harder.

Visitors to the Sunwheel can see the sun rising and setting over the winter solstice stones from approximately Dec. 16 through Dec. 26. During this period the sun appears to rise at a fixed spot on the southeast horizon and set in a fixed southwest direction for more than a week.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) in the Chilean Andes is one of the most powerful radio telescope facilities in the world. Researchers use it to study dark and distant regions of the universe in order to better understand how stars,

The first pulsar was discovered in 1967 by Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Finding these mysterious signals forever changed astronomy.

Night sky update for December 17, 2025, covering the moon phase, visible planets, meteor showers, and key space and astronomy news from today

Satellite mega constellations promise faster connectivity but threaten astronomy, as thousands of satellites brighten skies, disrupt observations and increase orbital hazards, prompting scientists to urge stronger global regulations urgently.

Among the more puzzling cosmic phenomena discovered over the past few decades are brief and very bright flashes of blue and ultraviolet light that gradually fade away, leaving behind faint X-ray and radio emissions.

In this video, a nuclear engineer reacts to the Kurzgesagt video "Astronomy is in Crisis and It's Exciting," providing insight into the challenges faced by the field of astronomy. The video discusses how recent discoveries and advancements in technology are reshaping our understanding of the universe,

In this episode, Astronomy magazine Editor Emeritus Dave Eicher invites you to head out late in the evening, point your telescope in the general direction of Orion's Belt, and try to observe one of the most famous dark nebulae in the sky.

Comet 3I/ATLAS will get closest to Earth on Dec. 19, and astronomers will be watching.

People usually apply to graduate programs at research universities in Washington. But uncertain funding means there could be fewer spots available this cycle.