Former Neighbor
A system known as Scholz’s Star passes just 0.8 light-years from the Sun as seen in this artist’s concept. That…
Into Darkness
This illustration depicts laboratory experiments designed to simulate the interiors of giant planets. The National Ignition Facility, at Lawrence Livermore…
Old Sparklers
Thousands of ancient stars sparkle in the heart of M13, one of the largest star clusters in the Milky Way…
Sun Watcher
An artist’s concept shows the Solar Maximum Mission spacecraft in orbit. It was launched on February 14, 1980, to measure…
Sailing On
The constellation Corvus, the crow, glows to the lower right of the brilliant star Spica on May evenings. Its brightest…
Arming the Milky Way
This diagram shows the structure of the Milky Way galaxy, including its major and minor spiral arms. Our solar system…
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Ringfest
A massive ring system surrounds a giant planet in the star system J1407, as depicted in this artist’s concept. The…
Stellar Beacon
Canopus, the second-brightest star in the night sky, has served as a beacon for travelers for centuries. Today, it guides…
Turbulent Giant
Giant storms ripple across the atmosphere of Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet, in this 2000 view from the Cassini…
Brilliant Echo
Light from an erupting star illuminates vast clouds of gas and dust in this 2006 view from Hubble Space Telescope.…