Hot Lake
The largest volcanic feature on Jupiter’s moon Io looks like a dark horseshoe at the lower right of this mosaic…
Royal Pole Star
While the star Polaris marks the north celestial pole today, that won’t always be the case. Over the next 26,000…
Saying Goodbye
The Cassini spacecraft ended its mission to the Saturn system on September 15, when it plunged into the giant planet's…
Final Act
This artist’s concept shows the Cassini spacecraft passing between Saturn and its rings in preparation for its final act: a…
Blue Giant
Giant Neptune is the bluest planet in the solar system, as shown in this 1989 view from the Voyager 2…
Zone of Death
The remains of an exploded star glow brightly in X-rays (blue) and visible light in this composite image from two…
Wild Duck
A tight group of stars marks the center of Messier 11, a star cluster 6,000 light-years away in the constellation…
Fireworks Factory
The beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 6946 has been the site of some spectacular fireworks. Over the last century, astronomers have…
Safety First!
The August 21 solar eclipse will be one of nature’s grandest spectacles. But it requires special protection for safe viewing,…
Anatomy of an Eclipse
Day will briefly turn to night for parts of the United States on August 21 during a total solar eclipse.…