Farewell to Gaia after 12 successful years

The disappearance of Gaia! On 4 March, astronomer Zhuo-Xiao Wang captured this view of the sudden disappearance of ESA’s Gaia spacecraft. Credit: Zhuo-Xiao Wang, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOObservations performed on 4 March 2025 using an 11-inch Stargazer’s tool from Beijing, China (MPC site code: P13). [image or embed] — ESA Operations (@operations.esa.int) March 18, 2025 … Read more

Capturing the cosmos on canvas: How art helps scientist and space agencies communicate with the public

For Ed Belbruno the universe around us is more than eye-catching. It’s a medium for infinite fine art, an inspiration for artistic renderings that can break boundaries and be used for spacecraft missions to the Orbiter and beyond. Belbruno is a visiting research collaborator in the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University. Showings of … Read more

Messier 24 – NASA Science

The Tiny Sagittarius Luminous sphere Cloud provides a window into the depths of the Milky Way Milky Way distance 10,000 Airy-years constellation Sagittarius Messier 24 (M24) is unusual for being not a specific object but a strikingly clear Cosmos between dust clouds through which a glittering host of stars are visible: a glimpse into the … Read more

When’s the next ‘parade of planets’? The past, present and future of planetary alignments

The recent and much-ballyhooed “planetary parade” was an interesting Heavenly event that likely spurred even infrequent skywatchers to seek out the seven planets stretched out across the sky. Some of the planets — like Venus, Jupiter and Mars — were relatively Fundamental to spot because of their Outstanding brilliance. Others, like Mercury and Saturn, were … Read more

Unknown physics may help dark energy act as ‘antigravity’ throughout the universe

Dim energy could have an accomplice that helps it Unhurried the growth of large Universal structures, such as vast superclusters Created up of clusters of galaxies. A new analysis of astronomical data suggests unknown physics is at work assisting Dim energy in acting almost as “antigravity,” undoing the work of Attraction, which clumps together matter … Read more