Nearly every galaxy has a supermassive black hole in its core. Whether the black hole forms first and then the galaxy around it—or the other way around—is still a matter of some debate, but we know the evolution of both are deeply connected. We can use that relationship to study the black holes.
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The universe may be lopsided, new research says
The shape of the universe is not something we often think about.
Press conference with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot
Video: 01:00:22
Media representatives joined French ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, on Monday 5 January, for a hybrid press conference to learn more about her first mission to space.
The 2026 'Super Bowl of Astronomy' starts today — here's what's happening
Astronomers are gathering in Phoenix this week for the 247th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS 247), where the latest discoveries from exoplanets, JWST and upcoming space missions will take center stage.
Catch the moon dancing with bright star Regulus tonight
Regulus is the brightest star in the zodiacal constellation Leo.
How did life begin on Earth? New experiments support 'RNA world' hypothesis
The new findings strengthen the "RNA world" hypothesis that describes how the first life on Earth could have used RNA instead of DNA.
Carina Nebula shines with white-blue stars | Space photo of the day for Jan. 5, 2026
The Westerlund 2 star cluster is home to some of the Milky Way's brightest stars.
Not Every Galaxy Has a Central Black Hole
Many less massive galaxies appear to lack something astronomers thought was ubiquitous: a central, supermassive black hole.
The Ambitious Plan to Spot Habitable Moons Around Giant Planets
So far, humanity has yet to find its first “exomoon” - a Moon orbiting a planet outside of the solar system. But that hasn’t been for lack of trying. According to a new paper by Thomas Winterhalder of the European Southern Observatory and his co-authors available as a pre-print on arXiv, the reason isn’t because those Moons don’t exist, but simply because we lack the technology to detect them. They propose a new “kilometric baseline interferometer” that can detect moons as small as the Earth up to 200 parsecs (652 light years) away.
January full moon wows skywatchers with a striking 'Wolf Supermoon' (photos)
January's full moon is often known as the 'Wolf Moon'.
Moon rush: These private spacecraft will attempt lunar landings in 2026
Lunar landers from Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic are gearing up for moon landing attempts in 2026 as the commercial exploration of deep space expands.
From roots to rocket
On 5 January 2026, the European Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany, hosted a special tradition: the planting of an astronaut tree by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot in honour of her first mission to space, εpsilon. This symbolic gesture celebrates her achievements and future mission while reinforcing the deep connection between space explorers and the planet they call home.
XRISM Provides the Sharpest Image to Date of a Rapidly Spinning Black Hole
The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), a joint mission between the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and NASA, launched on Sept. 7th, 2023. Its advanced imaging filters and spectrometers were designed to study black holes and neutron stars and detect the hot plasma in the intergalactic medium. Alongside the European Space Agency’s (ESA) X-ray Multi-Mirror Mission Newton (XMM-Newton) and NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), XRISM has provided the sharpest-ever X-ray spectrum of the iconic MCG–6-30-15.
SpaceX launches 1st Starlink satellites of 2026 on new Falcon 9 rocket (video)
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 29 Starlink satellites launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.
The risk of falling space junk hitting airplanes is on the rise, experts warn
Space debris falling to Earth is a growing threat to aircraft, and experts are trying to reduce the risk.
The next frontier in space is closer than you think – welcome to the world of very low Earth orbit satellites
But as more and more satellites are launched into LEO...the region's getting a bit crowded.
Live long and loiter: Why NASA's ESCAPADE probes will wait a year in space before heading to Mars
NASA's ESCAPADE Mars probes embarked on a 'loiter' trajectory after launch, and scientists say that extra time in space could have some consequences for the twin spacecraft.
2026 begins a golden age of solar eclipses: How to see 3 total solar eclipses and 3 'ring of fire' eclipses in 3 years
Earth is about to see three total solar eclipses in just under two years, with each successive path of totality moving west to east across the globe. Here's everything you need to know to plan an exquisite triple-header.
SpaceX launches first Starlink deployment mission since problem strikes satellite
SpaceX launches the Starlink 6-88 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Jan. 4, 2026. This was the company’s first Starlink mission of the year and the first Falcon 9 launch from the Eastern Range of 2026. Image: Michael Cain/Spaceflight Now
Update Jan. 4, 3:38 a.m. EST (0838 UTC): SpaceX confirms deployment of the 29 Starlink satellites.
New Research Reveals how Gravitational Waves Could be Used to Decode Dark Matter
The discovery of Gravitational Waves (GWs) in 2015 confirmed a prediction made by Einstein's Theory of General Relativity and led to a revolution in astronomy. These waves are produced when massive, compact objects (such as black holes and neutron stars) merge, creating ripples in spacetime that can be detected millions of light-years away. A decade later, researchers from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) have proposed how GWs could be used to investigate an enduring cosmological mystery - the existence of Dark Matter.
Earth-like Planets Need a Cosmic-Ray Bath
It's quite a challenge to make an Earth-like world. You need enough mass to hold an atmosphere and generate a good magnetic field, but not so much mass that you hang on to light elements such as hydrogen and helium. You also need to be close enough to your star that you remain comfortably warm, but not so warm that all your water gets baked away. And then you need an abundance of short-lived radioisotopes (SLRs).
