On Christmas Eve 1968, the Earth received a message from astronauts on a mission like no other - the first around the moon. NASA will return in 2026.

The South Sandwich Islands were born from a tectonic collision, forged by volcanism and relentlessly reshaped by ice, wind and waves.

2025 was another big year for black holes, and here's our pick of the top black hole stories from the last twelve months.

Fast solar wind and a possible glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection could spark auroras over Christmas.

According to the patent, habitable modules would rotate around a central axis to simulate gravity for crew by producing an outward-pushing centrifugal force.

Outside Earth's protection, space travellers will be routinely exposed.

3I/ATLAS may have moved away from Earth as it makes its way out of the solar system, but this interstellar intruder continues to delight and surprise astronomers.

Understanding what happens to Antarctica’s ice matters, because as it melts, sea levels rise, affecting lives and economies around the world.

Highlights from a cometary trio that captured our imaginations.

Researchers studied fossils, well-preserved remains and even a single fingerprint to solve some of history’s long-standing mysteries this year.

The "America 250" logo commemorates the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

We just got a great up-close look at a SpaceX Starlink satellite that recently suffered an anomaly in orbit, thanks to Vantor's WorldView-3 spacecraft.

The first scientific balloon flight happened on Dec. 16, 2025.

A bevy of comets, a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse and impressive northern lights were just three of the skywatching highlights in 2025. Here's how they unfolded.

"I think every astronomer is going to find something of value here, as NASA's missions enable the world to answer fundamental questions about how the universe got its start, and how it changed to eventually create a home for us in it."

Atmospheric rivers are massive plumes of moisture carried across the sky that can dump heavy rains or snow over land. Here’s a look at the phenomenon: Where do atmospheric rivers come from? Atmospheric rivers generally form in tropical regions, where warm temperatures can cause water vapor to rise into the atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A picture of what West Antarctica looked like when its ice sheet melted in the past can offer insight into the continent’s future as the climate warms.

A sampling of aging Sun-like stars demonstrates that they likely eat their closest planets.

Over the past 12 months, we saw multiple spaceflight records broken, the debut of a powerful new rocket and the first-ever fully successful private moon landing.

Today marks the shortest day and longest night of the year as the sun reaches its lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere sky.

German engineer Michaela Benthaus is the first person with a significant physical handicap to reach space.

Michi Benthaus traveled into space aboard Blue Origin’s NS-37 mission, becoming the first wheelchair user to blast past the Kármán Line.

A photographer in Italy captured an ultra-rare elve and red sprite flashing above the Alps in a single breathtaking moment.

"The sheer amount of radiated energy from these bursts is so large that you can't power them with a core collapse stellar explosion — or any other type of normal stellar explosion."

"Virgil has two personalities, its 'good' side – a typical young galaxy quietly forming stars. But Virgil transforms into the host of a heavily obscured supermassive black hole, pouring out immense quantities of energy."

"There is a lot to keep us busy."

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to Earth on Friday. New X-ray images could shed light on its composition.

An ancient woman thought to have hailed from sub-Saharan Africa and therefore to have been the first known Black Briton actually had fairer skin and was from southern England, researchers using new DNA sequencing have found.

3I/ATLAS has now made its closest approach to the sun and Earth and is now heading back out toward the outer solar system.

Astrophotographer Josh Dury has captured the beauty of the Geminids in this stunning timelapse exposure.