Features

Planetary Oracles

Ten respected planetary scientists gaze into a crystal ball and predict what the next 25 years hold in store.

Invading Martian Territory

Eighteen months into its mission, Mars Global Surveyor has shown the Red Planet to be a more complex and geologically active planet than anyone expected.

What an Artist Sees

A white dwarf prepares to go nova. The Milky Way glitters above Pluto’s frozen surface. These images and more highlight ASTRONOMY’s gallery of great space art.

Comet Stalker

Astronomer Tom Gehrels searches tirelessly for asteroids and comets that might one day collide with Earth.

Kids’ Corner: It’s Just a Phase

Watching the moon and its changing appearance can teach a lot about how the solar system works.

Celestial Portraits: Vela and Carina

The splendid starfields of these southern constellations form a compelling backdrop for rich star clusters and luminous nebulae.

Red Planet at Night, Observer’s Delight

Mars puts on a grand show for backyard observers during the next few months, growing brighter and appearing bigger than at any time in the past eight years.

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