Astronomy news

1. Initial Results from the Ultima Thule Flyby

   NASA's New Horizons made history when it flew by "Ultima Thule" on New Year's Day, but the science return is only beginning. Here's the latest from mission principal investigator Alan Stern.

   The post Initial Results from the Ultima Thule Flyby appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

2. Piercing the Veil of Our Black Hole

   Astronomers have overcome the interference of clumpy interstellar gas to catch a glimpse of the gas around the Milky Way’s central black hole.

   The post Piercing the Veil of Our Black Hole appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

3. Saturn Hasn’t Always Had Rings

   Analyses of data from Cassini’s final days suggest the rings are a late addition and use them to solve a Saturnian mystery.

   The post Saturn Hasn’t Always Had Rings appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

4. How to “See” Interstellar Space Probes

   So far, humans have sent five probes into space that are or will go far beyond the solar system: the Pioneers, the Voyagers, and New Horizons. As an exercise in fun, here's how you can find those probes' locations on the sky.

   The post How to “See” Interstellar Space Probes appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

5. We Don’t Really Know When the Sun Rises

   Hundreds of sunrise and sunset times reveal that there’s something amiss with our calculations.

   The post We Don’t Really Know When the Sun Rises appeared first on Sky & Telescope.