Scientists detect comets outside our solar system

Scientists from MIT and other institutions, working closely with amateur astronomers, have spotted the dusty tails of six exocomets—comets outside our solar system—orbiting a faint star 800 light years from Earth.

Bright binocular nova discovered in Lupus

On September 20, a particular spot in the constellation Lupus the Wolf was blank of any stars brighter than 17.5 magnitude. Four nights later, as if by some magic trick, a star bright enough to be seen in binoculars popped ...

New exoplanet too big for its stars

The Australian discovery of a strange exoplanet orbiting a small cool star 500 light years away is challenging ideas about how planets form.

New binocular nova discovered in Sagittarius

Looks like the Sagittarius Teapot's got a new whistle. On March 15, John Seach of Chatsworth Island, NSW, Australia discovered a probable nova in the heart of the constellation using a DSLR camera and fast 50mm lens. Checks ...

Mars, Saturn and the claws of Scorpius

Look up at the night sky this week and you'll find Mars and Saturn together in the west. Mars stands out with its reddish colouring and you might just be able to detect a faint yellow tinge to Saturn.

page 1 from 2