Scientists using data from NASA’s Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) telescope on the International Space Station have discovered X-ray surges accompanying radio bursts from the pulsar in the...

Telescopes have enabled us to truly see the wonders of the Universe. Who invented them and how have they developed throughout history? Physics - Universe - Learning Points. The first optical telescopes were made around 1608. Early...

Radio astronomy is an interesting and important subsection of astronomy that allows astronomers to image black holes, radio galaxies, and other phenomena invisible to our eyes and optical telescopes. Join Jenny, one of our former team...

At first glance, the bone-dry landscape of the Atacama Desert in Chile might seem inhospitable. But, it's prime real estate for astronomers. This desert is now home to the largest ground-based radio telescope in the world! The telescope...

Beyond the Solar System, all astronomers have to work with is the light that falls to the Earth from distant cosmic objects. Newer, larger telescopes are always needed to boost scientific progress, and the next generation of facilities -...

Gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs, are the most luminous and mysterious explosions in the universe. The blasts emit surges of gamma rays -- the most powerful form of light -- as well as X-rays, and they produce afterglows that...

Researchers using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope have discovered the first gamma-ray pulsar in a galaxy other than our own. The object sets a new record for the most luminous gamma-ray pulsar known.



The pulsar...

Since its inception in 1958, NASA has relied exclusively on radio frequency (RF)-based communications as the only viable medium for exchanging data between a mission and a spacecraft. Today, with missions demanding communication with...

In this fourth episode of a five-part series about NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, we look at the LCRD ground segment, which consists of infrastructure in Hawaii, California, and New Mexico.

In Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2017 visitors were given a free guided tour of the sky at the 8th annual astronomy festival on the National Mall. This free public stargazing was organized by Donald Lubowich, coordinator of astronomy...

In Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2017 visitors were given a free guided tour of the sky at the 8th annual astronomy festival on the National Mall. This free public stargazing was organized by Donald Lubowich, coordinator of astronomy...

This visualization shows gamma rays detected during 3C 279's big flare by the LAT instrument on NASA's Fermi satellite. The flare is an abrupt shower of "rain" that trails off toward the end of the movie. Gamma rays are...