Farewell, Gaia: spacecraft operations come to an end

The European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft has been powered down, after more than a decade spent gathering data that are now being used to unravel the secrets

Cambridge University News • cambridge
March 27, 2025 ~6 min

Last starlight for ground-breaking Gaia

The European Space Agency’s Milky Way-mapper Gaia has completed the sky-scanning phase of its mission, racking up more than three trillion observations of

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Jan. 15, 2025 ~6 min


It’s 100 years since we learned the Milky Way is not the only galaxy

In 1924, astronomer Edwin Hubble realised two objects were too distant to be inside our galaxy.

Jeffrey Grube, Senior Lecturer in Physics Education, King's College London • conversation
Nov. 20, 2024 ~8 min

A new generation of telescopes will probe the ‘unknown unknowns’ that could transform our knowledge of the universe

Cosmology could be transformed by a new wave of telescopes – both on the ground and in space.

Richard Massey, Professor of extragalactic astrophysics (dark matter and cosmology), Durham University • conversation
Oct. 17, 2024 ~12 min

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is a Halloween visitor from the spooky Oort Cloud − the invisible bubble that’s home to countless space objects

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is one of 2 comets from the Oort Cloud passing by Earth in October 2024.

James Wray, Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
Oct. 11, 2024 ~9 min

Astronomers can’t agree on how fast the universe is expanding. New approaches are aiming to break the impasse

The Hubble tension has been described as a “crisis” for cosmology. Can it be resolved?

Alex Hall, Royal Society University Research Fellow, School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh • conversation
Sept. 19, 2024 ~12 min

The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky and how I used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way

A new study shines light on the link between the Milky Way and the ancient Egyptian sky goddess Nut

Or Graur, Associate Professor of Astrophysics, University of Portsmouth • conversation
May 3, 2024 ~6 min

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Some ancient texts record what were likely dying stars, faintly visible from Earth. If close enough, these events can disturb telescopes and even damage the ozone layer.

Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of Arizona • conversation
March 29, 2024 ~9 min


Privatised Moon landings: the two US missions set to open a new era of commercial lunar exploration

The Peregrine and Nova-C landers are due to carry out valuable science at two diverse lunar locations.

Ian Whittaker, Senior Lecturer in Physics, Nottingham Trent University • conversation
Jan. 2, 2024 ~8 min

Latest Gaia data release reveals rare lenses, cluster cores and unforeseen science

The European Space Agency’s Gaia mission has released a goldmine of knowledge about our galaxy and beyond. Among other findings, the star surveyor has

Cambridge University News • cambridge
Oct. 10, 2023 ~10 min

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