Gallery: Space Photos of the Week: Galaxies That Pass Gas Together, Stay Together
<a href="http://m.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2017/04/Cosmic_pairing">NASA</a>01SPoW-April21-04.jpg
These two very different spiral galaxies are also very close together—only 7,000 light-years away—with a faint stream of neutral hydrogen gas between them. This is unusual with galaxies near each other, which are normally deformed with long tidal tails.
<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/the-arrhythmic-beating-of-a-black-hole-heart.html">NASA</a>02SPoW-April21-05.jpg
In this elliptical galaxy, a supermassive black hole beats once every five to ten million years, emitting bursts of energetic particles and creating shock waves jetting across the Centaurus galaxy cluster.
<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/jpl/pia21389/the-edge-of-jupiter">NASA</a>03SPoW-April21-06.jpg
This image shows textures in Jupiter’s atmosphere, taken over the planet’s cloud tops, just 12,400 miles away from the planet.
<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2017/hubbles-cosmic-bubbles">NASA</a>04SPoW-April21-07.jpg
This image shows threads of gas wrapped around an extremely large, bright star, tens of times more massive than our sun.
<a href="http://m.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2017/04/Lake_MacKay_Australia">ESA</a>05SPoW-April21-01.jpg
This satellite image shows Lake MacKay, a 110,000-square-mile salt lake in Australia. It's classified as an ephemeral lake, as it only appears after rainfall, if at all.
<a href="https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA21596">NASA</a>06SPoW-April21-03.jpg
This crater on Mars was once covered by lava from the volcanic region of Elysium, which has now solidified and cracked on its surface.
Astronomers Confirm Discovery of the Youngest Known Exoplanet Ever
Under 1 million years old, “Elias 2-24b” is now the youngest exoplanet ever observed, and it may force researchers to reevaluate theories about how planets are formed.
Teruyuki Hayakawa
Humans Watched This Supernova Explode Nearly a Millennium Ago. Now You Can See It in High Definition
The new image isn’t just stunning—it may also provide clues about how this star survived its own explosion.
Jorge Garay
The ‘Exotic Physics’ Behind a Mysterious 1,000-Mile Cloud on Mars
The cloud has baffled astronomers since its discovery in 2018. Now, a new study offers a possible cause for its appearance.
Tereza Ondráčková
Astronomers Discover a Possible New Dwarf Planet in Our Solar System
Lying beyond Pluto, 2026 ED138 could be as large as 1,500 kilometers in diameter. Astronomers are still working to confirm whether it meets the criteria for a dwarf planet.
Jorge Garay
Inside the Supermassive Debate Over the James Webb Telescope’s ‘Little Red Dots’
The Webb telescope sees tiny red dots everywhere. Astronomers can’t agree on what they are, but some believe they may be enormous stars with black holes inside.
Charlie Wood
How to See the Orionid Meteor Shower and Other Upcoming Astronomical Events
Made up of small fragments left behind by Halley’s Comet, these meteors are known for being especially bright and speedy.
Ritsuko Kawai
Japan Is Attempting an Audacious Mission to Sample a Martian Moon
JAXA is leading an international mission to reach Mars’ Phobos moon and bring soil back to Earth. If successful, it could unlock new clues about the history of the solar system.
Jenna Ahart
NASA’s Oldest Martian Spacecraft Have Been Running for Decades. Here’s How
Two orbiters have long outlasted their expected lifespans and completely reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet, all while operating 140 million miles from Earth.
Meghan Bartels
NASA Just Made Nearly 1 TB of Artemis II Data Available to the Public
The data drop includes photographs, audio, video, and astronauts’ notes that will be used to study the moon and prepare for future human missions.
Jorge Garay
Earth’s Condition Is ‘Serious and Getting Worse’ as Climate Change Intensifies
Seven of 16 planetary vital signs are in their most extreme state ever recorded, and El Niño is here to make matters even worse.
Brian Kahn
Scientists Trapped an Antimatter Particle for Months to Study Its Secrets
These elusive and reactive particles have been challenging to hold on to and even more challenging to study, but a new method paves the way for tests on the differences between matter and antimatter.
Jorge Garay
The Tesla Roadster 2 Is Here—and It Flies
The automaker unveiled its next luxury sports car at an event in Texas. It has thrusters on it that can send it airborne.
Aarian Marshall