Space and Astronomy

Stargazers can see the final supermoon of the year this weekend

If you miss this supermoon, you won't be able to see the next one until October 2025.

Webb telescope delivers new ideas about Milky Way star Vega

UA-built camera shows vast, smooth dust disk surrounding the star.

New NASA spacecraft ready to launch toward Jupiter moon Europa

Europa Clipper will observe surface features that could conceal a vast ocean.

Earth welcomes temporary new moon

Scientists say the traveling companion will only stick around for a few weeks.

NASA's Webb telescope detects traces of carbon dioxide on the surface of Pluto's largest moon

The latest detection is key to studying how Charon and other icy objects in the Kuiper Belt came to be.

Kitt Peak celebrates 60 years of public tours

Public telescopes reopen after COVID, fires caused closures on the mountain.

A celestial trifecta: What to know about Tuesday’s lunar eclipse

Stargazers will be in for another celestial treat Tuesday night as three cosmic events will occur at the same time during the full moon.

Cassini orbited Saturn 20 years ago this summer

The robotic explorer made historic discoveries about the ringed planet and its moons.

Remembering the historic Rosetta space flight to a comet 10 years ago

The European-built robotic explorer orbited and landed on the chunk of ice and rock in 2014.

Lunar surface science literally hit-or-miss in 2024

But scientists expect more high profile attempts to land on the moon later this year.

Volunteers who lived in a NASA-created Mars replica for over a year have emerged

Participants entered the 3D-printed Mars replica on June 25, 2023, as part of a NASA experiment to observe how humans would fare living on the Red Planet.

New findings about Jupiter revolve around Great Red Spot

Data from James Webb Space Telescope adds to giant planet's mystery.

James Webb Space Telescope looks at planet-forming process

The stellar observatory continues to help scientists develop theories about the universe.

UA telescope grabs ground-breaking images of Jupiter's volcanic moon

The photos are the best Earth-based pictures to reveal lava flows on Io.

Hubble will change how it points, but NASA says 'great science' will continue

Officials say they are shifting into a new way of pointing the telescope in order to work around a piece of hardware that’s become intolerably glitchy.

NASA has been asked to create a time zone for the moon. Here's how it would work

As the world prepares for a new space race, the Biden Administration is calling on NASA to create a moon-based time standard.

Sun, moon, and spectacle: Thousands flock to UA mall for solar eclipse

The last total solar eclipse that could be seen in the United States was in 2017.

The 'devil comet' is visible in the night sky, and is sticking around for the eclipse

A rarely-seen comet with a reputation for colorful flare-ups is once again visible from Earth.

NASA astronaut Tom Stafford, famed for U.S.-Soviet orbital handshake, has died at 93

Stafford, who flew in space four times including a trip to orbit the moon and then a historic rendezvous with Soviet cosmonauts, passed away on Monday.

Put your mark on the Moon via new NASA rover mission

The spacecraft is designed to carry names on a microchip.

Bennu sample goes on display in Tucson

It is older than any rock found on the Earth or the Moon so far.

Leap day places calendars back in sync

Scientists say the calendar quirk puts the Earth's rotation and trip around the Sun in the proper order.

South Pole moon landing sets up new exploration goals

Lunar scientists and engineers are facing the challenge of getting water from the surface.

BlackStar Orbital SpaceDrone Manufacturing Facility coming to Sierra Vista in 2026

The company will build and test its portable satellite called the SpaceDrone at the new facility

Sky School

The University of Arizona Sky School is an innovative educational program that takes students of all ages to the summit of Mt. Lemmon for a retreat to learn about the ecosystems atop Arizona’s sky islands.

OSIRIS-REx: Sample Return

Watch the conclusion of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission as it safely returns an asteroid sample to Earth.

SPACEWATCH

Meet the scientists responsible for monitoring the night sky for hazardous asteroids and comets that might pose an impact threat to Earth.

Paragon Space Development

The Tucson-based company is currently creating the next generation of space suits for astronauts exploring the moon.

Steward Observatory Turns 100

This year, the iconic Steward Observatory dome on the University of Arizona campus celebrated its 100th birthday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating its original dedication in 1923.

Evening Under the Stars

Visit the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association’s exclusive Dark Sky site for a very special “Evening Under the Stars.”