Comets are often treated as leftovers, but sometimes the leftovers become the primary focus. That is the case with 3I/ATLAS, only the third known interstellar object seen crossing the solar system, ...

An artist’s impression of exocomets orbiting the star Beta Pictoris. I do so love an ostentatious comet. As I wrote in a recent “The Universe” column, when these dusty ice balls are billions of ...

I do so love an ostentatious comet. As I wrote in a recent “The Universe” column, when these dusty ice balls are billions of kilometers from the sun, they’re frozen solid. But as they near our star on ...

A small, icy visitor from beyond the solar system is giving scientists an unusually close look at the chemistry that may help planets come alive. As the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS sweeps past the Sun ...

The past year delivered unprecedented discoveries in space. Astronomers uncovered clues about Mars, interstellar comets, exoplanets, and dark energy, captivating scientists and enthusiasts worldwide.