Observatory

Dutch firm Diana Yacht Design recently revealed its latest superyacht concept. Dubbed Beyond, this striking 60-meter (196-ft) explorer yacht has been conceived to not only reach all corners of the world, but to also feature a first-of-its-kind built-in observatory.

In the 1830s, astronomers noticed that the star Eta Carinae seemed to go supernova, but it strangely survived the explosion. Thanks to the weirdness of space, modern astronomers have discovered that Eta Carinae’s outburst may have been the star violently cannibalizing a sibling.

In August 2017, astronomers observed a collision between two neutron stars so powerful it produced gravitational waves, flares in visible light, radio waves, x-rays and a gamma ray burst. Now that things have quietened, astronomers have studied the strange object created in the cosmic collision.

The launch of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has been delayed once again, with a new window set for May 2020. The next-generation space telescope had previously been set to launch into orbit atop an Ariane 5 rocket from ESA’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in the Spring of 2019.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are strange, extremely bright and mysterious signals from space. Now, astronomers at Australia’s Parkes Observatory have recorded three new signals in relatively quick succession – one of which is the brightest FRB ever detected.

Last year astronomers around the world witnessed the merger of two neutron stars as gravitational waves, light, radio and gamma rays, but the aftermath of the mashup hasn’t played out quite as expected. Rather than fade over time, the afterglow has continued to brighten.

One of the world's most powerful radio telescopes is back online months after sustaining hurricane damage. The 1,000-ft (305-m) Arecibo Observatory was damaged when Hurricane Maria made landfall, but has restarted its Arecibo Observatory Planetary Radar, which scans potentially dangerous asteroids.

Here's something for backyard stargazers to drool over. Gemma Observatory is a private astronomical hideaway perched atop a remote mountain in New Hampshire that combines responsive design with functional smarts to make a unique platform for exploring the night sky.

​Back in May, the Arecibo Observatory detected strange radio signals coming from Ross 128, a red dwarf star 11 light-years away. After analyzing the data closely with the help of the SETI project, the team has now revealed what they believe to be the source of the signals.

​The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) has detected the presence of atomic oxygen in the upper atmosphere of Mars. The observation is the first of its kind for 40 years, and will allow planetary scientists to refine their models of the Martian atmosphere.

Three stunning new images from ESA's Herschel Space Observatory are providing new insights into how matter is distributed in our galaxy.

April 24 will mark a significant milestone in the life of one of mankind's greatest scientific instruments – the 25-year anniversary of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope. Join us as we celebrate the history and achievements of the telescope that inspired a generation.