New analysis of the near-Earth asteroid Itokawa shows evidence that surface materials on the low-gravity object not only stick around but also are sorted by periodic shaking.

An explosive image of a dozen stars' birth pangs marks the anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope, 17 years after it was borne into space by the shuttle Discovery.

NASA has released long-awaited images of the star of the latest 3-D blockbuster—shot by twin spacecraft orbiting the sun.

Cosmic rays produced at the edge of our galaxy have devastated life on Earth every 62 million years, according to a new study.

Wind and radiation from massive, superhot stars can blow away planet-forming materials around smaller stars within a ten-trillion-mile radius, a new study suggests.

Infrared cameras recently captured an image of the Red Square Nebula, a rare cloud of dust and gas so symmetrical that a scientist deemed it "almost perfect."

Blue forests? Orange meadows? NASA scientists may be able to determine the colors of extraterrestrial plants while studying distant planets, new research shows.

For the first time, astronomers have detected water in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system, according to a new study.

Gusty winds are sweeping away dust and making Mars's surface darker, contributing to planetary warming, experts say.

A new NASA image colors our the gas giant in a surprising new light (namely purple), depicting gargantuan auroras ignited by volcanic particles.

For the second time in 11 years, a brightly colored galaxy is garnering worldwide attention for housing a brilliant supernova.

A bizarre, six-sided cloud formation that extends deep into the atmosphere could be a key to solving the mystery of how fast the gas giant is spinning.

A space rock the size of three football fields may have slammed into California more than 35 million years ago, leaving a crater more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) wide.

Scientists are working on a new nanotech material that may be light enough and sturdy enough to protect deep-space astronauts from deadly interstellar radiation.

Circular pits on the surface of Mars appear to be openings to underground caverns, researchers say, and may be the most promising places to look for signs of life.