She was a pioneer in the study of dark matter. But just as much, she was an inspiration in pushing through entrenched sexism in the sciences.

A new partnership will increase the sensitivity of the VLT so it can look more closely at the Sun’s closest stellar neighbors, paving the way for a potential future flyby.

The newly discovered asteroid came within half the distance from the Earth to the Moon

Space Science Image of the Week: A global colour mosaic of Saturn’s moon Dione shows striking contrasts between its two faces

Monster black holes sometimes lurk behind gas and dust, hiding from the gaze of most telescopes.

Monster black holes sometimes lurk behind gas and dust, hiding from the gaze of most telescopes.

A mysterious neutron star has been caught behaving like two distinct objects — a radio pulsar and a magnetar — and could be important to understanding the evolution of these objects.

From the most powerful telescope orbiting Mars comes a new view of Earth and its moon, showing continent-size detail on the planet and the relative size of the moon.

From the most powerful telescope orbiting Mars comes a new view of Earth and its moon, showing continent-size detail on the planet and the relative size of the moon.

A mysterious neutron star has been caught behaving like two distinct objects — a radio pulsar and a magnetar — and could be important to understanding the evolution of these objects.

Small asteroids and chunks of cometary debris frequently slam into the surface of Mars, gouging out new craters. Thanks to a high resolution camera aboard NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists can often spot such impacts relatively soon …

Why settle for one ring when you can have two?

Three of NASA’s longest lasting missions work together to explore what lies beyond the Sun’s reach.

Get ready for a big nova event.

Puls … ag … netar?

A team of researchers has compiled a special catalog to help astronomers figure out the true distances to tens of thousands of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way.

A team of researchers has compiled a special catalog to help astronomers figure out the true distances to tens of thousands of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way.

Now you see them, now you don’t

By combining science with a few stellar brews, Astronomy on Tap has become a hit.

The Chandra deep field manages to look back to the edge of the visible universe using image stacking.

The 1920’s era scope will be cleaned and repaired to return to tiptop shape

After an exciting 2016, ESA has a busy year in store

NASA has selected two missions that have the potential to open new windows on one of the earliest eras in the history of our solar system – a time less than 10 million years after the birth of our sun.

For as long as astronomers have known about Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), they’ve been stumped. About a decade ago, researchers discovered in archived 2001 data an extremely fast — just a few milliseconds — burst of radio emissions. They&…

NASA’s latest Explorers mission will focus on black holes and neutron stars

NASA’s newest Discovery-class missions will teach us more about our solar system and its formation.

For as long as astronomers have known about Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), they’ve been stumped. About a decade ago, researchers discovered in archived 2001 data an extremely fast — just a few milliseconds — burst of radio emissions. They&…

NASA’s newest Discovery-class missions will teach us more about our solar system and its formation.

NASA’s newest Discovery-class missions will teach us more about our solar system and its formation.

NASA’s newest Discovery-class missions will teach us more about our solar system and its formation.

Space Science Image of the Week: Will this network of interstellar filaments ever form stars?

Join us on Tuesday, 3 January at 14:00 CET for an interview with ESA’s Bianca Hoersch and Francois Spoto from the Sentinel-2B cleanroom

NASA’s NEOWISE mission has recently discovered some celestial objects traveling through our neighborhood, including one on the blurry line between asteroid and comet.

NASA’s NEOWISE mission has recently discovered some celestial objects traveling through our neighborhood, including one on the blurry line between asteroid and comet.

The exoplanet next door could soon get an out-of-this-world radio broadcast.

NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been in service at Mars since October 2001, put itself into safe mode — a protective standby status — on Dec. 26, while remaining in communication with Earth.

NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter, which has been in service at Mars since October 2001, put itself into safe mode — a protective standby status — on Dec. 26, while remaining in communication with Earth.

The UK-born astronaut and climate scientist recorded a final message for the global community before his death.

Rubin confirmed the existence of dark matter while fighting against entrenched sexism.

A feature-length compilation of the amazing adventures of Rosetta and Philae

Earth observation image of the week: a Sentinel-2 false-colour image of China’s Tian Shan mountains, also featured on the Earth from Space video programme

Visit ESA’s updated interactive guide to learn more about the why and how of lunar exploration

Join us Friday, 23 December, at 10:00 CET for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week we explore China’s Tian Shan mountains

Contact lenses, spectacles and eye implants are now being made more accurately thanks to research instruments flying on the International Space Station.

Contact lenses, spectacles and eye implants are now being made more accurately thanks to research instruments flying on the International Space Station.

You know it’s been tough times when a Dumpster fire is the meme of the year. Indeed, 2016 has been rough: pop culture icons died, police and activists squared off in major cities, we survived a cutthroat presidential election, Syria burned, terro…

Our year through the lens:a selection of our favourite images for 2016

An Ariane 5 lifted off this evening to deliver two telecom satellites, Star One-D1 and JCSat-15, into their planned orbits.

An Ariane 5 lifted off this evening to deliver two telecom satellites, Star One-D1 and JCSat-15, into their planned orbits.

NASA’s Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) mission has released preliminary data on the heights of Greenland coastal glaciers from its first airborne campaign in March 2016.

NASA’s Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) mission has released preliminary data on the heights of Greenland coastal glaciers from its first airborne campaign in March 2016.

Technology image of the week: these carefully-placed stacks of silicon wafers represent the future of high-energy astronomy

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s season’s greetings from the International Space Station

Operations image of the week: ESA’s tracking station at Maspalomas seen by the light of a winter Moon

Erosion-carved troughs that grow and branch during multiple Martian years may be infant versions of larger features known as Martian “spiders.”

Meet one of the seamstresses behind JPL’s thermal blankets, which protect spacecraft from extreme environments.

Meet one of the seamstresses behind JPL’s thermal blankets, which protect spacecraft from extreme environments.

Erosion-carved troughs that grow and branch during multiple Martian years may be infant versions of larger features known as Martian “spiders.”

A perfect example of people coming together for space exploration

By peering into the spectra of anti-hydrogen, we may come one step closer to understanding matter’s shadowy twin — and why it’s so hard to find.

ESA recently completed its first flight trials using satellites to help bring Europe closer to its goal of modernising air traffic control.

ESA recently completed its first flight trials using satellites to help bring Europe closer to its goal of modernising air traffic control.

A look back at the highlights of 2016 for Europe in Space

Firefighters’ lives are at risk if they get lost in smoky buildings. New JPL technology could help save them.

Firefighters’ lives are at risk if they get lost in smoky buildings. New JPL technology could help save them.

We would normally associate jet streams with the weather but, thanks to ESA’s magnetic field mission, scientists have discovered a jet stream deep below Earth’s surface – and it’s speeding up.

We would normally associate jet streams with the weather but, thanks to ESA’s magnetic field mission, scientists have discovered a jet stream deep below Earth’s surface – and it’s speeding up.

Space Science Image of the Week: A familiar galaxy pair takes on an unusual appearance with bright points and delicate rays

NASA confirmed all eight spacecraft of its new Earth science mission, which will provide advanced technology to see inside tropical storms and hurricanes, are in good shape.

NASA confirmed all eight spacecraft of its new Earth science mission, which will provide advanced technology to see inside tropical storms and hurricanes, are in good shape.

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will be the 11th European to perform a spacewalk when he ventures outside the International Space Station next month.

Lasting up to seven hours on 13 January, its goal is to ensure the power supply of the Inte…

ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will be the 11th European to perform a spacewalk when he ventures outside the International Space Station next month.

Lasting up to seven hours on 13 January, its goal is to ensure the power supply of the Inte…

Send an out-of-this-world e-card to your friends

Our week through the lens: 12-16 December 2016

The first ExoMars mission arrived at the Red Planet in October and now the second mission has been confirmed to complete its construction for a 2020 launch. 

The first ExoMars mission arrived at the Red Planet in October and now the second mission has been confirmed to complete its construction for a 2020 launch. 

After the smooth arrival of ESA’s latest Mars orbiter, mission controllers are now preparing it for the ultimate challenge: dipping into the Red Planet’s atmosphere to reach its final orbit.

After the smooth arrival of ESA’s latest Mars orbiter, mission controllers are now preparing it for the ultimate challenge: dipping into the Red Planet’s atmosphere to reach its final orbit.

Trapped not-so-deep in the dwarf planet is ice, ice, and more ice.

Astronomers have confirmed a rare pulsar system using Einstein@home and the power of personal computers

New phase of the mission to sample ring material and make most detailed images yet

There are thousands of drone companies out there, but Intel has chosen to acquire Mavinci, a start-up from one of ESA’s business incubators in Germany that has developed an easy-to-use system for land surveillance.

There are thousands of drone companies out there, but Intel has chosen to acquire Mavinci, a start-up from one of ESA’s business incubators in Germany that has developed an easy-to-use system for land surveillance.

At first glance, Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, may not look icy.

In the “Star Wars” universe, ice, ocean and desert planets burst from the darkness as your ship drops out of light speed. But these worlds might be more than science fiction.

At first glance, Ceres, the largest body in the main asteroid belt, may not look icy.

In the “Star Wars” universe, ice, ocean and desert planets burst from the darkness as your ship drops out of light speed. But these worlds might be more than science fiction.

ESA’s Rosetta completed its incredible mission on 30 September, collecting unprecedented images and data right until the moment of contact with the comet’s surface.

ESA’s Rosetta completed its incredible mission on 30 September, collecting unprecedented images and data right until the moment of contact with the comet’s surface.

The tale of Simon Marius and the fight to find the true claimant to the Galilean moons.

Join us Friday, 16 December, at 10:00 CET for the ‘Earth from Space’ video programme. This week we explore the Spanish province of Seville

Europe’s own Galileo satellite navigation system has begun operating, with the satellites in space delivering positioning, navigation and timing information to users around the globe.

Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: Grabbing Japan’s supply spaceship with Space Station’s robotic arm

Today, the Red Planet is a dry, dusty landscape devoid of hospitable environments, but the Mars of yesteryear, evidence suggests, was a far more forgiving place.
Recent findings from the Curiosity rover indicate that the clay and mineral deposits on th…

NASA’s Curiosity rover finds evidence of how changes in ancient Mars lakes and wet underground environments, billions of years ago, affected favorability for microbial life.

Follow the movement of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere in a new NASA visualization created using data from JPL’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite.

A new image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft highlights the seventh of Jupiter’s eight ‘string of pearls’ — huge counterclockwise rotating storms that appear as white ovals.

A new image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft highlights the seventh of Jupiter’s eight ‘string of pearls’ — huge counterclockwise rotating storms that appear as white ovals.

Follow the movement of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere in a new NASA visualization created using data from JPL’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite.

NASA’s Curiosity rover finds evidence of how changes in ancient Mars lakes and wet underground environments, billions of years ago, affected favorability for microbial life.