The Big Dipper is generally the first star group youngsters learn. This asterism seems benign and tranquil and — far from the bustling creamy glow of the Milky Way — uncomplicated. For astrophysicists ...

M82 — also known as the Cigar Galaxy — and neighboring M81 (see #92), together make up one of the night sky’s dynamic duos. M82 is one of the closest (12 million light-years) examples of an edge-on ...

A cloudy night in London led to the discovery of the 21st Century's brightest supernova to date. The new supernova 2014J, the brightest since 1993, is located in the galaxy M82. This Type-Ia supernova ...

In a nearby and decidedly odd galaxy, a star exploded. The fierce light and intense energy screamed outward, marching across the vast reaches of space. Vast indeed: It took nearly 12 million years for ...