ASTRONOMY

The Top 10 Science Stories of 2017

Science can't stop, won't stop.

Neutron Star Collision Sheds Light on the Strange Matter That Weighs a Billion Tons Per Teaspoon

The bizarre material just got a little less mysterious.

'Super-Earth' Exoplanet Could Potentially Support Life (And It Also Has a Neighbor)

K2-18b orbits a red-dwarf star in the constellation Leo, and it's situated in the perfect zone to have liquid surface water.

7 Surprising Facts About Pluto

Its atmosphere is electric blue.

Voyager 1's Back Thrusters Just Fired Up for the First Time in 37 Years

Imagine trying to start a car that's been sitting in a garage for decades—and the car is 13 billion miles away.

If You Don't See the Northern Lights on This Cruise, Your Next Trip is Free

Hurtigruten Cruises is confident you'll get a view of the show.

Meteor Showers, a Supermoon, and the Solstice: A Guide to the December Night Sky

It's been a great year for sky watching, and the universe had a little more in store for us before 2017 ends.

7 Fascinating Facts About the Sun

Get ready to feel small: The sun is 99.8 percent of the mass of the solar system. Here are more colossal facts about our star.

You Can Now Get Your Own Copy of the Voyager 'Golden Record'

Even Carl Sagan, who created it, was turned down by NASA when he asked for one.

More Details Emerge About 'Oumuamua, Earth's First-Recorded Interstellar Visitor

The cigar-shaped asteroid is 10 times longer than it is wide and was probably flung from a young stellar system, location unknown.

A composite image of Uranus by Voyager 2 and two different observations made by the Hubble Space Telescope

8 Giant Facts About Uranus

FYI, this ice giant is not pronounced "your anus," but rather, "urine us" … which is hardly an improvement.

Astronomers Discover Another Earth-Like Planet Near Our Solar System

Introducing Ross 128 b.

An artist's conception of the dwarf planet Ceres in the main asteroid belt.

8 Astounding Facts About the Asteroid Belt

The asteroid belt tells the story of the creation of the solar system.

The Mental Floss Guide to the November Night Sky

It's a great month for skywatching.

Scientists Spot the First Interstellar Visitor to Our Solar System

"We have been waiting for this day for decades."

Thanks to NASA, the Search for Habitable Worlds Just Got Easier

And you know what that means: Aliens!! (Kind of.)

NSF/LIGO/Sonoma State University/A. Simonnet

Astronomers Observe a New Kind of Massive Cosmic Collision for the First Time

"For me, it feels like the dawning of a next era in astrophysics."

12 Out-of-This-World Facts About Carl Sagan

Did you know the famous astronomer campaigned for marijuana legalization? Read on for more little-known tidbits about Carl Sagan.

Cassini captured this sublime image of Saturn four days before it plunged into the planet's atmosphere.

Inside the Mission to Intentionally Destroy the Cassini Spacecraft

You probably saw the headlines. Here's the inside look—and the big picture.

Look Up! 3 Celestial Events to Watch This October

You could see spectacular meteor showers and an extra-bright Uranus.

Check Out These Images of Last Night's Spectacular Harvest Moon

This year's Harvest Moon was a rare October event.

Here's Where You Can Watch a Livestream of Cassini's Final Moments

The orbiter is about to send its last transmission after 20 years of exploration.

What Are the Northern Lights?

Lucky stargazers in America have gotten the chance to see them from their own backyards lately—and may be able to again this week.

This portrait looking down on Saturn and its rings was created from images obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on October 10, 2013.

9 Essential Facts About Saturn

On September 15, scientists will intentionally crash the Cassini spacecraft into Saturn. Mental Floss will be there in mission control as it happens. Here are some essential facts about Saturn to get you ready for the big event.

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