Gallery: Space Photos of the Week: A Stellar Explosion Pitches a Stellar Tantrum

  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Ornament Tree Plant Christmas Tree Night Light Flare and Fireworks
    <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1711a/">ESO</a>
    01

    SPoW-April6-08.jpg

    The ALMA telescope captured this spectacular stellar explosion in the Orion Molecular Cloud 1, a region with dense and active star formation. The explosion most likely formed when two young protostars clashed together, shooting carbon monoxide and gas into the universe in a fantastic fireworks display.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Moon Night Astronomy Outdoors Outer Space Nature Planet and Globe
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/hubble-takes-close-up-portrait-of-jupiter">NASA</a>
    02

    SPoW-April6-06.jpg

    Jupiter made its nearest approach to earth on April 3, just 415 million miles from Earth. Hubble seized the opportunity to snap this incredible close-up. The famous Great Red Spot is a swirling storm roughly the diameter of Earth.
  • Image may contain Nature Outdoors Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Comet and Night
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/comet-that-took-a-century-to-confirm-passes-by-earth">NASA</a>
    03

    SPoW-April6-01.jpg

    This week, Comet 41P passed by Earth 13 million miles away, the closest flyby in over 50 years. In this image, the comet soars through a galactic field in the bowl of the Big Dipper.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Night Moon Astronomy Outdoors Outer Space Nature and Planet
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/nasa-s-solar-dynamics-observatory-captured-trio-of-solar-flares-april-2-3">NASA</a>
    04

    SPoW-April6-03.jpg

    NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured three solar flares on the Sun, which are powerful bursts of radiation.
  • Image may contain Nature Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Outdoors Night and Nebula
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-halfway-from-pluto-to-next-flyby-target">NASA</a>
    05

    SPoW-April6-04.jpg

    This 10-second exposure of the star field was snapped by the New Horizons spacecraft as it neared MU69, a Kuiper Belt object (highlighted in yellow). New Horizons will pass by this target in January 2019, setting the record the the furthest exploration in history.
  • Image may contain Electronics Hardware Computer Mouse Cell Phone Mobile Phone and Phone
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/jpl/pia20530/sliver-of-saturn">NASA</a>
    06

    SPoW-April6-05.jpg

    From below Saturn’s ring plane, the dense B ring, in the center, appears dark, while the A and C rings, on either side of it, appear more opaque.
  • Image may contain Fire Candle and Flame
    <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1714a/">ALMA</a>
    07

    SPoW-April6-07.jpg

    In this image, a young star is surrounded by thick rings of dust. The gaps between rings were likely caused when some of the dust coalesced into protoplanets.
Read More
Staunch Trump Supporters Are Now Asking If He’s the Antichrist
The Iran war and a series of social media posts, including one depicting Trump as Jesus Christ, have some conservative commentators and fans suspecting the president may be the antichrist.
Makena Kelly
The Best iRestore Deals on Hair Growth and Red Light Therapy
Today, iRestore is offering up to $900 off select devices and up to $1,550 off bundles.
Boutayna Chokrane
Meta Is Warned That Facial Recognition Glasses Will Arm Sexual Predators
More than 70 organizations, including the ACLU, EPIC, and Fight for the Future, say the AI smart glasses feature would endanger abuse victims, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people.
Dell Cameron
The Best Fitness Trackers Check Your Sleep, Heart Rate, or Even Your Blood
With almost ten years of hands-on testing, WIRED knows what separates the best fitness trackers from the rest.
Adrienne So
You Should Be More Freaked Out by Shingles
The viral infection leaves millions with chronic pain, increased stroke risk, and lifelong nerve damage—yet vaccination rates remain dangerously low.
Rosie Taylor
BYD’s Fastest-Charging Car in the World Is Astonishing—in Good and Bad Ways
WIRED witnessed the game-changing Denza Z9 GT charge its battery in just 9 minutes. But the pricing for BYD's premium brand looks like a huge mistake.
Jeremy White
The Best Water Filter Pitchers for PFAS- and Lead-Free Living
Water filters promise the moon—but only some back up their claims. Here are the best filtered-water pitchers for those who prefer their water free of heavy metals and forever chemicals.
Matthew Korfhage
The Internet's Most Powerful Archiving Tool Is in Peril
As major news outlets cut off the Wayback Machine, journalists and advocacy groups are rallying to protect the Internet Archive’s vast collection of web pages.
Kate Knibbs
The Dumbest Hack of the Year Exposed a Very Real Problem
Last April, a hacker hijacked crosswalk announcements to mimic Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Records obtained by WIRED reveal how unprepared local authorities were.
Paresh Dave
AI Agents Are Coming for Your Dating Life
The developers of Pixel Societies are using AI agents to simulate social interactions. It's an attempt optimize the process of choosing new colleagues, friends, and even romantic partners.
Joel Khalili
The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For
AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.
Miles Klee
A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why
Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.
Stephanie Pearson