Astronomical instrumentation articles from across Nature Portfolio

Particles entangled over long distances can, in theory, improve the sensitivity of long-baseline interferometers that are observing weak thermal light sources. A proof-of-concept experiment now demonstrates entanglement-assisted interferometry, paving the way for entanglement-enhanced non‑local sensing techniques.

Active galactic nuclei are surrounded by a dusty and molecular disk that fuels supermassive black holes and connects them to their host galaxies. Here, the authors show with JWST interferometric observations that most of the dust in the Circinus galaxies lies in a compact disk, while only a tiny fraction traces hot outflowing material.

Rapidly growing satellite constellations pose a substantial threat to astronomical observations, with projections indicating that future space telescopes will have more than 96% of their exposures affected by satellite trails, necessitating urgent mitigation strategies.

SOHO has provided a high-quality, continuous record of the Sun and its atmosphere. Marking the thirtieth anniversary since SOHO’s launch, this Review highlights its legacy, shaping our understanding of the Sun, and the new space missions it has inspired.

This work addresses the challenges of radio frequency interference (RFI) in radio astronomy. The authors train spiking neural networks on synthetic and real data, demonstrating a viable path for real-time, energy-efficient RFI detection.

Particles entangled over long distances can, in theory, improve the sensitivity of long-baseline interferometers that are observing weak thermal light sources. A proof-of-concept experiment now demonstrates entanglement-assisted interferometry, paving the way for entanglement-enhanced non‑local sensing techniques.

NASA’s Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers (ESCAPADE) mission will provide a revolutionary view of Martian space weather, and a new paradigm for low-cost deep space missions.

In 2016, the first direct observation of gravitational waves was reported. The measurements by the LIGO detectors gave astronomers a new way to observe the Universe.

The calendar for 2026 looks set to be busy for the scientific and human exploration of the Solar System, the Galaxy and the wider Universe. From long-awaited planetary rendez-vous to cutting-edge telescope launches, these events will define the frontiers of astronomy, this year and beyond.