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.

The Habitable Worlds Observatory will look for inhabited worlds beyond our Solar System in the 2040s and scientists are dreaming of what else it might do.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has provided a high-energy view of objects and processes throughout the Universe. This Review discusses many of the key results from Chandra’s 25 years of data.

The formation of glycylglycine, a simple peptide molecule, is possible under non-aqueous interstellar conditions, according to laboratory experiments. Thus, complex organics with biological relevance may predate planetary accretion.

Brown dwarfs are substellar objects subject to variability and colour changes. A 3D general circulation model shows that clouds explain this observed behaviour and highlights their role as a driver of atmospheric dynamics and climate.

A new Bayesian framework for analysing gravitational-wave ringdown signals from black holes speeds up multi-mode inference, enhancing rapid and statistically robust tests of strong gravity.

High-pressure measurements of the electrical conductivity of (Mg,Fe)O, used as an analogue for basal magma ocean material, indicate that the conductivity is high enough to produce a dynamo much stronger than a core-driven dynamo for super-Earths larger than 3–6 Earth masses.

The study reports the discovery of a persistent bow shock around a diskless magnetic accreting white dwarf, revealing a powerful energy-loss mechanism that challenges current models of accretion and compact binary evolution.

The combination of JWST and ALMA data here unravel the history of the gas content of a quiescent galaxy, which became quenched through an act of self-sabotage. Black-hole accretion feedback heated the galaxy’s surrounding material, preventing its accretion.

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.

After decades of planning and several scheduling setbacks, the Square Kilometre Array is around the corner. While the radio astronomy community fervently prepares to use the telescope of a generation, the leadership calls for a final period of patience.

The inclusion of neurodivergent astronomers in the community is often overlooked, perhaps because neurodiversity is inherently difficult to generalize. In this issue, six neurodivergent researchers recount their experiences and suggest how astronomy could be made more accessible to everyone.

Three advanced-career researchers discuss their experiences in astronomy in the context of their neurodivergence.

Three early-career researchers discuss their experiences in astronomy in the context of their neurodivergence.