Astronomy news

• We now know the shape of notorious asteroid 2024 YR4 that dominated headlines recently — it's probably 'suburban,' too

  08-04-2025 23:25 via space.com
  
  Asteroid 2024 YR4, once a potential Earth threat, likely originated from the main asteroid belt's central region, a surprising origin for Earth-crossing space rocks, a new study finds.
  
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• How to watch Jared Isaacman's NASA chief confirmation hearing in the Senate today

  08-04-2025 23:06 via space.com
  
  Trump officially nominated Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut to lead NASA, shortly after taking office.
  
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• How to watch Jared Isaacman's NASA chief confirmation hearing in the Senate on April 9

  08-04-2025 23:06 via space.com
  
  Trump officially nominated Isaacman, a billionaire private astronaut to lead NASA, shortly after taking office.
  
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• Could we use black holes to power future human civilizations? 'There is no limitation to extracting the enormous energy from a rotating black hole'

  08-04-2025 23:00 via space.com
  
  Black holes power some of the most energetic phenomena in the known universe, but could they ever power an advanced human civilisation?
  
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• Black holes as batteries: Could humanity ever harness the energy of these cosmic titans?

  08-04-2025 23:00 via space.com
  
  Black holes power some of the most energetic phenomena in the known universe, but could they ever power an advanced human civilisation?
  
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• NASA's in a 'weird period' right now, acting chief Janet Petro says

  08-04-2025 22:00 via space.com
  
  Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro says that these are strange times for the space agency.
  
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• This baby galaxy cluster is powering extreme star formation with a hidden fuel tank

  08-04-2025 21:00 via space.com
  
  An extreme protocluster gathering of infant galaxies is hiding a vast cosmic fuel tank that is powering 400 million years of intense star formation.
  
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• US needs 'orbital interceptors' to win a war in space, Space Command chief says

  08-04-2025 20:00 via space.com
  
  Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting says the United States military needs orbital weapons in order to be successful if war ever comes to space.
  
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• Bangladesh becomes 54th nation to join NASA's Artemis Accords for 'peaceful exploration of deep space'

  08-04-2025 19:35 via space.com
  Bangladesh has added its name to the growing list of Artemis Accords signatories, continuing NASA's efforts to establish internationally cooperative space exploration.
  
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• A flower's point of view of a rocket launch: Space photo of the day

  08-04-2025 19:03 via space.com
  
  Bright yellow tulips make for a striking foreground for the launch of a new crew to the International Space Station.
  
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• Record-breaking 'dead' galaxy discovered by JWST lived fast and died young in the early universe

  08-04-2025 19:00 via space.com
  
  The most distant and earliest "dead" massive galaxy ever seen shows some galaxies lived fast and died young shortly after the Big Bang.
  
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• Want to see a lightcycle cut a cop car in half? Check out the 1st 'Tron: Ares' teaser trailer (video)

  08-04-2025 18:30 via space.com
  
  Arriving on Oct 10, Tron: Ares stars Jared Leto and.... wait no come back, the trailer looks good we swear!
  
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• Save a massive $160 on the Ruko F11Pro 2 drone, a drone with a 6K camera and it's now one of the lowest prices we've seen

  08-04-2025 18:26 via space.com
  
  The Ruko F11Pro 2 is a drone with a 6K camera and you can now save a huge $160 on it in this drone deal when you grab it from Amazon.
  
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• Russia and China are threatening SpaceX's Starlink satellite constellation, new report finds

  08-04-2025 18:00 via space.com
  
  SpaceX's Starlink internet satellite constellation has become a prime target for Russia and China, according to a new report assessing the counterspace capabilities of a dozen countries over the past year.
  
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• The Void revealed as the big bad guy for Marvel Studios' 'Thunderbolts* in new teaser trailer (video)

  08-04-2025 17:00 via space.com
  
  'He's invincible, all power, stronger than all of the Avengers rolled into one'
  
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• Lunar Quilts capture crafters, astronaut's take on return to the moon

  08-04-2025 16:09 via space.com
  
  The future of lunar exploration never looked more colorful, or so square. "The Next Giant Leap," a pair of moon-themed quilts, debuted at the Kennedy Center's Earth to Space festival in Washington.
  
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• Scientists spice up old Hubble Telescope image to shine light on spectacular star cluster

  08-04-2025 15:00 via space.com
  
  Scientists have released a never-before-seen view of a star cluster, courtesy of the Hubble Space Telescope.
  
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• South Korea is converting an abandoned coal mine into a moon exploration testing ground

  08-04-2025 14:00 via space.com
  
  South Korea conducted a test inside the former Hamtae mine in late March, deploying prototype moon rovers equipped with tech that could be used in space mining.
  
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• 1 year since the Great North American Eclipse — Here's how the 2026 total eclipse will compare

  08-04-2025 12:00 via space.com
  
  From America to Europe: How the 2026 total solar eclipse will differ from the great eclipse of 2024.
  
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• NASA's Jonny Kim and 2 cosmonauts arrive at ISS aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft (video)

  08-04-2025 11:06 via space.com
  
  The Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and his two cosmonaut colleagues arrived at the International Space Station early Tuesday morning (April 8).
  
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• NASA's Jonny Kim and 2 cosmonauts arrive at ISS aboard Russian Soyuz spacecraft

  08-04-2025 11:06 via space.com
  
  The Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and his two cosmonaut colleagues arrived at the International Space Station early Tuesday morning (April 8).
  
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• What is dark matter made of? New study bolsters case for 'primordial' black holes

  08-04-2025 11:00 via space.com
  
  In the early universe, primordial black holes could acquire a "dark charge," giving them an unnaturally long lifetime, new research suggests. This makes them an interesting candidate for dark matter.
  
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• Navy SEAL-doctor-astronaut lifts off with cosmonauts on Russian flight to ISS (video)

  08-04-2025 08:11 via space.com
  
  A Navy SEAL, medical doctor and NASA astronaut lifted off for an eight-month stay on the International Space Station — and that was just one of the three crewmates on Soyuz MS-27.
  
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• Navy SEAL-doctor-astronaut lifts off with cosmonauts on Russian flight to ISS

  08-04-2025 08:11 via space.com
  
  A Navy SEAL, medical doctor and NASA astronaut lifted off for an eight-month stay on the International Space Station — and that was just one of the three crewmates on Soyuz MS-27.
  
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• Navy SEAL doctor-astronaut launches with cosmonauts on Russian Soyuz to ISS (video)

  08-04-2025 08:11 via space.com
  
  A Navy SEAL, medical doctor and NASA astronaut lifted off for an eight-month stay on the International Space Station — and that was just one of the three crewmates on Soyuz MS-27.
  
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• 13 Apr 2025 (6 days away): Omega Centauri is well placed

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The brightest globular cluster in the sky, Omega Centauri (mag 3.6) culminates at around midnight local time.
  
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• 13 Apr 2025 (6 days away): Centaurus A is well placed

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Centaurus A (NGC 5128; mag 7.0) culminates at around midnight local time.
  
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• 13 Apr 2025 (5 days away): The Moon at apogee

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon recedes to its orbit's furthest point from the Earth, making it appear fractionally smaller than at other times of the month.
  
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• 13 Apr 2025 (5 days away): Lunar occultation of Spica

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Spica (Alpha Virginis), creating a lunar occultation visible from Latin America and the Caribbean, Saint Helena, South Africa, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, Bouvet Island and Grenada.
  
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• 13 Apr 2025 (5 days away): Full Moon

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon reaches full phase and is visible for much of the night.
  
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• 11 Apr 2025 (3 days away): Mercury at highest altitude in morning sky

  08-04-2025 01:27 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mercury is bright and well placed in the dawn sky.
  
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• SpaceX launches 27 Starlink satellites on brand-new Falcon 9 rocket, aces Pacific Ocean landing (video)

  08-04-2025 01:26 via space.com
  
  A never-before-flown SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched a batch of Starlink satellites into orbit today (April 7) from the coast of California.
  
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• A day on Uranus is actually longer than we thought, Hubble Telescope reveals

  08-04-2025 00:03 via space.com
  
  A fresh analysis of a decade's worth of Hubble Space Telescope observations shows Uranus takes 17 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds to complete a full rotation — 28 seconds longer than the estimate provided by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft nearly 40 years ago.
  
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