Astronomy news

• The Draconid meteor shower peaks tonight before bedtime. Here's how to see it

  07-10-2026 22:00 via space.com
  
  Heads up stargazers! The Draconid meteor shower peaks tonight (Oct. 8) and you don't even have to stay up late for a chance to see them. Draconid meteors can be spotted from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10 as Earth barrels through the debris stream left by Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, which returns to the inner solar system once every 6.6 years to refresh the trail of meteoroids that trigger the annual shower.Unlike most meteor showers, the Draconids are best viewed in the evening just a few hours after sunset
  
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• On this day in space! Oct. 7, 2002: NASA launches space shuttle Atlantis to deliver backbone of the ISS on STS-112 mission

  07-10-2026 19:48 via space.com
  
  On Oct. 7, 2002, the space shuttle Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center on mission STS-112. This mission brought the Starboard 1 (S1) truss segment to the International Space Station.The S1 truss is part of the backbone of the space station, and it provides structural support for the thermal control system. During the launch, a chunk of insulating foam broke off of the external tank and hit the bottom of the rocket booster, leaving a huge dent.Luckily this didn't pose any problems for STS
  
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• The moon hides Jupiter in spectacular photographs of October's lunar occultation

  07-10-2026 19:00 via space.com
  
  Millions of stargazers saw Jupiter vanish from the night sky on Tuesday (Oct. 6) as the moon's slender crescent passed directly in front of the gas giant in a spectacular display of orbital mechanics.The full occultation was visible across a swath of North America, Western Africa and the Atlantic Ocean, where the moon passed directly between Jupiter and the observer. Countless others outside of the path of occultation saw the 20%-lit moon shine just a few degrees away from Jupiter thanks to the
  
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• I review smart telescopes and binoculars for a living, here's what I would buy in the last few hours of Amazon Prime Day today

  07-10-2026 18:51 via space.com
  
  I review optics gear for a living and have tested a range of telescopes, cameras and binoculars but I'm also aware of how expensive stargazing can be once you've dipped your toe in. We see some of the best prices of the year during holiday sales, which include October Prime Day, which ends tonight!The best prices are reserved for Prime members but don't worry; if you are a new member, you can grab a 30-day free trial period so that you can get a deal if you want it.Astronomy and stargazing have
  
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• Le Creuset just sent a Star Trek-themed casserole dish to space... ish (video)

  07-10-2026 18:00 via space.com
  
  Well, this wasn't a headline I ever thought I'd be writing. Premium cookware brand Le Creuset, best known for its striking orange cast iron casserole dishes, has collaborated with Star Trek to produce a branded series of kitchenware. OK, that's a weird partnership, but whatever; Trekkies gotta cook too, and a Star Trek casserole dish is a neat curiosity. It's got the USS Enterprise embossed on the top, a Starfleet logo handle, and the iconic phrase "To boldly go where no one has gone before" emb
  
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• Grab 17% off the Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian for a limited time for October Prime Day

  07-10-2026 16:30 via space.com
  
  A telescope can be complicated, simple or somewhere in-between. The Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian telescope is a great telescope for beginners, thanks to its easy-to-use Dobsonian design and assistive StarSense smartphone app inegration. We gave the lightweight tripod version, the Celestron LT 114AZ, three stars for its affordability and helpful navigation. Right now, it is at its cheapest price since June's Prime Day.You can buy the Celestron 114AZ Dobsonian telescope, on sale right now for $315 fr
  
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• James Webb Space Telescope spots a 'cauldron of cosmic creation' | Space photo of the day for Oct. 7, 2026

  07-10-2026 16:00 via space.com
  
  The nebula NGC 7129, as seen in a brand new image from the James Webb Space Telescope.(Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI))A colossal mashup of stars, protostars, gas and dust swirl brightly in this new photo captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. What is it?JWST captured the inner workings of the nebula NGC 7129 in this spectacular new image. The detail in this snapshot really highlights the chaos happening within the nebula, nicknamed the Flower Bud
  
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• Cheapest it's ever been! This top-rated, scientifically accurate star projector is at the top of my shopping list for October's Prime Day

  07-10-2026 14:00 via space.com
  
  There are plenty of star projectors out there; I should know, I've got four sitting on my shelves, including two Astronaut Starry Sky projectors (don't ask). But what if you want a projector that shows you the real cosmos? That's where the Pococo Galaxy Projector comes in and, thanks to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, it's cheaper than ever. You can get the Pococo Galaxy Projector on sale at Amazon for just $76 — the cheapest we have ever seen it!Instead of projecting random stars, the
  
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• Astronomers detect most distant supermassive black hole-powered blazar ever: a cosmic beacon from the dawn of time

  07-10-2026 14:00 via space.com
  
  Astronomers have discovered the most distant and earliest blazar, comprised of an erupting supermassive black hole aiming its plasma jets directly at Earth.Blazars occur when supermassive black holes are surrounded by vast amounts of gas and dust that they feed on, in regions called active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The immense gravity of these cosmic titans causes the surrounding gas and dust to glow brightly, meaning that AGNs can outshine the combined light of every star in the galaxies that hou
  
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• "Affordable astrophotography defined", this super-portable smart telescope is at its lowest price it's ever been but you'll have to hurry

  07-10-2026 12:30 via space.com
  
  Want to take the effort out of watching and capturing the night sky? This Dwarflab Dwarf Mini smart telescope is just what you need, with the bonus that it's portable enough that you can pack it away to escape the curse of light pollution.Now it's $60 off in Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event, the cheapest it's ever been. However, with limited stock, you'll have to be fast.Get the Dwarflab Dwarf Mini on sale right now at Amazon for $339Expert Jamie Carter sang this scope's praises in his Dwarfla
  
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• Can we protect historic sites on the moon from the coming lunar rush?

  07-10-2026 12:00 via space.com
  
  The moon is a historical landmark — a celestial body continually peppered with robotic landers shot from our home planet, as well as human footprints planted there by a dozen visiting moonwalkers from 1969 to 1972.A recent gathering in Italy of the International Scientific Committee on Aerospace Heritage (ISCAH) looked at protecting lunar heritage with an eye toward developing guidelines for spacecraft deorbiting onto the moon's surface. Particular attention was paid to the risks posed by
  
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• The Canon EOS R8 is great for mirrorless camera newbies and is now $428 off in this deal from Best Buy

  07-10-2026 10:31 via space.com
  
  You don't need the latest mirrorless camerato start your photography journey, there is too much functionality for a beginner on them and tend to be very expensive. The Canon EOS R8 is a great camera for someone new to photography, with a 24MP sensor, great high ISO handling for astro and dual-pixel autofocusing. Best Buy is currently selling the model for $28 cheaper than Amazon during their Prime Big Deal Days event with a total saving up to $428.You can buy the Canon EOS R8, on sale right for
  
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• South Korea launches Nuri rocket carrying 15 satellites, its 1st liftoff of 2026 (photo)

  07-10-2026 07:53 via space.com
  
  South Korea just launched its first orbital mission of the year.The milestone came on Tuesday night (Oct. 6), when the homegrown Nuri rocket lifted off from the nation's Naro Space Center, carrying 15 satellites skyward.Liftoff occurred at 11:25 p.m. EDT (0325 GMT and 12:25 p.m. local time on Oct. 7). Almost everything went well: All but one of the payloads was successfully delivered to low Earth orbit as planned, according to the state-run Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI).Five of those
  
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