Astronomy news

• Analog astronauts: How living underwater can prepare humans for space missions

  26-10-2026 22:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  I have been dreaming of doing research in space as an astronaut my whole life, but for some reason, the thought of working underwater made menervous. I’ve known for a long time that astronauts train underwater to simulate different scenarios they’re likely to experience in space. Diving was never an issue for me, either — I even made it as far as becoming a certified rescue diver.So what was the problem?This summer, I led a simulated space mission in an underwater habitat called the Jules�
  
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• On this day in space! Oct. 26, 2004: Cassini spacecraft takes 1st-ever closeup photos of Saturn moon Titan

  26-10-2026 20:47 via Latest from Space.com
  
  On Oct. 26, 2004, NASA's Cassini spacecraft took the first close-up images of Saturn's largest moon Titan. The Cassini spacecraft would later drop off a probe on Titan named Huygens, which was a European spacecraft that hitched a ride to the Saturn system with the Cassini mission. But before Cassini dropped off its robotic passenger, it flew by Titan a few times and took some amazing photos. Cassini completed its first flyby on July 3, 2004, but when it swung by a second time on Oct. 26, it got
  
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• Darth Vader wields the Infinity Gauntlet in the first-ever official 'Star Wars' & 'Marvel' crossover

  26-10-2026 20:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's non-canon, but come on; Darth Vader wielding the gleaming Infinity Gauntlet is just an excellent visual. This nerd-baiting image comes to us via the main cover of Marvel Comics' upcoming "Star Wars / Marvel: Hope Assembles #1.""Star Wars" celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, as does the first "Star Wars #1" comic, and to kick the intergalactic party off early, Marvel will publish the debut issue of this 6-issue miniseries from writer Kevin Smith ("Clerks," "Chasing A
  
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• NASA ends Swift space telescope mission after failed rescue attempt

  26-10-2026 19:43 via Latest from Space.com
  
  NASA has officially ended the mission of its Swift space telescope, after a private satellite failed in its bold bid to rescue the aging spacecraft.That rescue mission was led by the Arizona company Katalyst Space Technologies, whose LINK spacecraft tried to meet up with Swift this summer to boost its orbit. That didn't work out, however, so Swift continues its fall back toward Earth. The telescope is expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere "in the next few weeks," NASA said in a statement on Fri
  
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• 'Donnie Darko' at 25: How a giant rabbit, time loops, and teen angst became a sci-fi cult classic

  26-10-2026 19:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  "Have you ever seen a portal?"The term "cult classic" has been loosely bandied about in cinematic circles until its definition has diluted into nothingness, but never has it been more appropriately applied than to director Richard Kelly’s strange psychological sci-fi thriller, "Donnie Darko", which celebrates its milestone 25th birthday today.Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Mary McDonnell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Patrick Swayze, Jena Malone, and Noah Wyle, "Donnie Darko" was released on O
  
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• Stuck for a Halloween outfit? Set phasers to stunning with the best Star Trek costumes

  26-10-2026 18:35 via Latest from Space.com
  
  Are you a Star Trek fan about to beam down to a Halloween party? Maybe you want to give Trick or Treat a Trekkie twist? We've got you covered with costumes based on the iconic sci-fi franchise, from the original series through to Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Discovery and beyond. Adult costumes aside, we've also included outfits for younger Star Trek fans and props to round out your outfit. You needn't put them away when Halloween is over, either. Star Trek costumes are so universa
  
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• Record breaker! Astronomers spot powerful cosmic explosion that lasted 27 days

  26-10-2026 18:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  Astronomers have spotted a remarkable gamma-ray burst (GRB) that's a real Incredible Hulk compared to other cosmic explosions of the same type. What makes this GRB so special is the fact that the central engine powering it remained active for around 27 days, flaring in X-rays following the initial blast. That's 20 days longer than the longest previous GRB on record.This record-breaking burst — which is designated GRB 220706A and was spotted on July 6, 2022 — is even more exciting because sci
  
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• SpaceX ignites giant Super Heavy booster engines ahead of daring Starship launch (video)

  26-10-2026 17:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  SpaceX is shooting for new heights with its upcoming Starship test flight, and the booster tapped for the mission is in its final stretch of preparations before the mission. The Super Heavy booster for Flight Test 15, Booster 22, underwent a static test fire on Sunday (Oct. 25), igniting all of its Raptor 3 engines for about 15 seconds. "Full duration 33-engine static fire for the Super Heavy booster preparing for Flight 15," SpaceX said in a post on X.The test is a beginning of final checks on
  
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• Glowing 'cauldron' of new stars | Space photo of the day for Oct. 26, 2026

  26-10-2026 15:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  The James Webb Space Telescope's stunning view of the emission nebula N159 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. (Image credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, E. Sabbi, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)Acknowledgement: M. H. Özsaraç)The NASA/ESA James Webb Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking view of a majestic star-forming region shining 161,000 light-years from Earth in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way known as the Large Magellanic Cloud. What is it?The deep-space image reveals a 230-light-year-wide swathe
  
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• Rubin telescope should find more of Earth's mysterious 'mini-moons' — including some we can study up close

  26-10-2026 13:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  Earth almost always has more than one moon. The others are just very small, and they never stay long — but they could provide accessible and unique insights into the solar system.Temporary satellites, or mini-moons, are small asteroids that wander into Earth’s neighborhood and get captured briefly by our planet’s gravity. A typical one stays about nine months and circles Earth roughly three times before escaping back into orbit around the sun, Grigori Fedorets of Finland's University of He
  
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• October full 'Hunter's Moon' dazzles in spectacular photos from around the world

  26-10-2026 12:42 via Latest from Space.com
  
  The full "Hunter's Moon" wowed stargazers with a breathtaking display of natural light when it rose to dominate the autumn sky overnight on Oct. 25-26. Here are our favorite photos captured from around the world.October's full moon is often known as the Hunter's Moon because it traditionally rose around the time that hunters would take to the newly harvested fields to catch animals to prepare as food for the coming winter.Well, in 2026 the Hunter's Moon certainly succeeded in captivating the ima
  
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• 'More missions, more often': NASA is overhauling how it selects science missions

  26-10-2026 11:00 via Latest from Space.com
  
  NASA is overhauling how it selects and develops science missions, with changes intended to reduce costs, streamline competition and get missions into space faster.The new approach, called Competition Model 2.0 (CM 2.0), was announced on Oct. 21 in an open letter from Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), to the NASA science community. The changes, directed by NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, could significantly reshape how scientists, universities, NAS
  
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