Astronomy news

• New 'Starfield: Shattered Space' DLC explores House Va'ruun homeworld (video)

  27-09-2024 19:00 via space.com
  
  A preview for Bethesda's new "Starfield" DLC story expansion pack, "Shattered Space"
  
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• As 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' turns 35, it's time to accept the truth: Terminator shouldn't be back

  03-07-2026 22:00 via space.com
  
  For a franchise where the main hook is time travel, "Terminator" probably wishes it could take us back in time… or just borrow the neuralyzer from "Men in Black" to wipe everybody's mind after everything post-1991. Now, as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" turns 35 this month, we think it's time to call it: Terminator shouldn't be back.The decline of the "Terminator" franchise might be one of the greatest falls from grace ever seen in cinema. The first two movies established themselves as genr
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (9 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 21:39 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (10 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 21:39 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (11 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 20:23 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (10 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 20:23 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• Could humans someday explore Saturn's moon Titan, or will humanoid robots do it for us?

  03-07-2026 20:00 via space.com
  
  BOULDER, Colorado - Humans have been exploring outer space since April 1961 with the pioneering flight of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.Today, several nations are making new plans to launch human beings back to the moon, then onward to Mars and perhaps beyond. But will that pursuit be short-circuited by the fast-paced merger of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced humanoid robots?That proposition was broached during a Humans to Titan Summit, held here June 11-12, a first-time event attended
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (13 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 19:08 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

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• 04 Jul 2026 (12 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 19:08 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• 'Independence Day' at 30: Roland Emmerich & Dean Devlin talk blowing up the White House and crafting a true sci-fi classic (interview)

  03-07-2026 19:00 via space.com
  
  Happy 30th birthday to "Independence Day," the sci-fi mega blockbuster that made Will Smith an instant Hollywood star, crushed the box office by becoming the fastest film to reach $100 million, and obliterated Washington, D.C, all in one fell swoop of pure popcorn movie entertainment.We often talk about certain works of art ushering in or being ushered in by, but "Independence Day" ("ID4") truly broke the mold for how huge tentpole pictures were marketed three decades ago, something that still r
  
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• Celebrate 250 years of America with the Estes Liberty Star model rocket

  03-07-2026 18:00 via space.com
  
  Aside from fireworks, what better way to celebrate 250 years of independence than by launching your own model rocket into the sky? The limited edition Estes Liberty Star rocket is the perfect model for the job, decked out with a blue and red styling and featuring beginner friendly assembly for an easy setup.You can get the Estes Liberty Star America 250th Celebration model rocket for $38.84 on AmazonEstes features a lot in our model rocket guide, with six of their models included. They are the b
  
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• 1 private spacecraft intercepts another on Space Force's groundbreaking 'Victus Haze' mission

  03-07-2026 18:00 via space.com
  
  A U.S. Space Force mission pitting two satellites against each other has been deemed a success, completing its first tactical intercept of an orbital target. The news comes less than two weeks after Rocket Lab broke a spaceflight readiness record, launching the company's Pioneer-class Puma satellite aboard an Electron rocket on June 19, delivering the second spacecraft of the Space Force's Victus Haze mission just 16 hours and 42 minutes after receiving notice. The mission's first satellite, Tru
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (14 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 17:58 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (13 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 17:58 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• Space science has come a long way since July 4, 1776. Here's a look back at the saga

  03-07-2026 16:54 via space.com
  
  On July 4, the United States of America celebrates its 250th birthday, marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and becoming a sovereign nation. Today, this relatively young country leads the way in our understanding of the universe. It's where many major players in space science, like NASA, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Northwestern University, to name just a few.And to celebrate 250 years of the U.S. as
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (15 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 16:49 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (14 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 16:49 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• Infant stars celebrate their independence with cosmic fireworks| Space photo of the day for July 3, 2026

  03-07-2026 16:00 via space.com
  
  The protostars of the star system FS Tau as seen by the JWST (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI))Infant stars or "protostars" celebrate their independence with cosmic fireworks in a stunning new image from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
  NASA released this image to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of the U.S. It is a fitting tribute as the protostars break away from the molecular cloud in which they formed to become fully fledged stars
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (16 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 15:40 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (15 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 15:40 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (17 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 14:37 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (16 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 14:37 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• Want to see Uranus? July 4 could be your best chance in decades

  03-07-2026 14:00 via space.com
  
  Want to see Uranus for yourself? Independence Day morning offers one of the best opportunities in decades, as the distant ice giant passes extraordinarily close to Mars in the predawn sky.Although we often hear that only five planets are visible to the unaided eye, Uranus can also be seen from Earth under the right conditions. As the seventh planet from the sun, it is very faint — near the threshold of naked-eye visibility at roughly sixth magnitude — so viewing it requires a very da
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (18 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 13:30 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (17 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 13:30 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (19 hours away): Conjunction of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 12:16 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus share the same right ascension, at a separation of 6'26".
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (19 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 12:16 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• America at 500: Where will we be in space in 2276?

  03-07-2026 12:00 via space.com
  
  The United States has taken some significant steps into the final frontier during its first 250 years.The nation has put people on the moon, helped build and operate a long-running space station in low Earth orbit (LEO) and sent fleets of robotic explorers to many corners of the solar system — and even beyond it, into interstellar space. All of this work has been done relatively recently, as the space age didn't dawn until 1957; when the U.S. was born on July 4, 1776, humanity was still se
  
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• 04 Jul 2026 (20 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 11:12 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

• 04 Jul 2026 (21 hours away): Close approach of Mars and Uranus

  03-07-2026 10:24 via in-the-sky.org
  
  Mars and Uranus pass within 6'18" of each other.
  
  Read more

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