Astronomy news

• SpaceX lights up the skies with midnight Starlink launch (photos)

  21-08-2023 14:00 via space.com
  
  Photos from SpaceX's recent Starlink launch highlight Falcon 9's raw power, as its rocket engines illuminate the night.
  
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• 'Exodus: The Helium Sea' author Peter F. Hamilton talks universe crafting and finishing the story in this second prequel novel for sci-fi RPG 'Exodus' (exclusive)

  26-06-2026 22:00 via space.com
  
  At some point next year, when planets and stars momentarily align, we’ll hopefully be getting what’s sure to be the most anticipated sci-fi RPG in recent memory — Wizards of the Coast and Archetype Entertainment's "Exodus", which is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.This far future "Mass Effect"-like saga follows the daring time-traveler Jun Aslan as he and his companions hop about the cosmos searching for ancient artifacts to ward off the destruction of their worlds. This
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (19 hours away): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 21:42 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• SpaceX's next Starship breathes fire for 1st time in prelaunch test (video)

  26-06-2026 21:00 via space.com
  
  About a month has passed since the first launch of SpaceX's "Version 3" Starship rocket, and the spaceflight company has already begun testing on its next such vehicle. SpaceX recently transported Ship 40, the upper stage in line to launch Starship's upcoming Flight 13 demonstration mission, to the Massey test site at its facilities in Starbase, Texas. Secured at its base, Starship performed a full-duration burn of one of its central Raptor 3 engines that lasted about 15 seconds. The test, calle
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (20 hours away): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 20:45 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• China plans to double the size of its Tiangong space station while the ISS nears its end

  26-06-2026 20:00 via space.com
  
  China is set to expand its space station from three to six modules in the coming years and add a co-orbiting Hubble-class space observatory, even as the International Space Station approaches the end of its lifetime.The three-module, T-shaped Tiangong space station was assembled in orbit across 2021 and 2022 and has hosted numerous three-astronaut Shenzhou crews, but China is now set to expand the orbital outpost with new modules, citing growing research demands and more frequent crew and cargo
  
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• Only a few hours left! This expert-approved, beginner-friendly drone is $60 off for Prime Day

  26-06-2026 19:45 via space.com
  
  If you've been looking for a good time to take the leap into the drone world, the 30% discount on this sub-250 g beginner drone might be enough to tempt you.Before the release of the DJI Neo 2, we ranked the DJI Neo as the best DJI drone for simplicity. Our drone expert, James Abbott, gave it four out of five stars in his hands-on DJI Neo review, noting that not only is it a lot of fun to operate, but it also makes drone flight as simple or as complicated as you would like, thanks to the multipl
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (21 hours away): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 19:43 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• Moore's law tells us that the price of technology should go down over time, so why is stargazing gear getting more expensive?

  26-06-2026 19:05 via space.com
  
  Intel co-founder Gordon Moore observed that processing power doubles every two years whilst almost halving in cost. That should translate to older technology dropping in price and year on year seeing the cheapest prices in the sales, right? The reality is far from simple in the world of skywatching.For stargazers who have dipped their toes into the world of binoculars and telescopes, prices stack up quickly and even one purchase can wipe out thousands of dollars. Now, there are levels to stargaz
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (22 hours away): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 18:52 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• Beam me up to 4K: Your ultimate sci-fi collection for less than $25 on Prime Day

  26-06-2026 18:23 via space.com
  
  There are heaps of streaming services available, and if you're anything like us, you'll have subscriptions to several — Apple TV for Severance, Disney+ for Avatar, Hulu for Solar Opposites, and more. What you need is something where you can access them all in one place, on any device, whether you're home or away.This is where the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus comes in. If you have a device with an HDMI port, you can plug in this USB-esque device and log in to your favorite streamers with th
  
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• Watch out for the giant scorpion hiding in the summer sky

  26-06-2026 18:00 via space.com
  
  The most beautiful of all the zodiacal constellations is now visible, low toward the south-southeast as darkness falls. This is Scorpius the Scorpion. It really does look like a scorpion, one of the few star patterns that readily suggests the mythical form assigned to it by the ancients. Composed of several fairly bright stars, its body is formed by the upper stars of this star pattern; its tail slants toward the horizon, then curves to the left and upward, a fine stream of stars ending in a clo
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (23 hours away): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 17:35 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• Watch a 'Potentially hazardous asteroid' the size of a skyscraper close in on Earth live online tonight

  26-06-2026 17:00 via space.com
  
  A giant asteroid roughly the size of a skyscraper will pass within seven lunar distances of Earth on June 27. Here's how to watch the rare flyby during two livestreams on June 26 and June 27.How can I watch the flyby online?The Virtual Telescope Project will host two YouTube livestreams starting at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) on June 26 and 27, before and after asteroid 1997 NC1's closest approach to Earth. Each event will feature live views of the asteroid captured by a suite of robotic telescopes in
  
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• Neon green auroras from space will take your breath away | Space photo of the day for June 26, 2026

  26-06-2026 16:00 via space.com
  
  Auroras from space dazzle in this image captured from the International Space Station by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.(Image credit: ESA/NASA/S. Adenot)If you've ever seen auroras in the night sky, then you are one of the lucky few who has enjoyed a view of one of nature's most colorful and spectacular phenomena. But for the very lucky, very few who've seen auroras from space, the view is on a whole other level!What is it? When charged particles streaming constantly from the sun, also known as th
  
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• NASA's canceled Artemis hardware contracts reached $5.9 billion, audit finds

  26-06-2026 15:00 via space.com
  
  A new memo from NASA's Office of Inspector General has revealed how major pieces of Artemis program hardware became costly components of lunar missions that no longer align with the agency's new plans to return astronauts to the moon and have since been canceled.NASA announced a major shakeup to its Artemis plans earlier this year at its "Ignition Day" event, restructuring its mission goals in order to streamline the return of astronauts to the lunar surface and simplify the architecture needed
  
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• NASA is paying $30 million for a 1st-of-its-kind rescue mission to the aging Swift telescope before it falls from space. Is it worth it?

  26-06-2026 14:00 via space.com
  
  On paper, it seems like the math would be clear. A nearly 22-year-old space telescope, well past its prime, is falling out of space after decades of hunting the biggest explosions in the universe. Rest in peace, right? After all, it would cost NASA $30 million to save the telescope, called the Swift Observatory, which the agency launched in 2004 on a planned two-year mission. Some of us have cars that we've replaced far sooner for much less. And now, higher-than-expected drag on the satellite fr
  
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• June's Strawberry Moon is unlike any other full moon. Here's why

  26-06-2026 12:00 via space.com
  
  Full moons are overrated and, frankly, a pain. They wash out the stars, ruin deep-sky observing, and they all look the same. Technically, all of that is true. Yet every month — and particularly each June — I find myself standing outside at dusk waiting for the full moon to rise like it's an old friend arriving for an annual visit.The main attraction of June's Strawberry Moon is that it stays so low, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere. It appears at an extreme southeasterly point on
  
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• Watch live: Rocket Lab launching 'Ten Owl of Ten' mission for Synspective today

  26-06-2026 07:07 via space.com
  
  Rocket Lab is scheduled to launch another Strix satellite for Japanese company Synspective's imaging constellation, in orbit above the island nation. An Electron rocket will lift off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex-1 (LC-1) in New Zealand today (June 26), during a window that opens at 12:45 p.m. EDT (1645 GMT; 4:45 a.m. on June 27 local New Zealand time). As its name suggests, the "Ten Owl of Ten" mission will launch Synspective's 10th synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which will expand
  
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• Rocket Lab launches 'Ten Owl of Ten' mission, sending up Japanese Earth-observing radar satellite (video)

  26-06-2026 07:07 via space.com
  
  Rocket Lab launched the "Ten Owl of Ten" mission from New Zealand today (June 26), adding to Japanese company Synspective's imaging constellation.An Electron rocket lifted off from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex-1 (LC-1) in New Zealand today (June 26) at 1:43 p.m. EDT (1743 GMT; 5:43 a.m. on June 27 local New Zealand time). As its name suggests, the "Ten Owl of Ten" mission sent up Synspective's 10th synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which will expand the company's network above Japan to pr
  
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• Turn your room into a galaxy: The best Prime Day deals on star projectors for aspiring astronomers

  26-06-2026 05:00 via space.com
  
  How many star projectors do you need? I still don't have an answer. It started with a blue, Northern-Lights style projector, then one capable of projecting actual stars, albeit not in the right color. Now I'm eyeing up these Prime Day star projector deals, finger over the 'Buy Now' button, and I'm inviting you to join me.Not all star projectors are the same, mind you; some are there purely to create a relaxing display, aiding meditation or lulling a child to sleep. Meanwhile, others are more sci
  
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• 30 Jun 2026 (4 days away): The Moon at aphelion

  26-06-2026 01:31 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon passes its furthest point from the Sun, a monthly occurrence around the time of full moon.
  
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• 29 Jun 2026 (4 days away): The cluster NGC 6633 is well placed

  26-06-2026 01:31 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The open star cluster NGC 6633 (mag 4.6) in Ophiuchus culminates at around midnight local time.
  
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• 29 Jun 2026 (4 days away): Full Moon

  26-06-2026 01:31 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon reaches full phase and is visible for much of the night.
  
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• 28 Jun 2026 (2 days away): The Moon at apogee

  26-06-2026 01:31 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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• 27 Jun 2026 (Tomorrow): Lunar occultation of Antares

  26-06-2026 01:31 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The Moon will pass in front of Antares (Alpha Scorpii), creating a lunar occultation visible from countries and territories including Antarctica, Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania amongst others.
  
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• 27 Jun 2026 (Tomorrow): June Bootid meteor shower 2026

  26-06-2026 01:31 via in-the-sky.org
  
  The June Bootid meteor shower reaches its peak.
  
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• Two 'super-puff' cotton candy exoplanets are the lightest gas giants ever discovered

  25-06-2026 23:00 via space.com
  
  What is rarer than discovering a "super-puff" planet with densities much (much) lower than those of the solar system gas giants? Discovering two orbiting the same star.That is exactly what astronomers have done, finding two extrasolar planets, or exoplanets, that are super-puff siblings orbiting the same star. Both planets, designated TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c, have densities lower than that of cotton candy, making them the lightest exoplanets ever seen."Only a handful of these super-puffy planets
  
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• Supergirl's brilliant poster is a reminder that they don't make sci-fi movie posters like they used to

  25-06-2026 21:00 via space.com
  
  DC's new "Supergirl" may or may not turn out to be a classic of the comic-book genre. It may or may not be a smash hit in theaters. But whatever else happens when Kara Zor-El flies into the unpredictable headwinds of the worldwide box office, one thing the new movie has got 100% right is its promo poster. Let's take a look at its components. The bright, primary-colored House of El logo in the background is so bold and unmistakable that there's no need to spell out that this is a Super movie. At
  
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• Modern sci-fi movie posters usually suck, but Supergirl shows that it doesn't have to be that way

  25-06-2026 21:00 via space.com
  
  DC's new "Supergirl" may or may not turn out to be a classic of the comic-book genre. It may or may not be a smash hit in theaters. But whatever else happens when Kara Zor-El flies into the unpredictable headwinds of the worldwide box office, one thing the new movie has got 100% right is its promo poster. Let's take a look at its components. The bright, primary-colored House of El logo in the background is so bold and unmistakable that there's no need to spell out that this is a Super movie. At
  
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