Astronomy news

• Dance of death between binary stars leads to an unusual supernova

  08-07-2026 23:00 via space.com
  
  If the universe has one lesson for humanity, it is that everything ends. That includes stars, which too must die, albeit on timescales of billions of years. But new research suggests that when some stars die, they do not do so alone, potentially solving a long-standing mystery around a particular class of cosmic explosion called an interacting supernova. When stars much more massive than the sun reach the ends of their lives, their cores collapse, sending shockwaves blasting out into their outer
  
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• NASA begins funding hardware for 'Skyfall' Mars helicopter mission

  08-07-2026 22:00 via space.com
  
  NASA's nuclear-powered mission to Mars is taking shape with the selection of Firefly Aerospace to design and manufacture the protective aeroshell that will shield the Skyfall spacecraft's descent stage during its plummet through the Martian atmosphere.Skyfall, slated to be NASA's first-ever nuclear powered interplanetary probe, is scheduled to launch in 2028 with three helicopters similar to the Ingenuity drone that landed on the Red Planet with the Perseverance rover. The mission is being manag
  
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• Trump gifts Artemis astronauts an American flag from the US Capitol to plant on the moon

  08-07-2026 21:00 via space.com
  
  The next American flag to be planted on the moon has been placed in the hands of one of the last astronauts to walk on the lunar surface.Late into the night during the America 250 celebrations in Washington, D.C. on July 4, President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address from the National Mall, praising the country's history and accomplishments. The speech also acknowledged several American heroes in attendance, from military veterans, descendants of notable American historical figures like
  
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• Trump gifts Artemis astronauts a flag from the US Capitol to plant on the moon

  08-07-2026 21:00 via space.com
  
  The next American flag to be planted on the moon has been placed in the hands of one of the last astronauts to walk on the lunar surface.Late into the night during the America 250 celebrations in Washington, D.C. on July 4, President Donald Trump delivered the keynote address from the National Mall, praising the country's history and accomplishments. The speech also acknowledged several American heroes in attendance, from military veterans, descendants of notable American historical figures like
  
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• Shoebox-sized 'detector satellites' could sniff out a nuclear bomb in space

  08-07-2026 20:00 via space.com
  
  A constellation of cubesats fitted with special detectors could sniff out nuclear weapons hidden on satellites launched by adversary nations, according to a new study.In 2024, rumors began to swirl in military circles that Russia might be developing a space-borne nuclear weapon. At that time, two years into the war in Ukraine, Russia was well aware of how big a lifeline SpaceX's Starlink broadband constellation had been for the Ukrainians. Starlink has not only provided connectivity to ravaged c
  
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• Venus takes center stage with 2 easy-to-see sky shows this July. Here's when and where to look

  08-07-2026 19:00 via space.com
  
  Between July 7 and July 17, Venus will put on two evening-sky shows: first passing close to Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion, and then appearing near a waxing crescent moon.Both events are easy to see with the naked eye and offer excellent opportunities for casual skywatchers and photographers alike.Look low in the western sky after sunset for both events. Viewing times and positions are best suited for observers at mid-northern latitudes; check a local skywatching app for exact timin
  
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• 'This is the future of spatial intelligence': Vantor unveils stunning 3D satellite views of Earth (photos)

  08-07-2026 18:00 via space.com
  
  The American Earth-observation company Vantor maps Earth from space in 3D. The images are available in near-real time, revealing immediate effects of natural disasters and armed conflict. What is more, the images are also absolutely stunning.Vantor, which operates a fleet of 10 satellites that image the surface of the planet with a resolution of 12 inches (30 centimetres), released the first set of its 3D shots from space on July 1. The images capture a variety of targets, all in amazing detail.
  
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• NASA's Roman Space Telescope prepares for launch | Space photo of the day for July 8, 2026

  08-07-2026 16:00 via space.com
  
  The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in the clean room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 26, 2026.(Image credit: NASA/Sydney Rohde (Rocz))NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is hanging out in the clean room at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, preparing for its epic journey to space. What is it?Roman is NASA's next big flagship mission, designed to explore the universe like we've never seen it before. And with just over a month and a half until its expected launch
  
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• The US Space Force just got a new electromagnetic weapon to jam adversary satellites

  08-07-2026 15:00 via space.com
  
  The U.S. Space Force has acquired one of its first publicly acknowledged offensive weapons, one that can blast adversary satellites with beams of electromagnetic radiation to disrupt their signals without physically damaging them.The system, known as Meadowlands, was developed by L3 Harris. It is an electromagnetic warfare system, meaning it is designed to disrupt, deny or degrade an adversary's use of the electromagnetic spectrum  — such as radio waves, for example  — re
  
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• Revolutionary rocket engine company Venus Aerospace raises $91 million to scale design

  08-07-2026 14:00 via space.com
  
  Houston-based company Venus Aerospace announced today (June 8) the closing of its "Series B" financing round, which raised $91 million to evolve its rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) from functioning prototype to a scalable propulsion system with multiple applications. Venus completed a demonstration launch with its test vehicle in May 2025, accomplishing the first such flight from U.S. soil powered by an RDRE. At scale, the company envisions a wide variety of uses for the design, includi
  
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• NASA's New Horizons probe just woke up from hibernation 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto. What's it doing out there?

  08-07-2026 13:45 via space.com
  
  NASA's New Horizons probe has woken up in good health nearly 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto after spending nearly a year in hibernation.Traveling such vast distances between our solar system's most remote objects means New Horizons often cruises for months at a time with little to do other than passively collect data. During these periods, the probe goes into a hibernation mode in which its instruments still collect data, but most other systems power down. New Horizons entered just such a hib
  
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• Earth may survive the sun's death after all, new study suggests

  08-07-2026 12:00 via space.com
  
  For decades, astronomers have debated whether Earth's fate was tied to the sun's. When the star exhausts the hydrogen fuel that powers it about 5 billion years, it will swell into a red giant large enough to engulf Mercury and Venus — and, several studies have suggested, Earth as well.New research, however, suggests our planet has a better chance of escaping that fiery end than previously thought. Using updated models of how aging stars interact with their planets, researchers found that t
  
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