Galileo, Copernicus, Cleansky, IRIS² must work together to secure Europe's place in the space race
"Seeing the Earth from above is a powerful reminder of our interdependence," said Thomas Pesquet. The words of France's 10th astronaut to head into space are a reminder of how we …
The DESI legacy imaging survey releases the largest 2D map of the universe
In 2012, the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) was commissioned to measure the effect of dark energy, the mysterious force driving the expansion of the cosmos. Since the…
Earth's moon could have formed in just 5 hours after giant impact
One day in history about 4.5 billion years ago was a dramatic one for Earth, potentially giving our planet an instant moon and an almighty headache all in one go.
The moon will hide Jupiter in broad daylight on Sept.8 — here's how to see it
The moon and Jupiter will meet before dawn on Sept. 8, before the moon hides the giant planet from view in a rare daytime occultation.
Pair of white dwarfs locked in 6-minute orbit might one day be observed by gravitational waves
Current gravitational-wave observatories aren't sensitive enough to capture the gravitational waves of binary stars. They can only see the gravitational chirps of black holes just…
New model measures economic risks solar storms pose to US power grid
In 1967, a solar storm nearly triggered World War III by jamming early-warning radar systems in the United States, causing U.S. leaders to think the Soviet Union was responsible. …
On this day in space! Sept. 7, 1995: NASA launches its 100th astronaut flight on space shuttle Endeavour's STS-69 mission
On Sept. 7, 1995, the space shuttle Endeavour launched on mission STS-69, NASA's 100th astronaut flight. Here's why it mattered.
Galaxies tangled in science and spirit | Space photo of the day for Sept. 7, 2026
"Astronomy is not just science or spirit; it's both at the same time."
Rare pulsar unleashes 114 giant pulses in a single hour
Astronomers have detected extreme, never-before-seen behavior from a rare kind of pulsar and stumbled on a surprising link to one of astronomy's biggest current mysteries. Using 1…
Do black holes have hidden hair? Scientists find a new way to check
When two black holes crash together and merge, the newly formed black hole rings like a bell, sending out gravitational waves with specific frequencies that fade over time. This b…
The future of Earth observation: Private satellites and AI bring benefits but also pose risks
We've entered a new world of Earth observation, in which artificial intelligence helps researchers make sense of an ever-glowing glut of privately gathered data.
The 20th data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the largest multispectral imaging and spectroscopic redshift survey of the cosmos, has released its 20th data release (DR 20). It is also the …
Cheaper than Prime Day, this super-portable, beginner-friendly telescope is my number one choice for skywatching
20% off at Amazon, the Celestron FirstScope is the telescope I grab for quick stargazing sessions and it's ideal for beginners and kids too.
Labor Day in space: NASA astronauts get the holiday off
Like their compatriots here on Earth, the three NASA astronauts living aboard the International Space Station will get a well-deserved rest on Labor Day.
APOD: 2026 September 7 – The Pelican Nebula in Gas, Dust, and Stars
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 September 7 – The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the…
A Bright Spot at Mount Michael
With austral winter nearing its end, clouds cleared for a satellite view of volcanic activity in the remote South Atlantic.
On this day in space! Sept. 6, 1947: The US Navy launches 1st V-2 rocket at sea in ballistic missile test
On Sept. 6, 1947, a V-2 rocket launched from an U.S. Navy aircraft carrier for the first time. Here's why it mattered.
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 27 Starlink satellites, lands on ship at sea (video)
SpaceX launched yet another batch of its Starlink internet satellites today (Sept. 6), sending them up from California's central coast.
Feel the Force with these 10 out-of-this-world Lego Star Wars starships
Whether you're a Jedi or a Sith, if you love Star Wars' iconic vessels you'll want to own these ten Lego Star Wars starships.
'Quiet' pulsar suddenly reveals three glitches in 15 years of observations
Using more than 15 years of observations from the Parkes radio telescope, astronomers detected three rotational glitches in the pulsar PSR J1637−4642—a young neutron star that had…
NASA expands Deep Space Network with giant new dish in California desert
The new antenna will boost capacity on NASA's increasingly strained deep-space communications network as Artemis and other missions drive up demand.
Germany's Isar Aerospace launches rocket into orbit from Norway
Germany's Isar Aerospace launched a rocket into orbit from Norway on Saturday as Europe races to boost its ability to economically send satellites into space independently of the …
FAST finds two mysterious hydrogen clouds with no visible stars
Astronomers have found two clouds of hydrogen near the Whirlpool galaxy that appear to contain almost no stars. The clouds, discovered with China's FAST radio telescope, each cont…
A black hole as light as 40 tons can exist inside a star if dark matter helps
In 1974, Stephen Hawking made a prediction that transformed our understanding of black holes. Black holes, he showed, are not truly black: They slowly lose energy through a quantu…