It began with an unusual flash detected off the coast of South Africa by an aging American satellite — and to this day, debate continues over whether this odd Cold War event involved an illicit atmospheric nuclear test.
The strange story of the “South Atlantic Flash,” better known as the Vela Incident, began on Sept. 22, 1979. At that time, Vela 6911, a satellite in a constellation…
Nā ‘Uhane Māhoe Huki Pū i ke Ola is the Hawaiian name given to this image of NGC 7253 — a pair of spiral galaxies caught in each other’s gravity. This image was captured by the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea. (Image credit: International Gemini…
The future of Earth observation: Private satellites and AI bring benefits but also pose risks
September 8, 2026
We are a planet-based species: With a few notable (astronaut) exceptions, everyone who has ever lived remained glued to our spinning Earth, which now houses 8.3 billion people.
That’s the gravity of the situation. But we’re also a world of floods, typhoons…
Cheaper than Prime Day, this super-portable, beginner-friendly telescope is my number one choice for skywatching
September 8, 2026
I’ve got three telescopes in my home, but the Celestron FirstScope is my first stop when it comes to stargazing. Now this super-portable, beginner-friendly tabletop scope is $60 at Amazon, even cheaper than Prime Day!
Save 20% on this moon-themed Celestron Firstscope at Amazon
What makes the Celestron FirstScope so fantastic? It’s all down to ease of use and portability.
Soon, the sky’s most glamorous evening performer will take its leave.
Since late March, Venus has been the unmistakable “Evening Star,” gleaming shortly after sunset and stealing attention from nearly everything else in the twilight. In June, it helped…
On this day in space! Sept. 6, 1947: The US Navy launches 1st V-2 rocket at sea in ballistic missile test
September 7, 2026
On Sept. 6, 1947, a rocket launched from an aircraft carrier for the first time. The V-2 rocket was captured from a German manufacturing site by the Allied forces at the end of World War II.
V-2s were the world’s first long-range guided ballistic missile. They were…
NASA’s long-distance spacecraft-calling network just got a boost.
The Deep Space Network (DSN), best known for communicating with distant spacecraft such as Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and New Horizons, added a 114-foot (34-meter) radio-frequency antenna in California, boosting capacity on the increasingly crowded network.
More than 40 spacecraft exploring the solar system and interstellar space…
No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil — until today.
The German company Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Space Center in northern Norway today (Sept. 5) at 4:12 p.m. EDT (2012 GMT; 10:12 p.m. local time in Norway). A little…
On this day in space! Sept. 5, 1977: NASA launches Voyager 1 on epic journey across the solar system
September 6, 2026
On Sept. 5, 1977, Voyager 1 began its epic journey through deep space with a glorious morning launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Voyager 1 initially launched on a mission to explore the outer planets. After flying by Jupiter and Saturn in 1979 and 1980, the spacecraft…
This NASA-funded 'Slingshot' spacecraft idea could map minerals on planets and moons across our solar system
September 6, 2026
Nearby Earth, an iconic series of orbiting U.S. government satellites called Landsat have collectively been charting minerals and climate change for more than 50 years.
What if we can do the same thing in space? A new NASA early-stage project, whimsically named “Interworld Slingshot Resource Surveys”, aims to bring “Landsat-style mineral intelligence” to other worlds…
