Satellites high above Earth may soon have fewer places to hide.
San Francisco-based company Astranis announced today (Aug. 13) that it’s developing a line of spacecraft called Perceptor, which will keep an eye on satellite activity in geostationary orbit (GEO).
GEO lies 22,236 miles (35,786 kilometers) above Earth, an altitude at which orbital speed matches our planet’s rotational…
Farthest 'black hole star' ever found could help solve the James Webb Space Telescope's little red dot mystery
August 13, 2026
The most distant ‘black hole star’ yet found, existing in the universe less than 660 million years after the Big Bang, has provided a vital clue as to the origin of the mysterious “little red dots” that populate the James Webb Space Telescope’s…
The Perseid meteor shower, one of the most prolific and impressive meteor showers of the year, peaks tonight!
Widely regarded as one of the best meteor showers of the year, the Perseids can produce up to 100 meteors per hour under ideal viewing conditions and weather…
A total solar eclipse will darken the sky for millions today! Here's what you need to know
August 13, 2026
Today (Aug. 12), millions of people across Greenland, Iceland and Spain will witness a total solar eclipse as the moon completely covers the sun, turning day into night, albeit briefly.
It’s Europe’s first total solar eclipse since 1999, and with a maximum of 2 minutes, 18 seconds of totality, it will be worth the wait … weather permitting!
Even if you’re not inside the path…
On Aug. 11, 1960, part of the Discoverer 13 satellite became the first human-made object to be recovered from Earth’s orbit.
The United States Department of Defense launched the mission as part of the C.I.A.’s Corona spy satellite program. They wanted to see if…
SpaceX wants to put 1 million AI satellites in orbit. What would that do to Earth's climate?
August 12, 2026
Concentrations of dangerous pollutants from rocket launches and satellite reentries in Earth’s upper atmosphere might reach treacherous tipping points if constellations of hundreds of thousands of orbiting data centers get deployed in the next decade, experts…
A spectacular total solar eclipse will coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower on Aug. 12-13. But will you be able to spot shooting stars in the false twilight of totality?
Perseids appear as Earth plows through the stream of debris shed by comet Swift-Tuttle. Up to 100 shooting stars may be seen each hour around its peak under ideal dark skies, as particles from the ancient comet…
Pluto’s atmosphere appears to be freezing out as the dwarf planet moves ever further away from the sun, according to careful observations of Pluto astronomers made as it was seen passing in front of stars in the sky.
Pluto is already cold. Its surface temperature is…
Could the northern lights be visible during the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12? Maybe.
August 11, 2026
On Aug. 12, 2026, a total solar eclipse will sweep across Earth, giving skywatchers across Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain an incredible view of totality. As the moon completely covers the sun, day will briefly turn to twilight, revealing the sun’s faint outer…
What time is the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026?
August 11, 2026
If you’re planning to watch the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, knowing exactly when to look up is crucial.
While totality will be visible from parts of Greenland, Iceland and Spain, millions more people across Europe will experience a dramatic partial solar eclipse. Whether you’re chasing the moon’s shadow in Reykjavik or watching the moon take a ‘bite’ out of the…
