Skywatching

graphic with night sky in large font and silhouettes of people below looking up at the night sky.

Night sky tonight: See the celestial queen Cassiopeia shine high overhead on Jan. 29

By Jamie Carter last updated

Find out what you can see in the night sky for tonight, from planets and stars to dazzling meteor showers.

Stargazing

Aurora forecast Jan. 29 - Northern lights may continue tonight as fast solar winds fuel minor storm conditions

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

The latest aurora forecast for tonight help you make sure you're in the right place at the right time to see the northern lights.

Auroras
The glowing band of the Milky Way's galactic plane is pictured tumbling diagonally through a starry night sky above a mountainous region.

See the Milky Way glow with the stars of the Summer Triangle above Egypt's Black Desert

By Anthony Wood published

Deneb, Vega and Altair are among the brightest stars in the night sky.

Astrophotography
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Spaceflight

An orange rocket with a white top stands against a dynamic sky. A danger sign stands on the left.

Artemis 2 SLS wet dress rehearsal latest news: NASA preps for critical test ahead of astronaut launch to the moon

By Josh Dinner published

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026: Follow NASA's last major test of SLS before the launch of Artemis 2 and a crew of astronauts around the moon.

Artemis
a white cone-shaped capsule on a truck bed under a cloudy sky

NASA's Artemis 2 crewed mission to the moon shows how US space strategy has changed since Apollo – and contrasts with China's closed program

By Michelle L.D. Hanlon published

The United States is no longer competing against a single rival in a largely symbolic race.

Artemis
An artist's illustration of the Phobos 2 mission to the Mars moon Phobos launched by the former Soviet Union. It arrived in orbit around Mars on Jan. 29, 1989.

On this day in space: Jan. 29, 1989: Phobos 2 enters orbit around Mars

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On January 29, 1989, a Soviet space probe named Phobos 2 arrived in orbit around Mars.

Launches & Spacecraft
Graphic illustration with 'space calendar' in large blue neon letters and 2023 below it in smaller white letters. Below the title are four neon images depicting a meteor or comet, a telescope, a rocket launch and an astronaut's helmet. There is a starry background to the entire image.

Space calendar 2026: Rocket launches, skywatching events, missions & more!

By Space.com last updated

Reference Keep up with all the rocket launches, astronomical events and mission milestones for 2026 with our space calendar.

Reference
four humans stand in blue jumpsuits in front of a background of a dark earth and shadowed moon, with a small ISS in the top left.

NASA and SpaceX move up launch of Crew-12 astronauts to Feb. 11 as relief crew after ISS medical evacuation

By Josh Dinner published

NASA and SpaceX are proceeding ahead of schedule with their next astronaut launch to the International Space Station, which is currently operating with a skeleton crew.

Human Spaceflight
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Science & Astronomy

(Left) Io as seen by NASA's Galileo spacecraft on 3 July 1999 (Right) A massive volcanic hotspot observed by Juno in 2024

NASA's Juno spacecraft spots the largest volcanic eruption ever seen on Jupiter's moon Io

By Keith Cooper published

"What makes the event even more extraordinary is that it did not involve a single volcano, but multiple active sources."

Jupiter
An image of the world with various lines of green and blue showing the river system with a table of numbers on the left showing main flow levels corresponding to various colors.

Satellite sees river flow across the globe | Space photo of the day for Jan. 29, 2025

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

Along with this stunning image is the first-ever global estimate of river water discharge and overall sediment suspension.

Earth
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Space Photo of the Day

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Entertainment

This trio of 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' cadets weren't Trekkies before the show, but they are now (interview)

By Jeff Spry published

"It's like when you watch 'The Lord of the Rings.' It feels like it's drawing from such a deep well of history."

Space Movies & Shows

Best Lego NASA sets 2026: Build NASA's finest from the Apollo 11 Rover to Artemis 2

By Chris McMullen published

We've rounded up the best Lego NASA sets to suit a range of budgets and ages.

Space Toys & Lego
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What's Up In Space Today

Search For Life

The Goldilocks zone, or habitable zone, is the sweet spot around a star where we might find planets like our own.

Goodbye Goldilocks: Scientists may have to look beyond habitable zones to find alien life

By Victoria Corless published

Scientists may need to broaden their horizons in their search for alien life.

Search for Life
A peptide chain forms on an icy grain of dust between stars

Proteins before planets: How space ice may have created the 1st building blocks of life

By Victoria Corless published

"We used to think that only very simple molecules could be created in these clouds. But we have shown that this is clearly not the case."

Search for Life
Two black and yellow bees sit opposite each other on a purple flower with tall stringy petals with a green background behind them.

Can we use bees as a model of intelligent alien life to develop interstellar communication?

By Andrew Greentree, Adrian Dyer, Scarlett Howard published

We frequently question whether we are alone in the universe.

Search for Life
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Technology

a white jet on a tarmac

NASA research jet makes fiery 'wheels-up landing' after experiencing mechanical issue (video)

By Brett Tingley published

One of NASA's high-altitude WB-57 research jet made a fiery wheels-up landing on Tuesday (Jan. 27) after a mechanical issue prevented it from lowering its landing gear.

Aerospace
A large gray plane rolls on a runway with a man wearing army fatigues waving it forward

NASA gets new F-15 fighter jet to chase its X-59 'quiet' supersonic aircraft

By Julian Dossett published

What role will F-15 jets play in the future of supersonic flight?

Aerospace
Best stargazing apps: Image shows person holding mobile up to starry night sky

Best stargazing apps 2026: Navigate the night sky with these AR apps and virtual star maps

By Jase Parnell-Brookes last updated

Buying Guide Looking for the best stargazing apps to learn about the night sky? We've rounded up our favorites right here.

Buying Guide
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