Skywatching

A glowing bright blue night sky full of white stars looks over a rocky landscape.

New moon of January 2026 brings prime views of Jupiter, Saturn and winter stars tonight

By Jesse Emspak published

With the moon out of the way on Jan. 18, bright Jupiter and Saturn become stand-outs in the January night sky.

Stargazing

1 month until a 'ring of fire' annular solar eclipse puts on a show — mostly for penguins

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

The first solar eclipse of the year will take place on Feb. 17, 2026.

Solar Eclipses

Northern lights may be visible in 15 states tonight

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Auroras may be visible from Alaska to New York tonight as an incoming stream of speedy solar wind sets the stage for some potentially dazzling northern lights.

Auroras
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Spaceflight

a conical white building with a silver domed roof is seen under a bright blue sky and a snow-covered ground

On this day in space: Jan. 18, 2002: Gemini South Observatory opens in Chile

By Hanneke Weitering last updated

On Jan. 18, 2002, the National Science Foundation formally opened the Gemini South telescope in Chile.

Launches & Spacecraft
a rocket stands upright in a hangar

Artemis 2 rocket rollout latest news: Giant NASA moon rocket arrives at launch pad

By Tariq Malik last updated

Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026: See our latest news and updates on NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket rollout to the launch pad.

Missions
A giant rocket rolls out to toward the launch pad and is reflected in a lagoon for artemis 2

Watch NASA roll huge Artemis 2 moon rocket out to the launch pad today

By Mike Wall last updated

NASA will roll its Artemis 2 moon rocket out to the launch pad on Saturday (Jan. 17), and you can watch the slow-moving action live.

Artemis
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the NROL-105 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Jan. 16, 2026.

SpaceX launches its 1st national security mission of 2026, sending US spy satellites to orbit

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX will launch its first national security mission of the year tonight (Jan. 16), and you can watch the action live.

Launches & Spacecraft
NASA's famous "meatball" logo.

Congress passes $24.4 billion NASA budget, rejecting Trump's deep cuts

By Mike Wall published

Congress just approved a $24.4 billion budget for NASA for this year, rejecting the deep cuts that President Trump had proposed last spring.

Space Exploration
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Science & Astronomy

An illustration of all the solar system planets arranged in an arc around the sun

What is below Earth, since space is present in every direction?

By Jeff Moersch published

When my colleagues and I send them out to explore our solar system, it's important for us to understand the 3D map of our space neighborhood.

Astronomy
Outbursts from an infant star light up the interstellar clouds HH 80 and HH 81

Hubble Telescope watches star blast out jet of hot gas 32 light-years long

By Robert Lea published

The protostar is launching the longest outburst ever seen at 32 light-years long.

Stars
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Space Photo of the Day

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Entertainment

'Starfleet Academy' isn't the first time that 'Star Trek' tried to go back to school

By Richard Edwards published

The new teen-led Paramount+ TV show isn't Trek's first attempt to study at the Academy.

Space Movies & Shows

Every 'Avengers: Doomsday' teaser trailer revealed so far

By Jeff Spry published

It's apparently never too early to start the MCU hype machine rolling!

Space Movies & Shows
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What's Up In Space Today

Search For Life

artist's impression of a pulsar ejecting vast pulses of radiation.

Astronomers searching for alien life are sharpening our cosmic clocks. Here's why

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

Tiny delays in pulsar signals measured by SETI scientists could aid the search for gravitational waves and extraterrestrial life.

Search for Life
Images from the SETI@home project, including a screenshot of the SETI@home data and a man looking at a large computer with the same screen

This SETI program is chasing down its final 100 signals. Could one of them be from aliens?

By Keith Cooper published

SETI@home has been one of the largest citizen science projects ever, with millions of users around the world.

Search for Life
An illustration of three different space telescopes, with various solar panel arrangements, over a colorful space background with red and green dust and stars

NASA funds new tech for upcoming 'Super Hubble' to search for alien life: 'We intend to move with urgency'

By Josh Dinner published

The observatory will combine tech from NASA's most powerful space telescopes.

Search for Life
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Technology

DJI Neo 2 in flight over tarmnac

DJI Neo 2 drone review

By James Abbott published

Review The DJI Neo 2 delivers improved image quality alongside Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance and many other new and impressive features.

Review
The best star projectors in front of a purple and blue background with concentric circles.

Best star projectors under $100: Top value in 2026

By Chris McMullen last updated

The best star projectors under $100 are rarely beaten on quality and never beaten on price: These are the best options on the market.

Technology
DJI Mavic 3 Pro one of the best camera drones in flight.

Best camera drones 2026: Take your aerial photos and videos to the next level

By James Abbott last updated

Buying guide The best camera drones come in various designs, but they all share the best image-capture capabilities.

Buying guide
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