Skywatching

sun setting above Stonehenge - a large circular stone monument

The summer solstice: What is it and when does it occur?

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference The summer solstice marks the start of astronomical summer and the longest day of the year. Here we explore when the summer solstice occurs and why.

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

Night sky tonight: Catch a stellar lizard crossing the Milky Way on Dec. 11

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
Winter Solstice sunset shows a pink sky behind a lighthouse.

When is the winter solstice and what happens?

By Robert Lea last updated

Reference Winter Solstice has long marked a time of rebirth, behind it are fascinating astronomical events.

Reference
VIEW MORE

Spaceflight

test

Rocket Lab scrubs launch of Korean disaster-monitoring satellite due to sensor issue

By Mike Wall published

Rocket Lab will launch a Korean disaster-monitoring satellite today (Dec. 10), and you can watch the action live.

Launches & Spacecraft
An illustration of a spacecraft with solar panels floating in front of a red planet

NASA's loses contact with MAVEN Mars orbiter on the far side of the Red Planet

By Josh Dinner published

Something happened to the probe on the far side of the Red Planet.

Launches & Spacecraft
a white and black rocket lifts into the predawn sky, lighting its launch pad and ground below

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites from California on 160th Falcon 9 flight of the year (video)

By Robert Z. Pearlman published

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 27 Starlink satellites launched from Vandenberg Space Force Station in California on Dec. 10, 2025. It was the 160th Falcon 9 flight of the year.

Launches & Spacecraft
A Chinese Long March 4B rocket launches the Yaogan 47 satellite to space from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on Dec. 9, 2025.

China breaks record with 3 Long March rocket launches in 19-hour stretch (video)

By Mike Wall published

China just launched three Long March rockets in less than 19 hours, setting a new national mark for liftoff cadence.

Launches & Spacecraft
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the classified NROL-77 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on Dec. 9, 2025.

SpaceX launches mysterious NROL-77 mission for the US military (video)

By Mike Wall last updated

SpaceX launched the NROL-77 mission for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office today (Dec. 9), sending a classified satellite skyward from Florida's Space Coast.

Launches & Spacecraft
VIEW MORE

Science & Astronomy

Perihelion is when there is the shortest distance between Earth and the sun.

Perihelion: What is it and when does it occur?

By Tereza Pultarova last updated

Reference Perihelion is the point at which an orbiting body is closest to the sun. The word comes from Greek and literally means around (peri) the sun (helios).

Reference

What is the moon phase today? Lunar phases 2025

By Tariq Malik, Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Reference See what moon phase it is tonight and find out when you can see the rest of the moon phases for 2025.

Reference
VIEW MORE

Space Photo of the Day

VIEW MORE IMAGES

Entertainment

a half-human, half-cyborg image

Human evolution hits a crossroad in daring new sci-fi novel, 'Existence Equation', and we have an exclusive excerpt for you

By Jeff Spry published

Mind transfers, nanotech, and robotic innovations take center stage in this visionary 2026 book.

Space Books
a woman on the bridge of a sci-fi starship

'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' clip shows off hammy acting and teen drama, putting fans on yellow alert (video)

By Jeff Spry published

Programmable matter mines swarm the U.S.S. Athena in this action-packed 4-minute preview

Space Movies & Shows
VIEW MORE

What's Up In Space Today

Search For Life

A silhouette of a planet is in front of a giant sun with a small planet to the right of the image

Which exoplanet in the TRAPPIST-1 system could be habitable? Scientists are modeling the star to find out

By Samantha Mathewson published

Frequent flares from the nearby star TRAPPIST-1 could offer new clues in the search for habitable planets beyond Earth.

Search for Life
A reddish dusty surface is seen with an orange sun in the background

Beyond the habitable zone: Exoplanet atmospheres are the next clue to finding life on planets orbiting distant stars

By Morgan Underwood published

But being in this sweet spot doesn't automatically mean a planet is hospitable to life.

Search for Life
"Wow!" signal printout. The comment on the side inspired the event's name.

SETI's 'Noah’s Ark' – a space historian explores how the advent of radio astronomy led to the USSR’s search for extraterrestrial life

By Gabriela Radulescu published

An expert dives into the history of radio astronomy and the search for life beyond our Earth.

Search for Life
VIEW MORE

Technology

California-based company Aetherflux wants to make space-based solar power a reality.

Startup announces 'Galactic Brain' project to put AI data centers in orbit

By Josh Dinner published

Aetherflux has focused its efforts on space-based solar power, with the goal of "building an American power grid in space."

Technology
A large white antenna dish points to the left of the screen with the sun in the blue sky behind it

NASA spacecraft were vulnerable to hacking for 3 years and nobody knew. AI found and fixed the flaw in 4 days

By Tereza Pultarova published

An AI start-up has found a vulnerability in security software protecting NASA's ground control communications with satellites in space.

Technology
A white space shuttle launches off a pad with large clouds of smoke underneath it

AI is making spacecraft propulsion more efficient – and could even lead to nuclear-powered rockets

By Sai Susmitha Guddanti, Preeti Nair, Marcos Fernandez Tous, Sreejith Vidhyadharan Nair published

From bicycles to rockets, learning through experience – whether human or machine – is shaping the future of space exploration.

Technology
VIEW MORE