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<![CDATA[ Latest from Space.com ]]>
https://www.space.com
- Sat, 27 Dec 2025 21:05:00 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Space debris led to an orbital emergency in 2025. Will anything change? ]]>
+ Earth is surrounded by human-made debris that orbits our planet. The problem is worsening every year, and 2025 was no different.
Space debris experts say nearly 130 million pieces of orbital junk are zipping around our planet: high-speed leftovers from rocket stage explosions, abandoned satellites, as well as bits and pieces of junk from space hardware deployments. Some of this meandering mess is the result of the deliberate demolition of spacecraft by way of anti-satellite weapons testing.
All this space clutter means increased risk of collisions that generate more debris — better known as the Kessler syndrome. That cascading effect was detailed back in 1978 by NASA scientists, Donald Kessler and Burton Cour-Palais in the seminal space physics paper "Collision frequency of artificial satellites: The creation of a debris belt." 47 years later, the problem has only gotten worse, and as several debris strike incidents this year show, we still have no good way to solve or even slow down the accumulation of orbital debris around our planet.
Debris strike prompts emergency launch
As China's Shenzhou-20 astronauts were preparing to undock from the country's space station on Nov. 5, that crew found that their spacecraft had developed tiny cracks in its viewport window. The cause was tagged to an external impact from space debris, rendering the craft unsuitable for a safe crew return.
This incident called for the first emergency launch mission in China's human spaceflight program; an uncrewed, cargo-loaded Shenzhou-22 spaceship was launched on Nov. 25.
The Shenzhou saga ended well with the Chinese astronauts safely returning to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. It was the first alternative return procedure activated in the history of China's space station program.
However, the Shenzhou-20 landing delay is not just a procedural footnote. It's a signal about the state of our orbital commons, said Moriba Jah, a space debris expert and professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
"A crew return was postponed because microscopic debris compromised a spacecraft window," Jah told Space.com. "That decision, to delay and substitute vehicles, reflects responsible risk management grounded in incomplete knowledge. It also exposes the deeper issue. That is, our collective inability to maintain continuous, verifiable understanding of what moves through orbit," he said.
Every fragment we leave aloft, said Jah, "adds to a rising tide of uncertainty."
Wanted: data fidelity and transparency
That uncertainty is not merely statistical, it is epistemic, Jah said. "When the rate at which uncertainty grows exceeds the rate at which knowledge is renewed, safety margins erode," advocating the designing of missions, governance frameworks, and information systems that "regenerate knowledge faster than it decays," he said.
A cracked window of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, Jah said, "traces back to gaps in global tracking, attribution, and accountability. Until nations and companies treat data fidelity and transparency as part of safety engineering, similar near-misses will recur."
China's decision to delay the Shenzhou-piloted vessel's re-entry until its engineers were confident in the assessment "was an act of epistemic humility — recognizing what was unknown and adjusting accordingly. Such humility should be codified, not exceptional," he said.
In practice, Jah said that the Shenzhou-20 episode should push the international community toward auditable stewardship, that is, common baselines for orbital situational awareness, interoperable knowledge graphs, and certification programs that recognize missions restoring order rather than adding risk.
"Only by aligning engineering, policy, and information ethics can we prevent 'routine' anomalies from becoming precursors to catastrophe," Jah said. "If we learn the right lesson, this will not be remembered as a lucky escape but as a turning point," he said, adding that "evidence that safety in orbit begins with honesty about what we do and do not know, and with the will to regenerate knowledge faster than we lose it."
Ignoring long-term effects
Darren McKnight is a senior technical fellow of LeoLabs, a group dedicated to space domain awareness.
For McKnight the biggest issues in 2025 were:
Proliferation of satellite constellations, some responsibly like Starlink, Iridium, and OneWeb and some poorly like China's "Thousand Sails" megaconstellation and its "Guowang" satellite internet payloads, leaving rocket bodies at a high rate and at high altitudes and not working with other constellations to "show your work, share your work, and understand context."
Abandonment of rocket bodies in orbits that will linger for more than 25 years. The good news is there can be a 30% reduction in debris-generating potential in low Earth orbit by removing the top 10 statistically-most-concerning objects. The bad news, however, is that the global community is leaving rocket bodies at an accelerating rate despite the known negative, long-term effects for doing so.
"Some operators in low Earth orbit are ignoring known long-term effects of behavior for short-term gain," McKnight said, a situation he senses that parallels the early stages of global warming.
"Some will not change behavior until something bad happens." McKnight concluded.
In an era of increasing global launch rates, heightened by the buckshot approach to tossing mega-satellite constellations into Earth orbit, there’s also escalating anxiety about the ramifications from reentry of defunct space hardware. (Image credit: Chelsea Thompson/NOAA)
"The space sector is growing exponentially, with over 12,000 spacecraft deployed in the past decade and many more planned as the world embraces the benefits provided by satellite services. This growth presents significant environmental challenges at all layers of the atmosphere," the document explains.
Specifically flagged by the UNEP are air pollution from launch emissions, spacecraft emissions in the stratosphere, as well as space debris re-entry and the potential to alter Earth's atmospheric chemistry and dynamics with implications for climate change and depleting stratospheric ozone.
The UN group's bottom line?
"A multilateral, interdisciplinary approach is needed to better understand the risks and impacts and how to balance them with the essential daily services and benefits that space activity brings to humanity," the document states.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/space-debris-led-to-an-orbital-emergency-in-2025-will-anything-change
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 20:06:49 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Govee Galaxy Light Projector 2 Pro review ]]>
+ We continue to review the ever-growing list of the best star projectors that are entering the market, and we get especially excited when brands we rate release new models.
In September, Govee released two new models to its star projector portfolio, joining the now year-old Govee Star Light Projector (Nebula), which we reviewed earlier this year.
The first, Govee Star Light Projector (Ocean Wave), is only slightly different from the aforementioned model, offering dynamic water-inspired patterns as opposed to Nebula-inspired ones.
The other, which we are reviewing, is the model H609D, a disk-based projector. It projects an 8K ultra-high-definition image from the supplied disks. It still includes a built-in speaker, white noise effects and laser 'stars'. But does it stand up against the stiff competition in the disk-based star-projector world? Let's find out.
Govee Star Light Projector review
Govee Galaxy Light Projector 2 Pro: Design
★★★★
The Govee Star Light Projector is fairly large and weighty, but it feels like a premium product. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
Nicely designed packaging
Fairly large footprint
Quality-looking unit
As with the Govee Star Light Projector (Nebula), the packaging of the Govee is nicely designed and stylish. It is a large rectangular box made from high-quality materials and the unit is packed securely inside with polyethylene foam. It would be wonderful to give or receive as a gift.
Image 1 of 1
The packaging is lovely and protects the unit well. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
Unlike some units we've reviewed, the spelling and grammar are correct (we often find them as a result of poor translations), which can instantly reduce the perceived integrity of the product.
The on-body buttons control the basic functionality. Unfortunately, they still don't glow in the dark, making them quite difficult to see in the dark. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
This relatively large projector comes with a separate rubberized stand. The purpose is not entirely clear, except to give the user the freedom to adjust the projection angle from ceiling to wall, although other models have incorporated this functionality into their main stands. It is not a drawback, just an observation.
The unit adopts a modern capsule-style design, moving away from the American football shape seen in previous Govee models. Its interface is straightforward, with the projector lens and lasers positioned on one side and a disk tray with four control buttons on the top. It is a sleek, unobtrusive device that would blend comfortably into most interiors.
The eight supplied disks are packaged in a compact booklet, which we prefer to the individual plastic cases often used for single disks. The book format is far more practical for storing small, thin slides.
Govee Galaxy Light Projector 2 Pro: Performance
★★★★
Fast smart home connection using "Matter"
Bright enough for use in dark rooms and on dark walls
Noisy motor
As with the previous version of the Govee projector, "Matter" connectivity means we were up and running in seconds, unlocking all functionality in the Govee app and linking it to our Google Home account. You can also integrate it with Alexa, which we expect is just as easy a process.
The projector and stand are two separate objects. We appreciated the rubberized casing around the stand. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
As this is a disk-based projector, there is limited customization in terms of colors and patterns, as it does not offer this functionality. The stars either 'diffuse' or 'gather', head from the outside edge in, or the inside edge out. That said, there are still several 'scene' modes displayed on the app, that tweak things like the rotation speed, the arrangement and movement style of the lasers and add 'white noise'.
The Class 1 lasers are very bright, even in a brightly lit room; however, the disk-based projection requires a dark room, even when it's at full brightness.
The lasers are the most dynamic we have seen. They don't simply rotate in a circle; the different scene selections activate some lasers, turn others off, make some bright and some dull, and some move quickly, while others move slowly. You get the idea. They are more like dancing fireflies than predictable laser dots. This was our favorite thing about the device.
In a dark room, the projections are bright with vivid colors. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
The disk-based projections are attractive, but there is no indication of what each disk is meant to depict. Unless you are already familiar with nebulae or space imagery, you are essentially looking at something pretty without knowing what it represents. Disks from previous models are not compatible with this unit; the new disks use a square format, and we have not yet found anywhere to purchase additional ones.
We also noticed that most of the detail in each projection sits around the outer edge of the disk. A more even distribution would have avoided the effect of a colorful ring with a largely empty centre. Naturally, the further the projector is from the wall or ceiling, the larger that circle becomes. It is also worth mentioning that a few Amazon reviewers report that the disk images fade quickly. We have not used the unit long enough to confirm this ourselves, but it is concerning, given that we still do not know where replacement disks can be sourced.
We were hopeful that the motor noise present in the Govee Nebula we reviewed earlier this year would be addressed. The unit is pleasantly quiet at first, at least until the cooling fan activates. The fan is obviously necessary to prevent overheating, but it is fairly loud and typically switches on after 20–30 minutes of use. On several occasions, we used the projector to fall asleep, only to be woken by the fan's whirr. It is something to keep in mind if you plan to use it as a sleep aid without white noise or music to mask the sound. If you are using the projector while watching a film, gaming or hosting a party, the noise is unlikely to be an issue.
Govee Galaxy Light Projector 2 Pro: Functionality
★★★★
The projector is fairly large compared with other models we've tested like the Pococo and Orzorz projectors. (Image credit: Tantse Walter)
Smart integration is great
Requires mains power
Good Bluetooth Speaker
Although you can use the on-body buttons for basic controls, the Govee app unlocks all of the star projector's advanced features.
Setup through the dedicated Govee app is seamless — no error messages, no frustrating reboots or restarts. It just works.
20 scene modes adjust the speed, brightness, white noise track (if enabled) and laser direction. The variations between modes are subtle, but distinct enough to have standouts — our favorites being Cosmic Waves and Interstellar Travel.
Within the app, you can control the sleep timer and the wake-up timer. The unit is set to turn off automatically after 120 minutes. This is apparently designed to help increase the disks' lifespans. We'd have preferred it to be a little longer, to account for watching alongside long movies or an evening gaming stint, but it's easy enough to turn the unit off and on again to restart the timer.
As well as being able to pair the star projector with another Bluetooth device (like your phone) to play music, it also comes with 50 'white noise' sounds — though 'ambient noise' would be a better description. There is themed music and sound effects, but funnily enough, no actual 'white noise'.
The speaker is good enough for a pleasant listening experience. Lacking large amounts of bass, like most Bluetooth speakers do, but good enough for background music, podcasts, audiobooks and spa music.
This is a mains-powered unit and, unfortunately, isn't rechargeable. In reality, you're likely to find a good spot for your projector and leave it there rather than moving it around too often, so this isn't a deal breaker for us.
Should I buy the Govee Galaxy Light Projector 2 Pro?
Buy it if:
✅ You are looking for a disk-based projector that you don't need to move too often: This is a mains-powered unit, best for keeping in situ.
✅ You like buying from reputable manufacturers: Govee is a trusted manufacturer of ambient lighting solutions, not a distributor of mass-produced 'cheap' units.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You want something with a small footprint: If space is limited, you'll want something that occupies less of it.
❌ You don't want a disk-based projector: For that, try the previous model, the Govee Star Light Projector, which allows you to customize a plethora of lights and patterns to your liking.
This isn't a budget-friendly star projector; in fact, it sits at the pricier end of the spectrum (unless we're talking about the truly expensive ones). At the time of writing, it's currently retailing for $149.99, which we do think is pretty steep, especially when much cheaper models are available and probably do just as good a job. For example, the Orzorz Galaxy Lite disk-based projector is one of the best models we have reviewed for image vividness and brightness; however, it lacks a built-in speaker.
For a good 'lights and patterns' style projector, the Cadrim, which we reviewed earlier this year, is a very affordable option that operates quietly and only takes up a tiny amount of space. It is controlled by a supplied remote control rather than an app, so it's great for keeping children off their screens, too. The Cadrim would be a good option to give as a gift, whereas this Govee model would be better as an indulgent 'me to me' holiday purchase.
If a disk-based projector without a speaker is definitely what you are after, the Sega Toys Homestar Matataki is our top choice for a plug-in device, and the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is the best rechargeable option. For a disk-based option with a speaker, this is the best we've come across to date.
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+ https://www.space.com/technology/govee-galaxy-light-projector-2-pro-review
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 18:05:00 +0000Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:38:43 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Artemis 2 moon astronauts rehearse for launch day (photos) ]]>
+ NASA's first crewed mission toward the moon in more than half a century moved closer to liftoff recently, as the Artemis 2 astronauts completed a full launch day dress rehearsal in Florida.
The four astronauts set to fly around the moon on the Artemis 2 mission participated in the launch day dress rehearsal on Dec. 20 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. The test marked a milestone in final preparations for NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen for their journey around our nearest celestial neighbor in early 2026.
The dress rehearsal, also known as a countdown demonstration test, simulated the launch day timeline, including the astronauts suiting up in spacesuits, a walkout and getting in and out of their Orion spacecraft, according to a NASA statement.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (right) and NASA’s Victor Glover and Christina Koch exit the elevator at the 275-foot level of the mobile launcher as they walk toward the crew access arm and prepare to board their Orion spacecraft atop NASA’s Space Launch System rocket during the Artemis 2 countdown demonstration test on Dec. 20, 2025, inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)
The action took place at the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at KSC, where Orion and its European Service Module and the gigantic Space Launch System (SLS) rocket are being prepared and tested ahead of rollout and launch.
Artemis 2 is currently slated to launch from KSC no earlier than Feb. 5, 2026. The mission will mark the first time astronauts will journey to the vicinity of the moon since Apollo 17 in December 1972.
The following mission, Artemis 3, will attempt to land astronauts on the surface of the moon. The mission is officially scheduled for 2027, but reports suggest that it will not launch until 2028 at the earliest.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/artemis-2-moon-astronauts-rehearse-for-launch-day-photos
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:04:39 +0000Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:04:39 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ What constellation am I? A starry personality quiz ]]>
+ When you look up at the night sky, you're gazing at stories written in stars.
Across cultures and centuries, constellations have been used to explain myths, guide travelers, and inspire dreamers. Each one carries its own symbolism, energy, and mystery, just like people do.
This quiz is designed to connect your quirks, strengths, and hidden sides with the constellation that resonates most with you.
So, are you ready to discover your cosmic twin? Step into the universe, answer a few revealing questions, and let the night sky tell you: What constellation am I?
Try it out below!
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+ https://www.space.com/stargazing/constellations/what-constellation-am-i-a-starry-personality-quiz
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+ FuQzF6RvoU2NBkUtSBrba8
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:33:08 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Golden satellite insulation sparkles during test | Space photo of the day for Dec. 30, 2025 ]]>
+ Earth's orbital environment is becoming increasingly crowded. Thousands of satellites—many of them inactive, damaged, or out of fuel—now circle the planet alongside fragments of debris from past collisions.
As more and more satellites enter orbit, one of the biggest questions becomes: how can these satellites approach and maneuver around each other safely? To answer that question, Luxembourg-based companies LMO and ClearSpace carried out a carefully designed simulation using the European Space Agency's Guidance, Navigation and Control Rendezvous, Approach and Landing Simulator (GRALS).
What is it?
GRALS is part of ESA's Guidance, Navigation and Control Test Facilities and is built to recreate close-proximity operations in space with remarkable realism. The satellite model shown in this image was developed by ClearSpace to replicate the geometry, materials, and visual complexity of real satellites.
Its crinkled gold thermal insulation, metallic structures, and the cup-shaped reflective thruster are not just aesthetic details but critical features that influence how light behaves in space and how cameras perceive an object during a rendezvous.
To ensure reliability, engineers combine computer-generated imagery used to train AI systems with physical testing on increasingly realistic models. Smaller models simulate long-range approaches, while larger, high-fidelity replicas like the one shown are used to test the most delicate, close-range phases of a rendezvous.
Where is it?
This photo was taken at the ESA's technical center, ESTEC, in the Netherlands.
Using both models and AI, engineers can work to maneuver satellites as safely as possible. (Image credit: ESA-SJM Photography)
Why is it amazing?
The thousands of satellites orbiting Earth pose growing risks to operational spacecraft and to the long-term sustainability of space activities. Before a spacecraft can refuel, repair, or safely deorbit another satellite, it must be able to see, identify, and approach its target with exceptional accuracy. Vision-Based Navigation systems are key to making this possible. Much like self-driving cars rely on cameras and AI to interpret their surroundings, VBN-equipped spacecraft must interpret light, shadow, reflections, and rapidly changing viewpoints in the harsh environment of space.
Facilities like GRALS play a critical role in bridging the gap between theory and reality. By testing real hardware against realistic satellite models under space-like lighting conditions, engineers can expose weaknesses, validate AI training, and build confidence that autonomous systems will behave safely once deployed in orbit.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/golden-satellite-insulation-sparkles-during-test-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-30-2025
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:23:07 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ How NASA changed in 2025 — possibly forever ]]>
+ For an agency shooting for the moon and onward to Mars, NASA in 2025 has been on a roller coaster ride of proposed budget cuts, personnel layoffs, and potential elimination of science missions.
A key question: Have these various traumas changed NASA dramatically, and potentially permanently?
Battle lines are being drawn and now Congress has to spin up their views as to the space agency's overall stability and, indeed, its future. As for what's ahead, it's all sausage making — political style. The outcome for NASA is literally a to-be-determined matter of time and space.
Corporate/agency history
"Clearly, things have changed," said Henry Hertzfeld, a research professor of space policy and international affairs at George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs, noting that his observations are from afar, not from within the space agency.
"A lot of very experienced people with a lot of 'corporate/agency history' are now gone from the agency. Some may have retired soon anyway, but that is not an excuse or explanation of the changes," Hertzfeld told Space.com.
Since the whole policy office at NASA was eliminated, said Hertzfeld, many of those people and functions are gone. Whether, for example, economics and other policy offices will be missed or not is arguable, he said.
"But I do think not having them is a significant loss of talent and input into NASA programs and decisions," Hertzfeld said.
Long-term loss
Like many suggest, if Congress doesn't act with funding, the real loss is in the science area.
"There will be fewer new initiatives and many cuts in the work that now won't be done across the board," said Hertzfeld.
"The science part of NASA is relatively small but it is the one true research area that has produced significant learning and information over the years. And, it will be a long-term loss since the agency will likely face more difficulty in hiring and keeping highly trained and skilled scientists," Hertzfeld said. "They will go elsewhere … and elsewhere is not the government."
People hold signs outside on a sunny day in protest of NASA budget cuts, July 20, 2025. (Image credit: Space.com / Josh Dinner)
Investment dollars
Hertzfeld said that one less well understood impact is the rapid funding of various defense and security space efforts.
"We read about the significant increase in private sector investment activity oriented toward space. But what is really happening is that the Department of Defense spending on buying more from companies is the main driver of these investment dollars," said Hertzfeld. "NASA programs and needs are no longer the main stimulus for 'commercial' space activity."
The resulting innovation and products for new space activities, Hertzfeld added, will primarily benefit the security aspects and not so much the civil space programs. "Thus, the aggregate commercial and government space sector will benefit, but quite differently from what we experienced in history," he said.
Heightening concerns
Keith Cowing is founder of the private NASA overseer website, NASA Watch. He is passionate about the space agency's revered history and its future.
"While every NASA field center saw workforce reductions of around 20%, perhaps no center was more drastically affected by budget cuts than NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center," pointed out Cowing.
There was a long term plan in place that would have morphed Goddard over the course of nearly a decade to better adapt it to future NASA needs, Cowing told Space.com. That plan was co-opted by Administration personnel in place at NASA Headquarters, he said, to accelerate and expand Goddard facility closures that will result in half of the center's buildings and laboratories being mothballed, he said.
"These cuts are a standout when compared to changes elsewhere at NASA," Cowing said, "so much so that the House Oversight and House Science, Space and Technology committees sent repeated inquiries to NASA asking for an explanation."
The result is that "NASA has been slow to respond, thus heightening concerns about the overall impact on NASA science programs as presented by the White House in its FY 2026 budget request," Cowing said.
Tremendous challenge
Marcia Smith is founder and editor of the informative SpacePolicyOnline.com
NASA is not "crippled," Smith said, but time will tell the effects of the loss of personnel.
"I certainly don't know the names and positions of all the 4,000 or so people who left, but of the people I personally know, they were the best of the best," Smith advised. "Now, surely, a lot of terrific people are still there, but how they're going to manage to execute whatever programs remain with so many excellent colleagues gone will be a tremendous challenge."
Both what's happening at the NASA Goddard field center and given layoffs of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) talent, "is extremely worrisome to American leadership in space science," said Smith.
Smith observed that it may well be the effect on morale is the most dramatic effect.
"People who have spent their lives keeping America as the world leader in civil space science and technology basically being told their work is valueless and can be erased with the wave of a 'DOGE wand.' That's tough," Smith said.
DOGE stands for the Department of Government Efficiency, a special commission put in place by President Donald Trump, established to slash federal spending.
Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye addresses press and supporters on Capitol Hill on Oct. 5, 2025. (Image credit: Planetary Society)
Years to rebuild
NASA does what no other organization — public or private — can do, said Jack Kiraly, director of government relations for the Planetary Society, a member-funded nonprofit organization based in Pasadena, California that's dedicated to advancing space science and exploration.
"The agency has led the world in the exploration of space, redefining our understanding of the universe, and inspiring countless innovations in science and technology," Kiraly told Space.com.
Kiraly sees the events of 2025 as a profound shock to NASA and the space community.
"The agency will begin the new year with a civil servant workforce smaller than what it had at the dawn of human spaceflight in 1961. Nearly 4,000 scientists, engineers and space professionals have left the agency through pressured resignation and layoffs amid rapid reorganizations and funding uncertainty," said Kiraly.
That action represents a loss of specialized expertise and institutional knowledge that will take years to rebuild, added Kiraly.
Pivotal moment
Beyond the immediate impacts, said Kiraly, the termination of NASA awards valued at more than $315 million and the reduction of future research opportunities have disrupted the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline that trains the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.
Because NASA's activities involve every state and more than 75% of congressional districts, these effects will be felt nationwide, Kiraly said.
"The damage is real, but it doesn't have to be permanent," Kiraly said. "Congress has, in a bipartisan way, signaled to the White House and the public that they intend to fully fund NASA in 2026, rejecting the worst of the cuts proposed earlier this year."
And given the confirmation of Jared Isaacman to be NASA's Administrator "brings new leadership and momentum at a pivotal moment for the agency," Kiraly concluded.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/how-nasa-changed-in-2025-possibly-forever
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:23:07 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Our 10 favorite Space.com reader astronomy photos of 2025 ]]>
+ The sky served up no shortage of spectacle in 2025 —from lunar liaisons, solar prominences and fleeting meteor showers, to aurora and nebula scenes that unfold on a scale almost too massive for the human mind to comprehend.
And while we experience the cosmos first through the human eye, our vision has limits. We can't zoom in on distant nebulas, see the faintest glows, or safely take in the brightest targets — and much of the electromagnetic spectrum is invisible to us entirely.
Thankfully, the Space.com community is packed with talented photographers and observers armed with sophisticated cameras, clever techniques and powerful telescopes capable of revealing the hidden majesty of the cosmos. Read on for a selection of breathtaking images captured by astrophotographers around the world and featured on Space.com throughout 2025.
10 Incredible astrophotography highlights of 2025
1. Plasma twists above the solar surface
A solar prominence extends out from the sun (Image credit: Mark Johnston)
Astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured a jaw-droppingly detailed view of hydrogen plasma suspended in the powerful magnetic field above the sun on Oct. 20 from Willow Springs, Arizona, using a TEC160FL refractor telescope fitted with specialized filters.
2. A nebula shark is spied hunting through the depths of space
A cosmic shark hunts through deep space. (Image credit: Ronald Brecher)
Ronald Brecher, meanwhile, set his sights further afield, targeting a spectacular deep-spacenebula vista in the constellation Cepheus, some 650 light-years from Earth, which happens to resemble a vast cosmic shark swimming through deep space.
3. The moon and sun meet over Stonehenge
Partial solar eclipse sequence over Stonehenge, U.K. (Image credit: Josh Dury)
This gorgeous composite shot detailing the phases of a partial solar eclipse unfolding above the ancient monument of Stonehenge was captured by award-winning photographer Josh Dury as the moon slid between the sun and Earth on March 29.
4. Comet Lemmon twists in the solar wind
Astrophotographer Dan Bartlett captured this view of comet Lemmon (Image credit: Dan Bartlett)
In a year packed full of phenomenal cometary capers, astrophotographer Dan Bartlett captured a staggering image of comet C/2025 A6 (LEMMON) looking its best as it shone in the skies over June Lake, California, on Sept. 26, as its tail twisted in the relentless stream of the solar wind.
5. The northern lights from 36,000 feet
When a severe G4 geomagnetic storm hit, this Dreamliner pilot had the perfect front-row seat. (Image credit: Matt Melnyk)
Of course, not all of the best astrophotography subjects exist beyond Earth's atmosphere. Airline pilot Matt Melnyk snapped an impressive view of the northern lights shining in the upper atmosphere from a height of 36,000 feet (11 kilometers), while shepherding a Boeing 787 from London to Calgary during a geomagnetic storm on Nov. 12.
6. A cosmic baboon rages light-years from Earth
The Raging Baboon Nebula, as captured by astrophotographer Greg Meyer in 2025. (Image credit: Greg Meyer)
Astrophotographer Greg Meyer captured light of a more ancient variety while imaging a nebula 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Corona Australis, which takes on the shape of a mandrill with glowing blue eyes in long-exposure photography.
7. Perseid meteors race the Milky Way
Perseid meteors streak towards Durdle Door in this 2025 image from photographer Josh Dury. (Image credit: Josh Dury)
This stunning composite from Josh Dury shows shooting stars belonging to the annual Perseid meteor shower streaking towards the horizon alongside the glowing band of the Milky Way above the iconic Durdle Door rock formation in Dorset, United Kingdom.
8. An 'Elve' red halo flashes to life over the Italian Alps
An "elve" lasts for less than a thousandth of a second. (Image credit: Valter Binotto)
Valter Binotto, meanwhile, was able to capture a split-second view of a red ring manifesting over the Italian Alps on Nov. 17. This strange phenomenon, known as an "elve", is a super-rare form of lightning that occurs in the upper atmosphere, which lasts less than a thousandth of a second and can span up to 300 miles (480 km) in diameter, according to NOAA.
9. Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) crosses the Eagle Nebula
Astronomer Daniele Gasparri seized the opportunity to image the glowing green coma and diffuse tail of comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) as it passed in front of the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens, the serpent on the night of Oct. 17. Look to the left of the comet to find the iconic Pillars of Creation — vast collections of dust and gas made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope — nestled beneath a population of stars close to the nebula's glowing core.
Finally, photographer Osama Fathi captured a beautiful composite scene chronicling the rise of the Sept. 7 "Blood Moon" as it soared into the skies over the chalk formations in Egypt's White Desert, while contending with the shifting light conditions and destabilizing gusts of wind.
Feeling inspired to take the first steps on your own astrophotography journey? Then why not check out our picks of the best cameras and lenses for imaging the night sky to ensure that you're ready for 2026.
Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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+ https://www.space.com/stargazing/astrophotography/our-10-favorite-space-com-reader-photos-of-2025
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+ Tue, 30 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:21:39 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Celestis books Stoke Space rocket for 2nd-ever deep space memorial flight for human remains ]]>
+ Texas-based Celestis Inc., the space burial remembrance company that has made a name for itself delivering cremated remains and DNA samples of friends, celebrities, and loved ones into near-space, Earth orbit, the moon and into deep space is expanding its horizons with the announcement of a new launch partner for a future Voyager flight.
After a comprehensive selection process, Celestis has chosen Stoke Spaceand its new Nova rocket as the launch provider for its next deep-space Voyager mission named "Infinite Flight," traveling beyond our Earth-moon system and into a permanent heliocentric orbit up to 185 million miles away.
This mission is slated to lift off from Space Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral sometime in late 2026 and represents only the second commercial odyssey of its, the first of which was 2024’s "Enterprise Flight" that carried remains of "Star Trek" luminaries, three former U.S. Presidents, and "2001: A Space Odyssey's" Douglas Trumbull.
Promotional art from Celestis. (Image credit: Celestis)
"The 'Infinite Flight' continues what began nearly thirty years ago when we promised that remembrance could itself be an act of discovery," said Charles M. Chafer, Celestis Co-Founder and CEO. "Our Voyager missions ensure that every story we carry into space helps extend humanity’s presence across the solar system. To fly aboard Nova, one of the most advanced reusable launch systems ever built, is both a technical and symbolic leap forward."
Stoke Space's Nova is a medium-lift, 100% reusable two-stage rocket built by the Kent, Washington-headquartered aerospace firm founded by former Blue Origin principles, Andy Lapsa and Tom Feldman. It’s schedule to lift off on its first orbital test flight in 2026.
Stoke Space's new Nova rocket will commence orbital testing in 2026. (Image credit: Stoke Space)
Last month, Charles Chafer revealed news that his company has opened reservations for its pioneering "Mars300" spaceflight that endeavors to send human DNA to orbit around the Red Planet as early as 2030 once a suitable launcher becomes available.
The Houston company has previously utilized the launch services of various aerospace firms using a variety of rockets, including United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan Centaur. This past summer, European spacecraft manufacturer The Exploration Company (TEC) hosted a Celestis Memorial Spaceflight payload employing a Falcon 9 rocket blasting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base on SpaceX's Transporter 14 rideshare mission. Unfortunately, TEC's Nyx capsule carrying the remains of 166 people failed to deploy its parachute during reentry over the Pacific Ocean and Celestis' "Earth Rise" cargo capsules were lost.
With mission management services being carried out by Ensemble, Celestis' "Infinite Flight" hopes to launch on its long journey in Q4 2026.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/celestis-books-stoke-space-rocket-for-2nd-ever-deep-space-memorial-flight-for-human-remains
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+ <![CDATA[ 10 most expensive Lego Marvel sets on the market right now ]]>
+ When it began, Lego's range of sets centered around Marvel superheroes was squarely aimed at children. Sets were small and basic, easy for young hands to build independently.
There are still plenty of those around, of course, but as time has gone on, more and more adult-focused Lego Marvel sets have been introduced into the range. Adult-focused sets generally mean expensive sets — and so here we are looking at the 10 most expensive Lego Marvel sets you can get.
Compared to Lego Star Wars, Marvel sets are relatively inexpensive. Of course, there are the outliers — the number one set on this list will set you back $499.99. But with Lego Star Wars sets costing up to $1,000 and a large range of Ultimate Collector's Series sets, it's much more aimed at collectors than Marvel. In this list, there's a good mix of playsets and adult-focused display sets, ranging between $100 and $500.
Some sets on this list are brand new, while others are due to retire very soon, but they're all currently available. If you want more Lego Marvel content, why not take a look at our guide to the best Marvel sets?
10 most expensive Lego Marvel sets you can get
1. Avengers Tower
The most expensive Lego Marvel set is, unsurprisingly, also the most impressive. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $499.99 / £429.99
Set number: 76269
Number of pieces: 5201
Age rating: 18+
Release date: November 2023
Here we have it: the most expensive Lego Marvel set currently available. The impressive, meter-tall Avengers Tower costs a staggering $499.99, but at 5201 pieces and 36 inches tall, it's worth every penny for the amount of detail it packs. It's the ultimate set for any Marvel fan, and it’s one we're very proud to have in our collection.
Like The Daily Bugle, Avengers Tower comes with a lot of minifigures: 31 in total here. The most popular Marvel characters all feature here, along with some less common choices. The collection includes Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Ant-Man, Nick Fury, Wong, Hawkeye, Wanda Maximoff and a whole lot more.
But it's the building itself that really sells this set. The glass-fronted Avengers Tower really shines in Lego form, and the careful details included here help bring it to life. It's striking from the outside, but lift away the side of the building and you'll find lots of detail inside, too. There's space for all the minifigures to exist within and around the tower, as well as space to recreate iconic scenes from the Avengers movie franchise. It's a set that will take pride of place on any Lego display — as long as you've got enough space for it.
2. Daily Bugle
At over 30 inches tall, the Lego Daily Bugle is a seriously impressive set. (Image credit: LEGO|Disney)
Set specifications
Price: $349.99 / £299.99
Set number: 76178
Number of pieces: 3789
Age rating: 18+
Release date: June 2021
One of the first adult-focused Lego Marvel sets to hit the shelves, we'll be sad when the Daily Bugle retires. It's been around for four years now, so if you don't yet own it, we’d recommend picking it up sooner rather than later. This 32-inch-tall skyscraper not only packs in a huge amount of detail, but it also has an epic collection of 25 minifigures. It's a collector's dream, basically.
We won't list each and every minifigure, but there's a fantastic mix of heroes and villains; pretty much everyone you'd expect to find from the Spider-Man universe, with some more left-field choices such as Spider-Ham and lesser-seen minifigures such as Black Cat, Punisher and Blade. They can be placed in and around the Daily Bugle building, with many minifigures designed to be hung on the outside, making it look like it's the site of an epic battle.
The building itself is a joy to behold, though. Some of its windows are made to look like they've been blown out, mid-explosion, and the fronts of each floor can lift away to allow access to the interior. You'll find fully kitted-out offices here, with plenty of neat details to enjoy. Perhaps the highlight, though, is the brick-built Daily Bugle sign that sits atop the building: it's a truly iconic feature.
3. X-Men: The X-Mansion
Large, colorful and with a lot of detail, the X-Mansion is a fantastic set for Lego collectors and X-Men fans alike. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $329.99 / £289.99
Set number: 76294
Number of pieces: 3093
Age rating: 18+
Release date: November 2024
With the X-Mansion, we're still in serious collector's territory. This 3,093-piece set is packed with stunning detail and a strong suite of minifigures to bring it to life. It's an 18+ set, so it's firmly in display territory, but its modular design with lift-away storeys makes it impossible not to want to play with it.
This is a set absolutely packed with details that fans of X-Men will adore. The Mansion has a fully-furnished interior, where you'll find Professor X's laboratory, Wolverine's bedroom, a medical lab, a classroom, a library and a Danger Room training facility. There are plenty of accessories in each room, too, and space for the 10 included minifigures to exist within the building.
The included minifigures are Wolverine, Professor X, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Gambit, Rogue, Iceman, Bishop and Magneto. There's also a large buildable Sentinel figure. It may be expensive, but we think the Lego Marvel X-Men: X-Mansion offers excellent value, and it's a set you'll be proud to have on display.
4. Guardians of the Galaxy: The Milano
This chunky ship comes with a display stand, making it great to show off on a shelf. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $179.99 / £159.99
Set number: 76286
Number of pieces: 2090
Age rating: 12+
Release date: August 2024
If you like ships and vehicles, the Milano is quite possibly the Lego Marvel set for you. It's not the first version of the iconic Guardians of the Galaxy ship we've had, and it probably won't be the last, but it is the largest and the most detailed. With an age rating of 12+, this sits somewhere between being a playset and a display set. It features a brick-built display stand, though the ship has enough moving parts that those who do want to play with it won't be disappointed.
Guardians fans will love the minifigures included here: Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket and a tiny Baby Groot. Made up of 2090 pieces, the ship features plenty of detail too: the top lifts off, providing full access to the interior, where you'll find a chill-out area, a flight deck and a communal area. There's space for the minifigures to exist in these areas, if you want to play with the set.
If not? This is a stunning-looking model, and its stand is sturdy enough to hold it in a flight position. The blue and orange detailing to the exterior make it an eye-catching model, and the adjustable wings and moveable rear boosters add some welcome detail, too.
5. Spider-Man vs. Oscorp
It's a little on the expensive side, but Spider-Man vs. Oscorp is a great set for fans of cityscapes. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $139.99 / £119.99
Set number: 76324
Number of pieces: 808
Age rating: 10+
Release date: August 2025
For Lego fans who enjoy cityscapes and building their own Lego City, we think Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs. Oscorp is a great choice, even if it is a little pricey given its size. Despite having almost 500 pieces fewer than the Iron Man Mark 3 set, it will set you back $10 more, making this the most expensive pure playset on this list. If you like dioramas, imaginative play and minifigures, however, it may be worth the asking price.
Spider-Man vs. Oscorp comes with eight minifigures: Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Miles Morales, Eddie Brock, Ghost-Spider, Norman Osborn, Kraven the Hunter and Green Goblin. There's a nice mixture of heroes and villains for kids to play with, and of course, there are plenty of interactive features on the set to facilitate that.
To start with, Miles comes with a motorbike and Green Goblin comes on his glider. The building itself has plenty of neat details too: it features Miles Morales' apartment, the Oscorp building and Venom's apartment, each one filled with relevant details to bring the spaces to life.
6. Iron Man Mark 3 Collectors' Edition
New for 2026, this is a fantastic set for collectors. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $129.99 / £119.99
Set number: 76344
Number of pieces: 1297
Age rating: 18+
Release date: January 2026
Here's an upcoming set, due to launch on January 1st. A brick-built model of Iron Man Mark 3, it's very much designed to be looked at and admired rather than played with.
Iron Man Mark 3 does have poseable limbs, however. It features a jointed neck, waist, shoulders, wrists and hands, which allows you to recreate numerous iconic Iron Man poses. The legs are the only parts that don't move, but they're positioned to offer optimum stability to the model.
We're quite excited to get our hands on this model, actually: at $129.99, it's a good price point for a display set that offers a great amount of detail without breaking the bank. It's also not too large that it's going to dominate a living space: at 15 inches tall, it's big enough to command attention without taking over.
7. Avengers: Age of Ultron Quinjet
The Lego Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron Quinjet comes with a brick-built stand for easy display. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $129.99 / £109.99
Set number: 76325
Number of pieces: 1131
Age rating: 12+
Release date: August 2025
We'd say that Lego Marvel Avengers: Age of Ultron Quinjet is equal parts play and display. Thanks to a brick-built display stand, the model will look fantastic on a shelf. But it can easily be lifted away, swooshed through the air, and opened up to be interacted with. Whether you want smaller hands playing with a $130 set, that's up to you. But Lego gives you the option.
The set comes with five minifigures that Avengers fans will surely love: Black Widow, Iron Man, Quicksilver, Ultimate Ultron and Hawkeye. Black Widow also comes with her iconic motorcycle, and Hawkeye is equipped with a bow and arrow.
The ship itself has plenty of interactive parts. The cockpit opens up, with room for three minifigures inside, and there's a rear door that opens up to allow Black Widow's motorcycle to drive in and out. Oh, and the stand included in the set can be rotated 360 degrees, which is a seriously impressive touch, especially for a set at this price point.
8. Spider-Man Final Battle
A model of the head of the Statue of Liberty, this is a fun set for both play and display. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $109.99 / £94.99
Set number: 76261
Number of pieces: 900
Age rating: 10+
Release date: August 2023
While Lego Marvel Spider-Man Final Battle is categorized as a playset, with an age rating of 10+, we think it's more suited to being a display set. The set is essentially a model of the head of the Statue of Liberty covered in scaffolding, with a good selection of minifigures all battling it out around it.
The minifigures here are perhaps the strongest part of the set, and are the reason it carries a $109.99 price tag. It comes with three different versions of Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland), Electro, Doctor Strange, Green Goblin, Ned, MJ and Doc Ock. The set is designed in such a way that minifigures can be positioned to look like they're flying through midair, while others can grab hold of a scaffold or perch on a narrow beam to signify action. It's an effective-looking set that really does benefit from being admired rather than played with.
There are some interactive features, however. Our favorite is that the Sandman's hand can pop out of the top of the model. There's also a flap at the back that reveals a portal, and a soft web that can be used to entangle enemies.
9. Spider-Man vs. Mysterio: The Daily Bugle
A smaller version of The Daily Bugle, this is a great playset for kids. (Image credit: The Lego Group)
Set specifications
Price: $99.99 / £99.99
Set number: 76342
Number of pieces: 781
Age rating: 10+
Release date: January 2026
Lego Marvel Spider-Man vs. Mysterio: The Daily Bugle is a brand new set, available to pre-order now for a January 2026 release. What's particularly neat is that this is essentially a scaled-down version of the larger, designed-for-adults Daily Bugle set, turned into a playset suitable for kids. Of course, it's nowhere near as detailed as that larger version, but as far as playsets go, it looks rather neat, and comes with a decent range of minifigures (Spider-Man, Miles Morales, Ghost Spider, J. Jonah Jameson, Mysterio, Venomized Captain America and Rhino).
The four-floor skyscraper that forms the Daily Bugle office is open at the back, but each room has been furnished with some nice little details. There's an office space, a newsroom tech suite and a reception area, along with an opening safe and a working lever that changes the billboard on top of the building. Since it's designed for play, there are plenty of accessories that the included minifigures can pick up and interact with, such as a photocopier machine, a skateboard, Captain America's shield, a pizza tray and more.
That's not to say that it won't still look rather nice on display if you've not managed to pick up the larger version of the set. Standing 13 inches tall, it's only a third of the height of the larger, The Daily Bugle set, but it's substantial enough to be eye-catching on a shelf or desktop.
10. Marvel Logo and Minifigures
The Lego Marvel Logo is made much more interesting by the fact its minifigures can literally pop out of it. (Image credit: Kim Snaith)
Set specifications
Price: $99.99 / £89.99
Set number: 76313
Number of pieces: 931
Age rating: 12+
Release date: January 2025
A brick-built Marvel logo isn't going to be for everyone, but if you have a Lego Marvel display, we think this will make the perfect centerpiece. Not only does it feature an accurate and sizeable recreation of the Marvel logo, but it comes with five minifigures (Thor, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Black Widow) that literally break out of the model when it's put on display. It's a neat and effective touch that elevates this set from being more than just a logo.
In our Marvel Logo and Minifigures review, we praised the mechanisms that form part of the pop-out system. There's a bit of Technic work involved, which elevates the build somewhat, making it a little more interesting and taxing. It is a little on the expensive side, though, considering what it is. But still, at nearly 1,000 pieces, it doesn't offer bad value for money, even if it's not the most exciting Lego Marvel set there's ever been.
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+ https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-toys-lego/10-most-expensive-lego-marvel-sets-available-right-now
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+ <![CDATA[ Flat Earth, spirits and conspiracy theories — experience can shape even extraordinary beliefs ]]>
+ This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
On Feb. 22, 2020, "Mad" Mike Hughes towed a homemade rocket to the Mojave Desert and launched himself into the sky. His goal? To view the flatness of the Earth from space. This was his third attempt, and tragically it was fatal. Hughes crashed shortly after takeoff and died.
Hughes' nickname – Mad Mike – might strike you as apt. Is it not crazy to risk your life fighting for a theory that was disproven in ancient Greece?
But Hughes' conviction, though striking, is not unique. Across all recorded cultures, people have held strong beliefs that seemed to lack evidence in their favor – one might refer to them as "extraordinary beliefs."
For evolutionary anthropologists like me, the ubiquity of these kinds of beliefs is a puzzle. Human brains evolved to form accurate models of the world. Most of the time, we do a pretty good job. So why do people also often adopt and develop beliefs that lack strong supporting evidence?
In a new review in the journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, I propose a simple answer. People come to believe in flat Earth, spirits and microchipped vaccines for the same reasons they come to believe in anything else. Their experiences lead them to think those beliefs are true.
Theories of extraordinary belief
Most social scientists have taken a different view on this subject. Supernatural beliefs, conspiracy theories and pseudoscience have struck researchers as totally impervious to contrary evidence. Consequently, they have assumed that experience is not relevant to the formation of those beliefs. Instead, they've focused on two other explanatory factors.
The first common explanation is cognitive biases. Many psychologists argue that humans possess mental shortcuts for reasoning about how the world works. For instance, people are quite prone to seeing intentions and intelligence behind random events. A bias of this kind might explain why people often believe that deities control phenomena such as weather or illness.
The second factor is social dynamics: People adopt certain beliefs not because they’re sure that they’re true but because other people hold those beliefs, or they want to signal something about themselves to others. For example, some conspiracy theorists may adopt strange beliefs because those beliefs come with a community of loyal and supportive co-believers.
Both of these approaches can partly explain how people come to hold extraordinary beliefs. But they discount three ways that experience, in tandem with the other two factors, can shape extraordinary beliefs.
A popular flat-Earth map shows the North Pole at the center of the world and a ring of Antarctic ice surrounding the edge of our planet. (Image credit: Creative Commons cc 4.0/ PizzaPlanet)
1. Experience as a filter
First, I propose that experience can act as a filter. It determines which extraordinary beliefs can successfully spread throughout a population.
Take the flat Earth theory as an example. We know with absolute certainty that it's false, but it's no more or less wrong than a theory that the Earth is shaped like a cone. So what makes flat Earth so much more successful than this equally incorrect alternative?
The answer is as obvious as it seems – the Earth looks flat when you're standing on it, not cone-shaped. Visual evidence favors one extraordinary belief over the others. Of course, scientific evidence clearly shows that the Earth is round; but it’s not surprising that some people prefer to trust what their eyes are telling them.
2. Experience as a spark
My second argument is that experience acts as a spark for extraordinary beliefs. Strange experiences, such as auditory hallucinations, are difficult to explain and understand. So people do their best to explain them – and in doing so, they come up with beliefs that seem fittingly strange.
For this pathway, sleep paralysis is a good case study. Sleep paralysis happens in the space between sleeping and waking – you feel like you're awake, but you can't move or speak. It’s terrifying and quite common. And interestingly, sufferers usually feel like there's a threatening agent sitting on their chest.
As a scientist, I interpret sleep paralysis as the result of neural confusion. But it’s not difficult to picture how someone without a scientific background – that is, nearly every human being in history – might interpret the experience as evidence of supernatural beings.
Many people link sleep paralysis and alien abduction to try to rationalize their experiences. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
3. Experience as a tool
To me, the third potential route to extraordinary beliefs is especially intriguing. In many cases, people don't just develop extraordinary beliefs; they develop immersive practices that make those beliefs feel true.
For instance, imagine that you're a farmer living in the highlands of Lesotho in southern Africa, where I conduct ethnographic fieldwork. You suffer a series of miscarriages, and you want to know why. So you go to a traditional healer – she tells you that you can learn the answer from your ancestors by drinking a hallucinogenic brew. You drink the brew. Soon after, you begin to see spirits; they speak to you and explain your misfortune.
Clearly, an experience like this one might reinforce your belief in the existence of spirits. Such immersive practices – such as prayer, ritualistic dance and the religious use of psychoactive substances – create evidence that makes the associated beliefs feel true.
What's next?
Extraordinary beliefs are not inherently good or bad. In particular, religious beliefs provide meaning, security and a sense of community for billions of people.
But some extraordinary beliefs are sources of serious concern: Misinformation about science and politics is rampant and immensely dangerous. By recognizing how those beliefs are shaped by experience, researchers can find better ways to combat their spread.
Just as importantly, though, my suggested perspective might encourage more compassion and kinship toward people who hold beliefs that seem very different from yours. They are not "mad" or insincere. Like any other human being, they think the evidence is on their side.
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+ https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/flat-earth-spirits-and-conspiracy-theories-experience-can-shape-even-extraordinary-beliefs
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 19:00:00 +0000Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:41:10 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Iran says it launched 3 satellites to space on Russian rocket: report ]]>
+ Iran has launched a trio of new satellites into space with the help of a Russian rocket, the country's state media reported Sunday (Dec. 28).
The satellites launched into orbit atop a Russian Soyuz rocket as part of a rideshare mission that also launched two Earth-observation satellites for Russia and 47 other satellites for various customers.
"These satellites were designed and produced by Iranian scientists ... despite all the sanctions and threats," Iran's ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali told state TV according to the Reuters wire service. Iran's activities in space have been affected by ongoing sanctions from Western nations over its nuclear program.
According to Iran's IRNA news agency the three new satellites, called Paya, Zafar 2 and Kowsar, are Earth-observation satellites to be used to monitor Iran's agriculture, map natural resources and the environment.
Russia's space agency Roscosmos launched the Iranian satellites alongside two Russian Aist-2T Earth observation satelites and dozens of cubesats aboard a Soyuz 2.1b rocket on a mission that lifted off from the country's Vostochny Cosmodrome in Siberia. Fifty-two satellites were launched in all.
In addition the Aist-2T and Iranian satellites, the Soyuz rocket carried a small satellite for the Sputnix Group based in the United Arab Emirates, as well as cubesats for Russian universities, and a satellite to measure climate change and space weather for the Russian Hydrometeorological Service, according to Russia's TASS news service.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/iran-says-it-launched-3-satellites-to-space-on-russian-rocket-report
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:30:08 +0000Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:31:15 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ 12 times rockets and spacecraft crashed and burned in 2025 ]]>
+ 2025 was a very busy year for spaceflight, for better and for worse.
We saw quite a few milestones notched in the final frontier this year, including the first-ever fully successful private moon landing and the official arrival of Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy lifter on the spaceflight scene. But there were a number of failures as well, some of them quite dramatic.
Here's a brief rundown of 12 of 2025's most memorable mishaps. One caveat first, though: There is no shame in being on the following list. Spaceflight is hard, and coming up short sometimes is part of the deal. It took SpaceX four tries to reach orbit for the first time, after all, and look at where the company is today.
12. Indian rocket fails during satellite launch
India attempted to launch an Earth-observing radar satellite on May 17, 2025, but a problem with the mission's rocket resulted in a failure. (Image credit: ISRO)
An Indian PSLV-XL rocket launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on May 17, carrying the EOS-09 Earth-observing radar satellite aloft for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). But EOS-09 didn't make it to its destination: The PSLV-XL suffered an issue with its third stage about six minutes into flight, and the satellite was lost.
11. Firefly Aerospace suffers a 1-2 punch
View from the upper stage of Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket during its sixth-ever launch on April 29, 2025, which ended in failure. (Image credit: Firefly Aerospace/NSF via YouTube)
Texas company Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket lifted off from California on April 29 on its sixth-ever mission, hauling a technology demonstration for Lockheed Martin toward low Earth orbit. Alpha's upper stage got about 200 miles (320 kilometers) up, but it failed to reach orbital velocity due to a problem suffered shortly after stage separation, and the payload was lost.
Firefly diagnosed the problem and began gearing up for Alpha's return to flight. But the company then suffered another setback on Sept. 29: The Flight 7 first-stage booster exploded on the stand during testing. The company traced the problem to a "process error" during integration and aims to launch Flight 7 (with a different first stage) in early 2026.
10. Landspace's Zhuque-2 rocket fails
Landscape's Zhuque-2 rocket launches on its successful debut mission in 2023. The rocket suffered a launch failure on Aug. 14, 2025. (Image credit: VCG via Getty Images))
The Zhuque-2, a two-stage rocket operated by Chinese startup Landspace, failed on its sixth-ever mission, which launched Aug. 14 from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The company did not disclose the payloads that were riding on the rocket. It was the second failure for the Zhuque-2, whose engines burn liquid methane and liquid oxygen, like SpaceX's Raptor, which powers the company's Starship megarocket.
9. Galactic Energy's Ceres-1, too
Liftoff of Galactic Energy's second Ceres-1 solid rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert on Dec. 7, 2021. The 22nd launch of the rocket, on Nov. 9, 2025, ended in failure. (Image credit: Galactic Energy)
Nearly three months later, another Chinese rocket went up in flames — a Ceres-1, built by Beijing-based Galactic Energy. The Ceres-1 launched Nov. 9 from Jiuquan, carrying two commercial Earth-observing satellites and a third spacecraft manifested by a Chinese university. The rocket's first three stages performed well, according to media reports, but its fourth and final stage suffered an anomaly that doomed the mission.
There may have been another Chinese rocket failure this year as well. A Kuaizhou 1A vehicle — built by the company ExPace, a subsidiary of the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation — apparently exploded on a pad at Jiuquan before launch on March 1, though reports of its demise remain unconfirmed.
8. Japan's H3 rocket fails during launch of navigation satellite
The H3 rises into the sky on Dec. 21, 2025. (Image credit: JAXA)
Japan suffered a failure, too, with just 10 days left in 2025. The country's H3 rocket experienced a problem with its second stage on Dec. 21, during the launch of the Michibiki 5 navigation satellite. The rocket did not deliver Michibiki 5 to the proper orbit, and officials with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) declared the satellite lost.
7. The 1st orbital launch from European soil crashes and burns
On March 30, the German company Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. It was the first liftoff for Spectrum and the first-ever orbital flight from European soil, but it didn't last very long: The rocket suffered an anomaly 18 seconds into flight, crashed back to Earth and exploded, generating a blazing orange fireball in a gorgeous wintry landscape.
6. Australia's 1st homegrown orbital rocket comes up short
A similar story unfolded a few months later half a world away. On July 29, Australian company Gilmour Space debuted its Eris rocket from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport in coastal Queensland. It was the first-ever orbital launch attempt for a homegrown Australian rocket, but Eris soon came back to Earth: It slid sideways off the pad and fell back to terra firma 14 seconds after liftoff.
5. South Korean's 1st private orbital rocket, too
South Korean startup Innospace made history this year as well, launching the nation's first-ever private orbital rocket on Dec. 22. However, that vehicle, the Hanbit-Nano, suffered an anomaly about a minute into flight and came crashing back to Earth.
So it was a tough year for rocket debuts all the way around. But that's not exactly surprising: It's always been rare for a new launcher to ace its first-ever liftoff.
4. Returning boosters that didn't stick the landing
China's Zhuque-3 blasts off from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone on December 3, 2025 (Image credit: VCG / Getty Images)
There were four failed landing attempts during orbital launches this year — one each by the first-stage boosters of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket (on Jan. 15), SpaceX's Falcon 9 (on March 3), Landspace's Zhuque-3 (on Dec. 3) and the Chinese government's Long March 12A (on Dec. 22).
It's not entirely fair to include any of them on this list, as all four rockets reached orbit as planned, and landing the booster was a secondary objective for each of them. Plus, it was the first-ever flight for New Glenn (which stuck the landing on its second launch this past November), Zhuque-3, and the Long March 12A (both of which were attempting China's first-ever orbital booster touchdown). The loss of the Falcon 9 was the only landing hiccup for SpaceX this year out of more than 160 attempts. Still, they were technically failures, and all were memorable.
3. Private American lander tips over on the moon
A selfie captured by Intuitive Machines' Athena lander shortly after it touched down near the moon's south pole on March 6, 2025. (Image credit: Intuitive Machine)
On March 6, Athena, a robotic lander built by the Houston company Intuitive Machines, landed successfully on the moon with a passel of NASA science payloads. But Athena soon toppled over. Its prone position prevented some payloads from deploying properly, and the lander couldn't collect enough sunlight to recharge its batteries. Intuitive Machines declared Athena dead a day later.
It was the second such outcome in a little over a year for Intuitive Machines. The company made history in February 2024 with the lunar landing of its Odysseus spacecraft. But Odysseus toppled over as well, apparently after breaking a leg during its touchdown, cutting its mission short.
Intuitive Machines will be back on the moon soon, if all goes to plan: Its third robotic mission for NASA is currently targeted for the first half of 2026.
2. Private Japanese lander crashes into the moon
Resilience, a lunar lander built by the Japanese company ispace, snapped this photo of the moon during a close flyby on Feb. 15, 2025. (Image credit: ispace)
The Tokyo-based company ispace tried to put its Resilience lander down on the moon on June 5 but came up short; the vehicle slammed hard into the gray dirt in the Mare Frigoris ("Sea of Cold"). It was the second such setback for ispace, which also failed during a lunar landing try in April 2023.
There were plenty of silver linings on both missions, however; the company's lander made it to lunar orbit successfully on both occasions, notching a number of milestones but coming up short during the final stages of descent. And ispace plans to try again in 2027.
1. Starship's test-flight fireworks
SpaceX's Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, launched five times in 2025, on suborbital test flights from the company's Starbase site in South Texas. The first three did not go entirely according to plan.
On Jan. 16, Starship's first stage, a huge booster called Super Heavy, successfully came back to Starbase, where it was caught by the launch tower's "chopstick" arms. But the Ship upper stage exploded less than 10 minutes after liftoff, raining debris down over the Turks and Caicos Islands. A similar outcome occurred on March 6's test flight, which was the second Starship launch of 2025 and the eighth overall.
Flight 9, which lifted off on May 27, was something of a step backward for Starship, as both stages were lost prematurely (though Ship did fly for quite a bit longer than it managed to do on Flight 7 and Flight 8). A few weeks later, on June 18, the program suffered another setback: The Ship that SpaceX was prepping for Flight 10 exploded on a test stand at Starbase.
But SpaceX, and Starship, bounced back: The vehicle aced Flight 10 and Flight 11, which launched on Aug. 26 and Oct. 13, respectively. The company is now gearing up for the first test flight of Starship Version 3, a bigger and more powerful variant that will be capable of reaching Mars — the destination that SpaceX has long had in mind for the vehicle. Part of that prep featured the buckling of a Super Heavy during testing on Nov. 21, but SpaceX, as usual, is powering through.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/11-times-rockets-and-spacecraft-crashed-and-burned-in-2025
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:40:04 +0000Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:40:05 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ ISS astronaut snaps stunning nighttime photo of Florida and Cuba | Space photo of the day for Dec. 29, 2025 ]]>
+ At 2:23 am Eastern time on March 19, 2025, an astronaut aboard the International Space station (ISS)captured a striking nighttime view of Earth, where shimmering moonlight dances across dark ocean waters while clusters of city lights outline the Florida Peninsula, the Caribbean, and parts of Central America.
Dense clusters of illumination trace major population centers, including the bright corridor from Miami to Fort Lauderdale along Florida's southeastern coast, the Tampa–St. Petersburg area on the Gulf Coast, and the Orlando metropolitan region near the center of the peninsula. Smaller but still discernible patterns of light mark the Florida Keys, Nassau in the Bahamas, and Havana and other cities across Cuba.
What is it?
Besides the stunning city lights, what sets this image apart is the presence of moonglint, the nighttime counterpart to sunglint. Much like sunlight reflecting off the ocean's surface during the day, moonglint occurs when moonlight reflects off water at just the right angle to reach the observer.
In this case, the observer was a crewmember on the ISS, orbiting hundreds of miles above Earth. At the time, the moon was in a waning phase and about 78% illuminated, bright enough to produce a concentrated reflection across the sea, especially near the Florida Keys and Cuba.
The photograph was taken using a Nikon Z9 digital camera with a 28-millimeter lens, giving a wide field of view similar to that of the human eye. This perspective allows viewers to appreciate the curvature of the planet, accentuated by a thin, faint green layer of airglowalong the horizon, a reminder of Earth's atmosphere glowing softly against the darkness of space.
Where is it?
This photo was taken aboard the ISS, around 248 miles (400 kilometers) above Earth.
Moonglint and airglow are both phenomena featured in this image. (Image credit: NASA/Expedition 72 crew)
Why is it amazing?
Nighttime images of Earth reveal patterns of human settlement, infrastructure, and land use that are difficult to capture during the day. Scientists use such observations to study urban growth, energy consumption, andlight pollution, while also tracking how human activity intersects with natural environments.
The appearance of moonglint is especially valuable for researchers. Reflections of moonlight off the ocean can help scientists study sea-surface conditions, such as roughness and wave patterns, even at night. When combined with other data sources, these observations improve understanding of ocean–atmosphere interactions and refine models used in climate and environmental research.
The image shows the difference in temperature between the top of a hurricane and the bottom.
The images reveal the storm's incredible power and offer vital insights into how such hurricanes form.
A powerful geomagnetic storm created a series of brilliant auroras recently for observers across North America.
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+ https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/iss-astronaut-snaps-stunning-nighttime-photo-of-florida-and-cuba-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-29-2025
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+ vWswQEyFnEFSJsEhAavC7C
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:09:52 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Does physics say that free will doesn't exist? ]]>
+ You are currently making a conscious, willful decision to read this article. But physics says every action has a cause. So did you really make this decision as freely as you thought?
One of the bedrock philosophical concepts under all of physics is something called causal determinism. It says that every effect has a cause, and that if you know the current state of a system, you can use the power of physics to predict how it behaves. If effects happened without causes, then there wouldn't be much need for physics. And if we couldn't predict how systems would behave, then we wouldn't be very good at our jobs.
With this philosophy, physics has made enormous progress in advancing our understanding of the universe, from subatomic quantum systems to the Big Bang. And a part of that universe contains these weird things called brains that have the curious property of consciousness and the ability to freely make decisions.
So, at first glance, it seems like our understanding of physics forbids free will. We don't really have a choice, because if we had perfect knowledge of all the molecules and electrical activity in our brains, then we must be able to determine our choices in advance.
But there are three aspects of physics that add some wrinkles to this line of thinking.
The first is chaos theory. Some systems are easy to predict. But others, like double pendulums and weather patterns, are much harder to tackle. In these special kinds of systems, even a minuscule amount of uncertainty in the measurement of the initial state of a system very quickly compounds into complete ignorance about its future behavior. Strangely, these systems are perfectly deterministic; causes always lead smoothly to effects, so there's no mystery there. But they are impossible to predict well into the future.
The second wrinkle comes from quantum mechanics, which tells us that it's impossible to predict the outcomes of many kinds of experiments involving subatomic particles. Probabilities rule the day there, and the best we can do is assign chances to certain outcomes. Quantum mechanics is still a deterministic theory of nature — but again, it places a layer of ignorance over our understanding. We can't say for sure where a particle will go or how it will behave; we can only say what might happen. But it's not clear if the probabilistic rules of quantum mechanics apply to things like neural connections in the brain and the rise of consciousness, which is an emergent phenomenon.
The last wrinkle is exactly that: emergence. Fundamental descriptions of nature do not automatically guarantee an understanding of more complex systems. For example, we have an incredibly sophisticated theory of particle physics, based on quantum field theory, but that sophisticated theory works only when describing quantum systems. We have no quantum field theory description of how a star forms, or why chocolate tastes so good. We have to adopt other laws and theories to describe the systems as a whole.
None of these wrinkles gives a clear-cut yes-or-no answer to the question of free will. But they do show that our understanding of physics is limited. Most philosophers believe in a class of ideas under the heading of "compatibilism," which says that free will and physics can live together in harmony. It might be that our understanding of nature is not yet sophisticated enough to explain how free will can work with causal determinism.
In other words, if we work hard enough, we might someday reach a level of understanding that preserves causal determinism and all the usual physics goodness while including things like free will in a framework that makes sense.
Either way, we have no choice but to keep asking.
]]>
+ https://www.space.com/science/particle-physics/does-physics-say-that-free-will-doesnt-exist
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+ rZVa92RV8aRoZouuRkgqPN
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000Mon, 29 Dec 2025 15:40:59 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ 13 must-see moon events in 2026: Eclipses, supermoons, conjunctions and more ]]>
+ A bevy of supermoons, a dramatic total solar eclipse and a "blood moon" total lunar eclipse are some of the highlights of the coming lunar year, which will also include plenty of beautiful close conjunctions of the crescent moon and planets.
Here are some dates for this year's moon-gazing diary.
1. The year's first supermoon: Jan. 3, 2026 (dusk)
See a supermoon on Jan. 3, 2026. (Image credit: Hal Bergman via Getty Images)
The first full moon of 2026, January's Wolf Moon, will be a supermoon, meaning it will appear larger and brighter because it will be at or near its closest point to Earth in its elliptical orbit. Although it's the first of three supermoons in 2026, it's the last in a series of four from the back end of 2025.
2. "Ring of fire" annular solar eclipse: Feb. 17, 2026 (daytime)
An annular solar eclipse will occur on Feb. 17, 2026. (Image credit: goh keng cheong via Getty Images)
Will anyone be able to see the "ring of fire" annular solar eclipse on Feb. 17, 2026? The moon will eclipse up to 96% of the sun's center for up to 2 minutes, 20 seconds, but only for scientists at a few research stations — the French-Italian Concordia Station in the interior and the Russian Mirny Station in Queen Mary Land on the Davis Sea coast. A partial solar eclipse will be seen across Antarctica and from parts of southern Africa and Argentina.
Crescent moon and Mercury: Feb. 18, 2026 (after sunset)
See a young moon and Mercury on Feb. 18, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
About 45 minutes after sunset on Feb. 18, something relatively rare will be on show: a conjunction between a superslim crescent moon and the elusive planet Mercury. Visible low in the western sky, the moon will be barely 2%-lit, so you'll likely need binoculars to see it. Below will be Venus, with Saturn above.
4. "Blood moon" total lunar eclipse: March 2-3, 2026 (night to early morning)
Don't miss the total lunar eclipse on March 2-3, 2026. (Image credit: Jonkman Photography via Getty Images)
Total lunar eclipses often come in threes. There were two in 2025, one of which wowed skywatchers in North America, and the final in the trio comes in early March 2026 — the last until 2029. During this event, the full Worm Moon will transit Earth's shadow to become a reddish-orange "blood moon" for 58 minutes as seen from parts of western North America, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia and the Pacific.
5. Crescent moon and Venus: March 20, 2026 (after sunset)
See the crescent moon close to Venus on March 20, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
The sight of a young moon close to a bright planet will be on offer about 45 minutes after sunset on March 20, when a 5%-lit waxing crescent moon will hang above the bright planet Venus. Find an unobstructed western horizon, and take along a pair of binoculars.
6. Crescent moon, Venus and the Pleiades: April 19, 2026 (after sunset)
See a crescent moon, Venus and the Pleiades on April 19, 2025. (Image credit: Stellarium)
Look west an hour after sunset on April 19 for a spectacular panorama close to the sinking stars of Orion as a 9%-lit waxing crescent moon gets close to the Pleiades (also known as the "Seven Sisters" star cluster), with bright Venus below.
7. Total solar eclipse: Aug. 12, 2026 (daytime)
A total solar eclipse will be visible from parts of Europe on Aug. 12, 2026. (Image credit: Tegra Stone Nuess via Getty Images)
Even though it won't be visible, the moon will arguably perform its greatest trick of all on Aug. 12, 2026, when its silhouette will perfectly block the sun for up to 2 minutes, 18 seconds, as seen from eastern Greenland, western Iceland and northern Spain. All of Europe will experience a deep partial solar eclipse, while North America will see a small partial eclipse.
8. Partial lunar eclipse: Aug. 27-28, 2026 (after dark)
Don't miss the partial lunar eclipse on Aug. 27-28, 2026. (Image credit: Apostoli Rossella via Getty Images)
The second lunar eclipse of 2026 — which will be visible from North America, South America, Europe and Africa — won't quite live up to the first in March. Although the moon will enter Earth's central shadow in space, a 4% sliver of it won't, causing the lunar surface to turn mostly reddish. Although there will be no totality, the edge of Earth's shadow will gradually move across the moon and back again, which is always a grand sight.
9. Moon in the Beehive Cluster: Sept. 8, 2026 (before sunrise)
See a crescent moon close to M44 on Sept. 8, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
Look east about 45 minutes before sunrise to see a lovely 9%-lit waning crescent moon just beneath the Beehive Cluster, also known as M44, which contains about 1,000 stars and is located 600 light-years from the solar system. You'll need binoculars to see M44 properly.
10. Moon in conjunction with Saturn: Sept. 26, 2026 (after sunset)
See the moon close to Saturn on Sept. 26, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
Saturn will be prominent in the night sky in late 2026, but it will become most noticeable when the moon passes close by. That happens in the east on Sept. 26, just before the moon turns full.
11. A crescent moon and Jupiter: Oct. 6. 2026 (before sunrise)
See a crescent moon close to Jupiter on Oct. 6, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
Here comes a rare and special sight: a very close conjunction of the moon and Jupiter, with just 10 arc seconds (three-thousandths of a degree) separating them. Best seen in the east about 90 minutes before sunrise, the moon will be about 20% lit, with "Earthshine" visible on its night side, closest to the giant planet.
12. A crescent moon close to Mars and Jupiter: Nov. 2, 2026 (before sunrise)
The moon and Mars will be in close conjunction on Nov. 2, 2026. (Image credit: Stellarium)
Mars won't be in the night sky for much of the first half of 2026, but by October, it will be visible in the southeast before sunrise. On Nov. 2, 2026, the Red Planet will be visited by a 43%-lit waning crescent moon, with Jupiter just below.
13. The closest supermoon since 2019: Dec. 23, 2026 (dusk)
Don't miss the supermoon on Dec. 23. (Image credit: Cavan Images via Getty Images)
In 2026, there will be three supermoons — on Jan. 3, Nov. 24 and Dec. 23 — but one is a standout. The full moon on Dec. 23 will be the closest full moon to Earth since 2019. At just 221,668 miles (356,740 kilometers) from our planet, it will edge out the Feb. 19, 2019, supermoon by about 60 miles (100 km), making it the biggest and brightest full moon in nearly eight years. However, two supermoons will come even closer on Feb. 10, 2028, and March 30, 2029.
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+ https://www.space.com/stargazing/13-must-see-moon-events-in-2026-eclipses-supermoons-conjunctions-and-more
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:07:57 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Fujifilm GFX 100S II review ]]>
+ The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is the company’s answer to a portable version of the GFX 100 II, their medium-format flagship. It lacks the full hybrid capability of the GFX 100 II, which features massive 8K video capability and extended video recording connectivity. Both of the cameras boast the same 102MP sensor and X-Processor 5, but the GFX 100 S II is lighter and is primarily focused on shooting stills.
It's definitely one of the best cameras for photography, as it can handle a range of different styles, including landscape, portrait, nature and astrophotography. We tested it for all of these styles, and we think it is a great camera for the astrophotographer who uses extreme cropping or is involved in publishing large-scale prints. It doesn’t come cheap, but it crafts amazing imagery with huge amounts of detail and dynamic range, which makes subjects pop.
Fujifilm GFX 100S II review
Fujifilm GFX 100S II: Design
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II offers a lot of customization. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Huge medium-format sensor
102MP sensor resolution
Highly customizable
The design of the GFX 100S II is sleek and portable for a medium-format camera. At 1.95 lbs (883 g), it is fairly heavy compared to some full-frame models but it is actually lighter than the Nikon Z9 and Canon EOS R3. It is even lighter than its direct 100MP competitor from Hasselblad.
What makes this camera stand out is the huge medium-format sensor, which measures 43.8 mm x 32.9 mm and is approximately 1.7 times bigger than a full-frame sensor. In theory, a larger sensor should be able to capture more light, and therefore, we should expect a medium-format camera to be a strong choice for astrophotography. We think it would be a good choice for astrophotographers who are interested in large-scale prints or for photographers who do a lot of cropping. This is thanks to the 102MP sensor resolution, which allows extraordinary detail to be retained when an image is blown up or extremely cropped.
The top controls feature a mode dial with six custom shooting modes for professionals who need lots of flexibility. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Specifications
Sensor: Medium format 102MP
Lens mount: Fujifilm GFX
ISO range: 80-12,800 (expandable from 40 to 102,400)
Video: 4K at 30p
Weight: 1.95 lb (883 g) incl. battery and memory card
Memory card slots: Double SD UHS-II slots
The top controls feature a mode dial with six custom shooting modes for professionals who need lots of flexibility when shooting different subjects and styles. An easy mode switch takes you easily from still to video shooting and vice versa. For a camera with so much customizability, the range of buttons does not feel too overwhelming and is actually very intuitive. Take, for example, the exposure compensation found just in front of the shutter button, which makes adjusting exposure easy and quick during shooting.
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The mode dial on the Fujifilm GFX 100S II. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Fujifilm GFX 100S II has many buttons but not so many as to be overwhelming. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
The back panel reflects the same ethos, with a range of buttons but not too many as to be confusing. I found myself using the quick menu button a lot to change a range of things, including file capture type, film recipe simulation, ISO and timer settings. The quick menu is a small Q on the back of the body placed where it is easy to access with the right-hand thumb. A joystick makes it easy to move through the 16 customizable menu items.
The three-way tilting main LCD screen helps when shooting some high and low angles, but you would expect a fully articulating screen for the premium price of over $5000.
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The back LCD screen tilts three ways. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Fujifilm GFX 100S II offers good grip thanks to its trademark Bishamon-Tex leather-like coating. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Fujifilm GFX 100S II: Performance
We liked how the Fujifilm GFX 100S II performed during our testing period. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Shutter button lacked response
Three-way tilt of LCD screen was useful for astrophotography
Performed well for astrophotography
You can feel the professional weight of the GFX 100S II during handheld use, but it handles well thanks to a deep-shaped grip covered in Fujifilm’s trademark Bishamon-Tex leather-like coating. This was especially useful when handling the camera with heavier GFX lenses, which added considerable weight to the setup.
Whilst the operation of such a pro-level camera did seem intimidating, it was relatively simple to change exposure settings using the rear and front command dials on the body of the camera. I found the pressing of the shutter button didn’t have as hard a physical response as a Sony camera, so the actual process of shooting the frame felt a tad delayed. This is just my preference and the camera response speed is definitely not slow.
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The three-way tilting LCD screen is handy for everyday shooting as well as astrophotography on a tripod. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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Heavier GFX lenses added considerable weight to the setup, but the trademarked leather-coated grip helped handheld use. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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Whilst heavier than full-frame cameras, the GFX 100S II feels sturdy and powerful in the hand. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Despite not being a fully articulating LCD screen, the three-way tilt screen did help a lot during astrophotography shoots when the camera was tripod-mounted and aimed at the night sky.
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The Milky Way | ISO 3200 20mm f/4 15s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Milky Way | ISO 4000 20mm f/4 13s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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We used the wide-angle GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR lens for shooting larger subjects like the Milky Way and constellations. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
I managed to shoot a range of night sky targets while shooting with the GFX 100 S II. I used the GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR lens to capture lots of wide-angle targets in the night sky. I captured the galactic core of the Milky Way with plenty of dust lanes visible. Some of these open wide shots that capture the Milky Way were prone to some color noise when cropping into the photograph from ISO 3200 upwards. With a larger-than-full-frame sensor, I would expect better noise handling, but it wasn’t anything that post-processing couldn’t fix.
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NGC 752 and the Triangulum galaxy (M33) | ISO 3200 110mm f/2 8s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Pleaides star cluster and Perseus. | ISO 6400 20mm f/4 5s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Pleiades | ISO 2500 110mm f/2 5s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The Big Dipper (cropped) | ISO 6400 35mm f/4 8s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
I shot a few other deep space objects like star cluster NGC 752, the Triangulum Galaxy (M33) and the Pleiades star cluster (M45) using the GF 110mm f/2 lens and offered a closer telephoto length for some fainter deep space objects. The full-frame equivalent of using a 110mm lens on this medium format sensor is 87mm.
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The moon (cropped) | ISO 100 110mm f/2 1/500s | Bortle Level 5 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The moon | ISO 100 110mm f/2 1/500s | Bortle Level 5 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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A Perseid meteor | ISO 2500 30mm f/3.5 10s | Bortle Level 4 (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
This focal length is not good for serious telephoto photography and therefore, the moon was still quite small in my frame. Even with an extreme crop, a strong level of detail is retained in the lunar disk and is a testament to the 102MP sensor.
Fujifilm GFX 100S II: Functionality
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II has significant upgrades compared to its predecessor. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
Dual SD-card slots
No mode for protecting night vision
X-processor 5, AI-powered autofocus, eight stops of in-body-image stabilization and a 5.76 million dot OLED viewfinder
The GFX 100S II is full of premium features and functionality you would expect from a camera of this calibre. The camera feels like it is tailored towards the individual with six custom shooting modes on the dial, four assignable function buttons and custom touch gestures on the rear LCD. The trademark Fujifilm quick menu button makes finding all necessary settings easier because you don’t have to go into the more complex main menu.
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is a great camera for astrophotography but sadly has no specific night vision mode. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
The camera uses the NP-W235 lithium-ion battery, rated at 530 frames per charge, and it never gave up on me during a long session of interval shooting for the Perseid meteor shower. The battery is charged via the USB-C port on the left side of the camera body, which also doubles up for external SSD recording and data transfer. It also features a micro-HDMI port and two 3.55 mm jacks for microphone input and headphone output. The GFX 100S II has dual SD-card slots, which gives you a good level of storage, but I am disappointed that there is no CFexpress card slot, especially as 102MP photo files are not small.
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The secondary LCD monitor on the Fujifilm GFX100S II displays white on black for daytime use. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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The secondary LCD monitor on the Fujifilm GFX100S II can be illuminated, displaying black on white with a backlight, for nighttime use. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
The secondary LCD monitor on the top of the camera body is helpful for quickly reading your exposure settings while shooting and the amount of frames remaining on the memory card. In darker environments, you can illuminate this secondary LCD so you can see this information at night, but there is no specific mode that helps preserve night vision.
The GFX 100S II brings significant upgrades to its predecessor, including the new X-processor 5, AI-powered autofocus, eight stops of in-body-image stabilization and a 5.76 million dot OLED viewfinder.
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The medium format sensor of the camera, combined with the GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR lens, allows for a super-wide perspective on shots. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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I also liked using the GF 110mm f/2 R WR lens, given that it had the widest aperture out of the lenses we tried. It was good for closer shots of smaller objects in the sky. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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We used a wide range of GFX lenses with the Fujifilm GFX100S II, including the GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR lens (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
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Some GFX lenses come in focal lengths that mirror standard lens sizes on a full-frame equivalent. The full-frame equivalent of the GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR lens is a classic 24mm wide-angle lens. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
How we tested the Fujifilm GFX 100S II
We tested the Fujifilm GFX 100S II in a range of places and for different styles of photography. (Image credit: Harry Bennett / Future)
I tested the Fujifilm GFX 100S II with a range of lenses: the GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR, the GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR, the GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR and the GF 30mm f/3.5 R WR. For astrophotography testing, I went to a Bortle 3 area in some fields and took photos of the Milky Way, the Big Dipper, the moon and some deep space objects. During testing in the UK, nighttime temperatures were on average between 54-59 degrees Fahrenheit (12-15 degrees Celsius).
I also tested the camera out for a range of other photography styles, including landscape, art and portraiture.
User reviews of the Fujifilm GFX 100S II
Users of the GFX 100S II praise the sharp image quality delivered by the 102MP sensor and the impressive dynamic range.
The upgraded eight steps of in-body image stabilization is praised and, whilst autofocus is improved, some users note that it is slower than the best full-frame models (think Sony A1 or Nikon Z9).
The large raw file sizes are also pointed out as being troublesome to deal with in volume, making storage and computer upgrades inevitable.
Should you buy the Fujifilm GFX 100S II
Buy it if:
✅ You are a professional photographer: The Fujifilm GFX 100S II is a highly advanced medium-format camera with 102MP resolution, high customizability and strong professional functionality that suits a wide range of photography styles, in and out of the studio.
✅ You produce large-scale prints or use extreme cropping: Thanks to the super high-resolution sensor, the photos you take can be blown up much larger without becoming distorted. The same works if you need to crop into a small portion of the image without sacrificing detail.
Don't buy it if:
❌ You are a beginner or intermediate photographer: If you are getting into photography or are an advanced hobbyist, this camera is likely overkill. It's hard to justify spending that much money on a camera unless you make money from it.
❌You only shoot astrophotography: Whilst being a strong astro performer, it does lack astro-specific features like night-vision mode and we would expect stronger, higher ISO noise handling from a camera with a bigger sensor. You might be better off with a dedicated astrophotography camera.
The GFX 100S II is a camera for the professional market and is suited to someone who makes money from photography, as the price tag is not for the faint of heart. Despite this, it has a host of features that would benefit the professional portrait, landscape and studio photographer.
If you are an astrophotographer who is well versed in post-processing, using dark frames to reduce noise and has a focus on producing large-scale prints, I would highly recommend the GFX 100S II. Thanks to the size and 102MP resolution of the sensor, this camera is able to capture a wide portion of the night sky in relatively good detail and whilst there are some star trails, a star tracker would really help resolve high-resolution detail.
This extra width added by the medium format sensor helps those who want a wide focal length but hinders those who work at extreme telephoto lengths. With the GFX range of lenses rather limited and expensive, it really is worth thinking about what kind of shooting you want to do with this camera. They also lack features from modern full-frame lenses, such as f/1.4 apertures on wide focal lengths and wide apertures on telephoto lenses.
If the Fujifilm GFX 100S II isn't for you
For those who want a camera that works even harder and can handle heavy hybrid use with 8K video and a CFexpress slot, we would recommend Fujifilm’s flagship model, the GFX 100 II.
If the jump to medium-format seems like overkill, a strong full-frame camera might seem more suitable. Our best camera overall is the Nikon Z8, which features a full-frame 45MP sensor and has a dedicated red mode for preserving night vision. The Sony A7R V is another great full-frame alternative, with strong AI-powered autofocus and a strong 61MP sensor.
If you want a Fujifilm camera but don’t fancy paying your life away for it, go for the Fujifilm X-T50. It has a 40MP APS-C sensor and a film simulation dial for easy changing of styles. We used it for astrophotography, and it performed well, capturing the planets Jupiter and Mars as well as the Orion nebula (M42).
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+ https://www.space.com/stargazing/skywatching-kit/fujifilm-gfx-100s-ii-review
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+ Mon, 29 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:41:39 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ The best sci-fi Blu-rays to own: Beat the streaming subscriptions ]]>
+ The streaming revolution has its perks, but it's annoying when you want to watch the best sci-fi movies of all time and none of your subscriptions cover them, which is why Sci-Fi DVDs and Blu-rays are still worth chasing.
Renowned movie franchises like Star Wars are easy to stream on Disney Plus, sure, but the Force isn't with fans who seek hours of extras, too. If you're really into a long movie series, standalone classics and/or some of the best sci-fi TV shows ever made, physical media won't leave you hanging. We're also using this opportunity to dig up some killer box sets and limited editions you can still grab if you're fast, so this guide is pretty solid for your Christmas and/or birthday gift needs.
Regardless, you'll need the best streaming services to catch the latest science fiction movies and shows coming exclusively to Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV Plus and more. On the matter of presents, keep an eye on the best Lego Star Wars, Marvel and space sets you can grab, too. But for the best Sci-Fi Blu-rays, scroll down below.
Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
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If you're a Star Wars fan, you'll want the Skywalker Saga 4K UHD Blu-rays. (Image credit: LucasFilm)
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If you're a Star Wars fan, you'll want the Skywalker Saga 4K UHD Blu-rays. (Image credit: Amazon)
Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
The most iconic of Sci-Fi franchises. All the movies, all in one place.
Cast: Mark Hamill, Hayden Christensen, Daisy Ridley | Run time: 20 hours 38 minutes (movies only) | Number of discs: 27
All the movies, all in one place
Loaded with extras
Expensive
Whether you loved the entire ride or would rather forget about the sequels, the complete Star Wars movie experience is worth embarking on, especially for newcomers. With the absolutely massive Skywalker Saga 4K UHD box set released in 2020, the path of a Jedi has never been more complete.
The nine-movie ride alone is over 20 hours long, and the incredible offering of extras runs for even longer than that. Disney and Lucasfilm really went all out with this one, and Star Wars fanatics who aren’t strict purists won't find a better box set right now.
The whole saga and all the extras are spread across 27 discs, including 1080p Blu-rays, with stunning interior art pieces based on each trilogy and concept art, and a 'digibook' design which makes it feel extra special. Considering the high price tag on this one (it's only gone up due to scarcity of stock), it’s only for the biggest collectors around, but we think it'll be a good while before Disney puts out a Star Wars box set as complete.
Star Trek: The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
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If you're a Star Trek fan, the complete original series is up there with the best Blu-ray options you can buy. (Image credit: Paramount Pictures)
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If you're a Star Trek fan, the complete original series is up there with the best Blu-ray options you can buy. (Image credit: Amazon)
Star Trek: The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
Owning a physical copy of the original series means your affinity with Star Trek will live long and prosper.
Cast: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols | Run time: 67 hours 42 minutes | Number of discs: 20
Similarly priced to one year's subscription of Paramount Plus
Nearly 70 hours of content
A little pricey for just one TV show
Much less pricey than the Star Wars entry above is the Blu-ray (1080p) release of the complete Star Trek original series, which runs for over 67 hours and is spread across 20 discs.
Considering it's still selling at around $70, it's one hell of a deal, no matter if this is your first attempt to get into Star Trek or you're a longtime fan looking to secure a clean and straight-to-the-point Blu-ray edition.
This release isn't just an 'enhanced for 1080p' remaster of the show as it was either. It also features 'enhanced visual effects' (purists may not enjoy this) and a 7.1 surround sound option on top of the preserved original mono audio tracks. As for special bonus content, the 'special features' run for over 9 hours, though the box clearly states that they're not presented in high definition. It may not be the definitive treatment for the series that started it all, but it's more than enough to boldly go where no man has gone before.
Stargate: The Blu-ray Collection (Blu-ray)
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This Stargate Blu-ray collection has over 300 hours of content, spread across nearly 70 discs. (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
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This Stargate Blu-ray collection has over 300 hours of content, spread across nearly 70 disks. (Image credit: Amazon)
Stargate: The Blu-ray Collection (Blu-ray)
Over 300 hours and nearly 70 discs worth of television show makes this a box set worth getting.
Cast: Richard Dean Anderson, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge | Run time: 309 hours | Number of discs: 69
Over 300 hours of run time
Nearly 70 discs in total
You get a lot for your money
Expensive
The absolute largest (but not priciest) Sci-Fi Blu-ray collection we've found so far is the complete Stargate collection, which includes Stargate SG-1, Atlantis and Universe. In total, you're looking at over 300 hours of old-fashioned TV goodness with this one.
It's safe to say you won't be rewatching the whole box set often, but you get a lot of content for your money. Only 1080p and English language in this one, but you're getting a lot of bang for your buck, especially as bonus features are included.
With Amazon MGM Studios now in ownership of the IP, we've been banging the drum of "Stargate should return" for a while now. If you only watched the original movie and would like to learn what the heck all the praise and online noise is all about, buckle up, prepare accordingly and enjoy a lengthy but delightful journey through TV shows that did a lot with minimal budgets. Just make sure to input the right coordinates when you make each space-bending trip...
Predator 4-Movie Collection (Blu-ray)
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The Predator 4-movie pack is perfect for fans of the predator franchise. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
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The Predator 4-movie pack is perfect for fans of the predator franchise. (Image credit: Amazon)
Predator 4-Movie Collection (Blu-ray)
Experience the journey that is the first four Predator movies, all in one box set
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Glover, Adrien Brody | Run time: 7 hours 9 minutes | Number of discs: 4
Four movies with great upscaling work
Great to catch up before the more recent releases
inexpensive compared to others
Not a complete set
Before recent Dan Trachtenberg-directed entries like Prey and Predator: Badlands, the Predator movie series wasn't in super great shape, but the Predator 4-Movie Collection released in late 2018 packs Predator 1 & 2 (classics), Predators (a fairly underrated one) and The Predator (the one that nearly killed the franchise).
For roughly $30, it's a pretty great deal if you want to catch up with the series before the more recent installments or want to surprise a hardcore Yautja fanatic.
Of course, not everyone was a fan of the upscaling work done on the two older movies when they first made the jump to 1080p and above, but the following releases improved the image quality without sacrificing most of the original texture. While we believe the 4K UHD version of this 4-disc set is a bit too expensive considering it's not loaded with extras, the regular Blu-ray version is a fantastic deal. Additionally, you're also getting a digital copy of each movie.
Avatar – Collector’s Edition (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
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This Avatar Blu-ray is the best option for collectors. (Image credit: 20th Century Studios)
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This Avatar Blu-ray is the best option for collectors. (Image credit: Amazon)
Avatar – Collector’s Edition (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
Return to Pandora with hours and hours of bonus content and different versions of the record-breaking movie.
Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang | Run time: 3 hours and 15 minutes | Number of discs: 4
Multiple versions of the movie
Over 10 hours of bonus content
Most complete version of the movie yet
Expensive for one movie
Avatar: Fire and Ash is upon us, which means both Na'vi diehards and folks planning a more casual trip to Pandora might be looking to grab the first two movies in the sharpest possible quality.
Disney and 20th Century Studios have always been well aware of how much money these movies make in the domestic market, too, so it comes as no surprise we've seen countless different editions of the 2009 original released over the years.
At the time of writing, the late-2023 re-release of Avatar, dubbed 'Collector's Edition' is the most complete you can find if you're really into James Cameron's industry-shaking phenomenon. The delightful pack includes the movie in 4K UHD, 1080p Blu-ray and digital. It's also the first time the Special Edition and Collector's Extended Cut have been available to watch in 4K, plus two entire discs are dedicated to bonus materials. While we're expecting Disney to milk Eywa until it's dry in the future, this is the best Avatar Blu-ray deal money can buy at the moment.
Alien – 40th Anniversary (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
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This Blu-ray option is the best for fans of the movie, and the franchise, Alien. (Image credit: 20th century studios)
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This Blu-ray option is the best for fans of the movie, and the franchise, Alien. (Image credit: Amazon)
Alien – 40th Anniversary (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
Experience one of the most iconic Sci-Fi movies with upgraded visuals and effects
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, Tom Skerritt | Run time: 1 hour 57 minutes | Number of discs: 2
Inexpensive compared to the other entries
Bonus material
Improved visuals and effects
Just one movie, not a box set
We've had plenty of physical media releases of Alien (1979) worth purchasing over the years, so it was unsurprising to see the 40th Anniversary Edition released in 2019, being a fantastic refresh of both cuts of the movie (theatrical and director's cut), which remains available due to continued success. That stylish cover is killer, and the no-BS approach to the overall presentation is exactly what you want out of a revisited classic.
At home, everyone can hear you scream, especially if you're easily startled; the crisp audio (DTS, DTS-HD and Dolby 5.1 options) pops alongside the sharper 4K image quality, and the high dynamic range's extra sauce (if you have a TV prepared for the full experience) is exactly what the Nostromo needed to come to life like never before. Not as impressive are the special features, but with great audio commentary by Ridley Scott and cast and crew members, plus a bunch of deleted scenes, the basics are covered.
Dune 2-Film Collection (4K UHD)
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This two-film collection is the best Blu-ray option for Dune fans. (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
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This two-film collection is the best Blu-ray option for Dune fans. (Image credit: Amazon)
Dune 2-Film Collection (4K UHD)
A must for Dune fans looking to watch the movies with maximum visual effects.
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac | Run time: 5 hours 21 minutes | Number of discs: 2
4K UHD
Bonus material
Great visual output
A little light on extra content
Denis Villeneuve's two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune somehow managed to please most fans while also captivating millions of casual moviegoers with no previous knowledge of the (admittedly dense) source material. That’s no small feat, and such a wondrous Sci-Fi epic deserves the biggest 4K screen you can fit inside your house. For now, our favorite domestic release of the two movies is the 2-Film Collection released in 2024.
As usual in Warner Bros. Pictures' domestic releases, the 4K UHD image and sound (Dolby 5.1, 7.1 and Atmos audio) quality is astonishing, making Arrakis' sights and sounds pop like in cinemas, which is exactly what you want from a 4K release of big Sci-Fi epics.
Sadly, this pack doesn't include regular 1080p Blu-ray discs like similar boxes, so it's a no-no for those still rocking a regular Blu-ray player but looking to future-proof their collection. The bonus features are also on the lighter side, but if you're looking to catch up ahead of Dune: Messiah while adding fantastic modern Sci-Fi classics to your physical media collection, it's an easy yes.
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
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Blade Runner: The final cut is the best Blu-ray option for fans of Blade Runner. (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
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Blade Runner: The final cut is the best Blu-ray option for fans of Blade Runner. (Image credit: Amazon)
Blade Runner: The Final Cut (4K UHD + Blu-ray)
As well as the original movie, over 7 hours of extra material, across 4 discs, make this a must.
Cast: Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer | Run time: 1 hour 58 minutes | Number of discs: 4
Great in 4K
Lots of bonus material
Not as great in 1080p
We thought it'd be weird to write this recap without searching for a great edition of the original Blade Runner, and we quickly came across the 4K UHD re-release of the Final Cut, regular Blu-ray and digital copy included.
It's yet another 'lean and mean' winner re-release from Warner Bros. and with a gorgeous cover to boot. Just make sure to buy it for the 4K UHD disc, as the encoding of the 1080p disc isn't the greatest, sadly.
When it comes to special features, it packs an introduction by Ridley Scott, three audio filmmaker commentaries, an entire documentary on the making of the movie and other extra bits (over 7 hours in total). Despite releasing in 2017 ahead of Blade Runner 2049, this release also has pretty great HDR support for the 4K disc; there's a good reason it's still kicking around. Ahead of the Blade Runner 2099 series, there's never been a better time to revisit the beginning of it all.
This stunning remaster offers the best steelbook option out there
Cast: Kathleen Quinlan, Laurence Fishburne, Sam Neill | Run time: 1 hour 35 minutes | Number of discs: 2
Aesthetically great physical copy
4K UHD
Great for fans of the movie
Not great if you're not a fan of the movie
2024's Limited Edition reprint of the 4K steelbook release of Event Horizon is amazing. There have been many versions of this space horror cult classic dropping over the years despite the mixed reception it got back in 1997, but its 4K UHD restoration was a huge one for fans, and the 25th Anniversary Edition was a killer package with a disturbing new cover to boot. It vanished quickly, which is why Paramount was pressed to push out a re-release last year. At the time of writing, you can still get it, but don't wait too long.
What if a spaceship vanished during its maiden voyage because the wormholes it used to cover great distances of space sent it through literal Hell? While all the potential of such an amazing (and horrifying) pitch wasn't realized in Paul W.S. Anderson's sci-fi horror flick, it remains a fascinating watch with a unique vibe and some of the gnarliest horror imagery in a wide theatrical science fiction release. We may never see all of the long-lost uncensored footage, but after all these years, this vision of Hell is still worth your time and money. You won't need eyes to see...
Star Wars: Andor – Season 1 (4K UHD)
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Andor Season one 4K UHD is the best option for fans of the Star Wars TV Shows. (Image credit: LucasFilm)
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(Image credit: Amazon)
Star Wars: Andor – Season 1 (4K UHD)
This hit Star Wars TV show comes with 3 discs and a bunch of bonus content.
Cast: Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Genevieve O’Reilly | Run time : 9 hours 42 minutes | Number of discs: 3
Plenty of bonus content
Concept art cards
4K UHD
Very expensive for just one season of a show
Even if you haven't watched Andor yet, you might've heard the Tony Gilroy-created live-action series is among the best Star Wars TV shows. We totally agree; it really feels deep and textured in a way nothing else in the franchise has been.
If you're planning to grab one of the excellent physical releases of Star Wars series, Andor Season 1 in 4K UHD (no regular Blu-rays included in this one) is the absolute best credits can buy.
We'd read, watched and played through many takes on the Rebel Alliance's origins, but none captured the Empire's reign of terror in the way Andor does. The best praise we can give to spinoffs coming out of long-running franchises is that they feel like great original stories that happen to take place in established universes, and Andor is exactly that. Sure, this isn't exactly kid-friendly Star Wars, but as a more adult take on the IP, which fits in perfectly nonetheless, we couldn't have asked for anything better. Sadly, Season 2 hasn't locked a physical media release yet, but we'd be shocked if it didn't.
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+ https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/the-best-sci-fi-blu-rays-to-own-beat-the-streaming-subscriptions
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+ Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:05:00 +0000Fri, 19 Dec 2025 15:32:06 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Lower-cost space missions like NASA's ESCAPADE are starting to deliver exciting science – but at a price in risk and trade‑offs ]]>
+ This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
After a yearslong series of setbacks, NASA's Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, or ESCAPADE, mission has finally begun its roundabout journey to Mars.
Launched on Nov. 13, 2025, aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, ESCAPADE's twin probes will map the planet's magnetic field and study how the solar wind – the stream of charged particles released from the Sun – has stripped away the Martian atmosphere over billions of years.
But this low-cost mission is still only getting started, and it's taking bigger risks than typical big-ticket NASA missions.
ESCAPADE is part of NASA's Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration, or SIMPLEx, program that funds low‑cost, higher‑risk projects. Of the five SIMPLEx missions selected so far, three have failed after launch due to equipment problems that might have been caught in more traditional, tightly managed programs. A fourth sits in indefinite storage.
ESCAPADE will not begin returning science data for about 30 months, and the program's history suggests the odds are not entirely in its favor. Nonetheless, the calculus goes that if enough of these missions are successful, NASA can achieve valuable science at a reduced cost – even with some losses along the way.
ESCAPADE is at the other end. It's a class D mission, defined as having "high risk tolerance" and "medium to low complexity."
Of the 21 class D missions that have launched since the designation was first applied in 2009, NASA has not had a single class D mission launch on schedule. Only four remained under budget. Four were canceled outright prior to launch.
ESCAPADE, which will have cost an estimated US$94.2 million by the end of its science operations in 2029, has stayed under the $100 million mark through a series of cost‑saving choices. It has a small set of key instruments, a low spacecraft mass to reduce launch costs, and extensively uses generic commercial components instead of custom hardware.
NASA also outsourced to private companies: Much of the spacecraft development went to Rocket Lab and the trajectory design to Advanced Space LLC, with tight contract limits to make sure the contractors didn't go over budget.
Additional savings came from creative arrangements, including the university‑funded VISIONS camera package and a discounted ride on New Glenn, which Blue Origin wanted to fly anyway for its own testing objectives.
An illustration from Rocket Lab of the Escapade mission with Rocket Lab's key designs. (Image credit: Rocket Lab)
Commercial space
ESCAPADE launched at a moment of transition in space science.
That boom has, in part, led to a resurgence in NASA's "faster, better, cheaper" push that originated in the 1980s and '90s – and which largely faded after the 2003 Columbia disaster.
In theory, leaner NASA oversight, greater use of off‑the‑shelf hardware and narrower science goals can cut costs while launching more missions and increasing the total science return. If ESCAPADE succeeds in delivering important science, it will be held up as evidence that this more commercial, risk-tolerant template can deliver.
The trade-offs
A concept put forward by Jared Isaacman, the Trump administration's nominee to lead NASA, is that 10 $100 million missions would be better than one $1 billion flagship – or top-tier – mission. This approach could encourage faster mission development and would diversify the types of missions heading out into the solar system.
But that reorganization comes with trade-offs. For example, low‑cost missions rarely match flagship missions in scope, and they typically do less to advance the technology necessary for doing innovative science.
Early in ESCAPADE's development, my role was to help create a planning document for the VISIONS cameras called the Science Traceability Matrix, which defines an instrument’s scientific goals and translates them into concrete measurement requirements.
My colleagues and I systematically asked: What do we want to learn? What observations prove it? And, critically, how precisely does the instrument need to work to be "good enough," given the budget? Loftier goals usually demand more complex instruments and operations, which drive up costs.
ESCAPADE's broader goals are to create a clearer picture of Mars' magnetic field, how the solar wind interacts with it, and figure out what that process does to Mars' atmosphere. That is valuable science. But it is more modest than the $583 million predecessor mission MAVEN's more extensive scope and richer suite of instruments. It was MAVEN that determined how and when Mars lost its once-dense atmosphere in the first place.
Both ESCAPADE and MAVEN are dwarfed again by the open‑ended potential of an operation like the James Webb Space Telescope, which observes a limitless slate of astronomical objects in the infrared light spectrum with a higher resolution than any combination of prior smaller telescopes.
Flagship missions like the James Webb Space Telescope push the state of the art in new technologies and materials. These innovations then filter into both future missions and everyday life. For example, the Webb telescope advanced the medical tools used in eye exams. Smaller missions rely more heavily on existing, mature technologies.
And when systems are built by private companies rather than NASA, those companies keep tight control over the patents rather than openly spreading the technology across the scientific community.
An image from Blue Origin's New Glenn ESCAPADE launch. (Image credit: Blue Origin)
A tense road to launch
ESCAPADE's principal investigator, Rob Lillis, has joked that it is the mission with 11 lives, having survived 11 near‑cancellations. Problems ranged from being late in reaching the technology readiness levels that helped ensure the probes wouldn't malfunction after launch, to the loss of its original free ride, with NASA's Psyche mission.
In 2024, ESCAPADE received support from NASA to ride on New Glenn's maiden flight, only to face delays as Blue Origin worked through technical hurdles. At last, in October 2025, ESCAPADE reached the launchpad.
I traveled to Cape Canaveral for the launch and felt the tension firsthand. The first window was scrubbed by bad weather and issues with ground equipment. Then a strong solar storm — ironically, a key driver of the very processes ESCAPADE will study — shut down the second window.
Finally, on Nov. 13, after repeated setbacks, New Glenn lifted off to cheers around the country. ESCAPADE reached orbit, and after a nervous few hours of receiver misalignment, mission controllers established communication with the spacecraft.
What's next
While in Florida, I also watched another milestone in commercial spaceflight: the record-breaking 94th launch from Cape Canaveral in 2025, marking the most launches from Florida in a single year. It was a SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying Starlink satellites.
Like New Glenn, SpaceX's Falcon 9 saves money by landing and reusing rockets. If multiple providers like SpaceX and Blue Origin compete to keep launch prices low, the economics of small science missions will only improve.
If ESCAPADE's twin spacecraft reach Mars and deliver new insights as planned, they will demonstrate how minimalist, commercial-forward approaches can expand the planetary knowledge base.
But even then, a string of future SIMPLEx successes would likely not be a substitute for the uniquely capable, technology‑advancing flagship missions that answer the most far‑reaching questions. ESCAPADE can instead help test whether a broader mix of small missions – leaning on commercial partners and a few big, ambitious flagships – can together sustain planetary science in an era of tight budgets.
For now, that balance remains an open experiment, and only time will tell whether ESCAPADE is a lone bright spot or the start of a real shift.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/lower-cost-space-missions-like-nasas-escapade-are-starting-to-deliver-exciting-science-but-at-a-price-in-risk-and-trade-offs
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+ <![CDATA[ Event horizon hunt: A black hole word search ]]>
+ Black holes are among the most fascinating and enigmatic objects in the universe. Born from collapsed stars and governed by the laws of general relativity, these cosmic beasts warp spacetime, trap light, and challenge our understanding of physics itself.
But how well do you know the vocabulary that surrounds them?
This word search quiz invites you to explore the essential terms and concepts that define black holes.
So sharpen your focus, channel your inner astrophysicist, and get ready to decode the dark. The black hole word search awaits and it's pulling you in.
See how well you score below!
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+ https://www.space.com/astronomy/black-holes/event-horizon-hunt-a-black-hole-word-search
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+ Sun, 28 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:30:19 +0000
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+ <![CDATA[ Our favorite Space.com stories of 2025 ]]>
+ Quite a bit has happened in the space sector this year, out in the cosmos as well as on Earth — and actually, in Earth orbit, too.
For instance, U.S. President Donald Trump took office in only January, but his administration is responsible for a wealth of changes that have flipped life upside down for scientists in the States. China, Russia and India are meanwhile steadily strengthening their space programs, and other countries are starting to bloom toward the cosmos as well. Earth orbit, to say the least, is getting pretty crowded.
At the same time, an interstellar comet paid our solar system a surprising visit, black holes and neutron stars continue to baffle us with their mind-bending characteristics, the northern lights are suddenly appearing in skies across the world, a Mars rover managed to find rocky treasure on the Red Planet and science fiction has been captivating enough to float us into our imaginations on days when real things like spaceflight crashes and political encroachment on climate science get overwhelming.
But through it all, our reporters have been following the show.
So, to create a must-read story list for you, we asked our staff to select their favorite pieces of 2025. Alas, while you're drinking leftover hot chocolate or sitting in your room trying to escape questions from your extended family, here are some great reads, twisty reads, essential reads and long, joyful reads to relax into.
1. On NASA sinking its flagship science center and possibly breaking the law
One of the episodes of our podcast "This Week in Space" talked to our staff writer Josh Dinner about his series on NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. (Image credit: Space.com / Marilyn Perkins, with contributions from Josh Dinner)
Josh has been putting out amazing stories all year, but his investigative article revealing the sweeping and chaotic changes inflicted by NASA leadership on the Goddard Space Flight Center was of a different class. It was a considered, well-researched and thoughtfully written piece that explored the human cost of the administration's actions, while alerting the public to the long-term damage that the secretive moves could wreak on the agency's scientific capabilities.
It prompted discussion and action from both Space.com's readership and also the ranking member of the U.S. congressional committee on science, space and technology, Zoe Lofgren, who cited the story in a letter to NASA acting administrator Sean Duffy while demanding that NASA cease its actions and give "a full accounting of the damage inflicted on Goddard thus far."
TLDR: Josh is the journalist I want to be when I finally grow up.
For years, Robert Hunt convinced everyone he could that he was a NASA astronaut. The truth was anything but. (Image credit: Future/Susan Lapides)
After more than 20 years of space reporting, I thought I'd heard most of the crazy stories from the space age, but must admit that Jeff Maysh's tale of huckster astronaut wannabe Robert Hunt, who for years play-acted being an astronaut, took me by surprise. Through some meticulous reporting, and interviews with Hunt himself, Jeff recounts an astounding story of one man's determination to play the role of a space traveler without actually being one. It's an amazing story, more so for how long Hunt seemed to get away with it.
Circa 1945: Astronomer Dr. Edwin Powell Hubble sitting in a chair at a desk reading a journal. A staff member at Mt. Wilson Observatory, he was the first scientist to offer observational evidence supporting the theory, now known as Hubble's Law, of the expansion of the universe. (Image credit: New York Times Co./Getty Images)
As an astronomy editor, I read and write about Edwin Hubble a lot, and in many different contexts. His presence permeates so much of physics as a whole, from the Hubble Space Telescope and Hubble's Law to the Hubble Constant and resulting Hubble Tension. But what science writer Keith Cooper did with his look back on how Hubble proved our Milky Way galaxy isn't alone in the universe is focus on the side characters responsible for Hubble's great success — characters very rarely spoken about. This engrossing read is where my rabbit-hole of knowledge about Milton Humason began, a janitor and mule skinner who helped with the construction of Mount Wilson Observatory, then went on to aid Hubble in several major discoveries.
I'm not sure if this is allowed, but I also have a second favorite that needs to be on this list. Maybe I was biased because I read this story after having a slightly rough day and sipping tea in my bed, but our editor Daisy Dobrijevic's long, narrative piece about being on a multi-day aurora cruise along Norway's frigid coast was really a treat. The vivid imagery and honest retelling of what emotions are involved when viewing neon ribbons in the sky make you feel like you were there. There's one bit about a window that has stayed in my mind. You'll know when you read it.
4. Trump's desire to slash NASA's budget rattles scientists
NASA was faced with possible severe budget cuts in 2025. (Image credit: Josh Dinner)
I love how we leaned into writing about the current U.S. administration's questionable decisions this year, and this was one of my favorites. In times of controversy, in-depth reporting matters more than ever.
An image of a black hole surrounded by matter. Does the secret of quantum gravity lie around these cosmic titans too? (Image credit: Robert Lea (created with Canva))
This story from Rob Lea dives into a space mystery, which are always my favorite, and explores how a dead NASA satellite ended up fooling astronomers into thinking they had discovered a fast radio burst (FRB) from far beyond the Milky Way. Featuring interviews with the researchers behind the discovery itself, the story explores possible ways the defunct satellite could have produced such a remarkable burst of radio waves — which still remains a mystery.
The Trump administration's budget cuts have affected all research communities, not just NASA. (Image credit: Josh Dinner via Future)
Mona's piece is my top pick because of its timely and informative content and its narrative outline. She does a wonderful job describing the impacts of NASA's and the National Science Foundation's absences at a major astronomy meeting and connects it to wider issues concerning the scientific community at a time when many in their field feel uncertain about their academic and professional futures.
Mona plainly demonstrates the stakes from an easy-to-understand perspective, and shows the importance of such organizations at these kinds of biannual gatherings in a way that put me in the shoes of the disappointed scientists who traveled all the way to Alaska only for the headline act not to show up, and the scientists who eagerly await these meetings who were barred from attending.
I'd also like to add honorable mentions, though, to two other brilliant stories from this year: Daisy Dobrijevic's piece about visiting STARMUS in La Palma and Brett Tingley's about an Apollo-era radio telescope being up for sale.
7. The division between our universe's most monstrous objects
An illustration of a neutron star. (Image credit: ESA.)
Black holes and neutron stars are without a doubt the two most fearsome and impressive objects in the known universe. Both are born when massive stars die and "go nova." That means that the obvious question is: Where is the dividing line between these two bodies? It is so cool that we are on the verge of discovering that division, which will lead us toward figuring out what the biggest neutron stars are and what the smallest black holes are.
8. An industrial project threatening the world's largest telescope
A rendering of the finished Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) on top of Cerro Armazones in Chile's Atacama Desert. (Image credit: ESO)
My favorite stories this year are Tereza Pultarova's paired features on the threat posed to Cerro Paranal, published about a year apart. Together, they show how journalism can follow an issue beyond the initial alarm, tracing it through evidence, expert voices and ultimately a call to action. They balance the urgent need for clean energy with our shared responsibility to protect the night sky, highlighting not just obvious impacts to astronomy like light pollution but also subtler ones such as vibrations and turbulence. To me, this is one of the biggest emerging threats to modern astronomy — and exactly the kind of story we need to keep telling.
Did NASA's Perseverance rover find life on Mars? (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)
This story is a great example of how to cover the search for alien life responsibly. It highlights the inherent complexity and difficulty of the E.T. hunt without sucking the excitement out of important discoveries that spot the trail, like the Perseverance rover's "poppy seed" and "leopard spot" finds. All science journalists should seek to strike this balance.
10. The film "Apollo 13" is just as good as you remember
A scene from "Apollo 13" (Image credit: Universal Pictures)
The quintessential space movie turned 30 this year, and Rich Edwards — one of our talented freelancers — looked back on Apollo 13 and how it showcased the grit and determination of NASA's scientists, and not just the rockstar astronauts onboard the stricken craft.
It's a beautifully written retrospective on a phenomenal movie, and if you missed it back in June, then it's time to perform a slingshot maneuver around the moon and check it out now.
11. The importance of journalism and a comet from beyond
Multiple images of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. (Image credit: NASA)
I really enjoyed this story because I got a front row seat to see some of the coolest images of 3I/ATLAS in existence — and also because of the classic journalism spirit behind it. When this news broke, it was evening and just our astronomy editor Mona, myself, our video editor Steve, our spaceflight editor Mike and our editor in chief Tariq were on Slack, seeing these images together for the first time and tag-teaming to get the story polished and published. At one point, my internet (which I thankfully now have updated) wasn't working and I freaked out, fearing the job would reach a halt. Thankfully, the delay was short, and here we are.
So … long answer, but overall, not only is this story a joy to read because it's scientifically spectacular — look at those images of an interstellar object! — but also because of the people behind it. In a world where journalism and freedom of the press is under multiple threats, both from growing anti-intellectual culture and the rise of AI, it's important to remember people are at the heart of what we do.
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+ https://www.space.com/space-exploration/our-favorite-space-com-stories-of-2025
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+ <![CDATA[ 8 astronomy discoveries that wowed us in 2025 ]]>
+ 2025 was an exciting year for astronomical discoveries. Scientists got the best evidence yet for past life on Mars, discovered an interstellar comet zooming through our solar system, found clues of possible nearby exoplanets, and much more. Here are eight of the most spectacular space stories from the past 12 months.
1. A new interstellar comet
The highlight from the second half of 2025 was undoubtedly Comet 3I/ATLAS, which is only the third interstellar object to have been discovered cruising through our solar system.
The Chilean component of the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System spotted the interstellar interloper sneaking among the stars of the constellation Sagittarius on July 1, and it quickly became apparent that its trajectory was severely hyperbolic. Rather than orbiting the sun like comets native to our solar system do, it was just passing through — and it was moving faster than any comet ever seen. Its abnormally high velocity of 36 miles per second (58 kilometers per second) told us that the speedy object, which became known as 3I/ATLAS, had probably been wandering interstellar space and receiving gravitational nudges from nearby stars since before our solar system even existed.
By September, 3I/ATLAS was moving behind the sun, making it impossible for Earth-based telescopes to track its movements until it reappeared in mid-November. Instead, NASA and the European Space Agency turned to their fleets of spacecraft that had better views of the comet during solar conjunction.
So far, we've learned that 3I/ATLAS is a comet and that all of its features have been seen on comets before. Its chemistry is broadly similar to the solar system's own comets, which is a profound discovery in its own right. There are a few differences, though — specifically, a slightly higher carbon-dioxide-to-water ratio, and a little more nickel than iron, which reflect the chemical composition of its star system of origin.
Besides a regular comet's tail, 3I/ATLAS has also sprouted an "anti-tail" — a short tail pointed toward the sun. Often, anti-tails are an optical illusion, but 3I/ATLAS' is real.
Astronomers will continue to track 3I/ATLAS into 2026 in the hope of learning more about its composition, but one thing is clear: It is a comet, not a spaceship.
An image of 3I/ATLAS captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on Nov. 30, 2025. The telescope is tracking with the comet, which is why the fixed stars are trails. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))
2. The birth of supermassive black holes
As soon as the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) began taking deep images of the cosmos in 2022, it quickly started finding "little red dots" in the background. Astronomers didn't know what they were. At first they thought the dots could be dwarf galaxies or dense star clusters in the very early universe, but they were so luminous that the standard model of cosmology couldn't explain how they could have formed, prompting critics to suggest cosmology was broken.
However, the spectra of the little red dots didn't look like those of stars. In September, astronomers proposed an answer: The little red dots are "black hole stars" — supermassive black holes being born inside a huge, dense cloud of gas less than a billion years after the Big Bang.
These burgeoning supermassive black holes could have formed either by the direct gravitational collapse of a humongous gas cloud or from the merger of myriad stellar-mass black holes produced by the core collapse of massive stars in a dense stellar cluster hidden inside a gas cloud.
Nobody ever expected that those black holes would be produced by a whole new breed of object, so it's a crucial development in our understanding of black holes, the galaxies that eventually formed around them, and the early universe in general.
An illustration shows the JWST in space next to its observations of some of the earliest galaxies ever seen, the so-called "little red dots." (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Dale Kocevski (Colby College)/ Robert Lea (created with Canva))
3. Weakening dark energy
The first full data release from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), a state-of-the-art device on the Mayall Telescope at Kitt Peak in Arizona, came with shocking news: Dark energy, which is responsible for accelerating the expansion of the universe, seems to be weakening.
This was a direct contradiction of the leading hypothesis, which was that dark energy was the cosmological constant and, therefore, unchanging. While the new findings are not yet at the level of confidence required for astronomers to be sure the results are correct, they are significantly intriguing.
In 2024, some preliminary results from DESI pointed toward the strength of dark energy changing over time. Then, in March 2025, the DESI collaboration released data from the instrument's first three years of observations, spanning 13.1 million galaxies, 1.6 million quasars and about 4 million stars in relatively nearby galaxies, forming the largest and most accurate 3D map of the universe ever made.
The results showed that 4.5 billion years ago, dark energy seemed to begin weakening. Furthermore, during the previous 9 billion years, dark energy was stronger than anyone expected. This superpowered dark energy, dubbed phantom dark energy, invokes exotic physics. Why phantom dark energy would have transitioned into a weakening form two-thirds of the way into the universe's history is a complete mystery. Assuming the findings from DESI are correct, it would transform the way we view the past and future of the cosmos. For now, it deepens the mystery of dark energy.
Star trails over the Mayall Telescope, which houses DESI on Kitt Peak in Arizona. (Image credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Babak Tafreshi)
4. A year of biosignatures
Some of the most intriguing and controversial signs that we are not alone in the universe came to light in 2025, with discoveries on planets both near and far.
The best evidence yet for past life on Mars surfaced in September 2025, courtesy of NASA's Perseverance rover. That evidence was in the form of some light-red spots ringed by dark material. These "leopard spots" are not uncommon on rocks on Earth, and they typically form in one of two ways: either when exposed to hot, acidic conditions that have not been present in that part of Jezero crater, or through biological action. Organic molecules were also discovered in clay sediments within the rock, although Perseverance was unable to identify these molecules. The discovery is the most compelling evidence yet that microbial life could have existed in Jezero crater 3.5 billion years ago.
A more recent biosignature was potentially found on the exoplanet K2-18b by astronomers using JWST. In 2023, a team found signs of the gas dimethyl sulfide, alongside methane and oxygen. The team thinks this finding suggests K2-18b is a "hycean" planet — a world with an incredibly deep global ocean of water, surrounded by a thick, hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The team predicted that dimethyl sulfide could be a biosignature on a hycean world, as it can be on Earth, but the initial detection was very tentative. In March 2025, JWST produced stronger evidence for dimethyl sulfide's existence on K2-18b.
Even so, many astronomers are still skeptical of the discovery. Some argue against the concept of hycean worlds, point out that the signal is very weak, and raise the possibility that dimethyl sulfide can also form abiotically.
This artist’s illustration shows the planet K2-18 b, its host star and an accompanying planet in this system. K2-18 b is now the only super-Earth exoplanet known to host both water and temperatures that could support life. (Image credit: ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser)
5. New exoplanetary neighbors
This year, astronomers made major steps in adding to the exoplanet inventory around the nearest stars, Alpha-Proxima Centauri and Barnard's Star.
Astronomers had previously thought they'd found planets in both systems, but each time, the evidence didn't hold up. Then, in 2024, a strong candidate for a small, rocky planet orbiting Barnard's Star was revealed in data from the Very Large Telescope in Chile. In March 2025, this observation was confirmed to be real, along with those of three smaller exoplanets. The most massive of the quartet has one-third themass of Earth, while the smallest is one-fifth the mass of our planet. Unfortunately, none reside in the habitable zone, but further planets in more temperate regions have not been ruled out.
Then, in August, observations by JWST produced the most convincing evidence yet for a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A. The exoplanet is estimated to have a mass similar to that of Saturn and, therefore, expected to be a gas giant. Intriguingly, if this world is real, it must have a highly elliptical orbit that may result from its inclusion in a binary system.
An artist's impression of the Barnard's Star system, from the surface of one of its planets. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Marenfeld)
6. The Milky Way and Andromeda's uncertain future
The Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies might not crash into each other in the next 10 billion years after all. New research published this year finds that there is a 50-50 chance that the two galaxies will miss each other.
By considering the way the Large Magellanic Cloud's gravity pulls on the Milky Way and how the gravity of the Triangulum Galaxy pulls on Andromeda, researchers refined how close Andromeda and the Milky Way galaxies will get by running a multitude of simulations.
They found that the critical distance is 650,000 light years. If they pass closer than that, the two galaxies will collide at some point in the next 10 billion years. If their closest approach is greater than 650,000 light years, they won't make contact. According to the simulations, both possibilities are equally likely.
The Andromeda galaxy may avoid an imminent collision with the Milky Way. (Image credit: Westend61/Getty Images)
7. The most massive black hole ever seen?
In 2025, astronomers may have discovered the most massive black hole ever seen. This ultra-massive black hole, which tips the scales at 36 billion solar masses, resides at the heart of one of the most massive galaxies in the universe, called the Cosmic Horseshoe because it acts as a gravitational lens that bends the light of a more distant galaxy into an Einstein ring sporting a horseshoe shape.
More massive black holes have been claimed, but the authors of the new research pointed out that those other black holes had their masses measured indirectly, so their masses are just guesses. The mass of the black hole in the Cosmic Horseshoe, on the other hand, has been measured directly and more accurately by tracking the motion of groups of stars around it, pulled by the black hole's gravity. It certainly puts our 4.1 million-solar mass supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, in the shade.
The Cosmic Horseshoe may host the most massive black hole ever measured. (Image credit: NASA/ESA)
8. First light for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory
After more than a quarter century of planning and over 10 years of construction, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile, armed with its 8.4-meter (27.6 feet) Simonyi Survey Telescope, saw first light in the summer of 2025 — and its images of the heavens were exquisite.
The telescope is designed for high-resolution surveys, with studies of dark matter and dark energy in mind. Two areas of the sky were targeted for first light to demonstrate the telescope's prowess. One was the mighty Virgo Cluster, whose member galaxies had never been seen so clearly across such a wide expanse of space, and with 10 million faint galaxies in the background to boot. The other image was of the Trifid and Lagoon nebulas, two star-forming regions in the Milky Way.
Each night, the telescope will capture 20TB of data with its 3.2-gigapixel CCD camera — the largest ever built — and issue 10 million alerts daily for asteroids, variable stars, tidal disruption events and supernovas. Over the course of its initial 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, the observatory will accumulate 60 petabytes (60,000TB) of information. With all that data, the Rubin Observatory may deliver a tsunami of unprecedented astronomical discoveries.
Move over, Star Wars, and get out of here, Marvel, because there is finally an official Star Trek Lego set… and what a set. The first Star Trek Lego set was always going to be some variation of the USS Enterprise, but as a massive The Next Generation stan, I'm glad that it was my beloved: the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D.
With an 18+ recommended age rating and a hefty 3600-piece count, it's certainly not for the faint of heart. That's fine, though, because I have to imagine that just about everyone who wants one of these things is someone who watched the original show back in the day. Who knows, though, maybe Paramount+ is bringing in the next generation of Next Generation fans?
It's also a hefty $400 — a price point that will make you yearn for the moneyless society of the show. So, was it worth the wait, and is it worth the money? Let's head into the review at warp seven and find out.
Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D: Build
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Some of the Lego pieces included in the new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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Some of the Lego pieces included in the new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set starting to take shape. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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Lego pieces and booklet instructions for the new U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
Body constructed with two mirrored halves
3600 pieces
Some easy-to-apply stickers and printed pieces
The Lego Star Trek: U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D is made from 3600 pieces, split across 30 different bags and two instruction books. The first book covers the ship's main body and the flight stand, while the second book is devoted to the saucer section.
To make it so, the build starts with the main body and wings that hold the nacelles (aka the ship's warp engines). You actually construct the body from two mirror halves, which are then attached using several long cross-axle pieces (the long plus-shaped bars). I was especially impressed with how the designers crafted the main deflector array — that blue oval on the front of the ship that's always firing off tractor beams and tachyon pulses — which is made from two, custom-printed cockpit windscreen pieces that you invert, creating the concave shape of the array.
With the body constructed, it's time for a quick detour to assemble the flight stand, as the fixed position it offers makes attaching the engines much easier.
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A look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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A look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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A look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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A look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
Speaking of which, you'll move on to building the nacelles themselves, which make good use of blue and red transparent pieces to recreate the iconic look of the ship's glowing engines. Once assembled, the nacelles slot into place nicely, and by this point, you've got a working ship… as long as you don't mind commanding your daft-looking ship from the battle bridge.
The back half of the build is a lot more technical, as you're building a larger circular disc out of square and rectangular Lego pieces. This feat is achieved by first constructing a central frame, similar to the spokes of a wheel, and then attaching it to the main body. I ran into an issue here, as I discovered I'd made a mistake in section 1 that only reared its ugly head here. A single piece was rotated 90 degrees in the wrong direction, and it stopped the saucer from slotting in. Fortunately, I was able to repair it without disassembling the entire thing, but my heart did stop for a second when I discovered my mistake.
Once the frame is in place, you then attach the top panels, which use angled pieces and hinge attachments, slotting together into a damn impressive approximation of a circle.
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is coming along nicely in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is coming along nicely in the building process. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
Things get trickier from here, though, as the final stretch has you repeating this process on the underside of the ship. The instruction book seems to imagine that you've got infinite room to work underneath the ship while doing this, but in practice, it's quite tricky. I gave up in the end and just flipped the whole thing over, which felt very sketchy, and I ended up knocking a few random pieces off during the operation.
Despite my brief (and self-inflicted) cardiac episode, I had a fantastic time building the Enterprise. The nine minifigures are scattered throughout the build, providing a nice palette cleanser as you work through this sizeable build. They're all simple to construct as you'd expect, though Riker's trombone is an impressive — and rickety — piece of engineering.
Some mirror sections effectively call for you to build the same thing twice, but the fact that it's mirrored — and not identical — keeps you on your toes. There are some special printed pieces, along with some stickers scattered throughout the build, but they're all easy enough to apply.
Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D: Design
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is a seriously impressive display piece. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is a seriously impressive display piece. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is a seriously impressive display piece. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set is a seriously impressive display piece. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
Great display model
Comprehensive collection of minifigures
Can be a little fragile to handle when completed
I've been waiting a very long time for a Lego Star Trek set, and I'm thrilled to say the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D was worth the wait. The design team has perfectly replicated the iconic starship in exquisite detail — no small feat given its awkward size and shape. I was skeptical of how the circular saucer section would look when built out of flat-edge pieces, but it looks stunning.
Some easter eggs are hiding around the ship that fans will appreciate, including the dedication plaque that emblazons the back wall of the Enterprise's bridge (complete with a hilarious typo). Sadly, this set isn't big enough to have a minifig scale bridge hidden inside it, so the plaque lives in a hidden compartment instead.
Speaking of minifigures, the collection included here is comprehensive, with almost all of your favorite characters from the show (bad luck to the Tasha Yar and Chief O'Brien stans out there). They all look wonderful, each with their own unique accessories ranging from Worf's phaser through to Riker's ridiculous trombone.
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A closer look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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A closer look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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A closer look at the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D set. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
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The display plaque from the new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
There are some unique Lego pieces used here, too, including Worf's "hair" and Guinan's flamboyant headpiece. There is a platform to store the minifigs on, and a printed display piece with cool facts and figures about the Enterprise on it, too.
Another neat touch is the "pin" that locks the saucer section in place, which is cleverly disguised as a shuttlecraft approaching the shuttlebay. It's a cute piece of design, though the detachable saucer section itself is — much like in the show — a gimmick that you'll rarely use.
The model is too fragile to handle (since completing it, I knocked a piece off while showing it off on webcam and can not for the life of me find where it came from). Beyond that, there is no display stand to hold the saucer section on its own, so unless you're recreating the end of Star Trek: Generations, it's not worth detaching.
Should you buy the Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D?
The new Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D is an awesome set and we would recommend it for serious Star Trek and Lego fans. (Image credit: Ian Stokes / Future)
If you're a Star Trek fan and a Lego collector, of course, you should buy this set. And by the looks of it, a lot of you already did because the Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D sold almost immediately out on launch day. If you missed the first wave, don't worry, because we're sure it'll be back in stock at warp speed.
The Enterprise is a brilliant set to build and a gorgeous display piece when it's done. It's expensive, as you'd expect from a 3,600-piece Lego set, but I think it's well worth the price of admission for Trekkies. Your wallet's shields never stood a chance.
Other Lego sets to consider
As we said in the intro, the Lego U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D is the first and only Star Trek Lego set out there for now (unless you count the Type-15 Shuttlepod that came with the pre-order), so we don't have any other Trekkie sets to recommend to you.
If you're agnostic in the Trek vs Wars divide, there are plenty of amazing Star Wars Lego sets to consider, though. My personal favorite is the Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser, an enormous 5,374-piece monster that dwarfs even the Enterprise.
If the $649.99/£559.99 price tag on that set has triggered a red alert from your bank, there are some cheaper sets we love too; namely, the Mos Espa Podrace Diorama and the adorable Grogu with Hover Pram, both of which can be had for under $100.
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<![CDATA[ Space Force Guardians show off shiny new duds | Space photo of the day for Dec. 26, 2025 ]]>
- On Dec. 4, 2025, proud U.S. Space Force officer trainees donned their new service dress uniforms for a class photo ahead of their Officer Training School (OTS) graduation. Arranged in formation, the officers present a unified, formal appearance, signaling the Space Force has reached a new phase of maturity, moving beyond its formative years toward a more established presence within the U.S. military.
What is it?
The U.S. Space Force is the newest branch of the United States military, established to organize, train, and equip forces responsible for operations in space. As satellites and space-based systems have become essential to communication, navigation, national security, and economic stability, space has evolved into a distinct operational domain, alongside land, sea, air and cyberspace.
Since its creation, the Space Force has focused on defining not just missions and capabilities, but also identity. Traditions, ranks, culture, and symbols all play a role in shaping a service that must simultaneously honor military heritage and adapt to the technical, rapidly changing nature of space operations. One of the most visible elements of that identity is the service dress uniform.
Where is it?
The image was captured at Maxwell Air Force Base, in Alabama.
The new class of US Space Force Guardians pose before their graduation ceremony. (Image credit: Tech. Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
Why is it amazing?
The photograph connects long-standing military customs — such as formal graduation portraits and service dress — with the modern mission of space operations. This blend underscores how the Space Force draws from established military values while preparing for challenges unique to space.
Service dress uniforms are worn during ceremonies, official events, and moments of public representation. Seeing Space Force officers in their own distinctive uniform reinforces the service's legitimacy and permanence, both within the Department of Defense and in the public eye.
As these newly commissioned Guardians move on to their first assignments, the image stands as a reminder that even in the era of space-based missions and digital warfare, tradition, identity, and human commitment remain central to military service.
]]>
+ On Dec. 4, 2025, proud U.S. Space Force officer trainees donned their new service dress uniforms for a class photo ahead of their Officer Training School (OTS) graduation. Arranged in formation, the officers present a unified, formal appearance, signaling the Space Force has reached a new phase of maturity, moving beyond its formative years toward a more established presence within the U.S. military.
What is it?
The U.S. Space Force is the newest branch of the United States military, established to organize, train, and equip forces responsible for operations in space. As satellites and space-based systems have become essential to communication, navigation, national security, and economic stability, space has evolved into a distinct operational domain, alongside land, sea, air and cyberspace.
Since its creation, the Space Force has focused on defining not just missions and capabilities, but also identity. Traditions, ranks, culture, and symbols all play a role in shaping a service that must simultaneously honor military heritage and adapt to the technical, rapidly changing nature of space operations. One of the most visible elements of that identity is the service dress uniform.
Where is it?
The image was captured at Maxwell Air Force Base, in Alabama.
The new class of US Space Force Guardians pose before their graduation ceremony. (Image credit: Tech. Sgt. Savannah L. Waters)
Why is it amazing?
The photograph connects long-standing military customs — such as formal graduation portraits and service dress — with the modern mission of space operations. This blend underscores how the Space Force draws from established military values while preparing for challenges unique to space.
Service dress uniforms are worn during ceremonies, official events, and moments of public representation. Seeing Space Force officers in their own distinctive uniform reinforces the service's legitimacy and permanence, both within the Department of Defense and in the public eye.
As these newly commissioned Guardians move on to their first assignments, the image stands as a reminder that even in the era of space-based missions and digital warfare, tradition, identity, and human commitment remain central to military service.
]]>
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/space-force-guardians-show-off-shiny-new-duds-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-26-2025
@@ -327,7 +724,7 @@
<![CDATA[ Roman around the Christmas tree | Space photo of the day for Dec. 25, 2025 ]]>
- In a scene that feels more like a midnight vigil than a routine inspection, NASA engineers and scientists gathered in near darkness inside a pristine cleanroom. Armed with flashlights and ultraviolet lamps, members of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team carefully examined the observatory's primary mirror, searching for even the smallest trace of contamination.
The eerie green glow illuminating the cleanroom wasn't festive lighting but the result of a long exposure combined with a small indicator lamp on the wall, an unassuming signal that the airflow in the room was just right.
In its own way, it looked a bit like a high-tech holiday scene: dim lights, hushed voices, and a priceless object being checked one last time before a long journey.
What is it?
The Roman Space Telescope is one of NASA's next great observatories, designed to explore some of the biggest questions in modern astronomy. From probing the mysterious nature of dark energy to discovering thousands of new exoplanets, Roman will survey the universe with a wide-field view far beyond what previous space telescopes have achieved.
To do this science, Roman will employ extraordinarily sensitive optics, especially its primary mirror. Even microscopic dust particles or residues can scatter light and degrade observations. That's why inspections take place in cleanrooms that are cleaner than hospital operating theaters, under lighting conditions carefully chosen to reveal what the naked eye might otherwise miss.
Ultraviolet light causes certain contaminants to fluoresce, making them easier to spot. The team's slow, methodical work under flashlights and UV lamps ensures that the mirror meets the strict standards required for spaceflight. It's meticulous, patient labor — more "silent night" than spotlight moment — but it is essential to the telescope's future success.
The Roman Space Telescope gets carefully inspected for contaminants. (Image credit: NASA/Michael Guinto)
Why is it amazing?
Once Roman launches in late 2026 or early 2027, there will be no opportunity to wipe down a mirror or redo an inspection. Every careful check on Earth protects years of future science.
As Roman moves closer to launch, images like this remind us that the science of space telescopes starts in cleanrooms, with flashlights, UV light and people dedicated to making sure humanity's next window on the universe is as clear as possible.
]]>
+ In a scene that feels more like a midnight vigil than a routine inspection, NASA engineers and scientists gathered in near darkness inside a pristine cleanroom. Armed with flashlights and ultraviolet lamps, members of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope team carefully examined the observatory's primary mirror, searching for even the smallest trace of contamination.
The eerie green glow illuminating the cleanroom wasn't festive lighting but the result of a long exposure combined with a small indicator lamp on the wall, an unassuming signal that the airflow in the room was just right.
In its own way, it looked a bit like a high-tech holiday scene: dim lights, hushed voices, and a priceless object being checked one last time before a long journey.
What is it?
The Roman Space Telescope is one of NASA's next great observatories, designed to explore some of the biggest questions in modern astronomy. From probing the mysterious nature of dark energy to discovering thousands of new exoplanets, Roman will survey the universe with a wide-field view far beyond what previous space telescopes have achieved.
To do this science, Roman will employ extraordinarily sensitive optics, especially its primary mirror. Even microscopic dust particles or residues can scatter light and degrade observations. That's why inspections take place in cleanrooms that are cleaner than hospital operating theaters, under lighting conditions carefully chosen to reveal what the naked eye might otherwise miss.
Ultraviolet light causes certain contaminants to fluoresce, making them easier to spot. The team's slow, methodical work under flashlights and UV lamps ensures that the mirror meets the strict standards required for spaceflight. It's meticulous, patient labor — more "silent night" than spotlight moment — but it is essential to the telescope's future success.
The Roman Space Telescope gets carefully inspected for contaminants. (Image credit: NASA/Michael Guinto)
Why is it amazing?
Once Roman launches in late 2026 or early 2027, there will be no opportunity to wipe down a mirror or redo an inspection. Every careful check on Earth protects years of future science.
As Roman moves closer to launch, images like this remind us that the science of space telescopes starts in cleanrooms, with flashlights, UV light and people dedicated to making sure humanity's next window on the universe is as clear as possible.
]]>
https://www.space.com/astronomy/roman-around-the-christmas-tree-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-25-2025
@@ -518,7 +915,7 @@
<![CDATA[ NASA satellite gazes into Medusa Pool | Space photo of the day for Dec. 24, 2025 ]]>
- Far from shipping lanes, cities, and even most scientific outposts lie the South Sandwich Islands, one of the most remote island chains on Earth. Stretching in a slender arc through the stormy South Atlantic Ocean, these islands sit more than 994 miles (1,600 kilometers) from both South America and Antarctica. In this satellite image, puffs of low-level cloud drift across Vindication and Candlemas Islands, two of the South Sandwich Islands, mingling with rugged volcanic terrain and icy shorelines. The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) instrument aboard the Earth-observing satellite Landsat 9, a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Such scenes are uncommon in satellite records from this region, where clouds often obscure the surface.
What is it?
Since Captain James Cook first reported two closely spaced islands in 1775 — later named Candlemas and Vindication — the region has remained largely inaccessible. Persistent cloud cover, harsh seas, and extreme weather make direct observation rare. As a result, satellites have become the primary way scientists study these islands, monitoring volcanic activity, glaciation, erosion, and atmospheric behavior in one of Earth’s least disturbed environments.
Thanks to fewer clouds, the satellite was able to observe some of Candlemas Island's features, including Lucifer Hill and Medusa Pool.
Where is it?
The image was taken above Candlemas and Vindication Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
These two islands are hard to access, and experts rely on satellite technology to study them. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. )
Why is it amazing?
Using satellite images like this one, scientists can understand how volcanic islands evolve in extreme climates. Candlemas Island itself began as two separate islands that merged centuries ago. Its southeastern portion is an older, heavily eroded stratovolcano now mantled in ice, while its northwestern side hosts younger lava flows radiating from cinder cones like Lucifer Hill. Historical accounts describe eruptions and steam clouds as recently as the 20th century, suggesting that volcanic heat and glacial ice have long coexisted here in tension.
The image also highlights the dominant role of erosion. Vindication Island shows no evidence of recent volcanism. Instead, steep cliffs and reduced land area testify to the power of waves, freezing temperatures and storms, forces that slowly dismantle volcanic edifices once tectonic energy subsides.
The clouds themselves are also part of the story. The South Sandwich Islands are famous for producing striking wave clouds, created when strong winds are forced upward by steep terrain. These atmospheric patterns, occasionally visible from space, provide insight into air flow and stability in remote oceanic environments, data useful for both weather and climate studies.
The image shows the difference in temperature between the top of a hurricane and the bottom.
The images reveal the storm's incredible power and offer vital insights into how such hurricanes form.
A powerful geomagnetic storm created a series of brilliant auroras recently for observers across North America.
]]>
+ Far from shipping lanes, cities, and even most scientific outposts lie the South Sandwich Islands, one of the most remote island chains on Earth. Stretching in a slender arc through the stormy South Atlantic Ocean, these islands sit more than 994 miles (1,600 kilometers) from both South America and Antarctica. In this satellite image, puffs of low-level cloud drift across Vindication and Candlemas Islands, two of the South Sandwich Islands, mingling with rugged volcanic terrain and icy shorelines. The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) instrument aboard the Earth-observing satellite Landsat 9, a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey.
Such scenes are uncommon in satellite records from this region, where clouds often obscure the surface.
What is it?
Since Captain James Cook first reported two closely spaced islands in 1775 — later named Candlemas and Vindication — the region has remained largely inaccessible. Persistent cloud cover, harsh seas, and extreme weather make direct observation rare. As a result, satellites have become the primary way scientists study these islands, monitoring volcanic activity, glaciation, erosion, and atmospheric behavior in one of Earth’s least disturbed environments.
Thanks to fewer clouds, the satellite was able to observe some of Candlemas Island's features, including Lucifer Hill and Medusa Pool.
Where is it?
The image was taken above Candlemas and Vindication Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean.
These two islands are hard to access, and experts rely on satellite technology to study them. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. )
Why is it amazing?
Using satellite images like this one, scientists can understand how volcanic islands evolve in extreme climates. Candlemas Island itself began as two separate islands that merged centuries ago. Its southeastern portion is an older, heavily eroded stratovolcano now mantled in ice, while its northwestern side hosts younger lava flows radiating from cinder cones like Lucifer Hill. Historical accounts describe eruptions and steam clouds as recently as the 20th century, suggesting that volcanic heat and glacial ice have long coexisted here in tension.
The image also highlights the dominant role of erosion. Vindication Island shows no evidence of recent volcanism. Instead, steep cliffs and reduced land area testify to the power of waves, freezing temperatures and storms, forces that slowly dismantle volcanic edifices once tectonic energy subsides.
The clouds themselves are also part of the story. The South Sandwich Islands are famous for producing striking wave clouds, created when strong winds are forced upward by steep terrain. These atmospheric patterns, occasionally visible from space, provide insight into air flow and stability in remote oceanic environments, data useful for both weather and climate studies.
The image shows the difference in temperature between the top of a hurricane and the bottom.
The images reveal the storm's incredible power and offer vital insights into how such hurricanes form.
A powerful geomagnetic storm created a series of brilliant auroras recently for observers across North America.
]]>
https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/nasa-satellite-gazes-into-medusa-pool-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-24-2025
@@ -555,402 +952,5 @@
-
- <![CDATA[ Russia patents space station designed to generate artificial gravity ]]>
- Russian state-owned Energia rocket company has secured a patent for a novel spacecraft architecture designed to generate artificial gravity, a capability which could provide a huge boost for long-duration crewed missions.
A report from Russian state media outlet TASS, which obtained the patent, states that the rotating system is designed to generate a gravitational force of 0.5g, or 50% of Earth’s gravity. The patent documentation includes illustrations of a notional space station structure with a central axial module with both static and rotating components, with modules and habitats connected by a hermetically sealed, flexible junction.
The radially attached habitable modules would be rotated around this axis to simulate gravity for the crew by producing an outward-pushing centrifugal force. These would need to rotate about five revolutions per minute, and have a radius of 131 feet (40 meters) in order to produce 0.5g. A space station of that size would require multiple launches with each module that would then be assembled in orbit.
The documentation notes the disadvantage of the need for spinning and coordinating the rotation of transport ships to dock with the station, which it notes reduces the safety of using such a station.
Generating artificial gravity could have profound impacts for crews on long-duration space missions, whether in low Earth orbit on interplanetary voyages into deep space. Exposure to microgravity has numerous impacts on astronauts, including muscle atrophy and bone density loss.
Illustrations accompanying a patent for an artificial gravity space station submitted by Russian state-owned Energia rocket company. (Image credit: RSC Energia)
NASA has produced concepts such as the rotating wheel space station concept Nautilus-X, while, more recently, commercial firm Vast has said it will pursue artificial gravity stations.
Russia did not indicate timelines for such a project nor resources to back its development. The patent does however indicate interest in the concept of artificial gravity at a time when the end of the International Space Station (ISS) is approaching and new national and commercial station plans are moving forward.
Currently, NASA and Roscosmos plan to deorbit the ISS in 2030, using a modified SpaceX Dragon capsule to push the station down into a fiery death over the Pacific Ocean. Russia has committed to stay aboard the ISS until 2028.
]]>
- https://www.space.com/technology/russia-patents-space-station-designed-to-generate-artificial-gravity
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- <![CDATA[ 10 most expensive Lego Star Wars sets available right now ]]>
- Lego Star Wars sets have been around for more than 25 years, and in that time, we've seen some seriously impressive sets. The best Lego Star Wars sets typically carry a very expensive price tag, however, and so if you're a serious collector, you're going to have to spend some serious credits. Here, we've rounded up the most expensive Lego Star Wars sets currently available, with price tags stretching all the way up to an eye-watering $1000. Phew.
Almost every set in this list is an Ultimate Collector's Series set, meaning it's one designed with adults in mind, created to be displayed rather than be played with. You can play with these sets, if you want, but we wouldn't recommend letting your five-year-old get heavy-handed with your UCS Millennium Falcon. It'll all just end in tears when you're left picking up 7,500 loose pieces off the floor — don't say we didn't warn you.
Read on to find the 10 most expensive Lego Star Wars sets. We've omitted any sets that have since retired: these are just the sets still available to buy today, and we're basing prices on the MSRP as set by The Lego Store.
10. The Dark Falcon
The Dark Falcon is the only playset to make it onto our list of the most expensive Lego Star Wars sets currently available. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $179.99 / £159.99
Set number: 75389
Number of pieces: 1579 pieces
Age rating: 10+
Release date: August 2024
Part of an alternative universe Star Wars range, released alongside the launch of Disney Plus series Rebuild the Galaxy, The Dark Falcon is the only set on this list aimed at kids. It's not surprising, really: the most expensive Lego sets are generally reserved for adults. And at $179.99, this one's tipping the scales a bit. But for fans looking for something a little different, it's a great choice. And let's face it: it's a lot cheaper than the other Millennium Falcon on this list.
The Dark Falcon reimagines what might have been if the iconic Millennium Falcon was instead commandeered by the dark side. It recolors the ship black, making it unique from other Lego models of the Millennium Falcon, and it comes with six minifigures. Amusingly, some of the minifigures also resemble characters that have also swapped to the dark side: there's Darth Jar Jar, Bounty Hunter C-3PO, Darth Dev and Darth Rey. Darth Vader has switched parties, too, and here, he's Jedi Vader. Luke, for some reason, is kitted out for the beach as Beach Luke. Clearly, he just doesn't want to be battling in this universe.
Being aimed at children, the Dark Falcon is designed to be a playset. You'll find lift-up panels to grant access to the interior, where there are clearly designated zones: a throne for Darth Jar Jar, a command center, a jail cell and an entertainment area.
9. AT-ST Walker
We've had lots of Lego AT-ST Walkers before, but none are as detailed as this UCS version. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $199.99 / £179.99
Set number: 75417
Number of pieces: 1513 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: August 2025
There have been several Lego AT-STs over the years, but this is the first time we've had an Ultimate Collector's Series model — one specifically designed for adults, and designed for display rather than play. That doesn't mean you can't play with it if you want to: it has a rotating head, viewports that can be opened and closed and adjustable laser cannons.
But what makes a UCS set distinctive from a playset is the additional detail. Made up of 1,513 pieces, this AT-ST Walker is not only larger than most but looks more realistic than ever. Its distinctive legs are carefully designed to balance the weight of the set, so it can be proudly displayed. You can even open the top hatch to reveal a two-person cockpit inside.
Sadly, it doesn't come with two minifigures: there's only one here – a price to pay for the fact that this is a lower-priced Ultimate Collector's Series set. The minifigure included is designed to stand on the informational plaque that also comes with the set, which is wonderfully detailed, with the Imperial crest printed on its arms.
8. TIE Interceptor
This is the biggest Lego Star Wars TIE Interceptor released so far. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $229.99 / £199.99
Set number: 75382
Number of pieces: 1931 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: May 2024
Like many of the sets on our list of the most expensive Lego Star Wars sets currently available, the TIE Interceptor is another Ultimate Collector's Series set. It's one of many TIE Interceptors that have been released over the years, though thanks to its UCS status, it's bigger and more detailed than most.
Released as part of Lego Star Wars' 25th anniversary last year, it comes with a 25th Anniversary brick along with one minifigure (a new design TIE Pilot). Like all UCS sets, it also comes with a display plaque, providing details about the TIE Interceptor, and giving a place to display the minifigure and anniversary brick.
The Lego TIE Interceptor is 16 inches long and, given the ship's iconic shape, it comes with a brick-built display stand to enable you to display it effectively. You'll find neat details here, such as a rear engine, laser cannons and a viewable cockpit interior. Along with the pilot minifigure, there's also a mouse droid figure.
7. X-Wing Starfighter
The Lego Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter is close to retiring, so grab it while you still can. (Image credit: Future)
Set specifications
Price: $239.99 / £209.99
Set number: 75355
Number of pieces: 1953 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: May 2023
Having been around since 2023, there's a good chance the Lego Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter will be retiring very soon. If you fancy picking up this UCS set, we'd recommend you do it fairly quickly — it's worth adding to your collection too. In our X-Wing Starfighter review, we said it’s "a great model that will always look excellent on a shelf". What more could you want from a Lego set for adults?
Made up of just shy of 2,000 pieces, the X-Wing Starfighter needs a good amount of space to display, as it measures over 21.5 inches in length. You'll find a buildable display stand here to proudly show it off, and the informational plaque provides a good place to display the included Luke Skywalker minifigure and the R2-D2 droid. Notably, there's space in the ship for both of them if you'd rather display the set with them inside.
As you'd expect from a ship this size, the X-Wing Starfighter packs in a lot of realistic detail. There's an opening cockpit (that Skywalker can fit inside), space behind for R2-D2 to sit, and adjustable wings that can move from flight mode to attack mode with one switch.
The iconic colors of Jango Fett make this starship unique from what came before it. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $299.99 / £259.99
Set number: 75409
Number of pieces: 2970 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: May 2025
If you've been buying Lego Star Wars sets for a while, you'll undoubtedly find Jango Fett's Firespray-Class Starship to be very familiar indeed. It's identical in shape to Boba Fett's Starship, and it has been previously released under the Slave I moniker. The green and blue hues of Jango Fett's Starship do at least set it apart somewhat, and the size of this one might make it a tempting prospect for adult fans of Lego who like a big model.
You'll get two minifigures with this UCS set: Jango Fett with printed arms, along with a young Boba Fett. Both can be situated inside the opening cockpit, or they can be displayed on the included informational plaque stand. At 18 inches in length and 16 inches wide, the Firespray-Class Starship packs in a lot of detail. Along with the cockpit, there's an openable main entrance, a compartment for the seismic charge and blaster cannons that can be adjusted.
What's particularly cool is that Jango Fett's Firespray-Class Starship can be displayed in two ways: it can be displayed flat, in 'landing mode', or stood upright, using a buildable stand. As an added realistic detail, the rotating wings will always remain horizontal even when the vehicle is tilted.
5. Jabba's Sail Barge
The minifigure selection in Lego Star Wars Jabba's Sail Barge is very strong. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $499.99 / £429.99
Set number: 75397
Number of pieces: 3943 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: October 2024
We are truly in expensive set territory now — from here on out, these are the most expensive Lego Star Wars sets that only serious fans and collectors are likely to buy. Costing $499.99, Jabba's Sail Barge is a considerable investment: not only do you get a substantial model of the barge, but you also get a strong collection of unique minifigures, too.
Along with a huge model of Jabba the Hutt, there are ten other beautifully-detailed minifigures included here: Princess Leia, Bib Fortuna, C-3PO, Max Rebo, Kithaba, Wooof, Vizam, Salacious Crumb, R2-D2 and a Gamorrean Guard. It's quite a treat to have so many included with a UCS set, but that's a small part of what pushes the price up so high.
Of course, the 3,943-piece model of Jabba's Sail Barge packs in a lot of exquisite detail, too. It's an impressive 30.5 inches in length, with textile sails that can be adjusted, and the top deck and walls can be moved to allow full access to the interior. You'll want to see inside, too, thanks to the detailed rooms: there's a cockpit, prison cell, armory and an entertainment room, complete with Jabba's seedy bed. The minifigures can all be placed inside the ship, or you can display them on an included plinth.
4. The Razor Crest
The Lego Star Wars UCS Razor Crest is a must-have for any Mandalorian fan. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $599.99 / £519.99
Set number: 75331
Number of pieces: 6187 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: October 2022
Having been around for three years, The Lego Star Wars UCS Razor Crest is close to retirement — so if you want this one in your collection, you've only got a few more weeks to pick it up. Lego will stop stocking this in 2026, which means its price will likely go up on the reseller market. Great news if you own one, but not so great if you're yet to pick it up.
And if you're a Mandalorian fan, you absolutely should want to have this huge ship in your collection. The Razor Crest is one of the more unique ships in the Star Wars galaxy, and this particular model comes with minifigures of The Mandalorian, Grogu (and his Hover Pram), The Mythrol and Kuiil. There's also a buildable Blurrg, which can hold a minifigure on its back and be stowed away in the Razor Crest's cargo compartment.
As you'd expect from a ship of this size and stature, The Razor Crest has plenty of interactive features. Its engines can be removed, as can the cockpit. Two side hatches open, and the cargo compartment can be accessed, too. Inside, you'll find a weapons cabinet and a carbon-freezing chamber with room for a minifigure. There's also a detachable escape pod, again with room for a minifigure to sit inside.
3. Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser
You'll need a lot of space to effectively display the Lego Star Wars Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser. (Image credit: Future/Ian Stokes)
Set specifications
Price: $649.99 / £559.99
Set number: 75367
Number of pieces: 5374 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: October 2023
In our review of the Lego Star Wars Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser, we said that "it's huge, looks fantastic, and is packed with details". You'd expect nothing less from a Lego set costing $649.99, of course, but the Venator absolutely looks the part and is one of our favorite UCS sets to date.
This is one of the most eye-catching Star Wars ships, largely in part to the red detailing that provides a stunning contrast to the sea of grey bricks we typically see on Star Wars ships. There's a huge amount of detail here, too, including a command bridge, turbolaser turrets and a hangar, where you'll find a scale model of a Republic Gunship (spoiler: it's tiny). It also comes with a display stand, so you can proudly show this set off.
There are a couple of downsides here, however. The Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser only comes with two minifigures, which is a little disappointing given its price point. You'll get Captain Rex and Admiral Yularen, which can be displayed on the included informational plaque. Second is the size: at 43 inches in length (1.09 meters), you'll need a significant amount of space to adequately display this huge set. If you're living in a small apartment, you might need to rethink purchasing this one.
Until very recently, the Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon held the record for the most expensive Lego Star Wars set. (Image credit: Future)
Set specifications
Price: $849.99 / £734.99
Set number: 75192
Number of pieces: 7541 pieces
Age rating: 16+
Release date: October 2017
Until very recently, the UCS Millennium Falcon was the biggest Lego Star Wars set available, but it's since been knocked off the number-one spot by the brand new Death Star. It's still a very impressive set, though, and the fact that it's been around for eight years tells you everything you need to know about the popularity of this set. Typically, a Lego Star Wars set will stay on shelves for a maximum of two years, so it's had an impressive run with no sign of ending yet.
There are seven minifigures included here: four from the original trilogy, and four from the modern trilogy. There's Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia and C-3PO, then also Older Han Solo, Rey and Finn. Along with some interchangeable details for the ship, such as sensor dishes, it's up to you what era you want your Millennium Falcon to come from.
Made up of more than 7,500 pieces, there's a huge amount of detail on the Millennium Falcon itself, and as we said in our UCS Millennium Falcon review, it's a delight to build, even despite its size. The exterior features upper and lower quad laser cannons, landing legs and a boarding ramp that can raise and lower. There's also a cockpit with a detachable canopy, with enough room for four minifigures to sit inside. You can take the hull plates off the ship to take a look inside, too: there's a detailed main hold, gunnery station and rear compartment
Released in October 2025, the Lego Death Star is the first Lego set to cost $1000. (Image credit: Lego)
Set specifications
Price: $999.99 / £899.99
Set number: 75419
Number of pieces: 9023 pieces
Age rating: 18+
Release date: October 2025
Last but certainly not least comes the brand new UCS Death Star, costing an eye-watering $999.99. It's the first Lego set in history to cost a thousand dollars, and we don't think it'll be the last. This is a seriously impressive set, packing in a lot of detail, but unlike previous models of the Death Star, it's not a complete, spherical model. Instead, it's a cutaway, focusing more on the interior detail. It's a strange choice for an Ultimate Collector's Series set, looking more like a very expensive playset than a display piece.
At 9,023 pieces, it's one of the biggest Lego sets of all time, and those bricks go towards building a 32-inch wide cutaway of the famous Death Star. Inside, it's split up into different rooms, many of which you'll instantly recognise. You'll find Princess Leia's holding cell, the trash compactor, the hangar control room, Emperor Palpatine's throne room, and a whole lot more.
There are 38 minifigures included here, all of which can be placed inside the Death Star to bring each room to life as a small diorama. There's a good selection of minifigures, including Luke Skywalker (both as a Jedi and a Stormtrooper), two versions of Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Darth Vader, two droids and a wealth of Stormtroopers.
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- https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-toys-lego/10-most-expensive-lego-star-wars-sets-available-right-now
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- G6m6MpKdfxjP3Dzr6EnjE
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:05:00 +0000Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:35:40 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Before trips to Mars, we need better protection from cosmic rays ]]>
- This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
The first step on the moon was one of humanity's most exciting accomplishments. Now scientists are planning return trips – and dreaming of Mars beyond.
Next year, Nasa's Artemis II mission will send four astronauts to fly around the moon to test the spacecraft before future landings. The following year, two astronauts are expected to explore the surface of the moon for a week as part of Nasa's Artemis III mission.
And finally, the trip to Mars is planned for the 2030s. But there's an invisible threat standing in the way: cosmic rays.
When we look at the night sky, we see stars and nearby planets. If we're lucky enough to live somewhere without light pollution, we might catch meteors sliding across the sky. But cosmic rays – consisting of protons, helium nuclei, heavy ions and electrons – remain hidden. They stream in from exploding stars (galactic cosmic rays) and our very own sun (solar particle events).
They don't discriminate. These particles carry so much energy and move so fast that they can knock electrons off atoms and disrupt molecular structures of any material. That way, they can damage everything in their path, machines and humans alike.
The Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere shield us from most of this danger. But outside Earth's protection, space travellers will be routinely exposed. In deep space, cosmic rays can break DNA strands, disrupt proteins and damage other cellular components, increasing the risk of serious diseases such as cancer.
The research challenge is straightforward: measure how cosmic rays affect living organisms, then design strategies to reduce their damage.
Ideally, scientists would study these effects by sending tissues, organoids (artificially made organ-like structures) or lab animals (such as mice) directly into space. That does happen, but it's expensive and difficult. A more practical approach is to simulate cosmic radiation on Earth using particle accelerators.
Cosmic ray simulators in the US and Germany expose tissues, plants and animals to different components of cosmic rays in sequence. A new international accelerator facility being built in Germany will reach even higher energies, matching levels found in space that have never been tested on living organisms.
But these simulations aren't fully realistic. Many experiments deliver the entire mission dose in a single treatment. This is like using a tsunami to study the effects of rain.
In real space, cosmic rays arrive as a mixture of high-energy particles hitting simultaneously, not one type at a time. My colleagues and I have suggested building a multi-branch accelerator that could fire several tuneable particle beams at once, recreating the mixed radiation of deep space under controlled laboratory conditions. For now, though, this kind of facility exists only as a proposal.
Beyond better testing, we need better protection. Physical shields seem like the obvious first defense. Hydrogen-rich materials such as polyethylene and water-absorbing hydrogels can slow charged particles. Although they are used, or planned to be used, as spacecraft materials, their benefits are limited.
Particularly galactic cosmic rays, the ones that arrive from far exploding stars, are so energetic that they can penetrate through physical shielding. They can even generate secondary radiation that increases exposure. So, effective protection by using solely physical shields remains a major challenge.
Cosmic rays may stand in humanity's way to Mars (Image credit: NASA)
Nature's armor
That's why scientists are exploring biological strategies. One approach is to use antioxidants. These molecules can protect DNA from harmful chemicals that are produced when cosmic rays hit living cells.
Supplementing with CDDO-EA, a synthetic antioxidant, reduces cognitive damage caused by simulated cosmic radiation in female mice. In the study, mice exposed to simulated cosmic radiation learned a simple task more slowly compared to unexposed mice. However, mice that received the synthetic antioxidant performed normally despite being exposed to simulated cosmic radiation.
Another approach involves learning from organisms with extraordinary abilities. Hibernating organisms become more resistant to radiation during hibernation. The mechanisms on how hibernation protects from radiation are not fully understood yet. Still, inducing hibernation-like conditions in non-hibernating animals is possible and can make them more radioresistant.
Tardigrades – microscopic creatures also known as water bears – are also extremely radioresistant, especially when dehydrated. Although we can't hibernate or dehydrate astronauts, the strategies these organisms use to protect cellular components might help us preserve other organisms during long space journeys.
Microbes, seeds, simple food sources and even animals that could later become our companions might be kept in a protected state for a while. Under calmer conditions, they could then be brought back to full activity. Therefore, understanding and harnessing these protective mechanisms could prove crucial for future space journeys.
A third strategy focuses on supporting organisms' own stress responses. Stressors on Earth, such as starvation or heat, have driven organisms to evolve cellular defenses that protect DNA and other cellular components. In a recent preprint (a paper that is yet to be peer reviewed), my colleague and I suggest that activating these mechanisms through specific diets or drugs may offer additional protection in space.
Physical shields alone won't be enough. But with biological strategies, more experiments in space and on Earth, and the construction of new dedicated accelerator complexes, humanity is getting closer to making routine space travel a reality. With current speed, we are probably decades away from fully solving cosmic-ray protection. Greater investment in space radiation research could shorten that timeline.
The ultimate goal is to journey beyond Earth's protective bubble without the constant threat of invisible, high-energy particles damaging our bodies and our spacecraft.
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- https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/before-trips-to-mars-we-need-better-protection-from-cosmic-rays
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- GbtCpKFAfPQw8BTYEibZTA
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 21:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:24:16 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Santa's sleigh or the International Space Station? How to spot a bright Christmas flyby Dec. 24 and 25 ]]>
- Early risers across North America and Europe may notice something unusual in the skies this Christmas, a bright, silent light, gliding smoothly overhead in the hours before sunrise on Dec. 24 and Dec. 25.
It won't blink like an airplane and it won't leave a trail behind. Instead, it will appear suddenly, move steadily across the sky and fade away just minutes later. To young, eager eyes already awake and brimming with excitement, it might look like something (or someone) making a quiet journey through the dawn sky.
The timing matches a well-known object passing overhead.
This Christmas, the International Space Station is also perfectly placed to reflect sunlight down to Earth during early-morning passes, making it one of the brightest objects in the sky.
Whether you choose to see it as a seasonal mystery or a space-age marvel, the sight may be brief, but it is beautiful and easy to spot with the naked eye — so long as you are in the right place at the right time.
In the table below, we have listed some of the best times to look up over major cities, weather permitting — information gathered from AstroViewer.net.
When to look for the Christmas sky surprise
City
Date
Local time
Duration
Max altitude
New York
Dec. 24
6:43–6:48 a.m. EST
~5 min
19°
New York
Dec. 25
5:56–5:59 a.m. EST
~3 min
16°
Chicago
Dec. 24
5:42–5:45 a.m. CST
~3 min
16°
Chicago
Dec. 25
6:29–6:35 a.m. CST
~6 min
26°
Toronto
Dec. 24
6:42–6:47 a.m. EST
~5 min
25°
Toronto
Dec. 25
7:30–7:35 a.m. EST
~5 min
56°
London
Dec. 24
7:04–7:10 a.m. GMT
~6 min
55°
London
Dec. 25
6:17–6:22 a.m. GMT
~5 min
70°
Rome
Dec. 25
7:19–7:22 a.m. CET
~3 min
35°
To see the flyby, head outside with a clear view of the sky. You don't need binoculars or a telescope to spot it, just your eyes and a little patience.
The bright light comes from the International Space Station. It shines when sunlight reflects off the large structure while it orbits Earth every 90 minutes.
For those who want to check future sightings, or quietly confirm what they've seen, NASA's Spot the Station service shows when the space station will pass overhead from any location.
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- https://www.space.com/stargazing/santas-sleigh-or-the-international-space-station-how-to-spot-a-bright-christmas-flyby-dec-24-and-25
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- momLppLRxA793vs2MZUAcm
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:00:00 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:20:58 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Northern lights chances rise for Christmas as space weather remains unsettled ]]>
- If you're hoping for a festive skywatching surprise, Christmas week is shaping up to be more active than usual in space. Fast solar wind from a large coronal hole on the sun has already triggered minor (G1) geomagnetic storms and forecasters say unsettled conditions could persist into Christmas.
While this isn't likely to be a major aurora event, conditions are more unsettled than background levels, raising the odds for festive auroras, especially at high latitudes. The best chances will be limited to high-latitude regions, including Alaska, northern Canada, Scandinavia, and far northern Scotland.
Behind the unsettled conditions is a stream of unusually fast solar wind flowing from a large coronal hole on the sun. According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, solar wind speeds peaked near 500 miles (800 kilometers) per second earlier this week and are now averaging around 430 miles (700 km) per second, still about twice as fast as typical background solar wind — helping to drive the recent G1 geomagnetic storms.
These enhanced solar wind conditions are forecast to persist through Dec. 24-25, keeping geomagnetic activity elevated through Christmas Eve into Christmas Day. While storm levels may ease off slightly, there is a possibility of periods of active geomagnetic conditions according to space weather forecasters at NOAA and the U.K. Met Office.
There is also a possible wildcard at play.
According to NOAA, a coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the sun on Dec. 20 could pass close to Earth on Dec. 24, potentially striking our planet with a glancing blow. While no clearly Earth-directed CME has been observed, even a near-miss could briefly enhance aurora activity by disrupting the already disturbed solar wind environment around Earth.
Any aurora enhancement is likely to be limited to high latitudes; for the U.S., this means northern states such as Alaska, Washington, North Dakota and Minnesota. Elsewhere, elevated geomagnetic conditions could see auroras dance for skywatchers in northern Canada, Greenland and parts of Scandinavia.
Aurora forecast tonight courtesy of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. (Image credit: Map: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, background: Canva Pro.)
To keep informed about when and if you can expect to catch a glimpse of the northern lights from where you live, we recommend downloading a space weather app that provides aurora forecasts based on your location. One option I use is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available for both iOS and Android. However, any similar app should work well.
I also use the "Space Weather Live" app, which is available on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether the current space weather conditions are favorable for aurora sightings. Want to capture the perfect photo? Our how to photograph auroras guide can help.
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- https://www.space.com/stargazing/auroras/northern-lights-may-delight-this-christmas-heres-what-you-need-to-know
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- ZEFNqx9U7RLHcogms7XEhR
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 18:00:00 +0000Wed, 24 Dec 2025 10:08:37 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reveals weird wobbling jets in rare sun-facing tail ]]>
- It may be on its way away from Earth and heading out of the solar system, but interstellar invader comet 3I/ATLAS still has some surprises for researchers.
New research reveals that jet structures in the sun-facing "anti-tail" of this comet, estimated in some observations to stretch up to 620,000 miles (1 million kilometers), were wobbling every 7 hours and 45 minutes as 3I/ATLAS approached the sun. Of course, comets are famous for their tails and haloes, comprised of gas and dust that is blown from their nucleus as radiation from the sun heats them. However, these tails generally face away from the sun and the influx of solar radiation. A rare anti-tail is a cometary tail that points toward the sun, rather than away from it.
3I/ATLAS is only the third object known to have entered our solar system from around another star. The first was the cigar-shaped space-rock 'Oumuamua, discovered passing through the solar system in Oct. 2017, and the second was the first interstellar comet 2I/Borisov, spotted in our solar system in August 2019. Though rare, scientists have seen comets originating in the solar system display a sun-facing anti-tail before, and wobbling jets have been observed in these anti-tails. However, this is the first time that such an "outgassing" has been observed from an interstellar comet.
"Characterizing jets in 3I thus represents a rare opportunity to investigate the physical behavior of a pristine body formed in another planetary system," the researchers behind this discovery wrote in a paper published on the paper repository site arXiv.
The team discovered the wobbling jets in the coma of 3I/ATLAS after observing the comet across 37 nights between July 2 and Sept. 5, 2025, with the Two-meter Twin Telescope (TTT), a robotic facility located at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife, Canary Islands.
These observations allowed the researchers to track how the comet's coma evolved from a sun-facing fan of dust before August, to a pronounced antisolar tail. They attribute this transformation to the increasing influence of solar radiation on dust with the coma as 3I/ATLAS headed toward a close approach to the sun on Oct. 30, 2025, when it came to within around 130 million miles (210 million km) of our star.
The jet structure appeared within the anti-tail of 3I/ATLAS on 7 nights between Aug. 3 and Aug. 29, and its wobble or precessional motion implied to the team that the icy heart of this interstellar invader is rotating around once every 15 hours and 30 minutes. This is a shorter rotational period for 3I/ATLAS than has previously been estimated.
3I/ATLAS made its closest approach to Earth on Dec.19, coming to within around 168 million miles (270 million kilometers). Since then, the interstellar interloper has been making its way to the outer solar system. Like 'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov before it, the comet is expected to eventually leave the solar system for good.However, as this research demonstrates, 3I/ATLAS may soon be gone, but thanks to its impact on science, it is unlikely to be forgotten.
An Indian rocket launched the record-breaking BlueBird 6 smartphone satellite to orbit on Tuesday night (Dec. 23).
BlueBird 6, built by Texas company AST SpaceMobile, lifted off atop an LVM3 rocket from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre Tuesday at 10:25 p.m. EST (0325 GMT and 8:55 a.m. India Standard Time on Dec. 24).
The LVM3 deployed BlueBird 6 about 324 miles (521 kilometers) above Earth 15.5 minutes after launch as planned.
An Indian LVM3 rocket launches the BlueBird 6 smartphone satellite for AST SpaceMobile on Dec. 23, 2025. (Image credit: ISRO)
AST SpaceMobile is building a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) that beam broadband service directly to standard smartphones on the ground.
The company has now launched six operational satellites to orbit, five of them aboard a single SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in September 2024. Those previous spacecraft, BlueBirds 1 through 5, feature 693-square-foot (64.4 square meters) communication arrays — the largest ever unfurled in LEO.
BlueBird 6 will break that record, and by a healthy margin. It's the first of AST SpaceMobile's next-generation BlueBirds, whose arrays cover nearly 2,400 square feet (223 square meters) apiece.
India's LVM3 rocket on the pad ahead of the successful Dec. 23, 2025 launch of the BlueBird 6 satellite for AST SpaceMobile. (Image credit: ISRO)
Tuesday's liftoff was the ninth overall for the three-stage, 143-foot-tall (43.5 m) LVM3, which is India's most powerful rocket. It debuted in December 2014 and has a 100% success rate to date.
BlueBird 6, which tips the scales at about 13,450 pounds (6,100 kilograms), was the heaviest payload that the LVM3 has ever hauled to LEO, according to the Indian Space Research Organisation.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 11 p.m. ET on Dec. 23 with news of successful launch and satellite deployment.
]]>
- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/indian-rocket-launch-bluebird-6-satellite-ast-spacemobile
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- wsaEbfL9uFYeDdeYWdYyiG
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 16:00:00 +0000Wed, 24 Dec 2025 12:47:11 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ We didn't find answers in 2025, but UFO researchers say the search continues ]]>
- After years of making headlines, air vehicles of nameless origin, unknown intent, and seemingly odd capabilities are still being reported within America's national airspace, allegedly flying over sensitive facilities and interfering with commercial air traffic.
All of this aerial weirdness involves unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP for short. Whatever they are, UAP continue to be seen, reported and even documented through various sensor technologies. However, despite years of whistleblowers testifying before Congress, there seems to have been a bottleneck in getting to the bottom of the UAP issue in 2025. Why so?
Key specialists appraising the issue UAP have yet to untangle the mystery, but do appear to agree on what needs to be done now to further resolve what UAP are and from where they might originate.
Plurality of minds
The UAP phenomenon benefits from having a plurality of minds engaged in disciplined debate, suggests Michael Cifone, founding executive director and President of the Society for UAP Studies, based in Los Angeles, California.
Today, there's a division emerging between classical Unidentified Flying Object (UFO), aka "flying saucer," incidents and studying UAP from the point of view of observational and experimental science. But engaging scientific methods and instruments turns out to be neither trivial nor cheap, Cifone said.
"Perhaps the holdup is reluctance to dump time, energy and money into what looks to some like a wild goose chase," said Cifone.
Cold cases
"Like any other scientific venture, both funding and institutional support is required," Cifone said. "Given the historical stigma associated with the topic that has been hard to achieve. But now with the emphasis no longer on chasing forensic cold cases, and relying on reports of UAP, serious scientists and student researchers are getting involved."
The upshot is to deploy scientific methodology to establish the observational framework with the proper instrumentation, Cifone added, "in order to generate the data on UAP from which more secure conclusions can be derived."
Cifone said that progress, like in any other science or research area, will be slow but hopefully steady, albeit incremental.
"What will likely happen is that there will be downstream benefits that aren't foreseeable exactly now. Maybe new sciences will break away. So it will be a win for the growth of knowledge and for science in particular," Cifone senses.
For Cifone, his view is to keep the eye on the ball and work out the observational framework design and required instruments and observational modalities before we can have the reliable datasets we need. "But science doesn't always go as planned. In any case, there's a lot of work to be done."
Cifone points to an increasing number of institutions that are studying UAPs. Indeed, work underway on UAP has blossomed into a world-wide field of research, he said.
A still from a video reportedly showing a "transmedium" UAP that appears to travel between air and water and split in half. During testimony on Nov. 19, 2024 the head of the Pentagon's UFO office AARO said it actually shows an infrared camera's inability to tell two objects' temperature apart from the ocean behind them. (Image credit: AARO/DOD)
All sky, all the time
To Cifone's point, there's the University of Würzburg in northern Bavaria, one of the oldest universities in Germany. An Interdisciplinary Research Center for Extraterrestrial Studies (IFEX) has been established.
One effort the university is developing is an "AllSkyCAM" able to capture UAP. An automated reporting system is currently under construction with the university cooperating with the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt, the national civil aviation authority of Germany, to research unusual phenomena in the country's airspace.
Then there's the Galileo Project led by astrophysicist Avi Loeb of Harvard University. They have designed and built an array of sensors to scan the sky for aerial phenomena and assess atmospheric anomalies that may not be of terrestrial origin.
This type of research can produce data on UAP, Cifone said, "then we need to experiment with the data and produce theories, or what you call explanations, and perhaps even understanding! We're only at the observational framework design and testing phase. Then we need to let the systems run, probably for many years."
Test a hypothesis
There's need to be able to scientifically test a hypothesis that some UAP are potentially extraterrestrial craft, said Robert Powell, executive board member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies (SCU).
"I consider extreme acceleration to be the best characteristic that has the potential to eliminate a terrestrial explanation for a UAP," said Powell. But measurement of high accelerations of UAP, he said, requires high-precision scientific gear and data.
"The cost of putting out a network of calibrated and characterized equipment, maintaining it, obtaining placement rights on land, and analyzing the data will cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars," said Powell.
Military systems
One estimate by an engineer in SCU forecasts that given 300 "actual" UAP sightings per year — and assuming random distribution of sightings — that with 930 automated camera systems distributed across the U.S., one would have a 95% chance of detecting a UAP of 50 foot or larger size within a year.
"To date, the financial resources to achieve this are not available," said Powell. "The military has the capability with radar, satellite, and optical systems, but the scientific community does not have access to these systems." He thinks the work ahead could be done now via military systems, but only if there were no national security concerns.
"I think it will take many years to do it through privately-financed civilian systems but that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue working at it," Powell concluded.
"Highly credible people and professional observers are seeing objects that appear to exhibit capabilities beyond the state of the art," Graves told Space.com. "In the data received, there seems to be this core anomalous aspect that we can't just ignore or rationalize away."
Graves speaks with UAP eye-witness authority as a former Lt. U.S. Navy and F/A-18F pilot. He was the first active-duty pilot to publicly point to his own encounters and spotlights his military colleagues regarding their UAP sightings.
In July 2023, Graves testified about UAPs before the House Oversight Committee's National Security Subcommittee in Congress, a hearing centered on UAP and the implications for national security, public safety, and how best to attain government transparency on the issue.
Ryan Graves, the chair of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. (Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/Getty Images)
Pay attention
"We need to pay attention to this and recognize the national security implications," Graves said. Objects are operating in sovereign air space, he said, potentially collecting intelligence and trying to break into or set the stage to counter our defenses and set the country up for strategic surprise.
In blunt talk, Graves said UAP are engaged in actions "that would be recognized as acts of war or at the minimum preparation for an attack."
For its part, the AIAA UAP Integration & Outreach Committee is a strictly agnostic, science-first committee inside the AIAA.
"Our remit is to bring aerospace rigor to an area with real safety-of-flight implications," Graves said. The committee has been convening experts across AIAA's technical committees, publishing peer-reviewed and conference papers, and producing policy guidance that standardizes how aviation professionals document and share safety-relevant observations, Graves added.
Retention of data
While AIAA provides technical expertise rather than lobbying, Graves said the work on UAP has helped clarify best-practice reporting standards as well as set standards for retention of data on what's being reported.
One early payoff is that AIAA's UAP effort parallels what Congress has been considering in the standalone bill "Safe Airspace for Americans Act," introduced in January 2024 and reintroduced in September of this year. "Our focus remains the same," said Graves, "and that is credible data, clear procedures, and aviation safety."
That bipartisan Act is championed by U.S. representatives Robert Garcia of California and Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, legislation crafted to support civilian UAP reporting.
"Transparency surrounding UAP is crucial for national security, public safety, and making sure people trust that our government is taking these reports seriously," Congressman Garcia said in a statement. "This bill creates a clear, protected pathway for pilots and other aviation professionals to report UAP incidents without having to fear stigma or worry about retaliation. This is a vital step forward to make sure our skies are safe and our government is responsive."
Closure on the topic?
Graves also points to the current leadership of the Department of Defense All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO. It too is established to minimize technical and intelligence surprise by "synchronizing identification, attribution, and mitigation of UAP in the vicinity of national security areas," the AARO states.
"I'm optimistic. There is significant organizational change across the government that I think will bare fruit. There process is maturing to the point where they can start delivering on their expectations," said Graves.
Overall, Graves is heartened by current UAP interest and on-going activities.
"I don't know if there's been a better time to hope for closure on this topic. I don't think we've ever been in quite the situation we're in today," Graves said.
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- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/search-for-life/we-didnt-find-answers-in-2025-but-ufo-researchers-say-the-search-continues
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- EdqVMw63aLF2xTQxsDBufM
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:23:27 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ How 2025 became the year of comet: The rise of interstellar 3I/ATLAS, an icy Lemmon and a cosmic SWAN ]]>
- 2025 has seen stargazers look on in awe as a trio of magnificent comets barreled headlong into the inner solar system to survive a close brush with the sun, only to emerge to race back out into the blackness of space, never to be seen again.
Of these comets — the interstellar invader 3I/ATLAS, C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN) — not all survived their trial by solar radiation intact, while others drew the attention of a global audience thanks in part to their scientific significance and in some cases, the disinformation that swirled around them.
Join us as we look back at six of the most memorable cometary highlights of 2025, featuring stunning astrophotography, the unexpected advance of an interstellar invader and the dramatic demise of an icy visitor from the Oort Cloud.
5 incredible moments that made 2025 the year of the comet
1. Enter interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS
Comet 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1, 2025, by the NASA-funded ATLAS telescope in Rio Hurtado, Chile and was quickly confirmed to be just the third interstellar visitor to our solar system, after 1I'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.
Hubble Space Telescope captured interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in November. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))
Its exotic nature quickly seized the interest of the scientific community and the imagination of the public while simultaneously sending the conspiracy-peddling community into a frenzy, some of whom claimed that 3I/ATLAS was an alien spacecraft that had voyaged to the heliosphere for reasons unknown.
Follow-up observations confirmed 3I/ATLAS to be the brightest and potentially the largest interstellar object discovered to date, measuring up to 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) in diameter, based on observations from the Hubble Space Telescope, according to NASA.
2. When the cosmos gives you Lemmon, make astrophotography
If 3I/ATLAS was the most scientifically riveting of the cometary trio, C/2026 A6 (Lemmon) was arguably the most dynamic and photogenic. Comet Lemmon was discovered on Jan. 3 earlier this year and swiftly became a popular target among the astrophotography community, as it brightened from +21.5 to naked eye visibility around its close approach to the sun —known as perihelion — on Nov. 8.
A view of Comet Lemmon on September 20th (Image credit: Dan Bartlett)
Astrophotographers kept C/2026 A6 (Lemmon) firmly locked in their field of view throughout its journey, capturing each stage of its dramatic evolution. As it approached the sun, the increase in heat radiation caused icy matter in the comet's central nucleus to sublimate into gas, dragging dust particles with it.
A glowing meteor trail appears to wrap around the tail of Comet Lemmon as seen by astronomer Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project on Oct. 24. (Image credit: Gianluca Masi, Virtual Telescope Project)
The resulting cloud of cometary debris was then snatched up by the charged particles pouring out from the sun — called the solar wind — giving rise to a spectacular tail.
Astronomer Gianluca Masi captured a rare shot of the cosmic wanderer, when a glowing meteor tail in Earth's upper atmosphere appeared to wrap itself around Comet Lemmon's distant tail as it passed through the constellation Serpens on Oct. 24, creating a "a pure perspective miracle".
3. Comet SWAN dives through the Eagle Nebula
While Comet Lemmon's complex tail snagged the attention of astrophotographers worldwide, others took aim at the solar system wanderer C/2025 R2 (SWAN), which put on a magnificent show on Oct. 17, as it passed in front of the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens.
Daniele Gasparri captured a striking view of C/2025 R2 (SWAN)'s vivid green coma as it hung in the pristine skies above the Atacama Desert in Chile, with the vast emission nebula serving as a jaw-dropping backdrop for the cometary body.
The pillars of creation, vast columns of interstellar dust and gas shaped by the radiation of nearby stars and made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope, can be seen nestled in the glowing heart of the vast nebula, to the left of the comet's glowing central nucleus.
4. Comet 3I/ATLAS reaches perihelion
Oct. 30 marked the climax of interstellar traveller 3I/ATLAS's headlong charge into the inner solar system, as it made its closest approach to the sun, passing 125 million miles (202 million km) from our parent star at the point of perihelion.
Celestron NexStar 8SE
(Image credit: Amazon)
We reckon the Celestron NexStar 8SE is the best motorized telescope out there as it's great for astrophotography, deep-space observing and it offers stunning detailed imagery. It is a little pricey but for what you get, it's good value. For a more detailed look, you can check out our Celestron NexStar 8SE review.
The event occurred just as 3I/ATLAS flew behind the sun from the perspective of Earth, robbing some of humanity's most powerful observatories of the chance to analyze the comet's chemical composition as it reached a peak of activity. Thankfully, perihelion was observed from elsewhere in the solar system by a flotilla of spacecraft orbiting Mars and travelling through interplanetary space.
3I/ATLAS finally emerged intact from behind the glare of the sun to become visible to Earthbound astronomers and skywatchers in early November, though it remained too dim to spot with the naked eye.
NASA subsequently held a press conference on Nov. 19 following the re-opening of the federal government, where it revealed several new images of the interstellar invader that documented its glowing central nucleus, sun-facing jet and growing tail. Conspiracy theorists were left somewhat broken-hearted by NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, who noted, "It looks and behaves like a comet, and all evidence points to it being a comet", as opposed to the technologically advanced spaceship suggested by others.
5. K1 ATLAS breakup
One of the most dramatic cometary moments of 2025 occurred on the night of Nov. 11, when astronomers tracked the solar system comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) as its central nucleus broke into three massive pieces, following its close pass of the sun on Oct. 8.
Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) caught fragmenting by the 1.82 m Copernicus telescope at the Asiago Observatory in Italy (Image credit: F. Ferrigno/INAF/Univ. Parthenope)
The comet may have crumbled during its first visit to the inner solar system from the shell of icy material which surrounds its outer edge, known as the Oort Cloud.
The increase in heat radiation experienced during perihelion may have created a violent and sudden outflow of material from the nucleus, which could have undermined its structure, leading to the fracturing seen on Nov. 11, according to Elena Mazzotta Epifani of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics.
Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with Space.com's readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@space.com.
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- https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/how-2025-became-the-year-of-comet-the-rise-of-interstellar-3i-atlas-an-icy-lemmon-and-a-cosmic-swan
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- 2bDf4PfXCfoNXHV4sC36eS
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:22:19 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Artemis 2 moon rocket gets 'America 250' paint job | Space photo of the day for Dec. 23, 2025 ]]>
- NASA's Artemis program represents the most ambitious human spaceflight effort since Apollo, aiming not only to return astronauts to the moon but also to establish a long-term presence that will pave the way for crewed Mars exploration.
The hardware that will fly the astronauts moonward includes two 177-foot-tall (54 meters) twin boosters that are the backbone of the giant Space Launch System (SLS) rocket's launch power. Recently, the two boosters that will fly on the Artemis 2 mission had an "America 250" emblem painted on their sides, in honor of the upcoming. 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
What is it?
Artemis 2, scheduled to launch in early 2026, will be the first crewed mission of the program. Over a 10-day journey, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, along with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen, will travel around the moon and return to Earth. Their mission will test Artemis systems, procedures and spacecraft in preparation for future lunar landings.
Artemis 2 relies on two key vehicles: SLS, which is NASA's most powerful rocket to date, and the Orion spacecraft, designed to carry astronauts safely beyond low Earth orbit. Inside NASA's iconic Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, these elements come together through a massive, carefully choreographed preparation effort.
Where is it?
The image was taken from inside the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC.
The twin Artemis 2 boosters are on either side of NASA's powerful rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS). (Image credit: NASA/Frank Michaux)
Why is it amazing?
For Artemis 2, the "America 250" represents NASA's celebration of the anniversary under the theme "Spirit of Innovation." Just as the U.S. was founded on bold ideas and transformative thinking, Artemis 2 embodies a new era of exploration that looks outward, to the moon, Mars and beyond.
Seeing the emblem on the boosters connects technological progress with national heritage, according to NASA. It serves as a reminder that spaceflight, for all its complexity, is also a cultural project, one that captures imagination, inspires generations and reflects shared aspirations.
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- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/artemis-2-moon-rocket-gets-america-250-paint-job-space-photo-of-the-day-for-dec-23-2025
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- qNyNdMwnpx3hdfR6LpqPbA
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:21:26 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Doomed SpaceX Starlink satellite photographed from orbit ]]>
- We just got a great up-close look at a SpaceX Starlink satellite in orbit, thanks to Vantor's WorldView-3 spacecraft.
On Wednesday (Dec. 17), this particular Starlink suffered an anomaly that caused a loss of communication with the ground and an unscheduled venting of its propulsion tank. The satellite is now tumbling and headed down toward Earth’s atmosphere, where it will be incinerated in a matter of weeks, according to SpaceX.
SpaceX asked Vantor (previously known as Maxar Intelligence) to image the stricken satellite, to get a better understanding of its condition. And Vantor delivered.
The company used its WorldView-3 Earth-observing satellite to image the Starlink spacecraft on Thursday (Dec. 18) from a distance of 150 miles (241 kilometers).
The photo, taken while the duo were flying over Alaska, features a resolution of 4.7 inches (12 centimeters), providing SpaceX with key information about the satellite.
"Our team took advantage of the advanced capabilities of our non-Earth imaging technology and recently expanded collection capacity to move quickly and provide SpaceX with confirmation that their satellite was mostly intact," Todd Surdey, Vantor’s executive vice president and general manager of enterprise and emerging products, said in a statement on Saturday (Dec. 20). "This rapid intelligence delivery enabled them to quickly assess possible damage to the spacecraft."
Imagery collected by Vantor’s WorldView-3 satellite about 1 day after the anomaly shows that @starlink Satellite 35956 is largely intact. The 12-cm resolution image was collected over Alaska from 241 km away. We appreciate the rapid response by @vantortech to provide this… https://t.co/8OcTZsk5Gx pic.twitter.com/1PafjFwuRPDecember 20, 2025
There is apparently some damage: Data suggests that the satellite released a small number of debris objects as a result of the anomaly. But those pieces, and the satellite itself, shouldn't a present a problem to other spacecraft in low Earth orbit (LEO), according to SpaceX.
"We appreciate the rapid response by @vantortech to provide this imagery. Additional data suggest that there is a small number of trackable debris objects from the event, and we expect the satellite and debris to reenter and fully demise within weeks," Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX, said in an X post on Saturday.
Starlink is by far the largest satellite constellation ever assembled. It currently consists of about 9,300 active spacecraft — about 65% of all the operational satellites in Earth orbit.
]]>
- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/doomed-spacex-starlink-satellite-photographed-from-orbit
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- a7Gdwjc9AWGBqbiG6FNHUB
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:19:34 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Best targets to observe between Christmas and New Year 2025 ]]>
- There are few better ways to spend the long winter nights than under a crisp, clear December sky — and between Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2025, the Northern Hemisphere night sky will be at its very best. A waxing moon will glide past Saturn, the Pleiades and Jupiter — now shining brightly in the east, right on cue, as a “Christmas Star — while deep-sky wonders like the Rosette Nebula rise high around midnight. Whether you’re trying out one of the best beginner telescopes gifted to you, you’re trying out stargazing with binoculars or you’re using only your eyes, here’s what to see in the night sky this holiday season.
If you want better views of the night sky, we have expert-led guides to the best telescopes, binoculars and cameras to view and image the heavens.
Wednesday, Dec. 24: A crescent moon
A 20%-illuminated waxing crescent moon will shine with Fomalhaut and Saturn on Christmas Eve. (Image credit: Starry Night)
If you’re looking for the quiet wonder of Christmas Eve, turn your gaze to the southwest sky as it gets dark. There, nicely illuminated, though not yet bright, will be a waxing crescent moon. A fifth of what you’ll see will be its day-side; the other four-fifths — its night-side — will be gently lit by sunlight reflected from our planet — Earthshine. If you have binoculars or a small telescope, point them at the terminator, that line between day and night, to see long shadows and craters in relief. Naked eye observers should look to the left of the moon for Fomalhaut (below) and Saturn (above).
Thursday, Dec. 25: Jupiter as the ‘Star of Bethlehem’
Jupiter is now just two weeks from its annual opposition, so it is as bright as it ever gets. (Image credit: Starry Night)
Christmas Day needs a “Christmas Star,” and what better candidate than Jupiter, which tonight shines at magnitude -2.5 in the constellation Gemini. Look to the east anytime after dark, and you’ll see the giant planet close to “the twins” of Gemini — the stars Castor and Pollux — as it shines brighter than anything else in the night sky, save for the moon. Now is the ideal time to observe Jupiter, which reaches its annual opposition — when Earth is between it and the sun — on Jan. 10, 2026. Typically, an outer planet is at its best for a couple of weeks either side of its opposition; any small telescope should allow a glimpse of its cloud bands, with a 6-inch telescope able to see its Great Red Spot (when it’s facing Earth).
Friday, Dec. 26: Saturn and the moon in conjunction
Boxing Day sees the moon meet Saturn in a close conjunction. (Image credit: Starry Night)
Get out of the house as soon as it gets dark on Boxing Day for one of the most beautiful sights of the week, a crescent moon and the planet Saturn. Now a 41%-illuminated waxing crescent, the moon will appear to curl around the sixth planet, and the two will be separated by a mere four degrees. That’s a bit less than the width of your three middle fingers held at arm’s length against the sky. Saturn will appear as a steady, golden point of light, though you’ll need a small telescope to glimpse its ring pattern.
Saturday, Dec. 27: Lava plains on the first quarter moon
A first-quarter moon will rise on Dec. 27, 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s half-day, half-night on the moon tonight as it reaches its first quarter phase in the southern sky. For amateur astronomers, it’s a bittersweet moment — the next week will see the moon grow in brightness as it waxes towards full, making faint star clusters, galaxies and nebulae harder to see. However, a “half-moon” is one of the best times to explore the lunar surface if you have a pair of binoculars. The line between light and dark — the terminator — cuts right down the middle tonight, causing long shadows to stretch across the lunar plains, making every bump and ridge stand out like a black-and-white relief map. The dark regions you see on the right-hand side of the moon are called maria, Latin for seas, but these are no oceans. These are vast plains of lava that solidified billions of years ago in the aftermath of asteroids slamming into the young moon.
A small telescope will allow you to view the Rosette Nebula at its best on Dec. 28, 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)
If you have a small telescope, find the ruddy star Betelgeuse in Orion and range left to the quiet constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn, home to an open cluster of stars about 5,000 light-years from the solar system. The Rosette Nebula (also called NGC 2244 and Caldwell 49) is an emission nebula — a cloud of gas that emits its own light because it's being energized by radiation from nearby stars — and a star-forming region. A flower-like shape, it’s visible through a pair of 10x50 or 15x70 binoculars in very dark skies, or easily in a small telescope. According to In-The-Sky.org, the Rosette Nebula is now well placed, reaching its highest in the sky around midnight local time. If you have trouble finding it, draw an imaginary line from Betelgeuse in Orion toward Procyon in Canis Minor. About one-third of the way along that line, just south of it, is the region of the Rosette Nebula. It’s about three times the diameter of the full moon.
Trace an ’S’ shape of stars in Orion’s Belt on Dec. 29, 2025. (Image credit: Starry Night)
Orion’s Belt — the famous trio of stars in Orion, sometimes nicknamed the “Belt of Orion” or the “Three Kings” — is an icon of the late-December night sky. Look east tonight for Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, strung out in a neat row, rising into the eastern sky as soon as it gets dark. Put a pair of binoculars on them, and you’ll discover great riches. Just to the right is, of course, the Great Nebula in Orion (also called M42). Lesser known is a delicate chain of faint stars curving across the field of view in a subtle “S” shape, running from just above Mintaka to just below Alnilam. It’s very clear through binoculars.
See Jupiter’s moons on Dec. 30, 2025. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Jupiter getting close to its opposition means more than it merely becoming brighter. Since it’s closest to Earth (about four Earth-sun distances), its disk is bigger in the sky, and it’s visible all night. Jupiter’s opposition is also the best time to see its largest four moons — Io, Callisto, Ganymede and Europa. These moons, called Galilean moons because they were first spotted by Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610, can be seen in any small telescope as pinpricks of light, but also in binoculars.
Wednesday, Dec. 31: Pleiades and the moon in conjunction
See the Pleiades and the moon close together on Dec. 31, 2025. (Image credit: Starry Night)
As your final stargazing act of the year, step outside as it gets dark and find Orion’s Belt, that iconic trio of bright stars, rising from the eastern horizon like an arrow. Trace Orion’s Belt upward, and high above it, you’ll find the moon, now 92% illuminated. Just above the moon will be the Pleiades — also known as the Seven Sisters and M45 — one of the closest open clusters of stars to the solar system. The bright moonlight may make it hard to see the Pleiades with the naked eye, but any pair of binoculars should bring them into view.
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- https://www.space.com/stargazing/skywatching-kit/best-targets-to-observe-between-christmas-and-new-year-2025
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000Tue, 16 Dec 2025 11:17:15 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ South Korean startup Innospace fails on its 1st orbital launch attempt ]]>
- South Korean startup Innospace failed in its bid to make history on Monday night (Dec. 22).
The company launched its Hanbit-Nano rocket from the Alcantara Space Center in Brazil on Monday at 8:13 p.m. EST (10:13 p.m. local time in Brazil; 0113 GMT on Dec. 23).
It was the first-ever orbital launch attempt by a South Korean company. And, as often happens on debut liftoffs, something went wrong: The 57-foot-tall (17.3 meters) rocket came crashing back to Earth about a minute after liftoff, according to Space Orbit, which was following the launch.
O HANBIT-NANO EXPLODIU!O foguete da empresa coreana teve uma ascensão normal, porém, apresentou uma anomalia em torno dos 50 segundos de voo e acabou explodindo, caindo de volta ao solo. pic.twitter.com/58MnY5AOU9December 23, 2025
It's unclear at this early stage what caused the failure. Innospace did not immediately provide an update on X, and the company cut off its webcast in the wake of the incident, shortly after announcing that an anomaly had occurred.
Hanbit-Nano is a two-stage rocket whose first stage burns liquid oxygen (LOX) and paraffin. The upper stage comes in two configurations; one burns LOX and paraffin while the other employs LOX and liquid methane.
The rocket is designed to deliver up to 198 pounds (90 kilograms) of payload into a sun-synchronous orbit from Brazil. On the debut launch, the Hanbit-Nano was carrying five small satellites for customers from Brazil and India, as well as three additional technology-demonstrating payloads.
Innospace team members together with officials from the Brazilian Air Force and the Brazilian Space Agency pose with the company’s first commercial launch vehicle Hanbit-Nano at the Alcântara Space Center in Brazil. (Image credit: Innospace)
Innospace was founded in 2017. The company, which currently employs about 260 people, has developed all of its launch technology in-house, company CEO Kim Soo-jong told Space.com in October at the International Astronautical Congress in Sydney.
Innospace's vision doesn't end with getting Hanbit-Nano online. The company is also developing larger, more powerful rockets called Hanbit-Micro and Hanbit-Mini.
Monday's launch was originally scheduled for Wednesday (Dec. 17), but Innospace pushed it back several times, due to a technical issue and bad weather forecasts.
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- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/south-korean-startup-innospace-fails-on-its-1st-orbital-launch-attempt
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- DjM3n4n2jESVkNfFX9oxeM
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- Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:09:32 +0000Tue, 23 Dec 2025 03:09:33 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Nebula knowledge: Do you know these stunning space structures? ]]>
- Nebulae are some of the most breathtaking sights in the universe — vast clouds of gas and dust where stars are born, or where they meet their spectacular ends. From the delicate wisps of the Veil Nebula to the fiery glow of the Orion Nebula, each one tells a story written across light‑years.
Astronomers study nebulae not just for their beauty, but for the secrets they hold about stellar evolution and the chemical makeup of galaxies. For the rest of us, they're a reminder that the cosmos is both mysterious and magnificent, with colors and shapes that look more like art than science.
But how well do you really know your nebulae?Matching names to these celestial wonders is trickier than it sounds.
Whether you're a seasoned stargazer or just curious about the night sky, this is your chance to prove you’re ready for a cosmic pop quiz.
See how well you score below!
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- https://www.space.com/astronomy/nebula-knowledge-do-you-know-these-stunning-space-structures
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- hZrC9UxHrjEuxBUTUvm73P
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:31:31 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:31:32 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ The best sci-fi TV shows of 2025, ranked ]]>
- As we barrel towards the new year, it's a time for reflection. A time to look back on the best sci-fi TV shows of 2025 and say "blimey, that was pretty damn good".
The top sci-fi TV shows of 2025 are a mix of big franchises, returning hits, and exciting new additions. The voyages of the starship Enterprise continued in "Strange New Worlds", the Fifteenth Doctor had his second and final spin in the TARDIS, and "Andor"'s phenomenal second outing pushed the boundaries of what a "Star Wars" show could be. Even those famously antisocial Xenomorphs came to Earth for the very first "Alien" TV show.
Elsewhere, the last year has seen the continuation of several prestige TV hits, including "Foundation", "Silo", and "Black Mirror". Our small screen playlist also found room for some mould-breaking originals, most notably "Murderbot" and "Pluribus" — not to mention a memorable BBC documentary about the post-Apollo years of the space race. So, let's start the countdown on Space's 12 favorite shows of 2025, starting with…
12. Invasion: season 3
Cast: Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown |Watch on:Apple TV
Thought the titular alien invasion was done and dusted in season 2? The needs of ongoing drama mean that life — and hostile ETs — tend to find a way, and two years after the fall of their mothership, it turned out that planet Earth's foes never really went away.
While many of the characters returned from previous years — at least one of whom was presumed dead — this season was, in some ways, a soft reboot for a show that seemed to wrap up several key plotlines last time out. The storytelling remained ambitious and the effects impressive, notably the introduction of the translucent, squid-like apex aliens. Nonetheless, "Invasion" had the feel of a 2000s/2010s network TV show given an epic budget, particularly in comparison to the brilliant sci-fi shows elsewhere on the Apple TV menu screen.
Although she was sidelined in the second half of the season, Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu) started out as a memorable companion, gradually warming to her Gallifreyan tour guide while yearning for home. Cartoon villain Mr Ring-a-Ding was a visual effects tour de force, "The Well" gave a brilliant David Tennant-era monster an unexpected comeback, and penultimate episode "Wish World" landed in a truly chilling alternative universe. But with just eight episodes to play with, the arc plot overpowered everything else in the season, with its big reveal (about returning Time Lord villains the Rani and Omega) not quite worth the wait.
Has any TV show ever revelled in its prequel status quite as much as "Strange New Worlds"? The third leg of the show's (now-confirmed) five-year mission continued to go big on references to the original series, with familiar characters showing up on the Enterprise (Roger Korby, Trelane) and plenty more moments that boldly went where "Star Trek" had gone before.
As in season 2, a weakness for gimmicky episodes (including a holodeck outing) got in the way of the Starfleet-standard of seeking out new life and new civilisations. Even so, the Vezda instantly established themselves among the franchise's scariest villains, while Lt Ortegas (Melissa Navia) shared a brilliant two-hander with a crashed Gorn. The show also never forgot that its trump card remains its crew, one of the most watchable in "Star Trek" history.
Cast: Jared Harris, Lou Llobell, Lee Pace, Pilou Asbæk | Watch on:Apple TV
"Foundation" could only have existed in the streaming age. After all, no old-school broadcaster would have had the patience — or the budget — to persist with two opening seasons that went all-in on exposition. Indeed, the show went so deep with its ambitious, centuries-spanning story that it seemed like ages before the interstellar skirmishes kicked off in earnest.
Season 3 still indulged the show's hard sci-fi leanings, of course — the mathematical models, the spectacular spaceships, the idealistic construct of the Foundation — but it also remembered the best blockbuster space operas have a bit of "Star Wars" in their DNA, too. Telepathic villain the Mule (Pilou Asbæk) would probably have felt right at home in the Mos Eisley Cantina, and he brought some much-needed chaos to a series that hasn't always excelled at having fun.
In 2009, "Doctor Who" spin-off "Torchwood" reinvented itself for its third season. "Children of Earth" ditched the show's previous monster-of-the-week structure in favor of a single, hard-hitting story told over five episodes. The result was a sci-fi masterpiece.
Sixteen years later, showrunner Russell T Davies resurrected the format for "Who"-adjacent drama "The War Between the Land and the Sea", and while it couldn't quite live up to its aforementioned predecessor, it was definitely cut from the same cloth.
Classic "Who" monsters the Sea Devils were the ideal antagonists, waking from a lengthy deep-sea slumber to punish humanity for its mistreatment of the oceans. But despite the global scale — and unforgettable images of cities being buried under mountains of trash reclaimed from the seas — the series never lost focus on the touching (and pivotal) relationship between unlikely human ambassador Barclay (Russell Tovey) and his aquatic counterpart Salt (Gugu Mbatha-Raw).
Travelling abroad? Use NordVPN to access iPlayer anywhere in the world.
7. Murderbot
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Tamara Podemski | Watch on:Apple TV
You only have to look at the sheer volume of Apple TV shows on this list to see that the streamer's had a hell of a 2025 — in fact, it's become the go-to destination for discerning sci-fi fans. Perhaps the oddest of its entries here, however, is this adaptation of Martha Wells' "The Murderbot Diaries" book series.
Although the title suggests otherwise, "Murderbot" was not some tired rehash of "The Terminator". The eponymous security droid protagonist (played by Alexander Skarsgård) actually chose its own name and, thanks to some off-the-books hacking, developed free will. It also had plenty of disdain — expressed via sardonic voiceover — for the humans it was programmed to protect.
Extremely violent and very, very funny, this show was as unconventional as its surprisingly relatable lead — like Murderbot, we've all had days when going to work feels much less worthwhile than sitting back and watching your favorite TV show.
Cast: Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Robbins, Steve Zahn, Harriet Walter |Watch on:Apple TV
Apple TV went even deeper underground with the second instalment of its big-budget adaptation of Hugh Howey's "Silo" novels. If season 2 couldn't quite live up to the compelling first outing, that's mainly because protagonist Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) spent most of this year trapped in the (mostly) deserted Silo 17. Meanwhile, the real drama and intrigue was taking place back home in Silo 18.
Minor flaws aside, this was slow-build storytelling of the highest order, drip-feeding answers to its many mysteries as the bunker residents realized the so-called "Pact" might not be as benign as they'd been led to believe. Duplicitous mayor Bernard Holland (an excellent Tim Robbins) continued to be a thorn in everybody's sides, while the unstable Solo (Steve Zahn) gradually revealed himself as tragic collateral damage in Silo 17's sad fate.
Cast: Paul Giamatti, Cristin Milioti, Peter Capaldi, Rashida Jones |Watch on:Netflix
Charlie Brooker's techno "Twilight Zone" arguably went off the boil during its last two seasons, but the long-running anthology series was back on form this year. "Black Mirror"'s latest six-episode run even indulged fans with a couple of sequels, courtesy of "Plaything" (a follow-up to the choose-your-own-adventure "Bandersnatch") and "Into Infinity", a return to the pitch-perfect "Star Trek" pastiche of "USS Callister".
Whenever this show is at its best, it runs the gamut from comedy to tragedy to raw emotional power, sometimes in the space of a single episode. Season 7 was no exception. While anthology shows are notoriously punishing on creatives, there was little sign that Brooker and co are running out of ideas. And even when a premise was slightly derivative (the tech that allows Paul Giamatti to enter old photographs in "Eulogy" has echoes of classic "Red Dwarf" episode "Timeslides", for example), the writers managed to lift the stories to the next level.
Cast: Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Samuel Blenkin, Alex Lawther |Watch on:Hulu (US)/Disney+ (rest of the world)
How do you make the Xenomorph scary again? "Fargo" creator Noah Hawley's ingenious solution to a decades-old conundrum was to make the double-jawed beastie a supporting player in its own TV show. He instead shifted the focus to bickering multinationals, a bunch of kids running around in state-of-the-art synthetic bodies, and — best of all — a whole new menagerie of icky extra-terrestrial fauna.
Visually and sonically, the first-ever "Alien" TV show was lovingly faithful to Ridley Scott's original movie, yet also had the handy knack of knowing which bits of franchise lore it could discard. And, in the long-established tradition of Weyland-Yutani and their competitors, the human characters turned out to be much more dangerous than their extra-terrestrial guests — at least you didn't see them selling each other out for a goddamn percentage.
Cast: Anna Fisher, Carl S McNair, Aleksandr Lazutkin, Sergei Viktorovich Zalyotin |Watch on:BBC iPlayer (UK)
The stories of the "The Right Stuff" pioneers of the Mercury program and the Apollo astronauts that followed have been told many times, but the experiences of later spacefarers are less well known. This excellent four-part BBC documentary rectified the shortfall by telling the story of the Space Shuttle, Mir, the ISS, and the rise of commercial spaceflight, with compelling (and often entertaining) contributions from the astronauts, cosmonauts, and ground-based participants who experienced it first-hand.
"Once Upon a Time in Space" was, of course, a celebration of the men and women who made it all happen, but also a peek behind the curtain (both iron and metaphorical) of NASA and its Soviet/Russian counterparts. This was a story of bravery, ingenuity, and, inevitably, tragedy (the Challenger and Columbia disasters were both discussed at length), told against a backdrop of rapid political and economic transformation.
Vince Gilligan's place in TV history is assured, as the brains behind both "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul". He also has impeccable sci-fi credentials, having written numerous episodes of "The X-Files" and co-created the short-lived spin-off "The Lone Gunmen". "Pluribus" is the result of that stellar resumé colliding with a big Apple TV budget, and it's proved to be every bit as spectacular as we could have hoped. It's also, according to Apple TV, the platform's most-watched series ever.
This is a highly unconventional alien invasion drama, in which an extra-terrestrial broadcast unleashes a novel virus that… well, makes everybody kind and considerate. "Better Call Saul" star Rhea Seehorn is a revelation as a cynical romantasy author who, unaffected by the infection, became a lone rebel against a billions-strong collective of people who just want to be her friend.
"Pluribus" is slow-burning, beautifully written, and utterly unique — the breakout sci-fi show of 2025.
"Andor" creator Tony Gilroy never made any secret of where his show was going to end. It didn't matter, however, that we knew the fates of many of the characters, or that existing canon had set many key moments in stone. Few TV shows have ever been as tense or edge-of-the-seat gripping as the second season of this "Rogue One" prequel — "Andor" season 2 was up there with the best "Star Wars" there's ever been.
This was a political thriller in sci-fi clothing, a powerful examination of a corrupt, totalitarian regime that felt timely and relevant despite being set in a galaxy far, far away. But for all the Empire's dastardly deeds, there was still room for hope, as Cassian Andor, Mon Mothma, Luthen Rael, and the other proto-Rebels — the ensemble cast is uniformly brilliant — fought the power against the most impossible odds.
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- https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/the-best-sci-fi-tv-shows-of-2025
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:03:13 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ 12 days of space and sci-fi books: Check out these festive holiday titles for your gift list or yourself! ]]>
- As the classic crooner Andy Williams once sang, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," and that means snowmen, reindeer, sleigh bells, mistletoe, and Good 'Ol St. Nick.
But it also means checking off your holiday gift list with sparkling literary treats for all your geeky friends and loved ones whose tastes include superheroes, galactic adventure, roaring rockets, starry skies, human spaceflight, queries from the cosmos, and excursions to the magical galaxy far, far away. Of course, if you're looking for last-minute gifts, you should check out our guides to the best Fallout gifts, best space stocking stuffers and 10 best gifts under $100 for kids.
The authors of many of these 12 books, which are all perfectly appropriate for the season of giving, have been interviewed by us to deliver an added touch of insight into their creative process. So come on, fill the glass and send 'round the song as we present a dozen delightful choices for the most discriminating of yuletide revelers!
Gemini: Stepping Stone to the Moon, the Untold Story
If it weren't for the Gemini Program that taught NASA astronauts how to walk in space and maneuver spacecraft for docking procedures, America would never have made it to the Moon.
Told in his butter-smooth style and punctuated with expertly detailed accounts of the historic mid-'60s missions, New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Kluger ("Apollo 13") brings back all the guts and glory of those heady days when the final frontier was still an unexplored environment fraught with innumerable perils.
Here's the engaging sequel to last year's Merlin's Tour of the Universe from celebrity astrophysicist and New York Times bestselling author Neil deGrasse Tyson, which contains 200 more space science questions and answers compiled from readers that first appeared in a column in The McDonald Observatory's StarDate Magazine.
This newly updated 350-page hardback has been fully refreshed since it was first published in 1998, and collects a constellation of fun responses to queries about planets, stars, comets, black holes, moons, gravity, galaxies, space travel, and more, all told through the wise and wonderful Merlin, a timeless cosmic traveler from Planet Omniscia.
From one of the most seasoned astronauts who ever left Earth, Chris Hadfield spins an involving yarn centering around NASA flight controller Kaz Zemeckis and China's clandestine role during the space race in the third installment of his The Apollo Murders series.
The plot unfolds in 1975 when a fresh Apollo mission blasts off to rendezvous with a Russian Soyuz spacecraft for a new era in Soviet-American friendship, when a shocking orbital accident alters the course of this cooperation. Complicating the matter is the launch of China’s first astronaut, Fang Kuo-chun, whose own flight steers him on a perilous path intersecting with the Apollo crew.
Imaging expert and NASA historian Andy Saunders (Apollo Remastered) follows up his ambitious photographic account of our Apollo Program with this deluxe 320-page edition chronicling the Gemini and Mercury flights with hundreds of restored images curated from the archives of our storied space administration.
His newest masterwork was years in the making and delivers an insider's peek into these vital missions that provided the foundation for the success of our later trips to the moon. Project Mercury and Project Gemini revealed key questions regarding space travel, the human condition, and the limits of their fragile spacecraft in the most hostile of environments. Saunders' restoration process blesses us with never-before-seen photos that fully expose the mission dangers and awe-inspiring vantage points in astonishing clarity and color.
Veteran Star Wars author Adam Christopher spins a harrowing yarn from the events following Revenge of the Sith as a raw and vengeful Darth Vader yearns for the arcane mysteries of life and death while being scrutinized by Emperor Palpatine.
Consumed by the addictive elements of the Dark Side, Vader must make a pilgrimage to the scorching planet of Mustafar, where he endeavors to perform a necessary ritual by bleeding a kyber crystal to create his personal lightsaber. The energies unleashed in this unholy ceremony allow for a frightful glimpse into the horrors of the Force. Joined by the Emperor's scarlet-clad Royal Guard and its leader Colonel Halland Goth, the. Sith Lord will travel to the fringes of the galaxy where a strange shaman dwells.
If you're lucky enough to score this two-volume, 800-page behemoth showcasing the work of Lucasfilm's visionary artist and designer Doug Chiang this Christmas, please drop me an email and let me know how I can join your family!
Chiang's Oscar-winning conceptual work is a revelation and this deluxe set not only reveals his creative work on Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, but also Attack of the Clones, The Force Awakens, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Rise of Skywalker, and The Mandalorian.
Volume 1, The Cinematic Legacy, presents Chiang's work prior to joining forces with Lucasfilm and includes designs for Back To The Future Part III, Alien 3, T2: Judgment Day, The Mask, Jumanji, and many more.
Marvel's First Family came wonderfully alive in full retro-futuristic style this past summer as directed by Matt Shakman and produced by Marvel Studios.
The smash movie can be fully re-experienced in this 288-page deluxe slipcase edition, delivering a bounty of imaginative concept art designs, sketches, character profiles, superhero vehicles, costumes, environments, and behind-the-scenes peeks into the movie-making process. Also included is a companion volume breaking down Reed Richards' scientific gadgets, trinkets, toys, and inventions that make up his superpowered team.
This inspiring title follows Rocket Lab's remarkable journey from tiny VC start-up to a global juggernaut in direct competition with Elon Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
It contains a wealth of behind-the-scenes photos and original interviews with founder Sir Peter Beck, his expert team, loyal investors, and industry experts that provide a colorful look at one of the major contenders in the current space race as they continue to grow as a force to be reckoned with.
Rocket Lab is currently the fastest company to launch 50 rockets into space, with a market cap of $13.63 billion, a planned mission to the Red Planet, and even aspirations to launch a mission to Venus someday.
Dune: The Graphic Novel: The Complete 3-Book Boxed Set
Just in time for some sweet sci-fi gift-giving, here's the complete 3-book Dune graphic novel adaptation of legendary author Frank Herbert for the 60th anniversary of the book's original publication in 1965.
This premium box set, written by Frank's son, Brian Herbert, with collaborator Kevin J. Anderson, contains vivid illustrations by Raul Allen and Patricia Martin that perfectly capture the galactic turmoil and mysticism that's enthralled readers for decades as one of the greatest interstellar sagas ever conceived.
The sublime beauty and mystery of the microscopic world are presented here by author, artist, and film historian Michael Benson. Now, in this six-pound, 320-page coffee-table book, Benson takes us all on a mindblowing trip into the realm of extreme magnification using the might of scanning electron microscope (SEM) technologies.
It's an ideal gift for space and science lovers as it offers a shocking glimpse of these tiny worlds that surround us daily. The images were captured from SEM scans Benson took over the course of six years at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Quebec, including radiolarians, dinoflagellates, and diatoms, as well as multiple types of insects, microscopic flowers, and even lunar samples obtained from Apollo 16.
It's up, up and away with this beautiful concept art book from director James Gunn's Superman, which landed in theaters this past summer and raked in a comfortable $585 million.
Now, acolytes of the Man of Steel can witness how this superhero spectacle was created by a small army of Hollywood technicians and artists in this 176-page edition that whisks readers behind the scenes for DC Studios' blockbuster.
Writer James Field (The Art of The Batman) records every stage of the movie's production, beginning with Gunn and DC Studios co-chairman Peter Safran's initial brainstorming chats to casting, costumes, set design, and post-production VFX. It includes an intro from writer/director James Gunn and a David Corenswet foreword.
The wonders of the cosmos come alive in a bold new edition of the classic collection of constellation maps from famed Dutch-German mathematician and cosmographer Andreas Cellarius (c. 1596 ? 1665) that unveils these celestial atlas masterworks in unprecedented detail.
Initially published in 1660 in Harmonia Macrocosmica, this revised volume in a larger prestige format contains the complete 29 double-folio maps. These striking plates showcase sublime adorned skies, decorative borders and breathtaking constellations in this astonishing seven-pound reprint measuring 11.42 x 1.57 x 18.9 inches that restores academia's most stunning depictions of the heavens.
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- https://www.space.com/entertainment/12-days-of-space-and-sci-fi-books-check-out-these-festive-holiday-titles-for-your-gift-list-or-yourself
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- FPb24Yw57SHhTzXVVn4Wj6
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:05:00 +0000Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:44:18 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ How to track Santa Claus this Christmas Eve with NORAD's 2025 tracker ]]>
- It started on Christmas Eve in 1955, when an eager child picked up the phone to call Santa Claus and instead accidentally called a U.S. military air defense facility.
That facility is operated by Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), the precursor to today's North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), and should have only been reachable by a select few high-ranking officers and the President of the United States. But on Christmas Eve 1955, confused airmen usually tasked with tracking aircraft from foreign airspace ended up impersonating Santa Claus thanks to that child who dialed a wrong number. The accident quickly became a tradition and, like many other traditions, its originstorybegan to grow ever more elaborate over the years, sometimes involving a misprinted phone number in an advertisement.
But whatever the truth of that first fateful phone call, by 1960, NORAD was posting public updates on Santa's position each Christmas, and 2025 is no different. "This Christmas season marks seven decades of the North American Aerospace Defense Command tracking Santa Claus on radar as he flies his reindeer-powered sleigh around the globe," the U.S. Department of Defense wrote in a statement. "Each year on Dec. 24, Santa Claus and his reindeer launch from the North Pole very early in the morning for their famous trip around the world. The minute they launch, NORAD starts to track him."
But even though NORAD tracks Santa's flight around the world on Christmas Eve, that doesn't mean the air defense command knows Kris Kringle's route ahead of time.
"NORAD tracks Santa, but only Santa knows his route, which means we cannot predict where and when he will arrive at your house," a senior NORAD official said in the statement.
The U.S. military's statement notes that fighter pilots have intercepted Santa Claus' sleigh many times over the years as he enters NORAD's airspace. A previous DOD statement that is no longer available online (an archived version is available here) states NORAD is able to track Santa using infrared sensors on satellites that are designed to detect the heat from rocket or missile launches.
"As Santa flies through the skies, satellites track his position by detecting Rudolph's nose, which gives off an infrared signature similar to that of a missile," the statement reads.
In addition, the U.S. Space Force is currently launching satellites to build out a new infrared early-warning constellation known as SBIRS-GEO (Space Based Infrared System Geosynchronous Earth Orbit) to boost the U.S. military's ability to detect and track launches. These satellites feature sensors that continuously scan the entire Earth, providing 24/7 missile warning capability. The sensors aboard SBIRS satellites are more also sensitive than those on DSP spacecraft, which will eventually be phased out as the SBIRS constellation is completed.
Volunteers from the ROTC detachment at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs help set up the North American Aerospace Defense Command's Santa Operations Center at Peterson Space Force Base on Dec. 18, 2024. (Image credit: U.S. Dept. of Defense/Joshua Armstrong)
Over 1,000 volunteers including both civilians and uniformed military personnel give their time each Christmas at NORAD's headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The volunteers answer hundreds of thousands of phone calls each year, the DOD's statement says.
NORAD's Santa Tracker goes online at 6 a.m. ET (1100 GMT) on Dec. 24. Children of all ages eager to know where St. Nick is can call (+1) 877-HI-NORAD (877-446-6723) or visit NORADSanta.org.
NORAD's Santa Tracker also has apps available for Android and iOS.
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- https://www.space.com/entertainment/how-to-track-santa-claus-this-christmas-eve-with-norads-2025-tracker
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- 4uBojvSrJHA8gxCpouJsjD
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:11:33 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Rocket Lab launches final mission of 2025, sends Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit (video) ]]>
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Rocket Lab launched its 21st and final mission of the year over the weekend, sending a private Japanese Earth-observing satellite to orbit.
An Electron rocket carrying the QPS-SAR-15 satellite, nicknamed Sukunami-I, lifted off from Rocket Lab's New Zealand site on Sunday (Dec. 21) at 1:36 a.m. EST (0636 GMT; 7:36 p.m. local time in New Zealand).
The launch, which the company called "The Wisdom God Guides," went well: Electron's "kick stage" deployed Sukunami-I into a circular orbit 357 miles (575 kilometers) above Earth as planned.
A Rocket Lab Electron rocket launches "The Wisdom God Guides" mission for the Japanese company iQPS from New Zealand on Dec. 21, 2025. (Image credit: Rocket Lab)
Once it's up and running, the satellite will join the Earth-observing constellation operated by Japanese company iQPS. Its spacecraft view our planet using synthetic aperture radar, meaning they can peer through clouds and get good looks at night as well as during the day.
"The Wisdom God Guides" was Rocket Lab's sixth launch in 2025 for iQPS and its seventh for the company overall. And the Japanese company has booked an additional five Electron launches in 2026, according to Rocket Lab.
Sunday's flight was the last of the year for Rocket Lab. It has now launched 21 missions in 2025, adding to the company's single-year record. The previous high, set last year, was 16.
All of this year's launches were successful. Eighteen were orbital launches with the 59-foot-tall (18-meter-tall) Electron. The other three involved HASTE, a modified, suborbital version of Electron designed to let customers test hypersonic technologies in the final frontier.
"Our new record of annual launches and the breadth of upcoming missions go to show how much of a global impact Electron continues to have on the space industry, and we're looking forward to another year of continued execution in 2026," Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck said in an emailed statement on Sunday.
"In 2026, we're expanding Electron’s global reach with more multi-launch constellation deployments, dedicated missions for domestic civil space and international space agencies in Japan and Europe, and both suborbital and orbital launches with defense applications for hypersonic technology and national security," he added.
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- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/rocket-lab-launches-final-mission-of-2025-sends-japanese-earth-observing-satellite-to-orbit-video
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 20:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:49:47 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Meet Qingzhou, China's next-gen cargo craft for its Tiangong space station (video) ]]>
- China is working toward the first launch of a next-generation, low-cost cargo spacecraft option for its Tiangong space station.
Qingzhou, meaning "Light Ship," is being developed by the Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IAMCAS) as a smaller, lighter and potentially lower-cost complement to China’s existing Tianzhou cargo spacecraft.
China completed its Tiangong space station in 2022 and aims to keep it permanently occupied with crew for at least a decade. With plans to expand the orbital outpost beyond its current three-module, T-shaped configuration, China also wants new, agile solutions to keep Tiangong supplied.
The Qingzhou spacecraft passed a design review in June and entered the initial manufacturing phase, according to a recent China Central Television (CCTV) report.
The prototype measures roughly 10.8 feet (3.3 meters) in diameter, has a launch mass of about 11,000 pounds (5,000 kilograms), and is capable of carrying up to 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) of cargo to orbit. Its hybrid structure combines a pressurized module for crew supplies and sensitive instruments with an unpressurized aft section capable of carrying external payloads and space-exposure experiments.
"We have now conducted large-scale experiments and are currently loading and verifying the status of the remaining individual machines, as well as conducting final testing. The overall test results are quite good," Wu Huiying, deputy chief designer of the Qingzhou cargo spacecraft, told CCTV.
Full engineering model production is scheduled to begin in early 2026, with construction expected to be completed by the end of that year. Its debut flight will follow based on the operational needs of the Tiangong station, according to Wu.
The first prototype was initially stated to fly on the debut launch of commercial rocket startup CAS Space’s Kinetica-2. That plan now appears to have been altered, with CAS Space reported to be preparing for that very launch from Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert in the near future.
Qingzhou is one of a pair of new spacecraft commissioned by China’s human spaceflight agency as the country looks to upgrade its space transportation capabilities. The other, named Haolong, is a reusable shuttle concept being developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute under the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China.
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- https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/meet-qingzhou-chinas-next-gen-cargo-craft-for-its-tiangong-space-station-video
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 19:00:00 +0000Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:38:43 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ Northern lights may be visible in 10 states Dec. 23-24 ]]>
- The northern lights may put on another show across the U.S. tonight as speedy solar wind from an Earth-facing coronal hole is forecast to spark minor (G1) geomagnetic storm conditions, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to reach minor (G1) storm levels overnight, which could be good news for aurora chasers as it raises the chance of seeing the northern lights in mid-latitudes.
Space weather forecasters say Earth will remain under the influence of the fast solar windthrough Dec. 25, potentially offering aurora chasers several opportunities to catch the display over the festive season.
Where can I see the northern lights tonight?
Aurora forecast for tonight (Dec. 23) courtesy of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. (Image credit: Map: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, graphic created in Canva Pro by Daisy Dobrijevic.)
States that could see auroras tonight
Based on the latest NOAA aurora forecast map, the following 10 U.S. states appear fully or partially above the aurora view line:
Alaska
Washington
North Dakota
Minnesota
Montana
Maine
Michigan
Wisconsin
South Dakota
Idaho
Remember, auroras can be fickle creatures. The list is based on current forecast data, but if conditions strengthen and skies are clear, auroras could reach much farther south than expected.
Then again, if conditions don't align, we might end up with a "nothing burger" and no auroras at all.
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the U.K. Met Office
What time should I look for the northern lights tonight?
The northern lights could be visible across 10 U.S. states tonight (Dec. 23-24) as soon as it gets dark, so it's worth keeping an eye on the sky throughout the evening, especially in areas with clear, dark skies.
According to NOAA's 3-day forecast, geomagnetic storm activity is expected to be best at the following times:
4 p.m. - 7 p.m. EST (2100-0000 GMT): Minor G1 level storming possible
How can I see the northern lights from where I live?
If you live in one of the 10 U.S. states forecasted to catch a glimpse of the northern lights tonight, there are a few things you can do to give yourself the best chance of seeing them.
Find a north-facing vantage point with a clear view of the northern horizon, as far from light pollution as possible.
Use your phone camera to scan the sky, as a phone camera is great at picking up faint auroras before your eyes spot them. This will give you a good idea of which direction to focus your attention.
Try and let your eyes adapt to the dark for at least 30 minutes; this will help your night vision develop.
Wear warm clothing! Part of the fun of aurora hunting is the chase. Be prepared to sit or stand for hours if conditions are looking promising, as you won't want to miss the show when it starts!
We recommend downloading a space weather app that provides aurora forecasts based on your location. One option I use is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available for both iOS and Android. However, any similar app should work well.
I also use the "Space Weather Live" app, which is available on iOS and Android, to get a deeper understanding of whether the current space weather conditions are favorable for aurora sightings. Want to capture the perfect photo? Our how to photograph auroras guide can help.
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- https://www.space.com/stargazing/auroras/northern-lights-may-be-visible-in-10-states-dec-22-23
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- Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:03:30 +0000Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:04:11 +0000
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- <![CDATA[ 10 space zombie movies, books, and games to prepare you for the night of the intergalactic dead ]]>
- Halloween may have been and gone, but with the nights drawing in, there’s still plenty of time to explore sci-fi’s universal terrors. So, come with us as we delve into the nightmare realm of space zombies, alien parasites, and lunar plagues.
According to George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead, “When there is no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.” But what if we should be looking up instead of down, and the undead are just as likely to come from the stars? After all, fear thrives in isolation, and there’s nowhere more isolated than deep space.
From The Last Days on Mars to Dead Moon, we’ve rounded up ten movies, games, and books where zombies infest starships, shamble across the surface of other worlds, or bring their galactic infection to Earth. For more interstellar spooks, check out our lists of the best space horror games and best space horror movies.
Space zombie movies
Lifeforce (1985)
Release date: June 21,1985 | Cast: Steve Railsback, Peter Firth, Frank Finlay, Mathilda May | Director: Tobe Hooper | Where to watch: Blu-ray
Dracula has nothing on Lifeforce’s alien vampire queen, who, swapping bodies along the way, sets out to strip-mine England’s souls. Descending from a spacecraft hidden inside Halley’s Comet, she drains her prey of their life energy, transforming them into desiccated corpses that wake to seek their own victims.
Directed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Tobe Hooper, it all culminates in a stunning, effects-heavy London climax that’d make Quatermass creator Nigel Kneale proud.
The Last Days on Mars (2013)
Release date: December 6, 2013 | Cast: Liev Schreiber, Elias Koteas, Romola Garai, Goran Kostić | Director: Ruairí Robinson | Where to watch: Blu-ray
The good news is that there is microscopic life on Mars. The bad news is that the bacteria Liev Schreiber’s crew stumble across zombifies its hosts and, just 19 hours away from finishing their mission, they’re forced to fight for their lives.
I would question how The Last Days on Mars’ space agency selected its astronauts, since at least two of them are at each other’s throats. But it wouldn’t be a zombie movie if everyone got on, and I’d like to see Matt Damon deal with a drill-wielding, spacesuit-clad shambler.
Science the s**t out of that one, smart guy.
Night of the Creeps (1986)
Release date: August 22, 1986 | Cast: Jason Lively, Steve Marshall, Jill Whitlow, Tom Atkins | Director: Fred Dekker | Where to watch: Blu-ray
Night of the Creeps is Night of the Living Dead meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers. This shlocky 80s gem begins with a canister of parasitic alien slugs landing on Earth and gets more knowingly ridiculous from there.
Pursued by Tom Atkins’s haunted cop, these skittering, slimy creatures infest a college campus, slithering into the mouths of anyone with (or without) a pulse. It’s an absolute riot, with some wonderfully silly special effects, from splitting heads through to slug-spitting dogs.
Pandorum (2009)
Release date: September 25, 2009 | Cast: Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue | Director: Christian Alvart | Where to watch: Blu-ray
What’s worse than a zombie apocalypse? A zombie apocalypse on a spaceship, where there’s nowhere to run and zero hope of rescue. Waking up from suspended animation, the Elysium’s relief crew discovers their colony vessel is awash with savage flesh eaters, warped by the titular Pandorum, a form of space madness.
Pandorum oozes claustrophobia, from a gloomy crawl through the vessel’s ducts, through to a stomach-churning late movie reveal. And if the zombie-adjacent mutants aren’t enough to deal with, the harried protagonists are suffering from post-hypersleep amnesia, and the ship, the Elysium, is a mishmash of failing systems.
Space zombie video games
Dead Space (2008 / 2023)
Release date: October 13, 2008 / January 27, 2023 | Platforms: Original -PC, Xbox 360, PS3. Remake - PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S | Developer: Visceral Games
Whether you dive into the original or its 2023 remake, there’s no denying that Dead Space is one of the best space horror games of all time. Everything, from its nightmarish necromorphs to the game’s semi-Lovecraftian lore, is designed to terrify.
As protagonist Isaac Clarke, you roam a massive planet-cracking mining vessel, ostensibly in search of your missing girlfriend, and battle an army of undead freaks called the Necromorphs. But while your foes may be undead, dismemberment, not headshots, is the key to putting them down. Fail, and you can look forward to one of several horrible fates, including having your whole body puppeted by a severed head.
Doom (1993)
Release date: December 10, 1993 | Platforms: PC, Linux, iOS, macOS, Android, Sega Saturn, Tapwave Zodiac, PS1/3/4, Xbox/360/One, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo Switch | Developer: id Software
It may be over 30 years old, but id Software’s original FPS is still a must-play. And, unlike the 2016 remake, you’re unwise to ignore its reanimated space marines, especially the shotgun-wielding variety.
Aside from the sheer satisfaction of dispatching them, they helpfully drop the ammo you need to continue your crusade against the forces of hell. It's one of the few zombie games where you're not trapped in there with them; they're trapped in hell with you.
Doom 2 deserves a special mention for getting downright sneaky with its zombies. Just when you’d spent the entire previous game getting a handle on these foes, it introduced chaingun-toting zombies who could cut you down in a matter of seconds.
Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)
Release date: November 15, 2001 | Platforms: PC, Mac OS, Xbox, Xbox 360 (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary), Xbox One (via The Master Chief Collection) | Developer: Bungie
If you never played Bungie’s FPS (currently being remade using Unreal Engine 5), you’ve missed out on one of the most harrowing in-game encounters of all time: the Flood. Halo: Combat Evolved lures you into a false sense of security by introducing you to their spore form, resembling nothing so much as sentient popcorn.
But, a few minutes later, you’re sobbing into your controller as this parasitic lifeform unleashes infected and warped versions of all the Covenant enemies you’ve faced up to this point (along with freakish marionettes of your human allies). Cinema popcorn will never be the same again.
System Shock 2 (1999)
Release date: August 11, 1999 | Platforms: PC, Linux, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S | Developer: Irrational Games / Looking Glass Studios
System Shock 2’s The Many, a horrifying worm-based hive mind, isn’t a million miles away from Halo’s The Flood, but it’s somehow even more terrifying. Trapped aboard a deep-space research vessel, its minions stumble towards you, lead pipe in hand, mumbling about the glory of the Many.
The Many itself periodically reaches out, a singsong of voices that mock you for wanting to retain your individuality. Throw in an extra helping of body horror and a smattering of RPG elements, and you’ve got a game that deserves to be experienced, ideally via Nightdive Studios' exceptional recent remaster.
Space zombie books
Death Troopers (2009)
(Image credit: Random House Worlds)
Release date: October 13, 2009 | Author: Joe Schreiber | Where to buy: Amazon
Long before Star Wars incarcerated Cassian Andor, Star Wars: Death Troopers took us inside an Imperial prison ship and then — because that wasn’t bad enough — unleashed a Star Destroyer full of undead Stormtroopers.
One of the few times Star Wars has delved into horror, it’s since been relegated to non-canon Legends status, but that doesn’t make it any less harrowing. Its primary protagonists, a pair of teenage brothers, are a sympathetic duo, and for those craving a big name, Han Solo and Chewbacca also put in an appearance to kick some undead Empire ass.
Dead Moon (2019)
(Image credit: Kavach Press)
Release date: October 15, 2019 | Author: Peter Clines | Where to buy: Amazon
What’s the first thing that springs to mind when we mention lunar settlement? The answer, according to Dead Moon, is moon cemeteries. The premise behind this novel, part of Peter Clines’ Threshold series, is that, thanks to a lunar space elevator, mankind has buried sixteen million people on the moon. What could possibly go wrong? You can probably guess…
But despite (or because of) its wilfully silly premise, Dead Moon is an excellent read. Resurrected by some alien force and preserved by the lunar conditions, the dead shamble across the dusty surface with the cemeteries’ caretakers beating a hasty retreat. What chance does Lunar City stand against the horde?
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- https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-zombie-movies-books-and-games-to-prepare-you-for-the-night-of-the-intergalactic-dead
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