diff --git "a/raw_rss_feeds/https___www_space_com_feeds_all.xml" "b/raw_rss_feeds/https___www_space_com_feeds_all.xml" --- "a/raw_rss_feeds/https___www_space_com_feeds_all.xml" +++ "b/raw_rss_feeds/https___www_space_com_feeds_all.xml" @@ -10,8 +10,66 @@ <![CDATA[ Latest from Space.com ]]> https://www.space.com - Fri, 02 Jan 2026 16:12:27 +0000 + Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:00:00 +0000 en + + <![CDATA[ SpaceX lowering orbits of 4,400 Starlink satellites for safety's sake ]]> + We'll see a mass migration of SpaceX Starlink satellites this year.

All Starlink broadband spacecraft currently orbiting 342 miles (550 kilometers) or so above Earth — about 4,400 satellites — will descend to an altitude of roughly 298 miles (480 km) over the course of 2026.

There are two main reasons for the move, according to Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX, who announced the plan via X on Thursday (Jan. 1).

"As solar mininum approaches, atmospheric density decreases, which means the ballistic decay time at any given altitude increases — lowering will mean a >80% reduction in ballistic decay time in solar minimum, or 4+ years reduced to a few months," Nicolls wrote in his X post. "Correspondingly, the number of debris objects and planned satellite constellations is significantly lower below 500 km, reducing the aggregate likelihood of collision."

Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. We likely just passed through the maximum phase of the current one, known as Solar Cycle 25. (Scientists have been tracking these cycles diligently since 1755, when the numbering system began.) The next solar minimum is expected in 2030 or thereabouts.

As Nicolls noted, the atmospheric changes wrought by solar activity are of great interest and importance to satellite operators. An active sun causes a thicker atmosphere, which increases frictional drag on spacecraft and brings them down faster. Low solar activity has the opposite effect.

The downward migration in 2026 involves roughly half of SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation, which currently consists of nearly 9,400 operational spacecraft (though that number is always growing). The fleet is highly reliable; there are just two dead Starlinks currently in orbit, according to Nicolls.

"Nevertheless, if a satellite does fail on orbit, we want it to deorbit as quickly as possible," he wrote. "These actions will further improve the safety of the constellation, particularly with difficult-to-control risks such as uncoordinated maneuvers and launches by other satellite operators."

Low earth orbit (LEO) is getting increasingly crowded these days. Starlink is the main driving factor; about two-thirds of all operational satellites belong to the megaconstellation. But other giant networks are being assembled as well. For example, China has begun building out two LEO internet constellations, each of which will each feature more than 10,000 spacecraft if all goes to plan.

]]> + https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/spacex-lowering-orbits-of-4-400-starlink-satellites-for-safetys-sake + + + + norLhXEVqAzhmRadWpepLA + + Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:00:00 +0000 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:03:54 +0000 + + + + + + + + + + + <![CDATA[ 16 upcoming sci-fi shows to be excited for in 2026 ]]> + Forget those New Year's resolutions that no one sticks to and plan out your watchlists for 2026 instead, because these upcoming sci-fi shows are looking spectacular. Great news for us, but terrible tidings for our wallets, as we're going to have to keep all those subscriptions that we threatened to cancel when they hiked the prices.

There's some familiarity and comfort ahead, as the slate sees "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" and "Invincible" return for their respective fourth seasons, while "The Boys" wraps up its super shenanigans with season 5. "Paradise" season 2 also promises to twist and turn minds into balloon animals, whereas "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" season 2 is likely to carry on all the pomp stomp and circumstance from before.

In terms of new additions, expect "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" to become a water cooler conversation starter, along with DC's "Lanterns" and the Darth Maul-centric show "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord." Plus, there's the long-gestating adaptation of William Gibson's "Neuromancer", a show that has been brewing for over 40 years.

If that isn't enough, the "For All Mankind" spinoff, "Star City," shines in the distance, as does the Nicolas Cage-led "Spider-Noir" and the much-anticipated "Blade Runner 2099." Phew!

Oh, what a time it is to be a sci-fi fan in 2026! Here are all the upcoming sci-fi shows to be excited for this year.

1. 'Star Trek: Starfleet Academy' season 1

Release date: January 15, 2026 | Where to watch: Paramount+

Set in the 32nd century, "Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" sees the reformation of the Starfleet Academy, headed up by Holly Hunter's Nahla Ake.

With a bunch of cadets running loose and learning all about the final frontier, expect there to be upcoming sci-fi shows 2026more teen drama, comical mischief and sci-fi mishaps than usual on "Star Trek" shows.

Sandro Rosta's Caleb Mir is the main character to watch here, as his reason for joining the Starfleet is much more personal than anyone else's.

Watch Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on Paramount+:
Essential (ads): $7.99/mo or $59.99/yr
Premium (no ads): $12.99/mo or $119.99/yr

2. 'Paradise' season 2

Release date: February 23, 2026 | Where to watch: Hulu (US) /Disney+ (UK)

"Paradise" turned out to be one of the best new shows of 2025, and the follow-up season is hot on its heels.

Blending political intrigue with doomsday consequences, the first season centers around U.S. Secret Service agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) investigating the murder of President Cal Bradford (James Marsden), as well as discovering the history of what led to the creation of the controversial bunker.

The show's twisty narrative threads unravel as the story progresses, especially through its love of flashbacks, and as season 2's trailer demonstrates, the bunker is only the tip of the iceberg here.

Watch Paradise on Hulu:
Hulu with Ads: $11.99/month or $119.99/year
Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month

3. 'Monarch: Legacy of Monsters' season 2

Release date: February 27, 2026 | Where to watch: Apple TV

Even though "Godzilla Minus One" remains the best adaptation of the kaiju in recent times, Legendary Entertainment's MonsterVerse continues to flourish in building an interconnected universe of Titans, featuring the feisty Godzilla and his temperamental hairy buddy Kong.

In "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters" season 1, siblings Cate (Anna Sawai) and Kentaro Randa (Ren Watabe) learn of their father's connection to the organization Monarch, which was originally meant to protect both humans and Titans. Now, in season 2, they uncover more of the truth – both about the past and present.

The best part about it? More monster-mashing mayhem!

Watch Monarch: Legacy of Monsters on Apple TV+:
Apple TV+: $12.99/month (7-day free trial)
Apple TV & Peacock Premium: $14.99/month

4. 'Invincible' season 4

Release date: March 2026 | Where to watch: Prime Video

Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) returns as Invincible, but after hanging out with his little alien brother, Oliver (Christian Convery), too much, he might need to change his name to Unprincipled.

As seen in the previous season, Oliver isn't shy of treating villains in the harshest way possible, and Mark seems to have learned this lesson from his baby bro. So, is Mark about to go full Omni-Man in season 4?

According to "Invincible" co-creator Robert Kirkman, Mark is set to undergo a major transition, and we're here for it.

Watch Invincible on Amazon Prime Video:

Amazon Prime: $14.99/month or $139/year
Amazon Prime Video: $8.99/month

Ad-free add-on: $2.99/month

5. 'The Boys' season 5

Release date: April 8, 2026 | Where to watch: Prime Video

Oi! There's only one way in which this blood feud between Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr) ends.

After four seasons of love sausages, exploding body parts, and supes climbing into other people's orifices, this is set to be the finale of all finales.

Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy returns in "The Boys" season 5, undoubtedly providing backup for his psychopathic and milk-loving offspring Homelander, while the rest of the Boys will need to hope that Butcher comes to his senses and stands by them one last time.

Watch The Boys on Amazon Prime Video:

Amazon Prime: $14.99/month or $139/year
Amazon Prime Video: $8.99/month

Ad-free add-on: $2.99/month

6. 'Lanterns'

Release date: U.S. summer 2026 | Where to watch: HBO

James Gunn's DC Universe expands with the addition of "Lanterns," which is all about the emerald knights known as the Green Lantern Corps.

In the show, the seasoned Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) takes newbie John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) under his wing as he teaches him how even in the brightest day or the blackest night, no evil must escape their sight – oh, and how to use the power ring too.

Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, who last appeared in "Superman" and "Peacemaker" season 2, is confirmed to feature in "Lanterns," as well as Ulrich Thomsen, who will play the villainous Sinestro.

Watch Lanterns on HBO Max:

Basic (Ads): $10.99/month or $109.99/year
Standard (No Ads): $18.49/month or $184.99/year
Premium (4K): $22.99/month or $229.99/year

7. 'Spider-Noir'

Spider-Noir wearing a hat and pointing his hand up into the air, preparing to shoot a web.

(Image credit: Sony)

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: MGM+

Everyone knows Nicolas Cage could play a potato and make it an Oscar-worthy performance. Fortunately, he doesn't need to get too starchy for "Spider-Noir."

Reprising his voice role from "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," Cage plays a private investigator Spidey variant from 1930s New York. While not much is known about the noir-inspired eight-episode series yet, the official poster showcases the name on his office door to be Ben Reilly, who is better known as a Peter Parker clone from the comics.

It remains to be seen if this is merely a nod-and-wink alias or somehow tied to something bigger. All we know is our spidey sense is tingling for this one.

Watch Spider-Noir on MGM+ (7-day free trial):

MGM+: $7.99/month or $61.99/year
MGM+ Prime Video Channel: $7.99/month

8. 'Blade Runner 2099'

Still from the movie

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Prime Video

Five years. That's the time it has taken between Ridley Scott blabbing that a "Blade Runner" series was in the works, and it eventually being released on Prime Video… and that's assuming it doesn't get delayed.

Not much is known about "Blade Runner 2099," except the fact that it's a sequel to both the films and stars Michelle Yeoh as a replicant. Additionally, Hunter Schaefer from "Euphoria" and Tom Burke from "The Lazarus Project" are set to appear in main roles.

Hopefully, this "Blade Runner" sequel spares us from Jared Leto's annoying presence. Fingers crossed.

Watch Blade Runner 2099 on Amazon Prime Video:

Amazon Prime: $14.99/month or $139/year
Amazon Prime Video: $8.99/month

Ad-free add-on: $2.99/month

9. 'X-Men '97' season 2

Release date: Mid-2026 | Where to watch: Disney+

Sure, "X-Men '97" is nostalgia-bait, reeling in all the peeps who grew up on a healthy diet of the marvelous mutants from "X-Men: The Animated Series," bub. Even so, the revival continued the trend of smart and mature storytelling, bringing Professor X's team to modern times (even if the events technically take place in the 90s) and establishing itself as one of the best sci-fi shows of 2024.

The first season dropped more than a few shockers and heart-wrenching moments, and season 2 is likely to follow suit, especially if it centers around the maniacal Apocalypse as predicted.

Siri, play the theme song on repeat until "X-Men '97" airs again.

Watch X-Men '97 on Disney+:
Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year

10. 'Neuromancer'

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Apple TV

William Gibson's 1984 novel "Neuromancer" and cyberpunk go hand-in-transhuman hand. Despite its legendary status in literature, it's taken over four decades for an adaptation to materialise, which is bizarre when you consider how this race-against-time sci-fi-licious tale about AI should be like catnip for Hollywood execs.

Maybe they don't like reading anything except spreadsheets? Regardless, showrunners Graham Roland and J. D. Dillard are bringing a 10-episode version of "Neuromancer" to Apple TV, starring Callum Turner as Case, Briana Middleton as Molly, and Mark Strong as Armitage.

Expect to see many – oh so many – "Neuromancer explained" articles on the Internet thereafter, because this story isn't afraid to get weird.

Watch Neuromancer on Apple TV+:
Apple TV+: $12.99/month (7-day free trial)
Apple TV & Peacock Premium: $14.99/month

11. 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' season 4

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Paramount+

"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," aka the best jumping-on point for non-Trekkies, returns for its penultimate season. The show's only limit is its imagination, as fans have already seen Captain Pike and his crew delight in musical and animated episodes.

So, how much further can "Strange New Worlds" take the – ahem – strangeness of these interplanetary quests? Well, you haven't seen anything yet, because Pike is about to show the muppets who has the better space adventure in season 4.

Go kick rocks, Kermit!

Watch Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+:
Essential (ads): $7.99/mo or $59.99/yr
Premium (no ads): $12.99/mo or $119.99/yr

12. 'Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord'

Logo for the

(Image credit: Disney)

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Disney+

Say what you want about "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," but Darth Maul remains one of the coolest villains ever introduced in this franchise.

Fans received more of the horned Sith Lord in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels," but now he's set to receive the star treatment as he gets his solo animated series titled "Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord."

Set after the events of the Clone War, Maul (voiced once again by fan-favorite Sam Witwer) plots and plans his return to power. At the same time, he also trains a new apprentice in the art of the dark side. Look, Disney and Lucasfilm, you had us at Maul already, so please just let this show be good.

13. 'VisionQuest'

Vision in the MCU show WandaVision

(Image credit: Marvel / Disney)

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Disney+

Death in the MCU is about as permanent as one of those rub-on Batman tattoos you had as a kid. Paul Bettany's Vision returned in "WandaVision," but now viewers get to experience him trying to reconcile his memories and who he is in "VisionQuest."

In typical Marvel fashion, though, details prove to be scarce apart from story leaks and photos from questionable online sources. Having said that, the series piques the interest, especially because of the news that James Spader's Ultron will be a major player here.

Maybe the MCU is well and truly back, after all.

Watch VisionQuest on Disney+:
Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year

14. 'The Boroughs'

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Netflix

What happens when a supernatural danger descends on a blissful retirement community? They fight back, of course.

Reading the logline for "The Boroughs," it sounds an awful lot like "Stranger Things" but with retirees instead of kids. That's okay, though, especially considering the talented Duffer brothers are behind this eight-episode sci-fi show too.

If that isn't enough to entice you, consider the main cast list for a second here: Bill Pullman, Geena Davis, Alfred Molina, Clarke Peters, and Alfre Woodard. Stranger who? Exactly.

Watch The Boroughs on Netflix:

Standard with ads: $7.99/month
Standard: $17.99/month
Premium (4K): $24.99/month

15. 'Silo' season 3

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Apple TV

"Silo" season 3 will take viewers back to pre-apocalyptic times, adapting Hugo Howey's "Shift" (the second book in the "Silo" trilogy) and revealing more about what led to the silo's creation.

Showrunner Graham Yost promised that many questions are set to be answered, such as the origin of the Pez dispenser and the dirty bomb, while also stating that this season sets up an important location that plays a role in the fourth and final season.

Series regulars Rebecca Ferguson and Steve Zahn are expected to return, but they aren't siloed, as new cast members Jessica Henwick and Ashley Zukerman join the fray.

Watch Silo on Apple TV+:
Apple TV+: $12.99/month (7-day free trial)
Apple TV & Peacock Premium: $14.99/month

16. 'Star City'

Close up of a female astronaut on Mars. In the background there are several containers and a white building. This is a screenshot from the Apple TV series

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

Release date: TBC | Where to watch: Apple TV

"For All Mankind" showcases what would have happened had the Soviet Union won the global space race. The alt-space history show offers some food for thought, posing serious questions about what would have happened to America in the aftermath and the knock-on effect.

So, it makes all the sense in the world to explore the same premise from the Soviet Union's perspective. Rhys Ifans and Anna Maxwell Martin lead "Star City," which should tide viewers over as they await further seasons of "For All Mankind."

In more good news, "For All Mankind" showrunners Ronald D. Moore, Ben Nedivi, and Matt Wolpert will helm this spinoff, too.

Watch Star City on Apple TV+:
Apple TV+: $12.99/month (7-day free trial)
Apple TV & Peacock Premium: $14.99/month

]]> + https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/16-upcoming-sci-fi-shows-to-be-excited-for-in-2026 + + + + GsFpMf297MyxRtAP87PU3d + + Fri, 02 Jan 2026 19:00:00 +0000 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:39:10 +0000 + + + + + + + + + + + <![CDATA[ 2026 is the year humanity will finally go back to the moon ]]> + Astronauts haven't visited our nearest celestial neighbor since 1972. That's when NASA astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt spent three days on the moon before rejoining Apollo 17 crewmate NASA astronaut Ron Evans aboard their command module in lunar orbit. After two more days circling the moon, the trio ignited their engine on a return trajectory back to Earth. As they flew away, theirs became the last sets of eyes to see the moon up close.

Now, after decades of ever-elongating timelines, evolving mission frameworks and years of delays, NASA is ready to go back. The U.S. space agency's Artemis program faces its second mission in 2026, and it will be the first to carry a crew of astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft. The Artemis 2 mission is designed to fly its crew once around the moon before returning them to Earth over the course of about 10 days, during which the astronauts will become the first in a generation to see the moon up close.

Artemis 2 follows the November 2022 launch of an uncrewed Orion on NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Artemis 1. At the time, NASA had hoped to fly Artemis 2 in 2023, but damage to Orion's heatshield during atmospheric reentry pushed that goalpost by a year, and then another year.

Through its series of planned Artemis missions, NASA plans to establish a permanent outpost on the moon. From there, the agency hopes to develop and mature the technologies needed to expand deeper into the solar system to places like Mars.

A lot of U.S. spaceflight discourse this past year has focused on when NASA will get boots on the lunar surface, and whether U.S. astronauts will land on the moon's southern polar region before a group of Chinese taikonauts plants their flag there first. When President Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget proposal was released, the administration put a stronger emphasis on NASA's human exploration of space —  despite cutting NASA's funding by nearly a quarter and its science programs virtually in half. That emphasis, though, put a spotlight on the Artemis program and invited deeper scrutiny of NASA's launch system and lunar lander development.

Under NASA's current plan, Artemis 2 and 3 rely on the agency's SLS rocket to launch its Orion spacecraft to cislunar space, where it will dock with the Gateway space station, for transfer to a lunar lander for the last leg down to the surface. NASA's Human Landing Services (HLS) contract for that vehicle was awarded to SpaceX for a version of their Starship vehicle currently being developed to transport Artemis 3 astronauts down to the moon's surface — a controversial decision which elicited industry pushback and, more recently, one that NASA has begun backpedalling on.

Criticisms of both SLS and Starship have called the program's architecture and timeline into question. Before its first launch in 2022, SLS spent more than a decade in development at a cost of nearly $50 billion since 2006.

In the time it took to turn the SLS design schematics to a fully realized and assembled rocket, SpaceX introduced the world to reliable rocket reusability — not something SLS was designed for. And, with the successful recovery and relaunch of SpaceX's newest Super Heavy booster this year, some have questioned whether SLS's $4 billion-per-launch price tag is the most cost-effective way to send Orion to orbit.

NASA’s Space Launch System rocket is prepped for the upcoming launched. (Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Starship is another story. SpaceX seems to have worked out much of the kinks developing the Super Heavy booster responsible for launching Starship — though a recent mishap of the booster's latest version did rupture during a pressurization test. The company has successfully caught three Super Heavy boosters using the giant "Mechazilla" chopstick-like arms attached to the rocket's launch tower, and managed to refly one of those boosters during one of Starship's 2025 test flights. Starship, however, did not have as good a year.

Of its five launches in 2025, Starship only completed its mission objectives on the final two. The development delays have raised concerns about the vehicle's readiness for Artemis 3, which NASA had hoped to launch in 2027, but internal SpaceX documents obtained by Politico in November indicate the company doesn't expect Starship to be ready for that mission until 2028.

U.S. lawmakers, space industry leaders and even former NASA administrators have spoken out publicly in criticism of Starship's delayed development, and are raising red flags that such delays could hand control of the moon to China.

During testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee in September, former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine cautioned against positioning the Artemis program to become completely reliant on SpaceX for mission success. "Unless something changes, it is highly unlikely the United States will beat China's projected timeline," he said.

Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Starship vehicle on the moon during an Artemis astronaut mission for NASA. (Image credit: SpaceX)

That's a problem, experts say. The U.S. and China are both eyeing the moon's southern polar region to set up camp, where scientists believe there is an abundance of water ice — a valuable resource that can be used to provide astronauts with everything from suitable drinking water to rocket fuel. It's also a matter of national security. "If our adversaries achieve dominant space capabilities, it would pose a profound risk to America," Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said during the Commerce Committee hearing at which Bridenstine testified.

NASA, too, is feeling the pressure. Unsatisfied with SpaceX's progress, acting agency administrator Sean Duffy announced in October that NASA was considering reopening the HLS contract to other bidders, including Blue Origin, who objected to Starship's selection over their Blue Moon lander, which is originally slated for Artemis 5. Now, NASA may decide to go with whichever lander is ready first, but SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has voiced skepticism over the competing company's ability to qualify their lander before SpaceX does so with Starship.

Blue Origin's large, crew-carrying Mark 2 moon lander can deliver up to 22 tons (20 metric tons) to the lunar surface in a reusable configuration or up to 33 tons (30 metric tons) in a one-way configuration.  (Image credit: Blue Origin)

For its part, China's lunar ambitions and timeline to achieve them are about on par with the U.S., only the speed at which they're developing the technologies to accomplish those goals is quickly worrying those in the U.S. space industry who see stalls in Artemis' evolution.

In 2025, China has continued to close key technical gaps, advancing work on its Long March 10 lunar rocket, next-generation crewed spacecraft (named Mengzhou) and a crewed lunar lander. Beijing has also pressed ahead with reusable launch vehicle tests (though its most recent landing attempts were unsuccessful) reinforcing a development cadence that looks increasingly steady as Artemis faces schedule pressure.

The question still remains which country will successfully land astronauts (or taikonauts) back on the moon first, but there's no denying which nation will be the first to fly a crew to lunar space in the new millennium.

After Artemis 1, NASA named the crew of the upcoming Artemis 2 flight. The mission will be flown by NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman as Artemis 2 commander, Victor Glover as pilot, and Christina Koch and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen as mission specialists. The quartet has spent the last three years training for every aspect of their flight around the moon, with a major ramp-up over the past year that has included NASA's broader Artemis team.

The four Artemis 2 astronauts address a crowd. (Image credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

"The consolidation and momentum that's building in the wider team — the flight control team, the launch control team — we are firing on all cylinders with those guys doing problem solving, answering questions that no one knows the real answer to," Koch told Space.com in an interview. "Every person that walks into every room is just ready to contribute the most that they can and to get to the right answer as a team," she said.

Koch and the other members of the Artemis 2 crew are eager to launch on their mission, and if NASA's current schedule holds, they may get that opportunity as early as February 2026. NASA is targeting no earlier than Feb. 5 for the first Artemis 2 launch window, and may roll the mission's completed SLS rocket from the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, to Launch Complex-39B as early as January. If they run into another delay, the space agency has determined additional launch windows in the months to follow, through April.

Once the day of their launch does arrive, the Artemis 2 crew will board the Orion spacecraft and ride SLS into Earth's orbit for a mission that will last roughly ten days. Should the launch go smoothly and checkouts of Orion's systems while in orbit come back nominal, a translunar injection burn of SLS's upper stage will propel Orion into a free-return trajectory around the moon, slingshotting the spacecraft around the moon and back to Earth on a course in the shape of a figure-eight. The trajectory doesn't fully place Orion in lunar orbit, but it guarantees the spacecraft and crew's return to Earth regardless of any anomalies they might encounter around the moon.

NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft with its launch abort system is stacked atop the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket (Image credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett)

While the main objective of Artemis 2 is to put Orion through its paces on its first mission carrying astronauts, the crew will also conduct a series of science experiments. Some of that research involves the astronauts themselves, who will become their own biomedical subjects to gather in-flight data on the effects the human body experiences beyond low Earth orbit for the first time since Apollo, including investigations into things like radiation exposure and the immune system.

In addition to humanity's long-awaited return to the moon, Artemis 2 is breaking ground in other historical ways as well. Depending on when it launches, Orion's flight around the moon may take the Artemis 2 crew further from Earth than any previous crewed mission — potentially breaking the record set during Apollo 13.

Koch and Glover will also be making history in their own right, as the first woman and first person of color to fly to the moon.

Thus, for all the uncertainty surrounding Artemis' long-term architecture, Artemis 2 represents something far simpler. It will send humans beyond low Earth orbit for the first time in more than half a century, reestablishing a capability the U.S. at one time may have taken for granted.

Whether Artemis ultimately fulfills its promise of sustained lunar exploration, or is reshaped by politics, budgets and competition with China, the program's first crewed flight around the moon will mark a definitive turning point. In 2026, humanity isn't just planning to return to lunar space — it's actually going.

]]> + https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/2026-is-the-year-humanity-will-finally-go-back-to-the-moon + + + + vonaCKQb8dzuuL8WQWhxQK + + Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Fri, 02 Jan 2026 14:06:42 +0000 + + + + + + + + + + <![CDATA[ Northern lights may be visible in 18 states tonight ]]> Heads up aurora chasers! The northern lights may light up skies across the northern U.S. tonight (Jan. 2-3) according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

An incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) — a vast plume of plasma and magnetic field from the sun — is forecast to deliver Earth a blow sometime on late Jan. 2 but more likely in the early hours of Jan. 3, according to the U.K. Met Office. If it arrives as expected, the CME could trigger minor (G1) to moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm conditions.

This is good news for aurora chasers as it raises the chance of seeing the northern lights at mid-latitudes.

Where can I see the northern lights tonight?

States that could see auroras tonight

Aurora forecast courtesy of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. (Image credit: Map: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Graphic created in Canva Pro.)

Based on the latest NOAA aurora forecast map, the following 18 U.S. states appear fully or partially above the aurora view line:

  1. Alaska
  2. North Dakota
  3. Minnesota
  4. Montana
  5. Wisconsin
  6. South Dakota
  7. Michigan
  8. Idaho
  9. Maine
  10. Vermont
  11. New Hampshire
  12. Washington
  13. Iowa
  14. Oregon
  15. New York
  16. Wyoming
  17. Nebraska
  18. Illinois

But remember, auroras can be very fickle. The list is based on current forecast data at the time of publication, but if conditions strengthen, northern lights could reach much farther south than expected. Equally, if conditions don't align, we could end up twiddling our thumbs, with 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 18 U.S. states tonight (Jan. 2-3) as soon as it gets dark, so it's worth keeping an eye on the sky (and your aurora alerts) 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:

How can I see the northern lights from where I live?

If you live in one of the 18 U.S. states forecasted to potentially catch sight of the northern lights tonight, there are a few things you can do to give yourself the best chance of seeing them.

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.

]]> @@ -897,61 +955,5 @@ - - <![CDATA[ The best sci-fi movies of 2025. ranked ]]> - As the year 2025 winds down and we pop the cork on a fresh 2026, it's a time-honored tradition to reflect back on the past 12 months to consider what Hollywood had to offer. In this era of diminished theatrical releases and streaming's continued rise to power and influence, these sci-fi hits showed us that Tinseltown has still got it where it counts.

Honorable Mention: Avatar: Fire & Ash

Oona Chaplin as a female Navi warrior, seen on the beach near a flying creature in Avatar: Fire & Ash

(Image credit: Disney)

James Cameron's "Avatar: Fire and Ash" just came out, but at the time of writing, we haven't had the opportunity to watch it and form a real opinion yet.

So, we'll have to leave out anything taking place on the planet Pandora for now, though we're sure it will be a breathtaking sensation that will top the charts and wow global viewers.

Among the many honorees, superhero movies made a respectable showing as DC Studios rolled out "Superman" and Marvel Studios made a retro splash with "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

Some awkward missteps didn’t make the cut, including the interesting but occasionally irritating "Mickey 17," Disney’s animated astro-flick, "Elio," and the head-scratching aberration of Ice Cube's Prime Video debacle, "War of the Worlds." And as for "The Astronaut", all we can say is WTF.

But for every thorn we've mentioned, there's a blossoming rose. They may not all be at the top of the box office bean counters' ledger sheet, but these twelve movies offered artistry and imagination that delivered exceptional audience experiences in a variety of cinematic forms.

Let's dive right into Space's best sci-fi movies of 2025. ranked.

12. Tron: Ares

Cast: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith | Director: Joachim Rønning | Watch on: Disney+

We had to have one sacrificial lamb to anchor this list, and "Tron: Ares" more than qualifies for that role to kick us off.

Released in a strange mid-October launch period and carrying with it the legacy of a 43-year-old sci-fi franchise whose last installment, "Tron: Legacy," landed back in 2010, "Tron: Ares" was a financial burden on Disney and appeared dead-on-arrival.

It could be that the execution of the film failed to ignite audience interest in a tale of the digital realm intruding on our real world, or maybe that no one wanted to see an AI Jared Leto. Regardless, director Joachim Rønning’s $220 million neon pic is still a spectacular visual feast with a killer Nine Inch Nails score.

Watch Tron: Ares on Disney+:
Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year

11. The Electric State

Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander | Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo | Watch on: Netflix

Produced for a stratospheric $320 million and starring Chris Pratt and Millie Bobby Brown, this Netflix blockbuster was directed by The Russo Brothers of the "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame" fame. "The Electric State" takes its source material from a surreal graphic novel of the same name by acclaimed Swedish illustrator Simon Stalenhag.

Years after a catastrophic robot rebellion, which humanity won, two lost souls traverse a broken American wasteland with a robot named Cosmo to try and find the consciousness behind this lost droid.

The visual effects by Industrial Light & Magic are cutting-edge, and they should be for the money! Woody Harrelson's robotic Mr. Peanut is a showstopper, and while the movie seems disjointed at times, just consider it a fun cartoonish romp, and you'll have a good time..

Watch The Electric State on Netflix:

Standard with ads: $7.99/month
Standard: $17.99/month
Premium (4K): $24.99/month

10. The Gorge

Cast: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver | Director: Scott Derrickson | Watch on: Apple TV+

This sci-fi horror feature from Apple TV slots into our roundup because of its pure entertainment value and captivating performances from Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy.

This should have been given a full theatrical release, but we don't make those decisions and can only gently complain about them. The handsome pair of actors play sniper specialists from enemy countries who must each take a long shift on opposite sides of a massive trench where some unnatural monsters apparently lurk below.

While guarding this mysterious gorge, these good-looking sharpshooters inevitably fall in love and join forces to contain the marauding creatures. Director Scott Derrickson ("Doctor Strange") delivers a good old-fashioned action fright flick that is both charming and rewarding on a particular level that doesn’t demand much heavy lifting.

Watch The Gorge on Apple TV+:
Apple TV+: $12.99/month (7-day free trial)
Apple TV & Peacock Premium: $14.99/month

9. Lilo & Stitch

Cast: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Billy Magnussen, Hannah Waddingham, Chris Sanders | Director: Dean Fleischer Camp | Watch on: Disney+

One of the most massive hits of 2025, pulling in over $1 billion and only recently surpassed by "Zootopia 2" as the top box office performer of the year, "Lilo & Stitch" is a delightful live-action sci-fi adventure adapted from the beloved 2002 Disney animated feature.

This makeover movie stays pretty true to the original and revolves around Lilo (Maia Kealoha), a six-year-old, hula-loving Hawaiian surfer girl who adopts a furry blue alien creature named Stitch, who was created as a biological weapon. Agents from the United Galactic Federation soon arrive to retrieve their test subject, and some wacky island mischief ensues.

Director Dean Fleischer Camp keeps things cute and charming, and the result is a successful remake that also stands on its own. Actor Chris Sanders also adds to the finished product by reprising his role voicing Stitch!

Watch Lilo & Stitch on Disney+:
Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year

8. Bugonia

Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias | Director: Yorgos Lanthimos | Watch on: Peacock

The Human Resistance kidnaps a corporate hotshot played by Emma Stone, believing she’s an extraterrestrial residing on Earth and masquerading as a powerful Big Pharma CEO.

The pair of beekeeping conspiracy nuts played by Jesse Plemons and Aidan Delbis are insistent that she’s alien royalty from the Andromeda galaxy and try to prevent her from contacting her mothership. What follows is an engrossing battle of wits that leads to some shocking revelations about the fractured reality of humanity.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos offers viewers a quirky, delirious descent into the troubled minds of conspiracy theorists and makes you question the real truth, no matter how outlandish it might seem.

Watch Bugonia on Peacock:

Premium (Ads): $10.99/month or $109.99/year
Premium Plus (No Ads): $16.99/month or $169.99/year
Apple TV & Premium (Ads): $14.99/month
Apple TV & Premium Plus (No Ads): $19.99/month View Deal

7. Lost in Starlight

Cast: Kim Tae-ri, Hong Kyung, Sharon Kwon, Ahn Young-mi | Director: Han Ji-won | Watch on: Netflix

The second animated feature on this compilation, Lost in Starlight is a touching romantic sci-fi fable from Korea that might have been unfairly overlooked if not for it debuting on Netflix.

South Korean director Han Ji-Won presents an uplifting cosmic story of star-crossed lovers that is a refreshing diversion deserving of the added attention for the holidays and beyond. This engaging tale of the scientist astronaut Nan-young and a struggling musician named Jay becomes a heart-wrenching drama when Nan-young joins a mission to Mars, and their long-distance bond is tested.

The film also delivers a catchy soundtrack of original K-pop songs courtesy of CIFIKA, Meego, John Park, Wave to Earth's Kim Daniel, and many more.

Watch Lost in Starlight on Netflix:

Standard with ads: $7.99/month
Standard: $17.99/month
Premium (4K): $24.99/month

6. Superman

Cast: David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi | Director: James Gunn | Watch on: HBO Max

As one of the most-anticipated installments of the summer, director James Gunn delivers a perfectly respectable superhero blockbuster that introduced the world to a very Henry Cavill-looking David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. And you know what? We dig it.

Stuffed to the breaking point with an inspired cast and a brighter message of hope, "Superman" sports many of the hallmarks we've come to love in Gunn’s "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies. At times, there are simply too many characters flitting about the production, and it often lacks the edge of Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel."

Nevertheless, there's a lot to love here, especially Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane, Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho, and, of course, the super-pup Krypto.

Watch Superman on HBO Max:

Basic (Ads): $10.99/month or $109.99/year
Standard (No Ads): $18.49/month or $184.99/year
Premium (4K): $22.99/month or $229.99/year

5. 28 Years Later

Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams | Director: Danny Boyle | Watch on: Netflix

Zombies are back, baby (well, sort of!) and just as ferocious as ever when director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland returned to the franchise they created back in 2002 with "28 Days Later."

An underrated sequel, "28 Weeks Later," followed in 2007, but the sci-fi horror property lay fallow until the creative duo brought it back to life. The plot unfurls 30 years after the Rage Virus spread through England as a boy and his dad travel from the safe harbor of their remote island for a perilous hunting mission.

Starring Jodie Comer, Alfie Williams, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Ralph Fiennes, 28 Years Later opens the gates for a whole new trilogy and its dash of British folk horror paired with the evolutionary existence of a new "Alpha" breed of the infected. The trailer alone, with its vintage 1915 recital of Rudyard Kipling's "Boots" poem, is simply chilling!

Watch 28 Years Later on Netflix:

Standard with ads: $7.99/month
Standard: $17.99/month
Premium (4K): $24.99/month

4. Predator: Killer of Killers/Predator: Badlands

Cast: (Killer of Killers) Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa, Rick Gonzalez/ (Badlands) Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Reuben de Jong | Director: Dan Trachtenberg | Watch on: Hulu

For this pick, we’re giving you a combo pack of pure Predator goodness from director Dan Trachtenberg that provides two great Predator projects that taste great together.

Hulu’s animated anthology, "Killer of Killers," gives fans more of the savage intensity and bloodlust that the classic sci-fi franchise has traditionally been known for. "Badlands" is a different creature altogether and operates as a slightly humorous buddy pic with a runt Yautja warrior being tested on a hunting expedition on a dangerous planet and a chatty Weyland-Yutani android tagging along on its back due to its limb loss.

Together, these titles provide a good dose of the new Predator property as imagined by the Disney braintrust at 20th Century Studios... for better and perhaps for worse, depending on your preference.

Watch Predator: Killer of Killers & Predator: Badlands on Hulu:
Hulu with Ads: $11.99/month or $119.99/year
Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month

3. Ash

Cast: Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott | Director: Flying Lotus | Watch on: Shudder

With its evolving Lovecraftian sci-fi nightmares, this phantasmagoric indie entry directed by filmmaker and hip-hop artist Flying Lotus is a must-watch for any serious genre fan.

Set on a hostile exoplanet where an alien species has already staked a terraforming claim, it's a stylish horror tale of a doomed rescue mission that often defies traditional linear narratives.

The striking color-splashed visuals alone are worthy of a serious viewing, and Fly-Lo's retro synthwave score sets the dreamy mood perfectly. It carries an infectious grindhouse appeal and dark video game-inspired scares that lingers with you long after the end credits roll!

Watch Ash on Shudder:

Shudder: $8.99/month or $89.99/year (with a seven-day free trial)

2. The Fantastic Four: First Steps

Cast: Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn | Director: Matt Shakman | Watch on: Disney+

With "The Fantastic Four: First Steps", we have finally broken the decades-old curse of Marvel's First Family having terrible movies.

Director Matt Shakman and a spirited cast inhabit a colorful, retro-futuristic New York City of the 1960s, as Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, The Thing, and The Human Torch combat the planet-munching entity called Galactus and his shimmery herald, the Silver Surfer.

Beautifully balanced with humor and heart, this Fantastic Four might not have lit up the box office or incited critics to gush over its many merits, but it's a solid step in the right direction as Marvel Studios regroups on its way to next year's "Avengers: Doomsday" with Robert Downey as the diabolical Marvel Comics villain, Victor von Doom.

Watch The Fantastic Four: First Steps on Disney+:
Disney+ (With Ads): $11.99/month
Disney+ Premium (No Ads): $18.99/month or $189.99/year

1. Frankenstein

Cast: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz | Director: Guillermo del Toro | Watch on: Netflix

While some sci-fi fans might balk at the inclusion of director Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein" on this diverse parade of winners, the subject matter and source material do fall squarely into a broad definition of the science fiction genre.

Isaac Asimov once explained it as being related to Humankind and its relationship to speculative technology and alternative science. Mary Shelley's 1818 novel fuses Gothic horror with unholy scientific experiments, and in del Toro's hands, the graphic details of Oscar Isaac's mad creation are on full display.

The elegant sets and lavish costume designs are stunning, as is Jacob Elordi's multi-faceted performance as the intelligent wretch stitched together from corpses. It’s a haunting epic, both romantic and tragic, with enough atmosphere and artistic touches to satisfy the most discriminating of tastes.

Watch Frankenstein on Netflix:

Standard with ads: $7.99/month
Standard: $17.99/month
Premium (4K): $24.99/month

]]> - https://www.space.com/entertainment/space-movies-shows/the-best-sci-fi-movies-of-2025-ranked - - - - r2hb36hXga8LZADLG2oUVE - - Sat, 27 Dec 2025 13:00:00 +0000 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 19:28:02 +0000 - - - - - - - - - - - <![CDATA[ The 12 biggest space stories of 2025 — according to you ]]> - It has been a whirlwind year for space science, to say the least.

The Trump administration only entered office at the beginning of this year, but has already shaken up the world of academic research and the structure of major science organizations such as NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. An interstellar comet strayed into our solar system and scientists have been rushing to study this sample from beyond ever since (even during a government shutdown).

Satellites are crowding Earth orbit, the northern lights are suddenly visible to people who would never normally expect to see them, and we even went through one of the shortest days in history. We saw black holes devouring stars in new ways, witnessed experts fight over whether an exoplanet called K2-18b is actually exhibiting signs of life right before NASA's Perseverance rover found a possible biosignature of its own, and waited patiently for a new observatory to drop its first images — and that barely scratches the surface of it.

But I was curious about something. With so many massive cosmic stories competing for attention, which ones resonated the most? What space questions were people Googling? What sounded too good to miss?

To find out, I dug into our metrics and searched for the 12 most read stories of 2025. Here's what I found.

12. China reached out to NASA to avoid a potential satellite collision in 1st-of-its-kind space cooperation

Space debris continues to be a growing problem for space exploration. (Image credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Possible satellite accidents and surprising international space cooperation kick off this list; At number 12, is a story that perhaps offered a glimpse of a more collaborative future in orbit that can drown out our Kessler Syndrome worries.

This year, officials with the Chinese National Space Agency did something unexpected: They reached out to NASA after detecting a potential satellite traffic collision, suggesting NASA hold its satellite still while they figure out a maneuver. While NASA has sent such alerts to China before, the reverse hadn't happened until now.

On one hand, there's something to be said here about how many satellites are traversing Earth orbit (so many that space traffic control is moving toward normalcy!) and, on the other, it shows China's space capabilities may have leveled up once more. Detecting and tracking potential collisions requires sophisticated space situational awareness, something long dominated by the U.S.

Read the full article here.

11. Big lake in Quebec suddenly disappears, satellite finds

Lac Rouge suddenly disappeared in Quebec. (Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory/images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. )

The headline of this Space Photo of the Day from August is certainly worth a double-take, so I'm not terribly shocked it's on this list.

The short explanation for what happened here is that the land surrounding a lake in Quebec collapsed inward on itself, causing the lake's water to drain suddenly and triggering landslides with little to no warning. Families with the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi, an Indigenous community in Quebec, were devastated by the loss of their traditional hunting, fishing and campgrounds.

Read the full article here.

10. James Webb Space Telescope takes 1st look at interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with unexpected results

The James Webb Space Telescope turned its eye on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, resulting in these images. (Image credit: NASA/James Webb Space Telescope)

Of course comet 3I/ATLAS had to make this list. It's one of the most fascinating cosmic serendipities to happen in recent memory.

Comets are very cool in and of themselves, but what's special about 3I/ATLAS is that it came from beyond our solar system — hence, its "interstellar" title – and it's only the third confirmed object to enter our corner of the cosmos from elsewhere. Scientists are trying to learn as much as possible about this so-called "invader" before it leaves forever, and in this article, you can see data about the comet captured by the James Webb Space Telescope — a highly revered, infrared-light-catching instrument that launched on Christmas Day in 2021.

Read the full article here.

9. Earth will spin faster today to create 2nd-shortest day in history

The second shortest Earth day occurred this summer. (Image credit: joecicak/Getty Images)

The second shortest day on record took place this year on July 22, but it was only 1.34 milliseconds shorter. The record didn't last long; it was broken again on Aug. 5.

What causes these variations? Well, Earth's rotation isn't perfectly constant because of variables like the gravitational pull of the moon on our planet, masses on our planet itself shifting (like its liquid core) and seasonal changes. And even though we can't actually feel the difference in rotation, it's maybe nice to know that forces beyond the context of our reality are shifting and aligning to keep our clocks ticking and our journey through the universe a healthy cruise.

Read the full article here.

8. Failed Soviet Venus lander Kosmos 482 crashes to Earth after 53 years in orbit

A streak against the dark sky shows Kosmos 482 landing back on Earth (Image credit: Gianluca Masi/The Virtual Telescope Project)

It was a bittersweet moment on May 10 this year, when a Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482, plunged back to Earth after more than five decades in orbit.

Kosmos 482's destiny was to ride the tides around Venus, but because of a failure during launch, the spacecraft never made it past our planet's orbit. And for the last five decades, it had remained in limbo there, unable to continue its journey or return home, until gravity closed the chapter.

At last, it's home.

Read the full article here.

7. Russian 'Noah's Ark' satellite carrying 75 mice and 1,500 flies lands back on Earth

The landing spot of Russia’s Bion-M No. 2 descent module, on the steppes of the Orenburg region.  (Image credit: Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko)

Speaking of in-orbit objects that returned home, so did a spherical Russian spacecraft carrying 75 mice, 1,500 flies, microorganisms and plant seeds spent 30 days in orbit, exposing its living cargo to cosmic radiation and microgravity before returning to Earth.

While 10 mice died and some flies didn’t survive, most of the animals came back alive, giving scientists valuable insight into how living organisms cope with spaceflight.

Read the full article here.

6. Cosmonaut removed from SpaceX's Crew 12 mission for violating national security rules: report

In early December, an investigative report from Russian news site The Insider revealed that cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was removed from SpaceX's Crew 12 mission after allegedly leaking confidential SpaceX documentation and photos.

This mission, scheduled to launch to the International Space Station as early as February, now lists cosmonaut Andrei Fedyayev as Artemyev's replacement on the four-person crew.

Read the full article here.

Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev was removed from the SpaceX Crew 12 mission. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls)

5. Scientists analyze 76 million radio telescope images, find Starlink satellite interference 'where no signals are supposed to be present'

An astronomical image marred by trails caused by satellites of SpaceX's Starlink megaconstellation.  (Image credit: Victoria Girgis/Lowell Observatory)

And on the note of SpaceX, the rise of satellite megaconstellations spearheaded by Elon Musk's company continues to make headlines for the negative impact it has on astronomy observations. Though other satellites are contributors to the issue of signal interference in night sky images — notably AST SpaceMobile's Bluewalker 3 — SpaceX's Starlink internet satellites are quite the polluters in this domain. There are over 10,000 deployed satellites, with more on the way.

This article is one of several that investigate how bad the Starlink effect is on astronomy, and how much worse it could get. A new study from this month, for instance, suggests satellite constellations like Starlink could obscure most space telescope observations by the late 2030s.

Read the full article here.

4. What time is Sept. 7 blood moon total lunar eclipse?

The total lunar eclipse happened on Sept. 7-8, 2025. (Image credit: Created in Canva Pro by Daisy Dobrijevic)

Number four on this list represents several blood moon stories from this year, as humanity's desire to view our lunar friend became quite clear to me while we searched through our most-read stories.

The blood moon, for context, happened because a total lunar eclipse was visible across Asia and Europe overnight from Sept. 7 through Sept. 8. The moon’s deep red hue appeared as it passed through Earth's shadow, with the exact shade shaped by conditions in Earth's atmosphere — a process explained in detail through an accompanying infographic.

It's also hard to forget how much the 2024 total solar eclipse captivated the world; it would seem space traffic is just as mesmerizing as space traffic control to us.

Read the full article here.

3. NASA's Perseverance rover hits the Mars rock gold mine: 'It has been all we had hoped for and more'

One of the navigation cameras on NASA’s Perseverance captured the rover’s tracks coming from an area called “Witch Hazel Hill,” on May 13, 2025, the 1,503rd Martian day, or sol, of the mission. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

The Perseverance rover had some major wins this year while scouring the Martian surface for clues about the history of the Red Planet. One of them is the absolute bounty of peculiar rocks it found at a spot near Jezero Crater called "Witch Hazel Hill."

While exploring the region, the rover uncovered intriguing specimens, including once-molten rocks and, for the first time, material from the crater rim itself. One particularly prized sample, dubbed Silver Mountain, captivated scientists with its unusual textures — and will likely remain a highlight of the mission for years to come.

Read the full article here.

2. Northern lights may be visible in these 23 US States June 1

The northern lights put on a spectacular display in 2025. (Image credit: Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon via Getty Images)

Similar to the deal with the blood moon conglomerate, this article represents all the northern lights stories that were running off the charts this year.

The current solar cycle has been kind enough to allow humans across the world to see the northern lights right in their backyards, even if they don't live in the frigid polar areas of our globe. And after getting a taste of what it's like to see these surreal light shows, it appears to have become a chase for many.

What'll happen when a solar cycle doesn't treat us this well in the future? Hello darkness my old friend?

Read the full article here.

1. Trump's signing of 'One Big Beautiful Bill' includes $85 million to move space shuttle Discovery from Smithsonian to Texas

The future of Space Shuttle Discovery is questionable. (Image credit: Space.com/Chris Daniels)

Welcome to our number one most-read story this year: A rundown of how the Trump administration's "Big Beautiful Bill" allocated money to move the iconic space shuttle Discovery (currently located at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C.) to Space Center Houston, the official visitor center for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas.

This idea has been met with much disdain from experts, in part because it would entail sort of chipping up Discovery into different pieces. Not to mention, it'd be pretty hard to complete the task — and the money involved could theoretically be used for other stuff.

It's fitting to have this story at our top spot because of how science has been flipped upside down this year due to changes implemented by the Trump administration. Several of Space.com's stories in 2025 have been dedicated to peeling back the layers of how the administration — since taking office at the start of this year — has led to mass layoffs of scientists, language changes on scientific websites, an increase in quiet censorship and arguably illegal moves from major organizations like NASA.

Considering the amount of dramatic news we see on this list alone, both directly and indirectly, it will be interesting to see what our 2026 "most read stories" list will look like.

Read the full article here.

]]> - https://www.space.com/space-exploration/the-12-biggest-space-stories-of-2025-according-to-you - - - - MGkZG6zT84c7Q7gjdpCZ7h - - Sat, 27 Dec 2025 11:00:00 +0000 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 17:23:28 +0000 - - - - - - - - - - <![CDATA[ Dark matter may be made of pieces of giant, exotic objects — and astronomers think they know how to look for them ]]> - Exotic, dark astrophysical objects may be hiding in interstellar space, and a new proposal outlines how to find them: stare really, really hard.

We don't know what dark matter is, even though we strongly suspect it exists. We see circumstantial evidence for it everywhere, from the rotation rates of galaxies to the growth of the largest structures in the cosmos. For decades, cosmologists have thought dark matter is some sort of exotic particle that was previously unknown to the Standard Model of particle physics. This strange particle would not interact with light, or really much of anything else, except through its gravitational influence.

But searches for these dark matter particles have come up empty so far, driving theorists to get more creative with their ideas.

It could be that dark matter isn't made of zillions of tiny particles flying through the universe. Instead, it could be composed of bunched-up collections of much larger objects. In particular, the researchers behind a new study, published in November 2025 in the open access server arXiv, investigated two kinds of exotic objects.

The first is known as a boson star. In this model, dark matter is made of an ultra-ultra-ultra light particle — potentially millions of times lighter than neutrinos, the lightest known particles. They would be so light that their quantum nature would make them appear more like waves at galactic scales than like individual particles. But these waves would sometimes bunch up and collect on themselves, pulling together with their own gravity, without collapsing.

Another possibility is called Q-balls. In this model, dark matter isn't a particle at all but rather a quantum field that soaks all of space and time. Due to a special property of this field, it could occasionally pinch off, creating gigantic, stable, lump-like balls that wander the cosmos like a floating piece of flour in gravy that hasn't been mixed well.

Both boson stars and Q-balls, which live under the more general heading of exotic astrophysical dark objects (EADOs), are difficult to detect. They're large — roughly star-size — but they do not emit light of their own, making them nearly invisible in our scans of the cosmos.

But astronomers have discovered a way that EADOs can betray their presence: microlensing. If a Q-ball or boson star were to pass between us and a distant star, the strong gravity of the EADO would cause the light from the star to act as a gravitational lens. From our perspective, it would make the star appear to suddenly jump into position and then quickly return to normal.

So all we'd have to do is stare at a whole bunch of stars for a really long time and hope we get lucky. Thankfully, we have just the instrument for the job. The Gaia space telescope's mission was to do just that: stare at a whole bunch of stars for a really long time.

The astronomers behind the study propose a campaign using Gaia data to search for Q-balls and boson stars by looking for their unique, "smoking gun" signal of sudden jumps in stellar positions. Depending on how many are out there, Gaia may have observed up to several thousand EADOs.

But if they're not out there, then this same campaign would produce stringent limits on Q-balls' and boson stars' contributions to the overall dark matter picture. No matter what, staring into the dark would teach us something.

]]> - https://www.space.com/astronomy/dark-universe/dark-matter-may-be-made-of-pieces-of-giant-exotic-objects-and-astronomers-think-they-know-how-to-look-for-them - - - - 8DaGHhXYS7DcQS6TwvQmy7 - - Fri, 26 Dec 2025 22:00:00 +0000 Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:10:55 +0000 - - - - - - - - - \ No newline at end of file