Astronomy Essentials
Orionid meteor shower 2026: All you need to know
The Orionid meteor shower is here! Find out where and when to look up with our charts and viewing tips.
Sun
Sun news: Fast solar wind approaching Earth
Sun news October 20, 2026: A coronal hole’s fast wind arrives today, with G1 storms and auroras possible! Meanwhile, AR4557 fired 17 of 22 flares.
Tonight

See brightest star, Sirius, in your morning sky

Out late at night or before dawn? Look for the sky's brightest star, Sirius, a brilliant beauty. You'll know it's Sirius if you see Orion's Belt pointing to it.
Astronomy Essentials
Tonight

Visible planets and night sky guide for October

Visible planets and night sky guide. The Orionid meteor shower is just beginning to ramp up! Ready to catch some shooting stars? Here's when and where to look!
Earth

New dinosaur species identified from fossil stashed in drawer for a century

Researchers identified a new dinosaur species from a fossil on Isle of Wight in the UK. The carnivorous dino would have been as tall as a human.
Astronomy Essentials

Comet Halley is parent of 2 meteor showers

The famous comet Halley spawns both the October Orionid meteor shower and the May Eta Aquariid meteor shower. It'll return to the inner solar system in 2061.
Space

The MMX mission launches to Mars’ moons on Monday

The MMX mission launches October 19 to Mars’ moons Phobos and Deimos. It will collect a sample from Phobos and return it to Earth in 2031.
Astronomy Essentials

Inferior conjunction — Venus! October 23-24, 2026

Venus reaches inferior conjunction soon. It'll pass between Earth and the sun at 4 UTC on October 24. Then Venus emerges in the morning sky.
Space

Caves on the moon are target of new NASA mission

NASA wants to search for caves on the moon. A new mission named GIMLI will land and examine a volcanic pit — the Marius Hills Pit — in the vast, dark lunar lava plain known as Oceanus Procellarum.
Human World

No more leap seconds! Timekeeping is officially changing

The world’s timekeepers announced on Thursday that leap seconds will no longer be added to clocks starting in May 2027.