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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.
October 18, 2026
Sun
Sun news: Fast solar wind is headed Earth’s way
Sun news October 18, 2026: The sun stayed quiet over the past day. But a coronal hole is aiming its fast solar wind at Earth. Aurora alert beginning late on October 19.
Astronomy Essentials
Tonight
Visible planets and night sky guide for October
Visible planets and night sky guide. The 1st quarter moon will rise around noon and set around midnight. Watch for it high in the sky at sundown.
October 18, 2026
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.
October 17, 2026
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.
October 16, 2026
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.
October 16, 2026
Earth
US winter weather outlook: What will El Niño bring?
NOAA's winter winter outlook says El Niño will bring a warm and wet winter for much of the U.S.
October 16, 2026
Space
2nd-generation planet: Was this world born around a dead star?
Astronomers might have found a new 2nd-generation planet orbiting a white dwarf star. It could also help answer a "cold case" mystery about the white dwarf.
October 16, 2026
Space
Space is getting crowded. Here’s the latest satellite report
ESA reports on the state of low-Earth orbit. The number of satellites in orbit is skyrocketing, along with the chance for collisions and on-ground casualties.
October 16, 2026
Constellations
Cassiopeia the Queen is overhead on autumn evenings
Spot the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen somewhere in the northern sky during much of the year, throughout much of the night. It's high overhead now.
October 16, 2026
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