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Astronomy Essentials
Orionid meteor shower 2026: All you need to know
In 2026, the Orionid meteor shower should be most active on the morning of October 21. The best time to watch is in the dark hours before dawn.
October 20, 2026
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.
October 20, 2026
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!
October 19, 2026
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.
October 18, 2026
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.
October 18, 2026
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
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
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