Telescopes & Astrophotography

• EEarthSky2026-09-30✓ Read

  Water systems on early Mars were complex and hot

  NASA's Perseverance rover has found evidence of ancient complex water systems on early Mars, including hot hydrothermal activity. The post Water systems on early Mars were complex and hot first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-30✓ Read

  Mars calendar year begins September 30: Happy New Year, Mars!

  Mars calendar year 39 begins on September 30, 2026. If you’re looking for a reason to celebrate, here’s to a Happy New Year ... on Mars. The post Mars calendar year begins September 30: Happy New Year, Mars! first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-30✓ Read

  Alpha Cephei, or Alderamin, is a fast-spinning star

  Meet Alpha Cephei, in the constellation Cepheus the King. It’s spinning so fast that it appears like a slightly flattened beach ball. The post Alpha Cephei, or Alderamin, is a fast-spinning star first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-29✓ Read

  Starship reaches Earth’s orbit for 1st time

  SpaceX's Starship spacecraft finally reached Earth's orbit in its 14th test flight on September 28. Though successful, the flight was not without its flaws. The post Starship reaches Earth’s orbit for 1st time first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-29✓ Read

  Weather on exoplanets: Decoding the atmosphere of SIMP 0136

  Researchers in Ireland have found a new way to decode the weather on exoplanets. They started with the planetary-mass object SIMP 0136. The post Weather on exoplanets: Decoding the atmosphere of SIMP 0136 first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-27✓ Read

  A black hole jet is aimed at us … and it’s in our galaxy

  For the first time, scientists have discovered a microblazar, a black hole system in our own galaxy with a jet pointed at Earth. It lies about 12,000 light-years away. The post A black hole jet is aimed at us … and it’s in our galaxy first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-27✓ Read

  Watch for the daytime moon after sunrise this week

  Watch for the beautiful daytime moon this week, a pale orb floating against a blue sky in the morning hours. Look west! You'll see it! The post Watch for the daytime moon after sunrise this week first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-26✓ Read

  The September full Moon is the Harvest Moon near Saturn

  The September full moon - the Super Harvest Moon - happens overnight on September 26, 2026. It'll be near the planet Saturn. The post The September full Moon is the Harvest Moon near Saturn first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-25✓ Read

  The Artemis Accords are rules for a new moon era

  The Artemis Accords are a set of guidelines for peaceful space exploration. But questions remain about who makes the rules and controls space resources. The post The Artemis Accords are rules for a new moon era first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-25✓ Read

  Neptune at opposition on September 26, 2026

  Neptune at opposition -- when it's opposite the sun on the sky's dome -- comes on September 26, 2026. You'll need optical aid to spot it. The post Neptune at opposition on September 26, 2026 first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-25✓ Read

  Is there enough water on the moon for future cities?

  Is there enough water on the moon for future cities? New estimates say there could be enough for smaller villages or towns, but not larger metropolises. The post Is there enough water on the moon for future cities? first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-25✓ Read

  Seeing Saturn’s rings: Top tips for beginners

  If you want to see Saturn's rings, late September and early October 2026 is a great time to look. Grab a telescope and read the tips found here! The post Seeing Saturn’s rings: Top tips for beginners first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-24✓ Read

  The red planet shows strange swirls of purple and pink

  Mars Express captured this view of the red planet showing it in less familiar purple, pink and blue shades. Read why the red planet looks purplish. The post The red planet shows strange swirls of purple and pink first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-24✓ Read

  Curiosity rover insights after 5000+ sols on Mars

  Curiosity rover has now spent 5,000 sols — the equivalent to 5,000 Martian days, or more than 14 years — on Mars. Here's a look at some of its discoveries. The post Curiosity rover insights after 5000+ sols on Mars first appeared on EarthSky.

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• EEarthSky2026-09-24✓ Read

  Full moon names by the month and by the season

  Lists of common full moon names — both by month and by season — for North America. And a word about full moon names in the Southern Hemisphere. The post Full moon names by the month and by the season first appeared on EarthSky.

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