The earliest test of Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity took place just four years after he published it. During the May 29, 1919, total solar eclipse, British astronomer Sir Arthur Eddington and colleagues studied the theory by measuring how the Sun distorts light from background stars. According to general relativity, any object with massContinue reading "Nov. 6, 1919: Einstein is right"
The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun and the Moon. This alignment ensures the entire side of the Moon that faces us gleams under sunlight. Thanks to the Moon’s orbit around Earth, the angle of sunlight hitting the lunar surface and being reflected back toContinue reading "2026 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases"
Katelyn Beecroft from London, Ontario, Canada On the morning of Oct. 6, 2026, the waning crescent Moon — then about 20 percent lit — occulted Jupiter as seen from much of eastern North America. This imager, tracking by hand with an 8-inch Dobsonian reflector, stacked the sharpest frames from video shot with a ZWO ASI224MCContinue reading "Jupiter occulted"
Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column. November 5: Smoke out the Southern Cigar As fall gets into full swing, we are seeing less of the summertime stars. By 6 P.M. local time, the Summer Triangle — which flies high overhead on short summer nights — is now startingContinue reading "The Sky Today on Friday, November 6: Nab the North America Nebula"
Friday, November 6The waning Moon leaves us with perfect skies for deep-sky observing. Let’s kick off the week with a bright planetary nebula in Aquarius: NGC 7293, commonly known as the Helix Nebula. Despite its impressive magnitude of 7.3, the Helix presents a challenge: It is a broad 13’ across, which spreads its light overContinue reading "The Sky This Week from November 6 to 13: Venus in the spotlight"
The Didymos binary asteroid system, as seen by Europe's Hera probe. The main asteroid, Didymos, dominates the frame while just a sliver of its "moonlet," Dimorphos, is visible beneath it. ESA released this image on Nov. 5, 2026. (Image credit: ESA)
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera spacecraft has gotten its first close-up look at the Didymos binary asteroid system. If that system sounds familiar, it's because it made headlines in September 2022 when NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft smashed into it.
The aim of the DART mission was to test whether an impact could divert an asteroid away from a collision course with Earth. The purpose of Hera is to follow up on DART by making up-close observations of the Didymos system.
"The first thing we said was, 'Wow,'" Hera Principal Investigator Patrick Michel said in a statement about the image, which ESA released on Thursday (Nov. 5). "This is the other side of Didymos from the one that DART’s camera showed us shortly before impact, so this feels like looking at a whole new world."
What is it?
The Didymos system consists of the eponymous 2,560-foot-wide (780 meters) space rock and its "moonlet" Dimorphos, which is about 530 feet (160 m) in diameter.
The DART mission impacted Dimorphos on Sept. 26, 2022, with the aim of causing a change in the orbital period of the moonlet. And it worked: Before the impact, Dimorphos completed one lap around Didymos in around 11 hours and 55 minutes. The DART collision reduced the length of this period by around 33 minutes.
The change is a result of the fact that Dimporphos is now traveling at around 2.7 millimeters per second more slowly than it did before the collision.
The newly released photo shows Didymos in detail. Just a sliver of Dimorphos is visible, below and slightly to the left of the main asteroid.
Why is it incredible?
The changes caused by DART were small. But in a real Earth-threatening scenario, even such a tiny shift could help divert an asteroid on a collision course — as long as scientists get enough advance warning of its approach.
Hera's observations should help reveal what other changes have occurred on and around Didymos.
Scientists are already seeing that, while Didymos has the same central ridge along its equator as before the impact, many changes have occurred. This includes the creation of multiple boulders, craters, and patterns of grooves or ridges.
"Since we expect a lot of impact-ejected material to have made it across the approximately 1 kilometer [0.62 miles] of space from Dimorphos to Didymos, it may be that some of these characteristics originate from this transport of material, and we have exciting work ahead of us to sort it out," said Michael Kueppers, ESA’s Hera mission scientist. "We look forward to seeing much more of both bodies and systemically mapping all the changes we identify."
Stay tuned to Space.com for more Hera findings from Didymos.
As of 2026, Elon Musk is the world's richest man and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI. Not only that, but he is also one of the most polarizing figures in popular culture. Some laud him as a new Magellan; the eccentric billionaire set on colonizing Mars. Others believe he should keep his eyes on the stars and stop meddling in politics.
Whatever you think about Elon Musk, it has to be said that you do think about him. Perhaps that's precisely the reason that he is the subject of Alex Gibney's 4-hour documentary, detailing the astronomical rise of Musk and his metamorphosis into the polarizing figure he is today.
Below, we explain how to stream "Musk" online and from anywhere with this VPN.
"Musk" premiered in theaters on Oct. 9 and is available to buy digitally in North America from Nov. 6 at 12 a.m. ET, which is 9 p.m. PT on Nov. 5.
The documentary boasts a mammoth runtime of 3 hours and 55 minutes, combining archive footage with first-person interviews.
Here's how to watch "Musk" from anywhere witha VPN.
How To Watch "Musk"
Elon Musk poses in front of SpaceX shuttle. (Image credit: Getty Images)
"Musk" is available to buy digitally in North America on Prime starting November 6 for $19.99.
The documentary will also be available for purchase on Apple TVand Fandango at Home, also costing $19.99
Watch "Musk" on Amazon Prime:
The 4-hour documentary is available to order from Amazon Prime right now. It will be available to view — after the $19.99 purchase — from November 6.
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"Musk" trailer
Who are the "Musk" cast and creators?
Director Alex Gibney attending the screening of his documentary film, "MUSK" (Image credit: Getty Images)
The documentary was created by Alex Gibney. the film features insights from Musk's ex-wife Justine Musk, Ashley St. Clair, Kara Swisher, Zoë Schiffer, Martin Eberhard, and Geoffrey Hinton.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
The northern lights could put on an impressive display this weekend as a colossal coronal hole on the sun fires a stream of high-speed solar wind toward Earth.
Minor (G1) geomagnetic storm conditions between Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, with a chance of moderate (G2) conditions on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
If G2 conditions materialize, the northern lights could be visible as far south as New York and Idaho.
What is happening?
The culprit behind the potential uptick in northern lights is a large coronal hole on the sun, a region where the sun's magnetic field opens up. They allow streams of charged particles known as the solar wind to escape more easily into space. Coronal holes appear darker in ultraviolet images because they are cooler and less dense than their surroundings.
And this particularly large — and rather oddly shaped — coronal hole is sending some seriously speedy wind our way.
The culprit is a large coronal hole in the sun, shaped a bit like a witch on a broom... (Image credit: NASA SDO)
The U.K. Met Office forecasts solar wind speeds between 342 and 404 miles (550-650 kilometers) per second, considerably faster than the typical speed of around 249 miles (400 km) per second.
The fast solar winds are expected to arrive around Nov. 6-7 and could persist through much of the weekend. It could interact with Earth's magnetic field, potentially triggering geomagnetic storms and fueling spectacular aurora shows. The stronger the storm, the farther south the northern lights can potentially be seen.
A predictive model from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center showing speedy solar wind (radial velocity image lower left) arriving at Earth (green dot) around Nov. 6 and persisting through Nov. 9. (Image credit: NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center)
Where will auroras be visible?
Under G1 conditions, auroras may be visible from northern Michigan and Maine, but if activity intensifies to G2 levels, skywatchers farther south, including those in New York and Idaho, could be in for a treat.
But remember! Aurora forecasts are notoriously tricky. Much depends on the strength and orientation of the magnetic field carried by the incoming solar wind, particularly whether it points southward, allowing more energy to transfer to Earth's magnetic field.
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the U.K. Met Office
To give yourself the best chance of seeing the northern lights, keep an eye on those aurora forecasts, head somewhere dark away from city lights if you can, with a view of the northern horizon.
To stay updated on space weather and know the best times and places to catch auroras, consider using a space weather app tailored to your location. One app I recommend is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available on bothiOS andAndroid. Another great tool is the "Space Weather Live" appon iOS andAndroid, which offers more in-depth insights into current space weather conditions and their potential for aurora activity.
NASA will host a first-of-its-kind air show and aerospace expo on Florida's Space Coast this weekend.
The show, called Max Power, will take place Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 7 and Nov. 8) at and around NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC). That name should be familiar to "Simpsons" fans, by the way: Max Power is an alias that Homer uses in the 13th episode of the show's 10th season. (He got it off a hair dryer.)
There will be a lot to see at NASA's event, so you should consider dropping by if you're on the Space Coast this weekend. (Tickets are required; you can buy them here.) Here are a few of the highlights.
Saturday, Nov. 7 (all times local, EST):
11:15-11:30 a.m.: Overview of NASA's "quiet" supersonic jet, the X-59
12:30-1:00 p.m.: Discussion of NASA's science and exploration goals by Nicky Fox and Lori Glaze (the heads of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, respectively)
1:00-1:30 p.m.: "How Is NASA Preparing Astronauts to Live and Work on the Moon?" with Suzanne Bell, who leads NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at Johnson Space Center
1:30-2:00 p.m.: Discussion of NASA's planned lunar outpost, with Moon Base program head Carlos García-Galán
11:15-11:30 a.m.: "How NASA uses aircraft for research! Topic: Connecting flight to research"
12:45-1:15 p.m.: Update on the U.S. Space Academy with NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson
12:45-1:00 p.m. (different stage): Q&A with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, of SpaceX's Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station
1:30-2:00 p.m.: "The X-Factor: NASA's Flight Revolution Topic: X-Planes"
2:00-2:30 p.m.: Conversation with an (as yet unnamed) NASA astronaut
3:00-3:15: "In the Cockpit: Meet the NASA Pilots!"
NASA's Freedom 250 F-5 team, including NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, performs a flyover during the national anthem at an NFL game between the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers in Cleveland on Sept. 27, 2026. (Image credit: NASA/Jordan Cochran)
NASA will also hold a livestreamed press conference on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) about its moon base plans. It will feature Fox, García-Galán, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Dayna Ise, the acting director of the Utility and Infrastructure Office for the Moon Base Program.
There will also be dramatic flyovers on both days of Max Power, some of them by Isaacman, who's an accomplished pilot as well as a private astronaut. (He funded and commanded SpaceX's Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions, which flew to Earth orbit in September 2021 and September 2024, respectively.)
According to NASA's Max Power schedule, Isaacman will perform flyovers both Saturday and Sunday at 11:58 a.m (in an F-5 jet) and 1:31 p.m. (in a MiG-29).
There will also be a lot to see as you're wandering the grounds at the Max Power sites.
The event "will showcase the newest aircraft, autonomous vehicles, technologies, and more defining the future of air and space," agency officials wrote in a Max Power description. "NASA will display its quiet supersonic X-59 plane, and agency partners will showcase moon rovers, spacecraft and more."
The Pococo Galaxy Star Projector has firmly established itself as a fan-favorite home planetarium, backed by almost 3,000 Amazon reviews and a stellar 62% five-star rating. Its standout performance easily earned it a permanent spot on our buyer's guide to the best star projectors as the best value choice on the market. This early Black Friday deal is offering 24% saving off the retail price, with a $25 discount.
If you're looking for an early Christmas gift, then the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is currently at its best price of the year and is worth picking up now, as this deal is marked as a limited-time offer.
Ranked among our favorite home planetariums, the Pococo Galaxy Projector punches well above its price bracket with vivid, razor-sharp optics that rival far more expensive alternatives. It has a cordless, rechargeable battery and three sleek colors to choose from.
You don't have to have the Pococo Home Planetarium plugged in when in use, so it's easily moved to different locations.Tantse WalterPococo Galaxy Star Projector discs are easily changed, and there are numerous expansion disc sets available.Tantse WalterThe Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is made from recycled materials.Tantse Walter
With an impressive $25 discount, the Pococo Galaxy Star Projectorhits a genuine sweet spot for both casual stargazers and detail-obsessed space fans, easily doubling as ambient mood lighting for unwinding, studying or meditation.
During testing, its no-fuss operation proved to be a real highlight. The interface is stripped back to just three intuitive buttons dedicated to power, rotation, and an auto-shutoff sleep timer.
Cord-free convenience is another massive win; the integrated battery charges via standard USB-C, letting you easily shift the projector from a bedside table to a shelf without tethering it to a wall socket. Eco-conscious buyers will also appreciate the thoughtful chassis construction, which incorporates recycled plastics.
Unlike cheap novelty lasers, the Pococo relies on swappable, scientifically accurate optical discs to cast high-fidelity snapshots of the cosmos across your walls and ceiling.
You get two discs included in the box to get you started immediately, with optional themed expansion packs available for roughly $53. However, if you wish to add to your disc collection straight away, the Pococo Expansion Packs are also currently 20% off on Amazon. That takes these six disc sets down to just $43.19, from the usual $53.99. Expansion packs include a series of packages, including the Moon and stars, fixed stars and nebulas and also the immersive planets.
Key Specs: Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.7 x 4.7-inches (157 x 120 x 120mm), weight: 1.7 lbs (771g), max. size of projection: 39 x 39 ft (12 x 12m), rechargeable battery.
Product launched: September 2022.
Price history: With a launch price of $120, the price has dipped over time and sat around the $99 mark, only dipping for sale events, like Black Friday. However, the current $79.99 price is one of the lowest prices we've seen.
Review consensus: The Pococo Star Projector ticked all the boxes for us as an overall excellent projector, and we think it's a worthwhile competitor to more expensive rivals. It has a similar functionality to the best in guide Homestar Flux, and we think its imagery is just as good. Add the fact that the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is rechargeable, and with its current discount, it's arguably better.
Buy if: You don't want to drop too much money and want a star projector that combines soothing lights with detailed imagery of planets, constellations and nebulas.
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
A Farewell to Swift
Explanation: It is time to say goodbye to NASA‘s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. After nearly 22 years of service, the satellite re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on November 4 at 7:39 EST over the North Sumatra region of Indonesia. The featured image is a mosaic created in 2018 using the first one million images captured by the satellite’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope. Swift had a combination of instruments, including an X-ray telescope and a gamma-ray telescope, that worked together to enable humanity to study, in unprecedented detail, the fastest and most energetic explosions in the universe. The most recent solar maximum accelerated the decay of the satellite’s orbit. An innovative mission to rescue Swift by boosting its orbit was not successful. Swift burned on reentry like a shooting star, but the impressive data acquired by the telescope over its mission will continue to bring light to the mysteries of the cosmos for years to come. May it keep inspiring new missions to boldly go into space, explore new data and seek out new science.
Tens of millions of years ago, the San Juan River in what is now southern Utah shared some characteristics with today’s Mississippi River. In a bygone geologic era, the San Juan flowed across a relatively flat plain that formed in an ancient marine environment. Unencumbered by rugged terrain, the river was free to take a long, meandering path on its gradual journey downslope.
But this part of the San Juan changed when geologic forces pushed the Colorado Plateau upward. Some experts think that within the later stages of this “still-enigmatic” history, starting around 20 million years ago, the plateau’s rise elevated the San Juan’s headwaters, which increased the river’s gradient and sped its flow. With that, the water’s erosive power intensified, and the river started carving its winding path deeper and deeper through 300-million-year-old rock.
Today, on its westward path to Lake Powell, the San Juan River flows through an impressive series of entrenched meanders, also known as “goosenecks.” An astronaut aboard the International Space Station photographed the stark desert topography on October 6, 2026.
In Utah’s Goosenecks State Park, the river runs through a canyon 1,000 feet (300 meters) deep. In places, it nearly loops back on itself, making horseshoe-shaped bends. One section is so curvy that the river travels 5.5 miles (8.9 kilometers) between two points that are only 1.3 miles (2.1 kilometers) apart as the crow—nay, goose—flies.
Entrenched meanders in Utah’s Goosenecks State Park are bathed in golden light on August 8, 2016.
Photo by Bob Wick (BLM)
While the goosenecks are an unusual geologic wonder to behold by day, the area’s dark skies are a spectacle by night. Goosenecks State Park’s remote, high-desert location and 360-degree views of the sky helped earn it an International Dark Sky Park designation in 2021. According to DarkSky International, features such as the Double Cluster in Perseus and the Messier 24 star cloud in the Sagittarius spiral arm of the Milky Way are visible to the unaided eye from the park. In November 2026, dark skies offer the chance to view several meteor showers, with the Northern Taurids, Southern Taurids, and Leonids reaching their peaks throughout the month.
Astronaut photograph ISS075-E-188830 was acquired on October 6, 2026, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 400 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 75 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Photo by Bob Wick (BLM), via Flickr. Story by Lindsey Doermann.
Downloads
October 6, 2026
JPEG (46.57 MB)
References & Resources
DarkSky International (2021, March 25) Goosenecks State Park. Accessed November 5, 2026.
City lights from the Midwestern United States to the East Coast sparkle across the landscape a couple of hours before sunrise on Oct. 18, 2026. Major urban areas visible in the photograph include Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; and the New York metropolitan region. The International Space Station was orbiting 259 miles above Earth when this photograph was taken.
From left, SpaceX Crew-13 pilot Luke Delaney and commander Jessica Watkins, both NASA astronauts, are pictured in their pressure suits during a training session at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California.
Credit: SpaceX
Students in Florida will hear from NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney as they answer prerecorded STEM questions while aboard the International Space Station.
The Earth-to-space call will begin at 10:40 a.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 10, and will stream live on the agency’s Learn With NASA YouTube channel.
This event is hosted by Freedom Crossing Academy in St. Johns, Florida, for students in grades K-12, and the community. This unique opportunity aims to deepen understanding of space exploration and enhance awareness of STEM careers.
Media interested in covering the event must RSVP no later than 5 p.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 9, to Christina Upchurch at (904) 547-7517, or at christina.upchurch@stjohns.k12.fl.us.
For more than 26 years, people have lived and worked continuously aboard the International Space Station, advancing scientific knowledge and making research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station helps NASA understand and overcome the challenges of human spaceflight, expand commercial opportunities in low Earth orbit, and build on the foundation for long-duration missions to the Moon, as part of the Artemis program, and to Mars.
For more information on NASA in-flight calls, visit:
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features the globular star cluster called Messier 30 (M30), also called NGC 7099.
ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Libralato, G. Piotto, A. Sarajedini
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image provides a lesson in galactic history. The sparkling collection of stars is named Messier 30 (M30) after the French astronomer, Charles Messier, who cataloged M30 and other diffuse objects that might be mistaken for comets in the early telescopes of Messier’s time. M30 lies about 27,500 light-years away in the constellation Capricornus.
M30 is a globular cluster: a roughly spherical grouping of stars containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient: astronomers estimate their ages are between 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the universe itself.
Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. His work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)
Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy developed long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy.
However, it’s possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all. Instead, our Milky Way galaxy may have captured them in the distant past!
Hubble has observed M30 multiple times. A previously released image of M30 featured data from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and was part of an observing program (#10775; PI: Sarajedini) that surveyed dozens of Milky Way globular clusters in red and near-infrared light, revealing stars down to just 20% of the mass of the Sun. A more recent program (#13297; PI: Piotto) returned to M30 and other globular clusters in our galaxy, this time observing the clusters with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and using three filters that captured bluer light. This program collected data that was critical for studying exotic objects like “blue straggler” stars as well as for investigating the multiple populations of stars that can inhabit a single globular cluster.
More recently, Hubble’s ACS viewed many of these globular clusters again. Those observations were part of a program (#16298, PI: Libralato) that looked at how different populations of stars in globular clusters moved over the 15 years since Hubble first observed them — a feat made possible by Hubble’s longevity and ability to discern fantastically small details in distant objects.
The image above was created with data from all three observing programs and includes the wide range of wavelengths Hubble can see — ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. Each wavelength helps us better understand how these groups of stars formed and evolved.
It’s time to get serious about Mars. The Sun’s fourth planet is moving into a spectacular phase, getting brighter and rising earlier by the night. It’ll shine at its absolute best in early December.
But you don’t have to wait that long to appreciate it. Right now, Mars climbs into view by midnight, low in the east, and stands high in the sky at first light. It looks like a bright orange star. The fainter true star Aldebaran, which is also orange, is close by.
Only five nighttime objects visible in northern skies outshine Mars: the Moon, two planets, and two stars. But Earth is catching up to Mars in our smaller, faster orbit around the Sun. We’ll overtake the Red Planet in early December. As Mars draws closer, it’ll also get much brighter. By the time of closest approach, near a point called opposition, it’ll shine more than four times brighter than it does now. For a while, only the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter will outdo it.
Mars reaches opposition every couple of years. But no two oppositions are just alike. Mars’s orbit is more lopsided than Earth’s is, so the planet’s distance at opposition varies by tens of millions of miles. This will be a close one, so Mars will put on a great show.
And as Mars brightens, you’ll have more time to enjoy it — it rises a little earlier each night. At opposition, it’ll rise at sunset and be in view all night. So enjoy Mars as it shines brilliantly through autumn and well into winter.
Billy Henry in the studio while recording his first StarDate episodes.
Billy Henry, a voice talent, musician, composer, and college lecturer in Austin, will become the third narrator of the StarDate radio program in its 41-year history. He assumes the title from Sandy Wood, who retired from the program effective July 16. Henry’s first program will air the following day.
“I feel extremely privileged to be a part of the StarDate team,” says Henry. “I’ve been listening for years and now I get to be the voice. What a great experience.”
“I’ve had the privilege to work with the first two StarDate announcers, Joel Block and Sandy Wood, and I know that Billy will maintain the high standards these great talents have established for the show,” says StarDate producer Damond Benningfield. “Billy and I have worked together before, so I knew he would be a really good fit for our style and content. I’m looking forward to many years of working together.”
Henry is involved in many creative fields. He is a lecturer at Texas State University in San Marcos, teaching classes in writing music for TV and film, mixing for TV and film, and an introduction to desktop production. He has also taught at The University of Texas at Austin, and done sound design and other creative projects for the theater department.
Henry has written or mixed hundreds of pieces of music for commercial clients ranging from Chili’s to AT&T to Southwest Airlines. In 1999, he wrote the score for the film “American Detective,” and in recent years he has joined the world tours of The Court Yard Hounds, Shakira, and the Dixie Chicks.
Henry also describes himself as a “maker of things,” including musical instruments. He also has a pilot’s license and is working toward his commercial rating.
StarDate is radio’s longest-running nationally aired science program. It began in 1977 as a daily telephone message service by McDonald Observatory. It was picked up by Austin radio station KLBJ-FM, and aired as “Have You Seen the Stars Tonight” beginning in June 1977. With a grant from the National Science Foundation the program became “Star Date,” and began airing nationally, seven days per week, on October 1, 1978. It quickly reached more than 1,000 radio stations across the country.
The program was written and produced by Deborah Byrd and narrated by Joel Block, an Austin voice talent. When the NSF grant neared its end, McDonald Observatory hired Sandra Preston to market the program to radio stations. She later became an assistant director of the Observatory, overseeing all public outreach programs.
Byrd and Block left the show in 1991 to found the “Earth and Sky” radio series. Damond Benningfield, a science journalist, became the writer/producer, with Sandy Wood, a voice talent and radio personality, taking over narration duties. Benningfield maintains those duties today, while Sandy Wood retired from the program in 2019. Dr. Tom Barnes, a McDonald Observatory research scientist, has been technical editor since 1991 as well, with Shayna Brown, owner of ChezBoom Audio in Austin, serving as audio engineer since 2002.
StarDate has aired more than 14,600 daily episodes. It spawned a sister program, the Spanish-language Universo, which aired from 1995 to 2010. The program also was translated into German for several years under the name Sternzeit.
StarDate is designed to appeal to an audience interested in astronomy, space exploration, and related topics, but with little or no formal education or training in these areas. The program uses skywatching to help listeners connect to the universe, describing the science, history, and even art of the objects in the sky they can see, or by trying to use words to create a mental picture of some of the more interesting astronomical objects and phenomena. It also tries to connect people to the cosmos by pointing out direct interactions between Earth and the Sun, Moon, asteroids, comets, cosmic rays, and other objects.
ESOcast is a video podcast series dedicated to bringing you the latest news and research from ESO, the European Southern Observatory. Here we explore the Universe's ultimate frontier.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have found a unique disc of debris around the white dwarf J1328−1450 -- the dead core of a star similar to our Sun. The star is surrounded not by one but two discs of gas, which are likely maintained by planetesimals that survived the star’s death. As these planetesimals orbit the star, they interact with dust grains around the star, releasing gas that ends up arranged in two discs. This video summarises the discovery.
Astronomers have finally obtained firm evidence that Betelgeuse, a famous star in the Orion constellation, is not alone. Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) they have obtained the clearest image ever of what likely is Betelgeuse B, a star orbiting Betelgeuse and which could explain some of its brightness variations. This video summarises the discovery.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have found an object in another planetary system that challenges astronomical labels. The object resembles a moon in that it orbits another object which in turn orbits a star. But the newly found ‘moon’ is itself as massive as a planet, and the object it orbits is neither a planet nor a star. This video summarises the discovery.
Astronomers have discovered a third planet orbiting the star Beta Pictoris using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT). The new planet, Beta Pictoris d, is among the lightest exoplanets ever to be imaged from the ground. After the initial discovery, the team found it had been hiding in archive observations spanning more than a decade. This video summarises the study.
Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have studied the relative abundances of carbon and nitrogen in 3I/ATLAS, the third interstellar comet discovered so far. Their findings suggest that the comet likely formed in the outskirts of the disc around a star older than the Sun. This video summarises the discovery.
The Didymos binary asteroid system, as seen by Europe's Hera probe. The main asteroid, Didymos, dominates the frame while just a sliver of its "moonlet," Dimorphos, is visible beneath it. ESA released this image on Nov. 5, 2026. (Image credit: ESA)
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Hera spacecraft has gotten its first close-up look at the Didymos binary asteroid system. If that system sounds familiar, it's because it made headlines in September 2022 when NASA's DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft smashed into it.
The aim of the DART mission was to test whether an impact could divert an asteroid away from a collision course with Earth. The purpose of Hera is to follow up on DART by making up-close observations of the Didymos system.
"The first thing we said was, 'Wow,'" Hera Principal Investigator Patrick Michel said in a statement about the image, which ESA released on Thursday (Nov. 5). "This is the other side of Didymos from the one that DART’s camera showed us shortly before impact, so this feels like looking at a whole new world."
What is it?
The Didymos system consists of the eponymous 2,560-foot-wide (780 meters) space rock and its "moonlet" Dimorphos, which is about 530 feet (160 m) in diameter.
The DART mission impacted Dimorphos on Sept. 26, 2022, with the aim of causing a change in the orbital period of the moonlet. And it worked: Before the impact, Dimorphos completed one lap around Didymos in around 11 hours and 55 minutes. The DART collision reduced the length of this period by around 33 minutes.
The change is a result of the fact that Dimporphos is now traveling at around 2.7 millimeters per second more slowly than it did before the collision.
The newly released photo shows Didymos in detail. Just a sliver of Dimorphos is visible, below and slightly to the left of the main asteroid.
Why is it incredible?
The changes caused by DART were small. But in a real Earth-threatening scenario, even such a tiny shift could help divert an asteroid on a collision course — as long as scientists get enough advance warning of its approach.
Hera's observations should help reveal what other changes have occurred on and around Didymos.
Scientists are already seeing that, while Didymos has the same central ridge along its equator as before the impact, many changes have occurred. This includes the creation of multiple boulders, craters, and patterns of grooves or ridges.
"Since we expect a lot of impact-ejected material to have made it across the approximately 1 kilometer [0.62 miles] of space from Dimorphos to Didymos, it may be that some of these characteristics originate from this transport of material, and we have exciting work ahead of us to sort it out," said Michael Kueppers, ESA’s Hera mission scientist. "We look forward to seeing much more of both bodies and systemically mapping all the changes we identify."
Stay tuned to Space.com for more Hera findings from Didymos.
As of 2026, Elon Musk is the world's richest man and CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI. Not only that, but he is also one of the most polarizing figures in popular culture. Some laud him as a new Magellan; the eccentric billionaire set on colonizing Mars. Others believe he should keep his eyes on the stars and stop meddling in politics.
Whatever you think about Elon Musk, it has to be said that you do think about him. Perhaps that's precisely the reason that he is the subject of Alex Gibney's 4-hour documentary, detailing the astronomical rise of Musk and his metamorphosis into the polarizing figure he is today.
Below, we explain how to stream "Musk" online and from anywhere with this VPN.
"Musk" premiered in theaters on Oct. 9 and is available to buy digitally in North America from Nov. 6 at 12 a.m. ET, which is 9 p.m. PT on Nov. 5.
The documentary boasts a mammoth runtime of 3 hours and 55 minutes, combining archive footage with first-person interviews.
Here's how to watch "Musk" from anywhere witha VPN.
How To Watch "Musk"
Elon Musk poses in front of SpaceX shuttle. (Image credit: Getty Images)
"Musk" is available to buy digitally in North America on Prime starting November 6 for $19.99.
The documentary will also be available for purchase on Apple TVand Fandango at Home, also costing $19.99
Watch "Musk" on Amazon Prime:
The 4-hour documentary is available to order from Amazon Prime right now. It will be available to view — after the $19.99 purchase — from November 6.
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"Musk" trailer
Who are the "Musk" cast and creators?
Director Alex Gibney attending the screening of his documentary film, "MUSK" (Image credit: Getty Images)
The documentary was created by Alex Gibney. the film features insights from Musk's ex-wife Justine Musk, Ashley St. Clair, Kara Swisher, Zoë Schiffer, Martin Eberhard, and Geoffrey Hinton.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
The northern lights could put on an impressive display this weekend as a colossal coronal hole on the sun fires a stream of high-speed solar wind toward Earth.
Minor (G1) geomagnetic storm conditions between Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, with a chance of moderate (G2) conditions on Nov. 7 and Nov. 8, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
If G2 conditions materialize, the northern lights could be visible as far south as New York and Idaho.
What is happening?
The culprit behind the potential uptick in northern lights is a large coronal hole on the sun, a region where the sun's magnetic field opens up. They allow streams of charged particles known as the solar wind to escape more easily into space. Coronal holes appear darker in ultraviolet images because they are cooler and less dense than their surroundings.
And this particularly large — and rather oddly shaped — coronal hole is sending some seriously speedy wind our way.
The culprit is a large coronal hole in the sun, shaped a bit like a witch on a broom... (Image credit: NASA SDO)
The U.K. Met Office forecasts solar wind speeds between 342 and 404 miles (550-650 kilometers) per second, considerably faster than the typical speed of around 249 miles (400 km) per second.
The fast solar winds are expected to arrive around Nov. 6-7 and could persist through much of the weekend. It could interact with Earth's magnetic field, potentially triggering geomagnetic storms and fueling spectacular aurora shows. The stronger the storm, the farther south the northern lights can potentially be seen.
A predictive model from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center showing speedy solar wind (radial velocity image lower left) arriving at Earth (green dot) around Nov. 6 and persisting through Nov. 9. (Image credit: NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center)
Where will auroras be visible?
Under G1 conditions, auroras may be visible from northern Michigan and Maine, but if activity intensifies to G2 levels, skywatchers farther south, including those in New York and Idaho, could be in for a treat.
But remember! Aurora forecasts are notoriously tricky. Much depends on the strength and orientation of the magnetic field carried by the incoming solar wind, particularly whether it points southward, allowing more energy to transfer to Earth's magnetic field.
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the U.K. Met Office
To give yourself the best chance of seeing the northern lights, keep an eye on those aurora forecasts, head somewhere dark away from city lights if you can, with a view of the northern horizon.
To stay updated on space weather and know the best times and places to catch auroras, consider using a space weather app tailored to your location. One app I recommend is "My Aurora Forecast & Alerts," available on bothiOS andAndroid. Another great tool is the "Space Weather Live" appon iOS andAndroid, which offers more in-depth insights into current space weather conditions and their potential for aurora activity.
NASA will host a first-of-its-kind air show and aerospace expo on Florida's Space Coast this weekend.
The show, called Max Power, will take place Saturday and Sunday (Nov. 7 and Nov. 8) at and around NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC). That name should be familiar to "Simpsons" fans, by the way: Max Power is an alias that Homer uses in the 13th episode of the show's 10th season. (He got it off a hair dryer.)
There will be a lot to see at NASA's event, so you should consider dropping by if you're on the Space Coast this weekend. (Tickets are required; you can buy them here.) Here are a few of the highlights.
Saturday, Nov. 7 (all times local, EST):
11:15-11:30 a.m.: Overview of NASA's "quiet" supersonic jet, the X-59
12:30-1:00 p.m.: Discussion of NASA's science and exploration goals by Nicky Fox and Lori Glaze (the heads of NASA's Science Mission Directorate and Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate, respectively)
1:00-1:30 p.m.: "How Is NASA Preparing Astronauts to Live and Work on the Moon?" with Suzanne Bell, who leads NASA’s Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory at Johnson Space Center
1:30-2:00 p.m.: Discussion of NASA's planned lunar outpost, with Moon Base program head Carlos García-Galán
11:15-11:30 a.m.: "How NASA uses aircraft for research! Topic: Connecting flight to research"
12:45-1:15 p.m.: Update on the U.S. Space Academy with NASA Deputy Administrator Matt Anderson
12:45-1:00 p.m. (different stage): Q&A with NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, of SpaceX's Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station
1:30-2:00 p.m.: "The X-Factor: NASA's Flight Revolution Topic: X-Planes"
2:00-2:30 p.m.: Conversation with an (as yet unnamed) NASA astronaut
3:00-3:15: "In the Cockpit: Meet the NASA Pilots!"
NASA's Freedom 250 F-5 team, including NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, performs a flyover during the national anthem at an NFL game between the Cleveland Browns and the Carolina Panthers in Cleveland on Sept. 27, 2026. (Image credit: NASA/Jordan Cochran)
NASA will also hold a livestreamed press conference on Saturday at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) about its moon base plans. It will feature Fox, García-Galán, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and Dayna Ise, the acting director of the Utility and Infrastructure Office for the Moon Base Program.
There will also be dramatic flyovers on both days of Max Power, some of them by Isaacman, who's an accomplished pilot as well as a private astronaut. (He funded and commanded SpaceX's Inspiration4 and Polaris Dawn missions, which flew to Earth orbit in September 2021 and September 2024, respectively.)
According to NASA's Max Power schedule, Isaacman will perform flyovers both Saturday and Sunday at 11:58 a.m (in an F-5 jet) and 1:31 p.m. (in a MiG-29).
There will also be a lot to see as you're wandering the grounds at the Max Power sites.
The event "will showcase the newest aircraft, autonomous vehicles, technologies, and more defining the future of air and space," agency officials wrote in a Max Power description. "NASA will display its quiet supersonic X-59 plane, and agency partners will showcase moon rovers, spacecraft and more."
The Pococo Galaxy Star Projector has firmly established itself as a fan-favorite home planetarium, backed by almost 3,000 Amazon reviews and a stellar 62% five-star rating. Its standout performance easily earned it a permanent spot on our buyer's guide to the best star projectors as the best value choice on the market. This early Black Friday deal is offering 24% saving off the retail price, with a $25 discount.
If you're looking for an early Christmas gift, then the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is currently at its best price of the year and is worth picking up now, as this deal is marked as a limited-time offer.
Ranked among our favorite home planetariums, the Pococo Galaxy Projector punches well above its price bracket with vivid, razor-sharp optics that rival far more expensive alternatives. It has a cordless, rechargeable battery and three sleek colors to choose from.
You don't have to have the Pococo Home Planetarium plugged in when in use, so it's easily moved to different locations.Tantse WalterPococo Galaxy Star Projector discs are easily changed, and there are numerous expansion disc sets available.Tantse WalterThe Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is made from recycled materials.Tantse Walter
With an impressive $25 discount, the Pococo Galaxy Star Projectorhits a genuine sweet spot for both casual stargazers and detail-obsessed space fans, easily doubling as ambient mood lighting for unwinding, studying or meditation.
During testing, its no-fuss operation proved to be a real highlight. The interface is stripped back to just three intuitive buttons dedicated to power, rotation, and an auto-shutoff sleep timer.
Cord-free convenience is another massive win; the integrated battery charges via standard USB-C, letting you easily shift the projector from a bedside table to a shelf without tethering it to a wall socket. Eco-conscious buyers will also appreciate the thoughtful chassis construction, which incorporates recycled plastics.
Unlike cheap novelty lasers, the Pococo relies on swappable, scientifically accurate optical discs to cast high-fidelity snapshots of the cosmos across your walls and ceiling.
You get two discs included in the box to get you started immediately, with optional themed expansion packs available for roughly $53. However, if you wish to add to your disc collection straight away, the Pococo Expansion Packs are also currently 20% off on Amazon. That takes these six disc sets down to just $43.19, from the usual $53.99. Expansion packs include a series of packages, including the Moon and stars, fixed stars and nebulas and also the immersive planets.
Key Specs: Dimensions: 6.2 x 4.7 x 4.7-inches (157 x 120 x 120mm), weight: 1.7 lbs (771g), max. size of projection: 39 x 39 ft (12 x 12m), rechargeable battery.
Product launched: September 2022.
Price history: With a launch price of $120, the price has dipped over time and sat around the $99 mark, only dipping for sale events, like Black Friday. However, the current $79.99 price is one of the lowest prices we've seen.
Review consensus: The Pococo Star Projector ticked all the boxes for us as an overall excellent projector, and we think it's a worthwhile competitor to more expensive rivals. It has a similar functionality to the best in guide Homestar Flux, and we think its imagery is just as good. Add the fact that the Pococo Galaxy Star Projector is rechargeable, and with its current discount, it's arguably better.
Buy if: You don't want to drop too much money and want a star projector that combines soothing lights with detailed imagery of planets, constellations and nebulas.
