APOD: 2026 September 3 – The Eclipse and the Stork

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APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 September 3 – The… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day 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. The Eclipse and the Stork Explanation: How do animals react to a total solar eclipse? The featured image shows a stork roosting on her nest in Poland at a partial phase of the recent total solar eclipse. If you are lucky…

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Peatland Fires Darken Skies in Indonesia

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Earth Observatory Science Aqua Peatland Fires Darken Skies in… Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search   No Fire Detections Fire Detections Thick gray plumes of smoke stream from large numbers of fires scattered across the…

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China’s private, reusable Pallas-1 rocket aces debut launch (video)

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Another reusable Chinese rocket has taken to the skies. Pallas-1, a launcher developed by the Beijing-based company Galactic Energy, flew for the first time ever on Monday (Aug. 31), lifting off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China at 10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT and 10 a.m. Beijing time on Sept. 1). Everything went well on the mission, according to Galactic Energy. Galactic Energy’s Pallas-1 rocket launches for the first time ever, on Aug. 31, 2026. (Image credit: CCTV) “The rocket successfully entered its predetermined orbit,” the company…

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NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers

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4 Min Read NASA Revamps Challenge Linking Community College Studies to Aerospace Careers Community college students across the U.S. now have another opportunity to discover how their education can lead to fulfilling roles at the forefront of aerospace, science, engineering, and technology. The updated NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) student challenge invites students to learn about the agency and its missions, engage with NASA experts, and explore aerospace jobs while competing for monetary awards. The applications period is currently open. The deadline to register is Monday, Sept. 28. “What…

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This was always the way: ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ is finally on Disney+

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Famed author Thomas Wolfe coined the phrase “You Can’t Go Home Again” with the title of his classic 1940 novel, and while that actually might be true in some cases, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” gets its homecoming as it arrives on Disney+ for fans today, Sept. 2, 2026. Honestly, this is probably where the $166 million “The Mandalorian” spinoff movie should have premiered in the first place, but Disney decided to test the big screen waters with its charismatic clansman and Baby Yoda. Sadly, it came up a bit short…

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August Lunar Eclipse Rises Over Louisiana

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A lunar eclipse is visible over southern Louisiana. The lunar eclipse was visible throughout much of North and South America and part of Europe and Africa between Aug. 27-28. The Full Moon slipped through Earth’s shadow on Aug. 27, continuing into Aug. 28 for some parts of the world, resulting in the lunar eclipse. At maximum eclipse, the Moon takes on a dramatic dark, ruddy or coppery tint along the covered edge. New Orleans is home to NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility, where stages for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket…

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NASA Selects Blue Origin as Mars Telecommunications Network Provider

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Credit: NASA NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract Tuesday to develop the agency’s Mars Telecommunications Network, a next-generation communications system that will enable reliable, high-bandwidth communications and navigation services for current and future Mars missions. The firm-fixed-price contract has a maximum potential value of approximately $700 million to deliver a high-performance Mars telecommunications orbiter to NASA no later than Dec. 31, 2028. Blue Origin will design, develop, integrate, launch, and operate the network as a part of the agency’s broader space communications and navigation infrastructure. The architecture will consist of…

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Two astronauts replace ISS camera and docking aid on 6th-ever all-female spacewalk (video)

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Two astronauts replaced a spacecraft docking aid and a video camera during a successful spacewalk outside of the International Space Station on Tuesday (Sept. 1). NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Sophie Adenot got through most of the tasks set out for them even in light of Adenot’s spacesuit developing a mobility issue late in the extravehicular activity (EVA), which lasted six hours and 49 minutes. After beginning the spacewalk from the U.S. Quest airlock at 8:40 a.m. EDT (1240 GMT), Meir and Adenot set about…

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Scientists trace 7 stages of a meteorite’s life, from hurtling space rock to Earth’s surface

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Studying 75 meteorites falling to Earth, scientists have identified the seven stages a space rock goes through as it crashes through our atmosphere, each of which is determined by different physical processes. The research found that there are more factors than mere evaporation that determine how fragments of asteroids and comets lose mass and speed passing through the atmosphere before slamming into the ground as meteorites. As well as just “burning up” in the atmosphere, space rocks also go through periods of melting and fragmentation that occur at different altitudes.…

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What’s Up: September 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA

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Skywatching Skywatching Home What’s Up Meteor Showers Eclipses Daily Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network Brilliant Venus and a Harvest Moon Use the Moon to find Antares and the Teapot, spot brilliant Venus, welcome the equinox, and see the Harvest Moon near Saturn and Neptune. Skywatching Highlights Sept. 14-20: Use the Moon to find Antares and the Teapot; dark skies may reveal the Milky Way center Sept 18: Venus reaches peak brilliance for this evening appearance Sept. 22: September equinox; fall begins in the Northern…

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