National Space Society’s ISDC 2021 conference goes virtual — here’s how to watch it live today

[embedded content] Editor’s note: Day 2 of the International Space Development Conference 2021 begins at 12 p.m. EDT (1600 GMT) and runs through 5 p.m. EDT (2100 GMT). The National Space Society (NSS) will hold its flagship annual event virtually this year, starting on Thursday (June 24) — and you can watch most of it live, for free. The International Space Development Conference (ISDC) will include four days of speakers focusing on space exploration, development and settlement. The first three days (Thursday, June 24 to Saturday, June 26) will air…

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Weird Neptune-like exoplanet may have water clouds

A Neptune-like planet that’s relatively close to Earth may sport a watery surprise. The exoplanet, called TOI-1231 b, might have clouds of water high in its atmosphere, but the observations are so preliminary that it’s hard to say for sure. “Future observations of this new planet will let us determine just how common (or rare) it is for water clouds to form around these temperate worlds,” Jennifer Burt, a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California and lead author of the new research, said in a statement from the…

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Look up! Now is a great time to see Centaurus and his neighbors in the night sky

Which is the one star pattern that “stands out” among all the others? Just about every guide on astronomy and stargazing will list Orion as number one. But perhaps there might be a bias, since most Northern Hemisphere observers are only familiar with the stars of the Mighty Hunter and his retinue and not with other areas that are beyond their realm of visibility.   A case in point: This month, lying just above the southern horizon as darkness falls is a bright complex of stars stretching along the southern…

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Kerbal Space Program 2 could make your 1st launch a bit smoother in 2022

[embedded content] When Kerbal Space Program 2, the highly-anticipated sequel to the beloved physics-based space simulator game, launches in 2022, it will include some new features to make it a but more inclusive for new players.  Kerbal Space Program from Intercept Games and Private Division, which celebrates its 10th anniversary today, is a game where  players take charge of a space program for aliens known as “the Kerbals” that has earned a reputation for being both challenging and scientifically accurate, two aspects that will stay for the sequel. However, one…

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