moon

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November's Supermoon Is the Closest of the Year

It's the second of 3 supermoons in 2025

(Newser) - The moon will look slightly bigger and brighter Wednesday night during the closest supermoon of the year. The moon's orbit around the Earth isn't a perfect circle, so it gets nearer and farther as it swings around. A so-called supermoon happens when a full moon is closer to...

China Sets Date for Putting Its Astronauts on the Moon

'Landing a person on the moon by 2030 is firm'

(Newser) - China said on Thursday it's on track to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, as it also introduced the next crew of astronauts who will head to its space station as part of the country's ambitious plans to be a leader in space exploration. "Currently, each...

Fresh Clues on Saturn Moon Boost Case for Alien Life

Cassini data reveals complex organics in the icy plumes of Enceladus

(Newser) - Scientists have uncovered new evidence that Saturn's moon Enceladus may be one of the solar system's most promising candidates for extraterrestrial life. According to a study published in Nature Astronomy cited by the New York Post , researchers from the University of Stuttgart analyzed ice grains ejected from...

NASA's Manned Moon Mission May Have a Date

First window of opportunity for Artemis II opens on the evening of Feb. 5

(Newser) - NASA is gearing up to send astronauts beyond low earth orbit for the first time in more than 50 years—perhaps as soon as the evening of Feb. 5. On Tuesday, officials announced that they're pushing toward a launch window for the ambitious Artemis II mission that opens...

In New Space Race, NASA Shuts Out the Chinese

Chinese nationals with valid visas are suddenly blocked from space programs

(Newser) - NASA has officially barred Chinese nationals from accessing its facilities, materials, and digital networks, escalating tensions in the ongoing rivalry between the US and China's ambitious space programs. The move, first reported by Bloomberg and later confirmed by the agency, means that Chinese citizens with valid US visas—...

Newly Discovered Uranus Moon Is Remarkably Small

You could walk across it in 2 hours

(Newser) - Astronomers have spotted a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus—so small you could walk around it in roughly two hours, reports NBC News . Spotted by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope in February, the new satellite is only about six miles wide, which might explain why it was not...

Duffy Wants a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon, Fast

Move aims to outpace China as NASA faces budget cuts

(Newser) - Sean Duffy, the interim NASA administrator and Transportation Secretary, is reportedly set to announce an accelerated push to deploy a nuclear reactor on the moon—a move that would mark his most significant step since stepping into the dual role. Documents reviewed by Politico indicate this initiative sets a...

Earth's Spin to Speed Up, Making Days Slightly Shorter

Moon's position will shave milliseconds off 3 days this summer

(Newser) - Earth is set to spin a bit faster in the coming months, leading to slightly shorter days, according to scientists. On July 9, July 22, and August 5, the effect will be most noticeable, with each day ending up between 1.3 and 1.51 milliseconds shorter than usual....

NASA Captures Image of Lander's Crash Site

Japanese company's craft slammed into the moon last month

(Newser) - A NASA spacecraft around the moon has photographed the crash site of a Japanese company's lunar lander. NASA released the pictures Friday, two weeks after ispace's lander slammed into the moon , per the AP . The images show a dark smudge where the lander, named Resilience, and its mini...

Lunar Lander From Japan Crashes Into Moon

It's another failed mission for the company, ispace

(Newser) - A private lunar lander from Japan crashed while attempting a touchdown Friday , the latest casualty in the commercial rush to the moon, the AP reports. The Tokyo-based company ispace declared the mission a failure several hours after communication was lost with the lander. Flight controllers scrambled to gain contact, but...

A Private Lander Homes In On North Side of the Moon

Japanese company ispace is headed for a touchdown on the moon's untouched side

(Newser) - A private lunar lander from Japan is closing in on the moon, reports the AP , aiming for a touchdown in the unexplored far north with a mini-rover. The landing attempt by Tokyo-based company ispace on Friday in Japan is the latest entry in the rapidly expanding commercial lunar rush. The...

Spring's First Meteor Show Is Almost Here

Lyrids peak on Tuesday

(Newser) - The first meteor shower of spring is nearly upon us. The Lyrids peak in the early morning hours of Tuesday, reports the AP . Details:
  • When: The best time to head outside to catch a few is between 3am and 5am Tuesday, just before dawn, per Space.com .
  • How: No
...

NASA No Longer Looking to Put First Woman, POC on Moon

Agency cites Trump's executive order to end DEI initiatives

(Newser) - Perhaps there won't be a woman walking on the moon after all. NASA's pledge to put the first woman and first person of color on the lunar surface with its Artemis III mission has vanished from NASA webpages "in deference to President Trump's anti-diversity, equity and...

Lunar Lander 'Blue Ghost' Falls Silent
First Private
Lunar Lander
Goes Dark
Mar 17, 2025 10:57 AM CDT

First Private Lunar Lander Goes Dark

'Mission is completed,' says Firefly Aerospace's CEO of 'Blue Ghost'

(Newser) - It's lights out for the first private lunar lander to pull off a fully successful moon mission, reports the AP . Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander fell silent over the weekend, wrapping up two weeks of science experiments for NASA. The end came as the sun set at the...

128 New Moons Nearly Double Saturn's Tally
We Have a New
'Moon King'
Mar 12, 2025 11:07 AM CDT

We Have a New 'Moon King'

Discovery of 128 Saturn moons brings planet's total to 274

(Newser) - Move over, Jupiter: Saturn is the new "moon king," with 274 planetary satellites in orbit, almost half of which were only just discovered. As of 2023, Jupiter was considered the leader among moon-hosting planets in the solar system with 92 confirmed, compared to Saturn's 83. Jupiter now...

Company Lands on Moon for NASA Experiments

Firefly's Blue Ghost 'stuck the landing'

(Newser) - A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum, and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth's celestial neighbor ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on...

Moon Joins List of At-Risk Heritage Sites

Space tourism threatens to destroy Neil Armstrong's boot print: World Monuments Fund

(Newser) - The World Monuments Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving cultural heritage sites around the world, is for the first time looking beyond Earth—to the moon. Since 1996 , the organization has released biennial lists of at-risk sites to raise awareness and help spur action. Its 2025 list of 25 monuments...

We've Got One Last Supermoon This Week
Supermoon Quartet
Wraps Up This Week
Nov 11, 2024 11:15 AM CST

Supermoon Quartet Wraps Up This Week

You'll have to wait nearly a year for the next supermoon

(Newser) - Better catch this week's supermoon. It will be a while until the next one. This will be the year's fourth and final supermoon, looking bigger and brighter than usual as it comes within about 225,000 miles of Earth on Thursday, per the AP . It won't reach...

Earth Will Get a Second 'Mini-Moon' for 2 Months

Small object known as a mini-moon will be temporarily captured in our orbit

(Newser) - The Earth is getting a temporary "mini-moon" for about two months starting later this month. The mini-moon—that's the official astronomical designation—is actually a small asteroid, about 33 feet long, that will be pulled into the Earth's orbit from September 29 to November 25, reports the...

Moon Is Worth Watching This Week
Harvest Moon
Is Worth
Checking Out
Tuesday
UPDATED
Sep 17, 2024 11:44 AM CDT

Harvest Moon Is Worth Checking Out Tuesday

Partial lunar eclipse, plus a supermoon, will be on view

(Newser) - Here's your reminder to get ready for a partial lunar eclipse and supermoon, all rolled into one. The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America on Tuesday night, and in Africa and Europe on Wednesday morning, per the AP .
  • A partial lunar eclipse
...

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