Astronomy Blog

Swift Rescue Mission Delayed: Why the Last Pegasus Turned Back

The Swift rescue mission was delayed mid-flight on 2 July after a problem stopped the last Pegasus rocket from launching. Here's what happened and what's next.

Ian Clayton 3 July 2026

Swift Rescue Mission Launches Today on the Last Ever Pegasus Rocket

The Swift rescue mission launches today at 10:09am UK time. The last Pegasus rocket ever will carry a robot to catch NASA's falling telescope. Here's how to follow it.

Ian Clayton 2 July 2026

UFOs Over Military Bases: Why the Pentagon Admits It's Stumped

UFOs over military bases forced F-22s to relocate from Langley, says ex-Pentagon official Christopher Mellon. Hundreds of incursions a year, and no answers.

Ian Clayton 2 July 2026

July 2026 Night Sky Guide (UK): Planets, Meteors and Noctilucent Clouds

Your July 2026 night sky guide for the UK: Mars meets Uranus in their closest pairing until 2053, Venus passes Regulus, the Delta Aquariids arrive, and noctilucent clouds glow on the northern horizon.

Ian Clayton 1 July 2026

NASA Moon Base: New Moon Landers and the Plan to Land in 2028

NASA's Moon Base just took another step forward. Administrator Jared Isaacman has unveiled a fresh round of lunar lander awards and laid out the road to landing astronauts on the Moon in 2028.

Ian Clayton 30 June 2026

Mars and the Pleiades: How to See the Red Planet Meet the Seven Sisters

Mars and the Pleiades make their closest pairing until 2034 this week. Here's when to look, where in the sky to find them, and how to see it from the UK.

Ian Clayton 29 June 2026

1952 'Flying Saucer' Tape: MIT Lincoln Lab Agrees to Hand It Over

A 1952 'flying saucer talk' by Project Blue Book chief Edward Ruppelt has sat in a private lab's archive for 74 years. Congressman Eric Burlison says MIT Lincoln Laboratory has now agreed to hand it over.

Ian Clayton 29 June 2026

Night Sky Tonight, 27 June: June Bootids, Mars and the Pleiades (UK)

What's in the night sky tonight from the UK: the June Bootids meteor shower peaks, the Moon meets red Antares, and Mars sits beside the Pleiades before dawn.

Ian Clayton 27 June 2026

Hubble Just Caught a Tiny Galaxy Burning Away the Cosmic Fog

Hubble has spotted ultraviolet light from a galaxy that existed 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang — the first clear example of the kind of galaxy that cleared the early universe's fog.

Ian Clayton 26 June 2026

June's Strawberry Moon: How to See the Lowest Full Moon of the Year

June's full Strawberry Moon peaks late on 29 June 2026 and rides the lowest, most golden arc of any full moon this year. Here's when and how to see it from the UK.

Ian Clayton 26 June 2026

JWST: Comet 3I/ATLAS May Be 12 Billion Years Old

James Webb data suggests comet 3I/ATLAS formed 10–12 billion years ago — nearly as old as the universe, with 30× the deuterium of any Solar System comet.

Ian Clayton 25 June 2026

Senators, Congress and Avi Loeb: Inside the Disclosure Forum 2026

On 25 June, two US senators, four members of Congress and Harvard's Avi Loeb gather in a Senate hearing room for an all-day, on-the-record forum on UAP — and you can watch it live from the UK.

Ian Clayton 24 June 2026

Moon Meets Spica Tonight: How to See It From the UK

The waxing gibbous Moon sits right beside Spica, Virgo's brightest star, on the evening of 23 June 2026. Here's what time to look and where from the UK.

Ian Clayton 23 June 2026

SpaceX Launches Starfall, Its First Cargo-Return Capsule

SpaceX launched Starfall today — a disk-shaped capsule built to return up to a tonne of cargo from orbit, aimed squarely at the space-manufacturing boom.

Ian Clayton 23 June 2026

Trump's UAP Governance Board: Avi Loeb's UFO Council

The White House has set up a UAP Governance Board and given Avi Loeb a science council to advise it. Here's what it is — and the catch nobody mentions.

Ian Clayton 23 June 2026

Europe's Euclid Telescope Is About to Drop a Planet-Hunting Map of the Milky Way's Heart

On 24 June, ESA's Euclid releases its deepest-ever view of the Milky Way's crowded core — a 4.8-square-degree survey built to help confirm planets around other stars.

Ian Clayton 22 June 2026

NASA's Swift Telescope Is Falling — a Robot Is Launching to Save It

NASA's 22-year-old Swift telescope is slowly falling out of orbit. On 27 June a robot called Link launches to grab it and push it back to safety — the first rescue of its kind.

Ian Clayton 21 June 2026

The Summer Solstice Is Here — Your Guide to the UK's Longest Day on 21 June

The June solstice arrives at 9:24am BST on Sunday 21 June, giving the UK its longest day of the year. Here's the science, the Stonehenge connection, and what it means for stargazers.

Ian Clayton 20 June 2026

Pentagon's Third UFO File Release: What's Actually In It

The Pentagon's third UFO release describes orange 'mother orbs' launching red orbs over a US security site, plus Cold War spy-plane secrets and a recovered Himalayan disc. I've read the lot — here's what the files really say.

Ian Clayton 13 June 2026

Moon and Venus Conjunction on 17 June: How to See It From the UK

The crescent Moon and Venus meet just 16 arcminutes apart on 17 June 2026. What time to look from the UK, where to find them, and who sees the occultation.

Ian Clayton 12 June 2026

Congress Wants the Varginha UFO Files — Brazil's Roswell Is Back

US lawmakers have named the 1996 Varginha UFO incident — Brazil's Roswell — in their demand for declassified files. Here's what they want, and why now.

Ian Clayton 11 June 2026

NASA Just Named the Artemis III Crew — and a European Will Pilot the Mission

NASA has named the Artemis III crew. Randy Bresnik, Luca Parmitano, Frank Rubio and Andre Douglas will fly in 2027 to clear the way for the next Moon landing.

Ian Clayton 10 June 2026

Grusch Named the Files. Four Lawmakers Stood Behind Him. Now It's Trump's Move.

David Grusch and four members of Congress stood on the Capitol steps today with three specific demands for President Trump — name the files, pass the law, protect the witnesses.

Ian Clayton 9 June 2026

Full Moon Calendar 2026 UK: Lunar Eclipse & Supermoons

Every 2026 full Moon date with UK times, the 28 August partial lunar eclipse, two supermoons — and why full Moon is the worst night to look.

Ian Clayton 9 June 2026

Venus and Jupiter Are Just 1.8° Apart Tonight — Here's How to Find Them From the UK

Two of the brightest objects in the night sky are almost touching this week. Here's exactly where to look and when, with Stellarium finder charts for UK observers.

Ian Clayton 8 June 2026

Five Astronauts Hid in a SpaceX Capsule as the ISS Sprang Its Worst Leak Yet

On June 5, NASA ordered five crew members to shelter in a docked SpaceX Dragon after a worsening crack in the ISS's Russian segment triggered an evacuation alert — the most dramatic sign yet that the station is running out of time.

Ian Clayton 7 June 2026

Scientists Just Solved a 50-Year Mystery About the Milky Way's Black Hole

After half a century of searching, astronomers have finally detected wind blowing from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy.

Ian Clayton 6 June 2026

Three Planets Are Lining Up in the Evening Sky This Month — Your Complete UK June Guide

Venus and Jupiter meet for a stunning close conjunction on June 9, Mercury joins for a rare three-planet lineup on June 12, noctilucent clouds return, and the Strawberry Moon closes out the month.

Ian Clayton 5 June 2026

What the DoD's Declassified UFO Videos Actually Show (PURSUE Release 2026)

The US government released 57 UAP sensor videos in May 2026. We reviewed all 11 DoD-flagged 'Interesting' clips. Most show nothing. Three don't.

Ian Clayton 4 June 2026

Inside the Government's New UFO Files: What the 2026 Release Actually Says

The US government just released six declassified UAP documents and 57 videos. We've read every page. Here's what's actually in them.

Ian Clayton 1 June 2026

Tonight's Full Moon Is a Blue Moon and a Micromoon — Here's How to Watch From the UK

May ends with a rare double event: the second full moon of the month is also a micromoon, appearing near the red star Antares low in the southern sky tonight.

Ian Clayton 31 May 2026

The NSA Kept Secret UFO Files for 45 Years — A Court Case Just Forced Them Open

Hundreds of pages of formerly Top Secret NSA documents on UFO encounters have just been released. Cold War MiG scrambles, objects brighter than the sun, and spiralling blue lights — here's what was inside.

Ian Clayton 22 May 2026

Pentagon's Second UFO File Batch Is Coming — and It's Been Teased as a 'Holy Crap' Moment

The Pentagon's first PURSUE release covered 162 files. A US lawmaker says the second batch will make that look like 'a drop in the bucket' — and it may focus on underwater UAP encounters.

Ian Clayton 21 May 2026

Webb Reveals the Blazing Heart of Galaxy M77 — and It Looks Like Our Own Future

James Webb Space Telescope images M77 (NGC 1068) — revealing the active black hole, 6,000-light-year starburst ring, and hidden star formation of this Cetus Seyfert galaxy.

Ian Clayton 20 May 2026

Asteroid 2026 JH2 Flies Past Earth Tonight — Closer Than the Moon

A newly discovered space rock will skim past Earth at just 90,000 km tonight — closer than a quarter of the Moon's distance. Here's exactly how to watch from the UK.

Ian Clayton 18 May 2026

What Is the Cosmic Web? James Webb Just Made the Clearest Map Ever

The universe isn't scattered randomly — it's built on a vast hidden skeleton of dark matter filaments. James Webb just gave us our best look at it yet.

Ian Clayton 16 May 2026

What the Pentagon's UFO Files Mean for the UK — A British Perspective

The US just released 160+ declassified UAP files. Japan is already scanning them for local sightings. Here's why British UAP watchers should be paying very close attention.

Ian Clayton 16 May 2026

NASA's Psyche Spacecraft Is About to Slingshot Around Mars at 12,000 mph — Here's Why

On Friday 15 May, NASA's Psyche probe will swing just 4,500 km from the surface of Mars in a gravity assist that will fling it toward one of the most mysterious objects in the solar system: a metal world that may be the exposed core of a dead planet.

Ian Clayton 13 May 2026

UAP

NASA's Own Apollo Photographs Show Lights Above the Moon That Have Never Been Explained

Six annotated NASA photographs from Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 show luminous anomalies above the lunar surface. They appear in declassified government documents. Nobody has officially explained them.

Ian Clayton 10 May 2026

This Week's Night Sky: Saturn Returns, Venus Chases Jupiter & a New Moon for Deep Sky

Saturn makes its first morning appearance of 2026, Venus closes the gap on Jupiter through Taurus, and a New Moon opens up the darkest skies of the month — your UK stargazing guide for May 10–16.

Ian Clayton 10 May 2026

UAP News

US Gov Slides Reveal Orange UFO Orbs Watched by 6 Federal Agents

Released via war.gov: Six federal agents in three independent teams watched an orange UFO orb repeatedly launch red orbs at dusk. Here's what the US government slides actually show.

Ian Clayton 10 May 2026

UAP News

The Pentagon Just Released 162 UFO Files — Here's What's Actually in Them

The US government has published its first-ever batch of complete UAP case files — covering Apollo moon missions, military infrared footage, FBI witness interviews and incidents spanning eight decades. We've gone through them all.

Ian Clayton 8 May 2026

Stargazing Guide

The Two Brightest Planets Are on a Collision Course — Here's How to Watch From the UK

Venus and Jupiter are closing in on each other in the evening sky, heading for a spectacular conjunction on June 9. You can track their approach with the naked eye starting tonight.

Ian Clayton 8 May 2026

The FBI Director Just Confirmed UFO Files Have Been Sent for Public Release

FBI Director Kash Patel told Sean Hannity that the Bureau has delivered its 'first tranche' of UFO-related documents to a White House interagency committee — and that public release is coming 'very soon'.

Ian Clayton 7 May 2026

Astronomy Tools

We Just Built an Interactive Solar System Explorer — and You Can Drag Your Way From the Sun to Pluto

A new free tool on WatchTheStars lets you scroll through the entire Solar System at logarithmic scale — complete with a speed-of-light animation, auto-tour mode, and every planet rendered with its real surface features.

Ian Clayton 6 May 2026

A Tiny Frozen World Beyond Neptune Has an Atmosphere That Shouldn't Exist

Astronomers have detected a thin atmosphere around a 500-kilometre Kuiper Belt object — far too small and cold to hold one. The discovery, published in Nature Astronomy, could rewrite what we know about the outer Solar System.

Ian Clayton 6 May 2026

JWST Just Found a Galaxy That Shouldn't Exist — and It's Rewriting the Rules of the Early Universe

A massive, dust-choked galaxy discovered just 400 million years after the Big Bang is challenging everything astronomers thought they knew about how galaxies form.

Ian Clayton 4 May 2026

This Week's Night Sky: Eta Aquariids Peak, Venus & Jupiter Dominate the Evening

Halley's Comet debris lights up the predawn sky, Venus and Jupiter put on an evening show, and Vesta is still at its best — your UK stargazing guide for May 4–10.

Ian Clayton 3 May 2026

Is Spielberg's Disclosure Day Based on a True Story? — The Real UFO Events Behind the Film

Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day' opens June 12. He says it has more truth than fiction, was sparked by a real Navy UAP report, and may answer questions posed by Close Encounters in 1977. Here's the real-world backdrop that makes this film unlike any UFO movie before it.

Ian Clayton 2 May 2026

Vesta at Opposition 2026: How to See the Brightest Asteroid Tonight

Vesta is at opposition — its closest and brightest of 2026. At magnitude 5.7 it's right at the naked-eye limit from dark skies, and an easy binocular target from anywhere. Here's exactly how to find it in Libra tonight, and why Vesta is one of the most extraordinary objects in the solar system.

Ian Clayton 2 May 2026

Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower 2026: Complete UK Watching Guide

Eta Aquariid meteors peak before dawn on 5–6 May — fragments of Halley's Comet hitting the atmosphere at 150,000 mph. Here's your complete UK guide to where, when and how to watch, including tips for beating the moonlight.

Ian Clayton 1 May 2026

JWST's Biggest Mystery Just Got Stranger: The Little Red Dots Are Black Hole Stars

For three years, astronomers have been baffled by hundreds of mysterious red objects in JWST's images. Now Chandra has detected X-rays from one — and the explanation is unlike anything in the known universe.

Ian Clayton 1 May 2026

Ian Clayton 30 April 2026

The Artemis II Crew Just Visited the White House — and NASA Confirmed When We're Going Back to the Moon

NASA's moon astronauts stood in the Oval Office as the agency confirmed Artemis III for late 2027 and a crewed lunar landing in 2028 — with the SLS rocket already at Kennedy Space Center.

Ian Clayton 30 April 2026

Anna Paulina Luna Press Conference: Her 'Nonhuman Origin' UAP Claims

Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna has personally reviewed classified materials of 'nonhuman origin' and is promising a public press conference once declassification completes. Here's exactly what she claimed — and what it means for UAP disclosure.

Ian Clayton 29 April 2026

A Grammy-Winning Singer Filmed UFOs Following Her Plane for 45 Minutes — and the Pilots Said They See Them Every Night

Kacey Musgraves watched three glowing orbs trail her flight from Texas to Nashville, changing colour, forming triangle patterns and keeping pace for 45 minutes. When she landed, both pilots told her: 'We see these every single night.'

Ian Clayton 28 April 2026

JWST May Have Just Found the First Stars That Ever Existed

Two independent research teams have found the strongest evidence yet for Population III stars — the very first generation of stars to form after the Big Bang — hiding in a tiny clump of gas 13.4 billion light-years away.

Ian Clayton 27 April 2026

Falcon Heavy Is Back — SpaceX's Most Powerful Rocket Returns After 18 Months Away

SpaceX's triple-core beast roars back to life today, hurling a 6.6-ton satellite toward geostationary orbit and sticking a double booster landing at Cape Canaveral.

Ian Clayton 27 April 2026

This Week's Night Sky: Full Flower Moon, Venus & Jupiter Rule the Evening

The Full Flower Moon rises on May 1, Venus blazes through Taurus, Jupiter dominates Gemini, and the Eta Aquariid meteors start building toward their peak — your UK stargazing guide for April 27 to May 3.

Ian Clayton 25 April 2026

Blue Origin Nailed the Landing — Then Lost the Satellite

Blue Origin reused a New Glenn booster for the first time on 19 April — but an upper-stage engine failure put the customer's satellite in a useless orbit. The FAA has grounded the rocket.

Ian Clayton 25 April 2026

JWST Just Found Soccer Balls Made of Carbon Floating Around a Dying Star

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first detailed image of the planetary nebula where cosmic buckyballs — hollow spheres of 60 carbon atoms — were originally discovered. The structures are breathtaking.

Ian Clayton 24 April 2026

Hubble Just Turned 36 — and Its Birthday Portrait Shows a Nebula Changing Before Our Eyes

NASA celebrated Hubble's 36th anniversary by revisiting the Trifid Nebula — and by comparing the new image with one taken 29 years ago, astronomers can see a stellar nursery evolving on human timescales.

Ian Clayton 23 April 2026

NASA's Curiosity Rover Just Found the Building Blocks of Life on Mars — Using a Technique Never Tried on Another World

A chemistry experiment never before performed beyond Earth has revealed 21 organic molecules in 3.5-billion-year-old Martian rock — seven of them detected on Mars for the first time, including a DNA precursor.

Ian Clayton 22 April 2026

The Lyrids Peak Tonight — Get Outside After Midnight for the Best Show

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks tonight under near-perfect conditions. The Moon sets early, the skies are dark, and fireballs are on the menu. Here's your hour-by-hour BST guide for the night of April 22/23.

Ian Clayton 21 April 2026

NASA Just Unveiled the Most Powerful Survey Telescope Ever Built — and It Could Launch This Year

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is fully assembled and ready for its journey to space. With 200 times Hubble's field of view, it will map billions of galaxies, discover thousands of exoplanets, and probe the mystery of dark energy.

Ian Clayton 20 April 2026

A Black Hole Slept for 100 Million Years. Then It Woke Up Like a Cosmic Volcano.

Astronomers have captured a supermassive black hole reawakening after 100 million years of silence, blasting plasma jets nearly a million light-years across space in one of the most dramatic 'reborn' black hole events ever recorded.

Ian Clayton 19 April 2026

A Rocket That's Already Been to Space Just Flew Again — Blue Origin's New Glenn Is Rewriting the Rules

Blue Origin launched a previously-flown New Glenn booster for the first time today — a milestone that closes the gap with SpaceX and could reshape how we think about the cost of getting to space.

Ian Clayton 19 April 2026

This Week's Night Sky: Lyrids Peak, Venus–Uranus Conjunction & a Moon Trio

The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on the night of April 22–23 with dark skies guaranteed, Venus snuggles up to Uranus and the Pleiades, and a crescent Moon puts on a three-way show with Venus and Jupiter — here's your UK guide for April 20–26.

Ian Clayton 18 April 2026

After Years of Setbacks, Europe's Life-Hunting Mars Rover Finally Has a Launch Date — and SpaceX Is Flying It

NASA has formally greenlighted its support for ESA's Rosalind Franklin Mars rover, confirming a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch no earlier than late 2028 — and making it SpaceX's first-ever mission to Mars.

Ian Clayton 18 April 2026

Trump Says Pentagon Found 'Very Interesting' UFO Documents — Releases Coming 'Very, Very Soon'

Speaking at a public event in Phoenix on April 18, President Trump confirmed the Pentagon's UFO file review has turned up 'many very interesting documents' — and promised the first batch will be released 'very, very soon'.

Ian Clayton 17 April 2026

Lyrid Meteor Shower: The Complete UK Viewing Guide

The Lyrids are the oldest meteor shower on record, watched by humans for 2,700 years. They return every April with bright, fast meteors and the occasional fireball. Here's how, when and where to watch them from the UK.

Ian Clayton 16 April 2026

The Pentagon Just Missed Its UFO Deadline — and Congress Isn't Having It

The April 14 deadline for 46 classified UAP videos has passed with nothing released. Rep. Luna says 'nobody passed the letter to the appropriate authorities — how convenient.' The Pentagon says it's working on it. The pattern continues.

Ian Clayton 14 April 2026

This Week Could Produce the Best Comet in Years — and That's Not Even the Only Reason to Look Up

Comet PanSTARRS is now visible to the naked eye and approaching perihelion. A razor-thin Moon meets Venus and the Pleiades on Friday. The Lyrids are building. And the darkest skies of the month start tonight. Here's your complete guide to the best week of stargazing in 2026 so far.

Ian Clayton 13 April 2026

One Congressman Wants to Shut Down the Pentagon's UFO Office. Another Wants Its Secrets. Both Deadlines Hit This Week.

Rep. Tim Burchett has introduced a bill to permanently abolish AARO — while Rep. Anna Paulina Luna's demand for 46 classified UAP videos expires tomorrow. Two colliding congressional actions are putting the Pentagon's UFO programme under the most pressure it has ever faced.

Ian Clayton 12 April 2026

This Week's Night Sky: Comet PanSTARRS Brightens, the Lyrids Return & Venus Meets the Moon

A brightening comet before dawn, Venus and Jupiter dominating the evening sky, and the Lyrid meteor shower building toward its peak — this is one of the best weeks for amateur astronomers in 2026.

Ian Clayton 11 April 2026

A Comet Not Seen for 170,000 Years Is About to Light Up the Sky — How to See It From the UK

Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) reaches perihelion on 19 April and could become visible to the naked eye. Here's everything you need to know — including when, where, and how to spot it from the UK.

Ian Clayton 10 April 2026

Artemis II Splashdown Tonight — How the Crew Gets Home From the Moon

After 10 days in space, a record-breaking lunar flyby, and the furthest distance any humans have ever travelled from Earth, the Artemis II crew splashes down in the Pacific tonight. Here's the full reentry timeline and how to watch.

The 10 Most Breathtaking Photos From the Artemis II Lunar Flyby

NASA has released the first official photos from the Artemis II lunar flyby — including a 54-minute solar eclipse from deep space, a new Earthrise, and the far side of the Moon in stunning detail.

Ian Clayton 9 April 2026

Artemis II Is on Its Way Home — and Everything Went to Plan

The lunar flyby is complete. Orion has swung around the Moon, broken the human distance record, witnessed Earthrise over the far side, and is now coasting back toward Earth. Splashdown: April 11.

Ian Clayton 7 April 2026

Artemis II Flies Past the Moon Today — How to Watch the Historic Moment

The Artemis II crew will fly within 4,070 miles of the Moon this evening, break Apollo 13's distance record, witness Earthrise over the far side, and see a solar eclipse from lunar orbit. Here's the full schedule and how to follow along live.

Ian Clayton 6 April 2026

Comet MAPS Did Not Survive — The Easter Comet Dream Is Over

Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) disintegrated six hours before perihelion on 4 April, reaching magnitude –0.6 before breaking apart. The hoped-for Easter Comet display will not happen — here's what the SOHO data tells us.

Ian Clayton 5 April 2026

Artemis II Is Halfway to the Moon — Here's What's Happening on Board

The Artemis II crew has crossed the halfway mark to the Moon, sent back stunning aurora photos of Earth, practised CPR in zero gravity, and dealt with a temperamental toilet. The historic lunar flyby is 48 hours away.

Ian Clayton 4 April 2026

Anna Paulina Luna Demands 46 Classified UAP Videos From the Pentagon

Congress gave the Pentagon a hard deadline to release 46 classified UAP videos — Lake Huron shootdown footage, Coast Guard Tic Tac recordings, and a spherical craft filmed near a US submarine. The deadline passed. Here's what the videos show and why they're still hidden.

Ian Clayton 4 April 2026

Comet MAPS Is Hours From Its Date With the Sun — Here's What Happens Next

Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) reaches perihelion tomorrow, skimming just 161,000 km above the Sun's surface. SOHO is already watching. Here's how to follow the action — and how to spot it if it survives.

Ian Clayton 3 April 2026

Artemis II Has Launched: Humans Are on Their Way to the Moon

It happened. At 6:24 p.m. ET on April 1, 2026, NASA's SLS rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center carrying four astronauts on humanity's first crewed voyage to the Moon in 54 years.

Ian Clayton 2 April 2026

NASA Cancels Lunar Gateway: What It Means for Moon Exploration

NASA has scrapped the Lunar Gateway after a decade of work, switching to a $20 billion Moon surface base. But Europe already delivered a €1 billion module — what happens to it now, and what does this mean for future Moon missions?

Ian Clayton 2 April 2026

Artemis II Launch Day: How to Watch Humans Return to the Moon Tonight

It's happening — Artemis II launches tonight at 11:24 PM BST, sending four astronauts around the Moon for the first time in 54 years. Here's everything you need to know about today's events and where to watch live.

Ian Clayton 1 April 2026

Comet MAPS Is Diving Into the Sun This Weekend — Will It Survive to Become the Easter Comet?

A sungrazing comet discovered in the Atacama Desert is about to skim just 161,000 km above the Sun's surface. If it survives, Comet MAPS could light up the evening sky in time for Easter.

Ian Clayton 1 April 2026

Ian Clayton 28 March 2026

This Week's Night Sky: The Moon Swallows a Star, a Pink Full Moon, and Artemis II Launches

The Moon occults Regulus on Sunday, the Pink Full Moon rises on Thursday, and Artemis II blasts off for the Moon on Wednesday — the most eventful week in the sky this year.

Ian Clayton 26 March 2026

Moon Meets Jupiter Tonight: A Stunning Conjunction in Gemini

Tonight the waxing gibbous Moon slides right past Jupiter high in the evening sky — a gorgeous naked-eye pairing framed by the twin stars of Gemini. Here's exactly when and where to look from the UK.

Ian Clayton 25 March 2026

The Pentagon Quietly Built a UAP Research Network — and Nobody Noticed

AARO's caseload has surged past 2,000 reports. A secret workshop brought 40 government, academic, and civilian researchers together. And a new whitepaper reveals the Pentagon is using AI to hunt for patterns in decades of sighting data.

Ian Clayton 23 March 2026

Something Was Moving in Our Skies Before We Had Satellites

Scientists re-examining 1950s Palomar Observatory sky survey photographs have found mysterious objects that appeared and vanished before any human satellite existed. Their peer-reviewed conclusions are impossible to dismiss.

Ian Clayton 22 March 2026

The Solar System Just Got 15 New Moons — And Nobody Really Noticed

Astronomers have quietly announced the discovery of 15 new moons — 11 for Saturn and 4 for Jupiter. It brings Saturn's total to 285 and Jupiter's to 101, and the solar system's combined moon count to 442.

Ian Clayton 20 March 2026

Space Rock Explodes Over Ohio: The 7-Ton Fireball That Rained Meteorites on Medina County

On the morning of 17 March 2026, a 7-ton asteroid blazing at 45,000 mph lit up the skies from Wisconsin to Maryland before exploding above Ohio with the force of 250 tons of TNT — and dropping real meteorites into a field south of Cleveland.

Ian Clayton 19 March 2026

The White House Just Registered alien.gov — And Won't Say Why

The US government quietly registered two new .gov domains — alien.gov and aliens.gov — on March 18, 2026. The White House's only response: a smiling alien emoji and 'Stay tuned.'

Ian Clayton 18 March 2026

Aurora Alert: Northern Lights Could Be Visible Across the UK Tonight

A solar flare from active region AR4392 launched a coronal mass ejection directly at Earth — it arrives tomorrow evening. Scotland and northern England have a genuine shot at seeing the northern lights.

Ian Clayton 17 March 2026

JWST Discovers a New Class of Exoplanet: The Permanent Magma Ocean World

Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope to confirm a new type of planet that shouldn't be able to exist — a world where the entire surface is a permanent ocean of molten rock, kept alive by a sulphurous atmosphere.

Ian Clayton 17 March 2026

The Missing General: A UAP-Connected Air Force Officer Vanishes in New Mexico

Retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland — who commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson and briefly worked with Tom DeLonge's UAP research group — has been missing for three weeks. The FBI is involved, clothing has been found in Colorado, and a US congressman says he 'has a lot to say' about UFOs.

Ian Clayton 16 March 2026

Artemis II Launch Confirmed: Humans Return to the Moon on April 1

NASA has confirmed April 1, 2026 as the launch date for Artemis II — the first crewed mission to the vicinity of the Moon in 54 years. Here's everything you need to know.

Ian Clayton 16 March 2026

The Complete Artemis Mission Timeline: Every Mission From I to the Moon Base

With Artemis II weeks away and a major programme restructure announced in February 2026, here is the definitive guide to every Artemis mission — what each one does, when it launches, and how the plan has changed.

Ian Clayton 14 March 2026

Immaculate Constellation: The Secret UAP Programme the Pentagon Says Doesn't Exist

A whistleblower report delivered to Congress alleges the Pentagon has been running a secret programme called Immaculate Constellation for years — hoarding thousands of high-resolution UAP images and videos that the public has never seen.

Ian Clayton 11 March 2026

3I/ATLAS: The Interstellar Comet Carrying Chemistry From Another Star System

Only the third interstellar object ever detected, 3I/ATLAS has stunned scientists with alien water, extraordinary levels of methanol, and deuterium ratios unlike anything in our solar system. And this Sunday, it passes Jupiter.

The Buga Sphere: Colombia's Mysterious UFO Object

A metallic sphere with no welds, unknown etchings, and nine internal microspheres landed in Buga, Colombia in March 2025. Is it alien technology, an art project, or something else entirely?

Ian Clayton 6 March 2026

Artemis II Update: NASA Finds Root Cause of Helium Problem, April Launch Back On

NASA has identified the culprit behind the helium flow issue that forced Artemis II off the launch pad — a dislodged seal in a quick disconnect fitting. With repairs complete and additional work underway in the VAB, a rollout later this month puts an April launch back in reach.

Ian Clayton 5 March 2026

Ian Clayton 28 February 2026

Artemis III Grounded: NASA Redesigns Mission and Pushes Lunar Landing to 2028

NASA has fundamentally redesigned Artemis III — the mission will no longer land on the Moon. Instead, astronauts will dock with commercial landers in Earth orbit as a test run, with the first actual lunar landing now planned for 2028.

Ian Clayton 26 February 2026

Are Religious Beliefs Really Blocking UAP Disclosure?

Trump's UAP disclosure order is real and recent. But claims that religious fundamentalists inside the Pentagon are currently blocking the release deserve careful scrutiny. Here's what's verified — and what isn't.

Ian Clayton 24 February 2026

Artemis II Rolled Back Again: Helium Issue Delays Mission to April 2026

Just days after a successful wet dress rehearsal raised hopes for a March launch, a helium flow anomaly in the rocket's upper stage has forced NASA to roll Artemis II back to the Vehicle Assembly Building. March is now ruled out — so when will four astronauts finally fly to the Moon?

Ian Clayton 24 February 2026

Truth Behind Trump and UFO Disclosure: What's Real (and What's Rumour)

There's been a massive surge in public interest surrounding UFOs and UAPs, alongside renewed rumours that the U.S. government may finally be ready to disclose what it knows. We unpack what's real, what's rumour, and what Trump's announcement actually means.

Ian Clayton 13 February 2026

Artemis II Mission Update: NASA Targets March 2026 Launch After Technical Repairs

NASA continues preparations for the historic Artemis II mission, addressing technical challenges as the agency targets a March 2026 launch for humanity's first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years.

Ian Clayton 12 February 2026

2026 Planet Parade Guide: How to See 6 Planets in the UK Sky

Up to 6 planets are visible in the pre-dawn sky late February–early March 2026. Venus anchors the lineup at magnitude −4.2, with Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Uranus and Neptune spread across the southeast. No telescope needed for the four brightest.

Observation

How to See Jupiter in 2026: Opposition & Best Views

Jupiter reached opposition on 10 January 2026 in Gemini, closest approach ~633 million km, magnitude −2.7. Evening object through early July, then returns to morning sky from mid-August. Month-by-month guide to cloud bands, Great Red Spot and Galilean moons.

How to See Mars in 2026: Month-by-Month Guide

Mars is having a quiet but significant year in 2026. It passed behind the Sun on 9 January (solar conjunction) and was completely invisible for a couple of m…

How to See Mercury in 2026: Every Elongation Date

Mercury is one of the most satisfying planets to track down precisely because it's awkward. It never wanders far from the Sun, so you're always hunting for i…

How to See Neptune in 2026: Guide to the Farthest Planet

Neptune is the hardest of the eight planets to observe. It never becomes naked-eye, it looks like an ordinary faint star in binoculars unless you know exactl…

How to See Saturn in 2026: Rings, Dates & Telescopes

Saturn is most people's favourite thing to see through a telescope, and 2026 is a good year to point one at it. After the rings turned nearly edge-on in 2025…

How to See Uranus in 2026: Ice Giant at Opposition

Uranus is a genuinely interesting challenge. At magnitude +5.6 it's just within naked-eye reach from a dark field, yet it looks exactly like a faint star — n…

How to See Venus in 2026: Evening & Morning Star

Venus is impossible to miss when it's in the sky. In 2026 it's giving us a long, well-placed evening apparition, dominant in the western sky from March right…