Second planet from the Sun, Earth's neighbor in the Solar System.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 upper stage has struck the Moon near Einstein Crater at about 5,400 mph, carving a new crater and launching a dust plume. South Korea’s Danuri orbiter has photographed the site and released images. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is scheduled to image the impact next week while scientists begin analysing ejecta and crater formation.
A series of high-altitude eclipse observations are under way across Europe, North America and beyond. NASA-backed aircraft chase the moon’s shadow to extend totality, while airlines offer special flights and Iberia livestreams the event from Spain.
OpenAI and Anthropic are advancing their AI model releases ahead of potential IPOs, with Astra and Mythos/Fable updates designed to balance safety, performance, and enterprise data controls. OpenAI warns Astra safeguards may hinder legitimate work, while Anthropic is debuting higher-privacy safeguards and a zero-data-retention option for enterprise users.
Skywatchers have been treated to a string of September conjunctions and phases: Venus has paired with Spica, the Moon has aligned with the Pleiades, Mars and Jupiter, and a partial lunar eclipse has produced reddish tones across wide regions. Through October and November, the Pleiades, the Orionid and Leonid meteor showers, a planetary parade on 14 November and the Beaver supermoon on 24 November will provide more viewing opportunities.
Independent reports NASA and ESA push two major space initiatives: Envision aims to map Venus at unprecedented radar resolution to probe active volcanism; BepiColombo edges toward Mercury with a dramatic orbit insertion after nine gravity assists and separation of its propulsion module.
Archaeologists uncover a mastaba at Saqqara dating to Egypt’s Fifth Dynasty, built for Yunmen, a high-ranking official, and his father Ity. The site includes two chapels, painted reliefs, and a false door, with colors well-preserved after more than 4,000 years. The find supports ongoing efforts to boost Egypt’s tourism through new discoveries.
Scientists have identified a 222‑metre‑wide, 43‑metre‑deep crater on the Moon formed by a powerful impact in spring 2024. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has mapped ejecta across more than 100 km and a 7‑km cold spot; researchers say the impact is the largest freshly formed crater known in the solar system and will inform lunar base design.