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Detroit Free PressDetroit Free Press
Draconids peak in Michigan skies. When's the best time to see them?

Draconids peak in Michigan skies. When's the best time to see them?

The Draconid meteor shower will peak overnight Oct. 8-9 in Michigan skies. Here's what to know about the meteors.
Arizona RepublicArizona Republic
October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in Arizona

October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in Arizona

Here's how you can find the best viewing times, dark-sky locations and tips for spotting the Orionid meteor shower in October 2026 across Arizona.
Palm Springs Desert SunPalm Springs Desert Sun
October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in California

October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in California

Here's how you can find the best viewing times, dark-sky locations and tips for spotting the Orionid meteor shower in October 2026 across California.
Asheville Citizen-TimesAsheville Citizen-Times
Orionid meteor shower is here. See 2026 peak dates, more in Western NC

Orionid meteor shower is here. See 2026 peak dates, more in Western NC

A waxing gibbous moon is expected during the peak of the Orionids meteor shower dates. Here's how, when to get the best view for 2026.
Detroit Free PressDetroit Free Press
NOAA predicts magnetic storm. Could northern lights shine?

NOAA predicts magnetic storm. Could northern lights shine?

Michigan could see the northern lights Thursday night, Oct. 8, and Friday night, Oct. 9, NOAA predicts.
USA TodayUSA Today
NASA photo of Mars dawn reveals cliffs in unprecedented detail

NASA photo of Mars dawn reveals cliffs in unprecedented detail

NASA's iconic Curiosity rover recently captured a striking image of dawn on Mars that shows distant cliffs in never-before-seen detail.
Palm Springs Desert SunPalm Springs Desert Sun
NASA's Crew-12 Dragon capsule approaches California for water landing

NASA's Crew-12 Dragon capsule approaches California for water landing

Four Crew-12 astronauts who have been in space for eight months are just hours away from landing near California. Here's how you can watch live.
USA TodayUSA Today
World Space Week 2026 celebrates a year of rocket launch milestones

World Space Week 2026 celebrates a year of rocket launch milestones

World Space Week couldn't come at a better time amid a year when Artemis astronauts ventured near the moon and SpaceX's Starship reached orbit.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
Astronomers Identify Candidate for 'Second-Generation' Planet Formed from Dead Star's Material

Astronomers Identify Candidate for 'Second-Generation' Planet Formed from Dead Star's Material

Astronomers have identified a candidate for a 'second-generation' planet orbiting the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832, located approximately 270 light-years from Earth. This potential planet is believed to have formed from material ejected by the star as it died, a process that would represent a cosmic rebirth. Observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope revealed unusually high amounts of heavy elements in the white dwarf’s atmosphere, including zinc, copper, and notably, niobium, which was found at levels over 1,000 times greater than in the Sun. These elements are typically produced during the later stages of a star's life. Further data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) detected a regular brightness signal repeating every 4.4 days, consistent with a gas giant, roughly the size of Jupiter, orbiting very close to the white dwarf. This close proximity suggests the planet is losing its atmosphere due to the white dwarf’s intense radiation, with some of this escaping material potentia...
Palm Beach PostPalm Beach Post
October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in Florida

October meteor shower now active. How to see the Orionids in Florida

Here's how you can find the best viewing times, dark-sky locations and tips for spotting the Orionid meteor shower in October 2026 across Florida.
Rapid ReadRapid Read
NASA Hubble Space Telescope Uncovers Evidence of Second-Generation Planet Around White Dwarf Star

NASA Hubble Space Telescope Uncovers Evidence of Second-Generation Planet Around White Dwarf Star

Astronomers utilizing data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have identified a surprising chemical signature around the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832, suggesting the presence of a 'second-generation' planet. This planet, if confirmed, would have formed from material ejected by the star as it died, rather than from the initial stellar birth. The key clue is the unusually high abundance of the element niobium, which was detected in archival Hubble data from 1999. Initially, about 100 chemical features in the data were unidentifiable, but with updated chemical databases, niobium was found to match many of these mystery features. Niobium and other heavy elements are typically synthesized in the exotic conditions that emerge inside dying stars, indicating that the material forming this potential planet originated from the star's death throes. The research team confirmed these observations with data from NASA's retired FUSE (Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer) mission and also used NASA’s TESS (Transiting E...
Rapid ReadRapid Read
NASA Hubble Space Telescope Data Suggests Second-Generation Planet Orbiting White Dwarf Star

NASA Hubble Space Telescope Data Suggests Second-Generation Planet Orbiting White Dwarf Star

Astronomers, utilizing archival data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, have identified a surprising chemical signature that indicates the white dwarf star HS 0209+0832 may host a second-generation planet. This discovery, detailed in a study published in Nature Astronomy, suggests that planets can form from material expelled during a star's death. Jamie Williams, an astronomer and lead author from the University of Warwick, revisited Hubble's 1999 observations of the star, which initially contained approximately 100 unidentified chemical features. With an updated chemical database, Williams found that the element niobium matched many of these mystery features. Niobium, along with other elements heavier than iron, is not formed through thermonuclear fusion in stellar cores but rather in the exotic conditions present during a star's demise. The research team theorizes that after the star ejected this chemically enriched material, some of it coalesced into a gas giant planet. This finding was corroborated by...