Check out the night sky this month, September 2025. Here are videos and links to websites highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: September 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA | NASA JPL
What are some skywatching highlights in September 2025?
Saturn shines all month long, a conjunction between a planet, star, and the Moon, and we ring in the autumnal equinox.
0:00 Intro 0:04 Saturn viewing 0:58 A sunrise conjunction 1:46 The autumnal equinox 2:11 September Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
September’s night sky features the iconic Summer Triangle, almost directly overhead at nightfall, and a newcomer to the evening sky: the planet Saturn, which will rise in the east not long after sunset. Get tips for viewing these and lots more stargazing info by downloading this month’s Sky Tour podcast!
What are some skywatching highlights in August 2025?
A close conjunction of Jupiter and Venus peaks on the 11th and 12th. Viewing the Perseid meteors will be hampered by a bright Moon. And look for the Dumbbell Nebula, which offers a peek into how stars like our Sun go out in style.
0:00 Intro 0:13 August planet viewing 1:17 Perseids outlook 1:43 The Dumbbell Nebula 3:07 August Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky this month, including Venus and Jupiter’s close approach, Uranus’s meeting with the Pleiades, Saturn and Neptune’s nightly tango and the low-down full Moon.
Find out “what’s up” in the August sky! This month we track down four planets before dawn; have some fun with New Moons; peek at some Perseids; and gaze at the center of our galaxy. So load up on the bug juice, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.
** The Night Sky | August 2025 | Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS | Saturn & Titan | Perseids Meteor Shower |Late Night Astronomy
An interstellar comet is traveling through our solar system, the shadow of Titan moves across Saturn and a major meteor shower peaks. Let’s take a look at what you can see in the night sky for August of 2025.
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Timestamps: 0:00 Saturn and Titan 2:45: Interstellar Comet 3I ATLAS 4:28 Perseids Meteor Shower 5:33 The Moon 6:26 The Planets 7:25 Deep Sky Challenge
This is HOPS-315, a baby star where astronomers have observed evidence for the earliest stages of planet formation. The image was taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner. Together with data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), these observations show that hot minerals are beginning to solidify. In orange we see the distribution of carbon monoxide, blowing away from the star in a butterfly-shaped wind. In blue we see a narrow jet of silicon monoxide, also beaming away from the star. These gaseous winds and jets are common around baby stars like HOPS-315. Together the ALMA and JWST observations indicate that, in addition to these features, there is also a disc of gaseous silicon monoxide around the star that is condensing into solid silicates –– the first stages of planetary formation.
International researchers have, for the first time, pinpointed the moment when planets began to form around a star beyond the Sun. Using the ALMA telescope, in which the European Southern Observatory (ESO) is a partner, and the James Webb Space Telescope, they have observed the creation of the first specks of planet-forming material — hot minerals just beginning to solidify. This finding marks the first time a planetary system has been identified at such an early stage in its formation and opens a window to the past of our own Solar System.
“For the first time, we have identified the earliest moment when planet formation is initiated around a star other than our Sun,”
says Melissa McClure, a professor at Leiden University in the Netherlands and lead author of the new study, published today in Nature.
Co-author Merel van ‘t Hoff, a professor at Purdue University, USA, compares their findings to
“a picture of the baby Solar System“, saying that “we’re seeing a system that looks like what our Solar System looked like when it was just beginning to form.”
This newborn planetary system is emerging around HOPS-315, a ‘proto’ or baby star that sits some 1300 light-years away from us and is an analogue of the nascent Sun. Around such baby stars, astronomers often see discs of gas and dust known as ‘protoplanetary discs’, which are the birthplaces of new planets. While astronomers have previously seen young discs that contain newborn, massive, Jupiter-like planets, McClure says,
“we’ve always known that the first solid parts of planets, or ‘planetesimals’, must form further back in time, at earlier stages.”
In our Solar System, the very first solid material to condense near Earth’s present location around the Sun is found trapped within ancient meteorites. Astronomers age-date these primordial rocks to determine when the clock started on our Solar System’s formation. Such meteorites are packed full of crystalline minerals that contain silicon monoxide (SiO) and can condense at the extremely high temperatures present in young planetary discs. Over time, these newly condensed solids bind together, sowing the seeds for planet formation as they gain both size and mass. The first kilometre-sized planetesimals in the Solar System, which grew to become planets such as Earth or Jupiter’s core, formed just after the condensation of these crystalline minerals.
These images illustrate how hot gas condenses into solid minerals around the baby star HOPS-315. The image to the left was taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), in which ESO is a partner. Two insets show artist’s impressions of molecules of silicon monoxide condensing into solid silicates.
With their new discovery, astronomers have found evidence of these hot minerals beginning to condense in the disc around HOPS-315. Their results show that SiO is present around the baby star in its gaseous state, as well as within these crystalline minerals, suggesting it is only just beginning to solidify.
“This process has never been seen before in a protoplanetary disc — or anywhere outside our Solar System,”
says co-author Edwin Bergin, a professor at the University of Michigan, USA.
These minerals were first identified using the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint project of the US, European and Canadian space agencies. To find out where exactly the signals were coming from, the team observed the system with ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, which is operated by ESO together with international partners in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
With these data, the team determined that the chemical signals were coming from a small region of the disc around the star equivalent to the orbit of the asteroid belt around the Sun.
“We’re really seeing these minerals at the same location in this extrasolar system as where we see them in asteroids in the Solar System,“
says co-author Logan Francis, a postdoctoral researcher at Leiden University.
Because of this, the disc of HOPS-315 provides a wonderful analogue for studying our own cosmic history. As van ‘t Hoff says,
“this system is one of the best that we know to actually probe some of the processes that happened in our Solar System.”
It also provides astronomers with a new opportunity to study early planet formation, by standing in as a substitute for newborn solar systems across the galaxy.
ESO astronomer and European ALMA Programme Manager Elizabeth Humphreys, who did not take part in the study, says:
“I was really impressed by this study, which reveals a very early stage of planet formation. It suggests that HOPS-315 can be used to understand how our own Solar System formed. This result highlights the combined strength of JWST and ALMA for exploring protoplanetary discs.”
Check out the night sky this month, July 2025. Here are videos and links to websites highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: July 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA | NASA JPL
What are some skywatching highlights in July 2025? Look for Mars in the evening, Venus and Jupiter in the morning, and find the eagle constellation, Aquila, soaring overhead.
0:00 Intro 0:14 July planet viewing 1:43 The Constellation Aquila 3:12 July Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
Let’s explore “what’s up” in the July sky in a fun and informative way! This month we’ll check on the planets’ whereabouts, go on a “sat-seeing” tour, and chase down one of best know celestial critters: Scorpius. So grab your curiosity, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour episode.
** The Night Sky | July 2025 | Full Buck Moon | Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower | Late Night Astronomy
A major meteor shower peaks and we explore the ghostly remnants of a dead star. Let’s take a look at what you can see in the night sky for July of 2025.
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Timestamps: 0:00 Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower 1:52 The Moon 3:13 The Planets 4:15 Deep Sky Objects
On 26 June 2025 ESA project astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski from Poland and his crewmates arrived to the International Space Station on the Axiom-4 mission (Ax-4).
The Polish project astronaut is the second of a new generation of European astronauts to fly on a commercial human spaceflight opportunity with Axiom Space.
Sponsored by the Polish government and supported by ESA, the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology (MRiT), and the Polish Space Agency (POLSA), the mission will include an ambitious technological and scientific programme with several experiments led by ESA and proposed by the Polish space industry.
Follow Sławosz’s journey to space on the Ignis mission website.
** JAXA Astronaut Discusses Life Aboard Space Station Students – Wednesday, June 25, 2025 | NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 commander Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) discussed living and working in space during an in-flight education interview June 25 with Japanese students. Onishi is in the midst of a long duration science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions.
** Astronaut Discusses Life In Space With U.S. Air Force Academy Association – Tuesday, June 17, 2025 | NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 73 flight engineer Nichole Ayers of NASA discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview June 17 with the U.S. Air Force, Academy Association of Graduates for its podcast. Ayers, a Major in the Air Force is in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
Europe is fostering new collaborations for a sustained presence in low Earth orbit. @esa, @Thales_Alenia_S and @blueorigin signed an agreement at #SalonDuBourget today to expand their capabilities in a new era of space exploration.
Just as microgravity dramatically changes the game in medicine and manufacturing, plants also act very differently in microgravity. The Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) was developed to research growing vegetables in LEO’s unique conditions to provide a reliable food supply. It was… pic.twitter.com/1n1GTMCDRC
— Starlab can host semiconductor research and production:
Did you know that space-based semiconductor research dates back over 50 years to Skylab 3? Since then, more than 228 experiments have been conducted in space, with 70% yielding bigger, better-structured and more uniform crystals than possible on Earth.
— Starlab capabilities presented to French industry:
Last week, we presented the current status of Starlab, our next-generation commercial space station, to French industry representatives, investors, and key stakeholders. The day was filled with insightful presentations and engaging discussions, exploring potential collaborations… pic.twitter.com/kXbhfF3zJy
Now is the time to meet NASA’s call to transition its low-Earth orbit presence from the International Space Station (ISS) to a lower-cost commercial option. Vast is ready to deliver for America and our international partners. We will be delivering the world’s first, most affordable, commercial space station in 2026: Haven-1.
Haven-1 will be Vast’s first step toward a long-term commercial presence in orbit.
Purpose-built for scientific research, in-space manufacturing, and human habitation, Haven-1 will ensure humanity’s presence in low-Earth orbit. Backed by a world-class team and built with speed, safety, and efficiency at its core, this marks the next era in human space exploration—not just reaching orbit, but staying there.
he era of commercial space stations begins with Haven-1, launching next year. Whether you’re a sovereign nation, space agency, scientist, company, or private astronaut—the time is now. Join our mission and help pioneer the next giant leap in space exploration.
** Haven-1 Virtual Reality – Available Now for Download | VAST on Youtube
Experience Haven-1, the world’s first commercial space station, in virtual reality (VR): www.vastspace.com/haven-1-vr
Join Andrew Feustel, former NASA Acting Chief Astronaut and Lead Astronaut at Vast, as he narrates the immersive journey through the next-generation space-station, launching in May 2026.
Haven-1 VR is officially available for download from Meta, the App Store, and Steam.
=== Chinese space habitats
** Doing experiments and organizing logistics, Shenzhou 20 crews daily work at Tiangong Space Station | CNSA Watcher – Archives
#SummerSolstice# has arrived, pursue dreams and go!】Experimental schedule full, material organized diligently… What were the new developments in the ‘Space Home’ last week? Let’s follow the daily work of the Shen 20 crew together! #TiangongTVSeason9# Video of manned spaceflight on Weibo
** Crew of Shenzhou-20 spacecraft prepares for second spacewalk from Tiangong space station | CNSA Watcher – Archives
The crew of Shenzhou-20 spacecraft is ready for their second extravehicular activity. The space station is running smoothly and the astronauts have been working in orbit for over two months. They are in good physical and mental condition, fully prepared for the upcoming EVA. (Source: China Manned Space Engineering Office) Sky and space, pursuing dreams.
** Shenzhou-20 astronauts complete second spacewalk | SciNews
According to the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the second extravehicular activity (EVA) of the Shenzhou-20 (神舟二十) mission was completed on 26 June 2025, at 13:29 UTC (21:29 China Standard Time). During the ~6.5 hours spacewalk, astronauts Chen Dong (陈冬, commander) and Chen Zhong Rui (陈中瑞) completed the installation of a debris protection device, the inspection and maintenance of external equipment, as well as installation of new equipment designed to improve the efficiency of astronauts during EVAs. Astronaut Wang Jie (王杰) assisted them from inside the Tianhe Core Module (天和核心舱) by operating the robotic arm of the China Space Station (中国空间站). Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/China Central Television (CCTV)
The Moon represent a vast supply of resources critical to space development, particularly the lunar poles. How do we balance competing interests of development and science, and competing interests of various nations and groups?
The Joint Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Test Team (JETT), led out of Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, is a specialized group that develops, integrates, and executes tests and analog missions that enable evaluations of lunar surface systems and operations for Artemis missions. This field test is the fifth in the series and is the highest fidelity Artemis moonwalk mission simulation to date. The test consists of two integrated teams working together as they practice end-to-end lunar operations with a team of astronauts, NASA engineers, and field experts in the Arizona desert conducting the simulated moonwalks, and a team of flight controllers and scientists at NASA Johnson monitoring and guiding their activities. The test evaluates gaps and challenges associated with lunar South Pole operations, including data collection and communications between the flight control team and science team in Houston for rapid decision-making protocols. The week-long test was conducted in the San Francisco Volcanic Field near Flagstaff, Arizona in May of 2024.
Long-term survival in space won’t just be about food, air, and shielding—it’s about gravity. In this episode, we’ll explore why artificial gravity may be essential for keeping humans healthy on starships and space stations, and how we might create it using rotation, magnetism, or future technologies.
** Cities of the Future – Megacities, Arcologies, and Floating Utopias | Isaac Arthur on Youtube
In tomorrow’s world, cities may rise into the clouds, dive beneath oceans, or float among the stars—join us as we journey through these radical urban frontiers.
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Chapters 0:00 Intro 1:16 The Growth of Cities 4:05 Urban Challenges & Opportunities 6:09 Vertical Cities & Arcologies 21:15 Space Scrapers & Space Towers 24:19 Subterranean Cities 26:26 Artificial Island Cities 28:05 Underwater Cities 29:29 Cities in the Sky 30:59 Space Habitats 33:56 Cities on Other Worlds
** Worldhouses & Paraterraforming: Building Planets, One Dome at a Time | Isaac Arthur on Youtube
Why wait centuries to terraform Mars when you could build a habitable world overnight? In this episode, we explore the concept of Worldhouses—planet-spanning domes that let us colonize hostile worlds by enclosing them beneath engineered skies, one dome at a time.
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Chapters: 0:00 Intro 2:47 The Worldhouse Concept 7:04 How Would a Worldhouse Be Built? 15:19 The Quilt Approach: Expanding a Worldhouse Over Time 20:22 Antimatter Propulsion 21:42 Partial Enclosures: Mega-Domes Over Key Regions 23:56 Enclosing Asteroids: The Micro-Worldhouse 28:07 Earth as a Worldhouse: Could We Enclose Our Own Planet? 30:43 The Future of Worldhouses
Long before the International Space Station, Wernher von Braun imagined something bolder: a massive, rotating space habitat that used motion to simulate gravity—a wheel in the sky. In this episode, we explore the origins and design of the Von Braun Wheel, its cultural legacy, and how this mid-20th-century vision still shapes the dreams of space settlement today.
We’ll trace its journey from Cold War concept to science fiction icon, revisit its influence on shows like 2001: A Space Odyssey, and examine the very real possibility of building such a station with today’s technology. We’ll also reflect on von Braun’s enduring impact—culminating in the National Space Society’s von Braun Award, presented this year to Jared Isaacman and the Polaris Dawn team.
From dreams to docking hubs, from Disney collaborations to modern-day launch systems, the Von Braun Wheel remains a symbol of humanity’s path to the stars. Join us as we honor its legacy—and explore how we might finally bring it to life.
** How to Build in Space — for Life on Earth | Ariel Ekblaw | TED
Is space the “final frontier” — or the perfect place to revolutionize life on Earth? Space architect Ariel Ekblaw reveals how self-assembling structures could build orbiting real estate in space dedicated to solving humanity’s greatest dilemmas on Earth, leading to scientific and medical breakthroughs only possible in zero gravity. (Recorded at TED2025 on April 11, 2025)
Before humanity can spread across the stars, we must first build the foundation—just above our heads. In this episode, we explore the concept of the orbital commons: the shared space around Earth that must become our first true space ecosystem. From fuel depots and tugcraft to habitats, shipyards, and traffic control, the infrastructure of near-Earth space is the key to unlocking a sustainable spacefaring future.
We’ll examine what it takes to turn Earth orbit from a fragile staging area into a thriving zone of commerce, habitation, and exploration. And we’ll look at the legal, logistical, and technological tools we’ll need to protect and expand this new frontier.
The road to Mars and beyond begins here—with the highways, hubs, and habitats of cislunar space.
=== Other space habitat and settlement news and articles:
Calendar:
July 11: You’re Gonna Need Juice For That: Establishing Infrastructure in Space, Friday, July 11 from 1:00-2:30 pm via Zoom. Sponsored by Beyond Earth Institute
Tyler Bender (Moderator) – Policy Analyst, Beyond Earth Institute
September 29 – October 3 — International Astronautical Conference (IAC) By the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in Sydney, Australia [Learn more ➔]
October 9-11 — International Mars Society Convention in Los Angeles [Learn more ➔]
October 24-25 — New Worlds Conference in Houston, TX [Learn more ➔]
November 3-4 — Space Settlement Summit by the NSS at the University of Central Florida by the National Space Society [Save the date]
November 5-6 — Space Economy Summit by The Economist at the University of Central Florida [Learn more ➔]
** Super high-speed camera on ISS captures high-altitude electrical storms:
The Thor-Davis investigation tests a special camera that photographs high-altitude thunderstorms through space station’s windows. Capturing imagery up to 100,000 frames per second, Thor-Davis could be a useful tool for observing severe electrical storms from space.… pic.twitter.com/bzKWhS7Acb
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) June 27, 2025
** Transitions from earth to aurora to space:
Color of Earth meets the blackness of deep space. Stars above green and red auroras, seen as fixed points due to my homemade orbital sidereal drive. pic.twitter.com/6j4sADNPLb
** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA
Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.
The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8
Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
