The sky, August 4-10: Perseid meteor shower begin

The sky, August 4-10: Perseid meteor shower begin

Special to CosmicTribune.com, August 4, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, AUGUST 3 ■ This evening the waxing gibbous Moon hangs hardly more than 1° below orange Antares, the 1st-magnitude heart of Scorpius. MONDAY AUGUST 4 ■ Now the thickening, brightening gibbous Moon shines midway between Antares to its right and the spout of the Sagittarius […]

The sky, July 28-Aug. 3: Titan’s shadow crosses Saturn early on Aug. 3

The sky, July 28-Aug. 3: Titan’s shadow crosses Saturn early on Aug. 3

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 28, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. SUNDAY, JULY 27 ■ Use the low crescent Moon to guide you to Mars and Denebola in the fading twilight this evening, as shown below. At dusk across four days, the waxing crescent Moon moves from lower right of Mars to much closer lower right of […]

The sky, July 21-27: Milky Way views optimal on Thursday

The sky, July 21-27: Milky Way views optimal on Thursday

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 21, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The waning crescent Moon in the dawn passes Venus, then Jupiter. Look before or during early dawn, while the sky is still pretty dark, to spot the horntips of Taurus a well as the rest of Taurus off the frame to the upper right. MONDAY, JULY […]

‘Sino-Gateway?,’ Will China launch its own Cis Lunar space station?

‘Sino-Gateway?,’ Will China launch its own Cis Lunar space station?

Special to CosmicTribune.com, July 2, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher If the Trump Administration cancels the Gateway small lunar orbiting manned space station, a key project the U.S.-led Artemis Program for lunar exploration, will China take advantage and launch its own “Sino-Gateway” that could greatly enhance China’s strategic position in the Earth Moon system? The […]

The sky, June 30-July 6: Near Antares, 3 double stars and M4, the cluster

The sky, June 30-July 6: Near Antares, 3 double stars and M4, the cluster

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 30, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JUNE 30 ■ After nightfall, look due south for orange Antares nearly on the meridian. Around and upper right of Antares are the other, whiter stars forming the distinctive pattern of upper Scorpius. The rest of the Scorpion runs down from Antares toward the horizon, […]

U.S. Moon-Mars program hit with another SpaceX failure as China advances

U.S. Moon-Mars program hit with another SpaceX failure as China advances

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 24, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher In another setback to the United States Moon and Mars programs, on June 18 at the SpaceX “Starbase” in Boca China, Texas, the 36th SpaceX Starship for what would have been its 10th launch attempt, experienced a launch-pad Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly (RUD) or massive explosion […]

The sky, June 16-22: Shortest night on June 20

The sky, June 16-22: Shortest night on June 20

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 16, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. MONDAY, JUNE 16 ■ Mars and Regulus shine closest together in the west this evening, as shown below. Tonight they’re 0.8° apart (for the Americas), about the width of a pencil held at arm’s length. This is a great time to compare their contrasting colors in […]

SpaceX, and therefore Elon Musk, are key to U.S. space success

SpaceX, and therefore Elon Musk, are key to U.S. space success

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 11, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher As the colorful political alliance of President Donald Trump and the world’s wealthiest man Elon Musk was historic in its scope and had a clear impact on the early space policy of Trump’s second term, their first week of June 2025 titanic political bust-up must […]

China claims extensive ‘private’ sector response to SpaceX

China claims extensive ‘private’ sector response to SpaceX

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 4, 2025 Geostrategy-Direct By Richard Fisher While advanced Americans space companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin may now be leading the world in the development of advanced reusable heavy-lift space launch vehicles (SLVs), China is investing heavily in the development of similar reusable heavy lift SLVs, meaning […]

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

The sky, June 1-8: Epsilon, the double double star near Vega

Special to CosmicTribune.com, June 2, 2025 Excerpts from weekly Sky&Telescope report. The waxing Moon passes Mars and Regulus, which are equal in brightness this week but, as ever, different in color. SUNDAY, JUNE 1 ■ Now the Moon leaves Mars behind to get chummy with Regulus, shining only about 1° from it this evening (depending on your […]