June skygazing highlights: Strawberry Moon, summertime planet parade

June is the start of meteorological summer, which is a great time to be outside for some stargazing. Here are some celestial events to give you a reason to look up.

NASA has a new game plan for Hubble Space Telescope to resume science observations

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope stopped collecting science at the end of May after part of its directional system returned faulty data. Teams will begin transitioning to use only one out of three gyroscopes, reducing the telescope's efficiency.

1st annual space piracy conference aims to combat space crime and smuggling

The First Annual Space Piracy Conference, scheduled for early next year by the Center for the Study of Space Crime, Policy, and Governance (CSCPG), will gather experts to address growing concerns of space crime and smuggling, discussing risks and solutions from various perspectives.

Boeing Starliner rocket launch scrubbed, moved to Wednesday

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are scheduled to fly to the International Space Station on Wednesday, part of the Crew Flight Test of the highly-anticipated Boeing Starliner.

'Planet parade' time: Guide to the 6-planet alignment in June

Skywatchers are in for a treat on June 3, 2024, when a rare alignment of six planets will be visible in the pre-dawn sky.

Boeing Starliner launch scrubbed minutes before takeoff

Boeing’s Starliner capsule launch was scrubbed minutes before it was scheduled to take off from Cape Canaveral.

SpaceX says it's ready for Starship's fourth test flight from Texas

If the FAA grants SpaceX its modified launch license, the company said it could attempt the fourth test flight of Starship and the Super Heavy booster as soon as June 5 from its launch site in Boca Chica, Texas.

Space & animal welfare | Newsmaker
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In this episode of Newsmaker, John Hook chats with Dr. Jim Rice, a research scientist with ASU Space Initiative. They discuss new age space exploration as it's not just U.S. astronauts going to space with NASA, but with a few other private space exploration companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX. In the second segment, John chats with senior campaigner with PETA, Amanda Brody, about animal welfare and some misconceptions many may have about what the animal rights organization stands for.

Moon will 'kiss' Saturn on May 31 and other summer sky events to watch

On May 31, sky lovers can witness a stunning celestial event as the Moon will appear to "kiss" Saturn in the southeastern sky just before dawn, offering a rare and captivating visual spectacle for amateur astronomers and stargazers, with several other noteworthy celestial events occurring this year.

NASA assessing when Boeing's Starliner could be ready to launch with astronauts

Boeing continues to troubleshoot a new issue with its Starliner spacecraft before the company tries again to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. 

‘Planet Parade’ 2024: watch guide for 6 planets aligned on June 3

On June 3, 2024, skywatchers can witness a rare "planet parade" of six planets—Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—aligning in the pre-dawn sky, visible near the eastern horizon about 20 minutes before sunrise.

Blue-green meteor lights up night sky in Spain
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An amazing sight out of Spain was seen when a blue fireball lit the night sky. It could also be seen in neighboring Portugal. NASA says it was a meteor burning magnesium, which creates the blue-green color.

May's full Flower Moon happening soon: What to know

The Full Flower Moon is unique astronomical event best viewed from regions like the southeastern U.S., parts of Central America, and northeastern South America.