Space

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How to spot the Perseids and other bright meteor showers this summer

 
 · CHRISTINA LARSON
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Mars and Jupiter are set to get chummy in the night sky

 
 · MARCIA DUNN
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Faint auroras may be visible in Northern Hemisphere skies after weekend solar storms

 
 · ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN
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Mars may have enough water under its surface to form a global ocean, study suggests

 
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NASA’s Parker Solar Probe aims to fly closer to the sun like never before

A NASA spacecraft is about to make the closest approach to the sun. The Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 to get a close-up look at the sun.
 
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New documentary focuses on Christa McAuliffe’s impact as a teacher in New Hampshire

 
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The last meteor shower of the year peaks a few days before Christmas

 
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Japanese space startup aborts 2nd satellite launch attempt minutes after liftoff

 
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NASA’s 2 stuck astronauts face more time in space with return delayed until at least late March

 

VIDEOS

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On Now
0:59
AP Top Stories December 23 A

Here’s the latest for Monday December 23rd: Trump suggests U.S. could retake Panama Canal; Two U.S. pilots rescued after “friendly fire” apparently downs fighter jet; Starbucks strike expands; Space probe launched in 2018 approaches the sun.

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On Now
1:26
New documentary focuses on Christa McAuliffe’s impact as a teacher in New Hampshire

A new documentary focuses on Christa McAuliffe’s impact as a teacher in New Hampshire. She died with other astronauts in the Challenger explosion nearly 40 years ago. (AP Video: Nick Perry)

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On Now
1:00
Japanese space startup aborts 2nd satellite launch attempt minutes after liftoff

A Japanese space startup said its second attempt to launch a rocket carrying satellites into orbit had been aborted minutes after liftoff on Wednesday, nine months after the company’s first launch attempt ended in an explosion.

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On Now
1:20
What to know about the Geminids, one of the strongest meteor showers of the year

The Geminids — among the few major meteor showers to come from asteroids — peak on Friday. It’s one of the year’s last chances to see fireballs in the sky. (AP produced by Javier Arciga)

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On Now
0:37
Astronaut Suni Williams shows students a fun way get a drink in space

Astronaut Suni Williams showed students at Sunita L. Williams Elementary School in her hometown of Needham, Massachusetts a fun way to drink liquids in the weightless environment of the International Space Station. (AP produced by Javier Arciga)

Revisit 2024’s Total Solar Eclipse

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April’s total solar eclipse is nearly here. Here’s why it’s worth the watch and how to stay safe

 
 · MARCIA DUNN
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A map of April 2024’s total solar eclipse

 
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Safety first: How to watch April’s total solar eclipse that will cut across North America

 
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What you can expect to experience during April’s total solar eclipse

 
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From watch parties to music festivals, choose your April 8 total solar eclipse adventure

 
 · STEPHANIE NANO
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How do animals react during a total solar eclipse? Scientists plan to find out in April

 
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European satellites launched to create artificial solar eclipses in a tech demo

 
 · MARCIA DUNN

Read more

South Texas groups sue state agency for allowing SpaceX to discharge industrial water without permit

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — Rio Grande Valley groups are suing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, accusing the agency of bypassing state regulations by allowing SpaceX to temporarily discharge industrial water at its South Texas launch site without a proper permit.
 
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Two stars may be orbiting each other near a supermassive black hole in our Milky Way galaxy

Scientists have spotted what appear to be two stars whipping around each other near the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
 
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How old are Saturn’s rings? Study suggests they could be 4.5 billion years old just like the planet

New research suggests that Saturn’s rings may be older than they look — possibly as old as the planet.
 
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Elon Musk wants to turn SpaceX’s Starbase site into a Texas city

SpaceX is launching a new mission: making its Starbasesite a new Texas city. Billionaire Elon Musk’s company on Thursday has sent a letter to local officials requesting an election to turn what it calls Starbase into an incorporated city.
 
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How to catch the Geminids, one of the strongest meteor showers of the year

The Geminids are among the few major meteor showers to come from asteroids. This year they peaked on Dec. 13 but will be visible until Dec. 21.
 
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IAEA chief: Iran is poised to ‘quite dramatically’ increase stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium

Iran is poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium. That’s according to comments by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday.
 
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NASA pushes back astronaut flights to the moon again

NASA has announced more delays in sending astronauts back to the moon more than 50 years after Apollo.
 
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NASA’s stuck astronauts hit 6 months in space. Just 2 more to go

NASA’s two stuck astronauts have hit the six-month mark in space. They reached the milestone Thursday aboard the International Space Station.
 
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Billionaire who performed the first private spacewalk is Trump’s pick to lead NASA

Jared Isaacman, CEO and founder of a card-processing company, has been a close collaborator with Elon Musk ever since buying his first chartered flight with SpaceX.
 
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Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser

President-elect Donald Trump is bringing Peter Navarro back to the White House for his second administration.
 
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Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this Thanksgiving

Solar storms may produce faint auroras across the northern rim of the United States this Thanksgiving.
 
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Earth’s ‘mini moon’ may have been a chunk of our actual moon

Earth is parting company with an asteroid that’s been tagging along as a “mini moon” for the past two months.
 
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The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say

Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists more hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought.
 
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SpaceX launches giant Starship rocket, but aborts attempt to catch booster with mechanical arms

SpaceX has launched another Starship rocket, but passed up catching it with giant mechanical arms. The world’s biggest and most powerful rocket blasted off from Texas on Tuesday.
 
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Trump and Musk solidify their bond with Texas trip for rocket launch

For two weeks, Donald Trump has welcomed Elon Musk into his world. On Tuesday, it was Musk’s turn to play host to the president-elect.
 
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Trump appears to be planning to attend SpaceX ‘Starship’ launch scheduled for Tuesday in Texas

President-elect Donald Trump appears to be planning to attend a SpaceX “Starship” rocket launch on Tuesday, in the latest indication of founder Elon Musk’s influence in the Republican’s orbit.
 
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New Pentagon report on UFOs includes hundreds of new incidents but no evidence of aliens

A new report from the Pentagon has revealed hundreds of new reports of unidentified aircraft and aerial phenomena, but no indications of extraterrestrial life.
 
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The Leonid meteor shower peaks as the supermoon wanes

The November supermoon will still be almost full when the Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend. Astronomers say the moonlight will likely obscure all but the brightest meteors in most locations.
 
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Elon Musk says he and Trump have ‘mandate to delete’ regulations. Ethics laws could limit Musk role

Choosing billionaire Elon Musk to be what President-elect Donald Trump calls “our cost cutter” for the U.S. government, is not the first time an American president has empowered a business tycoon to look for ways to dramatically cut federal regulations.
 
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When to catch the last supermoon of the year

Astronomers say better catch this week’s supermoon. It will be a while until the next one. This will be the year’s fourth and final supermoon, looking bigger and brighter than usual.
 
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Monkeys that escaped a lab are a species used for human research since the 1800s

The rhesus macaque monkeys that escaped a South Carolina medical lab this week are among the most studied animals on the planet.
 
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NASA astronauts won’t say which one of them got sick after almost 8 months in space

Three NASA astronauts whose prolonged space mission ended with a trip to the hospital last month won’t say which one of them got sick.
 
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Russian rocket launches Iranian satellites into orbit as Moscow and Tehran expand ties

A Russian rocket has blasted off successfully to carry a pair of Iranian satellites into orbit, a launch that reflected growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran.
 
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Japan successfully launches a defense satellite carried by a new flagship H3 rocket

Japan has successfully launched a defense satellite designed for speedier communication and military operations on a new flagship H3 rocket, as the country seeks to build up its military capability amid growing tension in the region.
 
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China space station crew returns to Earth after 6 months in space

Three Chinese astronauts have returned to Earth after a six-month stay on China’s Tiangong space station.
 
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The Taurid meteor showers peak a week apart in November

Two sister meteor showers are already flashing across night skies — and will peak a week apart. The Southern Taurids will reach their zenith early Tuesday morning. and the Northern Taurids the following week.
 
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China’s new crew has arrived at space station in sign of growing influence in space field

A Chinese space ship carrying a three-person crew has docked with its orbiting space station as the country seeks to expand its exploration of outer space.
 
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‘Halloween comet’ breaks apart after flying close to the sun

NASA says a recently discovered comet has broken apart as it approached the sun. The space agency said Tuesday its sun-observing spacecraft captured the moment when the comet broke into chunks this week.
 
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Satellite photos show Israeli strike likely hit important Iran Revolutionary Guard missile base

Israel’s attack on Iran likely damaged a base run by the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard that builds ballistic missiles and launches rockets as part of its own space program.
 
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China says it’s ready to launch the next crew to its orbiting space station early Wednesday

China says all systems are ready to launch the next crew to its orbiting space station on the latest mission to make the country a major space power.