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- 1Canadian telescope maps earliest hydrogen glow of universe▼Canadian telescope directly maps earliest glow of hydrogen, opening a new window on the universe
A Canadian telescope has for the first time directly mapped the earliest glow of hydrogen in the universe, according to an announcement from researchers at the University of British Columbia. The result, reported through EurekAlert! and UBC science communications, opens what researchers describe as a new observational window on the early cosmos, allowing astronomers to study the epoch when the first hydrogen gas filled the universe.
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Stargazers are looking to the October night sky, with attention on the month's meteor shower alongside other astronomical events. Sky & Telescope is highlighting Saturn at opposition the night of October 3–4, when the planet's rings are at their brightest, adding to a busy period for skywatchers this October.
- 3Hubble marks 200,000th orbit around Earth●Happy 200,000th, Hubble! This month marked the Hubble telescope’s 200,000 orbit around Earth. That’s a lot of laps! NASA
NASA is celebrating a milestone for the Hubble Space Telescope, which this month completed its 200,000th orbit around Earth. The space agency marked the occasion by releasing a striking new image. Hubble has now been operating in space for more than 36 years and continues to make new discoveries despite its age.
- 4Vera Rubin Telescope Hunts for Dark Matter Clues▼Vera Rubin’s Telescope Hunts For Clues To Dark Matter’s Pull
The Vera Rubin Observatory's telescope has begun work in the search for dark matter, the invisible substance thought to make up most of the universe's mass. By surveying the sky in unprecedented detail, it aims to detect subtle gravitational effects that could reveal dark matter's pull. Astronomers hope the mission will transform cosmology.
- 5China's Einstein Probe scans the X-ray sky with lobster-eye optics●China's Einstein Probe satellite uses "lobster eye" optics to provide a unique, wide-field look at the x-ray sky. If som
China's Einstein Probe satellite is drawing attention for its unusual wide-field view of the X-ray universe. The spacecraft uses 'lobster eye' optics, a design inspired by how lobsters' eyes reflect light, allowing it to monitor a large swath of the sky at once. That means any sudden, violent X-ray event, such as a supernova or a feeding black hole, is likely to be caught quickly, giving astronomers worldwide rapid alerts to follow up with telescopes.
- 6Tiny telescope robot tests could improve galaxy maps▼Testing tiny telescope robots reveals design changes that could improve galaxy maps
Researchers are testing small robotic telescopes and have identified design changes that could lead to better maps of galaxies. The findings suggest that refining these compact instruments could improve large-scale astronomical surveys, helping scientists chart the universe in greater detail. Details of the testing process and specific modifications were reported by Phys.org.
- 7On this day: first photograph of the Orion Nebula●# PPOD : On September 30, 1880, American astronomer Henry Draper captured the first photograph of the Orion Nebula, mark
American astronomer Henry Draper captured the first photograph of the Orion Nebula on September 30, 1880, a landmark moment in the history of astrophotography. Working with an 11-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope and the then-new dry-plate photographic process, Draper succeeded in imaging the nebula from Earth for the first time. The anniversary is being noted in science and astronomy circles.
- 8VLT telescope captures striking image of galaxy NGC 3981●VLT image of Arp 289, also known as NGC 3981. This image was captured as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems Program, which uses
The European Southern Observatory has released a new image of the spiral galaxy NGC 3981, also catalogued as Arp 289, taken with the Very Large Telescope in Chile. The picture was made under the Cosmic Gems Program, which photographs visually beautiful southern-sky objects during nights when conditions are unsuitable for scientific observations. The image is being shared and admired by astronomy enthusiasts online.
- 9NASA Space Telescope Project Advances With Three Johns Hopkins Members▼NASA space telescope project advances with three Hopkins team members
A NASA space telescope project has moved forward with three members of a Johns Hopkins University team playing key roles, the university announced. The institution highlighted its researchers' contributions to the mission, which is progressing through its development stages. Details about the telescope's specific goals and timeline were not provided in the announcement.
- 10Roman Telescope's Fuel Savings Double Its Mission Life●"Roman Telescope Saves Fuel, Doubles Mission" by @ hackaday - Several factors have added up to extend # NASA # RomanSpac
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has had its expected mission duration extended from 10 to 22 years after engineers found the spacecraft carries significantly more propellant than planned. Efficient construction and launch factors left unused fuel margin, allowing the wide-field survey telescope to operate far longer than its baseline design.
- 11Webb Telescope Studies Catastrophic Planetary Collisions●NASA’s Webb Provides Crash Course on Planet-Shattering Collisions
NASA reports that the James Webb Space Telescope has delivered new observations of massive planetary collisions, offering a crash course on how planet-shattering impacts unfold. The findings shed light on the violent processes that shape planetary systems, and space science outlets are picking up the story as part of ongoing coverage of Webb's latest research results.
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NASA is drawing widespread attention worldwide, ranking among the most talked-about topics in global news coverage. The US space agency, responsible for the Artemis lunar programme, Mars exploration and major Earth science and telescope missions, continues to feature prominently in headlines. No specific mission, announcement or event is identified in connection with the current spike in interest, leaving the exact driver of the attention unconfirmed.
- 13Roman Space Telescope's Coronagraph Switched On for First Time●Koronograf Kosmicznego Teleskopu Nancy Grace Roman uruchomiono po raz pierwszy. NASA poinformowała 30 września o udanych
NASA announced on 30 September that the coronagraph aboard the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has been successfully powered on for the first time. The instrument is designed to block out blinding starlight so that faint planets orbiting other stars can be photographed directly. Astronomy watchers welcomed the milestone, calling it a key step toward imaging Earth-like exoplanets once the telescope begins operations.
- 14NASA's Webb Telescope Studies Planet-Shattering Collisions●NASA's Webb Provides Crash Course on Planet-Shattering Collisions https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-prov
NASA reports that the James Webb Space Telescope has delivered new observations of massive planetary collisions, described as planet-shattering impacts. The findings, published by NASA's science mission directorate, offer insight into how such violent events shape planetary systems. Interest centres on what Webb's infrared instruments reveal about debris and atmospheric effects following giant impacts.
- 15Webb Captures Striking Gravitational Lens Image●Webb Photographs One of the Most Beautiful Gravitational Lenses https://petapixel.com/2026/09/29/webb-photographs-one-of
The James Webb Space Telescope has released a new image of one of the most visually striking gravitational lenses observed to date. The photograph shows distant light warped into dramatic arcs by the gravity of a foreground galaxy, and the image is drawing attention from astronomy and photography enthusiasts alike.
- 16Hubble image of the Eight Burst Nebula shared widely▼NGC 3132: The Eight Burst Nebula Credits: # NASA , ESA, Hubble Heritage Team, STScI, AURA # nature # space # astrophotog
A striking Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 3132, known as the Eight Burst Nebula, is circulating among space enthusiasts and astrophotography communities. The planetary nebula, captured with credits to NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team, STScI and AURA, is being praised for its vivid rings of gas and its place in the ongoing wave of popular space imagery.
- 17New fix proposed for telescopes' blind spots to map universe●Even the best telescopes have blind spots. This fix can help us build better maps of the universe https:// theconversati
A new article argues that even the most powerful telescopes have blind spots that limit our maps of the universe, and describes a proposed fix that could help astronomers chart cosmic structures more accurately. Science communicators are sharing the piece widely, with readers discussing how correcting these observational gaps could improve our understanding of the universe's large-scale structure.
- 18Hello Robot unveils Stretch 4 open-source mobile manipulator●Here's Hello Robot's Stretch 4 — an open-source mobile manipulator built for researchers, developers, and engineers. Wit
Hello Robot has introduced Stretch 4, an open-source mobile manipulator aimed at researchers, developers and engineers. The robot features a telescoping arm, an omnidirectional base and advanced sensors designed for safe autonomous operation near people. Users have already applied it to a wide range of close-contact human tasks, and the robotics community is sharing the release widely.
- 19Nancy Grace Roman Telescope Doubles Mission Life on Less Fuel●Roman Telescope Saves Fuel, Doubles Mission https://hackaday.com/2026/09/30/roman-telescope-saves-fuel-doubles-mission/
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, NASA's upcoming wide-field infrared observatory, has reportedly extended its planned operational lifetime from five to ten years by adopting a fuel-efficient route to its observing point. Engineers achieved the doubling by conserving propellant during the journey to the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 2, giving astronomers far more observing time.
- 20Piece of SpaceX rocket on course to hit the moon▼A piece of a SpaceX rocket is about to hit the moon
A spent stage from a SpaceX rocket is on a collision course with the moon and expected to impact its far side in the coming days. The object has been drifting through space for years and cannot be steered. Scientists say the crash should throw up a plume of debris that telescopes may be able to observe, offering a rare chance to study the lunar subsurface.
- 21Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS tracked ahead of perihelion●2026-10-01 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-09-30) ☄️161P/HARTLEY-IRAS - Barycentric speed: 32.82 km/s (+0.09 km/s) - Perihelio
Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS is being monitored as it moves toward the inner solar system. Its barycentric speed has ticked up to 32.82 km/s, with perihelion about 57 days away. Current brightness sits around magnitude 14.2, meaning it remains a small-telescope target from dark-sky sites, currently in the constellation Aquarius and visible from both hemispheres. Amateur astronomers are following its gradual brightening as the approach continues.
- 22Maggie Aderin discusses new James Webb Space Telescope photographs●Space scientist Maggie Aderin tells Karmela Padavic-Callaghan about these stunning photographs from the James Webb Space
Space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock has been speaking to science writer Karmela Padavic-Callaghan about a set of striking images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The photographs feature in her newly published book, and the interview appeared in New Scientist, drawing attention to the observatory's latest views of the cosmos.
- 23Roman Telescope Fuel Savings Extend Mission Length●Roman Telescope Saves Fuel, Doubles Mission https:// hackaday.com/2026/09/30/roman- telescope-saves-fuel-doubles-mission
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has reportedly doubled its planned mission lifespan thanks to a fuel-saving engineering approach. The report highlights clever trajectory and propellant management that leaves the telescope with reserves well beyond expectations. Space and engineering enthusiasts are sharing and discussing the news, praising the design work behind the extended operational lifetime.
- 24NASA Tests Roman Telescope Guidance, Captures First Coronagraph Image▼NASA Checks Roman Guidance System, Takes First Coronagraph Observation
NASA has checked the guidance system of its Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope and recorded the first observation with its coronagraph instrument. The milestone tests the technology designed to block starlight so the telescope can directly image planets outside the solar system. Engineers will now assess how the systems perform ahead of the mission's science operations.
- 25NASA telescope to burn up in atmosphere after failed rescue●NASA space telescope to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere after failed rescue attempt
NASA says one of its space telescopes will burn up in Earth's atmosphere after a rescue attempt to save it failed. The mission to recover or reposition the telescope did not succeed, and the spacecraft is now expected to be destroyed during reentry, closing out its time in orbit.
- 26Amateur astronomer shares Bubble Nebula image●NGC7635 (bublinka) a M52 - HOO bicolor SkyWatcher 254/1000, Baader MPCC III, QHY163M, EQ6-R Pro Synscan, ASI 120 MINI MO
An amateur astronomer has published a new astrophotograph of NGC 7635, the Bubble Nebula, together with the open cluster M52 in Cassiopeia. The image was taken in HOO bicolor from 240 exposures of 60 seconds each in hydrogen-alpha and oxygen-III, using a SkyWatcher 254/1000 telescope, QHY163M camera and EQ6-R Pro mount with guiding. Astronomy communities are sharing the result as an example of what dedicated home equipment can capture.
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Astronomers use powerful lasers to create artificial 'guide stars' in the night sky, helping telescopes correct for the blurring caused by Earth's atmosphere. By shining a laser into the upper atmosphere, observatories can measure atmospheric distortion in real time and sharpen images of distant stars and galaxies. The technique, used at major observatories worldwide, has drawn renewed attention as part of wider coverage of modern telescope technology.