Mission Control
Everything worth knowing about the sky this month, briefed once and done well — deep sky targets, eclipses and the stories that mattered.
Where to point your optics this month
The Lagoon Nebula (M8)
High in the southern sky after dusk — a wide-field target that rewards a dual-band filter.
The Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)
Well-placed for mid-northern latitudes; best framed with its companion galaxy included.
The Hercules Cluster (M13)
Overhead for most of the night — a rewarding target even for modest aperture.
🌞 Solar & Lunar Eclipses
No solar or lunar eclipses occur this month. The next lunar eclipse — a partial event visible across the Americas and Europe — falls later this year. We'll brief the observing details the month it happens.
How to observe an eclipse properly📅 Monthly Astronomy Calendar
🌠 Sky Events
What mattered in space this month
JWST Extends Survey of Early Galaxy Formation
New spectroscopic data adds detail to how the earliest galaxies assembled.
Commercial Lunar Lander Prepares for Second Attempt
A revised descent profile targets a smoother touchdown this cycle.
New Close-Approach Images of a Near-Earth Asteroid
Radar imaging refines our model of the object's shape and rotation.
Next-Gen Ground Observatory Reaches First Light
Early test exposures hint at what the facility will contribute to surveys.
Reusable Launch Cadence Reaches a New Monthly Record
Turnaround times continue to shrink for the industry's busiest pad.
A reminder of what the wide view looks like
Each month we feature a public-domain frame from NASA, ESA, Hubble, JWST, ESO or NOIRLab — chosen for what it teaches, not just how it looks. This month's selection and full credit line will appear here on publication.
"The best night I had this month wasn't the clearest one — it was the one where I finally slowed down enough to actually look, instead of just capturing."
— The ORIVON Editorial Team