Check out the night sky this month, June 2026. Here are videos and links to websites highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: June 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA | NASA JPL
Venus and Jupiter meet after sunset, the Moon passes in front of Venus, summer begins, and deep-sky treasures rise into view.
To start June, look west after sunset to spot Venus and Jupiter shining close together, with Mercury joining the view low in the sky.
Around June 9, Venus and Jupiter appear especially close in a planetary conjunction.
From June 11 through 15, Mercury joins the scene, creating a mini-parade of planets near the western horizon.
On June 17, from some locations, the Moon passes in front of Venus in an event called a lunar occultation. For viewers outside the exact viewing path, the Moon and Venus may still appear close together. [Important safety note: For many viewers, this event happens during the daytime. Never point binoculars, a telescope, or a camera near the Sun unless you are using proper solar-safe equipment.]
June also brings the summer solstice, marking the start of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
And once the sky gets dark, look for the Summer Triangle and deep-sky objects like the Dumbbell Nebula, Ring Nebula, North America Nebula, and Veil Nebula.
0:00 Intro 0:11 Venus and Jupiter after sunset 0:23 Planetary conjunction 0:35 Mercury joins the lineup 1:09 Moon passes in front of Venus 2:03 Summer solstice 2:43 Summer Triangle and deep-sky objects 3:27 Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/…
The evening sky in the west on June 14th. Credits: NASA
This month’s episode highlights the close pairing of Venus and Jupiter under way in the western sky after sunset. You’ll also learn why astronomers are fixated on a star in Corona Borealis — and how to find a huge but dim constellation that will likely be new to you. So grab curiosity and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.
** The Night Sky | June 2026 | Venus and Jupiter Meet | Moon Moves in front of Venus | Comet Tempel 2 | Late Night Astronomy
Venus and Jupiter make a close pass to each other right after sunset and the Moon moves in front of Venus. Let’s take a look at what you can go out to see in the night sky for June of 2026!
…
Timestamps: 0:00 Jupiter and Venus Close Together 1:13 Lunar Occultation of Venus 2:18 The Moon 2:53 The Planets 3:26 Comet 10/P Tempel 2 4:24 Deep Sky Challenge
A rendering of the spacecraft docked to the International Space Station Configuration as of May.17.2026. The six spaceships parked at the station include the SpaceX CRS-34 Dragon, the SpaceX Crew-12 Dragon, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL, the Soyuz MS-28 crew ship, and the Progress 94 and 95 resupply ships. Credits: NASA
At 6:37 a.m. EDT, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the forward port of the International Space Station’s Harmony module, carrying nearly 6,500 pounds of food, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 74 crew. This is the 34th SpaceX commercial resupply services mission to the space station for NASA.
In addition to cargo for the crew aboard the space station, Dragon will deliver several new experiments, including a project to determine how well Earth-based simulators mimic microgravity conditions, a bone scaffold made from wood that could produce new treatments for fragile bone conditions like osteoporosis, and equipment to help researchers evaluate how red blood cells and the spleen change in space. The Dragon spacecraft also will carry a new instrument to study charged particles around the Earth that can impact power grids and satellites, an investigation that could provide a fundamental understanding of how planets form, and a instrument designed to take highly accurate measurements of sunlight reflected by Earth and the Moon.
The mission launched at 6:05 p.m. May 15 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
** NASA’s SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Services Rendezvous and Docking | NASA
** NASA Astronauts Discuss Life In Space With U.S. Naval War College – Friday, April 24, 2026 | NASA Video
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 74 flight engineers Jack Hathaway and Chris Williams of NASA, discussed life and work aboard the orbital outpost during an in-flight interview April 24 with the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. Hathaway is a graduate of the college. The two astronauts are in the midst of a long-duration mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration flights as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.
** The International Space Station: 25 Years of Innovation and Inspiration | AIAA
In November, the International Space Station (ISS) reached a historic milestone—25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Over that time, more than 290 astronauts have lived and worked aboard the space station, driving research and development that benefits life on Earth and expands NASA’s reach into space. This session will highlight some of the most innovative advancements enabled by the ISS and explore what’s next for low Earth orbit as we look toward the future of space exploration.
MODERATOR: Patrick O’Neill, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION NATIONAL LABORATORY Michael Roberts, Chief Science Officer, ISS National Lab Robyn Gatens, Director, International Space Station and Commercial Spaceflight Divisions, NASA (Invited)”
“What Comes Next” showcases Axiom Space’s vision to transcend Earth by building era-defining space infrastructure that drives exploration and fuels a vibrant space economy for the benefit of every human everywhere. Tune in to watch our short film to learn more about how we are building what comes next for low-Earth orbit. #AxiomStation — — —
Axiom Space is building the world’s first commercial space station – Axiom Station. Serving as a cornerstone for sustained human presence in space, this next-generation orbital platform fosters groundbreaking innovation and research in microgravity, and cultivates the vibrant, global space economy of tomorrow. Today, driven by the vision of leading humanity’s journey off planet, Axiom Space is the principal provider of commercial human spaceflight services to the International Space Station and developer of advanced spacesuits for the Moon and low-Earth orbit. Axiom Space is building era-defining space infrastructure that will empower our civilization to transcend Earth for the benefit of every human, everywhere.
— Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain Explains What Sets It Apart from Competitors | New York Stock Exchange
Axiom Space CEO Jonathan Cirtain joins Ashley Mastronardi on NYSE Live to discuss his company and its. competition
“We were already at 130% of commercial demand capacity spoken for on Starlab, and that commercial demand could translate to a different solution if NASA goes a different path,” he said.
Phil de Sousa, chief financial officer, said that Starlab should start recording commercial revenue as soon as 2027 through activities such as training for future missions to the station as well as converting payload reservations into contracts. Work on Starlab has been supported so far by the companies along with a NASA Space Act Agreement, which provided $24 million to Voyager in the first quarter as it completed four milestones.
Voyager may launch Starlab even without NASA as anchor customer:
Taylor left the door open for Starlab to develop its station without NASA support when asked by an analyst if there was a “third option” beyond the current CLD plans and the alternative proposed by NASA.
“I think we’re very well positioned for CLD Phase 2, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that we could independently finance this,” he said.
— Voyager partners with Rhodium Scientific to support scientific research on Starlab:
From research to real-world impact — faster.@RhScientific is partnering with Starlab Space to deliver biotech services, flight-proven hardware, and end-to-end mission support in low Earth orbit. From payload development to in-orbit operations and post-flight commercialization,… pic.twitter.com/v1ag2YIdcC
Max Space has unveiled a large sub-scale version of their expandable habitat, giving viewers a real look at how best to offer far greater habitable volume for future space endeavors. “This is more than a model,” said Saleem Miyan, co-founder and CEO of Max Space, based in Florida. “It is a physical demonstration of a new approach to space infrastructure, far greater habitable volume, lower launch mass and logistics burden, scalable architecture for commercial low Earth orbit stations, lunar surface systems, and future deep space missions.”
If we are serious about permanent human presence on the moon and in space, Miyan told Space.com, “we need real estate that is scalable and built for how humans will actually live and operate off Earth.”
Starlab Space LLC, a commercial space station developer, today announced an agreement with Plastron Group, a contract research organization focused on enabling end-to-end life sciences research and manufacturing in microgravity in the UK and Europe at large. Through the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate on expanding access to microgravity-enabled biotechnology and pharmaceutical research as the commercial space industry transitions beyond the International Space Station.
Under the agreement, Plastron will deliver a comprehensive microgravity service model for biotech and pharmaceutical customers, supporting research and manufacturing workflows from ground to orbit and back. The company’s approach integrates experiment design, payload handling and post-flight analysis into a seamless process, ensuring continuity and quality across every stage of the mission.
— The Vast step-by-step development of sustainable habitats in space:
Vast is ready to support a continuous presence in space for the US and its allies. Through our hardware-rich, stepping-stone approach to building next-generation space stations, we validate our systems early to ensure readiness, starting with the success of Haven Demo. pic.twitter.com/fYVv5cCh3R
Vast’s new 49,000-square-foot headquarters, a collaboration between its in-house team and the New York-based multidisciplinary design studio Civilian, does all those things, in a sophisticated expression of how architecture can support high-performance work and reinforce brand.
Established in 2022, Innovation Agency Lithuania is a non-profit agency under the Lithuanian Ministry of Economy and Innovation and leads the country’s innovation ecosystem, supporting business development across all stages, including space research.
Under the agreement, Vast and Innovation Agency Lithuania will explore opportunities for joint scientific research activities either in the International Space Station National Lab or Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station, launching in 2027. The partnership also includes plans to further develop educational programs in Lithuania and deepen engagement with local industry.
Vast, the California-based startup developing what it calls the world’s first commercial space station, announced significant progress in March and April 2026 as Haven-1 moves toward its target launch in the first quarter of 2027. The company secured $500 million in Series C funding in March 2026, led by the Qatar Investment Authority with participation from Mitsui, MUFG, and Balerion Space Ventures.
The funding will accelerate production of the Haven-1 station and support development of the follow-on Haven-2 design. Vast has also expanded manufacturing facilities in Long Beach, California, where the station modules are being assembled. The company’s workforce has grown to over 400 employees, up from approximately 200 in early 2025.
Haven-1 entered the full integration phase in January 2026, with the spacecraft’s major subsystems being assembled and tested together for the first time. Life support systems, critical for sustaining crew members, have undergone extended testing including模拟 long-duration missions. The station’s interior has been outfitted with cargo storage systems, crew accommodations, and research equipment.
— Vast is building the first commercial space stations | NBC News
Vast hopes to be the first U.S. company to put a commercial space station into orbit, eventually replacing the ISS with it’s own, smaller stations. NBC News’ Gadi Schwartz gets a tour of their factory in Long Beach, California, where the bulk of their stations are manufactured.
— The Large Docking Adapter for the future of commercial space | VAST Youtube
Introducing the Large Docking Adapter. The future of space exploration is larger crewed vehicles and space stations. In current development at Vast HQ, the adapter is designed to standardize large spacecraft compatibility.
Introducing the Vast Astronaut Flight Suit. Shaping the future of humanity’s life in space through human-centric design is a core ethos at Vast. Developed with spaceflight experts, the suit prioritizes mobility, comfort, and on-orbit functionality.
Flight suits have played a key role, both practically and symbolically, in aviation and spaceflight history. The design of the flight suit honors that legacy while signaling the future of commercial space.
On Feb 4, 2026, Vast mission control executed a terminal deorbit burn guiding Haven Demo, our in-orbit testbed for space station technologies, to splashdown in the South Pacific Ocean. This demonstrates safe, controlled deorbit capability for future space station modules.
China’s Tianzhou-10 cargo craft completed its status setup and successfully docked with the orbiting Tiangong space station on May 11, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
** Shenzhou-21 Crew Receives New Supplies, Continues Space Experiments After Extended Mission in Orbit | CCTV Video News Agency
Nearly 200 days into their mission aboard China’s space station Tiangong, the Shenzhou-21 astronauts, Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, remain in good physical and mental condition.
** Blue Origin plans to extract oxygen and other resources from the lunar regolith:
Lunar Permanence will require using resources on the Moon rather than hauling them from Earth. Our in-situ resource utilization system extracts oxygen from lunar regolith to create breathable air for astronauts and propellant for refueling landers and fuel cells. It also produces… pic.twitter.com/qPjDpkuyUe
The Unknown Quantity explores how capital, and technology shape the future of the space economy and deep tech markets.
Hosted by Thomas Andrew Olson of the Center for Space Commerce and Finance and produced by Better Futures Inc., the show breaks down regulatory risk, investment dynamics, and strategic decision making across the commercial space industry.
Each episode is designed for founders, investors, policymakers, and industry professionals seeking clear, structured insight into how space and emerging technology companies form, attract capital, manage risk, and scale.
Dr. Doug Plata, President and founder of the Space Development Network, is interviewed. The Network is a volunteer space advocacy group that focuses on “the establishment of humanity’s first, small but permanent off-Earth settlement as soon as possible“.
Here is a sneak peak of Komatsu on the moon. At the dawn of space exploration, Komatsu is taking on a challenge to develop a machine whose line of job is construction on the moon!
The study of lunar construction equipment utilizes the results of research and development commissioned by the Project for Promoting the Development of Innovative Technologies for Outer Space Autonomous Construction (A Japanese government project lead-managed by MLIT with the collaboration of MEXT)
** The Space Habitat Diaspora – Humanity Spreads Without Planets | Isaac Arthur
Humanity may not colonize planets—we may build our own worlds. Explore how rotating space habitats could spread across the Solar System and beyond, forming a vast diaspora of artificial worlds that reshape civilization and interstellar expansion.
…
0:00 Intro – Rethinking What a World Can Be 2:37 Why Habitats Win on Physics, Engineering… and Scalability 10:13 The Birth of a Habitat Civilization 14:54 Nebula 15:54 Life Without Planets: Cultures That Grow in Steel Valleys 18:59 Resilience: Fragile Shells, Immortal Civilizations 21:37 The True Diaspora: Leaving the Solar System
** SRIC4 #17: “Building and living in space” with Isaac Arthur | Space Renaissance
This is the 17th preliminary webinar of the IV SRI World Congress. We, at Space Renaissance, are very interested to understanding more on a few concepts illustrated by Isaac Arthur in his online lectures program:
Orbital Foundries & Zero G Manufacturing, Building in Space ( • Orbital Foundries & Zero G Manufacturing -… ), Space Habitat Clusters & Conglomerations ( • Space Habitat Clusters & Conglomerations ).
All of these topics are of great actuality, in the incoming scenario of the cislunar space economy and the kick-off of civilian space development, a key focus for our IV SRI World Congress. Some of our experts, plus Adriano V. Autino, will pose questions to Isaac, in a broad conversation-interview style. Participants to the panel include:
Alberto Cavallo, co-chair of the Space Tech & Industry Commitee (expert in Energy and scholar of space transportation and propulsion) Werner Grandl, chair of the Space Tech & Industry Commitee (expert of architecture and civil enginneering) Jerry Stone, chair of the Space Habitats Committee (father of the Island Zero project) Adriano V. Autino, SRI, CEO & Founder
An essential bio Isaac Arthur — President, National Space Society — is the creator of the wildly successful “Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur,” an award-winning weekly science education and entertainment show with over 700,000 subscribers and over 400 episodes on YouTube. The show covers a wide range of futuristic concepts including space technology, development, and exploration, and …
** Space Tech & Industry Committee +Space Habitats meeting #12 02 04 2026 | Space Renaissance
Participants: Werner Grandl [WG], Alberto Cavallo [AC], Walter Hammond [WH], Dennis O’Brien [DOB], Adriano V. Autino [AVA]
=== Space settlement – General topics
** SRIC4 #19: “Space capitalism” with Prof. Giancarlo Genta | Space Renaissance
Space capitalism – Private companies and states in the new race beyond Earth Giancarlo Genta – Professor Emeritus, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
ABSTRACT In the last years, the number of private actors engaged in space missions has grown, and their importance has increased. This trend is usually referred to as New Space. While this trend has started with economic activities in LEO and in supplying transportation services to Space Agencies, now these activities are expanding to deep space (or BLEO: Beyond Low Earth Orbit) and to space exploration with missions designed and implemented by private industries, and space agencies buying tickets to send their astronauts on exploration missions. The overall advantages of this approach to exploration will be the decrease of costs and times of exploration missions, which will lead to start a spacefaring civilization without waiting long times. In particular, the recent statements by Elon Musk, of SpaceX, about performing a sample return mission to Mars in the 2028 launch opportunity as a test to proceed with a human mission in 2030 are very interesting. Even if there will be a delay, the timeframe for Mars human exploration will be greatly reduced.
SHORT BIO Giancarlo Genta obtained degrees in Aeronautical Engineering in 1971 and Aerospace Engineering in 1972. Taught courses in Astronautical Propulsion, Motor Vehicle Mechanics, Design of Aircraft Engines and Space robotics at Politecnico di Torino. Full Professor in Machine Design, head of the Department of Mechanics from 1989 to 1995, now is Professor Emeritus, member of the Academy of Sciences of Torino and of the International Academy of Astronautics, where since 2012 heads the Study Group on Human Mars Exploration. Member of the Advisory Board of the Starshot Project. Author of more than 400 scientific papers, 5 patents and 40 textbooks, research monographies and popular science books. Author of 6 science fiction novels, published in Italian and English.
=== A sampling of space habitat and settlement news and articles:
Calendar:
Securing a Cislunar Future: Markets, Minerals, and Momentum. Wed, May 27, 2026, Time: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT. | Beyond Earth: Long Term Thinking about Space. This webinar is sponsored by Lunar Helium 3 Corporations and oganized by the Beyond Earth Working Group Report Webinar Series.
“Once viewed primarily through the lens of exploration, cislunar space is now becoming a platform for sustained commercial activity, scientific innovation, and international competition. Panelists will discuss emerging market opportunities, infrastructure needs, investment and risk-sharing models, and the role of policy and international norms in enabling sustainable growth.“
ISS in Real Time – “Explore 25 years onboard the International Space Station. This multimedia project replays every day of the past 25 years onboard and consists entirely of historical mission material.“
Auroras, thunderstorms, and brightly lit cities streak across this nighttime timelapse captured by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot during the 2026 Lyrids meteor shower.
** Live Video from the International Space Station (Official NASA Stream) | NASA
Watch live video from the International Space Station, including inside views when the crew aboard the space station is on duty. Views of Earth are also streamed from an external camera located outside of the space station. During periods of signal loss due to handover between communications satellites, a blue screen is displayed.
The space station orbits Earth about 250 miles (425 kilometers) above the surface. An international partnership of five space agencies from 15 countries operates the station, and it has been continuously occupied since November 2000. It’s a microgravity laboratory where science, research, and human innovation make way for new technologies and research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. More: https://go.nasa.gov/3CkVtC8
Did you know you can spot the station without a telescope? It looks like a fast-moving star, but you have to know when to look up. Sign up for text messages or email alerts to let you know when (and where) to spot the station and wave to the crew: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov
The night sky this month, May 2026, will include Eta Aquarid meteors and a Blue Moon. Here are videos and links to websites highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: May 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA | NASA JPL
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower brings shooting stars before dawn, the Moon meets brilliant Venus after sunset, and May wraps up with a rare Blue Moon.
Look to the early morning sky around May 5-6 for meteors from Halley’s Comet, though bright moonlight may wash out some of the fainter streaks.
Then on May 18, spot the crescent Moon near Venus low in the western sky just after sunset. May ends with a Full Moon on May 31.
May ends with a Blue Moon, meaning the second full moon in a single calendar month, but it will not actually look blue.
0:00 Intro 0:09 Eta Aquarids 1:25 Moon and Venus conjunction 1:54 Blue Moon 2:35 May Moon phases
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
Pete Lawrence and Paul Abel reveal the best things to see in the night sky this month, from the planets and the Moon to the stars, constellations and deep-sky objects.
It’s been quite a while since I posted anything on space inspired art. Here are miscellaneous art items I’ve collected over the past few years.
Art In Space
** SRIC4 #16: “Gallery Space: Art and spaceflight” with Barbara Brownie | Space Renaissance
This video provides a nice overview of art “in space” given by Dr Barbara Brownie, Associate Dean (Education) at the Royal College of Art.
This is the preliminary webinar #16 of the IV SRI World Congress (SRIC4) Abstract: The expansion of the commercial spaceflight sector and democratization of space is creating new opportunities for artists to engage directly with the environment of space. For a new generation of space artists, space presents new physical and philosophic questions. This webinar explores how space artists are redefining their practice through direct engagement with space, using case-studies of work that has been deployed on board the ISS, sub-orbital flights, and zeroG flights. Through these, the webinar will explore how artists are revising traditional art methods and materials through interactions with microgravity; the relationships between artists, astronauts and audiences; and the disciplinary and hierarchy challenges faced by artists operating in the space sector.
An essential Bio: Dr Barbara Brownie is an Associate Dean (Education) at the Royal College of Art. Barbara’s research explores space as a site for art and design, with a particular focus on effects of weightlessness. Her book, Spacewear: Weightlessness and the Final Frontier of Fashion (Bloomsbury, 2019), considers the challenges and opportunities that the commercial space age presents to fashion designers, and how weightlessness necessitates new approaches to clothing and the dressed body. Her most recent book, Art in Orbit (Bloomsbury 2025), explores the relationship between the arts and space sectors, and the spaceworks that demonstrate art’s value in space exploration. In 2026 and 2027 she will be sending writing and artworks to space on three separate flights: one sub-orbital, one orbital, and one lunar. She co-leads the _Space research group at the RCA, a group of artists and researchers operating at the intersection of art and aerospace.
** A finger-tip painting travels aboard a space telescope
Mounted on its hull is the Fingertip Galaxy plaque with the finger marks of over 250 mission scientists and engineers, its goal to convey the spirit of the mission: a dedicated, and often personal, desire to unravel the structure of the universe through capturing images of billions of galaxies that point to the presence of dark matter. An international effort led by ESA, the initiative involves more than 1,700 people (including NASA astrophysicists) sharing their skills and determination to better understand the forces threading through space to almost three quarters back in time to the Big Bang.
The artwork comprises a handmade galaxy painting, surrounded by poetry related to its making, reduced and laser etched on to an aluminium A5-size plate and glued to the craft. Many of the scientists who worked with myself and Tom Kitching, the Euclid science lead, to achieve this effort were excited by the prospect of their marks going into space.
“After Euclid’s lifetime, it will just be floating in space. What if future beings found Euclid? How would they know anything about the humanity of the people?” – Tom Kitching, lead scientist of Euclid’s VIS instrument.
The team behind ESA’s Euclid mission has come together to create something special – a personal and collective galaxy-shaped fingerprint painting that has been attached to the spacecraft ready to launch into space. The collaborative nature of the artwork reflects the collaborative nature of the Euclid project overall; in both cases, people have come together to build something unique.
The Fingertip Galaxy was created by visual artist Lisa Pettibone and Euclid instrument scientist Tom Kitching. Since the very first fingerprint was pressed down in 2019, over 250 scientists and engineers have contributed to the piece of art.
So why a galaxy? Euclid is a galaxy-imaging machine that will observe billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light-years to make a 3D map of the Universe. The mission’s ultimate aim is to explore dark matter and dark energy.
“Although Euclid has always been beautiful in concept and materials, it didn’t really say anything about the people involved and humanity as a whole. We asked ourselves whether we could do something artistic that would speak to people,” says Lisa.
Scientists and engineers involved in Euclid were invited to dip their fingertips in paint and make their mark on a large piece of paper.
“We wanted something authentic, not perfect, and not shaped too much,” continues Lisa. “The result is a piece of art with a wonderful energy to it that captures all the energy of the people involved.”
The artwork was photographed and engraved onto a plaque using lasers at Mullard Space Science Laboratory – the same lasers that are used to etch parts for satellites. The plaque was fixed to Euclid and revealed at a ‘Goodbye Euclid’ event on 1 July 2022, when Euclid left Thales Alenia Space in Turin to head to Cannes for final testing as a complete system.
Euclid’s project scientist René Laureijs suggested adding text to the plaque to explain the thoughts behind it. Continuing the artistic nature of the project, poet Simon Barraclough wrote a dedicated poem, from which a short extract was chosen to be etched on to the plaque in a typewriter font that swirls around the galaxy of fingerprints. This video ends with Simon reading part of Since his poem. Lisa summarises the Fingertip Galaxy:
“It is adding an element of humanity to a dark, vast space, where as far as we can see there is no other intelligent life.”
two new space-themed murals in New York’s Hudson Square neighborhood in Manhattan. The vision of the reimagined NASA Art Program is to inspire and engage the Artemis Generation with community murals and other art projects for the benefit of humanity.
Two murals created by artist Joel Kowsky for NASA. Credits: NASA
— The NASA Art Contest of 2025 had the theme “Our Wonder Changes the World”. The grand prize winning entry was “My Wonders with You” by high school student Dahyun Jung:
Dahyun Jung’s “My Wonders with You” won the grand prize in the 2025 NASA Art Contest. Credits: NASA & Dahyun Jung
[The] program studies innovative, technically credible, advanced projects that could one day “change the possible” in aerospace. To help people understand what these innovations might look like, NIAC has turned to artists and graphic designers in a global contest to create posters to visualize future technologies under development.
The challenge, hosted by contractor yet2 through NASA’s Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing program, was open to artists from around the globe. Guidelines asked artists to consider NASA’s Moon to Mars Architecture development effort, which uses engineering processes to distil NASA’s Moon to Mars Objectives into the systems needed to accomplish them. NASA received 313 submissions from 22 U.S. states and 47 countries.
Here’s a NASA collage of the top entrants:
Collage from NASA displaying the winning entries in the Moon to Mars Architecture Art Challenge. Clockwise, the entries from Jimmy Catanzaro, Jean-Luc Sabourin, Irene Magi, Pavlo Kandyba, Antonella Di Cristofaro, Francesco Simone, Mia Nickell, Lux Bodell, Olivia De Grande, Sophie Duan. Credits: NASA
Tasia Cobbs created the winning entry in the 2025 Mars Society Poster Contest. Credits: Mars Society
— National Space Society (NSS) art contest – NSS has sponsored many art contests over the years. NSS was a co-sponsor of a recent art contest as part of the Goddard100 celebration of the 100th anniversary (March 16, 2026) of the first liquid-fueled rocket flight by Robert H. Goddard. See winning entrants at the Goddard 100 Contests Art Gallery.
The AIR program expands upon the SETI Institute’s mission to explore, understand, and explain the origin, nature, and prevalence of life in the universe. The artworks, performances, and public projects resulting from the AIR collaborations are at the cutting edge of artistic and scientific practice. Our program encompasses various artistic disciplines, including visual arts, literature and spoken word, music, film, dance, and theatre.
Our curatorial direction emphasizes projects that consider the evolution of intelligence, ponder the beginnings of life, and critically reflect on our anthropocentric world view.
Our projects
Our community of artists in residence is at the core of the SETI AIR program. We actively support the development, creation, and exhibition of their projects. We are also actively engaged in project-based collaborations with arts organizations and artist groups. These dynamic partnerships include the SETI x AI residency with Ars Electronica and the Making Contact exhibition at the New Museum in Los Gatos. The Center for Art + Environment at the Nevada Museum of Art houses the SETI AIR archive, which allows us to share the AIR program’s creative outcomes with international researchers, artists, and academics.
Here is an AIR video about Exoplanetary Poetry: AI, Chemistry, and Alien Communication
Our Cosmic Consciousness residency artists daniela brill estrada, Bart Kuipers, and Julie-Michèle Morin, discuss an art-science collaboration that imagines how language might emerge from alien worlds. Hosts: Bettina Forget and Cosmic Consciousness residency advisor Gregory Betts.
Join SETI AIR program Director Bettina Forget for a conversation with Cosmic Consciousness artists in residence daniela brill estrada, Bart Kuipers, and Julie-Michèle Morin, joined by residency advisor Gregory Betts. Together, they will discuss Exoplanetary Poetry, an art-science collaboration that imagines how language might emerge from alien worlds.
Using atmospheric data from real exoplanets, the team trains an artificial intelligence to write poems alongside human collaborators. The resulting texts are translated back into chemistry, forming multisensory installations where reactions generate visual forms, textures, and scent. How can molecules become metaphors? What does it mean to co-author with a nonhuman intelligence shaped by planetary science? And can poetry help us think differently about life beyond Earth?
her space art with SpaceX and more regarding technology as the cathedral of today. Our guest is an award-winning artist with current work ‘exploring the philosophical underpinnings of modern technology and has involved series at SpaceX, Boston Dynamics, and Waymo’.“
** AAA 7 MOONS ART Video – full length, with the Moons Symphony by Amanda Lee Falkenberg
Astronomical and Space Artists of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA) contributed new and legacy art for the 7 MOONS ART Video. This video compiles a series of short 7 moon videos, and brings an artistic perspective to the inspired music of ’The Moons Symphony’ by composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg.
7 MOONS ART Video holds together stories of astronomical art history, show science as the basis of astronomical art, and places several of our longest standing and esteemed astronomical artists in the same show as some of our newest members from around the world.
The extraordinary 7 MOONS described in art and music include; three moons of the planet Jupiter – Io, Europa and Ganymede; two moons of planet Saturn – Titan and Enceladus; one moon of the planet Uranus – Miranda; and of course, our own Earth Moon. Individual short 7 Moons Art videos are also available for viewing.
** Moon Gallery aims to create the “first permanent museum on the Moon“. The nonprofit Dutch based cultural organization was founded in 2020 by Anna Sitnikova, Elizaveta Glukhova, Bernard Foing, and Charlotte ten Holder. The primary goal is to create an art gallery on the Moon as part of the establishment of the first lunar outpost. This will start with one hundred artworks integrated into a 10 x 10 x 1 grid tray. A preliminary grid went to the ISS in 2022:
The Moon Gallery is an international, collaborative art installation housing the seeds of a future, shared interplanetary culture. In collaboration with Nanoracks, powered by Voyager Space , the test payload of 64 artifacts, each no bigger than one cubic centimeter, is targeting launch aboard the NG-17 Cygnus resupply mission on February 19, 2022. The gallery is represented by artists from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and Africa.
The Moon Gallery ISS Payload is an 8×8 grid displaying 64 art works. It was taken to the Int. Space Station in 2022. Credits: Moon Gallery
What can a book the size of a finger-tip tell us about the Moon and humanity?
Moon Bound, a 1 cm³ miniature book being sent to the Moon this year as part of a science rover, will be presented in Plovdiv, inviting visitors to explore relationships among art, science, and the Moon. The exhibition centers on a single question: How does the Moon see the Earth? Alongside the book, the exhibition features artworks in multiple formats that create an immersive experience blending scientific research with artistic imagination.
Check out the night sky this month, April 2026. A sungrazing comet may become visible and the Lyrid meteor shower will peak on the night of April 21st. Here are videos and links to websites highlighting the top sights to observe.
** What’s Up: April 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA | NASA JPL
Mercury shines at its brightest for the year, the Lyrid meteor shower peaks, and a bright new comet makes an appearance in April’s night sky.
Catch Mercury low in the eastern sky before sunrise on April 3 at its greatest elongation. Then look up late April 21 into the 22nd for the Lyrids, with “shooting stars” radiating near the bright star Vega.
Also this month, Comet C/2025 R3 (Pan-STARRS) may be visible with binoculars or a telescope, especially around April 17, before making its closest approach to Earth on April 27.
Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://science.nasa.gov/skywatching/whats-up/.
This month’s episode showcases the stars and planets visible on April evenings. We’ll explore full-Moon quirks; spot Venus and Jupiter after sunset; learn about Gemini, the celestial twins; and hunt for meteors toward month’s end. So grab your curiosity, and come along on this month’s Sky Tour.
** The Night Sky | April 2026 | Sungrazer Comet A1 MAPS | Lyrid Meteor Showers | Late Night Astronomy
A sungrazing comet might be visible right after sunset and a major meteor shower peaks. Let’s take a look at what you can go out to see in the night sky for April of 2026. I’m Michael Martin and this is Late Night Astronomy.
Timestamps: 0:00 Sungrazer Comet MAPS 2:37 Lyrids Meteor Shower 3:40 Ouranos Ad 4:42 The Moon 5:15 The Planets 7:05 Comet R3 Panstarrs 7:45 Deep Sky Challenge
Step outside and explore the wonders of the April 2026 night sky. This month’s Night Sky Notebook highlights the best celestial events—from bright planets and close encounters to meteor showers and moonlit moments—helping you catch the sky at its most beautiful.
** April Sky 2026: Lyrid Meteor Shower and a Comet That Might Surprise | Astro Academy Global
In this video, we take a detailed look at the astronomical events of April 2026. We review the Lyrid meteor shower—one of the highlights of spring—the phases of the Moon and the best windows for deep-sky observation, as well as Mercury’s greatest elongation and several planetary conjunctions in the morning sky.
In addition, we track the evolution of a comet that could surprise us in the coming weeks, evaluating its viewing conditions and photographic potential. Content designed for astronomy and astrophotography enthusiasts looking to plan their sessions carefully and anticipate the month’s most interesting events.
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0:00 Introduction 0:45 Lunar phases 1:30 Planetary events 2:23 Highlights of the month 3:34 Photography tips 4:42 Conclusion and closing remarks
