Don’t dismiss the Canadian space effort, official or unofficial. The website New Space Economy is… not above leading headlines and trolling questions, but otherwise it’s a fairly informed and up-to-date operation. Up to last week: newspaceeconomy.ca/2025/10/29/a-history-of-planetary-defense/-, Oct. 29 A History of… Read More »“History of Planetary Defense” Post
Now out from JGR:Plan (Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets) vol. 52, #21: Elder, C.M. Boulders on Bennu: Low Apparent Thermal Inertia Caused by Thermal FatigueFractures art. e2025GL116256 2025GL116256 We have samples returned from Bennu, but… grain sizes are mostly pebbles… Read More »Note, Paper: Geophysical NEO Fissure Vals
As of this week (Oct. 28), the Vera Rubin Observatory staff has declared the project “construction complete”, and begun operations (“Early Operations”, to be explicit). In physical terms, this doesn’t mean much. In legal terms, this means that telescope checkouts… Read More »Vera Rubin Ready!
The 1 November Planetary and Space Science (vol. 267) is up: Garcia, R. S. Fernández-Lajús, E. Di Sisto, R. P. et al. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks: Dust properties Article 106181 .2025.106181 Comet activity is a puzzle we still haven’t solved. Yes, a… Read More »Note, Paper: 2D Receding Treatment
With 3I/ATLAS difficult to see in most telescopes, it’s a good time for theoretical astronomy: Astrophysics > Earth and Planetary Astrophysics arxiv.org/abs/2510.26308[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025]Maggiolo, R. Dhooghe, F. Gronoff, G. Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: Evidence for Galactic Cosmic Ray Processing arxiv.org/abs/2510.25945[Submitted on… Read More »3I Bi-Hypothesized
Happy Samhain, All Saints Day, etc. to all who celebrate. Speaking of things coming from Europe, good Astronomy & Astrophysics for October (vol. 702): Santana-Ros, T. Ivanova, O. Mykhailova, S. et al. Temporal evolution of the third interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS:… Read More »Note, Paper: You Shed Some, You Accrete Some
It’s the day before Halloween, but Space Sci Rev (vol. 221) makes it feel like Christmas: Horányi, M. Tucker, S. Sternovsky, Z. et al. Interstellar Dust Experiment (IDEX) OnboardNASA’s Interstellar Mapping And Acceleration Probe (IMAP) art. 102 s11214-025-01230-1Wang, Y. Zhang,… Read More »Space Science Reviews, …whew
Yesterday was Oct. 29, perihelion for 3I/ATLAS. That was the point in its trajectory (not orbit) when it was closest to the Sun. As the comet neared the Sun, it rose in temperature, and thus activity. That activity: Astrophysics >… Read More »3I Behind Prime Sky Light
Andreas Kaufer has been appointed the new Director General of ESO (European Southern Observatory), replacing Xavier Barcons, who had served for ~8 years. Kaufer first joined ESO as the VLT (Very Large Telescope) was in preparation. Now he oversees final… Read More »Drift Into Field, Drift Out of Field (Al Nagler…)
In November 1’s issue (vol. 993 #1) of Astrophysical Journal Letters: Farnocchia, D. Vokrouhlicky, D. Santana-Ros, T. et al. Radiation Forces and Trajectory of Hayabusa2# Target 1998 KY26 L9 ae10b8Salazar Manzano, L. E. Lin, H-W. Taylor, A. G. et al.… Read More »Note, Paper: Non-Pusher