Article from Ian Crawford, Professor of Planetary Science and Astrobiology, Birkbeck, University of London. "For those interested, here are some brief thoughts on Artemis II and the geopolitical implications of the cosmic perspective":
www.democracywithoutborders.org/42654/artemi...
#Artemis 🚀 🌒
Saturn's lopsided magnetic bubble! A new study involving CPS members Professor Andrew Coates @planetandrewc.bsky.social (UCL MSSL) and Dr Will Dunn @astrowilldunn.bsky.social (UCL P&A) published recently in Nature Communications 🪐
#CoolWorlds Podcast Episode 32 is now live! @chrislintott.bsky.social on Technosignatures, Citizen Science, Scicomm
youtu.be/qI3DAXM0-do
The answer might be 42, but what’s the question?
I’ll be giving a talk at @pintofscience.uk in Norwich on May 20:
“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Life in the Universe”.
Come along if you’re around!
#PintOfScience #Astrobiology
pintofscience.co.uk/event/from-t...
The Sun is rising at the left edge of the Moon, ending a nearly one-hour total solar eclipse on April 6, 2026. While the Sun hid behind the Moon, the crew aboard the Orion spacecraft, pictured in the forefront, saw a Moon shrouded in night. This offered a perfect opportunity to look for rarely seen phenomena. And the moment delivered. Calling down to Earth at 9 p.m. ET the crew reported seeing six impact flashes, which are light flashes that are created when meteoroids, traveling many thousands of miles per hour, smash into the Moon’s surface. Credit: NASA
The Artemis II crew observed six impact flashes from meteorites striking the Moon! The impacts appeared near the equatorial region & were most clearly seen while the Moon was eclipsing the Sun.
No photos, unfortunately: The flashes happened too quickly. 🔭🧪
www.sciencealert.com/nasas-artemi...
Tickets now available for PandA Day, an extravaganza of talent and creativity within UCL Physics and Astronomy: www.bloomsburytheatre.com/event/2026/0.... Expect a variety-show style event featuring staff and students packed with music, theatre, gameshows and more!
Screenshot of fiery liftoff of Artemis II to the Moon, April 2026
LIFTOFF of #Artemis II on 1 April 23:35 BST/00:35 CEST 2 April 2026 from Kennedy Space Center, carrying the second Orion spacecraft with its ESA European Service Module! #ForwardToTheMoon @exploration.esa.int
Our European Service Module solar arrays in orbit🌞
With these solar wings extended, Europe is now powering Artemis II ⚡
Recap of the 🌟 UK Planetary Forum Early Careers Meeting 2026 in January, hosted by the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck: a forum for UK early-career planetary scientists 🪐🌖☄️🔭🚀
Thanks to our sponsors @royalastrosoc.bsky.social, @ukspaceagency.bsky.social ✨
www.ucl.ac.uk/mathematical...
Listening to this @europlanetmedia.bsky.social webinar now. Excited to go back to Saturn 🪐 with Cassini-Huygens and then hear about the new @esa.int Enceladus mission #PlanetaryScience
#WatchLive: the first launch opportunity for #Artemis II is on 1 April 23:24 BST/00:24 CEST 2 April.
📺 Live on #ESAwebTV from one hour before launch (22:24 BST/23:24 CEST) until the end of the broadcast at 23:56 BST/00:56 CEST 👉 watch.esa.int
If you want to keep track of what's happening with #ArtemisII ahead of tonight's launch opportunity, this is a great site. Something nice about the rocket sitting there waiting in the Flordia night.
A city street scene with several people walking along the sidewalk. On the right, there's a tall, red-brick building with banners for the London School of Economics. Adjacent is a modern glass and stone structure. The sky is cloudy, and the atmosphere appears lively.
UCL will be closed from 5:30pm on Wednesday 1 April to 9:00am on Wednesday 8 April, with some study spaces remaining open for students who need them.
🔗Details: https://bit.ly/4sCHS0c
♻️ Switch off before you leave! Support Easter Switch Off 2026 Campaign! https://bit.ly/47xk9pV
La bella Luna! 🌖🌗🌒🌑🌘🌗🌔🌕🚀
Meteors, meteorites and fireballs. What are they? And what’s the difference?
📣 ANNOUNCEMENT
The Call for Europlanet Science Congress 2026 Abstracts is NOW Open!
☄️Planetary scientists are invited to submit an abstract for the #EPSC2026, which will take place in The Hague, 6–11 Sept 2026.
🗓️ Abstract deadline is 13 May: www.europlanet.org/epsc2026-call-for-abstracts-now-open/
T-9️⃣ days until the Smile launch on 9 April 🚀
Curious what to expect during the live broadcast?
This animation runs you through launch up until the deployment of Smile's solar panels 👉 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
🔭 🧪 ☀️
The SLS rocket with the Artemis II Orion spacecraft and its European Service Module stands ready on the launchpad
ESA photographer Stephane Corvaja's remote camera set up ready for launch! Artemis II rocket in background backed by blue sky.
✅ #Artemis II update: countdown has started for launch. Liftoff of the crewed lunar mission is scheduled for 1 April 23:24 BST/00:24 CEST 2 April. NASA reports currently 80% chance of favourable weather conditions (pics: NASA & ESA/S.Corvaja)
See go.nasa.gov/4sL4j3x @exploration.esa.int
NASA's day-long meeting, starting at 9:00 am ET this morning (Mar 24), is "Ignition: NASA's Plan for the Moon."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIlT...
✨️TWO MONTHS TO GO until #pint26 ✨
Be first to know when tickets go live
👉 eepurl.com/TbbVX
🗓️ 18th-20th May 2026
🎫 Programme and tickets : 13th of April
📍 45+ locations across the UK
🔬 Hundreds of passionate scientists
🎯 Bringing science to your local pub
🗺️info & locations pintofscience.co.uk
We're celebrating 50 years of LPI Interns! If you're a former intern attending #LPSC2026, find your name on one of the posters in the Exhibit Hall and add a sticker! #planetaryscience #internships
The Royal Astronomical Society logo over a purple, starry background.
The RAS is alarmed by the threat to ground-based astronomy posed by proposals put forward by Elon Musk's SpaceX and Reflect Orbital.
We have opposed the plans with @eso.org and the International Astronomical Union. Find out more at: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
If you're not at #LPSC2026 this week, I highly recommend following @martinhajovsky.bsky.social for any updates and science posts!
Part of the Your Universe Festival of Astronomy and Planetary Science this week for pre-booked schools & the public ✨ 🪐🌖 🔭 🧪
Family/public interactive exhibition Sat 14th March, 2-5pm at Birkbeck - further details & registration for free tickets via the YU website: www.ucl.ac.uk/your-univers...
📣 Free event this Sat 14th March 6-8pm, London @ucl.ac.uk! "Human exploration of the Moon... and beyond!". A panel event of talks & discussion with Dr Christopher Riley, Dr Francisco Diego (UCL) and CPS colleague Prof Ian Crawford (Birkbeck). Register below 👇 🌖
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-human-...
Graphic promoting the 'Our Fragile Space' exhibition at the Royal Astronomical Society from 19 March - 10 May 2026.
Created and led by space photographer Max Alexander, the free exhibition highlights the grave and deepening issue of space junk and has achieved significant international acclaim.
📅 19 March - 10 May 2026
📍 Burlington House, London
ℹ️ ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...
🚨Announcement🚨
Want to learn more about the growing threat of space debris? 🛰️💥
We're delighted to be welcoming the ground-breaking photography exhibition 'Our Fragile Space' to the @royalastrosoc.bsky.social.
⤵️
Why Are Interstellar Comets So Weird? Part 1: The Strangers Blowing Through Town www.universetoday.com/articles/why-are-interst...
MN Colibri delivers the Smile satellite and the Vega-C upper stage in Kourou, French Guiana.
Following the docking, the containers were carefully unloaded and taken by lorry to Europe's Spaceport, which lies just a few kilometres away from the town of Kourou. 📽️ 👇
🔭 🧪 ☀️
