Shakeups and smash-ups

A mission to save a NASA observatory has hit a snag. Katalyst Space’s LINK spacecraft launched on July 3 to raise the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is otherwise expected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere later this year. But last week, Katalyst reported that it had lost partial control of LINK. The company is trying to find a way forward to save LINK and, by extension, Swift, which first launched in 2004. Image credit: Katalyst Space Technologies

The Perseid meteor shower peaks next week. The Perseids are one of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year, and this month, a new Moon should make for ideal viewing conditions. Peak activity is expected the night between Aug. 12-13. Check out our full guide on how to catch the Perseids.

Astronomers have discovered a weird, three-lobed asteroid with a moon. A team of researchers unveiled new observations of the asteroid 44 Nysa that hint it is made up of three chunks connected to one another. If confirmed, Nysa might have ended up like this through a collision or by three separate worlds fusing together.

Help us pause potentially devastating changes to how science gets funded in the U.S. In June, a White House budgeting office proposed a major rewrite to government-funded research that would let political appointees decide which grants get approved regardless of their scientific merit. Now, a bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would put those changes on hold. Join The Planetary Society in advocating for Congress to pass the bill, which would also fund the government through Dec. 11. Image credit: Andy Feliciotti / Adobe

A total solar eclipse is coming to Europe next week. Our eclipse hub will help you prepare with maps, how-to guides, and useful articles available in English, French, Spanish, and German. Emasofía García, an aerospace engineer from Mexico, joined The Planetary Society to break down useful information in this Spanish-language video.

Astronomers found evidence that a rocky, habitable zone planet has an atmosphere — what next? On this week’s Planetary Radio, join host Sarah Al-Ahmed for a deep dive with Collin Cherubim, NASA Hubble Fellow at the University of Chicago, into his team’s recent discovery of an atmosphere around the planet LHS 1140 b. Together, they explore what this milestone could tell us about how rocky worlds fit into the search for life beyond Earth.

A cosmic timekeeper announces support for The Planetary Society’s mission. Earth Moves, a Norway-based astronomical watch designer, unveiled a series of timepieces that reflect the tides, the Moon, and where the wearer is on Earth. The collaboration is now available for preorder, and every watch sold helps our movement to advance the scientific exploration of space.