Space News Today

Anna and Avery open the Weekend Wrap with a genuine first: South Africa's MeerKAT has detected the 21-centimetre hydrogen signal from four to five billion light years away using radio data alone — no optical galaxy survey propping it up — proving out the technique the Square Kilometre Array will use to measure dark energy. Then the week in review: Roman's coronagraph wakes up, Starship Flight 14 gets a date, Mars turns out to be lopsided inside, BepiColombo lets go, LZ's one unexplained flash, and a centaur caught in the act of becoming a comet. Plus the sky for the week ahead, both hemispheres.

Links & sources · University of Manchester — Astronomers use MeerKAT to directly detect faint hydrogen signal from the distant Universe — https://www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/astronomers-use-meerkat-to-directly-detect-faint-hydrogen-signal-from-the-distant-universe · The Astrophysical Journal Letters — Paul, Wolz, Santos, Chen et al. (paper DOI) — https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ae808f · American Astronomical Society — release listing — https://aas.org/node/730547 · Phys.org — MeerKAT directly detects faint hydrogen signal from the distant universe — https://phys.org/news/2026-09-meerkat-faint-hydrogen-distant-universe.html · Space.com — Scientists detect signals of hydrogen from billions of years ago — https://www.space.com/astronomy/galaxies/scientists-detect-signals-of-hydrogen-from-billions-of-years-ago-could-this-help-us-map-out-the-universe · Xinhua — MeerKAT in South Africa directly detects faint hydrogen signal from distant universe — https://english.news.cn/africa/20260905/3f6c7164a4404b0a9b79f879b1d31a59/c.html · SKA Observatory — the construction journey (SKA-Mid, Karoo; SKA-Low, Murchison) — https://www.skao.int/en/explore/construction-journey · NASA Science — Roman's planet imager has powered on (1 September 2026) — https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/09/01/nasa-romans-planet-imager-has-powered-on/ · NASA — NASA's dark universe-seeking Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launches — https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-dark-universe-seeking-nancy-grace-roman-space-telescope-launches/ · Next Spaceflight — Starship Flight 14 (NET 15 September 2026, Pad 2, Starbase) — https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/8346/ · Tesla Oracle — FCC filing points to Starship Flight 14 on 15 September; Booster 21 33-engine static fire — https://www.teslaoracle.com/2026/09/02/fcc-filing-reveals-starship-flight-14-launch-on-september-15-spacex-conducts-33-engine-static-fire-on-booster-21/ · Nature — Tidal tomography reveals a thermal anomaly beneath Mars's crustal dichotomy (27 August 2026) — https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10893-x · Phys.org — Thermal anomaly discovered below Mars' south pole — https://phys.org/news/2026-08-thermal-anomaly-mars-south-pole.html · ESA — Latest updates: BepiColombo's arrival at Mercury — https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo/Latest_updates_BepiColombo_s_arrival_at_Mercury · ESA — BepiColombo's Mercury arrival begins (full replay) — https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/09/BepiColombo_s_Mercury_arrival_begins_-_full_replay · Brown University — LZ experiment sees surprising result in search for dark matter — https://www.brown.edu/news/2026-09-01/lz-dark-matter-results · The LZ Dark Matter Experiment — collaboration site — https://lz.lbl.gov/ · ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics — Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory — https://www.centredarkmatter.org/supl · University of Central Florida — UCF researchers study a centaur transforming into a comet — https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-researchers-study-a-centaur-transforming-into-a-comet/ · Phys.org — Saturn encounter may have set distant centaur on path to becoming a comet — https://phys.org/news/2026-09-saturn-encounter-distant-centaur-path.html · Space.com — Scientists watch a comet being born 3 billion miles away — https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/scientists-watch-a-comet-being-born-3-billion-miles-away · Star Walk — Astronomical events in September 2026 — https://starwalk.space/en/news/night-sky-tonight-september · EarthSky — Venus greatest brilliancy, 18 September 2026 (magnitude −4.8) — https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/venus-brightest-greatest-brilliancy-greatest-illuminated-extent-2/ · EarthSky — Sun news: flares, CMEs and aurora updates — https://earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates/ · Space.com — Night sky September 2026: the best things to see this month — https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-see-night-sky-september-2026 Follow us: @AstroDailyPod · astronomydaily.io

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Links & sources Brown University — LZ experiment sees surprising result in search for dark matter — https://www.brown.edu/news/2026-09-01/lz-dark-matter-results US Department of Energy — LZ Sees Surprising Result in Search for Dark Matter — https://www.energy.gov/science/articles/lz-sees-surprising-result-search-dark-matter Imperial College London — Dark matter hunt takes unexpected turn after puzzling signal spotted in LZ detector — https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/articles/natural-sciences/physics/2026/dark-matter-hunt-takes-unexpected-turn-after-puzzling-signal-spotted-in-lz-detector/ TeVPA 2026 — Search for high-energy dark matter interactions with the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment — https://indico-icehap.phys.s.chiba-u.ac.jp/event/3/contributions/471/ The LZ Dark Matter Experiment — collaboration site — https://lz.lbl.gov/ Space.com — Scientists may have detected the 1st direct evidence of dark matter — https://www.space.com/astronomy/dark-universe/scientists-may-have-detected-the-1st-direct-evidence-of-dark-matter ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics — Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory — https://www.centredarkmatter.org/supl SABRE South — dark matter direct-detection experiment — https://www.sabre-experiment.org.au/ Phys.org — Underground lab clears crucial hurdle for dark matter hunt — https://phys.org/news/2026-04-underground-lab-crucial-hurdle-dark.html Space.com — India sends Earth-imaging satellite toward geosynchronous orbit in milestone launch — https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/gslv-mark-ii-eos-05-launch-first-indian-geo-earth-observing-satellite Outlook India — 'Successfully and precisely injected': ISRO chairman hails GSLV-F17 launch — https://www.outlookindia.com/national/successfully-and-precisely-injected-isro-chairman-hails-gslv-f17-launch-eos-05-reaches-orbit Business Standard — ISRO launches India's first imaging satellite in geostationary orbit — https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/isro-launches-india-s-first-imaging-satellite-in-geostationary-orbit-126090400054_1.html Space.com — Rocket issues delay 1st-ever private mission to Venus — https://www.space.com/astronomy/venus/rocket-issues-delay-1st-ever-private-mission-to-venus-we-are-awaiting-neutron-readiness Syracuse University — The Spin Behind Fading Black Hole Flares — https://news.syr.edu/2026/09/01/the-spin-behind-fading-black-hole-flares/ arXiv — The Role of Stellar Spin in Repeating Partial Tidal Disruption Events (2606.02692) — https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.02692 NASA Science — What's Up: September 2026 Skywatching Tips — https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/whats-up-september-2026-skywatching-tips-from-nasa/ Universe Today — Lunar occultations of Jupiter, Venus and more in September — https://www.universetoday.com/articles/penultimate-lunar-occultations-inbound-for-jupiter-venus-and-more-in-september In-The-Sky.org — Lunar occultation of Jupiter, 8 September 2026 — https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20260908_16_100 EarthSky — Sun news: flare, CME and aurora updates — https://earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates/ Space.com — Night sky September 2026: the best things to see this month — https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-to-see-night-sky-september-2026 Follow us: @AstroDailyPod · astronomydaily.io

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SpaceTime Series 29 Episode 106 The most distant Blazar ever seen Astronomers have detected the most distant blazar ever recorded. The blazar -- catalogued as OP 313 was detected some 8 billion light years away. Did the motion of an ocean carve Enceladus's tiger stripes? A new study suggests the iconic tiger stripes at the south pole of the Saturnian ice moon Enceladus may have been formed by ocean waves. SpaceX to build the world’s biggest space port in Louisiana SpaceX boss Elon Musk has announced plans to build the world’s largest spaceport in the Louisiana wetlands on the Gulf Coast 185 kilometres west of New Orleans. The Science Report It seems most girls prefer lovers to fighters at least in non-human animals. Scientists discover a type of brain activity that’s 'tagging' priority information to remember later. Discovery of the fossilized remains of a giant crocodile that once dominated the food chain. The trend for retro phones could mean people want to distance themselves from their smartphones. Skeptics guide to beating up psychic stories. Our Guests This Week Professor Paulo de Souza from Edith Cowan University Bryan Butler from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory Our regular guests: Alex Zaharov-Reutt from techadvice.life Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics 🌏 Get Our Exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.bitesz.com/nordvpn (http://www.bitesz.com/nordvpn) . The discounts and bonuses are incredible! And it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌ If you’d like to support the podcast and gain access to bonus content by becoming a SpaceTime crew member, you can do just that through The Big Bang editions on Patreon, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Details on the Support page on our website https://www.bitesz.com/show/spacetime/support/ (https://www.bitesz.com/show/spacetime/support/)

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Anna and Avery cover BepiColombo's arrival at Mercury beginning today, as the ESA/JAXA mission jettisons the transfer module that has carried it for nearly eight years and nine planetary flybys. Plus: NASA awards Blue Origin a $700 million contract to build a dedicated Mars communications orbiter, Hubble confirms a brand-new ten-sided cloud pattern at Saturn's south pole — first spotted by amateur astronomers, one of them in outback New South Wales — and China's Galactic Energy flies its reusable Pallas-1 rocket for the first time.

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Space Nuts: Spanish Eclipse, Nancy Grace Roman Launch, Cloud Nine, and Venus's Mysterious Clouds

Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson cover four big astronomy stories in this episode, from Fred’s trip to view a sunset eclipse in Spain to the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. They also unpack a starless dwarf galaxy called Cloud Nine and a new way of thinking about the strange dark material in Venus’s clouds.

Guests and speakers

Andrew Dunkley - Host, frames the news, asks listener questions, and guides the discussion.

Professor Fred Watson - Astronomer at large, explains the eclipse, the Roman telescope, Cloud Nine, and Venus’s clouds.

Key topics

In this episode, Fred recounts the Spanish eclipse expedition

The eclipse was only 9 degrees above the western horizon at totality, making the viewing conditions unusually challenging.

He and Marnie led a 16-person tour through France, Spain, and Switzerland before settling near Santander in northern Spain.

They staked out a viewing site 2 kilometers from the hotel, set up a gazebo, and had to tie it down to a car to keep it from blowing away.

The weather looked threatening, but a hole opened in the cloud just before totality, giving them a clear view of the corona.

Fred described the yellowish corona, pink hydrogen clouds, and the crowd of around 2,000 people.

We discuss the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch

Andrew watched the launch live after being nudged by his own brain at the right moment.

Fred noted the launch was flawless, with 27 Merlin motors firing.

The telescope is headed for the L2 Lagrange point, about 1.5 million kilometers away.

Roman is a 2.4-meter Hubble-class telescope but with 100 times the field of view.

Its wide-angle infrared design should enable major surveys of dark matter, dark energy, and exoplanets via its coronagraph.

Fred explains why Cloud Nine matters

Cloud Nine is described as a starless dwarf galaxy about 14 million light years away.

It lies near Messier 94 and was studied using the Gran Telescopio Canarias and its Hypercam instrument.

The deep exposure was 2.36 hours, yet the team found no convincing stellar population.

Fred says theory suggests the gas may be too hot to cool and collapse into stars because of the ultraviolet background radiation after reionization.

He says Cloud Nine may be the first strong example of a galaxy predicted by standard cosmology but never before clearly identified.

Venus’s clouds are still puzzling astronomers

Fred explains that Venus appears yellowish because we see the top of its cloud layer, especially in visible light.

In ultraviolet, Venus shows dramatic global cloud patterns caused by an as-yet unidentified absorber.

The new study uses radiative transfer modeling to constrain what the unknown absorber could be.

The team compares Venus’s cloud droplets to cigarette smoke, tiny particles that look light-colored when dispersed but could become dark sludge in bulk.

The result suggests the absorber must be very efficient, very concentrated, or both, but it is not being claimed as evidence of life.

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