We made it to the end of the week and there's still lots of news happening. We have some potential northern lights action in 18 states this evening (August 8) so keep an eye on your local night skies.
Other stories for today include the Hubble Space Telescope capturing a new look at the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a new potential exoplanet just 4 light-years away and a mysterious substance on Mars possibly being a new mineral.
It's Friday so we also have some staff recommendations of what we in the newsroom are currently reading/watching/playing, so you can find that at the bottom of our newsletter today.
We have all that and more for your daily read.
Thanks for exploring with us. Keep looking up, Kenna
It might not be the big anime-style birthday remake some "Star Wars" acolytes were hoping for, but "Star Wars: A New Hope" will be blasting back into movie theaters to celebrate its landmark 50th anniversary starting in April of 2027.
Explore the wonders of the cosmos and save over $700 on this Unistellar eQuinox 2 bundle, including an official backpack for taking it to dark sky sites.
It's Friday, which means it's time to kick back, recharge and dive into something stellar. Whether you're looking to unwind with a mind-bending sci-fi series or lose yourself in a video game, we've got you covered. Here's what the Space.com team is enjoying this weekend: our latest recs to inspire, entertain, and fuel your curiosity about the universe.
Brett Tingley, Managing Editor: "I'm currently re-reading 'Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire' by Steve Perry. It's a classic Extended Universe novel that really changed how I watch 'Return of the Jedi.' A must-read for SW fans." Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Content Manager: "I just finished 'The Martians' by David Baron. It's all about the turn-of-the-century Mars craze with great characters like Nikola Tesla. The book comes out August 26th so be sure to preorder if you want a copy. We'll have a Q&A with the author up on the website soon."
Monisha Ravisetti, Astronomy Channel Editor: "I'm currently in the middle of reading 'The Morning Star' by Karl Ove Knausgård and it's quite good."
