New York State Drinking Testosterone 👌: 01/29/26

Thursday, January 29, 2026

☄️Comet 3I/ATLAS tracked by NASA's planet-hunting probe | 🚀SpaceX Crew-12 launch date moved up | 🕳️New origin story for supermassive black holes

SpaceX eyes March for Starship V3 test flight | Summer triangle shines over Egypt

Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version

January 29, 2026

Taking you out of this world, every day

The Launchpad

NASA's planet-hunting spacecraft tracks comet 3I/ATLAS

During a special observation run from Jan. 15 to Jan. 22, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) repeatedly observed comet 3I/ATLAS as it headed out of our solar system.

In other news, the James Webb Space Telescope helps with a new origin story for the universe's first supermassive black holes, a gorgeous photo caught the Milky Way glows with the stars of the Summer Triangle above Egypt's Black Desert and scientists may have to look beyond the habitable zone for alien life.

We have all that and more for your daily read.
Keep looking up,
Kenna
Content Manager, Space.com

NASA exoplanet probe tracks 3I/ATLAS to gauge its spin

The interstellar visitor may still have a few things to tell us before it leaves our solar system.

SpaceX aims for mid-March for Starship V3 test flight

"Starship launch in 6 weeks."

Space quiz! What makes the habitable zone special?

Click here for the answer!

It allows a planet's water to stay a liquid and not turn into ice or gas

It allows a planet's atmosphere to trap heat

It gives the perfect temperatures for a planet to host life

It's another term for the 3rd planet from the sun

Skywatching

Milky Way glows with Summer Triangle stars in Egypt

Deneb, Vega and Altair are among the brightest stars in the night sky.

Spaceflight

NASA, SpaceX move up Crew-12 launch to Feb. 11

That's four days earlier than originally planned.

Science & Astronomy

Webb uncovers new origins of early giant black holes

"Looking out into the universe is uniquely allowing us to look back in time and piece together this beautiful cosmic story that we are part of," one researcher said.

How atmosphere and climate help create a polar vortex

To understand what Americans are experiencing with this winter blast, we need to look more than 20 miles above the surface of Earth, to the stratospheric polar vortex.

Search for Life

Experts look beyond habitable zones to find alien life

Scientists may need to broaden their horizons in their search for alien life.

Space ice may have created 1st building blocks of life

"We used to think that only very simple molecules could be created in these clouds. But we have shown that this is clearly not the case," noted one expert.