As we approach the peak of Solar Cycle 25, we can expect more and more activity on the Sun. And on October 3rd, the Sun released its most powerful Earth-directed flare of the current cycle, registering as an X9.0. Of course, this means an increase in aurora activity here on the planet, with visibility at lower latitudes. So, if you're hoping to see auroras this cycle, the next couple of days could be your best chance. Good luck!

A new sungrazing comet with potential may grace our skies in late October.

Astronomers want new ways to measure distance in the Universe, working to calculate its rate of expansion. A new image from JWST contains a gravitational lens of a background galaxy. And in that galaxy are three versions of the same Type 1a supernova, one of the most distant ever seen. With this supernova, astronomers are able to extend their distance ladder out by billions of years, and yet, it doesn't resolve the famous Hubble Tension; it only confirms it.

The red dwarf Barnard's Star is the closest single star to the Sun, only six light-years away. Astronomers have announced the discovery of a planet with half the mass of Venus, orbiting the star every three days. This puts it too close to be in the habitable zone, with a surface temperature of 125 °C. The team also found a hint of three additional planets in the system but will require further observations to pin down their sizes and orbits.

A remote annular solar eclipse bookends the final eclipse season for 2024.

Looking out into the universe, astronomers have identified countless spiral galaxies similar to the Milky Way. But is our home galaxy normal? A 10+ year survey called Satellites Around Galactic Analogs (SAGA) has been measuring galaxy systems like the Milky Way, including the companion satellite galaxies that surround them. They found that the Milky Way has fewer satellite galaxies than others with roughly the same size and mass.