This week, skywatchers have a rare chance to spot Mercury in the evening sky as it reaches "greatest elongation"—its farthest apparent distance from the sun. The tiny planet will be briefly visible just after sunset, offering a fleeting but rewarding glimpse for those who know where to look.

Editor’s Note: Mercury is usually tough to spot because it’s so close to the sun, but this celestial alignment makes it easier to see for a short time. If you’ve ever wanted to check the solar system’s smallest planet off your list, grab your binoculars and find a clear western horizon after sunset. It’s a cool little cosmic moment for casual stargazers and astronomy nerds alike.

Astrophotographer Josh Dury discusses the growing threat of light pollution in his new book, 52 Assignments: Night Photography, questioning whether we might be the last generation to experience the full majesty of an unpolluted night sky. The Q&A explores both the artistic and environmental stakes of losing our celestial views.

Editor’s Note: It’s easy to take a starry night for granted, but Dury’s work is a wake-up call—our view of the cosmos is literally fading. Beyond stunning photos, his book highlights how artificial light is eroding one of humanity’s oldest connections to the universe. If we don’t act, future generations might only see a washed-out sky.

The Hubble Space Telescope just snapped a breathtaking image of a cosmic cradle—three baby stars nestled in the Taurus Molecular Cloud, a vast stellar nursery about 450 light-years away. It’s like catching a glimpse of newborn suns still wrapped in their gauzy nebula blankets.

Scientists have discovered that a massive plume of molten rock beneath eastern Africa is pushing upward in steady pulses, gradually tearing the continent apart. Over millions of years, this could lead to the formation of a brand-new ocean, reshaping the map of Africa as we know it.

A high-profile climate satellite called MethaneSAT—funded by heavyweights like Jeff Bezos and Google—has gone dark in space after barely a year in orbit. Designed by an environmental nonprofit to track methane emissions from major polluters, the satellite suddenly lost power, cutting its mission short.