Frosty Drew Clear Sky Chart

Current seeing conditions at Frosty Drew Observatory

The Sun and Moon Today

  • The Sun as seen today from NASA SDO.
  • Waxing Crescent 46% phase

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Satellite Events for Tonight

  • Site: FROSTYDREWOBSY
    • Name
    • Time
    • Mag.
    • Alt.

NASA TechLeap Prize: Orbital Clarity Challenge

Reported by NASA

The Orbital Clarity Challenge — the sixth in the NASA TechLeap Prize series — is a collaborative effort between NASA’s Heliophysics Division, Flight Opportunities program, and Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation. The...
  • By: NASA
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:57 +0000

The Fastest Star in the Milky Way Will Test Relativity

Reported by Universe Today

Astronomers have discovered another S star, the population of stars that orbits the Milky Way's SMBH. This one is the fastest of them all, and also comes closest to the SMBH. It will let astronomers test relativity, especially the Lense-Thirring effect....
  • By: Evan Gough (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/ion23drive)
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:30 +0000

NASA Updates Next Steps for Commercial Swift Boost Mission

Reported by NASA

Due to an ongoing commercial spacecraft attitude control issue, NASA and Katalyst Space announced Wednesday the LINK spacecraft will not capture or boost an agency satellite to a higher altitude to extend its science mission as planned. However, LINK still...
  • By: NASA
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:08 +0000

Human-Related Microbes May Survive Moon’s South Pole, NASA Finds

Reported by NASA

Lee esta historia en español aquí. Some of Earth’s microbes likely to hitch a ride to space with human explorers could survive in the shaded nooks and crannies of the Moon’s South Pole region, NASA scientists say.  Published on Aug. 19, 2026, in Sci...
  • By: NASA
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:02 +0000

Interstellar Travel IV: Solar, Magnetic, & Directed-Energy Sails

Reported by Universe Today

In our fourth installment in the Interstellar Travel series, we'll examine solar sails, magnetosails, and directed-energy propulsion (DEP), which are currently the most plausible methods for reaching another star system within a human lifetime....
  • By: Matthew Williams (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/houseofwilliams)
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:51 +0000

Are Mega-Constellations Sleepwalking Low Earth Orbit into Runaway Chaos?

Reported by Universe Today

It seems the overwhelming majority of the time when we write about satellite megaconstellations, it’s as a warning. That’s not because they aren’t useful, but because they hold the potential to completely destroy our access to space if not managed pr...
  • By: Andy Tomaswick (https://www.universetoday.com/authors/andy-tomaswick)
  • On: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:33 +0000