Ever since the first human beings looked up at the night sky, it has been a source of wonder, inspiration, and awe.
Today, most of humanity only has access to a heavily polluted sky rather than the pristine views our ancestors enjoyed, but that sense of awe and wonder still remains.
SpaceX recently announced that it wants to launch one million more of these satellites as orbital data centers for AI computing power.
The human eye can see fewer than 4,500 stars in an unpolluted night sky. If we permit SpaceX to launch these satellites, we will see more satellites than stars—for large portions of the night and the year, throughout the world. This will severely damage the night sky for everyone on Earth.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope have teamed up to capture new views of Saturn, revealing the planet in strikingly different ways. Observing in complementary wavelengths of light, the two space observatories provide scientists with a richer, more layered understanding of the gas giant’s atmosphere.
Some 550 light-years away, a bright star called Gamma Cassiopeiae is belching out bursts of X-rays. Now, astronomers have discovered that the radiation is actually coming from the star’s invisible companion, which lights up in X-rays as it gobbles up material from the star.
Planetary scientists compared existing data on the isotopic ratios of a wide range of meteorites, including those from Mars and the asteroid Vesta, with those of Earth. Isotopes are sibling atoms of the same element (same number of protons) that have a different mass (different number of neutrons).
The researchers analyzed this data in a new way and arrived at a surprising conclusion: the material that makes up Earth originates entirely from the inner region of the solar system.
In a happy twist of fate, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope just witnessed a comet in the act of breaking apart. The chance of that happening while Hubble watched is extraordinarily minuscule.
On March 3, 2026, the Pacific Northwest will get a chance to witness a total lunar eclipse.
Totality will last approximately one hour, from 3:04 AM to 4:02 AM.
Mark your calendar for Tuesday March 10, 2026! We’re excited to share that BPAA is joining hundreds of local nonprofit organizations for the Kitsap Great Give, a 24-hour online giving event hosted by Kitsap Community Foundation. This is a powerful opportunity to support causes you care about and help strengthen our community.
March’s Science Topic – The Moon
14 Mar 2026 19:00 – 21:00
Speaker: Eleanor Uyyek, BPAA Programming Coordinator
Celebrate this month’s eclipse and the planned launch of Artemis II with us! From phases to tides to the history of the space race and beyond, we’re covering all things lunar.
Ever thought of dipping your toes into astrophotography? Want to chat with other astrophotographers? The next meeting of the Battle Point Observatory’s Astrophotography Special Interest Group will be on Saturday, March 14, at 11 AM in the Gardiner Library inside of the Battle Point Observatory. Come join the fun with a group of easy-going people with an interest (passion?) for astrophotography. The discussions are wide ranging with no experience necessary, just bring your curiosity! For more information or get looped in, contact Chuck Wraith (cawraith@bpastro.org).