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July 26, 2026Radio: Today’s Episode
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Confusing Planet
A planet that’s hard to classify.
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Stargazing
Alkaid
The Big Dipper hangs by its handle on summer evenings, as though about to scoop up a dipperful of stars. The handle is anchored by Alkaid, a star that is much bigger, heavier, brighter, and hotter than the Sun.
M22
M22, a cluster of a half-million stars, stands above teapot-shaped Sagittarius, which wheels low across the south tonight. The cluster is well to the left of the Moon at nightfall, and is visible through binoculars. It is about 10,000 light-years away.
Powerful Jets
Cygnus is in the eastern sky at nightfall. The first confirmed black hole, Cygnus X-1, is about half way between the swan’s bill and the intersection of its body and wings. The black hole is encircled by a bright disk of superhot gas.
Moon Phases
At the new Moon phase, the Moon is so close to the Sun in the sky that none of the side facing Earth is illuminated (position 1 in illustration). In other words, the Moon is between Earth and Sun. At first quarter, the half-lit Moon is highest in the sky at sunset, then sets about six hours later (3). At full Moon, the Moon is behind Earth in space with respect to the Sun. As the Sun sets, the Moon rises with the side that faces Earth fully exposed to sunlight (5).
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Stardate Magazine
Current Issue: JULY/AUGUST 2026
From Canals to Poppy Seeds and Leopard Spots
by Damond Benningfield
Twin Viking landers touched down on Mars 50 years ago, and one of their experiments found evidence of life, which was quickly discounted. But the debate continues, and we’ll review the Viking findings along with other claims of possible life on the Red Planet. We’ll also tell you how planetariums are adapting to the ages of the Internet and social media.
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Stars and Galaxies
Galaxies contain billions of stars. Do galaxies collide? Do the stars within them collide?