For decades, space exploration was driven mainly by governments and Cold War rivalry. The Apollo 11 Moon Landing symbolized technological competition between the United States and the former Soviet Union, while national space agencies dominated nearly all major missions beyond Earth.

A newly discovered asteroid, comparable in size to an adult blue whale, is set to pass close to Earth today (May 18), at about 24% of the average Earth–Moon distance.

Venus will reach its closest point to the Sun on Friday, according to the Qatar Calendar House.

A newly discovered asteroid roughly the size of a basketball court is expected to make a very close pass by Earth on May 18, travelling even closer to the planet than the Moon’s orbit.

Searches related to the Moon, astronomy and night sky events surged worldwide during May 2026 after viral social media posts, striking lunar photography and growing public fascination with space combined to create one of the most unexpected global internet trends of the month.

As May advances, the night sky continues to evolve this week: the bright full Moon begins to fade, and a major meteor shower reaches its peak.

Aquarius moves through April 30 with a focus on ideas and communication, as planetary influences stimulate intellectual activity and forward thinking. The Moon’s tense alignment with Jupiter may create a contrast between your big picture vision and the practical details required to implement it.

China on Friday announced that it had discovered two new lunar minerals.

The line between a captured moment and a computer-generated image is rapidly blurring as smartphone manufacturers lean into generative AI.

The annual Lyrid Meteor Shower is set to reach its spectacular peak on the night of April 21 into the early morning of April 22, 2026.