# Nightly News: 2026-09-23

That night's Nightly News edition.

## [Sun news: Solar wind gust could spark auroras](https://darkskiesdirectory.com/nightly-news/2026-09-23/sun-news-solar-wind-gust-could-spark-auroras)

Source: [EarthSky](https://earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates/)

A stream of solar wind from a coronal hole is arriving at Earth and could trigger auroras today. This is exciting news for sky-watchers, as it means there's a chance to see the northern or southern lights dancing across the sky. Sky-watchers should look for aurora activity tonight, especially at higher latitudes.

## [A new report from Europe raises serious alarms about orbital collisions](https://darkskiesdirectory.com/nightly-news/2026-09-23/a-new-report-from-europe-raises-serious-alarms-about-orbital-collisions)

Source: [Ars Technica (Space)](https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/09/there-are-now-17000-satellites-in-orbit-and-growing-should-we-be-concerned/)

A new report from Europe raises concerns about orbital collisions, highlighting the risk of a cascading series of collisions in space. This is a crucial issue for sky-watchers to care about, as a cluttered orbit could impact the quality of astronomical observations and the safety of satellites used for stargazing and astronomy. Sky-watchers should be aware of the potential for increased satellite debris in orbit, which could affect the visibility of meteor showers and other celestial events.

## [Ethereal Space Awarded NOAA SBEM Task Order 1](https://darkskiesdirectory.com/nightly-news/2026-09-23/ethereal-space-awarded-noaa-sbem-task-order-1)

Source: [SpaceNews](https://spacenews.com/ethereal-space-awarded-noaa-sbem-task-order-1/)

Ethereal Space has been awarded Task Order 1 under NOAA's ProTech 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring program. This is exciting news for sky-watchers because it means there will be continued advancements in space-based environmental monitoring, which can lead to better understanding and prediction of celestial events. Sky-watchers can look forward to potential improvements in weather forecasting and space weather monitoring as a result of this task order.

## [Shannon Lucid’s Record-Setting Mission Aboard Mir](https://darkskiesdirectory.com/nightly-news/2026-09-23/shannon-lucid-s-record-setting-mission-aboard-mir)

Source: [NASA (all news)](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/shannon-lucids-record-setting-mission-aboard-mir/)

Astronaut Shannon Lucid completed her record-setting mission aboard Russia's Mir Space Station on September 23, 1996. This historic event is notable for sky-watchers because it highlights the achievements of space exploration and the opportunities for scientific research in space. Lucid's work on the wheat plants in the Svet greenhouse demonstrates the potential for studying plant growth in microgravity environments. Sky-watchers can look up NASA's archives for more information on Lucid's mission and its contributions to our understanding of space and science.

## [NASA’s Hubble Telescope Reaches Milestone, Looks for Elusive Supernova](https://darkskiesdirectory.com/nightly-news/2026-09-23/nasa-s-hubble-telescope-reaches-milestone-looks-for-elusive-supernova)

Source: [NASA (all news)](https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-hubble-telescope-reaches-milestone-looks-for-elusive-supernova/)

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has reached a milestone and is looking for the reappearance of supernova Athena in galaxy cluster MACS J0417. This event is significant for sky-watchers because it can help astronomers measure the expansion rate of the universe, providing valuable insights into the cosmos. The telescope's observations of the galaxy cluster, which acts as a gravitational lens, will be crucial in detecting the supernova's reappearance. Sky-watchers can look forward to learning more about the universe's expansion rate as NASA releases updates on the Hubble Space Telescope's findings.

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