Moon | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/moon/RSS feed for MoonenWed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:34 +0000SpaceX's Giant Starship Rocket Reached Earth Orbit on Its First Try, but Engine Problems Forced It to Return to the Planet Earlyhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/Two aerospace companies are competing to create the lunar lander NASA uses when it returns humans to the moon's surface. But to reach our lunar companion, a spacecraft will first have to get to Earth orbitWed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacexs-giant-starship-rocket-reached-earth-orbit-on-its-first-try-but-engine-problems-forced-it-to-return-to-the-planet-early-180989596/The Moon Just Got a Massive New Crater That's Wider Than Two End-to-End Football Fields. It's a 'Once-in-a-Lifetime Observation'https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-moon-just-got-a-massive-new-crater-thats-wider-than-two-end-to-end-football-fields-its-a-once-in-a-lifetime-observation-180989526/The impact crater was formed in 2024 when an object the size of a multistory building crashed into our lunar companion. The resulting divot is about 728 feet wide and 141 feet deepFri, 18 Sep 2026 19:04:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-moon-just-got-a-massive-new-crater-thats-wider-than-two-end-to-end-football-fields-its-a-once-in-a-lifetime-observation-180989526/Billions of Years Ago, Venus May Have Had a Moon—Which the Planet Promptly Gobbled Up, Study Suggestshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/billions-of-years-ago-venus-may-have-had-a-moon-which-the-planet-promptly-gobbled-up-study-suggests-180989510/Scientists have puzzled over why the planet dubbed "Earth's twin" doesn't have a moon. Computer simulations hint that if Venus ever did have one, it probably would've cannibalized its companionThu, 17 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/billions-of-years-ago-venus-may-have-had-a-moon-which-the-planet-promptly-gobbled-up-study-suggests-180989510/Turn Your Eyes to the Night Skies This Week to See a Near-Total Lunar Eclipse. It'll Temporarily Turn the Moon Redhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turn-your-eyes-to-the-night-skies-this-week-to-see-a-near-total-lunar-eclipse-itll-temporarily-turn-the-moon-red-180989404/During the peak, 96 percent of the moon will be within the darkest part of our planet's shadow. The orb will take on an eerie glow because of how sunlight gets filtered through Earth's atmosphereWed, 26 Aug 2026 18:57:29 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/turn-your-eyes-to-the-night-skies-this-week-to-see-a-near-total-lunar-eclipse-itll-temporarily-turn-the-moon-red-180989404/