mastodon 4.8.0-nightly.2026-10-06This bot posts daily updates on Earth's distances from its awkward neighbors, along with other bizarre weekly bulletins from the solar system.
Data sources:
- JPL Horizons (ephemerides)
- Launch Library 2 (launches, space stations)
- NOAA (space weather)
- NASA Image and Video Library
- CelesTrak (satcat)
- NASA MMGIS (Perseverance)
- NASA GSFC PSG (Mars weather simulation)
- CNEOS (fireballs)
- JPL Sentry (asteroid impacts)
For alien abduction services, contact @Russssty@mastodon.social
2026-08-04 01:00:00 UTC (Delta: 24 hours)
WHERE IS 2025-010D?
⚪ Relative to Moon
🌎 Relative to Earth
2026-08-08 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-07)
☄️10P/TEMPEL 2
- Barycentric speed: 31.01 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth - occurred
- Brightness (Mag): 12.78 (+0.00)
- Visibility: Southern hemisphere | Small telescope | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 62,232,480.94 km (+93,266.01 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.42 (+0.00)
- Light travel time: 3 min 27.59 s (+0.31 s)
2026-08-09 00:00:00 UTC
HOW IS SPACE WEATHER NOW?
CURRENT CONDITIONS:
🟢 Solar Wind: 360.1 km/s (1 h avg)
FORECAST FOR TODAY:
🟢 Radio Blackout: R0
- No effects
🟢 Solar Radiation Storm: S0
- No effects
🟢 Geomagnetic Storm: G0
- No effects
2026-08-08 13:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-01)
WHERE IS LUCY?
- Barycentric speed: 9.87 km/s (-0.09 km/s)
- Eurybates flyby in: 368 days
🪨 Relative to Eurybates
- Distance (km): 177,264,819.78 km (-3,237,638.91 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.18 (-0.02)
- Light travel time: 9 min 51.31 s (-10.80 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 762,650,925.55 km (+19,842,150.25 km)
- Distance (AU): 5.10 (+0.13)
- Light travel time: 42 min 24.01 s (+66.19 s)
2026-08-08 12:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-01)
NEPTUNE
- Distance (km): 4,367,325,181.00 km (-13,746,764.85 km)
- Distance (AU): 29.19 (-0.09)
- Light travel time: 4 h 2 min 47.83 s (-45.85 s)
- Orbital speed: 5.47 km/s (+0.00 km/s)
Image: Neptune
Credit: NASA/JPL
2026-08-08 00:00:00 UTC
HOW IS SPACE WEATHER NOW?
CURRENT CONDITIONS:
🟢 Solar Wind: 263.6 km/s (1 h avg)
FORECAST FOR TODAY:
🟢 Radio Blackout: R0
- No effects
🟢 Solar Radiation Storm: S0
- No effects
🟢 Geomagnetic Storm: G0
- No effects
2026-04-03 08:00:00 UTC (Delta: 3 hours)
WHERE IS ARTEMIS II?
- Mission Elapsed Time: 01:09:24:48
- Geocentric speed: 2.45 km/s (-0.52 km/s)
⚪ Relative to Moon
- Distance: 304,811.31 km (-20,663.82 km)
- Light travel time: 1.02 s (-0.07 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance: 97,128.28 km (+27,555.84 km)
- Light travel time: 0.32 s (+0.09 s)
🏆️ Record tracker
- Apollo 13: 400,171 km
- ██░░░░░░░░ 24.27%
- Left to beat: 303,043 km
2026-08-09 05:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
☄️161P/HARTLEY-IRAS
- Barycentric speed: 28.37 km/s (+0.08 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 110 days
- Closest approach to Earth in: 53 days
- Brightness (Mag): 16.53 (-0.07)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Large telescope | Dark sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 235,084,045.97 km (-3,733,462.71 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.57 (-0.02)
- Light travel time: 13 min 4.18 s (-12.45 s)
2026-08-09 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
☄️169P/NEAT
- Barycentric speed: 38.20 km/s (+0.30 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 43 days
- Closest approach to Earth in: 2 days
- Brightness (Mag): 13.42 (-0.05)
- Visibility: Northern hemisphere | Small telescope | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 25,398,520.76 km (-340,587.38 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.17 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 1 min 24.72 s (-1.14 s)
2026-08-09 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
☄️10P/TEMPEL 2
- Barycentric speed: 31.00 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth - occurred
- Brightness (Mag): 12.79 (+0.00)
- Visibility: Southern hemisphere | Small telescope | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 62,350,216.39 km (+117,735.45 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.42 (+0.00)
- Light travel time: 3 min 27.98 s (+0.39 s)
2026-08-09 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
☄️88P/HOWELL
- Barycentric speed: 24.52 km/s (-0.06 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth in: 61 days
- Brightness (Mag): 15.77 (+0.01)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Medium telescope | Dark sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 260,075,732.67 km (-733,925.85 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.74 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 14 min 27.55 s (-2.45 s)
2026-08-09 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
INTERSTELLAR VISITOR: 3I/ATLAS
- Barycentric speed: 59.49 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Crossing the Uranus's orbit in: 260 days
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 1,630,308,372.17 km (+3,789,997.79 km)
- Distance (AU): 10.90 (+0.03)
- Light travel time: 1 h 30 min 38.29 s (+12.64 s)
2026-08-09 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-08)
SUN
- Distance: 151,676,130.29 km (-22,198.66 km)
- Light travel time: 8 min 25.94 s (-0.07 s)
MOON
- Distance: 364,667.29 km (-2,322.79 km)
- Light travel time: 1.22 s (-0.01 s)
- Geocentric speed: 1.08 km/s (+0.01 km/s)
MARS
- Distance: 293,732,818.61 km (-658,722.03 km)
- The 'Red Planet' distress signal finally lands in 16 min 19.79 s (-2.20 s)
- Heliocentric speed: 24.67 km/s (-0.02 km/s)
2026-08-08 15:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-01)
WHERE IS HAYABUSA2♯?
- Barycentric speed: 31.66 km/s (-0.70 km/s)
- Earth flyby: December 2027
🪨 Relative to 1998 KY26
- Distance (km): 352,993,402.36 km (+4,469,759.25 km)
- Distance (AU): 2.36 (+0.03)
- Light travel time: 19 min 37.50 s (+14.91 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 70,025,750.24 km (-3,502,913.77 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.47 (-0.02)
- Light travel time: 3 min 53.59 s (-11.68 s)
2026-08-08 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-07)
☄️169P/NEAT
- Barycentric speed: 37.89 km/s (+0.30 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 44 days
- Closest approach to Earth in: 3 days
- Brightness (Mag): 13.48 (-0.06)
- Visibility: Northern hemisphere | Small telescope | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 25,739,108.14 km (-439,544.47 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.17 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 1 min 25.86 s (-1.47 s)
2026-08-08 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-07)
☄️88P/HOWELL
- Barycentric speed: 24.58 km/s (-0.06 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth in: 62 days
- Brightness (Mag): 15.76 (+0.01)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Medium telescope | Dark sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 260,809,658.52 km (-728,130.69 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.74 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 14 min 29.99 s (-2.43 s)
2026-08-08 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-08-07)
INTERSTELLAR VISITOR: 3I/ATLAS
- Barycentric speed: 59.50 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Crossing the Uranus's orbit in: 261 days
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 1,626,518,374.38 km (+3,827,616.77 km)
- Distance (AU): 10.87 (+0.03)
- Light travel time: 1 h 30 min 25.65 s (+12.77 s)
2026-04-11 15:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-04)
WHERE IS HAYABUSA2♯?
- Barycentric speed: 33.12 km/s (+0.71 km/s)
- Torifune flyby in: 84 days
🪨 Relative to Torifune
- Distance (km): 69,122,975.30 km (-7,785,196.59 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.46 (-0.05)
- Light travel time: 3 min 50.58 s (-25.97 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 184,122,991.72 km (-4,749,697.58 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.23 (-0.03)
- Light travel time: 10 min 14.19 s (-15.84 s)
2026-04-07 17:00:00 UTC (Delta: 3 hours)
WHERE IS ARTEMIS II?
- Mission Elapsed Time: 05:18:24:48
- Geocentric speed: 0.58 km/s (+0.03 km/s)
⚪ Relative to Moon
- Distance: 63,078.15 km (+9,848.86 km)
- Light travel time: 0.21 s (+0.03 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance: 376,985.62 km (-5,938.19 km)
- Light travel time: 1.26 s (-0.02 s)
🏆️ Record tracker
- Apollo 13: 400,171 km
- ██████████ 101.64%
- New record set: 406,740 km
2026-04-04 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-03)
☄️C/2026 A1 (MAPS)
- Barycentric speed: 175.19 km/s (+60.30 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 10 hours
- Closest approach to Earth in: 1 day
- Brightness (Mag): -3.02 (-5.33)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Naked eye | Urban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 155,095,850.93 km (-3,818,682.96 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.04 (-0.03)
- Light travel time: 8 min 37.36 s (-12.74 s)
2026-04-12 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-11)
☄️C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS
- Barycentric speed: 57.71 km/s (+0.47 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 7 days
- Closest approach to Earth in: 14 days
- Brightness (Mag): 8.47 (-0.17)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Binoculars | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 126,981,243.96 km (-5,564,904.81 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.85 (-0.04)
- Light travel time: 7 min 3.58 s (-18.56 s)
2026-04-03 02:00:00 UTC (Delta: 3 hours)
WHERE IS ARTEMIS II?
- Mission Elapsed Time: 01:03:24:48
- Geocentric speed: 4.22 km/s (-1.46 km/s)
⚪ Relative to Moon
- Distance: 354,501.57 km (-49,644.84 km)
- Light travel time: 1.18 s (-0.17 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance: 34,736.16 km (+22,323.45 km)
- Light travel time: 0.12 s (+0.07 s)
🏆️ Record tracker
- Apollo 13: 400,171 km
- █░░░░░░░░░ 17.53%
- Left to beat: 330,026 km
2026-04-11 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-10)
☄️88P/HOWELL
- Barycentric speed: 31.61 km/s (-0.03 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth in: 181 days
- Brightness (Mag): 14.80 (+0.00)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Small/medium telescope | Dark sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 293,153,586.54 km (-97,449.67 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.96 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 16 min 17.88 s (-0.33 s)
2026-04-11 12:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-04)
NEPTUNE
- Distance (km): 4,611,753,646.92 km (-4,568,503.96 km)
- Distance (AU): 30.83 (-0.03)
- Light travel time: 4 h 16 min 23.15 s (-15.24 s)
- Orbital speed: 5.47 km/s (-0.00 km/s)
Image: Crescents of Neptune and Triton
Credit: NASA/JPL
WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?
2026-04-11 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-10)
☄️C/2025 R3 PANSTARRS
- Barycentric speed: 57.24 km/s (+0.51 km/s)
- Perihelion in: 8 days
- Closest approach to Earth in: 15 days
- Brightness (Mag): 8.64 (-0.18)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Binoculars | Suburban sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 132,546,148.77 km (-5,567,744.87 km)
- Distance (AU): 0.89 (-0.04)
- Light travel time: 7 min 22.14 s (-18.57 s)
WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?
2026-04-11 00:00:00 UTC
HOW IS SPACE WEATHER NOW?
CURRENT CONDITIONS:
🔴 Solar Wind: 570.6 km/s (1 h avg)
FORECAST FOR TODAY:
🟢 Radio Blackout: R0
- No effects
🟢 Solar Radiation Storm: S0
- No effects
🟡 Geomagnetic Storm: G1
- Weak power grid fluctuations
- Aurora is visible at high latitudes
2026-04-11 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-10)
SUN
- Distance: 149,894,756.47 km (+43,477.70 km)
- Light travel time: 8 min 20.00 s (+0.15 s)
MOON
- Distance: 396,948.88 km (-3,768.53 km)
- Light travel time: 1.32 s (-0.01 s)
- Geocentric speed: 0.99 km/s (+0.01 km/s)
MARS
- Distance: 340,963,856.34 km (-240,117.84 km)
- We will learn about the Martian red dust storms in 18 min 57.33 s (-0.80 s)
- Heliocentric speed: 26.47 km/s (-0.00 km/s)
2026-04-11 13:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-04)
WHERE IS LUCY?
- Barycentric speed: 11.67 km/s (-0.12 km/s)
- Eurybates flyby in: 487 days
🪨 Relative to Eurybates
- Distance (km): 232,666,057.39 km (-3,327,924.42 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.56 (-0.02)
- Light travel time: 12 min 56.11 s (-11.10 s)
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 516,814,703.56 km (-1,160,488.96 km)
- Distance (AU): 3.45 (-0.01)
- Light travel time: 28 min 43.96 s (-3.87 s)
2026-04-12 00:00:00 UTC
HOW IS SPACE WEATHER NOW?
CURRENT CONDITIONS:
🔴 Solar Wind: 572.0 km/s (1 h avg)
FORECAST FOR TODAY:
🟢 Radio Blackout: R0
- No effects
🟢 Solar Radiation Storm: S0
- No effects
🟢 Geomagnetic Storm: G0
- No effects
2026-04-11 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-10)
INTERSTELLAR VISITOR: 3I/ATLAS
- Barycentric speed: 60.51 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Crossing the Saturn's orbit in: 90 days
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 905,718,206.85 km (+7,740,187.23 km)
- Distance (AU): 6.05 (+0.05)
- Light travel time: 50 min 21.24 s (+25.82 s)
2026-04-12 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-11)
INTERSTELLAR VISITOR: 3I/ATLAS
- Barycentric speed: 60.49 km/s (-0.01 km/s)
- Crossing the Saturn's orbit in: 89 days
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 913,449,559.52 km (+7,731,352.67 km)
- Distance (AU): 6.11 (+0.05)
- Light travel time: 50 min 47.03 s (+25.79 s)
WHERE ARE WE GOING NOW?
2026-04-12 00:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-11)
SUN
- Distance: 149,938,105.28 km (+43,348.81 km)
- Light travel time: 8 min 20.14 s (+0.14 s)
MOON
- Distance: 392,181.92 km (-4,766.96 km)
- Light travel time: 1.31 s (-0.02 s)
- Geocentric speed: 1.00 km/s (+0.01 km/s)
MARS
- Distance: 340,722,725.29 km (-241,131.05 km)
- This is the current lag in the Martian online RPG: 18 min 56.53 s (-0.80 s)
- Heliocentric speed: 26.47 km/s (-0.00 km/s)
2026-04-12 04:00:00 UTC (Delta: 2026-04-11)
☄️88P/HOWELL
- Barycentric speed: 31.58 km/s (-0.03 km/s)
- Perihelion - occured
- Closest approach to Earth in: 180 days
- Brightness (Mag): 14.80 (+0.01)
- Visibility: Both hemispheres | Small/medium telescope | Dark sky
🌎 Relative to Earth
- Distance (km): 293,062,321.19 km (-91,265.35 km)
- Distance (AU): 1.96 (-0.00)
- Light travel time: 16 min 17.58 s (-0.30 s)