Astronomy News and Sky Watch — May 18, 2026

0:03 Calarogu Shark Media. You're listening to space news and weather today. Venus continues to dazzle in the evening twilight. Saturn becomes visible after midnight, offering a preview of the summer viewing season ahead. New observations of Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede, revealed that its auroras share detailed structural similarities with auroras on Earth, suggesting that the physical processes that generate these lights may be universal across different types of celestial bodies. Coastal areas see minimal tidal range this week. These neap tides occur when the Sun and Moon work against each other. Follow the arc of the Big Dipper's handle and you'll arc to Arcturus, a golden orange star impossible to miss. It's the fourth brightest star in the entire night sky. A Vagacy rocket is set to launch tomorrow from Guyana Space Center.

1:09 French Guiana Avio SPN is behind this one. Space is Strange. The Voyager one spacecraft, launched in nineteen seventy seven, is now over fifteen billion miles from Earth and still sending data back. Quicksolar update. The Sun is quite active, with numerous sunspot groups visible. That means a moderate chance of northern lights tonight. For those in northern latitudes. Look north after dark if skies are clear. This episode was assembled using AI pulling from NASA and Spaceflight News sources. Thanks for listening.