July 2026 promises to be an exciting month for skywatchers, with a predawn Moon-and-planets meetup, a returning comet, and prime viewing opportunities for the Milky Way and Saturn's rings. According to NASA, the waning crescent Moon will help point the way to Mars and Saturn in the morning sky on July 11 and 12. Meanwhile, Comet 10P/Tempel 2 will swing by around the New Moon on July 14.

A new method for cataloging stars could fine-tune the search for habitable exoplanets. An international team of scientists has proposed a system that focuses on refining the classification of star activity and rotation. This development could help identify exoplanets that are more likely to support life.

The increasing number of satellites in Earth's orbit is threatening the ability to study the universe from the planet's surface. Astronomers warn that if the number of satellites exceeds 100,000, it could render telescopes obsolete. The problem of space junk is already significant, with over 13,000 tons of debris in Earth's orbit. Addressing this issue will require a multifaceted approach, including technological, policy, and philosophical solutions.

Astronomers have discovered a "hot Jupiter" exoplanet with a hotspot in the wrong place, challenging current understanding of these extreme planets. CoRoT-2 b, located 696 light-years away, orbits its star in just 41 hours and has a mass 3.5 times that of Jupiter. This unusual finding may rewrite the definition of hot Jupiters.

• Who: NASA, European Southern Observatory (ESO), international team of scientists
• What: New star activity catalog, growing number of satellites, unusual exoplanet discovery
• When: July 2026, ongoing research and development
• Impact: Potential loss of ability to study universe from Earth's surface, new opportunities for exoplanet discovery

"We can reach conditions where basically, there is no point in operating the telescopes anymore because all the data will be corrupted. All. 100 percent." — Olivier Hainaut, ESO

• 100,000: number of satellites that could render telescopes obsolete
• 696 light-years: distance to CoRoT-2 b exoplanet

The search for habitable exoplanets and the study of the universe are crucial areas of research in astronomy. However, the growing number of satellites in Earth's orbit poses a significant threat to these efforts. The development of new methods for cataloging stars and identifying exoplanets is essential for advancing our understanding of the universe.

As the number of satellites in Earth's orbit continues to grow, astronomers and policymakers must work together to address the problem of space junk. The development of new technologies and strategies for debris removal will be crucial in preserving our ability to study the universe. Meanwhile, researchers will continue to explore new methods for searching for habitable exoplanets, including the use of advanced star activity catalogs.