An asteroid burned up over Germany on Jan. 21. The rock was only three feet in size and posed no risk to people on the ground. But astronomers used planetary defense software to detect the asteroid and pinpoint where it would enter the atmosphere. Meteorite hunters found pieces of it days later in Poland. Michael Aye, via Storyful NYT
Crucial Events on the Path Back to the Moon NASA wants to put American astronauts on the moon’s surface in the years ahead with the Artemis III mission. Before that can happen, though, many things have to go right, and two of the most important are scheduled for 2024. The first is the Artemis II mission. NASA introduced the four astronauts of Artemis II last year. As soon as November, the four could travel around the moon and back. They would be the first humans to travel near the moon…