https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62vx0pgyrgo 

Not just a prestige project  Conditions in space are ideal for making semiconductors, which have the atoms they're made of arranged in a highly ordered 3D structure. When they are being manufactured in a weightless environment, those atoms line up absolutely perfectly. The vacuum of space also means that contaminants can't sneak in. The purer and more ordered a semiconductor is, the better it works.

The next full Moon is on 3 January 2026 at 10.03am in the UK. January's full Moon is popularly known as the 'Wolf Moon'.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/what-are-names-full-moons-throughout-year 

It was bright enough last evening, to keep the garden light enough to not require any additional lighting outside.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/48/2025/11/supermoon-january-2026-jupiter.jpg?webp=1&w=1200 

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/wolf-moon-2026-jupiter 

also see:

https://spaceweather.com/ 

Now in the western sky 05.00hrs. Stunning.

A "serious medical condition" with a crew member aboard the International Space Station has led NASA to bring the astronaut and three crewmates back to Earth months earlier than planned, the first such emergency return in the orbiting laboratory's 25-year history, senior space agency officials said.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman told reporters on Thursday in a short-notice press conference in Washington that he and medical officials made the decision to return the astronaut, whom he did not identify, because "the capability to diagnose and treat this properly does not live on the International Space Station."

Astronaut medical issue on ISS forces early return for space station crew

https://www.reuters.com/science/nasa-is-considering-bringing-back-iss-crew-over-medical-issue-2026-01-08/ 

BBC's earlier piece 8th Jan.

Astronaut's 'serious medical condition' forces Nasa to end space station mission early

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd9e2y7nkv8o 

"An astronaut onboard the ISS needs to come home for medical treatment, so NASA is bringing the entirety of Crew 11 back to Earth. NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 14, for undocking of the return capsule. This marks the first emergency medical return in the station's 25-year history."

https://spaceweather.com/ 

see:

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/09/nasa-spacex-set-target-date-for-crew-11s-return-to-earth/ 

What is the medical issue? Surprising as these people are so heavily monitored before they go into space.  Unless it was a physical injury?  Or perhaps a female astronaut got knocked up!?  Still waiting for the first baby conceived in space. 

It seems to have been kept confidential, I'm glad to say. No doubt the scum of the web will have lots of speculation to offer. What a sad twisted species we are, having to live our lives by proxy.

Sunspot 4341 erupted today (Jan. 18 @ 1809 UTC), producing an X1.9-class solar flare. The explosion lasted for hours, which makes this flare even more powerful than than its "X1.9" rating would suggest.

https://spaceweather.com/images2026/18jan26/x2_teal_anim_crop_strip_opt.gif 

The explosion launched a full halo CME with a significant Earth-directed component. NASA models predict that it will reach Earth during the early hours of Jan. 20th. The impact could cause a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm with mid-latitude auroras.

https://spaceweather.com/ 

https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ 

since taxpayers are contributing to the cost of the mission I think the American public have a right to know what the medical issue was

All in good time, I'd say, Beast. I've vaguely interested to know and no doubt we will be told in due course. There are too many nosey-parker know-alls wanting to have their say. Freedom of speech is a noble objective but do you and I really care what "the mob with its stinking breath" have to say? [Coriolanus]

Space Weather News for Jan. 19, 2026

https://spaceweather.com 

SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED: A CME is approaching Earth, and it could cause a severe (G4-class) geomagnetic storm when it arrives during the early UTC hours of Jan. 20th. For sky watchers in North America, this means the night of Jan. 19-20. Widespread auroras are possible if the storm reaches its predicted peak intensity. Full story @ Spaceweather.com.

Completely fogged out here but there is still a weird green glow.

https://i.postimg.cc/D0chgPCk/618012218-1227897676151860-5029422967545442174-n.jpg 

Thanks, Four. Here's the BBC's offerings. Enjoy.

Northern Lights illuminate UK skies in hues of pink and green

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q4pj5j729o 

https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ 

Anyone get lucky?

Your pictures as the northern lights dazzle for second night across the UK

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cew8j7xlj4vo 

It was too cloudy here, unfortunately.

"There is quite a lot of cloud in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday night, with the best of any clear spells likely to be across Northern Ireland. The Moon will be at its peak illumination at 10:09 GMT in the UK when it is below the horizon, however it will still appear 'full' when it rises at night and for the following few days."

Snow Moon: How and when to see February's full Moon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/cvgm4m2wn9po 

There's been no update on the evacuated ISS astronaut, Beast. The official line is confidentiality. "While the specific identity and condition were not disclosed for privacy reasons, NASA confirmed the affected astronaut is "doing fine" and is in stable condition." Your hypothesis is still tenable. Some useful background here - 16th Jan:

What the first medical evacuation from the International Space Station tells us about healthcare in space

https://theconversation.com/what-the-first-medical-evacuation-from-the-international-space-station-tells-us-about-healthcare-in-space-273728 

Sorry Beast - only just seen that. Yes - Jupiter is a naked-eye object. I'm sure you saw it.

https://theskylive.com/jupiter-info 

One of the first highlights for beginner telescope users is to see the 4 Galilean Moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, and the "Great Red Spot".

Galilean Moons

https://theskylive.com/galilean-moons 

Thanks, i was a big enthusiast when i was a kid, had a telescope (still got it!) but our house is covered all over by trees so always impossible to see things lower down and my mother never used to let me go out to the local park at night.  

Horrible "seeing" last night. You may find this link useful.

https://theskylive.com/where-is-jupiter