Recognizing National Space Day, National Astronomy Day at MSU's Abrams Planetarium
LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)– Since 1997, National Space Day has been held on the first Friday in May.
This year, National Astronomy Day is the day after it — Saturday, May 3rd; two National Astronomy Days are held each year, in the spring and fall, in conjunction with the first quarter moon cycle.
Starting today and extending through the month, will have weekend showings of a series of shorts collectively called 'One Sky.'
Dr. Shannon Schmoll, director of Michigan State University's Abrams Planetarium, says they have activities to offer all the time, and not just on these special days.
The showtimes will include a live expert pointing out elements viewers can look up and find in their own night sky. The shorts feature themes on how different places and cultures around the world relate to the night sky and constellations like Orion's Belt.
The Planetarium also offers a subscription service for a Sky Calendar that describes what watchers can see in the sky each day of the month. The calendar is free in May for space and astronomy aficionados.
Coming up on Wednesday, May 7th is the centennial opening of the first planetarium in the world, which is located in Munich, Germany. Celebrations around the event will take place throughout the planetarium community.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Orion's collaboration partner Bayer announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the oral androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi) darolutamide in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for use in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), which is also known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The approval is based on positive results from the pivotal Phase III ARANOTE trial, which showed that darolutamide plus ADT significantly reduced the risk of radiological progression or death by 46% compared to placebo plus ADT (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.41–0.71; P<0.0001) in patients with mHSPC. With this approval, darolutamide plus ADT is indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with mHSPC either with or without docetaxel. In addition, darolutamide is approved for the treatment of adult patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and the fifth most common cause of cancer death in men worldwide.1 In 2022, an estimated 1.5 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 397,000 died from the disease worldwide.1 Prostate cancer diagnoses are projected to increase to 2.9 million by 2040.2 Darolutamide, under the brand name Nubeqa®, is already approved in mHSPC in combination with ADT and docetaxel in over 85 markets around the world. It's also approved in combination with ADT for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease in more than 85 countries around the world. An approval process in the EU for the treatment of mHSPC in combination with ADT (without docetaxel) is already underway by Bayer. Nubeqa achieved blockbuster status in September 2024, with annual sales reported by Bayer reaching EUR 1.52 billion for the full year of 2024. Darolutamide is developed jointly by Orion and Bayer. About the ARANOTE trial The ARANOTE trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of darolutamide plus ADT in patients with mHSPC. 669 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 600 mg of darolutamide twice daily or matching placebo in addition to ADT. The primary endpoint of this study is rPFS, measured as time from randomization to date of first documented radiological progressive disease or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. Secondary endpoints include overall survival (time to death from any cause), time to first castration resistant event, time to initiation of subsequent anti-cancer therapy, time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, PSA undetectable rates, time to pain progression, and safety assessments. Results from the Phase III ARANOTE trial presented at ESMO 2024 and published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that darolutamide plus ADT significantly reduced the risk of radiological progression or death by 46% compared to placebo plus ADT (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.41–0.71; P<0.0001), in patients with mHSPC. Consistent benefits in radiological progression-free survival (rPFS) were observed across prespecified subgroups, including patients with high-volume (HR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44-0.80) and low-volume (HR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.15-0.60) mHSPC. The incidence of adverse events in the treatment group with darolutamide plus ADT in the ARANOTE study was comparable to placebo plus ADT. 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A robust clinical development program is underway investigating darolutamide across various stages of prostate cancer. The program includes the Phase III ARASTEP trial evaluating darolutamide plus ADT compared to ADT alone in hormone-sensitive high-risk biochemical recurrence (BCR) prostate cancer, who have no evidence of metastatic disease by conventional imaging and a positive PSMA PET/CT at baseline. Furthermore, darolutamide is also being investigated by Bayer in the collaborative Phase III DASL-HiCaP (ANZUP1801) trial led by the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP). The study evaluates darolutamide as an adjuvant treatment for localized prostate cancer with very high risk of recurrence. About metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer At the time of diagnosis, most men have localized prostate cancer, meaning their cancer is confined to the prostate gland and can be treated with curative surgery or radiotherapy. mHSPC is a stage in the disease where the cancer has spread outside of the prostate to other parts of the body. Up to 10% of men will present with mHSPC when first diagnosed.3,4,5 For patients with mHSPC, ADT is the cornerstone of treatment, in combination with chemotherapy docetaxel and/or an androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi). Despite treatment, most men with mHSPC will eventually progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), a condition with limited survival. Contact person: Tuukka Hirvonen, Investor Relations tel. +358 10 426 2721 References Bray F et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Accessed: September 2024. James ND et al. Lancet 2024; 403: 1683–722. Piombino C et al. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Oct 11;15(20):4945. Helgstrand JT et al. Cancer. 2018;124(14):2931-2938. Buzzoni C et al. Eur. Urol. 2015;68:885–890. Publisher:Orion CorporationCommunicationsOrionintie 1A, FI-02200 Espoo, Finland Orion is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Orion has an extensive portfolio of proprietary and generic medicines and consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases and respiratory diseases, among others. In 2024 Orion's net sales amounted to EUR 1,542 million and the company employed about 3,700 professionals worldwide, dedicated to building well-being. Orion's A and B shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
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Orion's collaboration partner Bayer announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the oral androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi) darolutamide in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for use in patients with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC), which is also known as metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). The approval is based on positive results from the pivotal Phase III ARANOTE trial, which showed that darolutamide plus ADT significantly reduced the risk of radiological progression or death by 46% compared to placebo plus ADT (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.41–0.71; P<0.0001) in patients with mHSPC. With this approval, darolutamide plus ADT is indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with mHSPC either with or without docetaxel. In addition, darolutamide is approved for the treatment of adult patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men and the fifth most common cause of cancer death in men worldwide.1 In 2022, an estimated 1.5 million men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, and about 397,000 died from the disease worldwide.1 Prostate cancer diagnoses are projected to increase to 2.9 million by 2040.2 Darolutamide, under the brand name Nubeqa®, is already approved in mHSPC in combination with ADT and docetaxel in over 85 markets around the world. It's also approved in combination with ADT for the treatment of patients with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) who are at high risk of developing metastatic disease in more than 85 countries around the world. An approval process in the EU for the treatment of mHSPC in combination with ADT (without docetaxel) is already underway by Bayer. Nubeqa achieved blockbuster status in September 2024, with annual sales reported by Bayer reaching EUR 1.52 billion for the full year of 2024. Darolutamide is developed jointly by Orion and Bayer. About the ARANOTE trial The ARANOTE trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of darolutamide plus ADT in patients with mHSPC. 669 patients were randomized 2:1 to receive 600 mg of darolutamide twice daily or matching placebo in addition to ADT. The primary endpoint of this study is rPFS, measured as time from randomization to date of first documented radiological progressive disease or death due to any cause, whichever occurs first. Secondary endpoints include overall survival (time to death from any cause), time to first castration resistant event, time to initiation of subsequent anti-cancer therapy, time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, PSA undetectable rates, time to pain progression, and safety assessments. Results from the Phase III ARANOTE trial presented at ESMO 2024 and published in The Journal of Clinical Oncology showed that darolutamide plus ADT significantly reduced the risk of radiological progression or death by 46% compared to placebo plus ADT (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.41–0.71; P<0.0001), in patients with mHSPC. Consistent benefits in radiological progression-free survival (rPFS) were observed across prespecified subgroups, including patients with high-volume (HR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44-0.80) and low-volume (HR 0.30, 95% CI: 0.15-0.60) mHSPC. The incidence of adverse events in the treatment group with darolutamide plus ADT in the ARANOTE study was comparable to placebo plus ADT. Darolutamide plus ADT was generally well tolerated and showed lower discontinuation rates due to adverse events compared to placebo plus ADT. About darolutamide Darolutamide is an oral ARi with a unique chemical structure that binds with high affinity to the androgen receptor and exhibits a strong antagonistic effect against the androgen receptor inhibiting the receptor function and the growth of prostate cancer cells. Additionally, preclinical models and neuroimaging data in healthy humans support darolutamide's low potential for blood-brain barrier penetration. Darolutamide (plus ADT or plus ADT and docetaxel) demonstrated a side effect profile in both registrational studies in mHSPC where the incidences of adverse events were roughly similar to the respective comparator arm. Darolutamide is a treatment option for doctors and patients, considering its tolerability and low risk of drug interaction. A robust clinical development program is underway investigating darolutamide across various stages of prostate cancer. The program includes the Phase III ARASTEP trial evaluating darolutamide plus ADT compared to ADT alone in hormone-sensitive high-risk biochemical recurrence (BCR) prostate cancer, who have no evidence of metastatic disease by conventional imaging and a positive PSMA PET/CT at baseline. Furthermore, darolutamide is also being investigated by Bayer in the collaborative Phase III DASL-HiCaP (ANZUP1801) trial led by the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP). The study evaluates darolutamide as an adjuvant treatment for localized prostate cancer with very high risk of recurrence. About metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer At the time of diagnosis, most men have localized prostate cancer, meaning their cancer is confined to the prostate gland and can be treated with curative surgery or radiotherapy. mHSPC is a stage in the disease where the cancer has spread outside of the prostate to other parts of the body. Up to 10% of men will present with mHSPC when first diagnosed.3,4,5 For patients with mHSPC, ADT is the cornerstone of treatment, in combination with chemotherapy docetaxel and/or an androgen receptor inhibitor (ARi). Despite treatment, most men with mHSPC will eventually progress to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), a condition with limited survival. Contact person: Tuukka Hirvonen, Investor Relations tel. +358 10 426 2721 References Bray F et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Accessed: September 2024. James ND et al. Lancet 2024; 403: 1683–722. Piombino C et al. Cancers (Basel). 2023 Oct 11;15(20):4945. Helgstrand JT et al. Cancer. 2018;124(14):2931-2938. Buzzoni C et al. Eur. Urol. 2015;68:885–890. Publisher:Orion CorporationCommunicationsOrionintie 1A, FI-02200 Espoo, Orion is a globally operating Nordic pharmaceutical company – a builder of well-being for over a hundred years. We develop, manufacture and market human and veterinary pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Orion has an extensive portfolio of proprietary and generic medicines and consumer health products. The core therapy areas of our pharmaceutical R&D are oncology and pain. Proprietary products developed by Orion are used to treat cancer, neurological diseases and respiratory diseases, among others. In 2024 Orion's net sales amounted to EUR 1,542 million and the company employed about 3,700 professionals worldwide, dedicated to building well-being. Orion's A and B shares are listed on Nasdaq while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
19 hours ago
Uncertainty at NASA; Nomination pulled, steep cuts proposed
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After accounting for inflation, this amount would represent NASA's smallest budget since 1961. Space science programs are one of the largest targets of the proposed budget cuts, seeing an almost 50% reduction, to just $3.9 billion. Specific programs targeted for elimination include the Mars Sample Return mission, the currently operating Mars Odyssey and MAVEN missions around Mars, and several missions to Venus. Several ongoing and proposed astrophysics programs, including the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, would also end if the proposed budget passes. NASA's human spaceflight programs also face potential cuts. The budget proposes canceling the Space Launch System, the Orion crew vehicle and the Lunar Gateway after the Artemis III mission. Artemis III, planned for 2027, would be the first crewed flight back to the lunar surface since 1972. The mission would use the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew vehicle to get there. The proposed Lunar Gateway, a mini-space station in lunar orbit, would be abandoned. Instead, the budget proposes to establish a Commercial Moon to Mars program. Under this initiative, NASA would utilize commercial systems such as Blue Origin's New Glenn and SpaceX's Starship to put Americans on the moon and Mars. A smaller budget also means a smaller NASA workforce. The budget proposal suggests that the number of NASA employees would be reduced by one-third, from more than 17,000 to 11,853. Advocates for space science and exploration have criticized the cuts. The Planetary Society has stated that these cuts to space science represent an "extinction level event" that would all but end NASA's ability to perform meaningful science. Democrats in Congress were also quick to push back on the proposed cuts, arguing that they would hamper the United States' ability to carry out its missions. The budget documents released so far are just proposals. Congress must make the final decisions on how much money NASA gets and which programs are funded. While this might be good news for NASA funding, my research has shown that Congress rarely appropriates more money for NASA than the president requests. Leadership challenges The release of the president's proposed budget was followed with the news that the president would withdraw his nomination of Jared Isaacman to be NASA's administrator. In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, "After a thorough review of prior associations, I am hereby withdrawing the nomination of Jared Isaacman to head NASA. I will soon announce a new Nominee who will be Mission aligned, and put America First in Space." Like the budget proposal, news of Isaacman's withdrawal has also hit the space community hard. Following his nomination, Isaacman won the support of many in the space industry and in government. His confirmation hearing in April was largely uncontentious, with support from both Republicans and Democrats. NASA will now need to wait for the president to make a new choice for NASA administrator. That person will then need to go through the same process as Isaacman, with a hearing in the Senate and several votes. Given the amount of time it takes for nominations to make their way through the Senate, NASA is likely to face several more months without a confirmed administrator. This absence will come while many of its programs will be fighting for money and their existence. The months ahead Like many federal agencies right now, NASA faces a tumultuous future. Budgetary and leadership challenges might be the immediate problem, but NASA's long-term future is potentially rocky as well. Since its founding, NASA's mission has been largely centered on sending humans to space. If that role shifts to commercial companies, NASA will need to grapple with what its identity and mission is going forward. History provides some insight. One of NASA's forerunners, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, largely focused on advanced research and development of aeronautical technologies. For instance, NACA researched things such as proper engine placement on airliners, as well as advances that helped air flow more efficiently over those engines. A new NASA that's more similar to NACA might continue research into nuclear engines or other advanced space technology that may contribute to the work commercial space companies are already doing. Choices made by the Trump administration and Congress in the coming months will likely shape what NASA will look like in the years to come. Until then, NASA, like many government organizations, faces a period of uncertainty about its future. Wendy Whitman Cobb is a professor of strategy and security studies at Air University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
