Axios

A rare chance to see a solar eclipse arrives Saturday for most of the country.

The big picture: It depends on where you're located if you'll be able to see an annular solar eclipse — also known as a "ring of fire" eclipse — or a partial solar eclipse.

Sweltering temperatures baking the globe this year, both on land and sea, have amplified the odds of the Earth setting an inauspicious record.

Driving the news: Months of hotter-than-normal weather have made the planet go from a 46.8% chance of having the warmest year on record at the end of July, to a greater than 99% chance of this outcome now, according to new data from NOAA.

A NASA mission launched on its journey to explore an odd metallic asteroid on Friday morning.

Why it matters: Scientists think that the asteroid Psyche might be a fragment of a metallic core of a long-dead protoplanet that formed early in the solar system's history.

It's Friday the 13th during Halloween month — and if that horrifies or excites you, there's likely a good reason why.

Why it matters: Whether a scary movie makes you feel good or bad depends largely on your early experiences and the context of feeling that intensity.

The globe's pronounced and unexpected temperature spike during the past few months is provoking unease among some of the most level-headed climate scientists.

The big picture: September was the most unusually warm month in recorded history. This followed record heat in June and July — which was also the planet's hottest month — as well as August.

The largest known solar storm struck Earth more than 14,000 years ago, according to a new study of the growth rings in ancient trees.

Why it matters: The discovery illustrates the immense power of solar storms — and underscores the danger they pose today.