EarthSky - Earth, Space, Human World, Tonight

Why isn’t Easter this Sunday?

By Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Human World | 5 hours ago

Easter generally falls on the 1st Sunday following the 1st full moon following the vernal equinox. Last night’s full moon came about 4 hours after the astronomical equinox. So why isn’t this Sunday Easter?

Watch spacewalk March 22

By Eleanor Imster in Human World | Space | 5 hours ago

NASA TV will air 3 upcoming spacewalks by ISS astronauts, the first of which happens tomorrow, March 22. Coverage begins at 10:30 UTC (6:30 a.m. EDT). The spacewalk is scheduled to start at 12:05 UTC (8:05 a.m. EDT) and last 6.5 hours.

Do you have a magnetic compass in your head?

By EarthSky Voices in Human World | 6 hours ago

New evidence suggests that humans have a magnetic sense that lets our brains detect and respond to Earth’s magnetic field.

Watch the sun’s shift on your horizon

By Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 1 day ago

Looking for an easy, but profound, sky activity? Note how far the sunset moves on your horizon, as spring shifts toward summer, or autumn toward winter, on your part of the globe.

A Chinese perspective on spring

By Deborah Byrd in Human World | 1 day ago

In Chinese thought, spring is associated with the direction east, the sunrise direction as Earth spins us toward the beginning of each new day.

A jet stream in Europa’s ocean?

By Paul Scott Anderson in Space | 2 days ago

Jupiter’s moon Europa likely has a subsurface ocean, possibly salty, with volcanic vents on its ocean floor. A new study suggests it might also have an oceanic jet stream, comparable to the Gulf Stream back here on Earth.

Astronomers discover 83 more supermassive black holes

By EarthSky in Space | 3 days ago

Astronomers used a cutting-edge camera mounted on one of the world’s largest telescopes to discover 83 new quasars – powered by central, supermassive black holes – in the very early universe.

Fastest sunsets happen near equinoxes

By Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 3 days ago

We’re talking about the amount of time needed for the body of the sun to sink below the horizon. It’s true. The sun actually sets faster around the time of an equinox.

Storm in a cosmic teacup

By Eleanor Imster in Space | Today's Image | 3 days ago

Nicknamed the Teacup because of its shape, this quasar is causing a cosmic storm in a distant galaxy. The source of the squall is a supermassive black hole buried at a galaxy’s center.

Mining the moon

By EarthSky Voices in Human World | Space | 3 days ago

How can the cost of space travel – to and from the moon and possibly to Mars – be reduced? One approach is to mine the moon for necessary resources.

Are day and night equal at the equinox?

By Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | 3 days ago

Equinox means “equal night.” And you might hear that day and night are equal at the equinoxes. Yet Earth’s air and our sun conspire to give us more day than night at an equinox.

Goldilocks stars: Just right for habitable planets

By Paul Scott Anderson in Space | 4 days ago

Which stars are the most likely to have habitable planets? A new study suggest that K stars – between the dimmest M-type red dwarfs and sunlike stars – might provide the sweet spot for life.

March equinox: All you need to know

By Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | 4 days ago

The March 20, 2019, equinox is an event that happens on our sky’s dome and a seasonal marker in Earth’s orbit around the sun.

Tonight

Today's Image

Tonight

Full supermoon at March 2019 equinox

Full supermoon at March 2019 equinox

Does the equinox sun rise due east and set due west?

Moon and Regulus on March 18 and 19

Moon and faint Cancer on March 17

Space

A jet stream in Europa's ocean?

Watch spacewalk March 22

A jet stream in Europa's ocean?

Astronomers discover 83 more supermassive black holes

Storm in a cosmic teacup

Mining the moon

Goldilocks stars: Just right for habitable planets

Hyper-runaway star fled Milky Way disk

See the Opportunity rover's last image

Astro Essentials

Astronomers discover 83 more supermassive black holes

Watch the sun's shift on your horizon

Fastest sunsets happen near equinoxes

Are day and night equal at the equinox?

March equinox: All you need to know

Earth

Does the equinox sun rise due east and set due west?

These bacteria eat and breathe electricity

A new species of killer whale?

Dinosaurs thrived before fatal asteroid impact

Why are some icebergs green?

Thousands of tiny ice quakes shake Antarctica at night

How can I see a green flash?

Watch right whale and calf interact with dolphins

Ospreys’ recovery is global conservation success story

Human World

A Chinese perspective on spring

Why isn't Easter this Sunday?

Watch spacewalk March 22

Do you have a magnetic compass in your head?

A Chinese perspective on spring

Videos

Storm in a cosmic teacup

Storm in a cosmic teacup

A new species of killer whale?

Woot! 4,001 exoplanets and counting

Dinosaurs thrived before fatal asteroid impact

Why are some icebergs green?

Watch right whale and calf interact with dolphins

Eclipse shows moon move in reverse

How the moon got its sunburn