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How to see 2018’s brightest comet

By Deborah Byrd and Eddie Irizarry in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 59 mins ago

Comet 46P/Wirtanen is closest to the sun today. It’ll be closest to Earth next week. With the moon waxing and casting more light in the sky, the time to see the comet is now. Charts, tips and other info here.

Scientists describe 229 new species in 2018

By Eleanor Imster in Earth | 2 hours ago

The list includes neon fish, a fast-spinning spider, moray eels, venomous snakes, and more!

What would a warmer world look like?

By EarthSky Voices in Earth | Human World | 3 hours ago

According to the recent IPCC Special Report, warming of 1.5°C (2.7°F) is an important threshold for many climate impacts. What might our planet look like with 1.5°C of warming?

Christmas Bird Count starts December 14

By Deanna Conners in Earth | Human World | 1 day ago

Audubon’s annual Christmas Bird Count is one of the longest-running citizen science projects in existence. How to participate.

10 tips for watching the Geminids

By Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | 1 day ago

#1. Geminid meteor numbers tend to intensify as evening deepens into late night, with the greatest number of meteors likely falling an hour or 2 after midnight. That’s true no matter where you are on the globe.

Voyager 2 enters interstellar space

By Eleanor Imster in Space | 2 days ago

NASA announced Dec. 10 that for the 2nd time in history, a human-made object has reached the space between the stars.

What will the sun do next?

By Deborah Byrd in Space | 2 days ago

Many have predicted a weak sunspot cycle in the years ahead, but new work from India suggests otherwise. The work dashes speculations of a sun-induced global cooling of Earth’s climate in the coming decade.

Find the Geminids’ radiant point

By Larry Sessions and Bruce McClure in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 2 days ago

Why is the Geminid meteor shower best around 2 a.m.? It’s because that’s when the shower’s radiant point – near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini – is highest in the sky.

All you need to know: Geminid meteor shower in 2018

By Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd in Astronomy Essentials | Space | 3 days ago

The peak of the Geminid meteor shower is coming up on the mornings of December 13 and 14.

Another El Niño on the horizon?

By EarthSky in Earth | 3 days ago

The World Meteorological Organization has said there’s a “75–80% chance” of a fully-fledged El Niño event by February, 2019. Click in for a good video from ESA describing El Niños and their global effects.

Listen to the Martian wind

By Eleanor Imster in Space | 3 days ago

NASA’s InSight lander has captured the 1st-ever sounds of Martian winds.

Watch geckos race on water!

By EarthSky in Earth | 3 days ago

Geckos are renowned for their acrobatic feats on land and in the air. Turns out they can also run on water.

WASP-69b, the exoplanet with a tail

By Paul Scott Anderson in Space | 3 days ago

Astronomers have discovered a Jupiter-sized planet – 163 light-years away – that seems to think it’s a comet. It has a prominent “tail” of helium gas.

Tonight

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Tonight

Geminid meteors peak this week

Geminid meteors peak this week

See a celestial Chariot in December

Young moon and Saturn December 8, 9 and 10

Earliest sunsets for 40 degrees N. around now

Space

Find the Geminids' radiant point

How to see 2018's brightest comet

Voyager 2 enters interstellar space

What will the sun do next?

Find the Geminids' radiant point

All you need to know: Geminid meteor shower in 2018

Listen to the Martian wind

WASP-69b, the exoplanet with a tail

Radio search finds no artificial emissions from ‘Oumuamua

Astro Essentials

All you need to know: Geminid meteor shower in 2018

How to see 2018's brightest comet

10 tips for watching the Geminids

Find the Geminids' radiant point

All you need to know: Geminid meteor shower in 2018

Earth

Another El Niño on the horizon?

Scientists describe 229 new species in 2018

What would a warmer world look like?

Christmas Bird Count starts December 14

Another El Niño on the horizon?

Watch geckos race on water!

What is a sun pillar, or light pillar?

Supervolcano eruption 20,000 years ahead?

When is my earliest sunset?

Human World

Himalayas at sunrise

What would a warmer world look like?

Christmas Bird Count starts December 14

Prehistoric cave art suggests ancient use of complex astronomy

Listening to the patterns of the universe

Videos

Voyager 2 enters interstellar space

Voyager 2 enters interstellar space

Another El Niño on the horizon?

Listen to the Martian wind

Watch geckos race on water!

Over 100 new exoplanets from Kepler and Gaia

A measurement of all the starlight ever produced

Astronomers' 1st close-up look near a supermassive black hole

Take 2 trips around Earth, from space