New, more detailed images and video - released yesterday - of object 2015 TB145, which swept close to Earth on Halloween. Does it still look like a skull?
Not a danger to humans ... just a cool example of nature's power. The Crack, as locals call it, is now hundreds of yards (meters) long and still growing.
A black hole may flare when its corona - a mysterious source of highly energetic particles - launches away from the hole at close to 20 percent of light speed.
Researchers have been adding seeds to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault - or Doomsday Vault - since 2008. Now, for the first time, they've taken seeds out.
On Sunday, the craft that explored Pluto successfully executed the 2nd of 4 maneuvers designed to aim it toward a small Kuiper Belt object called 2014 MU69.
Evidence that Earth was hit by two solar storms - 10 times larger than those observed recently - 1,000 years ago. If they occurred today, they'd have devastating effects on power supplies, satellites and communications.
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.