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Posts by
Deborah Byrd
Ultima Thule renamed to avoid Nazi link
The distant Kuiper Belt object formerly known as 2014 MU69 - later known as Ultima Thule - has been renamed again. Its new name is Arrokoth.
November 13, 2019
Hubble captures a dozen galaxy doppelgangers
The distant galaxy in this image is nicknamed the Sunburst Arc. It's been lensed into multiple images by a massive, intervening galaxy cluster. A recent study revealed that the 4 bright arcs in this Hubble image contain 12 images - cosmic doppelgangers - of this very distant galaxy.
November 13, 2019
Astronomers catch a record-setting X-ray burst
The sudden spike of X-rays released as much energy in 20 seconds as our sun does in nearly 10 days. Turns out it was a massive thermonuclear flash on a pulsar, the crushed remains of a star that exploded as a supernova long ago.
November 13, 2019
Leonids peak morning likely November 18
Will you see thousands of meteors during the 201 Leonid meteor shower? Doubtful. But you might see a good sprinkling of meteors before dawn November 17 and 18.
November 13, 2019
See it! Monday’s transit of Mercury
Click here for awesome photos from members of the EarthSky community of the November 11, 2019, transit of Mercury. It'll be the last Mercury transit until 2032. A huge thank you to all who submitted to EarthSky Community Photos!
November 12, 2019
SDO caught the Mercury transit from space
Wow! Check out these space-based views of the Mercury transit from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
November 12, 2019
If you think the moon is an impediment to meteor-watching
The moon is big and bright nearly all night now. It'll turn full on Tuesday, just as the North Taurid meteor shower reaches a peak. The moon is a problem for meteor-watching, but this owl ... a bigger problem.
November 10, 2019
Giant planet HR 5183b would look 15 times brighter than Venus
Contrary to previous thought, a giant planet in a wild orbit doesn't mean there can't be an Earth-like planet in the same system. What’s more, the view from that Earth-like world as its giant neighbor moves past would be unlike anything we've ever seen.
November 5, 2019
Voyager 2 sends back insights on interstellar space
Voyager 2 left the realm of the sun's influence a year ago today, becoming the 2nd craft ever to do so. This week, the journal Nature Astronomy published 5 new papers describing what Voyager 2 has been seeing on its journey into the unknown.
November 5, 2019
Scientists study world’s biggest geode
Scientists recently studied the formation of the huge crystals inside the giant geode of Pulpí, located deep in a Spanish mine. They revealed the natural process that grew the crystals, ripening them over thousands of years and making them literally crystal clear.
November 2, 2019
