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Posts by
EarthSky
Cassiopeia the Queen ascends in September
Cassiopeia the Queen is an easy-to-find constellation. It has the shape of a W or M. Look in the north-northeast sky on September and October evenings.
September 13, 2021
Here are the 2022 Breakthrough Prize winners
2022 Breakthrough Prize winners made discoveries leading to Covid-19 vaccines, treatments for neurological diseases, and more precise quantum clocks.
September 10, 2021
September birthstone is the sapphire
Sapphire, the September birthstone, is typically blue, the color caused by small amounts of titanium and iron in the crystal structure.
September 7, 2021
Was Comet ATLAS a blast from the past?
Comet ATLAS was seen to break apart in 2020, while still relatively far from the sun. An astronomer thinks our early ancestors saw this comet.
August 25, 2021
Pluto became a dwarf planet on today’s date
Pluto is the largest of many small bodies in the outer solar system. That's partly why it was demoted from major planet to dwarf planet in 2006.
August 24, 2021
Voyager 2 confirms Neptune’s rings this date in 1989
NASA's Voyager 2 confirmed the discovery of Neptune's rings on August 22, 1989, when it took images of a faint, continuous ring system around the planet.
August 22, 2021
Observing meteors: Top 10 tips for the Perseids
The 2021 Perseid meteor shower is rising to its peak and many are observing meteors. Here are our best 10 tips for watching this shower, or any other!
August 6, 2021
2021 moon phases, with distances from Earth
2021 moon phases in a chart format. Dates closest to new moon provide the darkest skies and the best opportunities for stargazing and meteor-watching.
July 30, 2021
Mares’ tails over the Pacific Northwest
Mares' tails - aka cirrus uncinus clouds - are found high above Earth's surface, where the air is very cold. They might mean rain is on the way.
July 21, 2021
Why and how fireflies light up
A firefly's familiar glow is caused by a chemical reaction. Why and how fireflies light up here, plus many wonderful firefly photos.
July 19, 2021
