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EarthSky Voices

Death Star moon Mimas has a hidden ocean

Saturn's little moon Mimas has now become the smallest of the known moons in our solar system harboring a hidden ocean of liquid water beneath an icy surface.

Why is the 2024 Lunar New Year so late? Blame the moon

The reason the 2024 Lunar New Year falls so late is the date of new moon and how it aligns with spring in the Chinese calendar.

What is orbital resonance? A dance between heavenly bodies

What is orbital resonance? It's a precise dance between heavenly bodies when their orbits line up, causing them to have specific synchronicities.

Light pollution causes insects to lose track of the sky

Insects get confused by artificial lighting, thinking it's the sky, and exhaust themselves flying around the light source. What can you do to help?

The moon is shrinking, causing moonquakes near planned Artemis landing sites

The moon is shrinking and causing moonquakes and faults near its south pole. But this region is important for future Artemis missions because of ice.

Polar vortex disruption due to climate change? Or … why so cold outside?!

Arctic changes associated with global warming have increased the likelihood of disruptions in the polar vortex, which can cause cold snaps in southerly regions.

Miles-thick buried water ice at Mars’ equator?

Planetary scientists knew there were massive buried deposits near Mars' equator, but not what they consisted of. New research found that it's buried water ice.

The strange story of the grave of Copernicus

Nicholas Copernicus was the astronomer who, five centuries ago, explained that Earth revolves around the sun, rather than vice versa. A true Renaissance man.

What are X flares? Can they harm us?

X flares on the sun are the most powerful explosions in the solar system. We're likely to see more of them as we approach solar maximum, possibly due this year.

Weather on distant planet Tylos! Watch here

With 3 years of data, astronomers using the Hubble telescope say they've simulated weather patterns on distant planet Tylos some 800 light-years away.