Posts by

Kelly Kizer Whitt

Hurricane Polo will come ashore next week

Hurricane Polo has been churning off the coast of Mexico. But forecasters say it will come ashore early next week, with remnants spreading into the U.S.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 23, 2026

Forms of aurora: Arcs, curtains, coronas and more

Here are some of the forms of aurora that you might see. Some are more common, such as diffuse glows, while others are a sign of a big geomagnetic storm.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 18, 2026

Huge new Webb image is chock-full of space delights

ESA has unveiled a spectacular new Webb image. One of the largest shots yet, it features protostars, jets, distant spiral galaxies and a gravitational lens.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 17, 2026

1st adult T. rex trackway found by high school teacher

A high school teacher discovered 4 footprints that make up the 1st-ever known T. rex trackway. He discovered it at Hell Creek Formation in North Dakota.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 17, 2026

Wildfires near the South Pole burned 90 million years ago

Researchers have found evidence in a sediment core in Antarctica that wildfires near the South Pole were a regular occurrence some 90 million years ago.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 16, 2026

Mercury is shrinking up to 30% more than expected

A new study shows Mercury is shrinking more than scientists first thought. They say the planet might have already shrunk up to 30% more than expected.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 15, 2026

Does this Mars image show an alien in a hallway?

What do you see in the Mars image? Some people think the rocks look like a hallway where a little alien is walking. Other instances of pareidolia, here.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 12, 2026

Atlantic hurricane season sets a record: No hurricanes yet!

The 2026 Atlantic hurricane season has set a record. It's the longest we've ever gone in a hurricane season without seeing a hurricane. Read more here.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 12, 2026

Did the sun swallow a planet early in its history?

Did the sun swallow a planet early in its history? Models show a super-Earth might have spiraled into the sun and left a fingerprint we can still see today.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 11, 2026

International Cloud Appreciation Day is September 11

The international Cloud Appreciation Day is September 11, 2026. Learn how to participate here and see a gallery of beautiful clouds.

Kelly Kizer Whitt

September 11, 2026

Kelly Kizer Whitt

Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She's been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children's picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.