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Posts by
Kelly Kizer Whitt
See a nova or “new” star. V1405 Cas is now visible to the eye
A nova that first brightened in March of 2021 has now flared bright enough to be seen without binoculars or a telescope.
May 13, 2021
New type of aurora revealed in 19-year-old video
Scientists call it a "diffuse auroral eraser." That's because this newly named aurora first appears as a bright stripe over a diffuse auroral background. Then, when it disappears, it scrubs out the faint auroral light behind it.
May 13, 2021
Voyager 1 detects a hum in interstellar space
Now 8 years into its travels in the deep reaches of space between the stars, Voyager 1 has detected a faint, low-level hum. It stems from the vibration of the plasma, or ionized gas, in interstellar space.
May 12, 2021
The Brood X cicadas are emerging now
Some areas of the United States are starting to report the emergence of the Brood X cicadas after their 17-year absence.
May 11, 2021
Photos from 2021’s Eta Aquariid meteor shower
Check out these pics from the annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower. The peak morning was likely May 5, 2021, but the following morning, May 6, might be good, too.
May 5, 2021
The length of a day on Venus is always changing
Scientists have used radio waves to precisely measure Venus' spin rate and tilt on its axis. We knew the Venus day was exceedingly long, but now we know that the length of a day on Venus regularly changes in length!
May 5, 2021
Space rock found on Earth traced back to origins on Vesta
In 2018, a small asteroid crashed into Earth, and scientists recovered pieces of it in a Botswana game reserve. Now the scientists have determined the space rock's origin: Vesta, in the asteroid belt.
April 30, 2021
Lyrid meteor and Milky Way over Sedona
The expanse of the Milky Way is punctured by a Lyrid meteor in this incredible photograph taken from Sedona, Arizona, by Cecilia Ray.
April 27, 2021
Is there such a thing as earthquake season?
Researchers have found a connection between earthquakes in Taiwan and its dry and rainy seasons.
April 22, 2021
Martin Rees and Frederick Lamb on humanity’s fate
From nuclear weapons to biowarfare to cyberattacks, humanity has much to overcome. Martin Rees and Frederick Lamb discuss the obstacles we must face as we look forward to humanity's future on Earth.
April 22, 2021
