EarthSky - Earth, Space, Human World, Tonight

NASA announces Venus rover challenge winners

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Human World | Space | 4 hours ago

The Venus rover challenge – called “Exploring Hell” – received a great response from countries around the world. NASA said the design ideas submitted will help advance the final design of a mechanical rover that might one day explore the hellish surface of Venus.

Life inside Pluto?

Posted by EarthSky Voices in Space | 1 day ago

The dwarf planet’s hot birth may have created a warm internal ocean, and where there’s warm water, there might be life.

How many ETs are in our galaxy? Ask the Alien Civilization Calculator

Posted by Paul Scott Anderson in Space | 1 day ago

Researchers at Omni Calculator have created the Alien Civilization Calculator, a unique combination of two different methods of trying to determine how many advanced alien civilizations may exist in our galaxy.

How volcanoes explode deep under the ocean

Posted by Eleanor Imster in Earth | 1 day ago

Explosive volcanic eruptions are possible deep down in the sea – although the water masses exert enormous pressure there. An international team reports how this can happen.

When is the next great comet?

Posted by Tim Reyes in Space | 2 days ago

There’s a nice binocular comet – comet NEOWISE – in the early morning sky now. Some experienced observers are catching it with the eye alone. It’s nice … but not great. When will we see our next great comet?

How do waterspouts form?

Posted by Matt Daniel in Earth | 2 days ago

Waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that form over water. They can and do form over all the world’s oceans. In the U.S., they’re most common near the Florida Keys and in the Gulf of Mexico.

How to see comet NEOWISE

Posted by Eddie Irizarry in Space | 4 days ago

Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is basically a binocular object, although some experienced observers with pristine skies are reporting they can see it with the eye alone. This post has information and charts that will help you see the comet.

Eclipse? What eclipse?

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Human World | Today's Image | 4 days ago

Even experienced observers say they couldn’t discern the Earth’s shadow on the moon during the partial penumbral eclipse of July 4-5, 2020.

‘Astonishing discovery’ of massive prehistoric circle near Stonehenge

Posted by Eleanor Imster in Human World | 4 days ago

An ancient circle of deep trenches has been found near Stonehenge. Scientists say the newly discovery site offers insights into the lives of people who lived in the area 4,500 years ago.

10 years of the sun in 1 hour

Posted by EarthSky in Space | 4 days ago

A new timelapse from NASA’s SDO Observatory condenses an entire solar cycle into 1 hour.

Why fireflies light up

Posted by EarthSky in Earth | 4 days ago

A firefly’s familiar glow is caused by a chemical reaction. Explanation here, plus many wonderful firefly photos.

How do fireworks get their colors?

Posted by Deanna Conners and Paul Scott Anderson in Human World | 5 days ago

Many, perhaps most, fireworks displays have been canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. Still, it’s fun to contemplate the fact that the beautiful colors in fireworks – so good at stirring our emotions – are created by chemistry.

For the 1st time, a visible light explosion from a black hole merger

Posted by Deborah Byrd in Space | 6 days ago

In recent years, black hole mergers in our universe have been detected via ripples in spacetime known as gravitational waves. Now, for the first time, astronomers believe they’ve observed visible light from a black hole merger, in a peculiar 3-black-hole system.

Today's Image

Tonight

Tonight

Venus brightest, near star Aldebaran, around July 10

Venus brightest, near star Aldebaran, around July 10

Vega and its constellation Lyra

Use the Big Dipper to find Polaris

Full moon, faint eclipse, on July 4-5

Space

When is the next great comet?

NASA announces Venus rover challenge winners

Life inside Pluto?

How many ETs are in our galaxy? Ask the Alien Civilization Calculator

When is the next great comet?

How to see comet NEOWISE

10 years of the sun in 1 hour

For the 1st time, a visible light explosion from a black hole merger

Astronomers discover 6 possible new exomoons

Astro Essentials

M5, your new favorite globular cluster

M5, your new favorite globular cluster

Jupiter gives us Pluto in 2020

July 2020 guide to the bright planets

What's a penumbral eclipse of the moon?

Earth

How do waterspouts form?

How volcanoes explode deep under the ocean

How do waterspouts form?

Why fireflies light up

Check out this sloth robot

Stunning images of the night

When the sky exploded: Remembering Tunguska

Saharan-fed sunsets in the US

Plastic rain: More than 1,000 tons of microplastic rain onto western US

Human World

Eclipse? What eclipse?

NASA announces Venus rover challenge winners

Eclipse? What eclipse?

'Astonishing discovery' of massive prehistoric circle near Stonehenge

How do fireworks get their colors?

Videos

10 years of the sun in 1 hour

'Astonishing discovery' of massive prehistoric circle near Stonehenge

10 years of the sun in 1 hour

Check out this sloth robot

Plastic rain: More than 1,000 tons of microplastic rain onto western US

Study reveals biggest Yellowstone supervolcano eruption

SOHO's 4,000th comet

Video: 2 minutes of cool ocean facts

NOAA predicts a 'busy' 2020 Atlantic hurricane season