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A small asteroid hit us last weekend
Asteroid 2019 MO exploded in our atmosphere with an energy of about 3 to 5 kilotons of TNT. Such events happen once or twice yearly, astronomers say. Most are unexpected, but this space rock was detected hours before it struck.
June 26, 2019
Meet an iconic spiral galaxy
This is a particularly photogenic spiral galaxy, called NGC 2903. You can see its pinwheeling spiral arms, scatterings of stars, glowing bursts of gas, and dark lanes of cosmic dust.
June 25, 2019
Table salt compound spotted on Jupiter’s moon Europa
Europa has an ocean, hidden beneath its icy crust. The discovery of sodium chloride - aka table salt - on the moon's surface might be strong evidence that Europa's ocean is very similar to Earth's.
June 24, 2019
6 amazing facts about ants
It’s summer here in the Northern Hemisphere. And summertime is ant time. Here are 6 things about ants you might not know.
June 24, 2019
Catch Mercury in the west after sunset
Try to spot Mercury, the solar system's innermost planet, as dusk gives way to darkness. Look west, close to the sunset point. On June 23, 2019, Mercury reaches greatest elongation 25 degrees east of the setting sun.
June 23, 2019
Do toxic gases make advanced extraterrestrial life less likely?
A new study suggests that many exoplanets - worlds orbiting distant stars - might have an overabundance of toxic gases in their atmospheres. If so, that would make the evolution of complex life forms more difficult.
June 23, 2019
Watch night launch of SpaceX Falcon Heavy June 24
Liftoff is targeted at 11:30 p.m. EDT, with a 4-hour launch window. SpaceX is calling the launch its most difficult ever, because the rocket must release 24 satellites into 3 different orbits.
June 23, 2019
Best photos of the Mercury-Mars conjunction
It was the closest conjunction of 2 planets in 2019, between Mercury and Mars. It happened low in the evening twilight - and was best seen from Earth's Southern Hemisphere. Check out these photos from EarthSky Community members.
June 23, 2019
The science behind puppy dog eyes
You know that look your dog gives you, with the raised eyebrows, that melts your heart? A new study says that wolves don't do it. It's a part of how dogs have evolved to communicate with humans.
June 21, 2019
