This August sees the return of the Perseid meteor shower and, with the moon setting around midnight on Aug 11, the early hours of the 12th should allow for a fantastic show. But say if you’re clouded out?
The shower has been observed for around 2,000 years and the particles of dust making up the individual meteors we see today … Read the rest of this article
In astronomy, there’s nothing quite like a bright meteor streaking across the glittering canopy of a moonless night sky. The unexpected flash of light adds a dash of magic to an ordinary walk under the stars.
New research by NASA has just identified the most magical nights of all.
“We have found that one meteor shower produces more fireballs than … Read the rest of this article
In February, a speeding asteroid slammed into our atmosphere and exploded high over Russia’s Ural region, injuring hundreds and causing millions of euros of damage. What should we do if we have a similar – or even bigger – strike in the future?
Of the more than 600,000 known asteroids in our Solar System, almost 10,000 are classified as near-Earth … Read the rest of this article
An amateur video of a concert in Salta, Argentina captured footage of a meteor exploding in the night sky, lighting the sky briefly on April 21, 2013.
The spectacle happened at about 3.30am local time (6.30am GMT), according to local media reports.
The light the meteor created was so bright that it turned the night sky into day as it … Read the rest of this article
I’m sure you heard about the damage and injuries caused by a meteor detonating over Chelyabinsk in Russia last week. Russia, seems a bit unfortunate in this respect as a similar, but larger, event occurred over Siberia in 1908 – The Tunguska Event and another event – the Sikhote-Alin event – happened in 1947. The Chelyabinsk meteor blast was the … Read the rest of this article
A space rock a few metres across exploded in Earth’s atmosphere above the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia today at about 03:15 GMT. The numerous injuries and significant damage remind us that what happens in space can affect us all. At least 950 people were injured as the shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings. Most of those hurt, in the … Read the rest of this article
NASA-funded researchers analyzing a small meteorite that may be the first discovered from the Martian surface or crust have found it contains 10 times more water than other Martian meteorites from unknown origins.
This new class of meteorite was found in 2011 in the Sahara Desert. Designated Northwest Africa (NWA) 7034, and nicknamed “Black Beauty,” it weighs approximately 11 ounces … Read the rest of this article
If you’re outdoors after sunset this week, be alert for meteors. Not only is the Geminid meteor shower active as Earth passes through a stream of debris from “rock comet” 3200 Phaethon, but also, say forecasters, a new meteor shower could make an appearance.
“The source of the new shower is Comet Wirtanen,” says Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment … Read the rest of this article
Every year in mid-December, astronomers look up in the sky and witness a mystery. It announces itself with a flurry of shooting stars. For several nights in a row, dozens to hundreds of meteors per hour cut across the glistening constellations of winter, each one a little puzzle waiting to be solved.
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The Geminid meteor shower peaks on Dec. 13th …
Earth is passing through a stream of gravelly debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower.
Because the debris stream is not very congested, Taurid meteor rates are low, no more than 5 per hour.
The special thing about Taurids is that they tend to be fireballs. Check http://spaceweather.com for the latest videos and images of the … Read the rest of this article
The Sun Now (Visible light)
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The Sun Now (H-Alpha light)
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Aurora Oval
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Aurora Oval
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