Astronomy News

EarthSky News:

  • Severe storms, tornadoes ravage central US
    by Kelly Kizer Whitt on April 26, 2024 at 9:42 pm

    Severe storms with tornadoes caused destruction in the central U.S. on Friday. More severe storms are forecast for the middle of the country for Saturday. The post Severe storms, tornadoes ravage central US first appeared on EarthSky.

  • What are waterspouts, and how do they form?
    by Matt Daniel on April 26, 2024 at 12:00 pm

    Waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that form over water. They happen all over the world. In the U.S., they're most common near Florida and the Gulf of Mexico. The post What are waterspouts, and how do they form? first appeared on EarthSky.

  • Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May
    by Marcy Curran on April 26, 2024 at 9:30 am

    Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May 2024. On the mornings of April 26 and 27, watch for the moon close to the massive ruby red star Antares. The post Visible planets and night sky guide for April and May first appeared on EarthSky.

  • Sun news April 26: Auroras! More tonight?
    by C. Alex Young on April 26, 2024 at 9:04 am

    Sun news April 26, 2024. Beautiful auroras were spotted last night, and more could be on the way tonight with G1 geomagnetic storming possible. The post Sun news April 26: Auroras! More tonight? first appeared on EarthSky.

Universe Today:

  • Astronomers Will Get Gravitational Wave Alerts Within 30 Seconds
    by Mark Thompson on April 27, 2024 at 12:38 am

    Any event in the cosmos generates gravitational waves, the bigger the event, the more disturbance. Events where black holes and neutron stars collide can send out waves detectable here on Earth. It is possible that there can be an event in visible light when neutron stars collide so to take advantage of every opportunity an … Continue reading "Astronomers Will Get Gravitational Wave Alerts Within 30 Seconds" The post Astronomers Will Get Gravitational Wave Alerts Within 30 Seconds appeared first on Universe Today.

  • Next Generation Ion Engines Will Be Extremely Powerful
    by Matt Williams on April 26, 2024 at 9:02 pm

    During the Space Race, scientists in both the United States and the Soviet Union investigated the concept of ion propulsion. Like many early Space Age proposals, the concept was originally explored by luminaries like Konstantin Tsiolkovsky and Hermann Oberth – two of the “forefathers of rocketry.” Since then, the technology has been validated repeatedly by … Continue reading "Next Generation Ion Engines Will Be Extremely Powerful" The post Next Generation Ion Engines Will Be Extremely Powerful appeared first on Universe Today.

  • Neutron Stars Could be Capturing Primordial Black Holes
    by Carolyn Collins Petersen on April 26, 2024 at 8:48 pm

    The Milky Way has a missing pulsar problem in its core. Astronomers have tried to explain this for years. One of the more interesting ideas comes from a team of astronomers in Europe and invokes dark matter, neutron stars, and primordial black holes (PBHs). Astronomer Roberto Caiozzo, of the International School for Advanced Studies in … Continue reading "Neutron Stars Could be Capturing Primordial Black Holes" The post Neutron Stars Could be Capturing Primordial Black Holes appeared first on Universe Today.

APOD: Astronomy Picture of the Day:

NASA Breaking News:

  • NASA to Provide Coverage as Dragon Departs Station with Science
    by Abbey A. Donaldson on April 26, 2024 at 7:52 pm

    NASA and its international partners are set to receive scientific research samples and hardware as a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft departs the International Space Station on Sunday, April 28 weather permitting. The agency will provide coverage of undocking and departure beginning at 12:45 p.m. EDT on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the

  • Site-Wide Environmental Assessment for Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama
    by John R. Tapp on April 26, 2024 at 7:45 pm

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) that analyzes the environmental impacts of implementing continuing and future mission support activities at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. The EA evaluated the potential environmental effects associated with air quality; climate change and greenhouse gases; land use;

  • NASA-Led Study Provides New Global Accounting of Earth’s Rivers
    by Anthony Greicius on April 26, 2024 at 5:13 pm

    The novel approach to estimating river water storage and discharge also identifies regions marked by ‘fingerprints’ of intense water use. A study led by NASA researchers provides new estimates of how much water courses through Earth’s rivers, the rates at which it’s flowing into the ocean, and how much both of those figures have fluctuated

  • Hubble Spots a Magnificent Barred Galaxy
    by Monika Luabeya on April 26, 2024 at 4:57 pm

    The magnificent central bar of NGC 2217 (also known as AM 0619-271) shines bright in the constellation of Canis Major (The Greater Dog), in this image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Roughly 65 million light-years from Earth, this barred spiral galaxy is a similar size to our Milky Way at 100,000 light-years across. Many stars are concentrated in its

  • Identification of Noise Sources During Launch Using Phased Array Microphone Systems
    by Meagan Chappell on April 26, 2024 at 4:02 pm

    Identification of Noise Sources During Launch Using Phased Array Microphone Systems  Every part of a launch vehicle, launch pad, and ground operation equipment is subjected to the high acoustic load generated during lift-off [1]. Therefore, many extreme measures are taken to try to suppress this acoustic environment by damping with a water deluge system and

Space Station News:

  • NASA to Provide Coverage as Dragon Departs Station with Science
    by Abbey A. Donaldson on April 26, 2024 at 7:52 pm

    NASA and its international partners are set to receive scientific research samples and hardware as a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft departs the International Space Station on Sunday, April 28 weather permitting. The agency will provide coverage of undocking and departure beginning at 12:45 p.m. EDT on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the

  • NASA’s Commercial Partners Deliver Cargo, Crew for Station Science
    by Ana Guzman on April 26, 2024 at 2:10 pm

    NASA partners with commercial companies to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation of cargo and crew members to and from the International Space Station. A platform for long-duration research in microgravity, the station has operated continuously for more than 23 years, its crew members conducting a broad range of technology demonstrations and thousands of experiments

  • NASA Sets Coverage of Roscosmos Spacewalk Outside Space Station
    by Abbey A. Donaldson on April 22, 2024 at 2:23 pm

    NASA will provide live coverage, beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT Thursday, April 25, as two Roscosmos cosmonauts conduct a spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The spacewalk is expected to begin at 10:55 a.m. and could last up to seven hours. NASA will stream the spacewalk on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and

NASA Universe:

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Sky & Telescope Observing  News:

  • This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 26 – May 5
    by Alan MacRobert on April 26, 2024 at 8:27 am

    All the planets now huddle around our line of sight toward the Sun. However, these moonless evenings present us the Spring Triangle, the Great Diamond with a sugar sprinkle on its edge, and the Pointers aligned vertically. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 26 – May 5 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 19 – 28
    by Alan MacRobert on April 19, 2024 at 9:08 am

    Springtime Leo walks high in the south, springtime Hydra snakes a quarter of the way around the celestial sphere, and the bright Moon aligns with Spica. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 19 – 28 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy
    by Bob King on April 17, 2024 at 5:08 am

    Jupiter aligns with distant Uranus before it exits the evening sky as a bright supernova flares in the southern galaxy NGC 3621. The post Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 12 – 21
    by Alan MacRobert on April 12, 2024 at 8:26 am

    Jupiter is easy to spot, shining low in the west at nightfall. Near it are Uranus and Comet Pons-Brooks, tougher catches that require binoculars or a wide-field telescope — and some finding skills. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, April 12 – 21 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • The Totality Experience: S&T’s Eclipse Stories
    by The Editors of Sky & Telescope on April 9, 2024 at 2:35 pm

    With Sky & Telescope’s editors and writers scattered across the eclipse path, we have dozens of stories to share. Here are a few. The post The Totality Experience: S&T’s Eclipse Stories appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Sky & Telescope – Explore the Night with Bob King:

  • Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy
    by Bob King on April 17, 2024 at 5:08 am

    Jupiter aligns with distant Uranus before it exits the evening sky as a bright supernova flares in the southern galaxy NGC 3621. The post Jupiter Meets Uranus in Twilight; Supernova Erupts in Nearby Spiral Galaxy appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • What Will We See in the Sky During Totality?
    by Bob King on March 27, 2024 at 2:58 pm

    Most of our time will be focused on Sun during the minutes of totality on April 8th, but consider tearing yourself away for a few seconds to put it all in context. The post What Will We See in the Sky During Totality? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • Is Betelgeuse Fading Again?
    by Bob King on March 13, 2024 at 2:39 pm

    Betelgeuse has dipped nearly half a magnitude since late January. Could it be headed for another Great Dimming Event? We also take a look at this spring's "other" eclipse. The post Is Betelgeuse Fading Again? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • Fuzzy Glows: See Zodiacal Light, Gegenschein, Airglow, and Aurorae
    by Bob King on February 28, 2024 at 4:38 pm

    Find time this season to set aside your telescope and seek the night sky's ghostly glows. The post Fuzzy Glows: See Zodiacal Light, Gegenschein, Airglow, and Aurorae appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

  • Winter's Finest Triple Stars
    by Bob King on February 14, 2024 at 7:10 pm

    Double stars are wonderful, but triples are terrific! Here are 16 trios to enjoy the next clear night. The post Winter's Finest Triple Stars appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Stardate Podcast:

  • Sirius Disappears
    by Billy Henry on April 26, 2024 at 5:00 am

    The brightest star in the night sky is getting ready to leave it for a while. Sirius, the Dog Star, is low in the southwest as night falls. Over the next few weeks, it’ll sink deeper into the twilight, then disappear from view. Sirius is almost nine light-years away. And it actually consists of […]

  • Moon and Antares
    by Billy Henry on April 25, 2024 at 5:00 am

    Stars are huge — anywhere from about 10 times the diameter of Earth to a hundred thousand times or more. Such a scale is just hard to fathom. One way to envision it is to consider how long it would take you to make one turn around such a giant body. An extreme example is Antares, the bright […]

  • Zosma
    by Billy Henry on April 24, 2024 at 5:00 am

    Over the millennia, stars acquire a lot of names. Some make sense, some don’t. And some of them might have gotten mixed up along the way. An example is the fourth-brightest star of Leo, the lion, which is about 58 light-years away. It represents the lion’s hip. A few centuries ago, it was […]

  • Immanuel Kant
    by Billy Henry on April 23, 2024 at 5:00 am

    Immanuel Kant is best known for his ideas about philosophy, from ethics to the nature of knowledge. But he also played a role in the development of an idea about how planets are born. And while many of the details were off, his basic idea was sound. Kant was born 300 years ago this week, in the […]

  • Moon and Spica
    by Billy Henry on April 22, 2024 at 5:00 am

    Few constellations have as many backstories as Virgo, the virgin. In ancient Greece and Rome, it was linked with several goddesses, each with her own story. In one story, she was Dike, the goddess of justice. She lived when the gods known as the Titans ruled the land. Everything was peaceful, it […]

Current amateur astronomy information such as points of interest and events in the night sky, star party dates, educational information, telescopes buying tips and much more.