2020 June 3 The Dance of Venus and Earth Video & Text Credit: James O’Donoghue (JAXA); Data: NASA, HORIZONS; h/t: Josef Chlachula Explanation: Every time Venus passes the Earth, it shows the same face. This remarkable fact has been known for only about 50 years, ever since radio telescope […]
2020 June 2 Novel Coronavirus Attacks Humanity Image Credit & License: NIAID Explanation: Humanity is under attack. The attack is not from large tentacle-flailing aliens, but from invaders so small they can barely be seen, and so strange they are not even clearly alive. All over planet Earth, t
2020 June 1 The Lively Center of the Lagoon Nebula Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble; Processing & Copyright: Diego Gravinese Explanation: The center of the Lagoon Nebula is a whirlwind of spectacular star formation. Visible near the image center, at least two long funnel-shaped clouds, each roug
2020 May 31 Aurora over Sweden Image Credit & Copyright: Göran Strand Explanation: It was bright and green and stretched across the sky. This striking aurora display was captured in 2016 just outside of Östersund, Sweden. Six photographic fields were merged to create the featured panorama spann
2020 May 30 Green Flashes: Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury Image Credit & Copyright: Marcella Giulia Pace Explanation: Follow a sunset on a clear day against a distant horizon and you might glimpse green just as the Sun disappears from view. The green flash is caused by refraction of light rays trave
2020 May 28 Reflecting the International Space Station Image Credit & Copyright: Helmut Schnieder Explanation: Still bathed in sunlight, the International Space Station arced through the evening sky over lake Wulfsahl-Gusborn in northern Germany, just after sunset on March 25. The familiar cons
2020 May 27 Earth and Moon through Saturn’s Rings Image Credit: NASA, ESA, JPL-Caltech, SSI, Cassini Imaging Team; Processing & License: Kevin M. Gill Explanation: What are those dots between Saturn’s rings? Our Earth and Moon. Just over three years ago, because the Sun was temporar
2020 May 26 The Milky Way over Snow-Capped Himalayas Image Credit & Copyright: Tomas Havel Explanation: What’s higher than the Himalayas? Although the Himalayan Mountains are the tallest on planet Earth, they don’t measure up to the Milky Way. Visible above the snow-capped mountains in th
2020 May 25 Mystic Mountain Monster being Destroyed Image Credit: Hubble, NASA, ESA; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt Explanation: Inside the head of this interstellar monster is a star that is slowly destroying it. The huge monster, actually an inanimate series of pillars of gas and dust, me
