2020 January 9 Perihelion to Aphelion Image Credit & Copyright: Ian Griffin (Otago Museum) Explanation: Perihelion for 2020, the point in Earth’s elliptical orbit when it is closest to the Sun, occurred on January 5th. The distance from the Sun doesn’t determine the seasons, though. […]
2020 January 8 Galaxies in the River Image Credit & Copyright: Star Shadows Remote Observatory, PROMPT, CTIO Explanation: Large galaxies grow by eating small ones. Even our own galaxy engages in a sort of galactic cannibalism, absorbing small galaxies that are too close and are captured by the M
2020 January 7 IC 405: The Flaming Star Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Eric Coles and Mel Helm Explanation: Rippling dust and gas lanes give the Flaming Star Nebula its name. The orange and purple colors of the nebula are present in different regions and are created by different processes. The
2020 January 6 Tumultuous Clouds of Jupiter Image Credit & License: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Processing: Kevin M. Gill Explanation: Some cloud patterns on Jupiter are quite complex. The featured tumultuous clouds were captured in May by NASA’s robotic Juno spacecraft currently orbiting
2020 January 5 A Starry Night of Iceland Image Credit: Stephane Vetter (Nuits sacrees) Explanation: On some nights, the sky is the best show in town. On this night, the sky was not only the best show in town, but a composite image of the sky won an international competition for landscape astrophotog
2020 January 4 Aurora Slathers Up the Sky Image Credit: Jack Fischer, Expedition 52, NASA Explanation: Like salsa verde on your favorite burrito, a green aurora slathers up the sky in this 2017 June 25 snapshot from the International Space Station. About 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth, the o
2020 January 3 Quadrantids over the Great Wall Image Credit & Copyright: Cheng Luo Explanation: Named for a forgotten constellation, the Quadrantid Meteor Shower is an annual event for planet Earth’s northern hemisphere skygazers The shower’s radiant on the sky lies within the old, a
2020 January 2 The Fainting of Betelgeuse Image Credit & Copyright: Jimmy Westlake (Colorado Mountain College) Explanation: Begirt with many a blazing star, Orion the Hunter is one of the most recognizable constellations. In this night skyscape the Hunter’s stars rise in the northern hemis
2020 January 1 Betelgeuse Imagined Illustration Credit: ESO, L. Calcada Explanation: Why is Betelgeuse fading? No one knows. Betelgeuse, one of the brightest and most recognized stars in the night sky, is only half as bright as it used to be only five months ago. Such variability is likely just norm
2019 December 31 M33: The Triangulum Galaxy Image Credit & Copyright: Rui Liao Explanation: The small, northern constellation Triangulum harbors this magnificent face-on spiral galaxy, M33. Its popular names include the Pinwheel Galaxy or just the Triangulum Galaxy. M33 is over 50,000 light-yea
