2019 November 4 Near the Center of the Lagoon Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Zhuoqun Wu, Chilescope Explanation: Stars are battling gas and dust in the Lagoon Nebula but the photographers are winning. Also known as M8, this photogenic nebula is visible even without binoculars towards the const […]
2019 November 3 Daphnis and the Rings of Saturn Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute, Cassini Explanation: What’s happening to the rings of Saturn? A little moon making big waves. The moon is 8-kilometer Daphnis and it is making waves in the Keeler Gap of Saturn’s rin
2019 November 2 Inside the Flame Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Optical: DSS; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech; X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/ K.Getman, E.Feigelson, M.Kuhn & the MYStIX team Explanation: The Flame Nebula stands out in this optical image of the dusty, crowded star forming regions toward Or
2019 November 1 The Day After Mars Image Credit & Copyright: Rolando Ligustri (CARA Project, CAST) Explanation: October 31, 1938 was the day after Martians encountered planet Earth, and everything was calm. Reports of the invasion were revealed to be part of a Halloween radio drama, the now famo
2019 October 31 The Ghostly Veil Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Anis Abdul Explanation: A ghostly visage on a cosmic scale, these remains of shocked, glowing gas haunt planet Earth’s sky toward the constellation of Cygnus and form the Veil Nebula. The nebula itself is a large supernova
2019 October 30 M42: Inside the Orion Nebula Image Credit & Copyright: Josep M. Drudis & Don Goldman Explanation: The Great Nebula in Orion, an immense, nearby starbirth region, is probably the most famous of all astronomical nebulas. Here, glowing gas surrounds hot young stars at the edge o
2019 October 29 Curiosity Rover Finds a Clay Cache on Mars Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, MSSS Explanation: Why is there clay on Mars? On Earth, clay can form at the bottom of a peaceful lake when specific minerals trap water. At the pictured site on Mars, the robotic rover Curiosity drilled into
2019 October 28 The Space Station Crosses a Spotless Sun Image Credit & Copyright: Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau Explanation: Typically, the International Space Station is visible only at night. Slowly drifting across the night sky as it orbits the Earth, the International Space Station (ISS) can b
2019 October 27 Ghost Aurora over Canada Image Credit & Copyright: Yuichi Takasaka, TWAN Explanation: What does this aurora look like to you? While braving the cold to watch the skies above northern Canada early one morning in 2013, a most unusual aurora appeared. The aurora definitely appeared
