Two spacecraft are heading for a close Venus encounter: Solar Orbiter passes by on August 9th and BepiColombo on August 10th. The post Two Space Probes to Pass by Venus Next Week appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreCategory: Telescopes
Things pointed at space
Welcome, Jupiter & Saturn!
The Perseids are upon us — and as you’re looking out for shooting stars, look for Jupiter and Saturn low in the southeast as soon as night begins to fall. The post Welcome, Jupiter & Saturn! appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read More“Liquid Water” Below Martian Surface Might Be Clay
Mysterious spots that scientists thought were subsurface lakes beneath the Martian south pole may instead be ancient clay deposits. The post "Liquid Water" Below Martian Surface Might Be Clay appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 30 – August 7
Saturn is at opposition this week, and Jupiter is soon to follow. Will your scope show the Seeliger effect of Saturn’s opposition rings? Venus continues to haunt the low west in twilight. And in the south, Sagittarius starts nudging Scorpius aside. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 30 – August 7 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreDazzling Doubles for Compromised Skies
For many, smoke from wildfires has transformed summer nights, blotting out stars and familiar deep-sky sights. But through it all double stars keep on shining. The post Dazzling Doubles for Compromised Skies appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreA Pileup of Perpendicular Planets
In some planetary systems, the direction that a star spins and the direction its planets orbit don’t always line up. A new study explores what we can learn from these nonconformists. The post A Pileup of Perpendicular Planets appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreFifty Years Ago in Photos: Apollo 15 Astronauts Explore the Moon
See photos — some familiar and some rarely seen — from the Apollo 15 mission, which launched place 50 years ago today. The post Fifty Years Ago in Photos: Apollo 15 Astronauts Explore the Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreHow Often Do Chicxulub-level Asteroids Hit Earth?
Asteroids of different sizes crashing on Earth originated from different parts of the main asteroid belt, researchers say; the finding has implications for how often such collisions happen. The post How Often Do Chicxulub-level Asteroids Hit Earth? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreThis Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 23 – 31
Saturn and Jupiter shine in the southeast by late evening. The bright Moon passes them on the 24th through 26th. Venus continues to sit patiently, changelessly, low in the west in twilight. Bootes and the Big Dipper mark the western sky after dark; the Summer Triangle emblazons the east. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 23 – 31 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreAstronomers Detect Potential Moon-forming Disk around an Exoplanet
Astronomers have made the first clear detection of a dusty disk surrounding an exoplanet, which could eventually go on to form moons. The post Astronomers Detect Potential Moon-forming Disk around an Exoplanet appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
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