Astronomers find more bright spots underneath Mars’s south polar cap, but could they really be subterranean lakes? The post More Mysterious Buried Splotches on Mars Might Not be Liquid Water appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreCategory: Telescopes
Things pointed at space
This Week’s Sky at a Glance, July 2 – 10
Bright Venus and faint little Mars close in on each other low in the western twilight. Scorpius, laden with interesting stars and deep-sky targets, is highest in the south right after dark. Sagittarius, even richer, follows behind. Saturn and Jupiter rise in late evening. The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, July 2 – 10 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreNoctilucent Cloud Show, a Mercurial Nova, and More
Summer only lasts so long. Like everything, it’s transient. That will be our theme as we explore wispy noctilucent clouds, a nova that can’t sit still, and a supernova in NGC 5427 in Virgo. The post Noctilucent Cloud Show, a Mercurial Nova, and More appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreReturn of the Star Parties
As many states roll back COVID restrictions, stargazers across the continent are excited to meet up with old and new friends at their favorite observing sites. The post Return of the Star Parties appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreJuly: Inner Planets Rule!
True darkness is fleeting in July, especially at higher latitudes. So make the most of the darkness you have, by downloading our narrated Sky Tour podcast to “what’s up” in the night sky. The post July: Inner Planets Rule! appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreMoon-size White Dwarf Is the Smallest Ever Found
Astronomers have discovered a white dwarf only slightly bigger than the Moon, making it the smallest ever found. It might even be on the edge of collapse. The post Moon-size White Dwarf Is the Smallest Ever Found appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreGravitational Waves Reveal Black Hole–Neutron Star Mergers
Two new detections give astrophysicists a novel look at how stellar remnants pair up. The post Gravitational Waves Reveal Black Hole–Neutron Star Mergers appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreWhat’s Up at Star Parties?
When amateur astronomers and their families plan a vacation, they are increasingly likely to plan it around a star party. The big amateur gatherings have been growing in recent years, and new ones devoted especially to dark-sky observing are sprouting all over. True deep-sky star parties — as opposed to the more traditional, general-interest conventions […] The post What's Up at Star Parties? appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreVenus Surface Is Fragmented Like “Pack Ice”
A new analysis of old data suggests that some of our sister planet’s unique surface formations are due to a “squishy” crust and an active interior. The post Venus Surface Is Fragmented Like “Pack Ice” appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Read MoreGalaxies That Evolve Together But Don’t Stay Together
A study of 36 dwarf galaxies within a volume of space spanning 13 million light-years show they all have remarkably similar histories despite the vast distances between them. The post Galaxies That Evolve Together But Don’t Stay Together appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
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