What is the mystery mass on the moon?

Scientists have discovered a massive subsurface deposit of dense material – probably metal – beneath the largest crater on the moon. Did it result from a huge asteroid impact or a former lunar ocean of molten rock? Source: https://earthsky.org/space/mystery-mass-moon-south-pole-aitken-basin…

Exciting progress on NASA’s next Mars mission

The Mars Helicopter – which will launch with Mars 2020 – has now passed some key tests. Plus engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, celebrate with a selfie after attaching the Mars 2020 rover’s remote sensing mast. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/mars-2020-update-mars-helicopter-rover-mast…

A 53-Year-Old Network Coloring Conjecture Is Disproved

In just three pages, a Russian mathematician has presented a better way to color certain types of networks than many experts thought possible. From a report:
A paper posted online last month has disproved a 53-year-old conjecture about the best way to assign colors to the nodes of a network. The paper shows, in a mere three pages, that there are better…

What causes flashes on the moon?

People have reported seeing Transient Lunar Phenomena – unusual flashes and other lights on the moon – for at least 1,000 years. Yet they’re still mysterious. Now a scientist in Germany is using a new telescope to try to solve the mystery. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/moon-flashes-transient-lunar-phenomena…

Amazing June for noctilucent clouds

For the northern part of Earth, the season for seeing noctilucent clouds – clouds that shine at night – typically begins in June. This June has been particularly fine for seeing these electric-blue clouds. Photos and video here. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-noctilucent-clouds-observing-season-2019…

Lego Struggles To Find a Plant-Based Plastic That Clicks

Last year, it was reported that Lego was investing $120 million and hiring about 100 people to eliminate its dependence on petroleum-based plastics, and build its toys entirely from plant-based or recycled materials by 2030. The effort has been seven years in the making, “but it keeps hitting brick walls,” as The Wall Street Journal reports. From the report: Lego tried…

Table salt compound spotted on Europa

A familiar ingredient has been hiding in plain sight on the surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Using a visible light spectral analysis, planetary scientists at Caltech and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which Caltech manages for NASA, have discovered that the yellow color visible on portions of the surface of Europa is actually sodium chloride, a compound known on Earth as table…

We go between the sun and Jupiter June 10

Opposition on June 10 marks the middle of the best time of year to see Jupiter. The planet shines at its brightest best in Earth’s sky. It’s also out all night long, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/earth-passes-between-jupiter-and-sun…