Mercury’s greatest elongation Mar 6, 2021

Mercury, the innermost planet, has a close conjunction with the king planet Jupiter on March 5, and then reaches its greatest elongation from the sun on March 6. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/mercurys-greatest-elongation-march-6-2021…

Scientists Have Invented Light-Up OLED Tattoos

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Gizmodo: Tattoos are usually considered a form of personal expression, but a team of researchers in Europe have created what they’re calling the world’s first light-emitting tattoo based on OLED screen technology that, besides presumably looking kind of cool, could also serve as a visible warning about potential health concerns. In a recently published…

Cosmic ray originated in cataclysmic event

Astronomers found a high energy neutrino – a cosmic ray – that apparently originated during a “tidal disruption event,” that is, when a supermassive black hole shredded a distant star. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/origin-cosmic-ray-when-black-hole-shreds-star…

Best observing targets for binoculars

What are the best solar system and deep-sky objects to view to get the most out of your binoculars? From moon-encircled worlds to starry knots in the Milky Way, our list makes the sky’s wonders easy to find. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/best-targets-for-binoculars-moon-planets-nebula-clusters…

Mercury-Saturn quasi-conjunction on February 23, 2021

Will you see Saturn and Mercury in the east before sunup these next few mornings? It won’t be easy. They’re near the sunrise. Their quasi-conjunction comes on February 23. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/mercury-saturn-quasi-conjunction-feb-23-2021…

What is the Milky Way?

When someone says “Milky Way,” do you think of the starry pathway across our sky, or of the great pinwheel-shaped galaxy in space? Both are correct! Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-the-milky-way-galaxy…

See the young moon on February 12, 13 and 14

Beginning on February 12, look west after sunset for the young moon – a thin lunar crescent – in the west shortly after sunset. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/young-moon-feb-12-13-14-2021…

NASA is about to land a helicopter on Mars that might glow in the dark

NASA’s Perseverance rover is due to touch down on Mars on 18 February, and it is carrying the first helicopter to attempt a flight on another planet. Now it seems the tiny drone may also glow in the dark when it flies Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2267676-nasa-is-about-to-land-a-helicopter-on-mars-that-might-glow-in-the-dark/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…

Observer’s challenge: Moon and morning planets on February 8, 9 and 10

Before sunrise on February 8, 9 and 10, 2021, the old moon might guide you to 3 morning planets: Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. Fair warning. It won’t be easy to spot the planets so near the sunrise glare! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-morning-planets-feb-8-9-10-2021…