Meet the bright star Aldebaran, part of a V-shaped pattern of stars called the Hyades. This easy-to-find star cluster represents the face of Taurus the Bull. Source: https://earthsky.org/favorite-star-patterns/v-shaped-hyades-star-cluster-easy-to-find…
Tag: Hunter
Find the Geminids’ radiant point
Why is the Geminid meteor shower best around 2 a.m.? It’s because that’s when the shower’s radiant point – near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini – is highest in the sky. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/radiant-point-for-geminid-meteor-shower…
Moon lights up Gemini December 2 and 3
These next few nights – December 2 and 3 – the bright waning gibbous moon shines in front of the constellation Gemini the Twins. Find this constellation, and you’ve found the radiant point for the Geminid meteor shower, due to peak on December 13-14. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/moon-lights-up-gemini-december-2-and-3…
Bellatrix is Orion’s 3rd-brightest star
The bluish-white shoulder star, Bellatrix, aka Gamma Orionis, has a name that means “female warrior.” Bellatrix is one of the hottest stars you can see without optical aid. Source: https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/bellatrix-3rd-brightest-star-in-orion…
The sale of an amazing dinosaur fossil could be bad news for science
The Duelling Dinosaurs are a fossil hunter’s dream. After a decade-long saga, a museum has now purchased the specimen but that may do palaeontology more harm than good, says Riley Black Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2259980-the-sale-of-an-amazing-dinosaur-fossil-could-be-bad-news-for-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Mushroom hunter unearths gorgeous Bronze Age sword
A man searching for mushrooms in a forest in the Czech Republic uncovered an ancient sword and bronze axe, both thought to date from around 3,300 years ago. Source: https://www.livescience.com/mushroom-hunter-finds-ancient-sword.html
Comet C/2020 M3 (Atlas) drawing nearer, in a great place to spot Wednesday night
The comet is headed for its closest approach to Earth on Saturday, November 14, 2020. It can’t be seen with the eye, but astrophotographers are capturing glorious images. Charts and photos in this post. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2020-m3-atlas-closest-to-earth-nov-14-2020…
Ancient burial of fierce female hunter (and her weapons) discovered in Peru
Early hunter-gatherer women in the ancient Americas hunted big game just as much as men did, a new study suggests. Source: https://www.livescience.com/ancient-burial-female-hunter-peru.html
New Online Bookshop Unites Indies To Rival Amazon
It is being described as a “revolutionary moment in the history of bookselling”: a socially conscious alternative to Amazon that allows readers to buy books online while supporting their local independent bookseller. And after a hugely successful launch in the US, it is open in the UK from this week. From a report: Bookshop was dreamed up by the writer and…
Betelgeuse is smaller, closer, and won’t explode any time soon
According to new research, the red supergiant star Betelgeuse – which began to dim dramatically in brightness in late 2019 – might not explode for another 100,000 years. The star is also smaller and closer to us than first thought. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/betelgeuse-supergiant-smaller-closer-wont-explode-soon…