Palaeontologists working in New Zealand have discovered the first evidence of giant parrots, which they believe weighed 7 kilograms and lived 19 million years ago Source: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2212660-worlds-largest-parrot-was-a-metre-tall-and-lived-19-million-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home…
Tag: New Zealand
When Jupiter and Saturn meet
Jupiter and Saturn have appeared close on our sky’s dome throughout 2019, but they’re due to get even closer in the coming months. Their conjunction will come on December 21, 2020. Here’s how to watch them. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/jupiter-saturn-conjunction-dec-2020…
Strange Forest ‘Superorganism’ Is Keeping a New Zealand Vampire Tree Alive
The Grim Reefer shares a report from Live Science: Once a mighty kauri tree — a species of conifer that can grow up to 165 feet (50 meters) tall — the low, leafless stump looks like it should be long dead. But, as a new study published today in the journal iScience reminds us, looks are only surface-deep. Below the soil,…
What is a fogbow?
Fogbows are rainbows’ cousins – made by much the same process – but with the small water droplets inside a fog instead of larger raindrops. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-is-a-fogbow…
Watch for a young moon after sunset
Try catching the young moon after sunset on July 3 or 4, 2019. The watch for the waxing crescent moon to pair up with Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the lion, on or near July 5. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/go-young-moon-hunting-after-sunset…
See the Dragon’s Eyes on summer evenings
Look in the northeast on these June evenings, near the star Vega. You’ll see Rastaban and Eltanin, the eyes of Draco the Dragon. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/rastaban-and-eltanin-belong-to-constellation-draco…
Microsoft Announces OneDrive Personal Vault For Sensitive Files
Microsoft today announced OneDrive Personal Vault, a new security layer for protecting sensitive and important files. The feature is rolling out “soon” to the web, Android, iOS, and Windows 10 in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. From a report: Furthermore, the company is increasing OneDrive’s cheapest storage plan from 50GB to 100GB at no additional cost. Office 365 subscribers are also…
The undark nights of summer
Guy Ottewell lives in England. His illustrations of 3-dimensional space are illuminating. Long summer twilights, explained. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/the-undark-nights-of-summer-guy-ottewell…
Kim Dotcom In Final Bid To Halt Extradition
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: Controversial internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has begun a final appeal to halt his extradition from New Zealand to the U.S. on copyright-related charges. The FBI claims Mr Dotcom’s Megaupload site earned millions of dollars by facilitating illegal file-sharing. But his lawyers told New Zealand’s Supreme Court on Monday it was never meant…
Iridescent cloud? Or circumhorizon arc?
It’s easy to confuse these 2 elusive, colorful, beautiful daytime sky phenomena. How can you tell the difference? Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/iridescent-cloud-circumhorizon-arc-how-to-tell-difference…