The Large Magellanic Cloud is a petite galaxy visible with the unaided eye – all year round – for those in the Southern Hemisphere. This small neighboring galaxy to the Milky Way is somewhere between spiral and irregular in shape. Source: https://earthsky.org/clusters-nebulae-galaxies/the-large-magellanic-cloud…
Tag: Perseid
Will SpaceX’s Starlink satellites ruin stargazing?
SpaceX’s satellites will populate the night sky, affecting how we observe the stars. And this is just the beginning of private satellite mega-constellations. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/will-spacex-starlink-satellites-ruin-stargazing…
Looking edgewise into the Milky Way
Here are a few shots of the edgewise view into our Milky Way galaxy – with bright Jupiter and fainter Saturn also in the scene – plus a few Perseid meteors. These are from earlier this month, when the moon was less bright in the evening sky. Source: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/photos-summer-milky-way-aug-2020…
Is it possible to hear meteors?
Can you hear a meteor as it streaks overhead? Some people have reported hearing meteors with a sizzling sound like bacon frying. Scientists now say you can, and explain how it happens. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/whoosh-can-you-hear-a-meteor-streak-past…
Spectacular! Moon and Venus before sunrise August 14 to 16
Enjoy an eyeful of the moon and Venus as they meet up in the morning sky in mid-August 2020! Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/spectacular-moon-venus-before-sunrise…
Video: ESA’s meteor camera captures the Perseid showers
The Perseids meteor shower is one of the most spectacular annual meteor showers. Made of debris from comet Swift-Tuttle they have been observed by sky-watchers for thousands of years and this year the LIC1 camera of the Canary Long-Baseline Observatory (CILBO) at Tenerife captured the peak of the 2020 Perseid meteor shower detecting dozens of meteors in a single night. Source:…
Favorite photos from 2020’s Perseid meteor shower
Have you caught any Perseid meteors? If so, share your photos with us! If your skies have been cloudy, enjoy these great meteor photos from EarthSky friends around the world. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/photos-2020s-perseid-meteor-shower…
Visualize the Perseid meteor stream in space
This visualization by Ian Webster and Peter Jenniskens uses NASA data to render known Perseid meteoroids in space. Don’t miss this! Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/visualization-perseid-meteor-stream-ian-webster…
Moon may outshine Perseid meteor shower this month
Skywatchers beware: The moon will hinder attempts to observe the Perseids, typically one of the year’s most spectacular meteor showers. Source: https://www.livescience.com/bright-moon-dulls-perseid-meteor-shower-2020.html
In 2020, Venus and Perseid meteors!
In 2020, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower nearly coincides with Venus’ greatest elongation, or greatest apparent distance from the sun in our sky. Both will fall around the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13. Source: https://earthsky.org/tonight/venus-and-perseid-meteors-in-2020…