The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope is in northern Chile. Astronomers used it to capture the unprecedented dimming of Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the constellation of Orion. The new images show how the apparent shape of this star is changing. Source: https://earthsky.org/todays-image/betelgeuse-dimming-supernova-new-vlt-images…
Tag: plumes
Australian smoke plume sets records
The recent wildfires in Australia sent one of the largest plumes of smoke higher into the the stratosphere than satellites have ever before observed. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/australian-wildfires-smoke-plume-sets-records…
Robot kayaks track tidewater glacier melting
A new study sent robotic kayaks to survey the water in front of Alaska’s LeConte Glacier – an area too dangerous for ships – to analyze how much glacial ice is melting into the ocean. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/robot-kayaks-track-tidewater-glacier-melting…
Fossil reveals how feathered dinosaurs differed from birds
The fossil of this new-to-science dinosaur offers a view into dinosaur-bird evolution. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/fossil-feathered-dinosaurs-differed-from-birds…
Study says Enceladus’ inner complexity is good for life
The interior of Saturn’s moon Enceladus is geochemically complex, making its subsurface ocean quite habitable for possible life, according to a new study from Southwest Research Institute. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/enceladus-ocean-moon-saturn-geochemical-complexity-life…
Huge Philippines Volcano Blasts Ash 9 Miles Up As Satellites Watch (Video)
The Taal volcano eruption in the Philippines this week sent ash plumes 9 miles (14 kilometers) into the air, new satellite imagery shows. Source: https://www.livescience.com/taal-volcano-eruption-philippines-9-mile-plume-video.html
Amazon fires quickening glacier melting in Andes
The burning rainforest releases black carbon into the atmosphere, which, according to a growing number of scientific studies, directly contributes to the melting of glaciers. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/amazon-fires-glaciers-andes-melt-even-faster…
Explained! Enceladus’ enigmatic tiger stripes
How did the so-called tiger stripes – huge parallel cracks – form in the icy surface of Saturn’s moon Enceladus? A new study from the Carnegie Institution for Science provides some answers. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/enceladus-saturn-moon-tiger-stripe-explained…
Today’s volcano in New Zealand is on the Pacific Ring of Fire
Here’s information about New Zealand’s White Island volcano – which erupted earlier today – in the context of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Background on the volcano and why these volcanoes erupt. Source: https://earthsky.org/earth/what-is-the-ring-of-fire…
Scientists confirm Europa’s water vapor geysers … maybe
New observations appear to confirm the existence of water vapor geysers on Europa. The findings are tantalizing, but some scientists are not convinced yet. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/europa-water-vapor-geysers-goddard…