EarthSky News - June 18 - Top Stories This Week

June 18 Top Stories This Week by:

Did our sun have a twin? A new analysis suggests the likely answer is yes. And so did every other sunlike star. Galaxies have aligned for 10 billion years The biggest galaxies often point toward their neighbors. A new study traces back these alignments for 10 billion years. Oldest fossils of our species Researchers have uncovered 300,000-year-old fossil bones in Morocco - the oldest fossil evidence of our species yet. How much moon do we see? Over time, it's possible to see as much as 59% of the moon's surface, due to lunar libration. What's it like to see a total solar eclipse? "Words often fail when trying to explain the kaleidoscope of sights, sounds, feelings and emotions ... " - Fred Espenak Slowest sunsets around solstices The sun actually sets more slowly around the time of a solstice. Tonight … Find the Crow, Cup and Water Snake Use the bright star Spica to help you find the constellations of Corvus the Crow, Crater the Cup, and Hydra the Water Snake.

EarthSky Lunar Calendars are on sale 50% OFF A unique and beautiful poster-sized calendar. Keep up with all phases of the moon every night of the year. Only about 100 left in stock, get them while you can!

Watch for moon and Venus before dawn The moon will be sweeping past Venus over the next several mornings. June planet guide here.

A ribbon of ammonia in Orion Radio telescopes have detected a 50-light-year filament of star-forming gas, zigzagging its way through the northern portion of the Orion Molecular Cloud. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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