EarthSky News - Aug 31 - Asteroid Florence is Coming

August 31 Asteroid Florence is Coming by:

Asteroid Florence is coming Biggest near-Earth object to pass this close since this category of objects was discovered over a century ago. Closest tomorrow, but online viewings start today. Exploring the triggers of cosmic disaster A new study uses data from ESA's Gaia satellite to give the first systematic estimate of how often passing stars nudge comets from the Oort Cloud and send them plunging toward the inner solar system. After Harvey, a fire ant raft in Texas A mass of live fire ants floating on the Texas flood. When is the Harvest Moon in 2017? In 2017, the autumnal equinox for the Northern Hemisphere comes on September 22. Official Harvest Moon is October 5, but the September 5-6 full moon shares the characteristics of a Harvest Moon.

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Tonight … Arc to Arcturus and spike to Spica Notice Jupiter. Find Spica. Then look for the Big Dipper and follow the arc in its handle.

After Harvey, a fire ant raft in Texas Photo by Brant Kelly/Flickr. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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EarthSky News - Aug 30 - Autumn Star Parties

August 30 Autumn Star Parties by:

Astro festivals, star parties, workshops What could be more fun than a star party on a cool autumn evening? Find a 2017 star party near you. Closest far-moon of 2017 today Today's moon reaches its most distant point from Earth for the month. Astronomers call this point an "apogee" of the moon. This month's apogee is closer than any other in 2017. A really big asteroid is about to pass Earth It's several miles in diameter, the biggest near-Earth object to pass so close in a century. It'll pass on September 1 at 18 times the Earth-moon distance. Charts - and links to online viewing - here. Earliest flying mammals discovered Two 160 million-year-old fossils discovered in China are the oldest known mammal gliders. “These Jurassic mammals are truly ‘the first in glide.’”

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Closest far-moon of 2017 today The bright "star" near Wednesday night's moon is really a planet, Saturn.

Asteroid 3122 Florence this week This large asteroid will sweep closest to Earth on September 1. It's big enough to be seen in small telescopes, and maybe even in binoculars, as a small, very slow-moving “star.” Photo by Gianluca Masi of the Virtual Telescope Project. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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