Tuesday, May 15, 2018

May 15 - Geysers on Europa?

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Are there geysers on Europa?

On Monday, scientists announced new evidence suggesting water vapor plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa. Could we send a spacecraft through one, to test whether Europa's liquid ocean - buried below its icy crust - might support life?

Very close asteroid encounter today

Asteroid 2010 WC9 will pass at about half the moon's distance, in one of the closest approaches ever observed of an asteroid of this size.

When does Ramadan begin in 2018?    

The moon is new today. Observant Muslims will be watching for the earliest sightings of the young crescent moon in the west after sunset, marking the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

What's the youngest moon you can see?

In modern times, as astrophotographer Thierry Legault proved in 2013, it's possible to capture a moon in a photograph at the instant the moon is new. What about young moon sightings using only your eye? The youngest moons, here.

Tonight … Find the Omega Centauri star cluster

The sparkling blue-white star Spica acts as your guide to the Omega Centauri cluster, a globular cluster bright enough to see with the eye alone, in a dark sky.

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Find the Omega Centauri star cluster

Omega Centauri, from Greg Hogan of Kathleen, Georgia.

Old moon and Mercury

On spring mornings, from either hemisphere, you can't easily see Mercury. Peter Lowenstein in Mutare, Zimbabwe - 19 degrees south latitude, where it's autumn now - shared Monday morning's excellent Southern Hemisphere view of Mercury, as the old moon swept past. Click in for more.
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