Dec 7 - 100 New Exoplanets

December 7 100 New Exoplanets by:

View larger. | Diagram depicting the relative sizes, temperatures and orbits of the new exoplanets discovered by Kepler and Gaia. Image via John H. Livingston. Over 100 new exoplanets from Kepler and Gaia At least 18 of the new planets are less than 2 times larger than the Earth, and are likely to have rocky compositions with atmospheres comparable to Earth's. Read more. Radio search finds no artificial emissions from ‘Oumuamua “We were looking for a signal that would prove that this object incorporates some technology." Read more. Earliest sunsets for 40 degrees N. around now Earliest sunsets for 30 degrees N. were centered on late November and early December. Earliest sunsets at mid-northern latitudes are happening now. S. Hemisphere? Watch for your earliest sunrises. Read more. What we're reading Mars and Neptune have a close shave From one of our favorite sky writers - Bob King, aka AstroBob, writing at Sky & Telescope. He wrote: "Want to find Neptune the easy way? Just point your binoculars or telescope at Mars the next few nights, when the two planets will be in close conjunction." Read more. They are closest Friday night. Image via Bob King. Thanks also to Mark Seibold for the heads up on Bob's article.

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Sunshine, blowing snow and a sundog Sundogs - aka parhelia - are caused by ice crystals in the air. They're most easily seen when the sun is low. Sheryl R. Garrison caught this one on December 4 from Alberta, Canada. "Favorite time of year," she wrote. Read more.

Mars and Neptune, over-exposed Richard Berry - former editor of Astronomy magazine - caught this fanciful image of Mars (big red blob) and Neptune (bright white dot at about 10 o'clock) last night. It's a fun pic! Just know that all the excess light in this photo isn't in outer space. It's just light bouncing around in Richard's optical system. Click in to see what Mars and Neptune really look like now, as seen through the combined eye of a telescope and camera. Submit your photo to EarthSky here! Did a friend forward EarthSkyNews to you? Click here to get your own subscription!

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