On Earth, the Northern Lights are an occurrence that is well-known to those who live far from the equator to witness them. They are a beautiful glow that twists and twirls in different colors at various times of the year. That happens on the basis of atmospheric conditions. In addition, the night sky on Mars glows as well. Ultraviolet light glows and pulsates in large regions of the night side atmosphere of the Martian planet. That is according to photos from MAVEN – NASA’S spacecraft published on August 6, 2020. The team behind the MAVEN mission was stunned to discover that the atmosphere was pulsating exactly three times a night. But and only during the spring and fall of Mars. New results also showed unusual waves and spirals over the winter peaks. They also confirmed earlier findings from the Mars Express spacecraft; that this nightglow was the strongest in the winter northern regions. However, if an astronaut was standing on Mars, this phenomenon, which scientists call a … [Read more...]
Last Quarter Moon On August 11
This year, the moon is going to reach its last quarter phase on Tuesday, August 11th, at 04:44 UTC. This last quarter moon is half-lit by the sunshine and half-covered in its own dark light. It starts to rise in the night time and appears at its peak in the sky around daybreak. In addition, it sets around noon. The last quarter is a perfect opportunity to see yourself on a three-dimensional universe in space. Experience it just after the rise of the moon, shortly after the middle of the night. Therefore the lighted part points down, to the sun beneath your feet. The last quarter moon can be considered as a mirror of the planet you are living on. Think about how you are standing in the middle of Earth’s night side, in its midnight section. On the last quarter of the moon, the lunar terminator – the shadow line that separates day and night – tells us where the sun sets on the moon. Additionally, the last quarter of the moon can be viewed as guidance for Earth's course of … [Read more...]
Huge Perseid Meteor Shower on August 11th, 12th and 13th
The feeling of being outside as dawn approaches, after watching the Perseid meteor shower, is truly exceptional. As seen from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, the radiant point of the Perseids is at its peak at dawn. Therefore, the meteors rain down from above. This year, the moon may be disruptive while the shower takes place. So, when will the Perseid’s meteor peak happen in 2020? The biggest number of meteors seems to fall in the hours before dawn on August 12th. However, it will be under a wide, crescent moon’s light. It is also worth to try the mornings of August 11th and 13th. On the morning of August 13th, there will be a smaller and less bright moon in comparison to the previous dates. Besides, that means more hours of the night sky to watch the meteors. So, the rising of the moon is the main factor. Check out the Sunrise Sunset Calendars to see when the moon rises where you live. Also, don’t forget to check the box with moonrise and moonset. Remember that the … [Read more...]
Earth Is Farthest From The Sun Right Now
On July 4, 2020, Planet Earth hits a milestone as it reaches out to aphelion, the most distant position from the sun. It takes place at 11:35 UTC which is 6:35 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the United States. You can convert UTC to your time. Do you feel like it is hot outside right now on your part of Earth? Or maybe cold? The aphelion of Earth occurs in the middle of summertime in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, this shows that the seasons aren’t caused by our distance from the sun. You can read more about that below. In fact, the orbit of the Earth is nearly circular, though not quite. Therefore, our distance from the sun can’t change a lot. We are three million miles (or 5 million km) distant from the sun than we are going to be in 6 months from now. That’s in comparison to our distance from the sun that is an average of about 93 million miles (150 million km). The word aphelion has a very interesting meaning. It originates from two … [Read more...]
An Unbelievable June Solstice Is Upon Us!
The June solstice will take place on the 20th of June; for the Northern Hemisphere it is the longest day and the shortest for the Southern Hemisphere. You can find more details in this article. The June solstice is a sign to mark the beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, while in the Southern Hemisphere it is winter. It will take place at 21:44 UTC which is 4:44 p.m. CDT June 20th in North America. You can convert UTC to your time. The solstice signifies the start of summer for us in the Northern Hemisphere. Besides, it is the longest day of the whole year. The dawns are early, and the days are very long. While the nights are short, each day the sun reaches its height, as it crosses the sky. In the meantime, winter begins south of the equator. What does a solstice mean? Ancient civilizations understood that the direction of the sun across the sky, the duration of daylight, and the sunrise and sunset locations all changed in a regular way during the year. They made … [Read more...]