See Venus, the moon and fiery star Aldebaran form a dawn triangle this weekend
One of the brightest and most colorful stars in the sky and the most brilliant planet are on stage in the early morning dawn sky this weekend and will be joined by the moon on Monday morning. The star in question is Aldebaran, a first-magnitude star that shines with a distinct orange hue and marks the right eye of Taurus, the Bull.
The brilliant planet is, of course, Venus, which outshines Aldebaran by almost five magnitudes or a light ratio difference of almost 100-fold. At this particular moment in time, both star and planet can be seen roughly one-quarter of the way up from the eastern horizon, roughly 45 minutes before sunrise.
Venus, a dazzling morning "star," rises about an hour prior to the first light of dawn and shines low in the east-northeast as dawn brightens. On Monday morning, you'll also see a delicately thin (14 percent illuminated) crescent moon hovering approximately 8 degrees above Venus. Your clenched fist held at arm's length measures roughly 10 degrees in width, so on Monday morning, the slender lunar sliver will appear almost "one fist" above Venus.
In a telescope, Venus is a disappointment: just a tiny, gibbous blob, 72 percent illuminated by the sun. It has shrunk and become more nearly round in recent months as it has swung far around to the back side of the sun as seen from Earth.
TOP TELESCOPE PICK
Want to see Venus, the moon, and Aldebaran together? The Celestron NexStar 8SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 8SE review.
And situated well to the right of both Venus and the moon will be Aldebaran. The trio will appear to form a broad isosceles triangle with Venus marking the vertex angle, while Aldebaran and the moon form the base of the triangle. It will not be a particularly "tight" array, but still should be attractive enough to catch the attention of early risers.
With the reappearance of Aldebaran, it is also a gentle reminder that while we are not yet at the midpoint of summer, the colder nights of fall and winter will be looming in the months to come. Aldebaran is crossing the meridian at midnight around Thanksgiving ... and at around 9 p.m. in mid-January.
Who knows? By then, some of you might be shoveling snow.
So take advantage of this week's opportunity to see not only an out-of-season winter star, but Venus as well, while they both "flirt" with a waning crescent moon.
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, Sky and Telescope and other publications.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
400-mile-long chain of fossilized volcanoes discovered beneath China
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Researchers have discovered a 400-mile-long chain of extinct, fossilized volcanoes buried deep below South China. The volcanoes formed when two tectonic plates collided during the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia hundreds of millions of years ago, the scientists reported in a new study. The ancient volcanoes extend the region of past volcanism in this area by several hundred miles and may have affected Earth's climate. About 800 million years ago, during the early Neoproterozoic era, South China sat at the northwestern margin of Rodinia. Shifting plate tectonics caused this area to break off into what is now the Yangtze Block plate, pushing it toward the China Ocean plate. As the two plates collided, the denser oceanic crust sank beneath the more buoyant continental crust and slid deep into Earth — a process known as subduction. As oceanic crust subducts, it heats up and releases water, which generates magma. The magma rises to the surface, creating a long, narrow chain of volcanoes that follow a curved line above the subduction zone. This is known as a volcanic arc. Volcanism and mountain building in arc systems create new crust and modify the existing crust. Therefore, researchers study ancient volcanic arcs to understand how crust formed on early Earth. Geologists previously discovered remnants of an extinct volcanic arc along the edge of the Yangtze Block dating back to the early Neoproterozoic. In the new study, published June 30 in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, Zhidong Gu, a senior engineer at PetroChina, Junyong Li, a researcher at Nanjing University, and colleagues tested whether these arc volcanoes extended further inland. Fossil mountains can be difficult to find because they're gradually worn down by wind and water and buried beneath layers of sediment. Today, several kilometers of sedimentary rocks blanket the interior of the Yangtze Block, forming the Sichuan Basin. Gu and Li's team used an airborne magnetic sensor to "see" the crust beneath these sedimentary rocks. Different rock types contain different magnetic minerals, so geophysicists use magnetic signals to map underground rock formations. They found a strip of iron-rich rock with a stronger-than-average magnetic field located about 4 miles (6 kilometers) beneath the surface. It formed an approximately 430-mile-long (700 km), 30-mile-wide (50 km) belt stretching from the northeast to the southwest of the Yangtze Block and reaching as far as 550 miles (900 km) inland. Iron-rich rocks like these are generated above subducting oceanic crust. The team also analyzed rocks from seven deep boreholes drilled into the uppermost crust below the Sichuan Basin. They verified that these rocks came from magma and were chemically similar to new crust formed by arc volcanoes. They dated the magmatic rocks to between 770 million and 820 million years ago, confirming that the rocks had formed during the early Neoproterozoic. The researchers concluded that plate subduction during the breakup of Rodinia formed a ring of volcanoes extending hundreds of miles into the Yangtze Block's interior. This finding is surprising, the team said, because most volcanic arcs form narrower belts along the continental margin. For example, the Cascades form a single mountain chain above the Juan de Fuca Plate as it subducts beneath the coast of North America. Gu and Li attributed the wide Yangtze arc to a different style of tectonics, called flat-slab subduction. In flat-slab subduction, the oceanic plate moves horizontally beneath the continental plate at a shallow angle for hundreds of miles before sinking into the Earth. This process produces two distinct volcanic ridges — one near the boundary where the oceanic plate first slips under the continent, and one farther inland, where it finally sinks. Similar shallow subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the west coast of South America forms the parallel mountain ranges of the Andes today. Peter Cawood, an Earth scientist at Monash University in Australia who was not involved in the study, agreed this was one way the inland volcanoes could have formed. However, he proposed an alternative explanation. "It could be that the two belts are not part of one broad arc system and flat slab, but represent two independent but time-equivalent systems that were sutured together," he told Live Science. RELATED STORIES —Lava erupts from gigantic fissure in Iceland following earthquake swarm — and the photos are epic —Melting glaciers could trigger volcanic eruptions around the globe, study finds —Indonesia's Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano erupts twice in 2 days, unleashing 6-mile-high ash cloud Regardless, Cawood said the work presents an "exciting new set of data in a region that has been difficult to study." He added that it "shows that the volume of magmatic activity along this boundary may be considerably greater than previously realized," and its impact on Earth's past climate should be evaluated. Scientists think the global carbon cycle underwent a major shift during this time interval, based on geochemical records from 720 million to 1 billion-year-old sedimentary rocks. Volcanoes release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but chemical weathering of mountains consumes it. Both processes work to regulate Earth's carbon cycle and climate over millions of years. It remains unclear how the rings of fire in South China could have contributed to this perturbation and any resulting climate instability. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
New study says strength training during pregnancy reduces fatigue and prevents excessive weight gain — here's how to do it
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. There are many benefits of exercise for physical and mental health, especially for pregnant women, and a new study suggests that one of those benefits could include reduced fatigue and pain during pregnancy — if you strength train. As a personal trainer, I spend my life encouraging people to lift weights. Not only does it help you build strength and muscle, it's also great for your metabolism, strengthening your joints and ligaments and protecting you from injury. Now, a systematic review published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica found that lifting during pregnancy could improve overall quality of life, including better energy levels and mood, and mitigate excessive weight gain. But that's not all. Here's what the research from this year found. What is the study? The review looked at nine randomized controlled trials involving 1,581 participants. Results showed that strength training during pregnancy can mitigate excessive weight gain, alleviate pain, boost mood and improve various aspects of overall quality of life. These 'aspects' include strength, flexibility, sleep, energy expenditure and psychological well-being. The research concluded that pregnant women could optimize their health through strength training during pregnancy, reducing anxiety and fatigue, increasing energy levels, sleep duration and vitality, and reducing stress and pain. That's heaps of benefits. Participants were healthy and ranged in age. The intervention was long-term (six to 12 weeks) with a minimum frequency of two to three sessions per week. Within sessions, there was a warm-up, strength session and cool-down; sessions ranged from 50 to 60 minutes using circuit-style programs, sets, reps, or time. Finally, the main muscle groups (think legs, arms, back and chest) were targeted using functional strength compound exercises, and there was a focus on the muscles used most during labor (core, lower back and pelvic floor) using equipment such as elastic bands, weight plates, barbells and machines. Exercises ranged from deadlifts, hip hinges, squats and lunges to pulling and pushing, and core workouts. The research didn't find any adverse effects reported. Why does the research matter? Muscle strength and flexibility can help reduce discomfort and increase functional mobility — all of which are important for supporting a healthy pregnancy when the demand on your body is much greater. The research suggests a strength training program during pregnancy could boost overall quality of life and help keep you strong, mobile and mentally healthier. Again, things that are very important when going through pregnancy and the early days of motherhood. While the WHO guidelines currently recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, this research suggests including one or two 50 to 60-minute strength sessions. Exercises can involve upper and lower body, circuits, rows, presses, modified push-ups and more, and should feel challenging, using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), which means assessing how you feel on a scale of 1-10 or 1-20, depending on the method you use. That said, the research also states that a program should be tailored and specific depending on the person. During pregnancy, the exercises that are safe for you to do will vary from trimester to trimester, so it's always important to check in and adapt as you go. For example, higher intensity sessions and lifting heavy weights won't always be (or feel) appropriate and can put more stress on your joints. As a personal trainer, I would advise you to think about maintaining muscle rather than going all out to pack muscle on; working with a pre- and post-natal trainer is a great way to ensure you stay safe and avoid exercises that could cause harm. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. More from Tom's Guide Not running or cycling — this 10-minute dumbbell workout builds strength and cardiovascular endurance Ditch the gym! This 5-move strength workout sculpts upper body muscle with just a pair of dumbbells How to hit your daily step goal without going outside — 5 easy ways to get 10,000 steps
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here we go again! Controversial paper questions whether interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS is 'possibly hostile' alien tech in disguise
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The newly discovered interstellar object 3I/ATLAS could be a piece of "possibly hostile" extraterrestrial technology in disguise, according to controversial research from a small group of scientists, including a renowned alien-hunting astronomer. Their paper, which has not been peer-reviewed, echoes similar claims previously made about 'Oumuamua, the first-ever cosmic interloper that was discovered in 2017. But experts have told Live Science that the new claims are "nonsense" and "insulting," and insist that the available evidence points toward the object being completely natural. 3I/ATLAS was discovered on July 1 barreling toward the sun at more than 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h), and was confirmed to be an interstellar object less than 24 hours later. Initial observations strongly suggest it is a large comet surrounded by a cloud of ice, gas and dust called a coma, stretching up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) across. A computer model simulating where it originated from hinted that it could be up to 3 billion years older than our solar system, potentially making it the oldest comet ever seen. But in a new paper, uploaded July 16 to the preprint server arXiv, a trio of researchers have questioned whether the comet is actually some form of covert alien tech sent here by an advanced, potentially aggressive extraterrestrial civilization. The researchers described the new paper as a "pedagogical exercise," or thought experiment, and offer no clear evidence of alien involvement. Instead, they point at the comet's "anomalous characteristics" and provide alternative theories to explain them. The study's most notable author is Avi Loeb, an astronomer at Harvard University who is renowned for linking extraterrestrial objects to intelligent aliens. He is the head of the Galileo Project, which is attempting to detect evidence of technosignatures and UFOs. In 2023, he led a controversial expedition that claimed to have collected pieces of possible alien tech left behind by an unconfirmed interstellar meteorite in the Pacific Ocean. (These claims have since been largely debunked by outside researchers). Loeb was also the primary researcher who claimed that the unusual shape and non-gravitational acceleration of the interstellar object 'Oumuamua were signs that it was an alien probe. Today, the general consensus is that 'Oumuamua was an asteroid that was leaking gas into space, similar to a comet. However, Loeb and his colleagues have continued to advocate its potential alien origin and have proposed missions to track down the wandering space rock. Loeb's co-authors for the new study are both associated with the Initiative for Interstellar Studies (i4is), a U.K. institute dedicated to planning future missions to alien star systems. In a blog post explaining the new paper, Loeb wrote that if 3I/ATLAS is a "technological artifact" it could be evidence of the dark forest hypothesis, which argues that the reason we have not found evidence of extraterrestrial life is that they are staying silent to remain invisible to potential predators or prey. "The consequences, should the hypothesis turn out to be correct, could potentially be dire for humanity, and would possibly require defensive measures to be undertaken," he wrote. Alien 'evidence' Most of the points laid out in the new paper relate to the unusual trajectory of 3I/ATLAS. The object is moving significantly faster than the only other known interstellar objects — 'Oumuamua and Comet Borisov, which was spotted in 2019 — and has entered the solar system at a different angle from its predecessors, approaching the sun side-on relative to our star's orbit through the Milky Way. Loeb wrote that the object's trajectory "offers various benefits to an extraterrestrial intelligence" that may be using it to subtly spy on Earth. One such benefit is that 3I/ATLAS will make relatively close approaches to three planets: Jupiter, Mars and Venus. And the minimum distances between the object and these worlds could enable aliens to discretely deploy "gadgets" there, Loeb wrote. 3I/ATLAS will also be hidden on the opposite side of the sun to Earth when it reaches its closest point to our home star in late October. "This could be intentional to avoid detailed observations from Earth-based telescopes when the object is brightest or when gadgets are sent to Earth from that hidden vantage point," Loeb wrote. The unusually high speed of 3I/ATLAS also makes it very hard to launch a spacecraft to intercept it before it exits the solar system, which could be another potential sign of clandestine alien activity, the researchers argued. Based on its current speed, Loeb also noted that 3I/ATLAS would have entered the outer boundaries of the solar system around 8,000 years ago, which is "roughly when human-made technologies became advanced enough to start documenting history on Earth." Although, it is unclear what he is trying to imply by saying this. The researchers also argued that there is insufficient evidence to show conclusively that 3I/ATLAS is a comet, especially as researchers are yet to identify any "volatiles," or specific chemicals associated with comets, within its coma. Controversial claims Since 3I/ATLAS was discovered, researchers have been trying to identify it, and so far, the overwhelming consensus is that it is a comet. "There have been numerous telescopic observations of 3I/ATLAS demonstrating that it's displaying classical signatures of cometary activity," Darryl Seligman, an astronomer at Michigan State University who led the first study quantifying 3I/ATLAS, told Live Science in an email. "All evidence points to this being an ordinary comet that was ejected from another solar system, just as countless billions of comets have been ejected from our own solar system," added Samantha Lawler, an astronomer at the University of Regina in Canada who specializes in solar system dynamics. Any assumptions about the object's lack of volatiles is also premature at this time. "The object is still pretty far away from the sun, so no, we wouldn't typically expect to find direct evidence of volatiles necessarily," Seligman said. Instead, these compounds will likely become apparent in the coming weeks and months, he added. Loeb admits that the alien technology scenario is a long shot: "By far, the most likely outcome will be that 3I/ATLAS is a completely natural interstellar object, probably a comet," he wrote in the blog post. Given the available evidence, many of the researchers who spoke to Live Science are disappointed with the new paper and pointed out that it distracts from the work of other scientists. "Astronomers all around the world have been thrilled at the arrival of 3I/ATLAS, collaborating to use advanced telescopes to learn about this visitor," Chris Lintott, an astronomer at the University of Oxford who was part of the team that simulated 3I/ATLAS's galactic origins, told Live Science in an email. "Any suggestion that it's artificial is nonsense on stilts, and is an insult to the exciting work going on to understand this object." RELATED STORIES — Interstellar invader Comet 3I/ATLAS is packed with water ice that could be older than Earth — New interstellar object 3I/ATLAS: Everything we know about the rare cosmic visitor — Telescope spies rare interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS zooming through our solar system (photos) Loeb is no stranger to this type of criticism and has defended his position, writing that "the hypothesis is an interesting exercise in its own right, and is fun to explore, irrespective of its likely validity." However, while it is important to remain open-minded about any "testable prediction," the new paper pushes this sentiment to the limit, Lawler told Live Science in an email. "In my experience, the vast majority of scientists subscribe to the idea that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and the evidence presented is absolutely not extraordinary." This story was provided by Live Science, a sister site of Solve the daily Crossword
