Latest news with #EtaAquarids
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Best stargazing spectacles of summer 2025: Full moons, meteor showers and eclipses
Meteor showers, a total lunar eclipse and Northern Lights displays have already dazzled across the sky so far this year, with May treating stargazers to the Eta Aquarids "shooting stars," a Venus-Saturn alignment and a glowing full moon. As the weather continues to heat up and attention turns toward summer, astrology enthusiasts have a lot to prepare for. Eclipses and more meteor showers are among the many space phenomena we can expect to see in the coming months, along with classic full moons and the chance to spot at least one planet glowing extra bright. Here are a few of the biggest astronomical events to keep an eye out for in the coming summer months. The new moons of summer 2025 will occur on: June 25, July 24, Aug. 23 and Sept. 21. June's full moon is often known as the Strawberry Moon, not because the moon itself takes on a red hue (though it can), but rather because some Native American tribes associated it with the time of berry harvest in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. The June solstice occurs when the sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky, creating the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day in the Southern Hemisphere, according to the Farmer's Almanac. In the Northern Hemisphere, this marks the beginning of summer, while it marks the beginning of winter in the Southern. It can occur from June 20-22 and the moment of the sun's peak northern position is expected to happen on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 02:42 UTC. Mercury is small and close to the sun, making it difficult to spot with the naked eye on most days. On July 4, however, it will be at its greatest elongation east, meaning it will appear its furthest distance from the sun in the evening sky and therefore will be easier to spot, according to Time and Date. If you're more of a morning person, you'll get another chance on Aug. 19, when Mercury is at its greatest elongation west, meaning it will appear at its furthest distance from the sun in the morning sky. July's full moon is commonly called the "Buck Moon" again to signify a natural phenomenon that occurs around that time. Deer bucks shed their antlers to grow new ones seasonally; early June is roughly the time during which their new antlers begin regrowing from their heads, according to Time and Date. August's full moon is often called the "Sturgeon Moon," again deriving its name from Native tribes who found an abundance of giant lake sturgeon ready to catch in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain in the later summer months, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The Perseid meteors, the product of space debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle falling to Earth, can be seen as "shooting stars" periodically between July 17 and Aug. 24. However, the meteor activity is supposed to peak between Aug. 12 and 13, creating one of the most vibrant meteor showers of the year, according to Time and Date. A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes between the sun and moon, blocking the sun's light and casting a shadow on the moon, creating a reddish glow. Unfortunately for U.S. stargazers, totality this time around will only be visible from Australia, Asia, Africa, and Europe. However, some people in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America and South America will be able to see at least some of the event, according to Time and Date. The September full moon is generally called the "Corn Moon," as some Native American tribes traditionally harvested corn during this time, according to the Farmer's Almanac. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the sun and Earth, only partially covering the sun's disk and often creating a crescent or "bite" illusion. Unfortunately for Americans, this partial solar eclipse will only be viewable in New Zealand, Australia, various Pacific islands and parts of Antarctica, according to Time and Date. Americans may not get a chance to see the Sept. 21 eclipse, but they may be able to spot Saturn. Saturn will be in opposition on that date, meaning the Earth, Saturn and Sun align, giving us the closest view of the ringed planet. It will then be visible from sunrise until sunset and be most visible from this point through October, according to the Farmer's Almanac. The September equinox, also known as the Autumnal or Fall equinox, occurs when the sun crosses the celestial equator from north to south. It signals the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and Spring in the Southern Hemisphere, according to Time and Date. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When are the next full moons, eclipses? Summer 2025 stargazing guide
ABC News
11-05-2025
- Science
- ABC News
Witnesses stunned as small meteor lights up sky over parts of Western Australia
A bright light that lit up the sky over parts of Western Australia was most likely from a small meteor, according to experts. Many early risers from Perth to the central Wheatbelt took to social media on Sunday morning to report seeing a "fireball" tear through the sky just before 6am. The appearance of the light was recorded by surveillance cameras operated by the Perth Observatory. "It looks like it may have entered the atmosphere over the Central Wheatbelt heading from the north to the south around 5:57 am," the observatory's Matthew Woods said. "It's most likely an iron meteor that's been orbiting within the inner Solar System." Mr Woods said said the meteor would have heated up because of the friction caused when it came through the atmosphere. "And that's where you're getting to see that lovely green, orange glow. "We're very lucky it happened just before sunrise." He estimated it to be anywhere between the size of a cricket ball to the size of a basketball. Mr Woods could not confirm if the meteor landed somewhere in WA or it exploded but said experts within a wide network would be looking into it. He said while the fireball coincided with the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, it was probably not part of the cosmic occurrence due to its size. "The ETA Aquarians are caused by the tail of Comet Halley, we're talking about the crumbs off the tail, like ice particles and dust particles, they're very, very small. "It could be one of these things where it's a coincidence." Curtin University astrophysicist Steven Tingay dismissed claims by some observers that the fireball was the Soviet-era spacecraft, Kosmos 482. The Kosmos 482 lander made an uncontrolled re-entry over the Indian Ocean on Saturday, but European and US agencies were unsure where it ended up. Based on social media videos and eyewitness reports, the meteor resembled a brilliant fireball. "I saw this as I'm driving a truck near Gingin at 5.50am, I was admiring the sky when this ball of light flashed across the sky. Never seen anything like it," wrote Chris Holgate. Caroline Burton wrote that it was "so incredibly special to witness, I was on my way to work through Scarborough, and it shot past what felt like right in front of me". "I saw it from Mt Magnet WA at about 6am. It was so big & bright, that I initially thought that it was the moon until it moved," wrote Tracey Johnstone. "It was huge and burning bright orange red." Mr Woods said witnessing a fireball in the sky was rare is because the Earth was 70 per cent ocean. "Earth gets hit by about 100 tonnes of material each year, so most of these really bright ones happen over ocean or while we sleep, so that's why it's good to have night cameras." He said the event was a nice Mother's Day surprise.
The Star
07-05-2025
- Science
- The Star
‘Utterly disappointed': Eta Aquarids meteor shower fizzles over Singapore
Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. - LIANHE ZAOBAO PHOTO: JASON LEE SINGAPORE: Hopes for a celestial spectacle were running high, but skywatchers across Singapore were left largely disappointed during the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the early hours of May 6 and 7, with several reporting spotting just one meteor over a number of hours. This particular meteor shower occurs annually when the Earth passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet – arguably the most famous comet in history, known for being visible with the naked eye roughly every 76 years. The meteor shower is typically more visible in the Southern Hemisphere, where observers may catch up to 50 meteors an hour under ideal conditions. In Singapore, however, clear skies offered little payoff. In the early hours of May 6, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee, who was on assignment at Champions Green – a housing estate near Singapore Sports School in Woodlands – said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. Speaking with The Straits Times, the photojournalist said: 'It didn't feel worth the wait.' He added that the meteor 'looked quite different from what one would normally expect a meteor to be'. A netizen, who goes by 'Mycandidphotoshot Gates' on Facebook, said in a post that he had tried his luck at one of the least illuminated areas in Singapore – Changi Beach Park – in the early hours of May 6. 'Skies were mostly clear. I spotted one meteor with a light trail that lasted about two seconds while setting up my camera,' he wrote. 'I was stoked and thought more would follow. I was wrong.' He added that he spent the next four hours scanning the sky in vain, even double-checking the coordinates. 'It was supposed to be more active in the south-east. Utterly disappointed,' he said. In response to previous queries regarding visibility of cosmic events from Singapore, the Science Centre Singapore observatory said that light pollution, erratic weather and frequent cloud cover can all impact the chances of observing cosmic events from the island. 'Meteor showers are relatively faint, and dark, clear skies are required to view them,' the observatory added, noting that visibility also depends on the nature of the specific cosmic event. Meanwhile, overseas enthusiasts had better luck. Social media was filled with vivid photos and videos from countries with darker skies and better visibility, showing bright streaks lighting up the early morning heavens. The Eta Aquarids will continue until late May, but given the poor visibility even during its peak, further sightings in Singapore are unlikely. - The Straits Times/ANN
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Utterly disappointed': Eta Aquarids meteor shower fizzles over Singapore
Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. SINGAPORE – Hopes for a celestial spectacle were running high, but skywatchers across Singapore were left largely disappointed during the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the early hours of May 6 and 7, with several reporting spotting just one meteor over a number of hours. This particular meteor shower occurs annually when the Earth passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet – arguably the most famous comet in history, known for being visible with the naked eye roughly every 76 years. The meteor shower is typically more visible in the Southern Hemisphere, where observers may catch up to 50 meteors an hour under ideal conditions. In Singapore, however, clear skies offered little payoff. In the early hours of May 6, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee, who was on assignment at Champions Green – a housing estate near Singapore Sports School in Woodlands – said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. Speaking with The Straits Times, the photojournalist said: 'It didn't feel worth the wait.' He added that the meteor 'looked quite different from what one would normally expect a meteor to be'. A netizen, who goes by 'Mycandidphotoshot Gates' on Facebook, said in a post that he had tried his luck at one of the least illuminated areas in Singapore – Changi Beach Park – in the early hours of May 6. 'Skies were mostly clear. I spotted one meteor with a light trail that lasted about two seconds while setting up my camera,' he wrote. 'I was stoked and thought more would follow. I was wrong.' He added that he spent the next four hours scanning the sky in vain, even double-checking the coordinates. 'It was supposed to be more active in the south-east. Utterly disappointed,' he said. In response to previous queries regarding visibility of cosmic events from Singapore, the Science Centre Singapore observatory said that light pollution, erratic weather and frequent cloud cover can all impact the chances of observing cosmic events from the island. 'Meteor showers are relatively faint, and dark, clear skies are required to view them,' the observatory added, noting that visibility also depends on the nature of the specific cosmic event. Meanwhile, overseas enthusiasts had better luck. Social media was filled with vivid photos and videos from countries with darker skies and better visibility, showing bright streaks lighting up the early morning heavens. The Eta Aquarids will continue until late May, but given the poor visibility even during its peak, further sightings in Singapore are unlikely. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
Straits Times
07-05-2025
- Science
- Straits Times
‘Utterly disappointed': Eta Aquarids meteor shower fizzles over Singapore
Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. LIANHE ZAOBAO PHOTO: JASON LEE SINGAPORE – Hopes for a celestial spectacle were running high, but skywatchers across Singapore were left largely disappointed during the peak of the Eta Aquarids meteor shower in the early hours of May 6 and 7 , with several reporting spotting just one meteor over a number of hours. This particular meteor shower occurs annually when the Earth passes through debris left behind by Halley's Comet – arguably the most famous comet in history, known for being visible with the naked eye roughly every 76 years. The meteor shower is typically more visible in the Southern Hemisphere, where observers may catch up to 50 meteors an hour under ideal conditions. In Singapore, however, clear skies offered little payoff. In the early hours of May 6, Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao photojournalist Jason Lee , who was on assignment at Champions Green – a housing estate near Singapore Sports School in Woodlands – said he saw only one meteor over 3½ hours. Speaking with The Straits Times, the photojournalist said: 'It didn't feel worth the wait.' He added that the meteor 'looked quite different from what one would normally expect a meteor to be'. A netizen, who goes by 'M ycandidphotoshot Gates ' on Facebook, said in a post that he had tried his luck at one of the least illuminated areas in Singapore – Changi Beach Park – in the early hours of May 6. 'Skies were mostly clear. I spotted one meteor with a light trail that lasted about two seconds while setting up my camera,' he wrote. 'I was stoked and thought more would follow. I was wrong.' He added that he spent the next four hours scanning the sky in vain, even double-checking the coordinates. 'It was supposed to be more active in the south-east. Utterly disappointed,' he said. In response to previous queries regarding visibility of cosmic events from Singapore, the Science Centre Singapore observatory said that light pollution, erratic weather and frequent cloud cover can all impact the chances of observing cosmic events from the island. 'Meteor showers are relatively faint, and dark, clear skies are required to view them,' the observatory added, noting that visibility also depends on the nature of the specific cosmic event. Meanwhile, overseas enthusiasts had better luck. Social media was filled with vivid photos and videos from countries with darker skies and better visibility, showing bright streaks lighting up the early morning heavens. The Eta Aquarids will continue until late May, but given the poor visibility even during its peak, further sightings in Singapore are unlikely. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
