Latest news with #Halley
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Herald morning quiz: June 2
When was Halley's Comet last visible? Photo / Getty Images Can you score 10 out of 10? Test your general knowledge with the Herald's morning quiz. Share your score with friends, family and colleagues, and find out who has the sharpest mind. Be sure to check back on for today's afternoon quiz.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Strawberry Moon to Butterfly stars: 9 astronomical events you shouldn't miss out on in June 2025
The world of astronomy is one of the most enigmatic yet intriguing ones around. From stars forming unimaginable patterns to the meteors lighting the sky, there are a multitude of events that we humans await to experience in all their glory because space and its citizens are a thing of wonder to us. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Every month, some stunning visuals grace the skies and in June, these are the 9 astronomical events that you should definitely not miss out on. June 1: Catch a sight of Venus Image credits: X/@MAstronomers On June 1st, Venus will reach its farthest distance west of the sun from the point of view of the Earth and this point is known as the greatest western elongation. This is the perfect time to get a glimpse at the planet away from sunlight before dawn when it rises in the eastern sky in the Northern Hemisphere and northeastern sky in the Southern Hemisphere. June 2: The Great Hercules Cluster Image credits: X/@BigKahunaRon Globular clusters are densely packed clusters of hundreds of thousands of stars held together by gravity. On June 2nd, The Great Hercules Cluster or Messier 13 will reach its highest point in the night sky thus being perfect for viewing with the help of binoculars. Discovered in 1714 by English astronomer Edmond Halley, the one after whom Halley's comet has been named, this cluster has more than 100,000 stars in a spheroidal shape. June 7: Arietid meteor shower Image credits: X/@Tex369X Unlike other meteor showers that mostly happen at night, the Arietid meteor shower happens during daytime. This means most meteors are nearly impossible to see but if you get up in the pre-dawn hours on June 7, you might be able to see coloured dots in the sky. June 11: Strawberry moon Image credits: X/@dafaqzoey Seems impossible right? But yes, June's full moon, known as the "strawberry moon" will be visible on June 11. While the moon will not have the red colour, its name is derived from the Indigenous traditions in North America that link full moons to harvesting and hunting traditions. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Additionally, June is known for the ripening of wild strawberries too. June 16: Butterfly cluster Image credits: X/@maiz_julio The star Regulus which is known for its colourful twinkling will have a close encounter with Mars on June 16 just 90 minutes before sunset. Later around midnight, a globular cluster in the shape of a butterfly will be visible with the help of binoculars. June 22: Nebula Image credits: X/@maiz_julio In June, you can also catch a sight of the Lagoon Nebula or Messier 8 which is a swirling cloud of interstellar gas where stars are born. It will reach its peak in the sky on June 22 and while people in the mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere can see with the naked eye, others can make use of binoculars or telescopes. June 25: Stargaze Image credits: X/@uhd2020 On June 25, there's a new moon lunar cycle which means the sky will be dark enough for stargazing with your loved one. This is the perfect time to aim for the bigger beauties like the Milky Way. June 27: Bootid meteor shower Image credits: X/@wqed In case morning meteor showers are not your thing and the beauty of the night sky enchants you like no other, wait for the Bootid meteor shower which is known for its display of hundreds of shooting stars. June 30: Moon meets Mars Image credits: X/@StarWalk On June 30th, the waxing crescent moon and Mars will pass within 1°16' of each other. The distance between them is just that of a pinky finger and thus you'll be able to see them together with a pair of binoculars. Also, watch out for the "earthshine" phenomenon where light reflected from Earth makes the unlit part of the moon glow faintly just after sunset or right before sunshine.
STV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- STV News
Part-time sheriff dismissed over 'vulgar' comments attacking inquiry chair
A part-time sheriff who accused the chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry of being a 'monster', 'deranged' and 'evil' has been removed from office. John Halley, an author and member of the Faculty of Advocates, was appointed as junior counsel to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI) in October 2015 but was dismissed in April 2019, and posted a series of social media posts regarding chair of the inquiry, Lady Smith. In 2020, he was investigated for 'misbehaviour' regarding Twitter posts and public statements between May 2019 and December 2019. A probe around 'unfitness for office by reason of misbehaviour', led by Judge Lord Bracadale, found that 'it is inappropriate for a judicial office holder to conduct a campaign against another member of the judiciary in such a confrontational and public way… Such conduct is improper and not consistent with the dignity of judicial office'. Mr Halley brought a case against Lady Smith in an employment tribunal in July 2019, alleging disability discrimination, but withdrew his claim in December, and the proceedings were dismissed that month. In a series of statements in May 2019 he alleged that from September 1 2016 he had to suffer disability discrimination, harassment and victimisation by Lady Smith and accused her of being 'a danger to cancer sufferers at work'; and less than a month later, he branded her a 'serious danger to cancer sufferers'. In December 2019, he repeated the allegations to a broadcaster. However, a ruling issued on Wednesday found Mr Halley had the option to follow a formal grievance process, and was expected to behave with 'dignity' in his role. Procedures around fitness for office were postponed until February 2023, following a judicial review. However in several months in 2023, Mr Halley again posted on Twitter criticising Lady Smith, including calling her 'deranged', a 'monster' and a 'bully', and sharing an excerpt of his book, A Judicial Monstering – Child Sexual Abuse Cover Up and Corruption in Scotland. Mr Halley claimed by raising a case at the employment tribunal he had the right to be protected from allegations of 'misbehaviour' and claimed the communications did not constitute this. However, he was dismissed from his role on the basis that his posts amounted to 'personal attacks' and became 'progressively worse over time'. A report said: 'The fundamental problem for the judicial office holder is that it is not possible to identify anything which might reasonably and properly be categorised as a protected disclosure of information as opposed to mere vulgar abuse and vituperation, repeatedly made in the most unprofessional of terms. 'There is therefore in the present case no risk of confusing any protected disclosure with the terms in which it is advanced.' It added that 'communications were not framed in the way one might expect from a professional judge, conscious of the dignity of the office, exercising appropriate restraint, and aware of the need to preserve public confidence; rather the tone was offensive, vulgar and confrontational. 'The communications certainly amounted to a public attack on the character and integrity of a fellow judge.' It continued: 'The communications referred to the chair of the inquiry as evil, corrupt, a monster, who had manufactured false criminal charges against him to get him arrested, and who was a bully who had treated him viciously, an abuser, a danger to cancer sufferers, evil and deranged, questioning whether she was a normal, compassionate, rational human being, and saying that she was a person who was guilty of the abuse of public funds. 'The tenor of the communications, and the language used, becomes progressively worse over time and it is not unreasonable to categorise it as a campaign of personal abuse addressed to the inquiry chair.' It said the messages 'are seriously lacking in dignity…. not simply rash or intemperate comments showing a one-off lack of judgment. They evidence a sustained lack of judgment over an extended period of time.' The report said Mr Halley had 'brought the office of sheriff into disrepute'. It added: 'We are satisfied that (Mr Halley) is unfit to hold office by reason of misbehaviour.' A statement from the Scottish Government said: 'Given the gravity of the tribunal's findings, the First Minister accepted there are compelling reasons to remove part-time Sheriff Halley and has taken that decision.' The SCAI has been contacted for comment. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Courier-Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Courier-Mail
Macca's releases cult item ‘taking over world' in new Happy Meal
Don't miss out on the headlines from Eat. Followed categories will be added to My News. A huge fast food chain has teamed up with a popular toy brand to give away a cult item that is 'taking over the world' in its Happy Meals. Macca's has announced Squishmallows — a brand of soft, plush toys known for its 'marshmallow-like' texture — will be available in its popular kids meals from May 29. The brand will have 14 characters available with expressions that are exclusive to the fast food chain. These included Rossi, the purple cheetah with pink spots, and Charles, the winking green pickle. But, there are even characters who are debuting as part of the range. This includes Halley, the intergalactic axolotl, and Theotto, a monster with dragon wings. Theotto is only available in Australia and New Zealand. As well as the physical toys themselves, there is also a scannable code that features a digital game. Macca's is releasing a cult item that is 'taking over the world' in its new Happy Meals. Picture: Supplied Squishmallows, a brand of soft, plush toys known for its 'marshmallow-like' texture, will be available in its popular kids meals from May 29. Picture: Supplied Amanda Nakad, the marketing director of menu and brand for McDonald's Australia, said: 'We're all about connecting our fans to culture, and these squishable plushies are all the rage right now so we're bringing the search for Squishmallows to Australia. 'This limited-time Happy Meal brings a taste of the viral toy sensation to Macca's, with the first McDonald's Squishmallows Squad. Whether you're joining the hunt to collect them all or just looking for a dose of happiness, there's a Squishmallow for every kind of fan with this new Happy Meal.' Meanwhile, Gerhard Runken, the executive vice president of brand and marketing for the company that makes Squishmallows, said: 'Our first McDonald's Happy Meal collaboration received such a massive global response that we're bringing it to Australia for the very first time. 'We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate our fans than with a Happy Meal featuring character favourites with unique, never-before-seen happy expressions and the debut of our newest Squishmallow Squad member Halley, making the search exciting as ever for fans worldwide.' Halley is only available in Australia and New Zealand. Picture: Supplied It's no surprise that Macca's has picked up this as its next Happy Meal toy, following the popularity of the item not only with children but with teenagers and adults too. The 'kidult' trend — items designed for kids but popular with all ages — has taken off in recent months. Footage has shown Aussies lining up at 3am for Labubu, a furry plushie featuring a bizarre grin and sharp teeth. The item has become the ultimate status-boosting item after soaring to popularity with huge celebrities such as Rihanna and Dua Lipa. Designed by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, the product is sold by Chinese toy company Pop Mart following a collaboration with Lung on his story series book The Monsters, released in 2015. A similar item — Jellycats — has also been a hit item with all ages, with David Jones telling 'We've seen strong demand for the brand and an increase in sales in not only their iconic bunny which they are best known for but also more niche/unique styles,' a David Jones spokesperson told 'There has also been a noticeable shift in the consumer who is buying this product, traditionally bought for children we have seen demand from Gen Z thanks to social media driving the trend among this group.' Originally published as Macca's releases cult item 'taking over world' in new Happy Meal
The Irish Sun
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Win a copy of Happy Is The One by Katie Allen in this week's Fabulous book competition
ROBIN knows the date he's going to die – born on the day Halley's Comet last appeared, he's destined to check out when it returns. He's methodically planned his life around this, but that all changes when he has to go home to care for his ailing dad. 1 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition Warm and tender, this will really make you think. 10 lucky Fabulous readers will win a copy of this new novel in this week's book competition. To win a copy, enter using the form below by 11:59pm on June 7, 2025. For full terms and conditions, click here.
