Latest news with #NASASolarSystem
NDTV
4 days ago
- Science
- NDTV
Get Ready For The Most Epic Meteor Show Of The Year: Perseids Peak In August
The Perseid meteor shower, peaking in mid-August, is widely regarded as the best of the year. Known for its swift, bright meteors that often leave glowing trails, the shower typically produces 50 to 100 meteors per hour. Warm summer nights make it comfortable for viewing. However, this year's viewing may be impacted by an 84% full moon on the peak night, which could outshine the fainter meteors. While brighter meteors may still be visible in the early morning hours, moonlight will likely reduce overall visibility. Watch the video here: Hey skywatchers! What's Up for August? ✨ Jupiter and Venus have a morning meetup, we check out this year's Perseid meteor shower, and peek into the future of our own Sun. — NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) August 1, 2025 For the best experience, head away from city lights, let your eyes adjust for about 30 minutes, and enjoy the show. What causes the Perseid meteor shower? The Perseid meteor shower occurs when Earth travels through debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 133 years. As Earth moves through the comet's dust trail from around July 14 to September 1, tiny particles - about the size of sand grains-hit our atmosphere at speeds of 215,000 km/h. The intense friction heats the air, producing glowing streaks of light. The shower peaks when Earth passes through the densest part of the stream, creating the most visible meteors. What Makes It Special Perseids are famous for their fireballs, large, bright meteors caused by bigger particles, often more visible than typical meteors. When and Where to Watch To view the Perseids meteor shower, look straight up to take in as much of the night sky as possible. The meteors appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, but it's best to look away from this point to spot meteors with longer tails. Locate Perseus by finding Cassiopeia, a W-shaped constellation, and look below it. The Perseids are visible from 10 pm onwards, especially during pre-dawn hours. Where Meteors Come From They originate from debris left by comets and asteroids. As Earth crosses this debris, the particles burn in the atmosphere, creating streaks of light. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, which gives the shower its name.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
MSI head curator discusses how Star Wars inspired a generation of women to get involved in STEAM
CHICAGO — Sunday is May 4 and for Star Wars Fans, that means it is a day to remember a cinematic classic and for the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, it can be a door for women to explore careers in STEAM. Head Curator and NASA Solar System Ambassador Dr. Voula Saridakis joined WGN News on Saturday morning to discuss how Star Wars changed how people look at science and inspired a generation of women to get involved in STEAM. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
India Today
30-04-2025
- Science
- India Today
Nasa's Juno flies past Io, captures the moon glowing from volcanic explosions
Nasa Juno spacecraft, which is orbiting around Jupiter, recently flew past its moon Io and what it saw was something out of a sci-fi film. The spacecraft captured Io glowing from volcanic explosions that have battered its from Jovian orbiter reveals volcanic action on Jupiter's moon Io as seen in infrared and also sheds light on the fierce winds and cyclones of Jupiter's only has the data helped develop a new model to better understand the fast-moving jet stream that encircles Jupiter's cyclone-festooned north pole, it's also revealed for the first time the subsurface temperature profile of Io, providing insights into the moon's inner structure and volcanic #JunoMission gets under Io's skin: New data from our Jovian orbiter reveals volcanic action on Jupiter's moon Io (seen here in infrared) and also sheds light on the fierce winds and cyclones of Jupiter's atmosphere. NASA Solar System (@NASASolarSystem) April 29, 2025 'Everything about Jupiter is extreme. The planet is home to gigantic polar cyclones bigger than Australia, fierce jet streams, the most volcanic body in our solar system, the most powerful aurora, and the harshest radiation belts. As Juno's orbit takes us to new regions of Jupiter's complex system, we're getting a closer look at the immensity of energy this gas giant wields,' Scott Bolton, principal investigator of Juno combined the data from Juno's Microwave Radiometer (MWR) and Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) to make the data suggests that about 10% of the moon's surface has these remnants of slowly cooling lava just below the result may help provide insight into how the moon renews its surface so quickly as well as how heat moves from its deep interior to the team also determined that the most energetic eruption in Io's history (first identified by the infrared imager during Juno's Dec. 27, 2024, Io flyby) was still spewing lava and ash as recently as March 2. team's recent findings also focus on the cyclones that haunt Jupiter's north. Years of data from the JunoCam visible light imager and JIRAM have allowed Juno scientists to observe the long-term movement of Jupiter's massive northern polar cyclone and the eight cyclones that encircle it.
Express Tribune
22-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Venus, Saturn and Moon to form ‘Smiley Face' in Sky on April 25
Listen to article Stargazers are in for a celestial treat this week as a rare triple conjunction involving Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon is set to form a 'smiley face' shape in the pre-dawn sky on April 25, according to NASA. This alignment will occur near the eastern horizon just before sunrise, around 5:30 AM local time. The phenomenon features bright Venus positioned higher in the sky, Saturn below it, and a thin crescent moon completing the triangle slightly to the north—creating a visual effect resembling a smiling face. The conjunction will be visible to the naked eye in clear weather conditions and can be observed from most locations around the globe. However, the viewing window is brief, as the sun rises roughly an hour later. Mercury may also be visible slightly below the trio, though its low position on the horizon could make it harder to spot depending on local viewing conditions. In astronomical terms, a conjunction occurs when celestial objects appear close together in the sky. When three objects align, it is known as a triple conjunction—a relatively rare and visually striking event. NASA Solar System Ambassador Brenda Culbertson described the sight as 'a triangle of bright objects that may look like a smiley face to some observers,' with the crescent moon forming the smile and the planets resembling eyes. The spectacle follows closely on the heels of the Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks between 21 and 22 April. The meteor shower is expected to produce up to 15 meteors per hour in dark-sky areas, with minimal interference from the waning moon. Astronomy enthusiasts are advised to seek a clear eastern horizon for optimal viewing of this unique planetary alignment.
