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Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Don't miss the half-lit first quarter moon rise tonight: Here's what to look for
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The half-lit disk of the first quarter moon will grace the night sky on Monday (June 2), presenting a wealth of lunar features to explore before Earth's natural satellite sets below the horizon in the early morning hours. The moon hits its first quarter phase at 11:41 p.m. EDT on June 2 (0341 GMT on June 3) for viewers in New York, who will find its semi-shadowed disk high above the southwestern horizon immediately after sunset, according to stargazing website At this time, the moon is positioned at a 90-degree angle away from the sun in the sky, having travelled a quarter of the way around our planet since its new moon phase on May 26. Viewing the moon through a pair of 10x50 binoculars will reveal a myriad of craters and broken terrain features peppering the line separating the dayside and night side of the lunar surface, known as the terminator. The magnifying power of a 6-inch telescope (or greater) will grant an even closer view of the moon's more prominent features, such as the Albategnius walled plain, located close to the terminator just below the lunar equator. Countless shadowed craters line the terminator all the way down to the moon's southern pole, while the 54-mile-wide (87 km) Aristotles Crater and smaller Eudoxus Crater form a tempting target on the border of Mare Frigoris to the north. The dark expanses of Mare Serenitatis (Latin for Sea of Serenity) and Mare Tranquillitatis (Sea of Tranquility) can also be seen scarring the moon's surface, easily visible to the naked eye. The 'lunar seas' formed billions of years ago when masses of molten lava flooded impact basins excavated by devastating asteroid strikes. TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see the shadowed craters and lunar seas for yourself? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. Mare Tranquillitatis' southern shore was the site of the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, where astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin took humanity's first steps on another world as pilot Michael Collins looked on from lunar orbit in July 1969. Mars can be found to the moon's lower right after sunset on June 2, with the bright star Regulus of the constellation Leo positioned directly between the two solar system bodies. The following week will see the waxing gibbous moon grow ever larger ahead of its full 'Strawberry Moon' phase on June 11, named for the brief U.S. strawberry-picking season with which it happens to coincide. Editor's Note: If you would like to share your astrophotography with readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to spacephotos@
Business Mayor
18-05-2025
- Science
- Business Mayor
NASA warns huge solar flare is heading for Earth in blackout alert
A massive X-class solar flare has erupted from the Sun, sparking powerful radio blackouts across large parts of the globe — and experts warn more could be on the way as the active sunspot rotates directly toward Earth. The intense eruption came from sunspot region AR4087 and peaked at 4:25am EDT (0825 GMT) on Tuesday (May 14), according to the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). The powerful X2.7-class flare hit the daylight side of Earth with a wave of X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation, causing R3-level radio disruptions across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, reported Solar flares are categorised by strength — A, B, C, M and X — with each level representing a tenfold increase in energy. This flare's X2.7 rating makes it one of the strongest seen in months. Although Earth was not in the direct path of any potential coronal mass ejection (CME) from this flare — as the sunspot region is still near the Sun's edge — scientists are monitoring the situation closely. CMEs are large bursts of solar plasma and magnetic field that can trigger geomagnetic storms and even spectacular auroras, particularly if they collide with Earth's magnetic field. Crucially, sunspot AR4087 is rotating toward Earth, and it's already proving volatile. It has released multiple flares in a matter of hours, including a strong M5.3-class flare shortly before the X2.7 eruption. Aurora expert Vincent Ledvina warned of potential escalation, saying on X (formerly Twitter): 'This is getting intense, especially as this active region turns closer into view. This same AR just produced an M5.3 flare a few hours ago. What does this AR have planned over the next days … we'll have to wait and see.' The X2.7 event marks the most powerful flare since March, when the Sun produced an X1.2-class flare from sunspot region AR4086, which is now rotating out of view. The Sun's recent uptick in activity has sparked fresh concerns about how further eruptions could affect communications, navigation systems, and satellite operations. The flare caused a rapid ionisation of Earth's upper atmosphere, disrupting high-frequency radio signals for operators across large regions. According to the SWPC, the United States and other regions could see further flaring in the coming days, depending on how active AR4087 remains as it moves into a more geoeffective position facing Earth. The sunspot's increasing volatility, combined with Earth's changing alignment, could raise the chances of auroral displays further south than usual — as well as heightened risks of communication blackouts and power grid disturbances. For now, scientists continue to monitor the situation. But with AR4087 turning to face Earth more directly each day, the next flare might not be so harmless. READ SOURCE
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Science
- Daily Mirror
NASA warns powerful solar flare hurtling towards Earth could trigger blackouts
A powerful X2.7-class solar flare has erupted from the Sun, sparking R3-level radio blackouts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East - and experts warn more could be on the way A colossal X-class solar flare has burst from the Sun, triggering potent radio blackouts across vast areas of the globe - and experts are warning that more could be imminent as the active sunspot turns directly towards Earth. The intense eruption originated from sunspot region AR4087 and reached its peak at 4:25am EDT (0825 GMT) on Tuesday (May 14), as reported by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). The powerful X2.7-class flare struck the daylight side of Earth with a wave of X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation, causing R3-level radio disruptions across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, according to Solar flares are classified by their strength - A, B, C, M and X - with each level signifying a tenfold increase in energy output. This flare's X2.7 rating makes it one of the strongest observed in recent months. While Earth was not directly in the path of any potential coronal mass ejection (CME) from this flare - given that the sunspot region is still near the Sun's edge - scientists are keeping a close eye on developments. CMEs are large explosions of solar plasma and magnetic field that can spark geomagnetic storms and even breath-taking auroras, especially if they collide with Earth's magnetic field. Significantly, sunspot AR4087 is rotating towards Earth and has already shown signs of volatility. It has unleashed multiple flares within a few hours, including a strong M5.3-class flare just prior to the X2.7 eruption, reports the Express. Vincent Ledvina, an aurora expert, raised alarms on X (formerly Twitter), cautioning: "This is getting intense, especially as this active region turns closer into view. This same AR just produced an M5.3 flare a few hours ago. What does this AR have planned over the next days ... we'll have to wait and see." The recent X2.7-class solar flare is the most intense since March's X1.2 event from sunspot region AR4086, which is now moving out of sight. The Sun's surge in activity has reignited worries about potential disruptions to communication, navigation systems, and satellites. This solar eruption led to a swift ionisation of the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere, causing high-frequency radio signal disturbances for operators across vast areas. The SWPC warns that the US and other parts of the world might experience more solar flares soon, depending on the ongoing activity of AR4087 as it shifts into a position with greater impact on Earth. With the sunspot's growing instability and Earth's orbital dynamics, there's an increased likelihood of seeing the Northern Lights further south than usual, alongside elevated risks of communication failures and power grid issues. Scientists are keeping a close eye on developments, but with AR4087 increasingly facing our planet, the next solar flare could pose more serious consequences.
India Today
06-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Russian spacecraft could crash on Earth. It was planned to land on Venus in 1972
Russian spacecraft Cosmos 482, which was destined to land on Venus, is returning to crash on Earth nearly 53 years after it was 482 is a Soviet spacecraft launched on March 31, 1972, intended to land on Venus as part of the Venera program. However, due to a malfunction in its rocket stage, it failed to escape Earth's orbit and instead became stranded in low Earth satellite tracking data reveals that its parachutes could already be released after tumbling in low Earth orbit for over half a century. Satellite tracker Ralf Vandebergh of the Netherlands, who captured the high-resolution images, noted that Cosmos 482 is roughly 130 kilometres closer than the Starlink bus which, according to data, is around 1.3 meters by 2.7 meters. Telescopic images of the Soviet Cosmos 482 Venus descent craft. (Photo: Ralf Vandebergh) "Several frames seem to confirm what I thought to see in the 2014 images, [that] there is a compact ball but several frames show a weak elongated structure at one particular side of the ball," Vandebergh told He cautioned that more time is needed to better analyse what's showing up in the are hopeful that the spacecraft, which was built to survive the thick Venusian atmosphere, could survive re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and land intact on the crash is likely to take place on May 10 based on the current trajectory of the spacecraft was meant to deliver a lander to Venus to study the planet's atmosphere and surface conditions. Its Block L upper stage failed to fire correctly, preventing it from achieving the velocity needed to break free from Earth's of the spacecraft, including the Venus lander module, are still intact in orbit around Earth. Due to its dense heat shield, it could survive the fiery 482 is one of the few spacecraft in Earth's orbit that was originally designed for another planet. Its reentry could be spectacular when it happens.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Faint Neptune joins Venus and Saturn to form a planetary triangle in the pre-dawn sky on April 28
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The predawn hours of April 28 will see a planetary triangle form in the night sky, as Venus makes a close approach to Saturn following a conjunction, while Neptune, invisible to the naked eye, will sit just a few degrees away towards the horizon. Saturn and Venus will be below the horizon for viewers in the U.S. when they reach the point of conjunction in the hours before their appearance on the morning of the 28th. A planetary conjunction occurs when two worlds share the same right ascension — a value similar to longitude that is used by astronomers to chart the locations of objects in the night sky — when viewed from the night sky from Earth. At this point the planetary duo will be separated by a little under 3.5 degrees in the sky, according to stargazing website (the width of your first at arm's length equals about 10 degrees). TOP TELESCOPE PICK: Want to see Venus or Saturn up close? The Celestron NexStar 4SE is ideal for beginners wanting quality, reliable and quick views of celestial objects. For a more in-depth look at our Celestron NexStar 4SE review. To catch Saturn, Venus and Neptune at play, stargazers need only find a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon, and look eastward in the hour preceding sunrise on April 28. Venus will be visible as a bright magnitude -4.42 morning star near the horizon, while Saturn will appear just a few degrees away to the bottom left, significantly dimmer than its planetary neighbor. Neptune will be altogether invisible to the naked eye, but can be picked out with a decent pair of binoculars, or a telescope, appearing as a small blueish green point of light below and slightly to the left of Venus. However, as always the utmost care must be taken to never point a pair of binoculars or telescope at the sun, or to look directly at the stellar body with the naked eye. Mercury will also be present close to the eastern horizon in the hour before dawn, but will be quickly hidden by light from our rising sun. Looking to explore the solar system for yourself? well our guides for the best binoculars deals and the best telescope deals now can help. Our guides on the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography can also help you prepare to capture the next skywatching sight. Editor's note: If you want to share your planetary photographs with our readers at please email them to spacephotos@
