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Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Science
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This Stunning Meteor Shower Will Illuminate the Sky With Up to 100 Shooting Stars Per Hour
The Perseid meteor shower, caused by debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, is currently active and will peak on August 12, offering up to 100 meteors per hour. Due to the full moon occurring just days before the peak, moonlight may hinder visibility of fainter meteors, making July 18 to 28 a better viewing window despite fewer meteors. Best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere, the Perseids are visible to the naked eye from dark locations during the pre-dawn hours, with meteors appearing to originate from the Perseus Fourth of July fireworks displays may be long gone, but nature is planning its own sparkling spectacular soon—the annual Perseid meteor shower. It's active right now and will last through late August, according to When viewing a meteor shower, you are seeing pieces of comet debris that heat up and burn as they enter the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in bright bursts of light streaking across the sky. According to NASA, the Perseids occur when Earth passes through the debris left behind by Comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteor shower is predicted to peak on August 12, when Earth travels through the densest and dustiest part of the comet debris. Per NASA, stargazers can typically see an average of 50 to 100 meteors per hour during this time. These meteors travel at an average of 37 miles per second, making it one of the best meteor showers of the year. Unfortunately, this year's peak takes place just three days after a full moon, so the moonlight may make it difficult to spot fainter meteors, with only the very brightest shooting stars visible. Because of this, you may want to observe the shower from July 18 to 28, when moonlight is at a minimum, suggests Live Science. The rate of shooting stars will be much lower, though. The Perseids are best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere during the pre-dawn hours, though it is possible to see them as early as 10 p.m. To see the light show, head out around 11 p.m. local time (or in the pre-dawn hours of August 11 and 12) to the darkest location you can find. You won't need a telescope or binoculars to see the celestial display, as it's visible to the naked eye. According to NASA, the Perseids' radiant (where the shooting stars appear to originate from) is in the Perseus constellation in the northeastern sky. Meteor showers are named after the constellation from which they appear to emanate. Though Perseus isn't the easiest to find, it follows the brighter, more prominent constellation Cassiopeia, which is known for its "W" or "M" shape that's formed by five stars. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
14-07-2025
- Science
The Perseids, considered the best meteor shower of the year, are about to begin
The Perseids, considered by astronomers to be the best meteor shower of the year, are about to begin. The meteor shower occurs annually from about July 17 to Aug. 23, typically peaking in mid-August, according to the American Meteor Society. Its "swift and bright" meteors often leave long "wakes" of light and color behind as they streak through the Earth's atmosphere, leading to the best annual display of meteors, astronomers say. The Perseids are also known for their fireballs, which are larger explosions of light and color that persist longer than an average meteor streak, according to NASA. Fireballs are brighter and originate from larger particles of cometary material. Under a dark sky, the Perseids can produce between 50 and 100 meteors per hour, according to NASA. And because they occur during the summer, it allows viewers warm nighttime weather to comfortably watch them. Where do the Perseids come from? The Perseids originate from the debris left behind by the Comet Swift-Tuttle as it orbits the sun every 133 years. The large comet, with a nucleus of 16 miles, is estimated to be twice the size of the object hypothesized to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs, according to NASA. It was discovered in 1862 by Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle and last visited the inner solar system in 1992. When comets come around the sun, the dust they emit forms a trail, which then manifests as fiery and colorful streaks in the sky. as the debris collides with Earth's atmosphere. How to watch the Perseid meteor shower The Perseids can be viewed all over the night sky, but they are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere in the pre-dawn hours, according to NASA. To find the meteor shower, look toward the constellation Perseus, where the radiant of the Perseids appear to originate from. For best viewing, NASA advises spectators to lie flat on their back in a region away from light pollution. Meteors should be visible after about 30 minutes, when eyes adjust to the dark. This year, the meteor shower expected to peak around Aug. 12, according to
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astronomers spot 'interstellar object' speeding through solar system
An "interstellar object" is speeding toward the inner solar system, where Earth is located, astronomers have confirmed. The object -- likely a comet -- was first detected in data collected between by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS -- an asteroid impact early warning system in Rio Hurtado, Chile, funded by NASA, the space agency announced on Tuesday. MORE: NASA detects new planet with temperatures that suggest habitable conditions Properties such as a marginal coma and short tail indicate signs of cometary activity, according to the Minor Planet Center. Numerous telescopes have reported additional observations since the object was first reported, NASA said. Observations from three different ATLAS telescopes around the world -- as well as the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California -- dating back to June 14 were gathered and provided data that supports the existence of the comet, according to a NASA update released Wednesday. It appears to be originating from interstellar space, arriving from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, and is currently about 420 million miles from Earth, according to NASA. The comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 150 million miles, astronomers said. It is estimated to reach its closest approach to the sun around Oct. 30, where it will cross at about 130 million miles away, just inside the orbit of Mars, according to NASA. MORE: NASA catches a glimpse of 'city-killer' asteroid before it disappears until 2028 The object, dubbed "A11pl3Z" or "3I/ATLAS," spans approximately 25 miles, Josep Trigo-Rodriguez, as astrophysicist at the Institute of Space Sciences near Barcelona, Spain, told The Associated Press. It's traveling at a speed of about 152,000 mph and approaching the inner solar system from the bar of the Milky Way, Live Science reported. Its trajectory suggests it did not originate in this solar system, according to This is only the third time in history that an interstellar object entering the inner solar system has been recorded. A cigar-shaped interstellar object called "Oumuamua," the Hawaiian word for "scout," was detected in 2017. And in 2019, an object named "21/Borisov" -- a comet that likely strayed from another star system -- was located. MORE: Asteroid nearly hits Earth in Siberia, with a 2nd massive asteroid passing this week Astronomers will continue to investigate the size and physical properties of the comet through September, after which it will pass too close to the sun to remain visible, NASA said. The comet is expected to reappear on the other side of the sun in early December, NASA said.
03-07-2025
- Science
Astronomers spot 'interstellar object' speeding through solar system
An "interstellar object" is speeding toward the inner solar system, where Earth is located, astronomers have confirmed. The object -- likely a comet -- was first detected in data collected between by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System, or ATLAS -- an asteroid impact early warning system in Rio Hurtado, Chile, funded by NASA, the space agency announced on Tuesday. Properties such as a marginal coma and short tail indicate signs of cometary activity, according to the Minor Planet Center. Numerous telescopes have reported additional observations since the object was first reported, NASA said. Observations from three different ATLAS telescopes around the world -- as well as the Zwicky Transient Facility at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California -- dating back to June 14 were gathered and provided data that supports the existence of the comet, according to a NASA update released Wednesday. It appears to be originating from interstellar space, arriving from the direction of the constellation Sagittarius, and is currently about 420 million miles from Earth, according to NASA. The comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 150 million miles, astronomers said. It is estimated to reach its closest approach to the sun around Oct. 30, where it will cross at about 130 million miles away, just inside the orbit of Mars, according to NASA. The object, dubbed "A11pl3Z" or "3I/ATLAS," spans approximately 25 miles, Josep Trigo-Rodriguez, as astrophysicist at the Institute of Space Sciences near Barcelona, Spain, told The Associated Press. It's traveling at a speed of about 152,000 mph and approaching the inner solar system from the bar of the Milky Way, Live Science reported. Its trajectory suggests it did not originate in this solar system, according to This is only the third time in history that an interstellar object entering the inner solar system has been recorded. A cigar-shaped interstellar object called " Oumuamua," the Hawaiian word for "scout," was detected in 2017. And in 2019, an object named " 21/Borisov" -- a comet that likely strayed from another star system -- was located. Astronomers will continue to investigate the size and physical properties of the comet through September, after which it will pass too close to the sun to remain visible, NASA said.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Science
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Scientists find new way of spotting invisible 'plasma bubbles' lurking in Earth's upper atmosphere
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Scientists in China have developed a new way of spotting massive, invisible "plasma bubbles" lurking in Earth's upper atmosphere. The natural disturbances can disrupt GPS software and interfere with radio signals, but are incredibly hard to track. The bubbles, known as equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs), are found in the ionosphere — the region of the atmosphere over 30 miles (50 kilometers) above Earth's surface, where most of the gas has been ionized, or stripped of electrons, by solar radiation, transforming it into a sea of plasma. The bubbles are cavities within the ionosphere, similar to the holes within blocks of Swiss cheese, according to They form shortly after sunset, when the lack of sunlight causes a sudden halt in ionization, but they only appear close to the planet's magnetic equator, which is askew from the geographical equator. EPBs can grow to be anywhere from 6 to 60 miles (10 to 100 km) across, according to But as the plasma cavities are invisible to the naked eye, they have proved to be very hard to measure and accurately track in real time. But it's important to know where they are because they can disrupt GPS positioning software and interfere with radio signals that are bounced off the ionosphere over long distances, making them potentially dangerous in certain circumstances. Related: Earth grew an extra, never-before-seen 'radiation belt' after last year's supercharged solar storm — and it's probably still there In a new study, published May 9 in the journal Space Weather, scientists from China's National Space Science Center and the University of Beijing developed a new way of spotting EPBs by monitoring airglow. These shimmering aurora-like lights appear when plasma within the upper ionosphere cools overnight and recombines into gases, emitting energy in the form of light. The team realized that EPBs slightly alter the appearance of the airglow that forms above them. The researchers then trained a machine-learning program, using over 10 years' worth of airglow photography captured by the All-Sky Imager at Qujing Station in southern China, to search for the signs of airglow deformation. Their best model could accurately detect and measure the bubbles 88% of the time. "The test results verified that machine learning is an excellent method for automatically detecting and extracting EPB characteristics," the researchers wrote in the study. However, a major limitation of this method is that it only works when there is airglow present, which is never guaranteed and becomes a lot less common during periods of reduced solar activity, which can last for several years at a time. The researchers hope that their findings could help to prevent several issues surrounding EPBs. One potential issue is how the bubbles can interfere with GPS signals from satellites, potentially leading to errors in locational software. In 2024, a study published in the journal Satellite Navigation, revealed that the software used by airplanes is particularly prone to this interference, which can lead to them flying slightly off course. The chances of a collision or crash occurring as a result of this are minimal but not negligible, study researchers warned at the time. RELATED STORIES —NASA spots unexpected X-shaped structures in Earth's upper atmosphere — and scientists are struggling to explain them —Hidden tide in Earth's magnetospheric 'plasma ocean' revealed in new study —Eerie sounds triggered by plasma waves hitting Earth's magnetic field captured in new NASA sound clip EPBs can also disrupt radio signals by altering how they bounce off the ionosphere, which can be problematic in emergency scenarios. In 2014, researchers from the American Geophysical Union found that a large bubble in 2002 was partly responsible for a fatal U.S. military operation in Afghanistan. Radio operators were unable to warn a Chinook helicopter not to attempt to land on an enemy-controlled mountain top, leading to the vehicle crash-landing under enemy fire and three soldiers being killed in the ensuing firefight. The new findings could be used to create an early warning system for GPS and radio operators, enabling them to factor the disruptive cavities into their models and forecasts and avoid any potential worst-case scenarios.
