UPDATE 19:30 UTC (20:30) CET

We have confirmation of the atmospheric reentry of ERS-2 at 17:17 UTC (18:17 CET) +/- 1 minute over the North Pacific Ocean between Alaska and Hawaii.

Coordinates: https://t.co/BNX4K1YxW2

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) February 21, 2024

ERS-2 meets end over Pacific Ocean

The European Space Agency reports its dead ERS-2 satellite has fallen from the sky. It dropped into the atmosphere about 90 minutes after the estimated time of re-entry somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. ESA marked the time of re-entry as 11:17 a.m. Central Standard Time (17:17 UTC). Consequently, the falling satellite appears not to have caused any property damage, ESA said.

UPDATE 17:35 UTC (18:35 CET)

We have now reached the end of the final reentry window. We have received no new observations of ERS-2. This may mean that the satellite has already reentered, but we are waiting for information from our partners before we can confirm. Stay tuned.

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) February 21, 2024

Dead satellite reentry window is over

A European Space Agency satellite – ERS-2 – was to reenter today (February 21, 2024). The uncontrolled or “natural” reentry window was centered at 9:41 a.m. central (15:41 UTC). Ultimately, the reentry window passed with no confirmation of the satellite’s reentry.

Accordingly, ESA said in a blog post updating reentry data:

The vast majority of the satellite will burn up, and any pieces that survive will be spread out somewhat randomly over a ground track on average hundreds of kilometers long and a few tens of kilometers wide (which is why the associated risks are very, very low).

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Not a threat to humans

During a press conference on February 13, ESA said:

We estimate that the largest fragment of the satellite that could reach the ground is 115 pounds (52 kg).

But in addition, it also said:

The odds of a piece of satellite falling on someone’s head is estimated at one in a billion.

So, when you consider that 71% of Earth’s surface is water, odds are likely that the dead satellite made a big splash somewhere.

Satellite photo captured on descent

The Australian satellite imaging company HEO Robotics captured images of the doomed ERS-2 European Space Agency satellite. The pictures show a blurry satellite looking very much, in fact, like a TIE fighter from “Star Wars.” ESA said in a press release issued Monday, February 19, 2024:

The U.K. Space Agency recently worked with HEO to capture these images of ERS-2 during its descent. Using cameras on other satellites to image objects reentering the atmosphere is a relatively new approach.

In the future, these images may be used alongside data from ground-based sensors to refine reentry predictions.

What was ERS-2?

ERS-2 was ESA’s second European Remote Sensing satellite. Launched on April 21, 1995, the satellite had a 16-year career observing Earth until ESA retired it in 2011. Later, in July and August of that year, the space agency directed the satellite in 66 maneuvers to assist with deorbit. The maneuvers used up the satellite’s fuel in order to decrease its orbit and lessen its chance of hitting operational satellites. Additionally, lowering the satellite’s orbit also ensured that the satellite would reenter within the next 15 years, instead of 100 to 200 years. Also, by September 2011, all the fuel from ERS-2 was drained. After that, the spacecraft was inoperable.

Over the satellite’s lifetime, ERS-2 collected data on polar ice, changing land surfaces, sea-level rise, warming oceans and atmospheric chemistry. It was also pressed into service during natural disasters in remote regions. ESA said ERS-2:

… returned a wealth of information that revolutionized our perspective of our planet and understanding of climate change. As well as leaving a remarkable legacy of data that still continue to advance science, this outstanding mission set the stage for many of today’s satellites and ESA’s position at the forefront of Earth observation.

Dead satellite stats

ERS-2 weighed approximately 5,057 pounds (2294 kg). ESA said that:

On average, an object of similar mass reenters Earth’s atmosphere every week or two.

Previously, the space agency had said the satellite would begin to break up when it reached about 50 miles (80 km) above the ground. Indeed, most of the fragments would burn up completely in Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, the risk to humans was minute. According to ESA:

The annual risk of an individual human being injured by space debris is under 1 in 100 billion.

And, what does the burning spacecraft do to our atmosphere? ESA said:

… the short-term impact on the atmosphere due to the burn up of a single spacecraft is modest.

But, as ESA also said, an object this size reenters every week or two. And in October 2023, a team of scientists released a study that said:

… about 10% of the aerosol particles in the stratosphere contain aluminum and other metals that originated from the “burn-up” of satellites and rocket stages during reentry. Although direct health or environmental impacts at ground level are unlikely, these measurements have broad implications for the stratosphere and higher altitudes. With many more launches planned in the coming decades, metals from spacecraft reentry could induce changes in the stratospheric aerosol layer.

Just in from our colleagues at @esa's Earth Observation centre outside Rome: footage of the ERS-2 satellite passing over the area yesterday???

In the video you can see the fly-by in real speed and slowed down to a quarter of that speed (the satellite was in and out of the frame… pic.twitter.com/1fLqb4r2CC

— ESA Earth Observation (@ESA_EO) February 21, 2024

Bottom line: A dead satellite – ESA’s ERS-2 satellite – re-entered Earth’s atmosphere today. The entry was uncontrolled or “natural,” ESA said.

Via ESA

The post Dead satellite enters atmosphere over Pacific Ocean first appeared on EarthSky.

On the evening of February 21, 2024, the bright waxing gibbous moon will shine near Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. And it’ll be very close to the faint Beehive star cluster, which you likely won’t see in the moon’s glare, unless you’re an experienced stargazer. Ah, but when the moon moves away! In a dark sky, the Beehive is an easy target with binoculars. They’ll all rise before sunset and travel across the sky’s dome until a little before sunrise.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

February 17-25 mornings: Venus and Mars pair up

Here’s something worth getting up to see! Bright Venus pairs up with much-dimmer Mars from February 17 to 25, 2024. Mars is just now returning to our early morning sky after being behind the sun from Earth. It’ll be rising higher each morning, and it’ll pass brighter Venus, which is descending into the sunrise glare. So it’s a very bright object near a faint one! Fun to see. Mars and Venus will be closest to each other around February 21 and 22.

To enhance your view of Venus and Mars, use binoculars.

EarthSky Minute: Two morning planets

Solar eclipse countdown!

A total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024. February 21, 2024, is 47 days until eclipse day. In this episode, Marcy Curran shares some fun facts of solar eclipses.

EarthSky Minute: February moon phases

February 22 and 23 evenings: Moon near Regulus

On the evenings of February 22 and 23, 2024, the waxing gibbous moon will float near the star Regulus, marking the bottom of the backward question mark asterism called the Sickle. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. They’ll be visible through dawn.

February 24, all night: Full Snow Moon

The instant of full moon – often called the Snow Moon – will fall at 12:30 UTC (6:30 a.m. CST) on February 24, 2024. But of course every full moon rises into your local sky around sunset … and sets around sunrise. This February full moon will be the smallest – most distant – full moon in 2024 at 252,225 miles (405,917 kilometers) away.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

February 24 and 25 evenings: Moon near Regulus and Leo

On the evening of February 24, 2024, the full moon will pass the hindquarters of Leo the Lion. The waning gibbous moon will be approaching Leo on the evening of February 25. They’ll be visible all night.

Moon at apogee February 25

The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 15 UTC (9 a.m. CST) on February 25, 2024, when it’s 252,470 miles (406,312 kilometers) away.

February 25 and 26 mornings: Moon near Regulus and Leo

On the mornings of February 25 and 26, 2024, the waning gibbous moon will lie near Regulus, the bright star marking the bottom of the backward question mark asterism called the Sickle. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. They’ll rise the night before and be opposite the sun in the morning sky.

February 26 – March 11: Zodiacal light

The zodiacal light may be visible after evening twilight for Northern Hemisphere observers for the next two weeks. Southern Hemisphere observers? Look for it before morning twilight begins.

February 28: Mercury moves behind the sun

Mercury will move behind the sun on February 28. This point in its orbit is called superior conjunction. It will return to our evening sky in mid-March.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

February 28 and 29 mornings: Moon near Spica

On the mornings of February 28 and 29, 2024, the waning gibbous moon will hang near the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden.

Visible planets in February 2024

Mid-February mornings: Venus and Mars

In the middle of February, Mars will move close to brilliant Venus. They’ll be an interesting contrast in brightness, with Venus shining at magnitude -3.9 and Mars shining at +1.3. So Venus is roughly 100 times brighter than Mars. They will be at their closest on February 21 and 22, 2024. Then Venus will continue to descend closer to the sunrise each day, while Mars climbs out of the morning twilight.

Late February mornings: Venus and Mars

By the end of February, Venus will slowly be approaching the horizon before disappearing from the morning sky in March. And Mars will be climbing higher each day away from brilliant Venus. Mars remains a morning object through all of 2024.

February evenings: Jupiter

Bright Jupiter will draw your attention until around midnight in February 2024. It will be obvious high in the sky at sunset and will be visible until around midnight. It will shine near the pretty Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Jupiter reached perihelion – or closest point to Earth – in early November. And it reached opposition overnight on November 2-3, 2023, when we flew between it and the sun. So, as Jupiter recedes from Earth, it’ll fade a bit in our sky. It will lie in the dim constellation Aries the Ram, and it’ll shine at -2.2 magnitude by month’s end. The 1st quarter moon will float by Jupiter on February 15, 2024.

Where’s Saturn?

Saturn will be in conjunction with the sun on February 28, 2024. It’ll emerge in the morning sky after mid-March.

Thank you to all who submit images to EarthSky Community Photos! View community photos here. We love you all. Submit your photo here.

Looking for a dark sky? Check out EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze.

Sky dome maps for visible planets and night sky

The sky dome maps come from master astronomy chart-maker Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2024 in his Astronomical Calendar.

Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps

Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more

The sun-centered charts come from Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2024 in his Astronomical Calendar.

Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.

Some resources to enjoy

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.

Watch EarthSky’s video about Two Great Solar Eclipses Coming Up

Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Translate Universal Time (UTC) to your time.

See the indispensable Observer’s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.

Almanac: Bright visible planets (rise and set times for your location).

Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.

Bottom line: Visible planets in February. On February 21, we’re 47 days from eclipse day! See the moon, Castor, Pollux and the faint Beehive before sunset until a little before sunrise.

The post Visible planets and night sky for February first appeared on EarthSky.

• Despite being visible in sky surveys since 1980, only last year did scientists identify this record-breaking quasar, J0529-4351.
• Quasar J0529-4351 is the most luminous object in the known universe, with a mass of 17 billion suns and consuming over a solar mass per day.
• The quasar also holds the title for fastest-growing black hole and is home to the largest known accretion disk.

Record quasar was hiding in plain sight

The most luminous known object in the universe has been hiding in plain sight for decades. The newly identified object – a quasar, or the bright core of a galaxy powered by a black hole – showed up on the ESO Schmidt Southern Sky Survey in 1980. It was so bright that it was originally miscategorized as a foreground star. ESO said on February 19, 2024, that the quasar – named J0529-4351 – is both the most luminous object known to date and the fastest-growing black hole currently known. That’s because, as a general rule, the most luminous quasars indicate the fastest-growing supermassive black holes.

Researchers published a study on the quasar in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Astronomy on February 19, 2024. Lead author Christian Wolf of the Australian National University (ANU) said:

We have discovered the fastest-growing black hole known to date. It has a mass of 17 billion suns, and eats just over a sun per day. This makes it the most luminous object in the known universe.

Co-author Christopher Onken, also of ANU, discussed its surprise discovery:

It is a surprise that it has remained unknown until today, when we already know about a million less impressive quasars. It has literally been staring us in the face until now.

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Largest accretion disk in the universe

Quasars are so bright because they’re powered by supermassive black holes at the cores of galaxies. The black holes collect matter from their surroundings, producing energy that they emit as vast amounts of light. Quasars are so bright that telescopes can pick up even very distant ones from Earth. And Quasar J0529-4351 is so far away from Earth that its light took more than 12 billion years to reach us.

The matter this black hole sucks in forms a disk – known as an accretion disk – and emits energy. In fact, J0529-4351 emits so much energy it’s over 500 trillion times more luminous than the sun. ANU Ph.D. student and co-author Samuel Lai said:

All this light comes from a hot accretion disc that measures seven light-years in diameter. This must be the largest accretion disc in the universe.

For a sense of scale, the quasar’s accretion disk would be about 15,000 times the distance from the sun to Neptune.

Hiding in plain sight

Sky surveys that scan huge swaths of the sky accumulate so much data that researchers use machine-learning models to analyze it all. However, these models learn from existing data. So a new, record-breakingly-bright quasar from a distant galaxy might get classified as a star in our own galaxy. And that’s exactly what first happened with J0529-4351.

Only last year did researchers recognize it as a distant quasar by using observations from the ANU 2.3-meter telescope at the Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. And researchers needed an even larger telescope to discover it was the most luminous quasar yet seen. For that, they used the X-shooter spectrograph on ESO’s VLT in the Chilean Atacama Desert to get more precise measurements, revealing the quasar’s true nature.

As researchers learn more about the quasar, it could open up insights on the early universe, such as how quasars and host galaxies formed and evolved. But Wolf said:

Personally, I simply like the chase. For a few minutes a day, I get to feel like a child again, playing treasure hunt, and now I bring everything to the table that I have learned since.

Bottom line: The record quasar J0529-4351 is the current title holder for most luminous object in the universe, fastest-growing black hole in the universe and largest accretion disk in the universe.

Source: The accretion of a solar mass per day by a 17-billion solar mass black hole

Via ESO

The post Record quasar is most luminous object in the universe first appeared on EarthSky.

Euclid peers into the dark areas of our universe

On February 14, 2024, ESA’s Euclid space telescope began its six-year mission to “observe billions of galaxies and 10 billion years of cosmic history.” Its goal is to survey 1/3 of the night sky in visible and near-infrared light outside the bright Milky Way. These observations should help astronomers better understand the universe’s expansion and structure over time, providing insight to the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Euclid launched from Florida on July 1, 2023. It’s now up and running at its home at Lagrange point 2, 930,000 miles (1.5 million km) from Earth. You may be familiar with Lagrange 2 as the home of the Webb Space Telescope.

In just the first two weeks, Euclid will survey an area greater than 500 times the size of the full moon. This first region it’s observing is in the direction of the Southern Hemisphere constellations of Caelum and Pictor.

Euclid is named after an ancient Greek mathematician.

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Euclid can catch 50,000 galaxies in one shot

Covering 1/3 of the sky in six years means Euclid has a lot of territory to cover. Fortunately, it can image a patch of sky larger than the full moon in one shot. The moon is 0.5 degrees wide, and Euclid’s vision is 0.7 by 0.7 degrees. In each patch of sky this size, Euclid could be imaging around 50,000 galaxies. Euclid will stare at each one of these patches for about 70 minutes, before moving on to the next patch of sky.

Roberto Scaramella, Euclid survey scientist at the National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) in Italy, said:

Thanks to its wide-eyed look at the cosmos, and its long exposure time and sensitivity, the number of galaxies that Euclid can see in one pointing is huge. To study the individual distortions of galaxies by dark matter, we need to observe at least 1.5 billion galaxies. Euclid will observe the shapes of around 50,000 galaxies with the needed accuracy in one shot, and will spot many more faint ones.

Encountering an early problem

Soon after Euclid began its test imaging, scientists noticed a problem. A tiny amount of unwanted sunlight was reaching Euclid’s visible instrument (VIS) at specific angles. And that was even with the spacecraft’s back turned toward the sun.

Ismael Tereno of the University of Lisbon, Portugal, said:

The original plan was for Euclid to keep its sunshield facing the sun. But soon after launch, we detected disturbing light from the sun in the test images.

João Dinis, also from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, said:

After intense troubleshooting, science, engineering, and industrial teams found that for this light to disappear, Euclid needed to observe with a different orientation (attitude) with respect to the sun. This meant that the original survey design would no longer work. We had to quickly come up with a new strategy, implement it, and test it.

But, with this new restricted attitude, there were parts of the sky Euclid could not observe from any point in its orbit. Eventually, the best solution was to have more overlaps between adjacent observations. Euclid’s survey is now a bit less efficient, but all necessary areas of the sky can be reached. The overall loss in survey area is kept to a minimum.

Euclid’s mission to survey the dark universe

Dark matter and dark energy are two huge fundamental holes in our understanding of the universe. Dark matter makes up about 25% of the universe, but we don’t know what it is. Moreover, we only know it exists because we can see the effects it has on other objects. And nearly 70% of the universe seems to be made of dark energy, an unknown force that is causing the universe to expand. (A recent study said perhaps black holes are the source of dark energy.) That leaves the ordinary matter we see – stars and galaxies, etc. – as only about 5% of the universe.

Euclid is looking to address five mysteries:

1. What is the structure and history of the cosmic web?
2. What is the nature of dark matter?
3. How has the expansion of the universe changed over time?
4. What is the nature of dark energy?
5. Is our understanding of gravity complete?

Instruments onboard

Euclid has two science instruments. The first is a visible-wavelength camera, or VIS. Also, it has a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer, or NISP. Euclid will provide imaging in visible wavelengths, plus spectroscopy and photometry in near-infrared. Learn more about Euclid’s instruments in the illustration below.

What will the Euclid mission see and measure?

Bottom line: On February 14, 2024, Euclid began its mission of surveying the dark universe. The space telescope will observe about 1/3 of the sky.

Via European Space Agency

The post Euclid space telescope begins dark universe survey first appeared on EarthSky.

Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re sharing the love by celebrating some of the many heart-shaped objects you can find from way out in the depths of space to closer to our neighborhood in the solar system to right here on Earth.

2024 lunar calendars on sale now. Makes a great gift! Check it out here.

Heart shapes in space

Finding love on Earth

Bottom line: The shape of hearts is ubiquitous in the universe, as we can see in these photos from small petals on Earth to galaxies in the distant universe.

The post We heart the Earth and sky! PHOTOS first appeared on EarthSky.

A new supernova in Virgo

Steven Bellavia e-mailed EarthSky on Thursday, February 8, 2024, to alert us about a new supernova explosion in a galaxy some 55 million light-years away. From across vast space and time, the supernova shows up remarkably easily in his image.

Amateur astronomer Koichi Itagaki of Japan discovered the supernova on January 4, 2024. Itagaki has discovered more than 170 supernovas. When Itagaki discovered it, the supernova was still a remarkably dim magnitude 16.3. The supernova, now named SN 2024gy, has brightened a bit since then. When Steven took his image of the supernova on February 8, it was approximately magnitude 13. But that’s still far below what most casual amateur astronomers can spy with a backyard telescope.

In the image above, the “before” of galaxy NGC 4216 is from May 31, 2022. And Steven took the “after” image on February 8, 2024.

How’d he do it?

Steven shared all the technical details with us. Here’s how he got both the before and after shots:

Telescope: TSO-115mm Triplet f/7 refractor with TSO 3-inch, 0.79X reducer-flattener, 645mm focal length
Camera: ZWO ASI 533MC Pro, cooled to -5C

Integration, May 31, 2022, Cherry Springs State Park, PA (before SN visible):
– Astronomik L2 UV-IR cut, 21 x 300 seconds, Gain 100 (1.75 hours)
– 30 Flat Frames, 30 Dark-Flat Frames and 30 Dark Frames

Integration, Feb 08, 2024, Mattituck, NY (after SN visible):
– Astronomik L2 UV-IR cut, 20 x 240 seconds, Gain 100 (1.33hours)
– 30 Flat Frames, 30 Dark-Flat Frames and 30 Dark Frames

Mount: Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro using EQMOD software
Guide Scope: The Bellavia Basic 50mm, 370mm FL
Guide Camera: ZWO ASI 290MC

Still images

Here are the still images of the galaxy, in case you want to take some time to pore over both the before and after moments that Steven captured.

Bottom line: Steven Bellavia caught before and after images of galaxy NGC 4216, which is currently hosting a new supernova.

Read more: Supernova X-rays zap planets’ atmospheres, 160 light-years away

The post New supernova explodes in a galaxy in Virgo first appeared on EarthSky.

Asteroid that hit Germany was a rare type

Astronomers discovered a new asteroid last January 21, 2024, just hours before it struck Earth’s atmosphere above Germany. As it fell, producing a fireball, the little asteroid dropped meteorites – or fragments of itself – onto the countryside below. Meteorite hunters west of Berlin got to work and soon discovered asteroid fragments, which they then sent to labs for scientific analysis On February 5, 2024, the SETI Institute said the rock from space was a rare type: an aubrite. They said the fragments might have originated on Mercury.

The SETI Institute scientists said aubrites are tricky to find. Most meteorites that hit Earth have a thin black outer crust, resulting from their fiery passage through Earth’s atmosphere. But aubrites have a mostly translucent, glassy crust.

Peter Jenniskens of the SETI Institute traveled to Germany to help hunt for the meteorites. He said in a statement:

They were devilishly difficult to find because, from a distance, they look like other rocks on Earth. Close up, not so much … We only spotted the meteorites after a Polish team of meteorite hunters had identified the first find and could show us what to look for.

It was Jenniskens’ 4th trip to the site of an asteroid impact where remnant meteorites were indeed found on the ground. The previous three were in Sudan in 2008, Botswana in 2018, and France in 2023.

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An official classification

Scientists at the Natural History Museum of Berlin examined one of the meteorites with an electron beam microprobe, which is a non-destructive tool that determines the chemical composition of small volumes of solid materials. They found the mineralogy and chemical composition was that of an aubrite. Then, they submitted their result to the International Nomenclature Commission of the Meteoritical Society on February 2, 2024. The society examined the meteorite and confirmed their classification.

Aubrites are named for a village in France: Aubrés. On September 14, 1836, a meteorite fell in this location and showed evidence of a violent origin. These magnesium-rich, igneous rocks might have originated on Mercury.

Ansgar Greshake, scientific head of the Natural History Museum of Berlin’s meteorite collection, said:

So far, there is only material from eleven other observed falls of this type in meteorite collections worldwide.

Christopher Hamann of the Natural History Museum of Berlin further described rare aubrites:

Aubrites do not look like what people generally imagine meteorites to look like. Aubrites look more like a gray granite and consist mainly of the magnesium silicates enstatite and forsterite. It contains hardly any iron and the glassy crust, which is usually a good way to recognize meteorites, looks completely different than that of most other meteorites. Aubrites are therefore difficult to detect in the field.

The recovery of the meteorites

Meteorite hunters were on high alert on January 21, when reports first came in that an asteroid was going to impact Earth’s atmosphere above Germany. Observers in the area watched a bright burst of light as the asteroid exploded. Though small, the asteroid was large enough to survive in the form of small fragments that showered the countryside west of Berlin. And on January 26, 2024, the Natural History Museum of Berlin said that searchers found suspected fragments the size of a walnut.

Other meteorite hunters have also been sharing their finds on social media.

Via Carlos Augusto Di Pietro

The first meteorites from the asteroid 2024 BX1 (the Berlin fireball) that entered our atmosphere on January 20 were found. Fragments were located by Micha? Nebelski, Kryspin Kmieciak and Kazimierz Magneto pic.twitter.com/cuo2pIx3W5

— Space Initiatives (@AsteroidEnergy) January 25, 2024

Ein Meteoritensucher im Havelland …

Video: Zsolt Kereszty #2024BX1 #Sar2736 pic.twitter.com/G2HXnDYY9t

— Weltraum-Nerd (@NicosPanoptikum) January 25, 2024

Nachdem Erfolg der polnischen Gruppe, haben sich zwei Ungarn 10 Stunden ins Auto gesetzt, um ins Havelland zu fahren. Und nach nur 58 Minuten im Suchgebiet waren sie erfolgreich.#2024BX1 #Sar2736 @AsteroidEnergy pic.twitter.com/84JFRYdpcr

— Weltraum-Nerd (@NicosPanoptikum) January 26, 2024

Da ist er, der vierte Fund des Havelland-Meteoriten. Glückwunsch ans @mfnberlin! #2024BX1 #Sar2736 https://t.co/juuMgokJMh

— Weltraum-Nerd (@NicosPanoptikum) January 26, 2024

Asteroid impact predicted beforehand

In the late-night hours of January 21, 2024 – 90 minutes before impact over European skies – NASA said a small asteroid would hit Earth’s atmosphere. And hit it did. The space rock struck on schedule above an area west of Berlin, Germany. The asteroid was only about 1 meter (3 feet) in diameter. It posed no danger to people on the ground.

Soon after, footage of the fireball in the skies over Germany started coming in on social media.

Asteroid hunter Krisztián Sárneczky of Budapest, Hungary, discovered the asteroid only shortly before impact. Sárneczky has become famous for last-minute discoveries such as this one, including the discoveries of an asteroid that fell over France in 2023 and another that hit over the Arctic Ocean in 2022. This is only the 8th asteroid detected before impact.

Here's the full video of the asteroid #Sar2736, a ~1 m object that broke up some 50 m west of #Belin, #Germany, and probably dropped some meteorites on the ground. Video credit: https://t.co/72o6ZzPNz8 pic.twitter.com/PA73dkqid1

— Denis Vida (@meteordoc) January 21, 2024

A small asteroid hit Earth overnight, lighting up skies over Germany.

The discovery images of the imminent impactor #2024BX1 (aka #Sar2736 ) with the 60-cm Schmidt Telescope at #Piszkéstet? Mountain Station, part of Konkoly Observatory (#konkolyobs) in #Hungary. pic.twitter.com/qMcXerhvL4

— Krisztián Sárneczky (@sarneczky) January 21, 2024

The small asteroid received the preliminary designation Sar2736. Then the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center gave it a formal label of 2024 BX1.

Videos of the asteroid impact

As it blazed through Earth’s atmosphere, the small asteroid appeared as a fireball, that is, a very bright meteor or shooting star.

Visual, video and photograph records of Sar2736 atmospheric entry are of primary importance: if you saw or recorded the fireball, please fill in a fireball report form: https://t.co/Ez7rkd3pHC
Thanks in advance!

Image credit: Fripon-Germany pic.twitter.com/a7MDop00Cn

— IMO Meteor Org. (@IMOmeteors) January 21, 2024

Prague's view of #Sar2736: a minor planet entering Earth's atmosphere on Jan 21, 2024, at 00:32 UT. pic.twitter.com/KXDnBvzmGX

— Hanjie Tan (@HonkitTan) January 21, 2024

??über Berlin.? pic.twitter.com/AYROUbTpSy

— FloBerlin (@BerlinFlo5) January 21, 2024

Another *incredible* shot of the small asteroid burning up above Germany just moments ago—wow. pic.twitter.com/OGl0GuWGe6

— Dr Robin George Andrews ??? (@SquigglyVolcano) January 21, 2024

News of the imminent impact

Social media lit up with reports of the impending impact.

Heads Up: A tiny asteroid will disintegrate as a harmless fireball west of Berlin near Nennhausen shortly at 1:32am CET. Overseers will see it if it’s clear!

— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 21, 2024

The latest nominal impact location is ~50 km west of Berlin between 00:30 – 00:35 UTC (01:30 – 01:35 CET).

— Denis Vida (@meteordoc) January 20, 2024

(2/n)
– After capturing the fireball, take a long-exposure picture of stars after recording the fireball.
– Record the accurate time of the recording. Visit https://t.co/ZnxfG2GKex and take a picture of the website.

— Denis Vida (@meteordoc) January 20, 2024

Bottom line: Scientists analyzing the meteorites left behind by the asteroid that hit Germany said they are a rare type known as an aubrite.

Via SETI Institute

The post Asteroid that exploded in German skies is rare aubrite first appeared on EarthSky.

Canis Minor the Lesser or Little Dog is a small constellation, but it has a major star. It’s home to the 8th-brightest star in all the sky, called Procyon or Alpha Canis Minoris. This star is also one of the six stars in the noticeable Winter Circle asterism.

The companion constellation to the Lesser Dog is, of course, nearby Canis Major, the Greater Dog. And Canis Major houses the brightest star in the sky, Sirius, which is also part of the Winter Circle.

Sirius is often called the Dog Star. And Procyon is known as the Little Dog Star.

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The mythology of Canis Minor

Canis Minor and Canis Major are the faithful dogs of Orion the Hunter. They lie east of Orion and follow him up from the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere.

In one mythological story, the gods placed the Lesser Dog at the banks of the river of the Milky Way so it would never be thirsty.

English astronomer Richard Proctor tried to rename Canis Minor for a cat, Felis, to distinguish it from Canis Major.

Due to Canis Minor’s proximity to Monoceros the Unicorn, many illustrations depict the Lesser Dog so that is seems to be standing on the Unicorn’s back.

Finding the Lesser Dog

Canis Minor is easy to find in February and March. If you can find Orion, you can easily starhop your way to Canis Minor. If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, Orion stands high above the southern horizon mid-evening. To its left, out from reddish Betelgeuse, is bright Procyon. You can spot even brighter Sirius to the lower right. These three stars make up the Winter Triangle.

From the Southern Hemisphere, Orion is standing on his head above the northern horizon and Canis Minor is to the right.

Stars of Canis Minor

While Canis Minor is not the smallest of the 88 constellations, it is one of the smaller ones, ranking 71st. The majority of the smallest constellations are in Southern Hemisphere skies.

This diminutive constellation has two stars of note. The first you’ve already met, Procyon, or the Little Dog Star, shines at magnitude 0.40. The temperature of Procyon – at 7,000 kelvin (6,700 Celsius or 12,000 Fahrenheit) – is similar to that of the sun. But unlike the sun, it has a stellar companion, a hard-to-see white dwarf which requires a large telescope. Procyon appears bright to us on Earth because it’s a mere 11.4 light-years away.

The other bright star in Canis Minor is Gomeisa, or Beta Canis Minoris. Gomeisa shines at a magnitude 2.89. Gomeisa lies a much more distant 170 light-years away.

Part of the Winter Triangle and Circle

Bright Procyon gets incorporated into two important winter asterisms: the Winter Triangle and Winter Circle or Hexagon. Starting at the bottom of the Winter Circle with the brightest star, Sirius, the other stars in the Circle are Procyon, Pollux (and it twin, Castor), Capella, Aldebaran and Rigel. The Winter Triangle is like a slice of a pie taken out of the Winter Circle. It includes Sirius and Procyon plus Orion’s reddish Betelgeuse.

Deep-sky targets in Canis Minor

Also, a number of galaxies and nebulae lie in Canis Minor, but the majority are too faint for the casual amateur astronomer. In fact, the brightest of these is only 13th magnitude, the spiral galaxy NGC 2485. Because our own Milky Way lies in the southwest portion of the constellation, the faint galaxies that you will find all lie in the northeast portion of Canis Minor’s boundaries. You can think of the line drawn between Procyon and Gomeisa as the border of the Milky Way.

Bottom line: Canis Minor is a small constellation with one notably bright star, Procyon. The constellation of the Lesser Dog follows Orion across the sky.

The post Meet Canis Minor the Lesser Dog in February first appeared on EarthSky.

‘High’ flood risk in Southern California

The state of California is bracing for an onslaught of rain, strong winds and snow at higher elevations, as another atmospheric river slams the state. The San Francisco Bay Area is expecting high winds, while Southern California is bracing for the threat of widespread, dangerous flooding. The storm came ashore Saturday night, with highest rainfall amounts expected today (February 4, 2024) and Monday. Some areas could see close to a foot of rain.

Officials have issued an evacuation warning for part of Santa Barbara County.

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?? EVACUATION WARNINGS have been issued for parts of Santa Barbara County. These EVACUATION WARNINGS are due to an incoming storm arriving Saturday, February 3 through Tuesday, February 5.
? Info: https://t.co/iGQy84pGay pic.twitter.com/rDZTAwboVI

— SBCountyOEM (@SBCountyOEM) February 2, 2024

California has had a lower-than-average snowpack this season. It’s been too warm to snow, but this coming week the state will make up a little of the deficit at higher altitudes with the incoming storm. Mountainous area could see up to 6 feet of snow by Thursday, February 7.

California and the Pacific Northwest have already seen a lot of rain over the past week, as a previous atmospheric river hit the West Coast.

What is an atmospheric river?

An atmospheric river is a long, narrow band of water vapor in the lowest part of the atmosphere. It’s like a river in the sky that releases precipitation when it hits the coast and mountains. When it encounters these landforms, the atmospheric river gets pushed upward, causing the water vapor to condense (change from a gas to a liquid) and fall to the ground. According to the USGS:

Up to 50% of California’s annual precipitation can come from atmospheric rivers.

Back-to-back atmospheric rivers make for a high flood risk. As The Conversation explained:

The first heavy downpours saturate the ground. As consecutive storms arrive, their precipitation falls on soil that can’t absorb more water. That contributes to more runoff. Rivers and streams fill up.

A historic nine consecutive atmospheric rivers hit California last winter, helping refill the reservoirs in the state. But they also brought flooding and mudslides.

The next atmospheric river takes shape in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Heavy precipitation is expected in parts of California as soon as late Saturday night. pic.twitter.com/TebSJhNQ5B

— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) February 2, 2024

Warnings from the NWS

Here are the latest Key Messages for the impending Atmospheric River set to deliver copious amounts of rain & snow to California & parts of Nevada through Tuesday. A High Risk has been issued for Sunday across portions of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California. #CAwx #NVwx pic.twitter.com/smXRh5YW1K

— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) February 3, 2024

Powerful storm will bring widespread damaging winds to SW Calif, especially SLO/Santa Barbara counties with gusts 50-70 mph, except isold gusts 80 mph in mtns/coastal foothills tonight-Sun night. Expect extensive downed trees/powerlines+power outages #SLOWeather #cawx pic.twitter.com/IoLFLZp6Fl

— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) February 4, 2024

And up in the Bay Area:

? Rapid rises in main stem rivers are expected with this system with some rivers now anticipated to reach flood stage as early as tomorrow morning. Please be sure to stay informed and weather aware tomorrow. #CAwx pic.twitter.com/EKhzZmdY3R

— NWS Bay Area ? (@NWSBayArea) February 4, 2024

Bottom line: An atmospheric river is poised to hit California, bringing rain, wind and heavy snowfall at high altitudes. The National Weather Service warns people to make preparations.

The post Atmospheric river puts California at risk for floods first appeared on EarthSky.

See a zoo of animals in space

The Rosette Nebula is a beautiful collection of gas and dust that looks like its name. The Rosette lies about 5,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros the Unicorn, and stretches about 130 light-years across. It is an emission nebula, meaning that the gases that compose it glow thanks to the radiation from local stars. The young stars in the nebula’s center are gravitationally bound to each other; they form an open cluster, made from the material of the nebula.

EarthSky friend Tameem Altameemi shared a closer look at a portion of this gorgeous nebula and labeled a whole zoo of animals hiding inside (see top image). Tameem said:

This is one of my best deep sky images. It took three days from me to complete almost 12 hours of data. The Rosette Nebula, known as NGC 2237, is significantly larger than the famous Orion Nebula, which is much closer to the Earth. It is a region of intense star formation.

And while searching for more information about the Rosette, I discovered a new and fun piece of information: We can identify animals present near the center of the nebula.

I added the names of these animals, and they actually match their real forms.

So fun! Thank you, Tameem.

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A wider view of the Rosette

Bottom line: A closer look at the Rosette Nebula reveals a whole zoo of animals, including an elephant, a llama, a woodpecker, a donkey and more. Can you see them?

The post See a zoo of animals in the Rosette Nebula first appeared on EarthSky.