Space
Cloudy day in much of Europe today, but more sun in south
Terra satellite picture from earlier today (August 5, 2021), mainly because I like looking down at Earth from outer space.
NPR
The northern lights are expected to be visible across several U.S. states this week, according to the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
On Wednesday and Thursday, the Kp-index, or planetary index, will be at five and six, respectively. The scale goes all the way up to nine, and any occurrence above five is considered a geomagnetic storm.
The aurora borealis could be seen across parts of Washington, Idaho, Vermont, Wyoming, New Hampshire, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Maryland, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Maine, according to the university.
When will the sun die? | Space
If you worry about when the sun will die, never fear: that moment is billions of years away.
The sun gives energy to life on Earth, and without this star, we wouldn't be here. But even stars have limited lifetimes, and someday our sun will die.
You don't need to worry about this solar death anytime soon, though. Like all stars, a churning fusion engine fuels the sun, and it still has a lot of fuel left — about 5 billion years' worth.
NPR
A total lunar eclipse is happening Tuesday, and it might be a good time to catch a peek, because the next one isn't for three years.
The initial phase of the eclipse begins at 3:02 a.m. ET, according to NASA. The partial eclipse then begins at 4:09 a.m. ET, when to the naked eye, it looks like a bite is being taken out of the moon. The lunar disk enters totality at 5:17 a.m. ET and will last for about an hour and a half.
People in North America, Central America, Colombia, and western Venezuela and Peru will be able to see the eclipse in totality. Those in Alaska and Hawaii will be able to see all stages of the eclipse.
NPR
NPR
The third supermoon of 2022 will grace the night sky on Wednesday.
It's also known as a buck moon because it falls in July. The name doesn't come from its appearance — you won't see the shape of a buck on the moon's surface or anything. Instead, it refers to something that's happening in nature. NASA's James Webb telescope captures groundbreaking images of distant galaxies The Picture Show NASA's James Webb telescope captures groundbreaking images of distant galaxies
"The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time," as The Old Farmer's Almanac says. "Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by."