Tag: Sun

Geminid Meteors over Chile

Are meteors streaming out from a point in the sky? Yes, in a way. When the Earth crosses a stream of Sun-orbiting meteors, these meteors appear to come from the direction of the stream — with the directional point called...

/ December 8, 2019

Mercury Crosses a Quiet Sun

What’s that black dot crossing the Sun? The planet Mercury. Mercury usually passes over or under the Sun, as seen from Earth, but last month the Solar System’s innermost planet appeared to go just about straight across the middle. Although...

/ December 2, 2019

Total Solar Eclipse Corona in HDF

For anyone that is fortunate to be at the right place during a solar eclipse they state it as one of the most amazing experiences in their entire life. Many resolve to say they will travel anywhere in the world...

/ August 2, 2018

Aurorae on Jupiter

Jupiter has aurorae. Like Earth, the magnetic field of the gas giant funnels charged particles released from the Sun onto the poles. As these particles strike the atmosphere, electrons are temporarily knocked away from existing gas molecules. Electric force attracts these electrons...

/ July 14, 2016

ISS and Mercury Too

Transits of Mercury are relatively rare. Monday’s leisurely 7.5 hour long event was only the 2nd of 14 Mercury transits in the 21st century. If you’re willing to travel, transits of the International Space Station can be more frequent though,...

/ May 14, 2016

The W in Cassiopeia

A familiar, zigzag, W pattern in northern constellation Cassiopeia is traced by five bright stars in this colorful and broad mosaic. Stretching about 15 degrees across rich starfields, the celestial scene includes dark clouds, bright nebulae, and star clusters along...

/ March 22, 2016