Where’s the moon? Waxing gibbous

Waxing gibbous moon via Clarise Samuels in Montreal. She used multiple exposures to superimpose the moon on a close-up of small light bulbs and she wrote: “It would be nice if we had a lot of moons.” Wannabe meteor-watchers will disagree!

Those who want to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower are now shaking their fists at this week’s waxing gibbous moon. It’s more than half-lighted, less than full, but steadily waxing toward full moon on the night of August 7-8, 2017. Afterwards, the moon will be waning, but still bright in the sky after midnight during the Perseids’ peak. As if in consolation (although not for us in the Americas), the upcoming full moon will feature a partial lunar eclipse, visible from Earth’s Eastern Hemisphere on the night of August 7-8. And of course this cycle of the moon is moving us inexorably toward the much-anticipated total eclipse of the sun on August 21, which will cut a narrow (and likely crowded!) swath across the U.S.

This week’s waxing gibbous moon rises during the hours between noon and sunset. It sets in the wee hours after midnight. It falls between a first quarter moon and a full moon.

Any moon that appears more than half lighted but less than full is called a gibbous moon. The word gibbous comes from a root word that means hump-backed.

People often see a waxing gibbous moon in the afternoon, shortly after moonrise, while it’s ascending in the east as the sun is descending in the west. It’s easy to see a waxing gibbous moon in the daytime because, at this phase of the moon, a respectably large fraction of the moon’s dayside is now facing our way.

A gibbous moon can also be a waning gibbous, in the week between full moon and last quarter moon. Want to know more? Check out our post offering 4 keys to understanding moon phases.

Point of interest on a waxing gibbous moon: Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows) surrounded by the Jura Mountains. Photo by Lunar 101-Moon Book in Toronto, Canada.

As the moon orbits Earth, it changes phase in an orderly way. Follow these links to understand the various phases of the moon.

Four keys to understanding moon phases

Where’s the moon? Waxing crescent
Where’s the moon? First quarter
Where’s the moon? Waxing gibbous
What’s special about a full moon?
Where’s the moon? Waning gibbous
Where’s the moon? Last quarter
Where’s the moon? Waning crescent
Where’s the moon? New phase

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1j8UWzb

Waxing gibbous moon via Clarise Samuels in Montreal. She used multiple exposures to superimpose the moon on a close-up of small light bulbs and she wrote: “It would be nice if we had a lot of moons.” Wannabe meteor-watchers will disagree!

Those who want to watch the annual Perseid meteor shower are now shaking their fists at this week’s waxing gibbous moon. It’s more than half-lighted, less than full, but steadily waxing toward full moon on the night of August 7-8, 2017. Afterwards, the moon will be waning, but still bright in the sky after midnight during the Perseids’ peak. As if in consolation (although not for us in the Americas), the upcoming full moon will feature a partial lunar eclipse, visible from Earth’s Eastern Hemisphere on the night of August 7-8. And of course this cycle of the moon is moving us inexorably toward the much-anticipated total eclipse of the sun on August 21, which will cut a narrow (and likely crowded!) swath across the U.S.

This week’s waxing gibbous moon rises during the hours between noon and sunset. It sets in the wee hours after midnight. It falls between a first quarter moon and a full moon.

Any moon that appears more than half lighted but less than full is called a gibbous moon. The word gibbous comes from a root word that means hump-backed.

People often see a waxing gibbous moon in the afternoon, shortly after moonrise, while it’s ascending in the east as the sun is descending in the west. It’s easy to see a waxing gibbous moon in the daytime because, at this phase of the moon, a respectably large fraction of the moon’s dayside is now facing our way.

A gibbous moon can also be a waning gibbous, in the week between full moon and last quarter moon. Want to know more? Check out our post offering 4 keys to understanding moon phases.

Point of interest on a waxing gibbous moon: Sinus Iridum (Bay of Rainbows) surrounded by the Jura Mountains. Photo by Lunar 101-Moon Book in Toronto, Canada.

As the moon orbits Earth, it changes phase in an orderly way. Follow these links to understand the various phases of the moon.

Four keys to understanding moon phases

Where’s the moon? Waxing crescent
Where’s the moon? First quarter
Where’s the moon? Waxing gibbous
What’s special about a full moon?
Where’s the moon? Waning gibbous
Where’s the moon? Last quarter
Where’s the moon? Waning crescent
Where’s the moon? New phase

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1j8UWzb

Rainbow over Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

Josh Blash caught this photo on August 1, 2017 and wrote: “While out exploring El Paso on Tuesday, I came across this rainbow over Ciudad Juárez, Mexico a little before sunset.”

Happy travels, Josh!

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2v5gzjg

Josh Blash caught this photo on August 1, 2017 and wrote: “While out exploring El Paso on Tuesday, I came across this rainbow over Ciudad Juárez, Mexico a little before sunset.”

Happy travels, Josh!

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/2v5gzjg

Summer Triangle on August evenings

We’ve recently seen Orion’s return to the east before dawn, which means our northern summer is beginning to draw to the a close. But the Summer Triangle asterism still rules the skies. You can see it overhead this evening. As seen from mid-northern latitudes, Vega – the Summer Triangle’s brightest star – shines high overhead around 10:30 p.m. local daylight saving time (9:30 p.m. local standard time). Altair resides to the lower left (southeast) of Vega, and Deneb lies to Vega’s left (east).

The Summer Triangle is not a constellation. It’s three bright stars in three different constellations, as the wonderful photo below – by Susan Jensen in Odessa, Washington – shows.

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Here is the Summer Triangle asterism – three bright stars in three different constellations – as photographed by EarthSky Facebook friend Susan Jensen in Odessa, Washington. Thank you, Susan, for your excellent and beautiful work!

As the stars drift westward during the night Deneb will swing upward, to replace Vega as the overhead star some two hours later. Of course, the stars aren’t really moving. It’s the Earth’s rotation that causes the stars to move westward during the night, and the sun to go westward during the day.

Great rift of Milky Way passes through the constellation Cassiopeia and the Summer Triangle.Click here for a larger photo

Because the three stars making up the Summer Triangle are 1st-magnitude stars, you can easily see the brilliant Summer Triangle on moonlit nights. However, you need a dark sky free of moonlight to see the great swath of stars known as the Milky Way passing in between the Summer Triangle stars Vega and Altair. The star Deneb bobs in the middle of this river of stars that meanders through the Summer Triangle, arcing across the sky from horizon to horizon. Although every star that you see with the unaided eye is actually a member of our Milky Way galaxy, the term Milky Way often refers to the cross-sectional view of the galactic disk, whereby innumerable far-off suns congregate into a cloudy trail of stars.

Make friends Summer Triangle and its three brilliant stars – Vega, Deneb and Altair – tonight. Once the moon drops out of the evening sky in a week or so, note the great boulevard of stars that streams right through the Summer Triangle on an inky-dark night. That’s actually an edgewise view of the galactic disk.

Summer Triangle and the top of the Louvre Pyramid from EarthSky Facebook friend VegaStar Carpentier in Paris. More about this photo here. Thanks VegaStar!

By the way, you can see the Summer Triangle in the Southern Hemisphere, too – although there do you call it the Winter Triangle? I wonder. South of the equator, people see an upside-down version of tonight’s sky scene, in contrast to our northern perspective. Late tonight, Southern Hemisphere residents will see Altair at the top of the Summer Triangle, and Vega and Altair sparkling at bottom.

Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb, Altair

Bottom line: The Summer Triangle asterism can be seen overhead at late evening now. The Summer Triangle is not a constellation. It’s three bright stars in three different constellations. These stars are Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in the constellation Aquila the Eagle.

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1DZT0dT

We’ve recently seen Orion’s return to the east before dawn, which means our northern summer is beginning to draw to the a close. But the Summer Triangle asterism still rules the skies. You can see it overhead this evening. As seen from mid-northern latitudes, Vega – the Summer Triangle’s brightest star – shines high overhead around 10:30 p.m. local daylight saving time (9:30 p.m. local standard time). Altair resides to the lower left (southeast) of Vega, and Deneb lies to Vega’s left (east).

The Summer Triangle is not a constellation. It’s three bright stars in three different constellations, as the wonderful photo below – by Susan Jensen in Odessa, Washington – shows.

Enjoying EarthSky so far? Sign up for our free daily newsletter today!

Here is the Summer Triangle asterism – three bright stars in three different constellations – as photographed by EarthSky Facebook friend Susan Jensen in Odessa, Washington. Thank you, Susan, for your excellent and beautiful work!

As the stars drift westward during the night Deneb will swing upward, to replace Vega as the overhead star some two hours later. Of course, the stars aren’t really moving. It’s the Earth’s rotation that causes the stars to move westward during the night, and the sun to go westward during the day.

Great rift of Milky Way passes through the constellation Cassiopeia and the Summer Triangle.Click here for a larger photo

Because the three stars making up the Summer Triangle are 1st-magnitude stars, you can easily see the brilliant Summer Triangle on moonlit nights. However, you need a dark sky free of moonlight to see the great swath of stars known as the Milky Way passing in between the Summer Triangle stars Vega and Altair. The star Deneb bobs in the middle of this river of stars that meanders through the Summer Triangle, arcing across the sky from horizon to horizon. Although every star that you see with the unaided eye is actually a member of our Milky Way galaxy, the term Milky Way often refers to the cross-sectional view of the galactic disk, whereby innumerable far-off suns congregate into a cloudy trail of stars.

Make friends Summer Triangle and its three brilliant stars – Vega, Deneb and Altair – tonight. Once the moon drops out of the evening sky in a week or so, note the great boulevard of stars that streams right through the Summer Triangle on an inky-dark night. That’s actually an edgewise view of the galactic disk.

Summer Triangle and the top of the Louvre Pyramid from EarthSky Facebook friend VegaStar Carpentier in Paris. More about this photo here. Thanks VegaStar!

By the way, you can see the Summer Triangle in the Southern Hemisphere, too – although there do you call it the Winter Triangle? I wonder. South of the equator, people see an upside-down version of tonight’s sky scene, in contrast to our northern perspective. Late tonight, Southern Hemisphere residents will see Altair at the top of the Summer Triangle, and Vega and Altair sparkling at bottom.

Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb, Altair

Bottom line: The Summer Triangle asterism can be seen overhead at late evening now. The Summer Triangle is not a constellation. It’s three bright stars in three different constellations. These stars are Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp, Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in the constellation Aquila the Eagle.

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1DZT0dT

Why plants represent untapped potential for innovative drug discovery

Northeastern chemistry graduate student John de la Parra poses with a aloe plant. He is collaborating with Emory ethnobotanist Cassandra Quave to explore the medicinal properties of plants. Photo by Matthew Mondoono/Northeastern University.

By Allie Nicodemo,
Northeastern University

The field of medicine has come a long way from using heroin as a cough remedy or magnet therapy to improve blood flow. These outdated methods were put to bed decades ago. But there are plenty of ancient medicinal practices that have stood the test of time. In fact, many of the life-saving pharmaceuticals we rely on today are derived from plants first discovered by indigenous communities.

Ethnobotany is the scientific study of traditional plant knowledge. It’s what gave us morphine, aspirin, and ephedrine, to name a few. And there is still untapped potential.

In a new paper published by Trends in Biotechnology, Northeastern University doctoral candidate John de la Parra and Emory University medical botanist Cassandra Quave described a new field called ethnophytotechnology. It’s the use of plant biotechnology to improve the plant-based drug discovery pipeline.

“New production, engineering, and analysis methods have made it easier to meet scientific challenges that have confronted traditionally used plant-derived medicines,” saiys de la Parra, who is earning his doctorate in chemistry. “It is our hope that as the field expands, rich troves of indigenous knowledge can find prominence within innovative drug discovery and production platforms.”

Quave and de la Parra are examining the vast opportunities for ethnobotany and ethnophytotechnology to promote new drug discovery and solve health challenges.

Read the full story about their recent paper on the Northwestern news site.

Related:
Brazilian peppertree packs power to knock out antibiotic-resistant bacteria

from eScienceCommons http://ift.tt/2hrH2En

Northeastern chemistry graduate student John de la Parra poses with a aloe plant. He is collaborating with Emory ethnobotanist Cassandra Quave to explore the medicinal properties of plants. Photo by Matthew Mondoono/Northeastern University.

By Allie Nicodemo,
Northeastern University

The field of medicine has come a long way from using heroin as a cough remedy or magnet therapy to improve blood flow. These outdated methods were put to bed decades ago. But there are plenty of ancient medicinal practices that have stood the test of time. In fact, many of the life-saving pharmaceuticals we rely on today are derived from plants first discovered by indigenous communities.

Ethnobotany is the scientific study of traditional plant knowledge. It’s what gave us morphine, aspirin, and ephedrine, to name a few. And there is still untapped potential.

In a new paper published by Trends in Biotechnology, Northeastern University doctoral candidate John de la Parra and Emory University medical botanist Cassandra Quave described a new field called ethnophytotechnology. It’s the use of plant biotechnology to improve the plant-based drug discovery pipeline.

“New production, engineering, and analysis methods have made it easier to meet scientific challenges that have confronted traditionally used plant-derived medicines,” saiys de la Parra, who is earning his doctorate in chemistry. “It is our hope that as the field expands, rich troves of indigenous knowledge can find prominence within innovative drug discovery and production platforms.”

Quave and de la Parra are examining the vast opportunities for ethnobotany and ethnophytotechnology to promote new drug discovery and solve health challenges.

Read the full story about their recent paper on the Northwestern news site.

Related:
Brazilian peppertree packs power to knock out antibiotic-resistant bacteria

from eScienceCommons http://ift.tt/2hrH2En

Ripples In Spacetime: From Einstein To LIGO And Beyond (Synopsis) [Starts With A Bang]

“The years of searching in the dark for a truth that one feels but cannot express, the intense desire and the alternations of confidence and misgiving until one breaks through to clarity and understanding, are only known to him who has himself experienced them.” -Albert Einstein

In 2015, for the very first time, gravitational waves were directly detected from the merger of two massive black holes. These ripples in space traveled over a billion light years before they were finally detected. When they were, it validated Einstein’s theory of General Relativity in an entirely new fashion, and proved the physical existence of a phenomenon that was doubted even by Einstein himself.

Computer simulation of two merging black holes producing gravitational waves. Image credit: Werner Benger, cc by-sa 4.0.

In a stunningly well-researched and well-written book, Ripples In Spacetime, award-winning science writer Govert Schilling takes us on a journey that not only details how these waves came to be detected, but it puts the entire story in historical and scientific context. The past, present, and future of gravitational wave astronomy, plus what it means for humanity and the scientific endeavor, is brilliantly discussed.

An artist’s impression of the three LISA spacecraft shows that the ripples in space generated by longer-period gravitational wave sources should provide an interesting new window on the Universe. LISA was scrapped by NASA years ago, and will now be built by the European Space Agency, with only partial, supporting contributions from NASA. Image credit: EADS Astrium.

Come take an in-depth dive into what wonders this book holds — particularly if you’re a LIGO skeptic — and if you like what you’re reading, pick yourself up a copy and get the full story!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2vs07M7

“The years of searching in the dark for a truth that one feels but cannot express, the intense desire and the alternations of confidence and misgiving until one breaks through to clarity and understanding, are only known to him who has himself experienced them.” -Albert Einstein

In 2015, for the very first time, gravitational waves were directly detected from the merger of two massive black holes. These ripples in space traveled over a billion light years before they were finally detected. When they were, it validated Einstein’s theory of General Relativity in an entirely new fashion, and proved the physical existence of a phenomenon that was doubted even by Einstein himself.

Computer simulation of two merging black holes producing gravitational waves. Image credit: Werner Benger, cc by-sa 4.0.

In a stunningly well-researched and well-written book, Ripples In Spacetime, award-winning science writer Govert Schilling takes us on a journey that not only details how these waves came to be detected, but it puts the entire story in historical and scientific context. The past, present, and future of gravitational wave astronomy, plus what it means for humanity and the scientific endeavor, is brilliantly discussed.

An artist’s impression of the three LISA spacecraft shows that the ripples in space generated by longer-period gravitational wave sources should provide an interesting new window on the Universe. LISA was scrapped by NASA years ago, and will now be built by the European Space Agency, with only partial, supporting contributions from NASA. Image credit: EADS Astrium.

Come take an in-depth dive into what wonders this book holds — particularly if you’re a LIGO skeptic — and if you like what you’re reading, pick yourself up a copy and get the full story!

from ScienceBlogs http://ift.tt/2vs07M7

Air Force Works to Bring Power to Remote Military Sites

Air Force turns to the wind and sun to power remote locations.

from http://ift.tt/2w9hkrN

Air Force turns to the wind and sun to power remote locations.

from http://ift.tt/2w9hkrN

The Dark Rift in the Milky Way

Thick dust clouds block our night-time view of the Milky Way, creating what is sometimes called the Great Rift or Dark Rift. Image via NASA.

Have you ever looked up from a dark place on a starry August evening and noticed the dark areas in the Milky Way? For centuries, skywatchers pondered this Great Rift or Dark Rift, as it’s called, but today’s astronomers know it consists of dark, obscuring dusk in the disk of our Milky Way galaxy. Follow the links below to learn more.

How to see the Dark Rift

Don’t miss the Milky Way and Great Rift rise

Molecular dust is the reason it is dark

Ancient cultures focused on the dark not the light areas

The Great Rift and the Milky Way pass through the Summer Triangle and above the Teapot asterism in Sagittarius

How to see the Dark Rift. The Milky Way is easy to see if you have dark skies. It’s a shining band, stretching across the sky. If you want to see the Dark Rift, that’s easy, too, as long as you realize you aren’t looking for a bright object. You’re looking instead for dark lanes of dust, running the length of the starlit Milky Way band.

You will be looking south from sometime in June or July (probably) through about October – in a dark sky – and, from a Northern Hemisphere location, you’ll see the Milky Way come off the southern to southwestern horizon. Notice that the Milky Way band looks milky white. The skies aren’t really black like ink between stars in the Milky Way. You will know when you see the Dark Rift because it is as if someone took a marker and colored it darker.

The Dark Rift begins just above the constellation Sagittarius the Archer. Follow the Milky Way up until you see a black area in the Milky Way just before you get to the constellation Cygnus, which has the shape of a cross.

Photo by Manish Mamtani.

Don’t miss the Milky Way and Great Rift rise. One of the most spectacular sights is to see the Milky Way as it rises. Around 10 p.m. in June, or earlier in July and August, step outside and look in the east to see the phenomena of the Great Rift and the rest of the Milky Way make its dramatic entrance as it rises into the night skies.

Make sure you have your binoculars handy to scan the Milky Way. There are many interesting star forming regions, star clusters and millions of stars that will capture your attention.

Look in the Great Rift and imagine all the stars that will eventually reveal themselves as the molecular gas dissipates. More about that below.

Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb, Altair

Shown is the interaction between interstellar dust in the Milky Way and the structure of our galaxy’s magnetic field, as detected by ESA’s Planck satellite over the entire sky. Image via ESA on Pinterest.

Molecular dust is the reason it is dark. Stars are formed from great clouds of gas and dust in our Milky Way galaxy and other galaxies. When we look up at the starry band of the Milky Way, and see the Dark Rift, we are looking into our galaxy’s star-forming regions. The protostars (newly forming stars) are generating molecular dust that doesn’t allow light in the visual spectrum to shine through.

However, with the advancement of telescopes that see in different light waves – such as X-rays or infrared – we now know that there’s activity in the area.

This painting shows some of the animal shapes that the Incas saw in the Dark Rift of the Milky Way. Via Coricancha Sun Temple in Cusco / Futurism.

Ancient cultures focused on the dark not the light areas. You know those paintings where if you look at the light areas you see one thing, but in the dark areas you see something else?

The Dark Rift is a bit like that. A few ancient cultures in Central and South America saw the dark areas of the Milky Way as constellations. These dark constellations had a variety of myths associated with them. For example, one important dark constellation was Yacana the Llama. It rises above Cuzco, the ancient city of the Incas, every year in November.

By the way, the other famous area of the sky that is obscured by molecular dust is visible from the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the famous Coalsack Nebula near the Southern Cross, also known as the constellation Crux. The Coal Sack is another region of star-forming activity in our night sky – much like the Great Rift.

Bottom line: On a dark August night, looking edgewise into our galaxy’s disk, you’ll notice a long, dark lane dividing the bright starry band of the Milky Way. This Dark Rift is a place where new stars are forming.

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1NVgEud

Thick dust clouds block our night-time view of the Milky Way, creating what is sometimes called the Great Rift or Dark Rift. Image via NASA.

Have you ever looked up from a dark place on a starry August evening and noticed the dark areas in the Milky Way? For centuries, skywatchers pondered this Great Rift or Dark Rift, as it’s called, but today’s astronomers know it consists of dark, obscuring dusk in the disk of our Milky Way galaxy. Follow the links below to learn more.

How to see the Dark Rift

Don’t miss the Milky Way and Great Rift rise

Molecular dust is the reason it is dark

Ancient cultures focused on the dark not the light areas

The Great Rift and the Milky Way pass through the Summer Triangle and above the Teapot asterism in Sagittarius

How to see the Dark Rift. The Milky Way is easy to see if you have dark skies. It’s a shining band, stretching across the sky. If you want to see the Dark Rift, that’s easy, too, as long as you realize you aren’t looking for a bright object. You’re looking instead for dark lanes of dust, running the length of the starlit Milky Way band.

You will be looking south from sometime in June or July (probably) through about October – in a dark sky – and, from a Northern Hemisphere location, you’ll see the Milky Way come off the southern to southwestern horizon. Notice that the Milky Way band looks milky white. The skies aren’t really black like ink between stars in the Milky Way. You will know when you see the Dark Rift because it is as if someone took a marker and colored it darker.

The Dark Rift begins just above the constellation Sagittarius the Archer. Follow the Milky Way up until you see a black area in the Milky Way just before you get to the constellation Cygnus, which has the shape of a cross.

Photo by Manish Mamtani.

Don’t miss the Milky Way and Great Rift rise. One of the most spectacular sights is to see the Milky Way as it rises. Around 10 p.m. in June, or earlier in July and August, step outside and look in the east to see the phenomena of the Great Rift and the rest of the Milky Way make its dramatic entrance as it rises into the night skies.

Make sure you have your binoculars handy to scan the Milky Way. There are many interesting star forming regions, star clusters and millions of stars that will capture your attention.

Look in the Great Rift and imagine all the stars that will eventually reveal themselves as the molecular gas dissipates. More about that below.

Summer Triangle: Vega, Deneb, Altair

Shown is the interaction between interstellar dust in the Milky Way and the structure of our galaxy’s magnetic field, as detected by ESA’s Planck satellite over the entire sky. Image via ESA on Pinterest.

Molecular dust is the reason it is dark. Stars are formed from great clouds of gas and dust in our Milky Way galaxy and other galaxies. When we look up at the starry band of the Milky Way, and see the Dark Rift, we are looking into our galaxy’s star-forming regions. The protostars (newly forming stars) are generating molecular dust that doesn’t allow light in the visual spectrum to shine through.

However, with the advancement of telescopes that see in different light waves – such as X-rays or infrared – we now know that there’s activity in the area.

This painting shows some of the animal shapes that the Incas saw in the Dark Rift of the Milky Way. Via Coricancha Sun Temple in Cusco / Futurism.

Ancient cultures focused on the dark not the light areas. You know those paintings where if you look at the light areas you see one thing, but in the dark areas you see something else?

The Dark Rift is a bit like that. A few ancient cultures in Central and South America saw the dark areas of the Milky Way as constellations. These dark constellations had a variety of myths associated with them. For example, one important dark constellation was Yacana the Llama. It rises above Cuzco, the ancient city of the Incas, every year in November.

By the way, the other famous area of the sky that is obscured by molecular dust is visible from the Southern Hemisphere. It’s the famous Coalsack Nebula near the Southern Cross, also known as the constellation Crux. The Coal Sack is another region of star-forming activity in our night sky – much like the Great Rift.

Bottom line: On a dark August night, looking edgewise into our galaxy’s disk, you’ll notice a long, dark lane dividing the bright starry band of the Milky Way. This Dark Rift is a place where new stars are forming.

from EarthSky http://ift.tt/1NVgEud