Another new Psyche mission flyby image of Mars

What a cool composite! This image shows the view of a crescent Mars as the Psyche mission closed in for its flyby. The most distant and smallest image is at the center. The outer ring shows the last shot before Mars filled the field of view. Psyche took the images between May 2 and 15, 2026. The mission is on its way to the asteroid 16 Psyche. See a time lapse of the flyby below. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU.

One more image from Mars!

On July 17, 2026, NASA released one more image – really a composite of 13 images – as the Psyche mission swung past Mars for a gravity assist. The Psyche mission, on its way to asteroid 16 Psyche, flew past Mars in May. The images above are a collection from between May 2 and 15, 2026, as the space probe grew nearer to the red planet. On Psyche’s approach, the angle of the sun meant the planet appeared as a lit crescent.

The team has also put together a time lapse of Psyche’s encounter with Mars. We get to see the approaching ruddy crescent, a view looking down at Martian craters, and then the red planet with its south polar ice cap recede from view as the space probe heads off toward the asteroid belt. It’s stunning! Watch it below.

Images of the Psyche mission flyby of Mars

The Psyche mission successfully completed its flyby of Mars on May 15, 2026. Mars gave the spacecraft a 1,000-mile-per-hour (1,600-km-per-hour) critical gravity assist.

It also moved its orbit by about 1 degree. So the spacecraft is now successfully it on track toward the asteroid 16 Psyche. See some of the new images of the flyby below.

Because of the angle of Psyche’s approach, Mars appeared first as a crescent. Then it saw a more fully lit Mars as it flew away.

The Psyche mission captured this view of a crescent Mars on May 15, 2026, at about 5:03 a.m. PDT (12:03 UTC). Psyche used Mars to adjust its orbit and get a gravity assist. NASA processed the image into a natural-color view using red, green and blue data acquired directly by the spacecraft’s multispectral imager. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

The first view of a nearly “full Mars” from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft. This image is from shortly after its closest approach to the planet on May 15. The bright white spot is the south polar cap. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Psyche’s view of the Martian surface shows streaks from wind blowing over impact craters in the Syrtis Major region. The wind streaks extend to about 30 miles (50 km) long. And the large craters near center-bottom of the scene are around 30 miles in diameter. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

An enhanced-color view of the heavily cratered southern highlands of Mars. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Psyche mission flyby of Mars

The Psyche spacecraft, launched in 2023, is headed toward a rare metal asteroid, also named Psyche (16 Psyche, the 16th known asteroid ever discovered). It will arrive in 2029. But in order to get out to the asteroid belt, the spacecraft made a close flyby of Mars to adjust its direction and pick up a boost of speed on May 15, 2026.

Psyche came within 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) of the red planet’s surface. That’s closer than Earth’s geostationary satellites. The spacecraft was traveling at 12,333 mph (19,848 kph).

The maneuver used Mars’ gravity as a “slingshot” to accelerate the probe and tilt its trajectory toward its final destination, the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche.

An early Psyche image of Mars was the one below, from May 3. In the image, Psyche was still about 3 million miles (4.8 million km) away.

This was the Psyche spacecraft’s view of Mars on May 3, 2026. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Does Mars have a ring?

Astronomers think Mars might have a faint, dusty ring. The ring would be the result of micrometeorites striking Mars’ two moons, Phobos and Deimos, and ejecting dust into orbit around Mars. So there’s a chance data from Psyche could reveal this dusty ring around Mars. The sun-Mars-Psyche alignment might allow the sun striking the particles to scatter light, and image processing could pick up the ring.

Colorized version of Psyche’s image of Mars from May 3, 2026. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

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Why fly past Mars?

While most flybys are planned to give a spacecraft a boost of speed, this flyby is also important to slightly change the spacecraft’s trajectory. The orbit of asteroid Psyche is skewed by about 3 degrees from the plane of the solar system. So in order to get to the asteroid Psyche, the Psyche mission must adjust its trajectory by a little bit.

In this diagram of the planets in our solar system, you can see Psyche’s orbit (green) is slightly tilted compared to the solar system’s plane. Image via In-the-Sky.org. Visit the interactive diagram here.

More about the Psyche mission and asteroid

Some scientists think the asteroid Psyche is a failed planet. Perhaps, as the nascent planet formed, something struck it and stripped off the outer layers, leaving behind the metallic core. If so, then some estimates put the massive, metal-rich object’s worth at $10,000 quadrillion. That’s more than the entire economy of Earth.

However, a 2021 study from the University of Arizona said asteroid Psyche might not be as metallic or dense as scientists once thought. Instead, these scientists said:

Rather than being an intact exposed core of an early planet, it might actually be closer to a rubble pile.

Who’s right? That’s what the Psyche mission hopes to discover when it arrives at the asteroid in 2029.

Artist’s concept of asteroid Psyche. Image via Maxar/ ASU/ P. Rubin/ NASA/ JPL-Caltech.

Bottom line: NASA released a composite image of Mars lit like a crescent as the Psyche mission flew by for a gravity assist. You can also watch a stunning time lapse of the whole flyby here.

Via NASA

Read more: Ancient lake on Mars? Rover finds strong new evidence

Read more: New meteor shower from an asteroid being eroded by the sun

The post Another new Psyche mission flyby image of Mars first appeared on EarthSky.

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What a cool composite! This image shows the view of a crescent Mars as the Psyche mission closed in for its flyby. The most distant and smallest image is at the center. The outer ring shows the last shot before Mars filled the field of view. Psyche took the images between May 2 and 15, 2026. The mission is on its way to the asteroid 16 Psyche. See a time lapse of the flyby below. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU.

One more image from Mars!

On July 17, 2026, NASA released one more image – really a composite of 13 images – as the Psyche mission swung past Mars for a gravity assist. The Psyche mission, on its way to asteroid 16 Psyche, flew past Mars in May. The images above are a collection from between May 2 and 15, 2026, as the space probe grew nearer to the red planet. On Psyche’s approach, the angle of the sun meant the planet appeared as a lit crescent.

The team has also put together a time lapse of Psyche’s encounter with Mars. We get to see the approaching ruddy crescent, a view looking down at Martian craters, and then the red planet with its south polar ice cap recede from view as the space probe heads off toward the asteroid belt. It’s stunning! Watch it below.

Images of the Psyche mission flyby of Mars

The Psyche mission successfully completed its flyby of Mars on May 15, 2026. Mars gave the spacecraft a 1,000-mile-per-hour (1,600-km-per-hour) critical gravity assist.

It also moved its orbit by about 1 degree. So the spacecraft is now successfully it on track toward the asteroid 16 Psyche. See some of the new images of the flyby below.

Because of the angle of Psyche’s approach, Mars appeared first as a crescent. Then it saw a more fully lit Mars as it flew away.

The Psyche mission captured this view of a crescent Mars on May 15, 2026, at about 5:03 a.m. PDT (12:03 UTC). Psyche used Mars to adjust its orbit and get a gravity assist. NASA processed the image into a natural-color view using red, green and blue data acquired directly by the spacecraft’s multispectral imager. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

The first view of a nearly “full Mars” from NASA’s Psyche spacecraft. This image is from shortly after its closest approach to the planet on May 15. The bright white spot is the south polar cap. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Psyche’s view of the Martian surface shows streaks from wind blowing over impact craters in the Syrtis Major region. The wind streaks extend to about 30 miles (50 km) long. And the large craters near center-bottom of the scene are around 30 miles in diameter. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

An enhanced-color view of the heavily cratered southern highlands of Mars. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Psyche mission flyby of Mars

The Psyche spacecraft, launched in 2023, is headed toward a rare metal asteroid, also named Psyche (16 Psyche, the 16th known asteroid ever discovered). It will arrive in 2029. But in order to get out to the asteroid belt, the spacecraft made a close flyby of Mars to adjust its direction and pick up a boost of speed on May 15, 2026.

Psyche came within 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) of the red planet’s surface. That’s closer than Earth’s geostationary satellites. The spacecraft was traveling at 12,333 mph (19,848 kph).

The maneuver used Mars’ gravity as a “slingshot” to accelerate the probe and tilt its trajectory toward its final destination, the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche.

An early Psyche image of Mars was the one below, from May 3. In the image, Psyche was still about 3 million miles (4.8 million km) away.

This was the Psyche spacecraft’s view of Mars on May 3, 2026. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

Does Mars have a ring?

Astronomers think Mars might have a faint, dusty ring. The ring would be the result of micrometeorites striking Mars’ two moons, Phobos and Deimos, and ejecting dust into orbit around Mars. So there’s a chance data from Psyche could reveal this dusty ring around Mars. The sun-Mars-Psyche alignment might allow the sun striking the particles to scatter light, and image processing could pick up the ring.

Colorized version of Psyche’s image of Mars from May 3, 2026. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.

You deserve a daily dose of good news. For the latest in science and the night sky, click here to subscribe to our free daily newsletter.

Why fly past Mars?

While most flybys are planned to give a spacecraft a boost of speed, this flyby is also important to slightly change the spacecraft’s trajectory. The orbit of asteroid Psyche is skewed by about 3 degrees from the plane of the solar system. So in order to get to the asteroid Psyche, the Psyche mission must adjust its trajectory by a little bit.

In this diagram of the planets in our solar system, you can see Psyche’s orbit (green) is slightly tilted compared to the solar system’s plane. Image via In-the-Sky.org. Visit the interactive diagram here.

More about the Psyche mission and asteroid

Some scientists think the asteroid Psyche is a failed planet. Perhaps, as the nascent planet formed, something struck it and stripped off the outer layers, leaving behind the metallic core. If so, then some estimates put the massive, metal-rich object’s worth at $10,000 quadrillion. That’s more than the entire economy of Earth.

However, a 2021 study from the University of Arizona said asteroid Psyche might not be as metallic or dense as scientists once thought. Instead, these scientists said:

Rather than being an intact exposed core of an early planet, it might actually be closer to a rubble pile.

Who’s right? That’s what the Psyche mission hopes to discover when it arrives at the asteroid in 2029.

Artist’s concept of asteroid Psyche. Image via Maxar/ ASU/ P. Rubin/ NASA/ JPL-Caltech.

Bottom line: NASA released a composite image of Mars lit like a crescent as the Psyche mission flew by for a gravity assist. You can also watch a stunning time lapse of the whole flyby here.

Via NASA

Read more: Ancient lake on Mars? Rover finds strong new evidence

Read more: New meteor shower from an asteroid being eroded by the sun

The post Another new Psyche mission flyby image of Mars first appeared on EarthSky.

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1st atmosphere detected on Earth-like, habitable-zone world

Atmosphere detected! For the 1st time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star. This is an artist’s concept of the planet in question, LHS 1140 b. Image via Melissa Weiss/ CfA.

• LHS 1140 b is a super-Earth exoplanet 48 light-years away. It orbits in the habitable zone of its red dwarf star.
• Scientists have just found evidence that this world has an atmosphere. The evidence comes from helium leaking from the planet into space.
• The researchers estimate the atmosphere is over 3 billion years old. More observations are needed to know the atmosphere’s composition.

Millions come to EarthSky for night sky news and trusted science. Your donations keep us free and accessible for all.

1st detection of atmosphere on rocky exoplanet

For the first time, astronomers have found strong evidence for an atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star.

The planet, LHS 1140 b, is a super-Earth planet about 48 light-years from us. LHS 1140 b orbits a red dwarf star within the so-called habitable zone. Being in this zone doesn’t necessarily make a planet fit for life. The habitable zone is simply the region around a star where temperatures would allow water to remain liquid, which is crucial for life as we know it.

The researchers, led by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said on July 16, 2026, that they detected helium escaping from LHS 1140 b. And this kind of helium escape also happens in the atmospheres of Earth and other planets.

LHS 1140 b is 1.73 times the radius of Earth and 5.6 times Earth’s mass. The researchers say that’s consistent with an Earth-like bulk along with a lower-density part, such as an atmosphere or a high abundance of water.

The planet has an estimated equilibrium temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius).

The researchers published their exciting peer-reviewed results in Science on July 16, 2026.

A major milestone

The discovery is a major milestone in the study of rocky exoplanets. That’s because an atmosphere is essential for life as we understand it. Lead author Collin Cherubim at Harvard University said:

An atmosphere is essential for a planet to support life as we know it. This is the first time anyone has found an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star.

Co-author Robin Wordsworth added:

20 years ago we wondered whether other terrestrial-type planets even existed. Then we learned they’re common, and found some in the habitable zone. The next question was whether any of them had managed to keep an atmosphere. Now we know at least one has.

Cherubim and his colleagues were testing their theoretical model of LHS 1140 b. The model predicted that the planet would have an atmosphere, with helium escaping from the upper atmosphere into space. The researchers used the Warm Infrared Echelle (WINERED) Spectrograph on the Magellan Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile for their observations of LHS 1140 b.

And, in fact, they observed both known planets of the star LHS 1140. Both LHS 1140 b and LHS 1140 c transited their star on the same night. The researchers saw no evidence of an atmosphere on LHS 1140 c, which is smaller and more heavily irradiated by its star. But LHS 1140 b was a different story.

View larger. | This is an artist’s concept of Kepler-62f, a super-Earth planet in the habitable zone of its star. Image via NASA.

Escaping helium points to an atmosphere

The researchers found helium escaping from LHS 1140 b. This kind of helium escape has been seen before on some planets, including Earth. Helium, a very light gas, will move to the top of an atmosphere, where it will start leaking into space. And the data was solid. David Charbonneau, head of the Harvard Department of Astronomy and astronomer in the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, said:

Collin analyzed the planets we knew about and predicted that this one would have a helium atmosphere. Then he organized telescope time, got the data and the detection was statistically rock solid.

The X-ray data from Magellan Clay explained the rate at which the planet lost its helium. This is due to X-ray radiation from the host star. Therefore, the X-ray data proved the rocky object must be replenishing its supply of helium. If it wasn’t, there would be no helium remaining in the planet’s atmosphere.

Notably, the researchers detected the helium escape in 2024 but not in 2025. This indicates that the atmospheric escape process is variable. It also means the atmosphere likely no longer contains any primordial hydrogen in its atmosphere. That’s good, since it hints that the atmosphere is more complex and evolved, like on rocky planets in our solar system, including Earth. Other gases and water would be below the top helium layer.

An ancient atmosphere

The researchers say that the atmosphere has likely survived for more than 3 billion years.

Astronomers had found that some other rocky exoplanets don’t have atmospheres. This was cause for a bit of pessimism among scientists. As Jason Dittmann at the University of Florida noted:

We were getting to the point in the field where maybe all of these planets don’t have an atmosphere, and we need to look at ones around sun-like stars instead of smaller stars. And then finally here is actually one with an atmosphere, and it happens to be the one that I had spent so many hours working on.

LHS 1140b is one of the current selected targets under the Rocky Worlds Director’s Discretionary Time (DDT) Program. Rocky Worlds DDT is a joint program for the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope that is dedicated to finding evidence of atmospheres on rocky exoplanets orbiting dwarf stars.

We still don’t know what the rest of the atmosphere, below the upper helium layer, is composed of. That will require additional observations to figure out. As Cherubim noted:

This has been a model validation, and hopefully it’s just the first of many more observations to come.

Robin Wordsworth, Collin Cherubim (lead author) and David Charbonneau at Harvard University. Image via Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.

Bottom line: Scientists have found an atmosphere on rocky exoplanet LHS 1140 b. The super-Earth planet, 48 light-years away, is in the habitable zone of its red dwarf star.

Source: Helium escaping from the atmosphere of a nearby rocky exoplanet orbiting in a habitable zone

Via Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Via University of Florida

Read more: New habitable exoplanets model narrows down search for life

Read more: Habitable exoplanets could exist around nearby stars

The post 1st atmosphere detected on Earth-like, habitable-zone world first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/0k5PDhM

Atmosphere detected! For the 1st time, astronomers have detected an atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star. This is an artist’s concept of the planet in question, LHS 1140 b. Image via Melissa Weiss/ CfA.

• LHS 1140 b is a super-Earth exoplanet 48 light-years away. It orbits in the habitable zone of its red dwarf star.
• Scientists have just found evidence that this world has an atmosphere. The evidence comes from helium leaking from the planet into space.
• The researchers estimate the atmosphere is over 3 billion years old. More observations are needed to know the atmosphere’s composition.

Millions come to EarthSky for night sky news and trusted science. Your donations keep us free and accessible for all.

1st detection of atmosphere on rocky exoplanet

For the first time, astronomers have found strong evidence for an atmosphere on a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone of its star.

The planet, LHS 1140 b, is a super-Earth planet about 48 light-years from us. LHS 1140 b orbits a red dwarf star within the so-called habitable zone. Being in this zone doesn’t necessarily make a planet fit for life. The habitable zone is simply the region around a star where temperatures would allow water to remain liquid, which is crucial for life as we know it.

The researchers, led by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said on July 16, 2026, that they detected helium escaping from LHS 1140 b. And this kind of helium escape also happens in the atmospheres of Earth and other planets.

LHS 1140 b is 1.73 times the radius of Earth and 5.6 times Earth’s mass. The researchers say that’s consistent with an Earth-like bulk along with a lower-density part, such as an atmosphere or a high abundance of water.

The planet has an estimated equilibrium temperature of 116 degrees Fahrenheit (47 degrees Celsius).

The researchers published their exciting peer-reviewed results in Science on July 16, 2026.

A major milestone

The discovery is a major milestone in the study of rocky exoplanets. That’s because an atmosphere is essential for life as we understand it. Lead author Collin Cherubim at Harvard University said:

An atmosphere is essential for a planet to support life as we know it. This is the first time anyone has found an atmosphere on a rocky planet in the habitable zone of another star.

Co-author Robin Wordsworth added:

20 years ago we wondered whether other terrestrial-type planets even existed. Then we learned they’re common, and found some in the habitable zone. The next question was whether any of them had managed to keep an atmosphere. Now we know at least one has.

Cherubim and his colleagues were testing their theoretical model of LHS 1140 b. The model predicted that the planet would have an atmosphere, with helium escaping from the upper atmosphere into space. The researchers used the Warm Infrared Echelle (WINERED) Spectrograph on the Magellan Clay Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile for their observations of LHS 1140 b.

And, in fact, they observed both known planets of the star LHS 1140. Both LHS 1140 b and LHS 1140 c transited their star on the same night. The researchers saw no evidence of an atmosphere on LHS 1140 c, which is smaller and more heavily irradiated by its star. But LHS 1140 b was a different story.

View larger. | This is an artist’s concept of Kepler-62f, a super-Earth planet in the habitable zone of its star. Image via NASA.

Escaping helium points to an atmosphere

The researchers found helium escaping from LHS 1140 b. This kind of helium escape has been seen before on some planets, including Earth. Helium, a very light gas, will move to the top of an atmosphere, where it will start leaking into space. And the data was solid. David Charbonneau, head of the Harvard Department of Astronomy and astronomer in the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, said:

Collin analyzed the planets we knew about and predicted that this one would have a helium atmosphere. Then he organized telescope time, got the data and the detection was statistically rock solid.

The X-ray data from Magellan Clay explained the rate at which the planet lost its helium. This is due to X-ray radiation from the host star. Therefore, the X-ray data proved the rocky object must be replenishing its supply of helium. If it wasn’t, there would be no helium remaining in the planet’s atmosphere.

Notably, the researchers detected the helium escape in 2024 but not in 2025. This indicates that the atmospheric escape process is variable. It also means the atmosphere likely no longer contains any primordial hydrogen in its atmosphere. That’s good, since it hints that the atmosphere is more complex and evolved, like on rocky planets in our solar system, including Earth. Other gases and water would be below the top helium layer.

An ancient atmosphere

The researchers say that the atmosphere has likely survived for more than 3 billion years.

Astronomers had found that some other rocky exoplanets don’t have atmospheres. This was cause for a bit of pessimism among scientists. As Jason Dittmann at the University of Florida noted:

We were getting to the point in the field where maybe all of these planets don’t have an atmosphere, and we need to look at ones around sun-like stars instead of smaller stars. And then finally here is actually one with an atmosphere, and it happens to be the one that I had spent so many hours working on.

LHS 1140b is one of the current selected targets under the Rocky Worlds Director’s Discretionary Time (DDT) Program. Rocky Worlds DDT is a joint program for the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope that is dedicated to finding evidence of atmospheres on rocky exoplanets orbiting dwarf stars.

We still don’t know what the rest of the atmosphere, below the upper helium layer, is composed of. That will require additional observations to figure out. As Cherubim noted:

This has been a model validation, and hopefully it’s just the first of many more observations to come.

Robin Wordsworth, Collin Cherubim (lead author) and David Charbonneau at Harvard University. Image via Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian.

Bottom line: Scientists have found an atmosphere on rocky exoplanet LHS 1140 b. The super-Earth planet, 48 light-years away, is in the habitable zone of its red dwarf star.

Source: Helium escaping from the atmosphere of a nearby rocky exoplanet orbiting in a habitable zone

Via Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Via University of Florida

Read more: New habitable exoplanets model narrows down search for life

Read more: Habitable exoplanets could exist around nearby stars

The post 1st atmosphere detected on Earth-like, habitable-zone world first appeared on EarthSky.

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Summer Triangle star: Altair is variable and spins fast!

Bright star Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, makes up the Summer Triangle along with Deneb and Vega. You’ll find this large triangle in the east, in the evening, in July. As the months pass, the Summer Triangle will shift westward. It’ll grace our skies until around the year’s end. Chart via EarthSky.

Altair shines as the brightest star in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Though best known for being one of the three Summer Triangle stars, this star is distinctive in its own right. It shines at an impressive magnitude +0.76 and is only 16.8 light-years away from Earth, making it one of our nearest stellar neighbors. Plus, it has two more noteworthy features.

First, Altair rotates rapidly

Incredibly, this star requires only about 10 hours to spin once on its axis. That’s in contrast to about 27 days for our sun! And, of course, Earth takes 24 hours to spin once, so Altair rotates over twice as fast as our planet.

This speedy spin tends to flatten the star a bit, much as a pizza dough flattens as it spins. Rough estimates are that Altair’s flattening is about 14%. Our sun is also slightly flattened, although this flattening is difficult to measure because its slow rotation produces only a very small deformation.

In 2007, University of Michigan astronomers combined light from four widely separated telescopes to produce the 1st picture showing surface details on Altair. The researchers, led by John Monnier, used optical interferometry to get this image. Read more about the study at SpaceDaily.com.

The bright star Altair in the constellation Aquila is spinning on its axis so fast that it's flattened almost like an M&M. While our Sun rotates at a stately pace of once every 25 days, Altair flies around its axis once every 10 hours – close to its breakup speed.#Psalm19 pic.twitter.com/9YboZV7eq1

— Sarah Salviander (@sarahsalviander) September 25, 2019

Second, it’s variable … but not in a usual way

Variable stars brighten and dim, many on a roughly regular schedule. But Altair has as many as nine different rates of brightening and dimming. You won’t see these brightness variations with your eye. They’re too small to measure without sensitive instruments. But they’re there, and they’re likely related to Altair’s fast rotation.

Altair compared with our sun

If Altair took the place of our sun, life on Earth would be doomed. That’s because Altair is over 10 times more luminous than our sun.

As you might have guessed, Altair is a more massive star than our sun, with about 1.8 times the sun’s mass. Its diameter is estimated to be between 1.6 to 2 times that of the sun. And its surface temperature is between 11,960 degrees F (6,620 C) and 14,840 F (8,230 C), compared to about 10,000F (5,800 C) on our sun.

Altair is a white main sequence star – with a spectral type A7 – and is the 12th brightest star in the sky. It shares that spot with the star Acrux in the constellation Crux.

The star is classified as a Delta Scuti variable star since it shows slight changes in luminosity. It has three dim companion stars visible through telescopes.

And not only is Altair a fast spinner, but it also moves quickly in front of its background stars. In fact, it’ll move about a full degree on our sky over the next 5,000 years.

How to see Altair from the Northern Hemisphere

Altair has an apparent magnitude of +0.76, meaning you can see Altair easily with the unaided eye.

But how will you recognize it? If you’re outside on a July or August evening in the Northern Hemisphere, watch for the large Summer Triangle asterism in the east (as shown on the chart at the top). Look near the horizon for Altair, the last of the three Summer Triangle stars to ascend over your horizon.

You will recognize Altair by the two fainter stars on either side of it.

Also, the Great Rift of the summer Milky Way passes through the Summer Triangle. In fact, it goes right between the stars Vega and Altair. In dark skies in June, July and August, you can see rich star fields with binoculars on both sides of the Great Rift.

Altair in culture, history and myth

In modern western culture, Altair is probably best known for being the home star system of the aliens in the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet.

The name Altair is Arabic in origin, and means “eagle”. Interestingly, its constellation’s name, Aquila, is the Latin word for eagle.

In classical mythology, Aquila – and, by extension, Altair – was an eagle favored by Zeus. He played a part in numerous myths, including the abduction of Ganymede in which Aquila carries off a young boy (Ganymede) to Mount Olympus on Zeus’ command to become the cupbearer to the gods. In another myth Aquila is the eagle that torments Prometheus, until Hercules shoots it with poisoned arrows.

In India, Altair with its two flanking stars – Beta and Gamma (Tarazed and Alshain) – traditionally represent the celestial footprints of the god Vishnu.

Altair is separated from the similar looking (but brighter) star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp by the great starlit band of the Milky Way. In Asia, this hazy band across our sky is known as the Celestial River. One story common in China, Japan and Korea is of a young herdsman (Altair) who falls in love with a celestial princess (Vega), who weaves the fabric of heaven.

The princess became so enamored of the herdsman that she neglects her weaving duties. This act enrages the princess’s father, the Celestial Emperor, who decrees that the herdsman must stay away from his daughter, on the opposite side of the river. The emperor finally listened to the princess’s pleas, however, and allowed the herdsman to cross the Celestial River once per year, on the seventh day of the seventh month.

In Japan, Altair is Hikoboshi, and Vega is Orihime (or Tanabata). If it rains on the day of the festival of Tanabata, the rain represents Orihime’s tears shed because Hikoboshi could not navigate the treacherous waters of the Celestial River.

Altair’s position

The position of Altair is RA: 19h 50m 47.0s, dec: +08° 52′ 06″.

Altair of Aquila the Eagle, with 2 smaller constellations nearby. Image via Wikipedia.

Bottom line: Altair is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, and one of the closest stars to our solar system. Although 1.8 times our sun’s mass, it spins on its axis in only about 10 hours.

Our Summer Triangle series also includes:

Vega is bright and blue-white

Deneb is distant and very luminous

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Bright star Altair, in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, makes up the Summer Triangle along with Deneb and Vega. You’ll find this large triangle in the east, in the evening, in July. As the months pass, the Summer Triangle will shift westward. It’ll grace our skies until around the year’s end. Chart via EarthSky.

Altair shines as the brightest star in the constellation Aquila the Eagle. Though best known for being one of the three Summer Triangle stars, this star is distinctive in its own right. It shines at an impressive magnitude +0.76 and is only 16.8 light-years away from Earth, making it one of our nearest stellar neighbors. Plus, it has two more noteworthy features.

First, Altair rotates rapidly

Incredibly, this star requires only about 10 hours to spin once on its axis. That’s in contrast to about 27 days for our sun! And, of course, Earth takes 24 hours to spin once, so Altair rotates over twice as fast as our planet.

This speedy spin tends to flatten the star a bit, much as a pizza dough flattens as it spins. Rough estimates are that Altair’s flattening is about 14%. Our sun is also slightly flattened, although this flattening is difficult to measure because its slow rotation produces only a very small deformation.

In 2007, University of Michigan astronomers combined light from four widely separated telescopes to produce the 1st picture showing surface details on Altair. The researchers, led by John Monnier, used optical interferometry to get this image. Read more about the study at SpaceDaily.com.

The bright star Altair in the constellation Aquila is spinning on its axis so fast that it's flattened almost like an M&M. While our Sun rotates at a stately pace of once every 25 days, Altair flies around its axis once every 10 hours – close to its breakup speed.#Psalm19 pic.twitter.com/9YboZV7eq1

— Sarah Salviander (@sarahsalviander) September 25, 2019

Second, it’s variable … but not in a usual way

Variable stars brighten and dim, many on a roughly regular schedule. But Altair has as many as nine different rates of brightening and dimming. You won’t see these brightness variations with your eye. They’re too small to measure without sensitive instruments. But they’re there, and they’re likely related to Altair’s fast rotation.

Altair compared with our sun

If Altair took the place of our sun, life on Earth would be doomed. That’s because Altair is over 10 times more luminous than our sun.

As you might have guessed, Altair is a more massive star than our sun, with about 1.8 times the sun’s mass. Its diameter is estimated to be between 1.6 to 2 times that of the sun. And its surface temperature is between 11,960 degrees F (6,620 C) and 14,840 F (8,230 C), compared to about 10,000F (5,800 C) on our sun.

Altair is a white main sequence star – with a spectral type A7 – and is the 12th brightest star in the sky. It shares that spot with the star Acrux in the constellation Crux.

The star is classified as a Delta Scuti variable star since it shows slight changes in luminosity. It has three dim companion stars visible through telescopes.

And not only is Altair a fast spinner, but it also moves quickly in front of its background stars. In fact, it’ll move about a full degree on our sky over the next 5,000 years.

How to see Altair from the Northern Hemisphere

Altair has an apparent magnitude of +0.76, meaning you can see Altair easily with the unaided eye.

But how will you recognize it? If you’re outside on a July or August evening in the Northern Hemisphere, watch for the large Summer Triangle asterism in the east (as shown on the chart at the top). Look near the horizon for Altair, the last of the three Summer Triangle stars to ascend over your horizon.

You will recognize Altair by the two fainter stars on either side of it.

Also, the Great Rift of the summer Milky Way passes through the Summer Triangle. In fact, it goes right between the stars Vega and Altair. In dark skies in June, July and August, you can see rich star fields with binoculars on both sides of the Great Rift.

Altair in culture, history and myth

In modern western culture, Altair is probably best known for being the home star system of the aliens in the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet.

The name Altair is Arabic in origin, and means “eagle”. Interestingly, its constellation’s name, Aquila, is the Latin word for eagle.

In classical mythology, Aquila – and, by extension, Altair – was an eagle favored by Zeus. He played a part in numerous myths, including the abduction of Ganymede in which Aquila carries off a young boy (Ganymede) to Mount Olympus on Zeus’ command to become the cupbearer to the gods. In another myth Aquila is the eagle that torments Prometheus, until Hercules shoots it with poisoned arrows.

In India, Altair with its two flanking stars – Beta and Gamma (Tarazed and Alshain) – traditionally represent the celestial footprints of the god Vishnu.

Altair is separated from the similar looking (but brighter) star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp by the great starlit band of the Milky Way. In Asia, this hazy band across our sky is known as the Celestial River. One story common in China, Japan and Korea is of a young herdsman (Altair) who falls in love with a celestial princess (Vega), who weaves the fabric of heaven.

The princess became so enamored of the herdsman that she neglects her weaving duties. This act enrages the princess’s father, the Celestial Emperor, who decrees that the herdsman must stay away from his daughter, on the opposite side of the river. The emperor finally listened to the princess’s pleas, however, and allowed the herdsman to cross the Celestial River once per year, on the seventh day of the seventh month.

In Japan, Altair is Hikoboshi, and Vega is Orihime (or Tanabata). If it rains on the day of the festival of Tanabata, the rain represents Orihime’s tears shed because Hikoboshi could not navigate the treacherous waters of the Celestial River.

Altair’s position

The position of Altair is RA: 19h 50m 47.0s, dec: +08° 52′ 06″.

Altair of Aquila the Eagle, with 2 smaller constellations nearby. Image via Wikipedia.

Bottom line: Altair is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila the Eagle, and one of the closest stars to our solar system. Although 1.8 times our sun’s mass, it spins on its axis in only about 10 hours.

Our Summer Triangle series also includes:

Vega is bright and blue-white

Deneb is distant and very luminous

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The Day the Earth Smiled: July 19, 2013

Here’s the famous The Day the Earth Smiled photo, taken from Saturn by NASA’s amazing Cassini spacecraft on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA/ JPL/ SSI/ CICLOPS/ Mother Jones.

The Day the Earth Smiled

On this date – July 19, 2013 – humanity acquired its 3rd-ever image of Earth from the outer solar system. And it’s one of the most awe-inspiring space photos ever. On that day, the planet Saturn eclipsed the sun from the vantage point of the Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft. And we on Earth cast our thoughts toward space and our tiny place in it.

The Cassini imaging team later dubbed this image The Day the Earth Smiled.

Cassini had been orbiting Saturn, and weaving in and out among its moons, since 2004.

On July 19, 2013, the spacecraft, Saturn and the sun lined up, so that Cassini saw Saturn eclipse the sun. As Cassini slipped into Saturn’s shadow that day, it was able to capture images not just of the Earth, but also of the planets Venus and Mars, Saturn’s backlit rings, and several of Saturn’s moons, all at once. You can see the dark side of Saturn, its bright limb, the main rings and the F, G and E rings. The view looks toward the unilluminated side of the rings from about 20 degrees below the ring plane.

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A unique chance to be photographed from a distant world

Before this event, NASA invited everyone on Earth to turn skyward and to smile and wave at Cassini’s camera, which was hundreds of millions of miles away. As the day approached, Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team lead at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said people should:

… look up, think about our cosmic place, think about our planet, how unusual it is, how lush and life-giving it is. Think about your own existence. Think about the magnitude of the accomplishment that this picture-taking session entails. We have a spacecraft at Saturn. We are truly interplanetary explorers. Think about all that, and smile.

Porco also said:

Ever since we caught sight of the Earth among the rings of Saturn in September 2006 in a mosaic that has become one of Cassini’s most beloved images, I have wanted to do it all over again, only better. This time, I wanted to turn the entire event into an opportunity for everyone around the globe to savor the uniqueness of our planet and the preciousness of the life on it.

Thus, the idea for The Day the Earth Smiled was born. And – on that day – people on Earth went out, looked up, waved and smiled.

She accomplished that, and much more. Porco was also involved with the planning of the earlier Pale Blue Orb and Pale Blue Dot images, discussed below.

The pictures from Saturn

The incredible 2013 image spans a distance of 404,880 miles (650,000 km), roughly twice the distance from the Earth to the moon. Cassini was about 898 million miles (1.45 billion km) away from Earth at the time. That distance is nearly 10 times the distance from the sun to Earth.

NASA said the natural-color image is as the human eye would see it, if you had been there with Cassini. Using both its wide-angle and narrow-angle cameras, the spacecraft captured a total of 323 photographs over four hours. But only 141 images ended up in this panoramic mosaic.

This mosaic is also one of 33 “footprints” that cover the entire ring system and Saturn itself.

View larger. | NASA’s Cassini spacecraft took this natural-color portrait on July 19, 2013. It’s the 3rd-ever image of Earth from the outer solar system. Plus, it’s the 1st image to show Saturn, its moons, and rings, Earth and its moon, Venus, and Mars, all together. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ SSI.

View larger. | Annotated image of Saturn and the view from Saturn, taken by Cassini on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ SSI.

An earlier raw image of the Earth and moon as seen from Saturn by the Cassini spacecraft on July 19, 2013. Earth is the brighter dot; the moon is to its lower left. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ Space Science Institute/ Medium.

Collages from around the globe on The Day the Earth Smiled

NASA also created a collage of people on Earth to celebrate The Day the Earth Smiled.

In other words, on the same day that Cassini captured The Day the Earth Smiled image, participants from 40 countries took photos of themselves waving at Saturn. This awesome collage is the result.

The images came to NASA/ JPL-Caltech via Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and email.

Collage of people on Earth on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA. Read more about this image.

A closer view of some of the many photos that make up the collage. Image via NASA.

Earlier image: Pale Blue Orb

The Pale Blue Orb image by Cassini was the 2nd-ever image of Earth taken from the outer solar system. Cassini captured it on September 15, 2006, just two years after Cassini began orbiting Saturn. At the time, the spacecraft was about 930 million miles (1.5 billion km) from Earth. The Earth and moon appear as a tiny blue dot on the right side of the image, just above center. When magnified, you can see the moon as a slight “protrusion” on the upper left side of the Earth.

As with the 2013 image, the 2006 image captured the passing of Saturn directly in front of the sun as seen from Cassini.

This image is known as the Pale Blue Orb. The Cassini spacecraft captured it back in 2006, showing the Earth and moon as tiny dots seen through Saturn’s rings. Image via NASA/ JPL/ Space Science Institute.

You can read more about the Pale Blue Orb image here.

Original image: Pale Blue Dot

The Pale Blue Dot image is the first image ever taken of Earth from the outer solar system. NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft captured it on February 14, 1990. And it’s still the most distant image of Earth. Voyager’s distance from Earth at the time was 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km). The image showed Earth as a pale blue dot, hence the name. Earth appears as a very tiny crescent, only 0.12 pixel in size. Voyager 1 had reached the edge of the solar system, 12 years after its launch. Of course, by then, it had completed its primary mission.

This is a photo known as the Pale Blue Dot – the 1st of only 3 images of Earth taken from the outer solar system so far. The “dot” – our world, Earth – is on the right side of the photo, about halfway down. Image via NASA/ JPL. Read more about this image here.

You can read more about the Pale Blue Dot here.

Carl Sagan requested the Pale Blue Dot

At the request of astronomer Carl Sagan, NASA commanded the spacecraft to turn around and photograph the planets of the solar system. The solar system mosaic was interesting. However, this image – the image of our tiny world in space, surrounded by emptiness – was heart-rending. Carl Sagan later famously said, in part:

Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there, on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

Read more about the Pale Blue Dot image and about what Carl Sagan said.

Bottom line: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn until 2017, took the 3rd-ever picture of Earth from the outer solar system 13 years ago on July 19, 2013. The image is called The Day the Earth Smiled. This followed two previous similar pictures taken in 1990 and 2006.

The post The Day the Earth Smiled: July 19, 2013 first appeared on EarthSky.

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Here’s the famous The Day the Earth Smiled photo, taken from Saturn by NASA’s amazing Cassini spacecraft on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA/ JPL/ SSI/ CICLOPS/ Mother Jones.

The Day the Earth Smiled

On this date – July 19, 2013 – humanity acquired its 3rd-ever image of Earth from the outer solar system. And it’s one of the most awe-inspiring space photos ever. On that day, the planet Saturn eclipsed the sun from the vantage point of the Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft. And we on Earth cast our thoughts toward space and our tiny place in it.

The Cassini imaging team later dubbed this image The Day the Earth Smiled.

Cassini had been orbiting Saturn, and weaving in and out among its moons, since 2004.

On July 19, 2013, the spacecraft, Saturn and the sun lined up, so that Cassini saw Saturn eclipse the sun. As Cassini slipped into Saturn’s shadow that day, it was able to capture images not just of the Earth, but also of the planets Venus and Mars, Saturn’s backlit rings, and several of Saturn’s moons, all at once. You can see the dark side of Saturn, its bright limb, the main rings and the F, G and E rings. The view looks toward the unilluminated side of the rings from about 20 degrees below the ring plane.

Science matters. Wonder matters. You matter. Join our 2026 Donation Campaign today.

A unique chance to be photographed from a distant world

Before this event, NASA invited everyone on Earth to turn skyward and to smile and wave at Cassini’s camera, which was hundreds of millions of miles away. As the day approached, Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team lead at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, said people should:

… look up, think about our cosmic place, think about our planet, how unusual it is, how lush and life-giving it is. Think about your own existence. Think about the magnitude of the accomplishment that this picture-taking session entails. We have a spacecraft at Saturn. We are truly interplanetary explorers. Think about all that, and smile.

Porco also said:

Ever since we caught sight of the Earth among the rings of Saturn in September 2006 in a mosaic that has become one of Cassini’s most beloved images, I have wanted to do it all over again, only better. This time, I wanted to turn the entire event into an opportunity for everyone around the globe to savor the uniqueness of our planet and the preciousness of the life on it.

Thus, the idea for The Day the Earth Smiled was born. And – on that day – people on Earth went out, looked up, waved and smiled.

She accomplished that, and much more. Porco was also involved with the planning of the earlier Pale Blue Orb and Pale Blue Dot images, discussed below.

The pictures from Saturn

The incredible 2013 image spans a distance of 404,880 miles (650,000 km), roughly twice the distance from the Earth to the moon. Cassini was about 898 million miles (1.45 billion km) away from Earth at the time. That distance is nearly 10 times the distance from the sun to Earth.

NASA said the natural-color image is as the human eye would see it, if you had been there with Cassini. Using both its wide-angle and narrow-angle cameras, the spacecraft captured a total of 323 photographs over four hours. But only 141 images ended up in this panoramic mosaic.

This mosaic is also one of 33 “footprints” that cover the entire ring system and Saturn itself.

View larger. | NASA’s Cassini spacecraft took this natural-color portrait on July 19, 2013. It’s the 3rd-ever image of Earth from the outer solar system. Plus, it’s the 1st image to show Saturn, its moons, and rings, Earth and its moon, Venus, and Mars, all together. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ SSI.

View larger. | Annotated image of Saturn and the view from Saturn, taken by Cassini on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ SSI.

An earlier raw image of the Earth and moon as seen from Saturn by the Cassini spacecraft on July 19, 2013. Earth is the brighter dot; the moon is to its lower left. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ Space Science Institute/ Medium.

Collages from around the globe on The Day the Earth Smiled

NASA also created a collage of people on Earth to celebrate The Day the Earth Smiled.

In other words, on the same day that Cassini captured The Day the Earth Smiled image, participants from 40 countries took photos of themselves waving at Saturn. This awesome collage is the result.

The images came to NASA/ JPL-Caltech via Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, Google+ and email.

Collage of people on Earth on July 19, 2013. Image via NASA. Read more about this image.

A closer view of some of the many photos that make up the collage. Image via NASA.

Earlier image: Pale Blue Orb

The Pale Blue Orb image by Cassini was the 2nd-ever image of Earth taken from the outer solar system. Cassini captured it on September 15, 2006, just two years after Cassini began orbiting Saturn. At the time, the spacecraft was about 930 million miles (1.5 billion km) from Earth. The Earth and moon appear as a tiny blue dot on the right side of the image, just above center. When magnified, you can see the moon as a slight “protrusion” on the upper left side of the Earth.

As with the 2013 image, the 2006 image captured the passing of Saturn directly in front of the sun as seen from Cassini.

This image is known as the Pale Blue Orb. The Cassini spacecraft captured it back in 2006, showing the Earth and moon as tiny dots seen through Saturn’s rings. Image via NASA/ JPL/ Space Science Institute.

You can read more about the Pale Blue Orb image here.

Original image: Pale Blue Dot

The Pale Blue Dot image is the first image ever taken of Earth from the outer solar system. NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft captured it on February 14, 1990. And it’s still the most distant image of Earth. Voyager’s distance from Earth at the time was 4 billion miles (6.4 billion km). The image showed Earth as a pale blue dot, hence the name. Earth appears as a very tiny crescent, only 0.12 pixel in size. Voyager 1 had reached the edge of the solar system, 12 years after its launch. Of course, by then, it had completed its primary mission.

This is a photo known as the Pale Blue Dot – the 1st of only 3 images of Earth taken from the outer solar system so far. The “dot” – our world, Earth – is on the right side of the photo, about halfway down. Image via NASA/ JPL. Read more about this image here.

You can read more about the Pale Blue Dot here.

Carl Sagan requested the Pale Blue Dot

At the request of astronomer Carl Sagan, NASA commanded the spacecraft to turn around and photograph the planets of the solar system. The solar system mosaic was interesting. However, this image – the image of our tiny world in space, surrounded by emptiness – was heart-rending. Carl Sagan later famously said, in part:

Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there, on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

Read more about the Pale Blue Dot image and about what Carl Sagan said.

Bottom line: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn until 2017, took the 3rd-ever picture of Earth from the outer solar system 13 years ago on July 19, 2013. The image is called The Day the Earth Smiled. This followed two previous similar pictures taken in 1990 and 2006.

The post The Day the Earth Smiled: July 19, 2013 first appeared on EarthSky.

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The 1st footsteps on the moon: Celebrate with Moon Day

The world watched on television as Neil Armstrong from Apollo 11 was the 1st human to leave footsteps on the moon on July 20, 1969. It was the 1st time humans walked on another world as he stepped onto the lunar surface, Armstrong said: “That is one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” Still image via NASA video.

Read all about the 1st footsteps on the moon – 57 years ago – and celebrate International Moon Day.

The Eagle has landed and footsteps on the moon

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed their lunar module on a broad dark lunar lava flow, called the Sea of Tranquility. And six hours later, Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the surface of a world beyond Earth.

In the video below, you can hear the excitement in Armstrong’s voice at the successful landing of Eagle on the moon’s surface as he says:

Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.

The 1st footsteps on the moon, leaving human footprints on the moon. Image via NASA.

Altogether, Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 1/2 hours on the moon’s surface. Furthermore, they collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of moon rocks for return to Earth. And then they blasted off in their module from the lunar surface to meet up with Michael Collins in the command module orbiting overhead.

Finally, they returned safely to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969.

The Apollo 11 launch

Apollo 11 launched at 13:32 UTC (9:32 a.m. EDT local time) on July 16, 1969. Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., were aboard. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Apollo 11 left Earth via a type of rocket no longer in use, called Saturn V. The giant Saturn V rocket was 111 meters (363 feet) tall, about the height of a 36-story-tall building. Read more about the Saturn V rocket. Image via Wikimedia.

Apollo 11 orbited Earth 1 1/2 times. Twelve minutes after launch, it separated from the Saturn V rocket as a propulsion maneuver sent it on a path toward the moon. Meanwhile, here is a view of Earth from Apollo 11 shortly after it left Earth orbit. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Apollo 11: Watching from mission control

Happy Apollo 11 mission officials in the Launch Control Center following the successful Apollo 11 liftoff on July 16, 1969. That is the famous German rocket engineer Wernher von Braun, 4th from left (with binoculars). Read more about Wernher von Braun. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Oh, what a view for the Apollo 11 astronauts

Buzz Aldrin looks into a TV camera during the 3rd broadcast from space on the way to the moon. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Earth seen by Apollo 11 astronauts on their way to the moon. Image via NASA.

The Eagle lunar module captured this image of the Columbia command module in lunar orbit. Meanwhile Columbia stayed in lunar orbit with Michael Collins aboard during Eagle’s descent and landing. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

The lunar module and Saturn V

Here is the Apollo 11 lunar module, the vehicle that would carry Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon’s surface. It was called “Eagle.” This photo also shows the module in its landing configuration, photographed in lunar orbit from the command module, which was called “Columbia.” Astronaut Michael Collins, alone aboard Columbia, inspected Eagle as it pirouetted before him to ensure the craft was not damaged. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

The Apollo command module’s position atop the Saturn V at launch. The lunar module – the craft that descended to the moon’s surface – is positioned just below the command module in this diagram. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

There are now two heavy lift rockets, either of which could be used for moon missions. Read about SLS vs. Starship.

Read more: NASA releases 12,000 Artemis 2 pics! See our faves here

Concerns about the surface for footsteps on the moon

An early concern of space engineers had been that the lunar regolith, the fine soil covering the moon, would be soft like quicksand. There was some fear that the Eagle lunar module would sink after landing. Hence Armstrong’s comment about the depth of the footpads in the lunar soil as he descended the ladder before stepping onto the moon.

Buzz Aldrin descends the steps of the lunar module ladder as he becomes the 2nd human being to walk on the moon. Image via NASA.

Armstrong and Aldrin beginning work on the moon. This included deploying a U.S. flag, performing several science experiments, and collecting moon rocks. Still image via NASA video.

Here is Buzz Aldrin, who piloted the lunar module Eagle to the moon’s surface, with the LR-3, a reflecting array designed to bounce laser beams fired from Earth back to Earth. This experiment helped refine our knowledge of the moon’s distance and the shape of its orbit around Earth. Image via NASA.

Lastly, the lunar module Eagle on the surface of the moon. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Holding down the fort with a great view

Michael Collins caught this photo of the lunar module with Armstrong and Aldrin inside – and with Earth in the distance – as the module ascended from the moon’s surface to rejoin the command module. The lunar module docked with the orbiting command module, and, shortly afterwards, the astronauts began their journey back to Earth. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Neil Armstrong in the lunar module Eagle shortly after his historic 1st moonwalk, when he became the 1st human to set foot on a world besides Earth. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Splashdown and celebrations for a successful return

There were no runway landings in those days. Splashdown for the 3 astronauts was in the Pacific Ocean. Here, they await pickup by a helicopter from the USS Hornet. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Celebration at Mission Control as Apollo 11 draws to a successful end. Image via NASA.

Ticker-tape parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts in New York City on August 13, 1969. This section of Broadway is known as the Canyon of Heroes. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

A bounty of moon rocks brought back to Earth

The Apollo astronauts brought the 1st moon rocks back to Earth. Here is a sample.

This lunar sample, known as 10057, was collected during Apollo 11 and later sliced into pieces. Image via NASA.

Experience the Apollo 11 landing site as it appears today, in this video:

And to celebrate this historical event, it’s International Moon Day

In 2021, the United Nations designated July 20 as International Moon Day. They said:

International Moon Day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969.

The celebrations will also consider the achievements of all States in the exploration of the moon and raise public awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.

Bottom line: Tomorrow is the 57th anniversary of humanity’s historic Apollo moon landing and the first human footsteps on the moon. The story in pictures, here. And to celebrate, it’s International Moon Day.

Read more: Moon base and Mars! NASA makes exciting announcements

Experience the Apollo 11 landing in video and actual sound at this cool site.

Don’t believe it? Try this video: Why the Apollo moon landings could not have been faked.

Apollo 11 from NASA

Voices of Apollo 11, astronomy art

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The world watched on television as Neil Armstrong from Apollo 11 was the 1st human to leave footsteps on the moon on July 20, 1969. It was the 1st time humans walked on another world as he stepped onto the lunar surface, Armstrong said: “That is one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” Still image via NASA video.

Read all about the 1st footsteps on the moon – 57 years ago – and celebrate International Moon Day.

The Eagle has landed and footsteps on the moon

On July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed their lunar module on a broad dark lunar lava flow, called the Sea of Tranquility. And six hours later, Neil Armstrong became the first human being to walk on the surface of a world beyond Earth.

In the video below, you can hear the excitement in Armstrong’s voice at the successful landing of Eagle on the moon’s surface as he says:

Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.

The 1st footsteps on the moon, leaving human footprints on the moon. Image via NASA.

Altogether, Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 1/2 hours on the moon’s surface. Furthermore, they collected 47.5 pounds (21.5 kg) of moon rocks for return to Earth. And then they blasted off in their module from the lunar surface to meet up with Michael Collins in the command module orbiting overhead.

Finally, they returned safely to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969.

The Apollo 11 launch

Apollo 11 launched at 13:32 UTC (9:32 a.m. EDT local time) on July 16, 1969. Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., were aboard. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Apollo 11 left Earth via a type of rocket no longer in use, called Saturn V. The giant Saturn V rocket was 111 meters (363 feet) tall, about the height of a 36-story-tall building. Read more about the Saturn V rocket. Image via Wikimedia.

Apollo 11 orbited Earth 1 1/2 times. Twelve minutes after launch, it separated from the Saturn V rocket as a propulsion maneuver sent it on a path toward the moon. Meanwhile, here is a view of Earth from Apollo 11 shortly after it left Earth orbit. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Apollo 11: Watching from mission control

Happy Apollo 11 mission officials in the Launch Control Center following the successful Apollo 11 liftoff on July 16, 1969. That is the famous German rocket engineer Wernher von Braun, 4th from left (with binoculars). Read more about Wernher von Braun. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Oh, what a view for the Apollo 11 astronauts

Buzz Aldrin looks into a TV camera during the 3rd broadcast from space on the way to the moon. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Earth seen by Apollo 11 astronauts on their way to the moon. Image via NASA.

The Eagle lunar module captured this image of the Columbia command module in lunar orbit. Meanwhile Columbia stayed in lunar orbit with Michael Collins aboard during Eagle’s descent and landing. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

The lunar module and Saturn V

Here is the Apollo 11 lunar module, the vehicle that would carry Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the moon’s surface. It was called “Eagle.” This photo also shows the module in its landing configuration, photographed in lunar orbit from the command module, which was called “Columbia.” Astronaut Michael Collins, alone aboard Columbia, inspected Eagle as it pirouetted before him to ensure the craft was not damaged. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

The Apollo command module’s position atop the Saturn V at launch. The lunar module – the craft that descended to the moon’s surface – is positioned just below the command module in this diagram. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

There are now two heavy lift rockets, either of which could be used for moon missions. Read about SLS vs. Starship.

Read more: NASA releases 12,000 Artemis 2 pics! See our faves here

Concerns about the surface for footsteps on the moon

An early concern of space engineers had been that the lunar regolith, the fine soil covering the moon, would be soft like quicksand. There was some fear that the Eagle lunar module would sink after landing. Hence Armstrong’s comment about the depth of the footpads in the lunar soil as he descended the ladder before stepping onto the moon.

Buzz Aldrin descends the steps of the lunar module ladder as he becomes the 2nd human being to walk on the moon. Image via NASA.

Armstrong and Aldrin beginning work on the moon. This included deploying a U.S. flag, performing several science experiments, and collecting moon rocks. Still image via NASA video.

Here is Buzz Aldrin, who piloted the lunar module Eagle to the moon’s surface, with the LR-3, a reflecting array designed to bounce laser beams fired from Earth back to Earth. This experiment helped refine our knowledge of the moon’s distance and the shape of its orbit around Earth. Image via NASA.

Lastly, the lunar module Eagle on the surface of the moon. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Holding down the fort with a great view

Michael Collins caught this photo of the lunar module with Armstrong and Aldrin inside – and with Earth in the distance – as the module ascended from the moon’s surface to rejoin the command module. The lunar module docked with the orbiting command module, and, shortly afterwards, the astronauts began their journey back to Earth. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

Neil Armstrong in the lunar module Eagle shortly after his historic 1st moonwalk, when he became the 1st human to set foot on a world besides Earth. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Splashdown and celebrations for a successful return

There were no runway landings in those days. Splashdown for the 3 astronauts was in the Pacific Ocean. Here, they await pickup by a helicopter from the USS Hornet. Image via NASA/ Wikipedia.

Celebration at Mission Control as Apollo 11 draws to a successful end. Image via NASA.

Ticker-tape parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts in New York City on August 13, 1969. This section of Broadway is known as the Canyon of Heroes. Image via NASA/ Wikimedia Commons.

A bounty of moon rocks brought back to Earth

The Apollo astronauts brought the 1st moon rocks back to Earth. Here is a sample.

This lunar sample, known as 10057, was collected during Apollo 11 and later sliced into pieces. Image via NASA.

Experience the Apollo 11 landing site as it appears today, in this video:

And to celebrate this historical event, it’s International Moon Day

In 2021, the United Nations designated July 20 as International Moon Day. They said:

International Moon Day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission in 1969.

The celebrations will also consider the achievements of all States in the exploration of the moon and raise public awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.

Bottom line: Tomorrow is the 57th anniversary of humanity’s historic Apollo moon landing and the first human footsteps on the moon. The story in pictures, here. And to celebrate, it’s International Moon Day.

Read more: Moon base and Mars! NASA makes exciting announcements

Experience the Apollo 11 landing in video and actual sound at this cool site.

Don’t believe it? Try this video: Why the Apollo moon landings could not have been faked.

Apollo 11 from NASA

Voices of Apollo 11, astronomy art

The post The 1st footsteps on the moon: Celebrate with Moon Day first appeared on EarthSky.

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Noctilucent clouds are back: Look for them now!

Science news, night sky events and beautiful photos, all in one place. Click here to subscribe to EarthSky’s free daily newsletter.

Noctilucent cloud season is here! Images are already showing up on social media of these night-shining clouds.

Noctilucent clouds at the Avebury Stones.#StandingStoneSunday

— Pete Glastonbury (@peteglastonbury.bsky.social) 2026-06-14T01:58:41.945Z

There was a nice display of noctilucent clouds last night. Here's the view from the North York Moors, overlooking Teesside at 23:11 UT. #NoctilucentClouds #Noctilucent #NLCs

— Steve Brown – astronomy and astrophotography (@sjbastro.bsky.social) 2026-06-10T11:11:32.390Z

What are noctilucent clouds?

Noctilucent clouds, or night-shining clouds, are thin clouds high up in Earth’s atmosphere – the mesosphere – as much as 50 miles (80 km) above Earth’s surface. Scientists think they’re made of ice crystals that form on fine dust particles, often from meteors. They can only form when temperatures are incredibly low and when there’s water available to form ice crystals.

So, why do these clouds – which require such cold temperatures – form in the summer? It’s because of the strange dynamics of the atmosphere. At that height in the mesosphere, you actually get the coldest temperatures of the year near the poles in summer. Read on to find out why.

Photo of noctilucent clouds taken in Laboe, Germany, on June 21, 2019. Image by Matthias Süßen/ Wikipedia.

What causes noctilucent clouds?

Here’s how it works: during summer, air close to the ground heats up and rises. Since atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, the rising air expands. But, when the air expands, it also cools down. This, along with other processes in the upper atmosphere, drives the air even higher causing it to cool even more. As a result, temperatures in the mesosphere can plunge to as low as -225 degrees Fahrenheit (-143 C).

In the Northern Hemisphere, the mesosphere reaches these temperatures by mid-May in most years.

We see noctilucent clouds when most of the sky has grown dark, but the rays from the sun can still reach and reflect off these ethereal, electric-blue clouds. When satellites or astronauts view them from space, they’re referred to as polar mesospheric clouds.

If you want to see them for yourself, now’s the time to look!

Astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) took this photo on January 5, 2013, when the ISS was over the Pacific Ocean south of French Polynesia. The pale orange band below the brightly lit noctilucent clouds is the stratosphere. Image via NASA.

It’s noctilucent cloud season

The season for noctilucent clouds at northerly latitudes is now. People at high latitudes report seeing noctilucent clouds. This happens every year, from about May through August in the Northern Hemisphere, and from November through February in the Southern Hemisphere.

In recent years, northern summertime noctilucent clouds have set records for low-latitude sightings. In 2019, for example, people observed them as far south as Las Vegas (36 degrees north latitude) and Los Angeles (34 degrees north latitude). Usually, though, they’re seen from higher latitudes.

Sighting them at lower latitudes might be due to a couple of things. According to Royal Museums Greenwich:

In the Northern Hemisphere noctilucent clouds have been seen at much lower latitudes than expected. Scientists believe this is a result of climate change, but it could also be due to other factors, such as rocket launches expelling particles into the atmosphere which go on to form noctilucent clouds.

How to see these night-shining clouds

To see noctilucent clouds, you’ll need certain conditions in your favor. One factor is when to look. Right about now – June to July – is typically when noctilucent clouds are most widespread.

You’ll also want to be positioned as far north as possible during the Northern Hemisphere’s peak season. Canada and the U.K. are two locations where you’ll have a better chance to spot night-shining clouds.

Then, look west about 30 minutes after sunset. The farther north you are, the longer throughout the night you can see them. That’s because the sun doesn’t dip as far below your horizon.

Noctilucent clouds look like electric, luminous tendrils of blue-white light. They are the clouds that glow after other clouds have darkened.

Noctilucent clouds are night-shining clouds because they are so high up that after other clouds are dark, the sun can still reach them. These polar mesospheric clouds appear as eerily blue in a mostly darkened sky. Chart via EarthSky.

What noctilucent clouds can teach us

Noctilucent clouds are sensitive to atmospheric temperatures. Therefore, they can act as a proxy for information about the wind circulation that causes these temperatures. First of all, they can tell scientists that the circulation exists. They can also tell us something about the strength of the circulation.

Scientists studying these clouds got help from NASA’s Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite. This satellite, launched in 2007, observed noctilucent clouds using several onboard instruments to collect information such as temperature, atmospheric gases, ice crystal size and changes in the clouds. It even accounted for the amount of meteoric space dust that enters the atmosphere. The AIM spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up in August 2024.

Studies have also shown that as the climate warms, noctilucent clouds become more visible.

Where to watch for noctilucent clouds

As with the aurora, it helps to be closer to the poles to see this phenomenon. You can keep tabs on noctilucent clouds via SpaceWeather’s RealTime Image Gallery, or on Facebook via the group Noctilucent Clouds Around the World.

Noctilucent clouds in 2025

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Petr Horálek braved a cow pasture to get this view of noctilucent clouds on July 3, 2025. Petr wrote: “This early morning, the bright NLCs appeared over Central Europe. I found a great spot by Prosec u Sece, Czech Republic. When I started shooting, I found out that cows are close … and a bull too. I was pretty scared of the bull, as he seemed very aggressive, but I managed to make at least one shot before he decided to check me out. So the shot is truly spontaneous and a result of small drama, too.” Thank you, Petr!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Joel Weatherly captured noctilucent clouds from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on July 1, 2025. Joel wrote: “Last night we had a significant outbreak of noctilucent clouds. These shimmering NLCs showcased brilliant waves and ripples.” Thank you, Joel!

Noctilucent clouds in 2024

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jean-Baptiste Feldmann in Gleizé, France, captured these noctilucent – or night-shining – clouds on July 13, 2024. Jean-Baptiste wrote: “Impressive festival of noctilucent clouds a little before 5 in the morning, while I was finishing my planetary observations with the telescope. I had never seen noctilucent with such intensity before. A real treat!” Thank you, Jean-Baptiste!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Marek Nikodem caught these noctilucent clouds on June 14, 2024, from near Szubin, Poland. Thank you, Marek!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lorraine Osullivan was in Pembrokeshire, Wales, when she took this image of night-shining clouds on June 25, 2024. Lorraine wrote: “I was on holiday when I took this photo, it is taken from our balcony at our cottage.” Thank you, Lorraine!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lea Proicheva in Gennep, the Netherlands, captured this image on June 28, 2024. Lea wrote: “This time of year the sun goes down very late and twilight lasts for a long time.” Thank you, Lea!

Do you have images of noctilucent clouds to share? We’d love to see them! Submit them to EarthSky Community Photos.

Bottom line: Noctilucent cloud season is underway! Learn about these stunning night-shining clouds and see a gallery here.

Read more: Iridescent clouds have rainbow colors

Read more: Cloud shapes are a useful tool for predicting weather

The post Noctilucent clouds are back: Look for them now! first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/wtPqO6Z

Science news, night sky events and beautiful photos, all in one place. Click here to subscribe to EarthSky’s free daily newsletter.

Noctilucent cloud season is here! Images are already showing up on social media of these night-shining clouds.

Noctilucent clouds at the Avebury Stones.#StandingStoneSunday

— Pete Glastonbury (@peteglastonbury.bsky.social) 2026-06-14T01:58:41.945Z

There was a nice display of noctilucent clouds last night. Here's the view from the North York Moors, overlooking Teesside at 23:11 UT. #NoctilucentClouds #Noctilucent #NLCs

— Steve Brown – astronomy and astrophotography (@sjbastro.bsky.social) 2026-06-10T11:11:32.390Z

What are noctilucent clouds?

Noctilucent clouds, or night-shining clouds, are thin clouds high up in Earth’s atmosphere – the mesosphere – as much as 50 miles (80 km) above Earth’s surface. Scientists think they’re made of ice crystals that form on fine dust particles, often from meteors. They can only form when temperatures are incredibly low and when there’s water available to form ice crystals.

So, why do these clouds – which require such cold temperatures – form in the summer? It’s because of the strange dynamics of the atmosphere. At that height in the mesosphere, you actually get the coldest temperatures of the year near the poles in summer. Read on to find out why.

Photo of noctilucent clouds taken in Laboe, Germany, on June 21, 2019. Image by Matthias Süßen/ Wikipedia.

What causes noctilucent clouds?

Here’s how it works: during summer, air close to the ground heats up and rises. Since atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude, the rising air expands. But, when the air expands, it also cools down. This, along with other processes in the upper atmosphere, drives the air even higher causing it to cool even more. As a result, temperatures in the mesosphere can plunge to as low as -225 degrees Fahrenheit (-143 C).

In the Northern Hemisphere, the mesosphere reaches these temperatures by mid-May in most years.

We see noctilucent clouds when most of the sky has grown dark, but the rays from the sun can still reach and reflect off these ethereal, electric-blue clouds. When satellites or astronauts view them from space, they’re referred to as polar mesospheric clouds.

If you want to see them for yourself, now’s the time to look!

Astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) took this photo on January 5, 2013, when the ISS was over the Pacific Ocean south of French Polynesia. The pale orange band below the brightly lit noctilucent clouds is the stratosphere. Image via NASA.

It’s noctilucent cloud season

The season for noctilucent clouds at northerly latitudes is now. People at high latitudes report seeing noctilucent clouds. This happens every year, from about May through August in the Northern Hemisphere, and from November through February in the Southern Hemisphere.

In recent years, northern summertime noctilucent clouds have set records for low-latitude sightings. In 2019, for example, people observed them as far south as Las Vegas (36 degrees north latitude) and Los Angeles (34 degrees north latitude). Usually, though, they’re seen from higher latitudes.

Sighting them at lower latitudes might be due to a couple of things. According to Royal Museums Greenwich:

In the Northern Hemisphere noctilucent clouds have been seen at much lower latitudes than expected. Scientists believe this is a result of climate change, but it could also be due to other factors, such as rocket launches expelling particles into the atmosphere which go on to form noctilucent clouds.

How to see these night-shining clouds

To see noctilucent clouds, you’ll need certain conditions in your favor. One factor is when to look. Right about now – June to July – is typically when noctilucent clouds are most widespread.

You’ll also want to be positioned as far north as possible during the Northern Hemisphere’s peak season. Canada and the U.K. are two locations where you’ll have a better chance to spot night-shining clouds.

Then, look west about 30 minutes after sunset. The farther north you are, the longer throughout the night you can see them. That’s because the sun doesn’t dip as far below your horizon.

Noctilucent clouds look like electric, luminous tendrils of blue-white light. They are the clouds that glow after other clouds have darkened.

Noctilucent clouds are night-shining clouds because they are so high up that after other clouds are dark, the sun can still reach them. These polar mesospheric clouds appear as eerily blue in a mostly darkened sky. Chart via EarthSky.

What noctilucent clouds can teach us

Noctilucent clouds are sensitive to atmospheric temperatures. Therefore, they can act as a proxy for information about the wind circulation that causes these temperatures. First of all, they can tell scientists that the circulation exists. They can also tell us something about the strength of the circulation.

Scientists studying these clouds got help from NASA’s Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) satellite. This satellite, launched in 2007, observed noctilucent clouds using several onboard instruments to collect information such as temperature, atmospheric gases, ice crystal size and changes in the clouds. It even accounted for the amount of meteoric space dust that enters the atmosphere. The AIM spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere and burned up in August 2024.

Studies have also shown that as the climate warms, noctilucent clouds become more visible.

Where to watch for noctilucent clouds

As with the aurora, it helps to be closer to the poles to see this phenomenon. You can keep tabs on noctilucent clouds via SpaceWeather’s RealTime Image Gallery, or on Facebook via the group Noctilucent Clouds Around the World.

Noctilucent clouds in 2025

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Petr Horálek braved a cow pasture to get this view of noctilucent clouds on July 3, 2025. Petr wrote: “This early morning, the bright NLCs appeared over Central Europe. I found a great spot by Prosec u Sece, Czech Republic. When I started shooting, I found out that cows are close … and a bull too. I was pretty scared of the bull, as he seemed very aggressive, but I managed to make at least one shot before he decided to check me out. So the shot is truly spontaneous and a result of small drama, too.” Thank you, Petr!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Joel Weatherly captured noctilucent clouds from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on July 1, 2025. Joel wrote: “Last night we had a significant outbreak of noctilucent clouds. These shimmering NLCs showcased brilliant waves and ripples.” Thank you, Joel!

Noctilucent clouds in 2024

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jean-Baptiste Feldmann in Gleizé, France, captured these noctilucent – or night-shining – clouds on July 13, 2024. Jean-Baptiste wrote: “Impressive festival of noctilucent clouds a little before 5 in the morning, while I was finishing my planetary observations with the telescope. I had never seen noctilucent with such intensity before. A real treat!” Thank you, Jean-Baptiste!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Marek Nikodem caught these noctilucent clouds on June 14, 2024, from near Szubin, Poland. Thank you, Marek!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lorraine Osullivan was in Pembrokeshire, Wales, when she took this image of night-shining clouds on June 25, 2024. Lorraine wrote: “I was on holiday when I took this photo, it is taken from our balcony at our cottage.” Thank you, Lorraine!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Lea Proicheva in Gennep, the Netherlands, captured this image on June 28, 2024. Lea wrote: “This time of year the sun goes down very late and twilight lasts for a long time.” Thank you, Lea!

Do you have images of noctilucent clouds to share? We’d love to see them! Submit them to EarthSky Community Photos.

Bottom line: Noctilucent cloud season is underway! Learn about these stunning night-shining clouds and see a gallery here.

Read more: Iridescent clouds have rainbow colors

Read more: Cloud shapes are a useful tool for predicting weather

The post Noctilucent clouds are back: Look for them now! first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/wtPqO6Z