New organics on Mars raise questions about ancient life

View larger. | The Curiosity rover took this selfie on October 25, 2020. It had just drilled the rock named Mary Anning, located on Mars’ Mount Sharp. It’s within this rock that scientists have now detected diverse organics on Mars. The sample included some organic molecules that scientists had never before seen on Mars. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

• NASA’s Curiosity rover has found the most diverse collection of organic molecules ever seen on Mars.
• The organics include seven new carbon-bearing molecules. Such molecules on Earth form the basis of all biological processes. They make up the structures of cells and tissues, participate in chemical reactions that sustain life, and store and transmit genetic information.
• The new organics add to the evidence for Mars’ life now or in the past. Mars apparently had (or has) the right chemistry to support life.

Most diverse organic molecules on Mars

There are two active rovers on Mars now. And both Curiosity and Perseverance have found an abundance of organic molecules on Mars in recent years. And now Curiosity has identified the most diverse collection of organic molecules – molecules containing carbon, capable of forming long chains and complex rings – yet seen on Mars. They include organics scientists hadn’t seen before on the red planet.

NASA said on April 21, 2026, that pinpointing them took years of lab work, both in Curiosity’s onboard laboratory and in comparison studies back on Earth. Overall, the rover found 21 carbon-bearing molecules in a rock it first sampled in 2020. Seven of those molecules are new discoveries on Mars.

It isn’t known if any of the organics are related to ancient life. But the scientists said they add to the evidence that Mars had the right chemistry to support life.

Notably, rocks that had been exposed to harsh ultraviolet radiation for billions of years were still able to preserve the organics.

The researchers published the tantalizing peer-reviewed results in Nature Communications on April 21, 2026.

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

NASA’s Curiosity Finds Organic Molecules Never Seen Before on Marswww.nasa.gov/missions/mar…

— HiRISE Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@uahirise.bsky.social) 2026-04-21T21:25:34.798Z

Mary Anning 3

Curiosity found the diverse collection of organics in a drill sample nicknamed Mary Anning 3. It’s one of three holes that the rover drilled in the same rock. The other two holes are named Mary Anning and Groken. (A nearby spot named Mary Anning 2 is one that Curiosity never drilled.) Mary Anning is the name of an early 19th-century English fossil collector and paleontologist.

The rock is on a part of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater where lakes and flowing rivers once existed. The area is rich in clay minerals, which are ideal for preserving organic molecules.

The most interesting organics

One of the most interesting organic molecules researchers found is nitrogen heterocycle. It’s a ring of carbon atoms including nitrogen. These molecules are predecessors to both DNA and RNA. Lead author Amy Williams at the University of Florida in Gainesville said:

That detection is pretty profound because these structures can be chemical precursors to more complex nitrogen-bearing molecules. Nitrogen heterorcycles have never been found before on the Martian surface or confirmed in Martian meteorites.

Curiosity also found benzothiophene, a carbon- and sulfur-bearing molecule that’s been found in many meteorites. Such molecules might have seeded prebiotic chemistry across the early solar system.

Curiosity project scientist Ashwin Vasavada at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California said:

This is Curiosity and our team at their best. It took dozens of scientists and engineers to locate this site, drill the sample, and make these discoveries with our awesome robot. This collection of organic molecules once again increases the prospect that Mars offered a home for life in the ancient past.

View larger. | This is the rock Mary Anning. The sample with the diverse organic molecules came from drill hole Mary Anning 3. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

Amy Williams at the University of Florida is the lead author of the new study about organics on Mars. Image via University of Florida.

Wet chemistry reveals organic molecules

One of the ways Curiosity detects organic molecules is with wet chemistry. The minicab inside the rover, called Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), can drop samples of powdered rock into small cups containing solvent. The chemical reactions that take place can break apart larger molecules. These molecules can be difficult to detect otherwise. There are several cups. Two of them contain the solvent tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). Those two cups are reserved for the “highest-value” samples. And Mary Anning 3 was the first sample tested in one of those cups.

As a comparison, the research team also tested the wet chemistry technique back on Earth. They used a piece of the famous Murchison meteorite, which is over 4 billion years old. The results were interesting, indeed. Murchison contains organic molecules, just like the Mary Anning 3 samples. When the scientists exposed the meteorite sample to the TMAH solvent, the larger molecules broke down into smaller ones. These included some of the organics found in Mary Anning 3, including benzothiophene.

This similar breakdown of organics shows that the organic molecules in Mary Anning 3 could indeed have resulted from the breakdown of more complex organic molecules.

View larger. | Graphic depicting the long-chain organic molecules decane, undecane and dodecane. NASA reported their discovery by Curiosity last year. Image via NASA/ Dan Gallagher.

Largest organic molecules on Mars

The new findings by Curiosity also complement the announcement last year of the largest organic molecules ever found on Mars. Curiosity made that discovery as well.

But determining that for sure (or not) will likely require the samples the rover took to be brought back to Earth for closer study.

Those molecules included the long-chain hydrocarbons decane, undecane and dodecane. Scientists think they are the remains of fatty acids. And they are the most complex organics yet found on Mars. Plus, last February, NASA scientists said that these organics are hard to explain without biology:

As the non-biological sources they considered could not fully explain the abundance of organic compounds, it is therefore reasonable to hypothesize that living things could have formed them.

View larger. | Perseverance found this rock – nicknamed Cheyava Falls – on Mars in July 2024. The leopard spots are the small irregular whitish spots with black edges. The poppy seeds are the smaller dark dots. NASA said they may be evidence for microbial life on Mars billions of years ago. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

Leopard spots and poppy seeds

The findings also come after the Perseverance rover, in Jezero Crater, found intriguing leopard spots and poppy seeds in rocks. First announced in 2024, the chemical signatures of the markings suggest they might be traces of ancient microbial life.

Bottom line: NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified the most diverse collection of organic molecules on Mars ever found. They include some organics never seen before.

Source: Diverse organic molecules on Mars revealed by the first SAM TMAH experiment

Via NASA

Read more: NASA says organics on Mars are hard to explain without life

Read more: Surprisingly big organic molecules on Mars: A hint of life?

The post New organics on Mars raise questions about ancient life first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/nKpEsc3

View larger. | The Curiosity rover took this selfie on October 25, 2020. It had just drilled the rock named Mary Anning, located on Mars’ Mount Sharp. It’s within this rock that scientists have now detected diverse organics on Mars. The sample included some organic molecules that scientists had never before seen on Mars. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

• NASA’s Curiosity rover has found the most diverse collection of organic molecules ever seen on Mars.
• The organics include seven new carbon-bearing molecules. Such molecules on Earth form the basis of all biological processes. They make up the structures of cells and tissues, participate in chemical reactions that sustain life, and store and transmit genetic information.
• The new organics add to the evidence for Mars’ life now or in the past. Mars apparently had (or has) the right chemistry to support life.

Most diverse organic molecules on Mars

There are two active rovers on Mars now. And both Curiosity and Perseverance have found an abundance of organic molecules on Mars in recent years. And now Curiosity has identified the most diverse collection of organic molecules – molecules containing carbon, capable of forming long chains and complex rings – yet seen on Mars. They include organics scientists hadn’t seen before on the red planet.

NASA said on April 21, 2026, that pinpointing them took years of lab work, both in Curiosity’s onboard laboratory and in comparison studies back on Earth. Overall, the rover found 21 carbon-bearing molecules in a rock it first sampled in 2020. Seven of those molecules are new discoveries on Mars.

It isn’t known if any of the organics are related to ancient life. But the scientists said they add to the evidence that Mars had the right chemistry to support life.

Notably, rocks that had been exposed to harsh ultraviolet radiation for billions of years were still able to preserve the organics.

The researchers published the tantalizing peer-reviewed results in Nature Communications on April 21, 2026.

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

NASA’s Curiosity Finds Organic Molecules Never Seen Before on Marswww.nasa.gov/missions/mar…

— HiRISE Beautiful Mars (NASA) (@uahirise.bsky.social) 2026-04-21T21:25:34.798Z

Mary Anning 3

Curiosity found the diverse collection of organics in a drill sample nicknamed Mary Anning 3. It’s one of three holes that the rover drilled in the same rock. The other two holes are named Mary Anning and Groken. (A nearby spot named Mary Anning 2 is one that Curiosity never drilled.) Mary Anning is the name of an early 19th-century English fossil collector and paleontologist.

The rock is on a part of Mount Sharp in Gale Crater where lakes and flowing rivers once existed. The area is rich in clay minerals, which are ideal for preserving organic molecules.

The most interesting organics

One of the most interesting organic molecules researchers found is nitrogen heterocycle. It’s a ring of carbon atoms including nitrogen. These molecules are predecessors to both DNA and RNA. Lead author Amy Williams at the University of Florida in Gainesville said:

That detection is pretty profound because these structures can be chemical precursors to more complex nitrogen-bearing molecules. Nitrogen heterorcycles have never been found before on the Martian surface or confirmed in Martian meteorites.

Curiosity also found benzothiophene, a carbon- and sulfur-bearing molecule that’s been found in many meteorites. Such molecules might have seeded prebiotic chemistry across the early solar system.

Curiosity project scientist Ashwin Vasavada at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California said:

This is Curiosity and our team at their best. It took dozens of scientists and engineers to locate this site, drill the sample, and make these discoveries with our awesome robot. This collection of organic molecules once again increases the prospect that Mars offered a home for life in the ancient past.

View larger. | This is the rock Mary Anning. The sample with the diverse organic molecules came from drill hole Mary Anning 3. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

Amy Williams at the University of Florida is the lead author of the new study about organics on Mars. Image via University of Florida.

Wet chemistry reveals organic molecules

One of the ways Curiosity detects organic molecules is with wet chemistry. The minicab inside the rover, called Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM), can drop samples of powdered rock into small cups containing solvent. The chemical reactions that take place can break apart larger molecules. These molecules can be difficult to detect otherwise. There are several cups. Two of them contain the solvent tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH). Those two cups are reserved for the “highest-value” samples. And Mary Anning 3 was the first sample tested in one of those cups.

As a comparison, the research team also tested the wet chemistry technique back on Earth. They used a piece of the famous Murchison meteorite, which is over 4 billion years old. The results were interesting, indeed. Murchison contains organic molecules, just like the Mary Anning 3 samples. When the scientists exposed the meteorite sample to the TMAH solvent, the larger molecules broke down into smaller ones. These included some of the organics found in Mary Anning 3, including benzothiophene.

This similar breakdown of organics shows that the organic molecules in Mary Anning 3 could indeed have resulted from the breakdown of more complex organic molecules.

View larger. | Graphic depicting the long-chain organic molecules decane, undecane and dodecane. NASA reported their discovery by Curiosity last year. Image via NASA/ Dan Gallagher.

Largest organic molecules on Mars

The new findings by Curiosity also complement the announcement last year of the largest organic molecules ever found on Mars. Curiosity made that discovery as well.

But determining that for sure (or not) will likely require the samples the rover took to be brought back to Earth for closer study.

Those molecules included the long-chain hydrocarbons decane, undecane and dodecane. Scientists think they are the remains of fatty acids. And they are the most complex organics yet found on Mars. Plus, last February, NASA scientists said that these organics are hard to explain without biology:

As the non-biological sources they considered could not fully explain the abundance of organic compounds, it is therefore reasonable to hypothesize that living things could have formed them.

View larger. | Perseverance found this rock – nicknamed Cheyava Falls – on Mars in July 2024. The leopard spots are the small irregular whitish spots with black edges. The poppy seeds are the smaller dark dots. NASA said they may be evidence for microbial life on Mars billions of years ago. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.

Leopard spots and poppy seeds

The findings also come after the Perseverance rover, in Jezero Crater, found intriguing leopard spots and poppy seeds in rocks. First announced in 2024, the chemical signatures of the markings suggest they might be traces of ancient microbial life.

Bottom line: NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified the most diverse collection of organic molecules on Mars ever found. They include some organics never seen before.

Source: Diverse organic molecules on Mars revealed by the first SAM TMAH experiment

Via NASA

Read more: NASA says organics on Mars are hard to explain without life

Read more: Surprisingly big organic molecules on Mars: A hint of life?

The post New organics on Mars raise questions about ancient life first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/nKpEsc3

May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon

Two hours after sunset on May 1, the full Flower Moon glows brightly in the east. It’ll lie between red Antares and blue-white Spica. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius. And Spica is the brightest star in Virgo. It’ll also be near Zubenelgenubi, the brightest star in Libra. The full moon will be visible all night.

There are two full moons in May 2026. The first – on May 1 – is the full Flower Moon. The second full moon – a Blue Moon – falls on May 31. And the May 1st full moon is the first of three full micromoons – or most distant full moons – in a row in 2026.

Don’t miss the next unmissable night sky event. Sign up for our free newsletter for daily night sky updates, as well as the latest science news.

When and where to watch in 2026 for the full Flower Moon: Look for the bright, round moon rising low in the east at sunset on May 1. It will reach its highest point in the sky after midnight. And it will lie low in the west shortly before sunrise on May 2.

Crest of the full moon falls at 17:23 UTC on May 1. That’s 12:23 p.m. CDT on May 1. So the moon will look full and round when it’s setting that morning at sunrise and as it’s rising that evening at sunset.

It’s a micrcomoon: The May 1 full Flower Moon is a micromoon. That’s a moon that’s more distant than an average full moon. In fact, it’s the first of three full micromoons in a row. It’ll be 249,793 miles (402,003 km) away.

This full moon falls on May Day, which lies about midway between the March equinox and the June solstice. It – as well as Groundhog Day, Lammas, and Halloween – is a cross-quarter day.

Chart for the morning of May 1

An hour before sunrise on May 1, the full Flower Moon will glow brightly in the west near the moderately bright star Zubenelgenubi. And it’ll lie near red Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius.

The moon is fullest around noon

The moon will reach its fullest phase near noon on May 1 for the those in central time zones. It will appear nearly as full when it lies in the west near sunrise on May 1. And again when it lies in the east near sunset on May 1. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – faces us. That’s why the moon looks full.

At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us.

It’s the Flower Moon

All the full moons have nicknames. Popular names for May’s full moon include the Planting Moon and the Milky Moon, but the Flower Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Flower Moon recognizes the blooming of wildflowers and garden flowers. In the light of May’s full moon, many have an enchanting appearance..

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere, the low arc across the sky of the early May full moon nearly matches that of the December sun. The arc of the early May sun is always much higher than the arc of the early May full moon. And it nearly matches that of the December full moon.

Arc of the May full moon

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and from season to season. Every full moon rises somewhere along the eastern horizon. It’s opposite the sun as it sets in the west. And every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night. And then it sets somewhere along the western horizon around dawn.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the arc of early May’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December. However, it is higher than the next two which fall in the overnights of May 30 and June 29 in North America.

For observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the high arc across the sky of the early May full moon nearly matches that of the December sun. The arc of the early May sun is always much lower than the arc of the early May full moon, and nearly matches that of the December full moon.

For those folks in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December. And it will continue to do so until the full moon nearest the June solstice. In 2026, that will be the June 29 full moon.

The May 2026 full moon occurs at 17:23 UTC on May 1 and will lie in the constellation Libra.

The May full moon is in both Virgo and Libra

As seen from the Americas, the almost full moon on the morning of May 1 is located in the direction of the constellation Virgo. When it rises about fourteen hours later in the evening of May 1, it has moved into the next zodiacal constellation eastward, Libra the Scales.

Bottom line: The May full moon occurs near the middle of the day on May 1. It appears full both as it sets in the morning of May 1, and as it rises in the evening of May 1.

The post May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon first appeared on EarthSky.

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Two hours after sunset on May 1, the full Flower Moon glows brightly in the east. It’ll lie between red Antares and blue-white Spica. Antares is the brightest star in Scorpius. And Spica is the brightest star in Virgo. It’ll also be near Zubenelgenubi, the brightest star in Libra. The full moon will be visible all night.

There are two full moons in May 2026. The first – on May 1 – is the full Flower Moon. The second full moon – a Blue Moon – falls on May 31. And the May 1st full moon is the first of three full micromoons – or most distant full moons – in a row in 2026.

Don’t miss the next unmissable night sky event. Sign up for our free newsletter for daily night sky updates, as well as the latest science news.

When and where to watch in 2026 for the full Flower Moon: Look for the bright, round moon rising low in the east at sunset on May 1. It will reach its highest point in the sky after midnight. And it will lie low in the west shortly before sunrise on May 2.

Crest of the full moon falls at 17:23 UTC on May 1. That’s 12:23 p.m. CDT on May 1. So the moon will look full and round when it’s setting that morning at sunrise and as it’s rising that evening at sunset.

It’s a micrcomoon: The May 1 full Flower Moon is a micromoon. That’s a moon that’s more distant than an average full moon. In fact, it’s the first of three full micromoons in a row. It’ll be 249,793 miles (402,003 km) away.

This full moon falls on May Day, which lies about midway between the March equinox and the June solstice. It – as well as Groundhog Day, Lammas, and Halloween – is a cross-quarter day.

Chart for the morning of May 1

An hour before sunrise on May 1, the full Flower Moon will glow brightly in the west near the moderately bright star Zubenelgenubi. And it’ll lie near red Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius.

The moon is fullest around noon

The moon will reach its fullest phase near noon on May 1 for the those in central time zones. It will appear nearly as full when it lies in the west near sunrise on May 1. And again when it lies in the east near sunset on May 1. At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – faces us. That’s why the moon looks full.

At full moon, the sun, Earth, and moon align in space, with Earth in the middle. The moon’s day side – its fully lighted hemisphere – directly faces us.

It’s the Flower Moon

All the full moons have nicknames. Popular names for May’s full moon include the Planting Moon and the Milky Moon, but the Flower Moon is the most common. As you might expect, the name Flower Moon recognizes the blooming of wildflowers and garden flowers. In the light of May’s full moon, many have an enchanting appearance..

For observers in the Northern Hemisphere, the low arc across the sky of the early May full moon nearly matches that of the December sun. The arc of the early May sun is always much higher than the arc of the early May full moon. And it nearly matches that of the December full moon.

Arc of the May full moon

The moon’s arc across our sky varies from month to month and from season to season. Every full moon rises somewhere along the eastern horizon. It’s opposite the sun as it sets in the west. And every full moon arcs across the sky throughout the night. And then it sets somewhere along the western horizon around dawn.

For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the arc of early May’s full moon is lower than the paths of the full moons since December. However, it is higher than the next two which fall in the overnights of May 30 and June 29 in North America.

For observers in the Southern Hemisphere, the high arc across the sky of the early May full moon nearly matches that of the December sun. The arc of the early May sun is always much lower than the arc of the early May full moon, and nearly matches that of the December full moon.

For those folks in the Southern Hemisphere, the full moon’s arc across the sky is climbing higher with each successive month since December. And it will continue to do so until the full moon nearest the June solstice. In 2026, that will be the June 29 full moon.

The May 2026 full moon occurs at 17:23 UTC on May 1 and will lie in the constellation Libra.

The May full moon is in both Virgo and Libra

As seen from the Americas, the almost full moon on the morning of May 1 is located in the direction of the constellation Virgo. When it rises about fourteen hours later in the evening of May 1, it has moved into the next zodiacal constellation eastward, Libra the Scales.

Bottom line: The May full moon occurs near the middle of the day on May 1. It appears full both as it sets in the morning of May 1, and as it rises in the evening of May 1.

The post May’s full moon is called the Flower Moon first appeared on EarthSky.

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Crater the Cup sits upon Hydra the Snake’s back

You can see the entire constellation of Hydra the Water Snake on evenings around the March equinox. Crater the Cup and Corvus the Crow are 2 constellations that sit upon the water snake. Also, the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden is nearby. Image via EarthSky.

Crater the Cup is one of two constellations riding on the back of Hydra the Water Snake. You can spot Crater, along with Corvus the Crow, on evenings around the March equinox toward the southwestern horizon. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, Hydra is slithering down toward the western horizon with Crater and Corvus clinging to the north side of the Water Snake.

Try Stellarium for a more precise star charts from your location.

Mythology of Crater the Cup

In mythology, Crater was the cup from which Apollo drank. Apollo was a well-known Greek god whose job was to carry the sun across the sky each day. As you can imagine, it was a hot and laborious task. So, Apollo asked his pet crow, Corvus, to fetch him some water to drink because he was tired and overheated. But Corvus was not a good pet and did not do as Apollo wished.

Corvus flew away on his mission, and while gone he saw a tree with berries. Then he spent a couple of days eating the berries before finally returning with the water. Also, he brought along a water snake, making up a story that the water snake attacked him and this was the reason for his delay. However, Apollo didn’t believe his lie and placed him in the sky by the cup. Now Corvus the Crow always has the cup in his sights but can never drink from it himself.

Locating Crater

If you draw a line between the bright stars Spica in Virgo and Regulus in Leo, Crater is about midway between them and to the south.

Of course, if you’re familiar with Hydra the Water Snake, you can find Crater toward the middle of the snake’s body, placed upon its back.

The stars of Crater

As a matter of fact, none of Crater’s stars are particularly bright. Crater the Cup’s brightest star is Delta Crateris at magnitude 3.56. Delta Crateris lies at a distance of 195 light-years. Gamma Crateris is a magnitude 4.05 star lying 89 light-years away. Slightly dimmer is Alkes, or Alpha Crateris, at magnitude 4.08. It lies 174 light-years away. The Beta star is a dim 4.46 magnitude at a distance of 266 light-years.

So all of these stars are hard to see in urban and other light-polluted locations. Thus, you’ll want to find a dark-sky location near you to hunt down the Cup.

The stars of Crater the Cup. Image via IAU.

Bottom line: Crater the Cup is a dim constellation that sits upon the back of Hydra the Water Snake. You can see Crater best on March, April and May evenings from a dark-sky site.

The post Crater the Cup sits upon Hydra the Snake’s back first appeared on EarthSky.

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You can see the entire constellation of Hydra the Water Snake on evenings around the March equinox. Crater the Cup and Corvus the Crow are 2 constellations that sit upon the water snake. Also, the bright star Spica in Virgo the Maiden is nearby. Image via EarthSky.

Crater the Cup is one of two constellations riding on the back of Hydra the Water Snake. You can spot Crater, along with Corvus the Crow, on evenings around the March equinox toward the southwestern horizon. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, Hydra is slithering down toward the western horizon with Crater and Corvus clinging to the north side of the Water Snake.

Try Stellarium for a more precise star charts from your location.

Mythology of Crater the Cup

In mythology, Crater was the cup from which Apollo drank. Apollo was a well-known Greek god whose job was to carry the sun across the sky each day. As you can imagine, it was a hot and laborious task. So, Apollo asked his pet crow, Corvus, to fetch him some water to drink because he was tired and overheated. But Corvus was not a good pet and did not do as Apollo wished.

Corvus flew away on his mission, and while gone he saw a tree with berries. Then he spent a couple of days eating the berries before finally returning with the water. Also, he brought along a water snake, making up a story that the water snake attacked him and this was the reason for his delay. However, Apollo didn’t believe his lie and placed him in the sky by the cup. Now Corvus the Crow always has the cup in his sights but can never drink from it himself.

Locating Crater

If you draw a line between the bright stars Spica in Virgo and Regulus in Leo, Crater is about midway between them and to the south.

Of course, if you’re familiar with Hydra the Water Snake, you can find Crater toward the middle of the snake’s body, placed upon its back.

The stars of Crater

As a matter of fact, none of Crater’s stars are particularly bright. Crater the Cup’s brightest star is Delta Crateris at magnitude 3.56. Delta Crateris lies at a distance of 195 light-years. Gamma Crateris is a magnitude 4.05 star lying 89 light-years away. Slightly dimmer is Alkes, or Alpha Crateris, at magnitude 4.08. It lies 174 light-years away. The Beta star is a dim 4.46 magnitude at a distance of 266 light-years.

So all of these stars are hard to see in urban and other light-polluted locations. Thus, you’ll want to find a dark-sky location near you to hunt down the Cup.

The stars of Crater the Cup. Image via IAU.

Bottom line: Crater the Cup is a dim constellation that sits upon the back of Hydra the Water Snake. You can see Crater best on March, April and May evenings from a dark-sky site.

The post Crater the Cup sits upon Hydra the Snake’s back first appeared on EarthSky.

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Milky Way season is back! See gorgeous pics here

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness in Prineville, Oregon, captured the Milky Way on April 18, 2026. Jeremy wrote: “It dropped into the 30s the night I photographed this. I had a sleeping bag and a small 1-person tent to sleep in. I enjoyed the experience, but it’s scenes like these that make it all worth it. This may be my new favorite Milky Way.” Thank you, Jeremy! See more pics from the start of Milky Way season below.

Milky Way season is back!

The Milky Way is a cloudy stretch of stars and dust that make up our home galaxy. In Northern Hemisphere spring, the starry stretch of our galaxy begins to rise above the horizon in the early morning hours. So, if you’re up before the sun at this time of year, you may see the Milky Way returning to dark skies.

Many of our global members of the EarthSky community have been up early to capture the Milky Way. Enjoy their wonderful photos here. Do you have one of your own to share? Submit it to us!

Want to learn more? Read about our Milky Way galaxy and then learn about galaxies in general.

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.

More great Milky Way shots

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Melissa Neadle at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland caught the Milky Way on April 18, 2026. Melissa wrote: “This panorama of the Milky Way taken on one of the marsh trails shows the wide range of sky darkness levels in a single location. On the right side you’re facing the beautiful dark skies over the Atlantic Ocean. You can see the details of the core and some lovely green and magenta sky glow. But on the left you are looking toward Ocean City, Maryland. The resulting light pollution washes out the sky completely at the horizon.” Thank you, Melissa!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Randy Strauss in southeastern Nebraska captured the Milky Way galaxy on April 14, 2026. Randy wrote: “My first view of the Milky Way in 2026. This time of year it rises in the east around 2 a.m. and remains relatively low to the horizon until sunrise.” Thank you, Randy!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abhishek Konale in Jaisalmer, India, captured the Milky Way on March 21, 2026. Abhishek wrote: “The Milky Way core rising with the mystical hues of the Rho Ophiuchi complex, quietly revealing itself between passing clouds. The clouds ended up adding a special touch, acting like a natural star glow filter. And I was honestly really impressed with how the final image turned out. This 2-day desert camping journey into Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, wasn’t just about the stars. It was about the ride across endless dunes on camelback, unexpected desert rains, meals cooked over a wooden fire and long conversations under uncertain skies.” Thank you, Abhishek!

More images of our home galaxy

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jelieta Walinski at Montezuma Pass, Coronado National Memorial, Arizona, captured this shot on March 19, 2026. Jelieta wrote: “The Milky Way is a barred spiral system containing over 100 billion stars, its glowing core rich with interstellar dust, hydrogen clouds and stellar nurseries. That soft, radiant arc is not merely light, it is structure: the dense galactic plane seen edge-on from our position within it.” Thank you, Jelieta!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Meiying Lee in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand, captured the Milky Way on March 19, 2026. Meiying wrote: “The southern Milky Way rises directly from the horizon, shining with remarkable clarity. On the right side of the sky, 2 faint, cloud-like patches stand out. These are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, iconic features of the Southern Hemisphere. Near the horizon, subtle hues of green and red glow softly. This is airglow, quietly revealing just how pure and transparent the sky is here.” Thank you, Meiying!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Aayan Shaikh in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India, captured the Milky Way on March 13, 2026. Aayan wrote: “Got a truly clear night sky and shot this wonderful creation of our universe.” Thank you, Aayan!

Milky Way season at Joshua Tree

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Enji Chung captured this Milky Way image on April 18, 2026. Enji wrote: “I finally got a chance to get outside and shoot the Milky Way during International Dark Sky Week. I took this image in Joshua Tree National Park. The green-yellow glow is from Palm Springs.” Thank you, Enji!

Bottom line: Enjoy the beauty of our home galaxy in these images from the start of the Milky Way season. Thanks to our talented astrophotographers in the EarthSky community!

The post Milky Way season is back! See gorgeous pics here first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/rm02Isd

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness in Prineville, Oregon, captured the Milky Way on April 18, 2026. Jeremy wrote: “It dropped into the 30s the night I photographed this. I had a sleeping bag and a small 1-person tent to sleep in. I enjoyed the experience, but it’s scenes like these that make it all worth it. This may be my new favorite Milky Way.” Thank you, Jeremy! See more pics from the start of Milky Way season below.

Milky Way season is back!

The Milky Way is a cloudy stretch of stars and dust that make up our home galaxy. In Northern Hemisphere spring, the starry stretch of our galaxy begins to rise above the horizon in the early morning hours. So, if you’re up before the sun at this time of year, you may see the Milky Way returning to dark skies.

Many of our global members of the EarthSky community have been up early to capture the Milky Way. Enjoy their wonderful photos here. Do you have one of your own to share? Submit it to us!

Want to learn more? Read about our Milky Way galaxy and then learn about galaxies in general.

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.

More great Milky Way shots

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Melissa Neadle at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland caught the Milky Way on April 18, 2026. Melissa wrote: “This panorama of the Milky Way taken on one of the marsh trails shows the wide range of sky darkness levels in a single location. On the right side you’re facing the beautiful dark skies over the Atlantic Ocean. You can see the details of the core and some lovely green and magenta sky glow. But on the left you are looking toward Ocean City, Maryland. The resulting light pollution washes out the sky completely at the horizon.” Thank you, Melissa!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Randy Strauss in southeastern Nebraska captured the Milky Way galaxy on April 14, 2026. Randy wrote: “My first view of the Milky Way in 2026. This time of year it rises in the east around 2 a.m. and remains relatively low to the horizon until sunrise.” Thank you, Randy!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Abhishek Konale in Jaisalmer, India, captured the Milky Way on March 21, 2026. Abhishek wrote: “The Milky Way core rising with the mystical hues of the Rho Ophiuchi complex, quietly revealing itself between passing clouds. The clouds ended up adding a special touch, acting like a natural star glow filter. And I was honestly really impressed with how the final image turned out. This 2-day desert camping journey into Desert National Park, Jaisalmer, wasn’t just about the stars. It was about the ride across endless dunes on camelback, unexpected desert rains, meals cooked over a wooden fire and long conversations under uncertain skies.” Thank you, Abhishek!

More images of our home galaxy

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jelieta Walinski at Montezuma Pass, Coronado National Memorial, Arizona, captured this shot on March 19, 2026. Jelieta wrote: “The Milky Way is a barred spiral system containing over 100 billion stars, its glowing core rich with interstellar dust, hydrogen clouds and stellar nurseries. That soft, radiant arc is not merely light, it is structure: the dense galactic plane seen edge-on from our position within it.” Thank you, Jelieta!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Meiying Lee in Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand, captured the Milky Way on March 19, 2026. Meiying wrote: “The southern Milky Way rises directly from the horizon, shining with remarkable clarity. On the right side of the sky, 2 faint, cloud-like patches stand out. These are the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, iconic features of the Southern Hemisphere. Near the horizon, subtle hues of green and red glow softly. This is airglow, quietly revealing just how pure and transparent the sky is here.” Thank you, Meiying!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Aayan Shaikh in Sindhudurg, Maharashtra, India, captured the Milky Way on March 13, 2026. Aayan wrote: “Got a truly clear night sky and shot this wonderful creation of our universe.” Thank you, Aayan!

Milky Way season at Joshua Tree

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Enji Chung captured this Milky Way image on April 18, 2026. Enji wrote: “I finally got a chance to get outside and shoot the Milky Way during International Dark Sky Week. I took this image in Joshua Tree National Park. The green-yellow glow is from Palm Springs.” Thank you, Enji!

Bottom line: Enjoy the beauty of our home galaxy in these images from the start of the Milky Way season. Thanks to our talented astrophotographers in the EarthSky community!

The post Milky Way season is back! See gorgeous pics here first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/rm02Isd

Leo the Lion and its easy to see backward question mark

You’ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts. First, the stars making up a backward question mark represent Leo’s head. That part is known as the Sickle. Second, the triangle at the back represents the Lion’s hindquarters. Also, the bright star Regulus is the bright dot at the bottom of the backward question mark. Chart via EarthSky.

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.

Leo the Lion is one of the easiest of the 13 constellations of the zodiac to see. First, you can start by finding the bright star Regulus. And then trace out a distinctive pattern of stars shaped like a backward question mark, known as the Sickle.

From a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the Lion is a fair-weather friend, springing into the early evening sky around the March equinox. While, from the Southern Hemisphere, it’s a familiar constellation in the fall.

In fact, April and May are superb months for identifying Leo the Lion. That’s because this constellation becomes visible as soon as darkness falls and stays out until the wee hours of the morning. Remember, you are looking for a backward question mark pattern. Note that Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, is a sparkling blue-white beauty of a star, located at the bottom of the backward question mark. So, Regulus depicts the Lion’s Heart.

The constellation Leo the Lion

Even though the Sickle is the most obvious pattern in Leo, there’s another distinctive shape in Leo. That’s the triangle of stars in eastern Leo representing the Lion’s hindquarters and tail. The name of the brightest star of that triangle is Denebola, which stems from an Arabic term meaning the Lion’s Tail.

Like all stars, Leo’s stars return to the same place in the sky some four minutes earlier daily or two hours earlier monthly. In early April, the constellation Leo reaches its high point for the night around 10 p.m. your local time (11 p.m. local daylight saving time), and starts to sink below the western horizon around 4 a.m. local time (5 a.m. local daylight saving time).

By around May 1, Leo reaches its high point for the night around 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. local daylight saving time). Also, in early May, the mighty Lion begins to set in the west around 2 a.m. local time (3 a.m. daylight saving time). By June, you’ll find Leo descending in the west in the evening.

Though Leo drifts progressively westward in the early evening sky as the months go by, you can see the Lion in the evening till July. But by late July or early August, the Lion begins to fade into the sunset. And then, from about August 10 to September 16, the sun passes in front of Leo. The constellation returns to the eastern predawn sky in late September or October.

Find Leo by star-hopping from the Big Dipper

If you’re familiar with the Big Dipper star pattern – or asterism – you can star-hop to Leo the Lion every time. After the March equinox, the Big Dipper stands pretty much on its handle in the northeastern sky at nightfall. So at nightfall in April, look for the Big Dipper high in the northeast sky.

And at nightfall in May, look for the almost upside-down Big Dipper high in the north, above Polaris, the North Star. Then, identify the two pointer stars of the Big Dipper. Those are the two outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl. Now, draw an imaginary line southward toward the stars in Leo.

An imaginary line drawn southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper – the two outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl – points toward Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.

What can you see with a telescope in the Lion?

Check out the chart below to get a sense of the telescopic riches that lie within the boundaries of this constellation.

The star Algieba or γ Leonis is a double star, visible in a small telescope when the atmosphere is steady. If the stars are twinkling wildly, that indicates a turbulent – not steady – atmosphere. On the other hand, if the stars are twinkling very little or not at all, try your luck at splitting Algieba – which looks like a single star to the eye – into its two colorful component stars with the telescope. By the way, you may notice one star appears orangish and the other one appears greenish-yellow.

Also, a pair of galaxies in Leo provides an inviting target for most telescopes. They are M95 and M96. What’s more, with a low-powered telescope, you might be able to fit both M95 and M96, along with M105, into a single field of view.

Next, try your luck with another galaxy trio. First, look for M65 and M66. Finally, look for NGC 3628. These three galaxies are known as the Leo Triplet galaxy group.

A map of the constellation Leo the lion. Image via IAU/ Sky & Telescope/ Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).

The constellation in history and myth

Notably, Leo the Lion is associated with the sun and has been for epochs. The ancient Egyptians held Leo in the highest esteem. That’s because the sun shone in front of Leo at the time of the annual flooding of the Nile River, the lifeblood of this agricultural nation.

So maybe the various lion-headed fountains designed by Greek and Roman architects symbolize the life-giving waters being released by the sun’s presence in Leo.

Also, in astrology, the sun rules Leo, one of the three fire signs of the zodiac.

In fact, many stories feature Leo the Lion. Perhaps the two better-known tales feature Heracles’ (also known as Hercules) first labor with the notorious Nemean Lion, and the Roman author Ovid’s rendering of the tragic love affair of Pyramus and Thisbe.

Leo the Lion, with the constellation Leo Minor, as it appears in Urania’s Mirror, a set of cards by Sidney Hall depicting the constellations that was published in 1825. Image via U.S. Library of Congress/ Wikimedia Commons.

Leo the Lion, from an ancient manuscript dating sometime between 1001 and 1100 CE. Image via National Library of Wales/ Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).

Galaxies in Leo from Earthsky Community Photos

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Scottsburg, Virginia, captured these exposures of the Leo Triplet of galaxies on March 19, 2026. Steven wrote: “I have always enjoyed images of the Leo Triplet of galaxies. But I have also always wanted to capture them close up, one at a time, as each one is beautiful and full of intricate colors and details, often missed in the wide-field images. So on my recent astro-camping trip to the Staunton River Star Party, I captured 2 of the 3, close up, with the 3rd from a year ago, also from the same star party.” Thank you, Steven!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Dungan near Cotopaxi, Colorado, captured a bunch of galaxies in the constellation Leo, including Messier 95, Messier 96 and Messier 105, on February 4, 2025. Andy wrote: “These 3 Messier objects are located right under Leo’s tummy. If all goes well in a day or two I will also post a pic of Leo’s Triplet [see above]. Leo seems to be the beginning of the constellation season. So here we go.” Thank you, Andy!

Bottom line: Leo the Lion – one of the zodiacal constellations – is a prominent fixture in the evening sky from April through June. What’s more, it’s quite easy to spot.

The constellations of the zodiac

Meet Taurus the Bull in the evening sky
Meet Gemini the Twins, home to 2 bright stars
Cancer the Crab and its Beehive Cluster
Leo the Lion and its backward question mark
Virgo the Maiden in northern spring skies
Meet Libra the Scales, a zodiacal constellation
Scorpius the Scorpion is a summertime delight
Sagittarius the Archer and its famous Teapot
Capricornus the Sea-goat has an arrowhead shape
Meet Aquarius the Water Bearer and its stars
Meet Pisces the Fish, 1st constellation of the zodiac
Say hello to Aries the Ram
Born under the sign of Ophiuchus?

The post Leo the Lion and its easy to see backward question mark first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/b9Yn2Di

You’ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts. First, the stars making up a backward question mark represent Leo’s head. That part is known as the Sickle. Second, the triangle at the back represents the Lion’s hindquarters. Also, the bright star Regulus is the bright dot at the bottom of the backward question mark. Chart via EarthSky.

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.

Leo the Lion is one of the easiest of the 13 constellations of the zodiac to see. First, you can start by finding the bright star Regulus. And then trace out a distinctive pattern of stars shaped like a backward question mark, known as the Sickle.

From a Northern Hemisphere perspective, the Lion is a fair-weather friend, springing into the early evening sky around the March equinox. While, from the Southern Hemisphere, it’s a familiar constellation in the fall.

In fact, April and May are superb months for identifying Leo the Lion. That’s because this constellation becomes visible as soon as darkness falls and stays out until the wee hours of the morning. Remember, you are looking for a backward question mark pattern. Note that Leo’s brightest star, Regulus, is a sparkling blue-white beauty of a star, located at the bottom of the backward question mark. So, Regulus depicts the Lion’s Heart.

The constellation Leo the Lion

Even though the Sickle is the most obvious pattern in Leo, there’s another distinctive shape in Leo. That’s the triangle of stars in eastern Leo representing the Lion’s hindquarters and tail. The name of the brightest star of that triangle is Denebola, which stems from an Arabic term meaning the Lion’s Tail.

Like all stars, Leo’s stars return to the same place in the sky some four minutes earlier daily or two hours earlier monthly. In early April, the constellation Leo reaches its high point for the night around 10 p.m. your local time (11 p.m. local daylight saving time), and starts to sink below the western horizon around 4 a.m. local time (5 a.m. local daylight saving time).

By around May 1, Leo reaches its high point for the night around 8 p.m. local time (9 p.m. local daylight saving time). Also, in early May, the mighty Lion begins to set in the west around 2 a.m. local time (3 a.m. daylight saving time). By June, you’ll find Leo descending in the west in the evening.

Though Leo drifts progressively westward in the early evening sky as the months go by, you can see the Lion in the evening till July. But by late July or early August, the Lion begins to fade into the sunset. And then, from about August 10 to September 16, the sun passes in front of Leo. The constellation returns to the eastern predawn sky in late September or October.

Find Leo by star-hopping from the Big Dipper

If you’re familiar with the Big Dipper star pattern – or asterism – you can star-hop to Leo the Lion every time. After the March equinox, the Big Dipper stands pretty much on its handle in the northeastern sky at nightfall. So at nightfall in April, look for the Big Dipper high in the northeast sky.

And at nightfall in May, look for the almost upside-down Big Dipper high in the north, above Polaris, the North Star. Then, identify the two pointer stars of the Big Dipper. Those are the two outer stars in the Big Dipper’s bowl. Now, draw an imaginary line southward toward the stars in Leo.

An imaginary line drawn southward from the pointer stars in the Big Dipper – the two outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl – points toward Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.

What can you see with a telescope in the Lion?

Check out the chart below to get a sense of the telescopic riches that lie within the boundaries of this constellation.

The star Algieba or γ Leonis is a double star, visible in a small telescope when the atmosphere is steady. If the stars are twinkling wildly, that indicates a turbulent – not steady – atmosphere. On the other hand, if the stars are twinkling very little or not at all, try your luck at splitting Algieba – which looks like a single star to the eye – into its two colorful component stars with the telescope. By the way, you may notice one star appears orangish and the other one appears greenish-yellow.

Also, a pair of galaxies in Leo provides an inviting target for most telescopes. They are M95 and M96. What’s more, with a low-powered telescope, you might be able to fit both M95 and M96, along with M105, into a single field of view.

Next, try your luck with another galaxy trio. First, look for M65 and M66. Finally, look for NGC 3628. These three galaxies are known as the Leo Triplet galaxy group.

A map of the constellation Leo the lion. Image via IAU/ Sky & Telescope/ Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).

The constellation in history and myth

Notably, Leo the Lion is associated with the sun and has been for epochs. The ancient Egyptians held Leo in the highest esteem. That’s because the sun shone in front of Leo at the time of the annual flooding of the Nile River, the lifeblood of this agricultural nation.

So maybe the various lion-headed fountains designed by Greek and Roman architects symbolize the life-giving waters being released by the sun’s presence in Leo.

Also, in astrology, the sun rules Leo, one of the three fire signs of the zodiac.

In fact, many stories feature Leo the Lion. Perhaps the two better-known tales feature Heracles’ (also known as Hercules) first labor with the notorious Nemean Lion, and the Roman author Ovid’s rendering of the tragic love affair of Pyramus and Thisbe.

Leo the Lion, with the constellation Leo Minor, as it appears in Urania’s Mirror, a set of cards by Sidney Hall depicting the constellations that was published in 1825. Image via U.S. Library of Congress/ Wikimedia Commons.

Leo the Lion, from an ancient manuscript dating sometime between 1001 and 1100 CE. Image via National Library of Wales/ Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0).

Galaxies in Leo from Earthsky Community Photos

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Scottsburg, Virginia, captured these exposures of the Leo Triplet of galaxies on March 19, 2026. Steven wrote: “I have always enjoyed images of the Leo Triplet of galaxies. But I have also always wanted to capture them close up, one at a time, as each one is beautiful and full of intricate colors and details, often missed in the wide-field images. So on my recent astro-camping trip to the Staunton River Star Party, I captured 2 of the 3, close up, with the 3rd from a year ago, also from the same star party.” Thank you, Steven!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Dungan near Cotopaxi, Colorado, captured a bunch of galaxies in the constellation Leo, including Messier 95, Messier 96 and Messier 105, on February 4, 2025. Andy wrote: “These 3 Messier objects are located right under Leo’s tummy. If all goes well in a day or two I will also post a pic of Leo’s Triplet [see above]. Leo seems to be the beginning of the constellation season. So here we go.” Thank you, Andy!

Bottom line: Leo the Lion – one of the zodiacal constellations – is a prominent fixture in the evening sky from April through June. What’s more, it’s quite easy to spot.

The constellations of the zodiac

Meet Taurus the Bull in the evening sky
Meet Gemini the Twins, home to 2 bright stars
Cancer the Crab and its Beehive Cluster
Leo the Lion and its backward question mark
Virgo the Maiden in northern spring skies
Meet Libra the Scales, a zodiacal constellation
Scorpius the Scorpion is a summertime delight
Sagittarius the Archer and its famous Teapot
Capricornus the Sea-goat has an arrowhead shape
Meet Aquarius the Water Bearer and its stars
Meet Pisces the Fish, 1st constellation of the zodiac
Say hello to Aries the Ram
Born under the sign of Ophiuchus?

The post Leo the Lion and its easy to see backward question mark first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/b9Yn2Di

The Trifid Nebula highlights Hubble’s 36 anniversary

NASA celebrates Hubble’s 36th anniversary with a new image of the Trifid Nebula, a star-forming region it first captured in 1997. Watch a video below to see how the nebula has changed over in time. Image via NASA/ ESA/ STScI. Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

• The Hubble Space Telescope is celebrating its 36th anniversary. The telescope launched to space on April 24, 1990.
• To celebrate, NASA released a new image of the Trifid Nebula. The Trifid Nebula is a star-forming region in the Milky Way in the direction of Sagittarius.
• The Trifid Nebula has changed since Hubble first imaged it. See the changes to the nebula in a video here.

NASA published this original story on April 20, 2026. Edits by EarthSky.

The Trifid Nebula highlights Hubble’s 36 anniversary

Today, April 24, marks the 36th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope‘s launch! For the anniversary, Hubble captured this shimmering region of star-formation – a close-up of the Trifid Nebula about 5,000 light-years from Earth – in intricate detail. The colors in this visible light image are reminiscent of an underwater scene filled with fine-grained sediments fluttering through the ocean’s depths.

Several massive stars, which are outside this field of view, have shaped this region for at least 300,000 years. Their powerful winds continue to blow an enormous bubble. And a small portion of that bubble is showcased in the image here. The winds push and compress the cloud’s gas and dust, triggering new waves of star formation.

This isn’t the first time Hubble has gazed at this scene. The telescope observed the Trifid in 1997. And now, 29 years later, it has leveraged almost its full operational lifetime to show us changes in the nebula on human time scales. Why look at the same location again? In addition to seeing changes over time, Hubble is also equipped with an improved camera with a wider field of view and greater sensitivity that was installed during Servicing Mission 4 in 2009.

See the nebula change over time

Watch this video to see the Trifid Nebula change over time.

Bottom line: It’s the Hubble Space Telescope’s 36th anniversary! To celebrate, NASA has released an image of the iconic Trifid Nebula.

Via NASA

The post The Trifid Nebula highlights Hubble’s 36 anniversary first appeared on EarthSky.

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

NASA celebrates Hubble’s 36th anniversary with a new image of the Trifid Nebula, a star-forming region it first captured in 1997. Watch a video below to see how the nebula has changed over in time. Image via NASA/ ESA/ STScI. Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

• The Hubble Space Telescope is celebrating its 36th anniversary. The telescope launched to space on April 24, 1990.
• To celebrate, NASA released a new image of the Trifid Nebula. The Trifid Nebula is a star-forming region in the Milky Way in the direction of Sagittarius.
• The Trifid Nebula has changed since Hubble first imaged it. See the changes to the nebula in a video here.

NASA published this original story on April 20, 2026. Edits by EarthSky.

The Trifid Nebula highlights Hubble’s 36 anniversary

Today, April 24, marks the 36th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope‘s launch! For the anniversary, Hubble captured this shimmering region of star-formation – a close-up of the Trifid Nebula about 5,000 light-years from Earth – in intricate detail. The colors in this visible light image are reminiscent of an underwater scene filled with fine-grained sediments fluttering through the ocean’s depths.

Several massive stars, which are outside this field of view, have shaped this region for at least 300,000 years. Their powerful winds continue to blow an enormous bubble. And a small portion of that bubble is showcased in the image here. The winds push and compress the cloud’s gas and dust, triggering new waves of star formation.

This isn’t the first time Hubble has gazed at this scene. The telescope observed the Trifid in 1997. And now, 29 years later, it has leveraged almost its full operational lifetime to show us changes in the nebula on human time scales. Why look at the same location again? In addition to seeing changes over time, Hubble is also equipped with an improved camera with a wider field of view and greater sensitivity that was installed during Servicing Mission 4 in 2009.

See the nebula change over time

Watch this video to see the Trifid Nebula change over time.

Bottom line: It’s the Hubble Space Telescope’s 36th anniversary! To celebrate, NASA has released an image of the iconic Trifid Nebula.

Via NASA

The post The Trifid Nebula highlights Hubble’s 36 anniversary first appeared on EarthSky.

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

Join the worldwide 2026 City Nature Challenge this weekend!

The LA County Natural History Museum’s 2026 City Nature Challenge runs now through Monday, April 27, 2026. The goal is to collect images of wildlife in local neighborhoods around the world. To join in, visit the 2026 City Nature Challenge page. Image via fauxels/ Pexels.

You deserve a daily dose of good news. For the latest in science and the night sky, subscribe to EarthSky’s free daily newsletter.

This is your global invitation to go exploring at home

The LA County Natural History Museum wants the entire world to go outside and have a good look around this weekend. They’d like us all to take a close gander at the biosphere in our neighborhoods. And they want us record what we find from now through Monday, April 27, 2026.

This annual event isn’t just a great opportunity to experience wildlife at home. Indeed, it’s also a chance to provide critical scientific data about our ever-changing biosphere. From the City Nature Challenge website:

The City Nature Challenge is an international effort to document nature in cities. The global event calls on current and aspiring community scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages and backgrounds to get outside and observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals, and fungi during the Challenge dates in order to help scientists track real-time changes in our planet’s biodiversity and better understand wildlife conservation.

Wildlife only, please!

We’re sure your lawn and landscaping are no doubt lovely. But this event is about observing and recording the wild things that call the world immediately around you their home.

So here’s what the folks at the museum would like to know:

• What can you find in your house?
• What can you see through your windows?
• And what are the wild plants growing in your backyard? (Weeds count!)
• What insects or other creatures are using the cultivated plants in your backyard as a habitat or a food source?
• What observations can you make along the sidewalk in front of your house or apartment complex? (Always be mindful of traffic and safety.)

Even though you don’t even have to go outside to participate, the museum suggests going for a walk. Or venture into the weeds and visit your local park. And remember to look up in the trees, underneath everything. That means getting low to see what’s creeping and crawling down there.

Pics or it didn’t happen!

Of course, recording your adventures in pictures and sharing them is the most important part of the challenge. Thankfully, iNaturalist.org makes that really simple.

Here’s how to join in from the challenge website:

Step 1: Find wildlife anywhere in LA County. (Or your local area).

Step 2: Take photos of WILD** plants and animals.

Step 3: Share your observations in the iNaturalist app. If it’s planted or taken care of by people it is not WILD. Mark it captive/cultivated!

Step 4: Learn more as your finds get identified.

**Wild means not captive or cultivated. Try not to take pictures of captive animals in zoos or aquaria and cultivated plants in your garden or at a nursery.

Download the iNaturalist app from the Apple Store or Google Play. And, if you’d like more hints on how to find wildlife and some detailed instructions on using the iNat app, check out this advice from the California Academy of Sciences.

By the way, we’d love to see and share your images of nature too. Check out EarthSky Community Photos to find out more.

Bottom line: This weekend, April 24-27, 2026, join the global City Nature Challenge and record the biosphere in your neighborhood to help track real-time change.

Via Los Angeles County Natural History Museum City Nature Challenge

The post Join the worldwide 2026 City Nature Challenge this weekend! first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/vqb0hJy

The LA County Natural History Museum’s 2026 City Nature Challenge runs now through Monday, April 27, 2026. The goal is to collect images of wildlife in local neighborhoods around the world. To join in, visit the 2026 City Nature Challenge page. Image via fauxels/ Pexels.

You deserve a daily dose of good news. For the latest in science and the night sky, subscribe to EarthSky’s free daily newsletter.

This is your global invitation to go exploring at home

The LA County Natural History Museum wants the entire world to go outside and have a good look around this weekend. They’d like us all to take a close gander at the biosphere in our neighborhoods. And they want us record what we find from now through Monday, April 27, 2026.

This annual event isn’t just a great opportunity to experience wildlife at home. Indeed, it’s also a chance to provide critical scientific data about our ever-changing biosphere. From the City Nature Challenge website:

The City Nature Challenge is an international effort to document nature in cities. The global event calls on current and aspiring community scientists, nature and science fans, and people of all ages and backgrounds to get outside and observe and submit pictures of wild plants, animals, and fungi during the Challenge dates in order to help scientists track real-time changes in our planet’s biodiversity and better understand wildlife conservation.

Wildlife only, please!

We’re sure your lawn and landscaping are no doubt lovely. But this event is about observing and recording the wild things that call the world immediately around you their home.

So here’s what the folks at the museum would like to know:

• What can you find in your house?
• What can you see through your windows?
• And what are the wild plants growing in your backyard? (Weeds count!)
• What insects or other creatures are using the cultivated plants in your backyard as a habitat or a food source?
• What observations can you make along the sidewalk in front of your house or apartment complex? (Always be mindful of traffic and safety.)

Even though you don’t even have to go outside to participate, the museum suggests going for a walk. Or venture into the weeds and visit your local park. And remember to look up in the trees, underneath everything. That means getting low to see what’s creeping and crawling down there.

Pics or it didn’t happen!

Of course, recording your adventures in pictures and sharing them is the most important part of the challenge. Thankfully, iNaturalist.org makes that really simple.

Here’s how to join in from the challenge website:

Step 1: Find wildlife anywhere in LA County. (Or your local area).

Step 2: Take photos of WILD** plants and animals.

Step 3: Share your observations in the iNaturalist app. If it’s planted or taken care of by people it is not WILD. Mark it captive/cultivated!

Step 4: Learn more as your finds get identified.

**Wild means not captive or cultivated. Try not to take pictures of captive animals in zoos or aquaria and cultivated plants in your garden or at a nursery.

Download the iNaturalist app from the Apple Store or Google Play. And, if you’d like more hints on how to find wildlife and some detailed instructions on using the iNat app, check out this advice from the California Academy of Sciences.

By the way, we’d love to see and share your images of nature too. Check out EarthSky Community Photos to find out more.

Bottom line: This weekend, April 24-27, 2026, join the global City Nature Challenge and record the biosphere in your neighborhood to help track real-time change.

Via Los Angeles County Natural History Museum City Nature Challenge

The post Join the worldwide 2026 City Nature Challenge this weekend! first appeared on EarthSky.

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