Giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs

Artist’s concept of HD 189733 b. A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs. Image via Roberto Molar Candanosa/ Johns Hopkins University.

• Gas giant exoplanet HD 189733 b smells like rotten eggs, astronomers say. The pungent odor is due to the gas hydrogen sulfide in this world’s atmosphere.
• The amount of hydrogen sulfide is similar to that in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
• The discovery provides clues as to how gas giant planets form and evolve.

When studying distant exoplanets – or worlds orbiting other stars – astronomers examine what they look like, how big and massive they are, what kind of atmosphere they have and more. But what about how they smell? We now know that at one exoplanet, at least, really stinks … at least according to our human sense of smell. On July 8, 2024, astronomers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said that the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733 b smells like rotten eggs, thanks to hydrogen sulfide in its atmosphere. They used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to make the observations.

The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in Nature on July 8, 2024.

Meet giant exoplanet HD 189733 b

Discovered in 2005, HD 189733 b is a gas giant exoplanet about the same size as Jupiter. Only 64 light-years from Earth, it is the closest known hot Jupiter-type exoplanet that transits in front of its star as seen from Earth. This makes it ideal for atmospheric study by astronomers. Hot Jupiters are gas giants that orbit very close to their stars, unlike Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system.

The planet orbits 13 times closer to its star than Mercury does to our own sun. It orbits its star in only two days.

The stinky exoplanet’s atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and water. Since it is so close to its star, it is scorching hot, with deadly weather. Temperatures reach 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (930 C) and winds howl at 5,000 mph (8,000 kph). On this world, it doesn’t rain water, it rains tiny particles of glass. The extreme winds blow the glass sideways as it falls.

But there’s something else on HD 189733 b, which in fact makes up most of its atmosphere: hydrogen sulfide. This is why the planet smells so bad.

Stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs

Hydrogen sulfide is known for being a smelly gas. On Earth, it is one of many gases released by volcanic eruptions. Scientists didn’t know that they would find it on HD 189733 b, even though they predicted it should be there. Guangwei Fu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins, was the lead author of the new study. He said:

Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn’t know was there. We predicted it would be, and we know it’s in Jupiter, but we hadn’t really detected it outside the solar system. We’re not looking for life on this planet because it’s way too hot, but finding hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone for finding this molecule on other planets and gaining more understanding of how different types of planets form.

Clues to planetary formation

Hydrogen sulfide is a central part of the sulfur cycle, the biogeochemical cycle of sulfur on Earth. The hydrogen sulfide discovery will help scientists learn more about how planets form. Sulfur is an essential part of that process, as Fu explained:

Sulfur is a vital element for building more complex molecules, and – like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate – scientists need to study it more to fully understand how planets are made and what they’re made of.

Webb will help scientists detect and study suffer and hydrogen sulfide in other gas giant exoplanets, too. Fu said:

Say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they’re all sulfur enhanced. What does that mean about how they were born and how they form differently compared to our own Jupiter?

View larger. | Eruption of the Augustine volcano in Alaska on January 12, 2006. On Earth, hydrogen sulfide is one of many gases released by volcanic eruptions. Image via Game McGimsey/ Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

No methane

While Webb confirmed hydrogen sulfide on HD 189733 b, it also established a lack of methane. Astronomers had suspected that the planet likely wouldn’t have much, if any, methane, due to its hot temperatures. Fu said:

We had been thinking this planet was too hot to have high concentrations of methane, and now we know that it doesn’t.

Heavy metals similar to Jupiter

Webb also found heavy metals in similar amounts to those on Jupiter. In general, heavy metals are generally defined as metallic elements with relatively high densities, atomic weights or atomic numbers. Fu said:

This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now we have this new measurement to show that indeed the metal concentrations it has provide a very important anchor point to this study of how a planet’s composition varies with its mass and radius.

The finding is interesting, since, in our solar system, the ice giants Uranus and Neptune contain more heavy metals than the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Scientists say this means that Uranus and Neptune accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements relative to gases like hydrogen and helium when they were first forming. Since the amount of heavy metals on HD 189733 b is similar to Jupiter, this is consistent with what we know so far about how planets form. Fu added:

The findings support our understanding of how planets form through creating more solid material after initial core formation and then are naturally enhanced with heavy metals.

The researchers now plan to study additional exoplanets and see how they compare to the stinky exoplanet HD 189773 b.

Bottom line: Astronomers say that the giant stinky exoplanet HD 189733 b smells so bad – like rotten eggs – thanks to hydrogen sulfide in its atmosphere.

Source: Hydrogen sulfide and metal-enriched atmosphere for a Jupiter-mass exoplanet

Via Johns Hopkins University

Read more: Gas-giant exoplanets cling close to their parent stars

Read more: 1st direct image of 2 giant exoplanets orbiting a sunlike star

The post Giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs first appeared on EarthSky.

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Artist’s concept of HD 189733 b. A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that the giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs. Image via Roberto Molar Candanosa/ Johns Hopkins University.

• Gas giant exoplanet HD 189733 b smells like rotten eggs, astronomers say. The pungent odor is due to the gas hydrogen sulfide in this world’s atmosphere.
• The amount of hydrogen sulfide is similar to that in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
• The discovery provides clues as to how gas giant planets form and evolve.

When studying distant exoplanets – or worlds orbiting other stars – astronomers examine what they look like, how big and massive they are, what kind of atmosphere they have and more. But what about how they smell? We now know that at one exoplanet, at least, really stinks … at least according to our human sense of smell. On July 8, 2024, astronomers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, said that the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733 b smells like rotten eggs, thanks to hydrogen sulfide in its atmosphere. They used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to make the observations.

The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in Nature on July 8, 2024.

Meet giant exoplanet HD 189733 b

Discovered in 2005, HD 189733 b is a gas giant exoplanet about the same size as Jupiter. Only 64 light-years from Earth, it is the closest known hot Jupiter-type exoplanet that transits in front of its star as seen from Earth. This makes it ideal for atmospheric study by astronomers. Hot Jupiters are gas giants that orbit very close to their stars, unlike Jupiter and Saturn in our solar system.

The planet orbits 13 times closer to its star than Mercury does to our own sun. It orbits its star in only two days.

The stinky exoplanet’s atmosphere contains carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, oxygen and water. Since it is so close to its star, it is scorching hot, with deadly weather. Temperatures reach 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit (930 C) and winds howl at 5,000 mph (8,000 kph). On this world, it doesn’t rain water, it rains tiny particles of glass. The extreme winds blow the glass sideways as it falls.

But there’s something else on HD 189733 b, which in fact makes up most of its atmosphere: hydrogen sulfide. This is why the planet smells so bad.

Stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs

Hydrogen sulfide is known for being a smelly gas. On Earth, it is one of many gases released by volcanic eruptions. Scientists didn’t know that they would find it on HD 189733 b, even though they predicted it should be there. Guangwei Fu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins, was the lead author of the new study. He said:

Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn’t know was there. We predicted it would be, and we know it’s in Jupiter, but we hadn’t really detected it outside the solar system. We’re not looking for life on this planet because it’s way too hot, but finding hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone for finding this molecule on other planets and gaining more understanding of how different types of planets form.

Clues to planetary formation

Hydrogen sulfide is a central part of the sulfur cycle, the biogeochemical cycle of sulfur on Earth. The hydrogen sulfide discovery will help scientists learn more about how planets form. Sulfur is an essential part of that process, as Fu explained:

Sulfur is a vital element for building more complex molecules, and – like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate – scientists need to study it more to fully understand how planets are made and what they’re made of.

Webb will help scientists detect and study suffer and hydrogen sulfide in other gas giant exoplanets, too. Fu said:

Say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they’re all sulfur enhanced. What does that mean about how they were born and how they form differently compared to our own Jupiter?

View larger. | Eruption of the Augustine volcano in Alaska on January 12, 2006. On Earth, hydrogen sulfide is one of many gases released by volcanic eruptions. Image via Game McGimsey/ Wikimedia Commons (public domain).

No methane

While Webb confirmed hydrogen sulfide on HD 189733 b, it also established a lack of methane. Astronomers had suspected that the planet likely wouldn’t have much, if any, methane, due to its hot temperatures. Fu said:

We had been thinking this planet was too hot to have high concentrations of methane, and now we know that it doesn’t.

Heavy metals similar to Jupiter

Webb also found heavy metals in similar amounts to those on Jupiter. In general, heavy metals are generally defined as metallic elements with relatively high densities, atomic weights or atomic numbers. Fu said:

This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now we have this new measurement to show that indeed the metal concentrations it has provide a very important anchor point to this study of how a planet’s composition varies with its mass and radius.

The finding is interesting, since, in our solar system, the ice giants Uranus and Neptune contain more heavy metals than the gas giants Jupiter and Saturn. Scientists say this means that Uranus and Neptune accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements relative to gases like hydrogen and helium when they were first forming. Since the amount of heavy metals on HD 189733 b is similar to Jupiter, this is consistent with what we know so far about how planets form. Fu added:

The findings support our understanding of how planets form through creating more solid material after initial core formation and then are naturally enhanced with heavy metals.

The researchers now plan to study additional exoplanets and see how they compare to the stinky exoplanet HD 189773 b.

Bottom line: Astronomers say that the giant stinky exoplanet HD 189733 b smells so bad – like rotten eggs – thanks to hydrogen sulfide in its atmosphere.

Source: Hydrogen sulfide and metal-enriched atmosphere for a Jupiter-mass exoplanet

Via Johns Hopkins University

Read more: Gas-giant exoplanets cling close to their parent stars

Read more: 1st direct image of 2 giant exoplanets orbiting a sunlike star

The post Giant stinky exoplanet smells like rotten eggs first appeared on EarthSky.

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Coathanger cluster: This star pattern looks like its name

The Coathanger cluster looks like its namesake. Image via Wikimedia Commons/ (CC BY-SA 4.0).

On any evening from July until about November – if you have a dark sky – you can look within the famous Summer Triangle for a tiny but recognizable cluster of stars. Most people call it the Coathanger cluster. Two other names are Brocchi’s cluster and Collinder 399. The Coathanger is a tiny asterism, or pattern of stars (not a constellation).

It isn’t a true open star cluster, but only a chance alignment of physically unrelated stars.

It looks like its namesake, making it easy to spot with binoculars and a dark sky. But you have to know just where to look. It’s visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Coathanger cluster within the Summer Triangle

Do you already know the Summer Triangle stars? If not, click here. The Summer Triangle is easy to spot as a large triangle in the east on northern summer evenings. Three bright stars mark its corners: Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, Vega in Lyra the Harp, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle.

The Milky Way – the edgewise view into the flat disk of our galaxy – runs right through the Summer Triangle. So there are many beautiful little clusters here, plus, of course, the great and glorious Dark Rift of the Milky Way.

If you can find the Summer Triangle, you can find the Coathanger. Just be sure to look from a dark rural location, and have some binoculars handy. The cluster is located along a line between two Triangle stars, Vega and Altair. The image below illustrates the view.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski in Valencia, Philippines, captured the Summer Triangle on August 19, 2019, and wrote: “The line between Vega and Altair is broken so as not to obscure the Coathanger Cluster.”

Albireo can help you find the Coathanger

First – to find the Coathanger – you need to find a slightly fainter star, beloved Albireo. This star is located in the midst of the Summer Triangle. It’s also seen as the bottom of a second asterism within the Summer Triangle, called the Northern Cross.

Albireo is found at the base of the Northern Cross.

Albireo to Alpha Vulpeculae to the Coathanger

Got Albireo? Now for some specifics on finding the Coathanger. With binoculars, look for the brightest star in the vicinity of Albireo. That star is called Alpha Vulpeculae, which appears as a double star through binoculars (though the two stars are not gravitationally bound).

Draw an imaginary line from Albireo through Alpha Vulpeculae to locate the Coathanger. In most binoculars, Alpha Vulpeculae and the Coathanger fit within the same binocular field of view, though just barely.

Notice that six stars form the bar of the Coathanger, while four stars make up the hook. From mid-northern latitudes, the Coathanger often appears upside-down. That’s why some people call it the Ski Lift.

Star-hop from the star Albireo to Alpha Vulpeculae to the Coathanger cluster.

An imaginary line – drawn in purple on this chart – from the star Albireo and through the star Alpha Vulpeculae takes you to the Coathanger. Image via IAU. Used with permission.

When should you look?

Our sky chart above shows the stars as they appear from the Northern Hemisphere in middle July around midnight (1 a.m. daylight saving time).

Because the stars return to the same place in the sky some two hours earlier with each passing month, this sky chart also shows star positions for about 10 p.m. (11 p.m. daylight time) in mid-August, 8 p.m. (9 p.m. daylight time) in mid-September and 6 p.m (7 p.m daylight time) in mid-October.

Since these stars shine from south to overhead at these times (as seen from the Northern Hemisphere), you might want to sprawl out on a reclining lawn chair, with your feet pointing southward. A reclining position saves neck strain.

The Coathanger’s position is RA: 19h 26.47′; Dec: 20^o 11.93′

Bottom line: Star-hop to the Coathanger – a tiny asterism that really looks like its namesake – via the stars Albireo and Alpha Vulpeculae.

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The Coathanger cluster looks like its namesake. Image via Wikimedia Commons/ (CC BY-SA 4.0).

On any evening from July until about November – if you have a dark sky – you can look within the famous Summer Triangle for a tiny but recognizable cluster of stars. Most people call it the Coathanger cluster. Two other names are Brocchi’s cluster and Collinder 399. The Coathanger is a tiny asterism, or pattern of stars (not a constellation).

It isn’t a true open star cluster, but only a chance alignment of physically unrelated stars.

It looks like its namesake, making it easy to spot with binoculars and a dark sky. But you have to know just where to look. It’s visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.

Coathanger cluster within the Summer Triangle

Do you already know the Summer Triangle stars? If not, click here. The Summer Triangle is easy to spot as a large triangle in the east on northern summer evenings. Three bright stars mark its corners: Deneb in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, Vega in Lyra the Harp, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle.

The Milky Way – the edgewise view into the flat disk of our galaxy – runs right through the Summer Triangle. So there are many beautiful little clusters here, plus, of course, the great and glorious Dark Rift of the Milky Way.

If you can find the Summer Triangle, you can find the Coathanger. Just be sure to look from a dark rural location, and have some binoculars handy. The cluster is located along a line between two Triangle stars, Vega and Altair. The image below illustrates the view.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dr Ski in Valencia, Philippines, captured the Summer Triangle on August 19, 2019, and wrote: “The line between Vega and Altair is broken so as not to obscure the Coathanger Cluster.”

Albireo can help you find the Coathanger

First – to find the Coathanger – you need to find a slightly fainter star, beloved Albireo. This star is located in the midst of the Summer Triangle. It’s also seen as the bottom of a second asterism within the Summer Triangle, called the Northern Cross.

Albireo is found at the base of the Northern Cross.

Albireo to Alpha Vulpeculae to the Coathanger

Got Albireo? Now for some specifics on finding the Coathanger. With binoculars, look for the brightest star in the vicinity of Albireo. That star is called Alpha Vulpeculae, which appears as a double star through binoculars (though the two stars are not gravitationally bound).

Draw an imaginary line from Albireo through Alpha Vulpeculae to locate the Coathanger. In most binoculars, Alpha Vulpeculae and the Coathanger fit within the same binocular field of view, though just barely.

Notice that six stars form the bar of the Coathanger, while four stars make up the hook. From mid-northern latitudes, the Coathanger often appears upside-down. That’s why some people call it the Ski Lift.

Star-hop from the star Albireo to Alpha Vulpeculae to the Coathanger cluster.

An imaginary line – drawn in purple on this chart – from the star Albireo and through the star Alpha Vulpeculae takes you to the Coathanger. Image via IAU. Used with permission.

When should you look?

Our sky chart above shows the stars as they appear from the Northern Hemisphere in middle July around midnight (1 a.m. daylight saving time).

Because the stars return to the same place in the sky some two hours earlier with each passing month, this sky chart also shows star positions for about 10 p.m. (11 p.m. daylight time) in mid-August, 8 p.m. (9 p.m. daylight time) in mid-September and 6 p.m (7 p.m daylight time) in mid-October.

Since these stars shine from south to overhead at these times (as seen from the Northern Hemisphere), you might want to sprawl out on a reclining lawn chair, with your feet pointing southward. A reclining position saves neck strain.

The Coathanger’s position is RA: 19h 26.47′; Dec: 20^o 11.93′

Bottom line: Star-hop to the Coathanger – a tiny asterism that really looks like its namesake – via the stars Albireo and Alpha Vulpeculae.

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Dead man’s fingers are our creepy lifeform of the week

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hoskin from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, took this photo of dead man’s fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) on June 25, 2024. Thank you, David. Are the dead awakening?!

What is that? Don’t worry, the dead are not rising from their graves nor has the zombie apocalypse arrived. As far as we know …

You will not be the first nor the last person to see human fingers in these images. Despite its disturbing appearance, there is nothing to fear. I present to you a very curious fungus called Xylaria polymorpha.

This fungus has a humorous but accurate nickname of dead man’s fingers.

Has the zombie apocalypse arrived?

Imagine one day you’re walking through the peaceful countryside and you see this. You’re welcome, I saved you from having a heart attack. Now you know it’s not what it looks like.

The roots of this fungus emerge from the ground to obtain light. These beings are just trying to live.

Image via leeannbambalam/ iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Where to find these living fungi

You can find these fungi in wooded areas of all six inhabited continents. They’ll be on stumps and the dead wood of trees, especially beech trees. They grow inside rotten or cracked wood.

The fungus does not kill the tree. It only grows on already dead or dying wood and feeds on dead matter. This process is saprotrophy or saprotrophic nutrition.

Fungi already existed 400 million years ago. They are essential for breaking down dead plants and animals into nutrients that can be used by new plants growing in the soil.

Image vie Birchblanket/ iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Can you eat dead man’s fingers?

Surely, when you see this creepy plant, you’re probably not thinking, I’m going to prepare a delicious dish with these dead man’s fingers. Trust your guts. They look deadly, and indeed they are. These fungi are poisonous. All Xylaria contain amatoxin and phallotoxin, which are two compounds found in some of the world’s most poisonous mushrooms.

They become toxic when they enter your digestive system. And even if you see mushrooms that look colorful and beautiful, this might be a trick. Think of those frogs that look beautiful but are also poisonous.

On the other hand, humans try to find a use for everything. Scientists are investigating these fungi for medicinal and other pharmacological applications thanks to their antimicrobial, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Image via Aarongunnar/ iNaturalist (CC BY 4.0).

More on the dead man’s fingers

The word Xylaria comes from the Greek xýlon and means wood. The genus Xylaria includes about 100 species of fungi. Furthermore, the word Polymorpha means many forms.

Thus, these fungi can have domed or cylindrical shapes to more elongated or slender ones. Sometimes they can be somewhat deformed, with various protuberances. They have a smooth to rough external surface that only cracks over time.

The most developed specimens can measure up to 4 inches (10 cm) high. In terms of thickness, they reach 1.2 inches (3 cm) at their widest.

Image via Mamma Raz/ iNaturalist (CC-BY-NC-4.0).

In general, they’re dark colored, usually black or brown. Sometimes they have bluish or greenish tones. Unlike its exterior, the interior is white. If you cut them in half, you can see a spike-shaped interior.

This fungus tends to grow in groups. Rarely will you find a single dead man’s finger.

This is the interior of the fungus. Image via Siju/ iNaturalist (CC-BY-4.0).

Bottom line: Zombies are not awakening, as far as we know … If you see what looks like dead man’s fingers in the forest, you probably saw a creepy type of fungus.

Carnivorous plants are our lifeform of the week

Water lilies, beautiful and colorful: Lifeform of the week

The post Dead man’s fingers are our creepy lifeform of the week first appeared on EarthSky.

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View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hoskin from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, took this photo of dead man’s fingers (Xylaria polymorpha) on June 25, 2024. Thank you, David. Are the dead awakening?!

What is that? Don’t worry, the dead are not rising from their graves nor has the zombie apocalypse arrived. As far as we know …

You will not be the first nor the last person to see human fingers in these images. Despite its disturbing appearance, there is nothing to fear. I present to you a very curious fungus called Xylaria polymorpha.

This fungus has a humorous but accurate nickname of dead man’s fingers.

Has the zombie apocalypse arrived?

Imagine one day you’re walking through the peaceful countryside and you see this. You’re welcome, I saved you from having a heart attack. Now you know it’s not what it looks like.

The roots of this fungus emerge from the ground to obtain light. These beings are just trying to live.

Image via leeannbambalam/ iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Where to find these living fungi

You can find these fungi in wooded areas of all six inhabited continents. They’ll be on stumps and the dead wood of trees, especially beech trees. They grow inside rotten or cracked wood.

The fungus does not kill the tree. It only grows on already dead or dying wood and feeds on dead matter. This process is saprotrophy or saprotrophic nutrition.

Fungi already existed 400 million years ago. They are essential for breaking down dead plants and animals into nutrients that can be used by new plants growing in the soil.

Image vie Birchblanket/ iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Can you eat dead man’s fingers?

Surely, when you see this creepy plant, you’re probably not thinking, I’m going to prepare a delicious dish with these dead man’s fingers. Trust your guts. They look deadly, and indeed they are. These fungi are poisonous. All Xylaria contain amatoxin and phallotoxin, which are two compounds found in some of the world’s most poisonous mushrooms.

They become toxic when they enter your digestive system. And even if you see mushrooms that look colorful and beautiful, this might be a trick. Think of those frogs that look beautiful but are also poisonous.

On the other hand, humans try to find a use for everything. Scientists are investigating these fungi for medicinal and other pharmacological applications thanks to their antimicrobial, antibacterial and antioxidant properties.

Image via Aarongunnar/ iNaturalist (CC BY 4.0).

More on the dead man’s fingers

The word Xylaria comes from the Greek xýlon and means wood. The genus Xylaria includes about 100 species of fungi. Furthermore, the word Polymorpha means many forms.

Thus, these fungi can have domed or cylindrical shapes to more elongated or slender ones. Sometimes they can be somewhat deformed, with various protuberances. They have a smooth to rough external surface that only cracks over time.

The most developed specimens can measure up to 4 inches (10 cm) high. In terms of thickness, they reach 1.2 inches (3 cm) at their widest.

Image via Mamma Raz/ iNaturalist (CC-BY-NC-4.0).

In general, they’re dark colored, usually black or brown. Sometimes they have bluish or greenish tones. Unlike its exterior, the interior is white. If you cut them in half, you can see a spike-shaped interior.

This fungus tends to grow in groups. Rarely will you find a single dead man’s finger.

This is the interior of the fungus. Image via Siju/ iNaturalist (CC-BY-4.0).

Bottom line: Zombies are not awakening, as far as we know … If you see what looks like dead man’s fingers in the forest, you probably saw a creepy type of fungus.

Carnivorous plants are our lifeform of the week

Water lilies, beautiful and colorful: Lifeform of the week

The post Dead man’s fingers are our creepy lifeform of the week first appeared on EarthSky.

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LIVE on Monday: Should YOU be scared of SHARKS?

We are thrilled to bring you LIVE one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman of Arizona State University. Join David and EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC) on Monday, July 8, 2024, for our regular Monday livestream.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024.

Shark attacks over the July 4 weekend, 2024, from USA Today

Read more: Can sharks smile? Many animals show feelings: happiness, anger, fear. And dogs, monkeys and dolphins, for example, all show expressions akin to human smiles. But sharks? They sometimes look as if they’re smiling. Are they?

Bottom line: We are thrilled to bring you LIVE one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman, at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC) on Monday, July 8, 2024.

The post LIVE on Monday: Should YOU be scared of SHARKS? first appeared on EarthSky.

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We are thrilled to bring you LIVE one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman of Arizona State University. Join David and EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC) on Monday, July 8, 2024, for our regular Monday livestream.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024.

Shark attacks over the July 4 weekend, 2024, from USA Today

Read more: Can sharks smile? Many animals show feelings: happiness, anger, fear. And dogs, monkeys and dolphins, for example, all show expressions akin to human smiles. But sharks? They sometimes look as if they’re smiling. Are they?

Bottom line: We are thrilled to bring you LIVE one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman, at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC) on Monday, July 8, 2024.

The post LIVE on Monday: Should YOU be scared of SHARKS? first appeared on EarthSky.

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Can sharks smile? It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel

Call us crazy. But we love to celebrate Shark Week on the Discovery channel each year. On Monday, July 8, at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC), join EarthSky’s livestream with one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman of Arizona State University. And read more below to see if sharks smile.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024.

Can sharks smile?

Many animals show feelings. We’ve all seen examples of animals showing happiness, anger or fear. And dogs, monkeys and dolphins, for example, all show expressions akin to human smiles. But sharks? Sharks do sometimes look as if they’re smiling. They’re often portrayed in books and movies as smiling. But scientists say it’s not likely sharks can or do smile. Unlike dogs, monkeys and dolphins, sharks are fish. And, in sharks and other fish, the parts of the brain related to feelings aren’t developed enough to produce a smile, according to scientists.

JAW-SOME! Shark cracks a smile and looks hilariously like Bruce from Finding Nemo – https://t.co/MBBMCw4GVq pic.twitter.com/G5N2xHs21U

— Caters Media Group (@catersmediagrp) March 22, 2016

Yet sharks do communicate, by twisting their bodies into certain positions. And they act differently from day to day, depending on how much food they’ve eaten or how cold the water is. Scientists call those things behaviors, not emotions.

And even though a shark’s body is made of flexible cartilage, its jaws are rigid and calcified. A strong jaw lets a shark pulverize its food. But the same rigidity makes a true shark smile impossible.

Did you see the Disney film Finding Nemo? Then you know Bruce, who is almost always smiling and whose refrain is: “I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food.”

In Finding Nemo (2003) the Great White shark, Bruce, is a reference to the mechanical shark(s) used to make Jaws (1975) whom Spielberg called Bruce. The Jaws score is played during his scenes as well.#Movies #MovieDetails pic.twitter.com/G2JDp959We

— KSP Movies (@KSPMovies) February 15, 2022

Smiles are a form of communication

Smiling seems to be instinctual in people as a basic form of communication. When someone smiles, we usually read the smile as happiness. Likewise, in humans, a frown signals sadness.

And scientists can’t possibly know everything. Maybe we just don’t understand how to read the emotions of a fish. Marine biologist Steven Webster, now retired from Monterey Bay Aquarium and currently head of Sea Studios Foundation, once told EarthSky:

We don’t know if fish or turtles have emotions. And we’ll never know. It could be that sharks are out there chuckling and writing poetry every day, and they just don’t share it with us.

But for now, as far as scientists understand it, sharks and other fish aren’t capable of smiling. That’s despite the fact that some really look as if they’re smiling.

Of course, dolphins always look happy. Do dolphins smile? Do sharks smile? Image via Pexels/ Hamid Elbaz.

Photo by Brian Skerry

A great white shark seems to be smiling as he swims with a school of jacks in the waters of South Australia.#photography #underwater #whiteshark #australia pic.twitter.com/Ibvrolx8Ec

— Henry Söderlund (@henrysoderlund) July 3, 2023

What do scientists say?

So, according to scientists, it’s not likely that sharks can smile. And scientists warn against reading too much into animal faces and behaviors. That sort of anthropomorphizing – attributing human form or behavior to animals – can get in the way of scientific objectivity.

Still, future scientists are sure to discover more about sharks’ relationship with their world, giving us all a better glimpse into the lives of the creatures who co-inhabit planet Earth with us.

Of course many other animals – including our beloved pets – appear to smile.

Congratulations to the winners of our Best Smile Photo Contest – Thank you to all who participated! Wow – beautiful pets, beautiful smiles. Enjoy and share in the happiness of the smiling pets of Las Vegas. https://t.co/WIPW3yF6Fj pic.twitter.com/5WF5DID7Wn

— Las Vegas Pet Scene (@LVPetScene) July 12, 2023

Bottom line: Can sharks smile? Not likely. But dogs, monkeys and dolphins all show expressions akin to human smiles.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024. Click in for info

Read more: Sharkcano, an undersea volcano where sharks live

The post Can sharks smile? It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/C7SbZP1

Call us crazy. But we love to celebrate Shark Week on the Discovery channel each year. On Monday, July 8, at 12:15 p.m. CDT (17:15 UTC), join EarthSky’s livestream with one of the world’s foremost experts on sharks, marine conservation biologist David Shiffman of Arizona State University. And read more below to see if sharks smile.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024.

Can sharks smile?

Many animals show feelings. We’ve all seen examples of animals showing happiness, anger or fear. And dogs, monkeys and dolphins, for example, all show expressions akin to human smiles. But sharks? Sharks do sometimes look as if they’re smiling. They’re often portrayed in books and movies as smiling. But scientists say it’s not likely sharks can or do smile. Unlike dogs, monkeys and dolphins, sharks are fish. And, in sharks and other fish, the parts of the brain related to feelings aren’t developed enough to produce a smile, according to scientists.

JAW-SOME! Shark cracks a smile and looks hilariously like Bruce from Finding Nemo – https://t.co/MBBMCw4GVq pic.twitter.com/G5N2xHs21U

— Caters Media Group (@catersmediagrp) March 22, 2016

Yet sharks do communicate, by twisting their bodies into certain positions. And they act differently from day to day, depending on how much food they’ve eaten or how cold the water is. Scientists call those things behaviors, not emotions.

And even though a shark’s body is made of flexible cartilage, its jaws are rigid and calcified. A strong jaw lets a shark pulverize its food. But the same rigidity makes a true shark smile impossible.

Did you see the Disney film Finding Nemo? Then you know Bruce, who is almost always smiling and whose refrain is: “I am a nice shark, not a mindless eating machine. If I am to change this image, I must first change myself. Fish are friends, not food.”

In Finding Nemo (2003) the Great White shark, Bruce, is a reference to the mechanical shark(s) used to make Jaws (1975) whom Spielberg called Bruce. The Jaws score is played during his scenes as well.#Movies #MovieDetails pic.twitter.com/G2JDp959We

— KSP Movies (@KSPMovies) February 15, 2022

Smiles are a form of communication

Smiling seems to be instinctual in people as a basic form of communication. When someone smiles, we usually read the smile as happiness. Likewise, in humans, a frown signals sadness.

And scientists can’t possibly know everything. Maybe we just don’t understand how to read the emotions of a fish. Marine biologist Steven Webster, now retired from Monterey Bay Aquarium and currently head of Sea Studios Foundation, once told EarthSky:

We don’t know if fish or turtles have emotions. And we’ll never know. It could be that sharks are out there chuckling and writing poetry every day, and they just don’t share it with us.

But for now, as far as scientists understand it, sharks and other fish aren’t capable of smiling. That’s despite the fact that some really look as if they’re smiling.

Of course, dolphins always look happy. Do dolphins smile? Do sharks smile? Image via Pexels/ Hamid Elbaz.

Photo by Brian Skerry

A great white shark seems to be smiling as he swims with a school of jacks in the waters of South Australia.#photography #underwater #whiteshark #australia pic.twitter.com/Ibvrolx8Ec

— Henry Söderlund (@henrysoderlund) July 3, 2023

What do scientists say?

So, according to scientists, it’s not likely that sharks can smile. And scientists warn against reading too much into animal faces and behaviors. That sort of anthropomorphizing – attributing human form or behavior to animals – can get in the way of scientific objectivity.

Still, future scientists are sure to discover more about sharks’ relationship with their world, giving us all a better glimpse into the lives of the creatures who co-inhabit planet Earth with us.

Of course many other animals – including our beloved pets – appear to smile.

Congratulations to the winners of our Best Smile Photo Contest – Thank you to all who participated! Wow – beautiful pets, beautiful smiles. Enjoy and share in the happiness of the smiling pets of Las Vegas. https://t.co/WIPW3yF6Fj pic.twitter.com/5WF5DID7Wn

— Las Vegas Pet Scene (@LVPetScene) July 12, 2023

Bottom line: Can sharks smile? Not likely. But dogs, monkeys and dolphins all show expressions akin to human smiles.

Shark Week on the Discovery channel starts on July 7, 2024. Click in for info

Read more: Sharkcano, an undersea volcano where sharks live

The post Can sharks smile? It’s Shark Week on the Discovery Channel first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/C7SbZP1

Mercury is back in the evening sky July 2024

The thin waxing crescent moon will float low above the western horizon in the evening twilight on July 6, 2024. The bright planet Mercury will be nearby. On the following evening, July 7, the waxing crescent moon will lie close to the planet Mercury. Look about 40 minutes after sunset. Also, nearby is the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.

Mercury is our sun’s innermost planet. So it always lies near the sun in our sky. Mercury is now back in the west after sunset. It’ll climb higher in the western twilight each evening as it races toward greatest elongation, its greatest apparent distance from the sun in our sky, on July 22.

Mercury after sunset in July 2024

Where to look: Look west, in the sunset direction – shortly after sunset – for Mercury.
Greatest elongation: Mercury is farthest from the sun on our sky’s dome – at greatest elongation – at 7 UTC (2 a.m. CDT) on July 22, 2024. At that time, Mercury will be 27 degrees from the sun in our sky.
Brightness: Mercury was bright when it emerged in the evening sky during the last week of June. At that time, it was shining at -0.6 magnitude. At greatest elongation, Mercury shines more faintly at magnitude 0.3. But it’ll be barther from the sunset glare then and still brighter than most stars! In the evenings after greatest elongation, the innermost planet will rapidly fade as it sweeps up from behind Earth, in orbit around the sun, causing its illuminated side, or day side, to turn away from us. It’ll disappear in early August 2024 and will reach inferior conjunction – when it passes between Earth and the sun – on August 19.
Through a telescope: Mercury will appear about 43% illuminated at greatest elongation. It’ll measure 7.8 arcseconds across.
Constellation: Mercury will lie in front of the constellation Leo the Lion at this elongation. Doubtless, most of the stars in this constellation will be lost in the twilight.
Note: As the innermost planet, Mercury is tied to the sun in our sky. As a result, it never ventures very far above the horizon after sunset. So as soon as the sun disappears below your horizon, your clock starts ticking. Will you see the glowing point of light that is Mercury before it drops below the horizon, following the setting sun? Note that this July, 2024, apparition of the sun’s innermost planet will be at its best for the year for the Southern Hemisphere.

Northern Hemisphere Charts for the Mercury

The path of Mercury in the evening sky from the Northern Hemisphere in July 2024. It’ll lie close to the bright star Regulus. Chart via EarthSky.

The moon and Mercury will lie in the same field of view with binoculars on the evening of July 7, 2024. Watch for the pair shortly after the sun goes down, near the sunset point. Chart by EarthSky.

Venus will hang low in the west about 30 minutes after sunset on the last few evenings of July. Tiny Mercury will lie near Venus as well. Look for them in the bright evening twilight. Venus sets about 50 minutes after the sun. Chart via EarthSky.

Chart for the Southern Hemisphere

The path of Mercury in the evening sky for the Southern Hemisphere in July 2024. The planet will lie close to the bright star Regulus. This will be the best evening apparition of the year for the Southern Hemisphere. Chart via EarthSky.

For precise sun and Mercury rising times at your location:

Old Farmer’s Almanac (U.S. and Canada)
timeanddate.com (worldwide)
Stellarium (online planetarium program)

Mercury events in 2024

Note: Times are in UTC

Jan 12, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Feb 28, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Mar 24, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Apr 11, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
May 9, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Jun 14, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Jul 22, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Aug 19, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
Sep 5, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Sep 30, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Nov 16, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Dec 5, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
Dec 25, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)

Heliocentric view of Mercury July 2024

Heliocentric view of solar system, July 2024. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

A comparison of elongations

The farthest from the sun that Mercury can ever appear on the sky’s dome is about 28 degrees. And the least distance is around 18 degrees.

Also, elongations are better or worse depending on the time of the year they occur. So in 2024, the Southern Hemisphere will have the best evening elongation of Mercury in July 2024. And the Northern Hemisphere will have the best evening apparition in March.

In the autumn for either hemisphere, the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – makes a narrow angle to the horizon in the evening. But it makes a steep slant, nearly perpendicular, in the morning. So, in autumn from either hemisphere, morning elongations of Mercury are best. That’s when Mercury appears higher above the horizon and farther from the glow of the sun. However, evening elongations in autumn are harder to see.

In the spring for either hemisphere, the situation reverses. The ecliptic and horizon meet at a sharper angle on spring evenings and a narrower angle on spring mornings. So, in springtime for either hemisphere, evening elongations of Mercury are best. Meanwhile, morning elongations in springtime are harder to see.

Mercury elongations compared. Here, gray areas represent evening apparitions (eastward elongation). Blue areas represent morning apparitions (westward elongation). The top figures are the maximum elongations, reached at the top dates shown beneath. Curves show the altitude of the planet above the horizon at sunrise or sunset, for latitude 40 degrees north (thick line) and 35 degrees south (thin line). Maxima are reached at the parenthesized dates below (40 degrees north bold). Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

More Mercury evening elongation comparisons for 2024

Mercury’s greatest evening elongations in 2024 from the Northern Hemisphere as viewed through a powerful telescope. The planet images are at the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. Dots show the actual positions of the planet for every day. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Mercury’s greatest evening elongations in 2024 from the Southern Hemisphere as viewed through a powerful telescope. The planet images are at the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. Dots show the actual positions of the planet for every day. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Mercury photos from our community

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Joel Weatherly in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, took this image on April 23, 2022. Joel wrote: “Lonely little Mercury is making an appearance in our evening skies. Despite being elusive, it was easy to see without optical aid once sighted.” Thank you, Joel!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Chix RC captured this image on January 3, 2022, from Hermosa Beach, California. See Mercury to the upper right of the crescent? Chix wrote: “A faint young moon at 1% illumination and Mercury.” Thank you, Chix!

At greatest elongation, Mercury is to one side of the sun and is at its greatest distance from the sun on our sky’s dome. Mercury reaches greatest eastern (evening) elongation from the sun on July 22, 2024. It is then 27 degrees from the sun in the evening sky. Chart via EarthSky. .

Bottom line: Mercury is visible in the evening sky. Look in the west as the sky is darkening. The planet will reach its greatest elongation on July 22, 2024.

Submit your photos to EarthSky here.

Read about greatest elongations, superior and inferior conjunctions: Definitions for stargazers

The post Mercury is back in the evening sky July 2024 first appeared on EarthSky.

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The thin waxing crescent moon will float low above the western horizon in the evening twilight on July 6, 2024. The bright planet Mercury will be nearby. On the following evening, July 7, the waxing crescent moon will lie close to the planet Mercury. Look about 40 minutes after sunset. Also, nearby is the bright star Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.

Mercury is our sun’s innermost planet. So it always lies near the sun in our sky. Mercury is now back in the west after sunset. It’ll climb higher in the western twilight each evening as it races toward greatest elongation, its greatest apparent distance from the sun in our sky, on July 22.

Mercury after sunset in July 2024

Where to look: Look west, in the sunset direction – shortly after sunset – for Mercury.
Greatest elongation: Mercury is farthest from the sun on our sky’s dome – at greatest elongation – at 7 UTC (2 a.m. CDT) on July 22, 2024. At that time, Mercury will be 27 degrees from the sun in our sky.
Brightness: Mercury was bright when it emerged in the evening sky during the last week of June. At that time, it was shining at -0.6 magnitude. At greatest elongation, Mercury shines more faintly at magnitude 0.3. But it’ll be barther from the sunset glare then and still brighter than most stars! In the evenings after greatest elongation, the innermost planet will rapidly fade as it sweeps up from behind Earth, in orbit around the sun, causing its illuminated side, or day side, to turn away from us. It’ll disappear in early August 2024 and will reach inferior conjunction – when it passes between Earth and the sun – on August 19.
Through a telescope: Mercury will appear about 43% illuminated at greatest elongation. It’ll measure 7.8 arcseconds across.
Constellation: Mercury will lie in front of the constellation Leo the Lion at this elongation. Doubtless, most of the stars in this constellation will be lost in the twilight.
Note: As the innermost planet, Mercury is tied to the sun in our sky. As a result, it never ventures very far above the horizon after sunset. So as soon as the sun disappears below your horizon, your clock starts ticking. Will you see the glowing point of light that is Mercury before it drops below the horizon, following the setting sun? Note that this July, 2024, apparition of the sun’s innermost planet will be at its best for the year for the Southern Hemisphere.

Northern Hemisphere Charts for the Mercury

The path of Mercury in the evening sky from the Northern Hemisphere in July 2024. It’ll lie close to the bright star Regulus. Chart via EarthSky.

The moon and Mercury will lie in the same field of view with binoculars on the evening of July 7, 2024. Watch for the pair shortly after the sun goes down, near the sunset point. Chart by EarthSky.

Venus will hang low in the west about 30 minutes after sunset on the last few evenings of July. Tiny Mercury will lie near Venus as well. Look for them in the bright evening twilight. Venus sets about 50 minutes after the sun. Chart via EarthSky.

Chart for the Southern Hemisphere

The path of Mercury in the evening sky for the Southern Hemisphere in July 2024. The planet will lie close to the bright star Regulus. This will be the best evening apparition of the year for the Southern Hemisphere. Chart via EarthSky.

For precise sun and Mercury rising times at your location:

Old Farmer’s Almanac (U.S. and Canada)
timeanddate.com (worldwide)
Stellarium (online planetarium program)

Mercury events in 2024

Note: Times are in UTC

Jan 12, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Feb 28, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Mar 24, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Apr 11, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
May 9, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Jun 14, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Jul 22, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Aug 19, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
Sep 5, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)
Sep 30, 2024: Superior conjunction (passes behind sun from Earth)
Nov 16, 2024: Greatest elongation (evening)
Dec 5, 2024: Inferior conjunction (races between Earth and sun)
Dec 25, 2024: Greatest elongation (morning)

Heliocentric view of Mercury July 2024

Heliocentric view of solar system, July 2024. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

A comparison of elongations

The farthest from the sun that Mercury can ever appear on the sky’s dome is about 28 degrees. And the least distance is around 18 degrees.

Also, elongations are better or worse depending on the time of the year they occur. So in 2024, the Southern Hemisphere will have the best evening elongation of Mercury in July 2024. And the Northern Hemisphere will have the best evening apparition in March.

In the autumn for either hemisphere, the ecliptic – or path of the sun, moon and planets – makes a narrow angle to the horizon in the evening. But it makes a steep slant, nearly perpendicular, in the morning. So, in autumn from either hemisphere, morning elongations of Mercury are best. That’s when Mercury appears higher above the horizon and farther from the glow of the sun. However, evening elongations in autumn are harder to see.

In the spring for either hemisphere, the situation reverses. The ecliptic and horizon meet at a sharper angle on spring evenings and a narrower angle on spring mornings. So, in springtime for either hemisphere, evening elongations of Mercury are best. Meanwhile, morning elongations in springtime are harder to see.

Mercury elongations compared. Here, gray areas represent evening apparitions (eastward elongation). Blue areas represent morning apparitions (westward elongation). The top figures are the maximum elongations, reached at the top dates shown beneath. Curves show the altitude of the planet above the horizon at sunrise or sunset, for latitude 40 degrees north (thick line) and 35 degrees south (thin line). Maxima are reached at the parenthesized dates below (40 degrees north bold). Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

More Mercury evening elongation comparisons for 2024

Mercury’s greatest evening elongations in 2024 from the Northern Hemisphere as viewed through a powerful telescope. The planet images are at the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. Dots show the actual positions of the planet for every day. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Mercury’s greatest evening elongations in 2024 from the Southern Hemisphere as viewed through a powerful telescope. The planet images are at the 1st, 11th, and 21st of each month. Dots show the actual positions of the planet for every day. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2024 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission.

Mercury photos from our community

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Joel Weatherly in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, took this image on April 23, 2022. Joel wrote: “Lonely little Mercury is making an appearance in our evening skies. Despite being elusive, it was easy to see without optical aid once sighted.” Thank you, Joel!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Chix RC captured this image on January 3, 2022, from Hermosa Beach, California. See Mercury to the upper right of the crescent? Chix wrote: “A faint young moon at 1% illumination and Mercury.” Thank you, Chix!

At greatest elongation, Mercury is to one side of the sun and is at its greatest distance from the sun on our sky’s dome. Mercury reaches greatest eastern (evening) elongation from the sun on July 22, 2024. It is then 27 degrees from the sun in the evening sky. Chart via EarthSky. .

Bottom line: Mercury is visible in the evening sky. Look in the west as the sky is darkening. The planet will reach its greatest elongation on July 22, 2024.

Submit your photos to EarthSky here.

Read about greatest elongations, superior and inferior conjunctions: Definitions for stargazers

The post Mercury is back in the evening sky July 2024 first appeared on EarthSky.

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Dog days of summer: Hottest in July and August

The dog days of summer refer to the hottest days of the year that we experience in July and August. No, they aren’t named after dogs, our cute and furry friends. But they are named after the Dog Star – the brightest star in the sky – Sirius. It’s in the constellation of Canis Major, the Greater Dog. By the way, the Belt of Orion can point you to dazzling Sirius in the morning sky.

What are the dog days of summer?

You might have heard the hottest days of summer referred to as the “dog days of summer” … but where did this term come from? According to the National Weather Service:

The “dog days of summer” is a phrase used to describe the hot and humid days of summer. It can be traced back thousands of years to the days of the Roman Empire. It refers to the dates from July 3 through August 11, which is 20 days prior and 20 days after the star Sirius rises and falls in conjunction with the sun. Sirius was known as the “Dog Star,” because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog).

So, you can see the term dog days isn’t new. And its origin is based on objects in the sky.

What does Sirius have to do with the hottest days of summer?

The fact is, the name Sirius comes from an ancient Greek word for “scorching” or “glowing.” Plus, Sirius is the brightest star visible from Earth, and it’s visible from both hemispheres. Also, it’s the brightest star in the evening sky during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Sirius is behind the sun as seen from Earth during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Then, in late summer, it appears in the east before sunrise, near the sun in our sky.

Ancient Egyptians noted that Sirius rose just before the sun each year immediately prior to the annual flooding of the Nile River. Although the floods could bring destruction, they also brought new soil and new life.

Ancient Romans noticed the reappearance of Sirius in the morning sky as well. And they blamed it for the heat in July and August. That’s because Sirius rose each day before sunrise. And then, it traveled across the sky with the sun all day. Thus, early stargazers might have imagined a double-whammy from Sirius and the sun caused the hot weather.

Dog days and Sirius in conjunction with the sun

Since Sirius is in conjunction with the sun on July 23, the dog days of summer centered around then. The dog days of summer fall between July 3 to August 11, and that’s when we have our warmest days in the Northern Hemisphere.

So even though we know why this is the hottest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the legend of the dog days has survived.

Bottom line: The dog days of summer are named for the Dog Star, Sirius – the brightest star in the sky – in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog.

The post Dog days of summer: Hottest in July and August first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/v0m9PZH

The dog days of summer refer to the hottest days of the year that we experience in July and August. No, they aren’t named after dogs, our cute and furry friends. But they are named after the Dog Star – the brightest star in the sky – Sirius. It’s in the constellation of Canis Major, the Greater Dog. By the way, the Belt of Orion can point you to dazzling Sirius in the morning sky.

What are the dog days of summer?

You might have heard the hottest days of summer referred to as the “dog days of summer” … but where did this term come from? According to the National Weather Service:

The “dog days of summer” is a phrase used to describe the hot and humid days of summer. It can be traced back thousands of years to the days of the Roman Empire. It refers to the dates from July 3 through August 11, which is 20 days prior and 20 days after the star Sirius rises and falls in conjunction with the sun. Sirius was known as the “Dog Star,” because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Large Dog).

So, you can see the term dog days isn’t new. And its origin is based on objects in the sky.

What does Sirius have to do with the hottest days of summer?

The fact is, the name Sirius comes from an ancient Greek word for “scorching” or “glowing.” Plus, Sirius is the brightest star visible from Earth, and it’s visible from both hemispheres. Also, it’s the brightest star in the evening sky during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

Sirius is behind the sun as seen from Earth during the Northern Hemisphere summer. Then, in late summer, it appears in the east before sunrise, near the sun in our sky.

Ancient Egyptians noted that Sirius rose just before the sun each year immediately prior to the annual flooding of the Nile River. Although the floods could bring destruction, they also brought new soil and new life.

Ancient Romans noticed the reappearance of Sirius in the morning sky as well. And they blamed it for the heat in July and August. That’s because Sirius rose each day before sunrise. And then, it traveled across the sky with the sun all day. Thus, early stargazers might have imagined a double-whammy from Sirius and the sun caused the hot weather.

Dog days and Sirius in conjunction with the sun

Since Sirius is in conjunction with the sun on July 23, the dog days of summer centered around then. The dog days of summer fall between July 3 to August 11, and that’s when we have our warmest days in the Northern Hemisphere.

So even though we know why this is the hottest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the legend of the dog days has survived.

Bottom line: The dog days of summer are named for the Dog Star, Sirius – the brightest star in the sky – in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog.

The post Dog days of summer: Hottest in July and August first appeared on EarthSky.

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