A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday afternoon in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm should hit Florida on Monday. It will move slowly over land, bringing heavy rainfall and the potential for flooding to parts of the Southeastern U.S. through Thursday. Image via National Hurricane Center.
Tropical Storm Debby heading to Florida
A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday afternoon, August 3, 2024. The center of circulation moved off Cuba and over the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Those warm waters and low shear have helped it strengthen into a named storm. Forecasters said it’s likely the storm will become a hurricane before landfall on Monday.
Much of the west coast of Florida is under hurricane or tropical storm warnings, along with storm surge warnings. Winds will start coming ashore in Florida on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon, Debby’s maximum sustained winds were 40 miles per hour. The threshold for hurricane status is 74 miles per hour, and forecasters believe it will likely reach those speeds before landfall on Monday.
Biggest impact will be rain
The biggest impact from Tropical Storm Debby will be the rain. Meteorologists are calling for some 4 to 7 feet of inundation along the coastline of Florida’s Big Bend when the storm comes on shore Monday morning. Some coastal areas could be evacuated.
Florida and the lower Atlantic seaboard could see heavy rainfall totals starting this weekend and extending all the way into Thursday, August 8, 2024. Forecasters are calling for some totals of 5 to 10 inches, with local areas seeing up to 15 inches of rain. The heavy rains will extend up to North Carolina. Residents also need to be aware of the threat of flash flooding.
The storm’s path will take it from the Gulf of Mexico across northern regions of Florida and then toward the eastern seaboard. But after it moves over land, Debby will slow down. So some regions will deal with heavy rainfall for a long period of time.
Storm-force winds
The strong winds will first hit along Florida’s Gulf Coast near the Big Bend region on Sunday late in the day. The eye should come ashore on Monday morning. Then Debby will linger over the southeastern U.S., but the strength of its winds will be dependent on whether the storm stays over land or moves back over water. However, due to its slow motion, this part of the U.S. should expect gusty winds for days.
And of course with the tropical storm, there are chances for tornado spin-ups. Make sure you stay weather aware if you will be in the affected area.
On Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center shared an update on their YouTube channel that you can watch here.
Tropical Storm Debby is gathering strength over the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters. Image via NHC/ TropicalTidbits/ Josh Marthers.
Bottom line: A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. It may reach hurricane strength before hitting Florida on Monday.
A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby on Saturday afternoon in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm should hit Florida on Monday. It will move slowly over land, bringing heavy rainfall and the potential for flooding to parts of the Southeastern U.S. through Thursday. Image via National Hurricane Center.
Tropical Storm Debby heading to Florida
A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday afternoon, August 3, 2024. The center of circulation moved off Cuba and over the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Those warm waters and low shear have helped it strengthen into a named storm. Forecasters said it’s likely the storm will become a hurricane before landfall on Monday.
Much of the west coast of Florida is under hurricane or tropical storm warnings, along with storm surge warnings. Winds will start coming ashore in Florida on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday afternoon, Debby’s maximum sustained winds were 40 miles per hour. The threshold for hurricane status is 74 miles per hour, and forecasters believe it will likely reach those speeds before landfall on Monday.
Biggest impact will be rain
The biggest impact from Tropical Storm Debby will be the rain. Meteorologists are calling for some 4 to 7 feet of inundation along the coastline of Florida’s Big Bend when the storm comes on shore Monday morning. Some coastal areas could be evacuated.
Florida and the lower Atlantic seaboard could see heavy rainfall totals starting this weekend and extending all the way into Thursday, August 8, 2024. Forecasters are calling for some totals of 5 to 10 inches, with local areas seeing up to 15 inches of rain. The heavy rains will extend up to North Carolina. Residents also need to be aware of the threat of flash flooding.
The storm’s path will take it from the Gulf of Mexico across northern regions of Florida and then toward the eastern seaboard. But after it moves over land, Debby will slow down. So some regions will deal with heavy rainfall for a long period of time.
Storm-force winds
The strong winds will first hit along Florida’s Gulf Coast near the Big Bend region on Sunday late in the day. The eye should come ashore on Monday morning. Then Debby will linger over the southeastern U.S., but the strength of its winds will be dependent on whether the storm stays over land or moves back over water. However, due to its slow motion, this part of the U.S. should expect gusty winds for days.
And of course with the tropical storm, there are chances for tornado spin-ups. Make sure you stay weather aware if you will be in the affected area.
On Saturday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center shared an update on their YouTube channel that you can watch here.
Tropical Storm Debby is gathering strength over the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters. Image via NHC/ TropicalTidbits/ Josh Marthers.
Bottom line: A tropical depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Debby in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. It may reach hurricane strength before hitting Florida on Monday.
View larger. | This is a moon of the planet Uranus – named Ariel – as seen by the one and only spacecraft ever to have visited Uranus, Voyager 2 in 1986. Now a new study suggests Ariel might be one of several moons of the giant planets in the outer solar system with a subsurface ocean. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/ Kevin M. Gill (CC BY 2.0).
Ariel, a moon of Uranus, may have a subsurface ocean, adding it to the list of potential ocean worlds in our solar system.
Unexpected carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice deposits on the surface of Ariel – primarily on its trailing hemisphere, the side that faces opposite the direction the moon moves in orbit – are evidence for the ocean. These deposits hint at ongoing replenishment from its interior.
Ariel shows signs of geological activity, maybe even ice volcanoes. Future missions are anticipated to explore further and confirm these findings.
Does Uranus’ moon Ariel have a hidden ocean?
The Webb space telescope has new observations of Ariel – a moon of the outer planet Uranus – suggesting that Ariel might harbor an ice-covered, subsurface ocean. Icy ocean worlds in our outer solar system are a big deal. Scientists are so fascinated by the possibility that they’re sending a space mission to another potential ocean moon, Jupiter’s moon Europa. Why? Because they think these ocean moons might be homes for life! On July 24, 2024, a research team led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) in Laurel, Maryland, pointed to the surprising presence of carbon dioxide on the surface of Ariel. They said these deposits might be replenished by a liquid ocean hidden in Ariel’s interior.
The researchers published their new peer-reviewed study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 24, 2024.
The mystery of Ariel’s carbon dioxide ice
The major clue to a subsurface ocean comes from Ariel’s frozen surface. Ariel’s surface is geologically the youngest of Uranus’ 28 known moons. It is largely covered by water, carbon dioxide and ammonia ices.
The carbon dioxide ice surprised astronomers. Ariel has no detectable atmosphere, so even in the extreme cold where Uranus orbits the sun, it should sublimate (turn to gas). But since there is a fair amount of it on the moon’s surface, something must be re-supplying it on an on-going basis. Also, most of the ice is on Ariel’s trailing hemisphere. That’s the hemisphere that always faces away from the moon’s direction of motion in its orbit.
Scientists have proposed two main theories over the years. One is that charged particles in Uranus’ magnetosphere or solar radiation interact with Ariel’s surface. This could create carbon dioxide through a process called radiolysis.
The other possibility is that primordial carbon dioxide is trapped by water ice in Ariel’s interior. Outgassing could then leave deposits of carbon dioxide ice on the surface.
Carbon monoxide that shouldn’t be there
The new observations from Webb suggest the second option is more likely. The researchers found Ariel has some of the richest carbon dioxide deposits in the entire solar system. On the moon’s trailing hemisphere, they are about 0.4 inches (10 mm) thick.
But Webb detected something else that has scientists puzzled: carbon monoxide. The scientists were not expecting to find it on Ariel. And like the carbon dioxide, it is primarily on Ariel’s trailing hemisphere. As lead author Richard Cartwright from JHUAPL noted:
It just shouldn’t be there. You’ve got to get down to 30 kelvins [-405 degrees Fahrenheit] before carbon monoxide’s stable. The carbon monoxide would also have to be actively replenished, no question.
The problem is that Ariel’s surface is an average of 65 degrees Fahrenheit warmer (36 C warmer) than that. So how can carbon monoxide be there? As Cartwright said, it would need to be replenished somehow.
The researchers said radiolysis could explain some of the replenishment. But it’s unlikely to account for all of it. Other research has suggested the process would be limited on Ariel. This is because the axis of the moon’s magnetic field and the orbital plane of Uranus’ moons are offset by about 58 degrees. Therefore, interactions with the magnetic field wouldn’t produce enough carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide ices to account for the amounts observed.
A subsurface ocean on Ariel?
So that leaves the gases originating from Ariel’s interior. The researchers said this is the most likely scenario to explain most of the icy deposits on the surface. In fact, the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide may originate from a subsurface ocean.
The processes involved may be ancient, and the gases are simply still leaking to the surface. Or they may be on-going now. This means Ariel likely either had a hidden ocean in the past, or it still has one today.
Another tentative discovery – carbonate minerals – would also support the ocean explanation. The formation of those minerals requires the interaction of rock and liquid water. Cartwright said:
If our interpretation of that carbonate feature is correct, then that is a pretty big result because it means it had to form in the interior. That’s something we absolutely need to confirm, either through future observations, modeling or some combination of techniques.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of Uranus and its 5 largest moons. From innermost to outermost: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Ariel is Uranus’ 4th largest moon. Image via NASA/ JHUAPL/ Mike Yakovlev.
Is Ariel an active world?
So far, only Voyager 2 has visited Ariel, the 4th-largest moon of Uranus, on January 24, 1986. The flyby was brief, but the spacecraft saw a world with many deep gashes and grooves on its surface. There were also other smooth areas that may have resulted from cryovolcanic (icy volcano) eruptions. All of these indicate Ariel was – and maybe still is – geologically active. There might even be plumes, reminiscent of those on Enceladus and perhaps Europa. A different study in 2023 suggested that Ariel or the moon Miranda, or even both, are releasing plasma particles into Uranus’ magnetosphere.
If that is the case for Miranda, then it, too, may have a subsurface ocean, the scientists said.
The scientists also noted that the canyons and grooves are primarily on the trailing side of Ariel. It’s possible the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are leaking out through them and onto the surface. They could provide an easy conduit for the gases to escape from inside Ariel. But researchers don’t know for sure, since Voyager 2 only saw some of Ariel’s surface, about 35%, during its flyby on January 24, 1986. There might be more canyons and grooves on the leading hemisphere as well. Cartwright said:
It’s a bit of a stretch because we just haven’t seen much of the moon’s surface. We’re just not going to know until we perform more dedicated observations.
Uranian system is compelling
Regardless, the findings show Ariel is a more complex world than we knew. This likely applies to Uranus and its other moons, too. As Ian Cohen at JHUAPL commented:
All these new insights underscore how compelling the Uranian system is. Whether it’s to unlock the keys to how the solar system formed, better understand the planet’s complex magnetosphere or determine whether these moons are potential ocean worlds, many of us in the planetary science community are really looking forward to a future mission to explore Uranus.
Bottom line: Researchers using NASA’s Webb space telescope have found Uranus’ 4th-largest moon, Ariel, may have a subsurface ocean, similar to Europa, Enceladus and others.
View larger. | This is a moon of the planet Uranus – named Ariel – as seen by the one and only spacecraft ever to have visited Uranus, Voyager 2 in 1986. Now a new study suggests Ariel might be one of several moons of the giant planets in the outer solar system with a subsurface ocean. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/ Kevin M. Gill (CC BY 2.0).
Ariel, a moon of Uranus, may have a subsurface ocean, adding it to the list of potential ocean worlds in our solar system.
Unexpected carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice deposits on the surface of Ariel – primarily on its trailing hemisphere, the side that faces opposite the direction the moon moves in orbit – are evidence for the ocean. These deposits hint at ongoing replenishment from its interior.
Ariel shows signs of geological activity, maybe even ice volcanoes. Future missions are anticipated to explore further and confirm these findings.
Does Uranus’ moon Ariel have a hidden ocean?
The Webb space telescope has new observations of Ariel – a moon of the outer planet Uranus – suggesting that Ariel might harbor an ice-covered, subsurface ocean. Icy ocean worlds in our outer solar system are a big deal. Scientists are so fascinated by the possibility that they’re sending a space mission to another potential ocean moon, Jupiter’s moon Europa. Why? Because they think these ocean moons might be homes for life! On July 24, 2024, a research team led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL) in Laurel, Maryland, pointed to the surprising presence of carbon dioxide on the surface of Ariel. They said these deposits might be replenished by a liquid ocean hidden in Ariel’s interior.
The researchers published their new peer-reviewed study in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on July 24, 2024.
The mystery of Ariel’s carbon dioxide ice
The major clue to a subsurface ocean comes from Ariel’s frozen surface. Ariel’s surface is geologically the youngest of Uranus’ 28 known moons. It is largely covered by water, carbon dioxide and ammonia ices.
The carbon dioxide ice surprised astronomers. Ariel has no detectable atmosphere, so even in the extreme cold where Uranus orbits the sun, it should sublimate (turn to gas). But since there is a fair amount of it on the moon’s surface, something must be re-supplying it on an on-going basis. Also, most of the ice is on Ariel’s trailing hemisphere. That’s the hemisphere that always faces away from the moon’s direction of motion in its orbit.
Scientists have proposed two main theories over the years. One is that charged particles in Uranus’ magnetosphere or solar radiation interact with Ariel’s surface. This could create carbon dioxide through a process called radiolysis.
The other possibility is that primordial carbon dioxide is trapped by water ice in Ariel’s interior. Outgassing could then leave deposits of carbon dioxide ice on the surface.
Carbon monoxide that shouldn’t be there
The new observations from Webb suggest the second option is more likely. The researchers found Ariel has some of the richest carbon dioxide deposits in the entire solar system. On the moon’s trailing hemisphere, they are about 0.4 inches (10 mm) thick.
But Webb detected something else that has scientists puzzled: carbon monoxide. The scientists were not expecting to find it on Ariel. And like the carbon dioxide, it is primarily on Ariel’s trailing hemisphere. As lead author Richard Cartwright from JHUAPL noted:
It just shouldn’t be there. You’ve got to get down to 30 kelvins [-405 degrees Fahrenheit] before carbon monoxide’s stable. The carbon monoxide would also have to be actively replenished, no question.
The problem is that Ariel’s surface is an average of 65 degrees Fahrenheit warmer (36 C warmer) than that. So how can carbon monoxide be there? As Cartwright said, it would need to be replenished somehow.
The researchers said radiolysis could explain some of the replenishment. But it’s unlikely to account for all of it. Other research has suggested the process would be limited on Ariel. This is because the axis of the moon’s magnetic field and the orbital plane of Uranus’ moons are offset by about 58 degrees. Therefore, interactions with the magnetic field wouldn’t produce enough carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide ices to account for the amounts observed.
A subsurface ocean on Ariel?
So that leaves the gases originating from Ariel’s interior. The researchers said this is the most likely scenario to explain most of the icy deposits on the surface. In fact, the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide may originate from a subsurface ocean.
The processes involved may be ancient, and the gases are simply still leaking to the surface. Or they may be on-going now. This means Ariel likely either had a hidden ocean in the past, or it still has one today.
Another tentative discovery – carbonate minerals – would also support the ocean explanation. The formation of those minerals requires the interaction of rock and liquid water. Cartwright said:
If our interpretation of that carbonate feature is correct, then that is a pretty big result because it means it had to form in the interior. That’s something we absolutely need to confirm, either through future observations, modeling or some combination of techniques.
View larger. | Artist’s concept of Uranus and its 5 largest moons. From innermost to outermost: Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Ariel is Uranus’ 4th largest moon. Image via NASA/ JHUAPL/ Mike Yakovlev.
Is Ariel an active world?
So far, only Voyager 2 has visited Ariel, the 4th-largest moon of Uranus, on January 24, 1986. The flyby was brief, but the spacecraft saw a world with many deep gashes and grooves on its surface. There were also other smooth areas that may have resulted from cryovolcanic (icy volcano) eruptions. All of these indicate Ariel was – and maybe still is – geologically active. There might even be plumes, reminiscent of those on Enceladus and perhaps Europa. A different study in 2023 suggested that Ariel or the moon Miranda, or even both, are releasing plasma particles into Uranus’ magnetosphere.
If that is the case for Miranda, then it, too, may have a subsurface ocean, the scientists said.
The scientists also noted that the canyons and grooves are primarily on the trailing side of Ariel. It’s possible the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide are leaking out through them and onto the surface. They could provide an easy conduit for the gases to escape from inside Ariel. But researchers don’t know for sure, since Voyager 2 only saw some of Ariel’s surface, about 35%, during its flyby on January 24, 1986. There might be more canyons and grooves on the leading hemisphere as well. Cartwright said:
It’s a bit of a stretch because we just haven’t seen much of the moon’s surface. We’re just not going to know until we perform more dedicated observations.
Uranian system is compelling
Regardless, the findings show Ariel is a more complex world than we knew. This likely applies to Uranus and its other moons, too. As Ian Cohen at JHUAPL commented:
All these new insights underscore how compelling the Uranian system is. Whether it’s to unlock the keys to how the solar system formed, better understand the planet’s complex magnetosphere or determine whether these moons are potential ocean worlds, many of us in the planetary science community are really looking forward to a future mission to explore Uranus.
Bottom line: Researchers using NASA’s Webb space telescope have found Uranus’ 4th-largest moon, Ariel, may have a subsurface ocean, similar to Europa, Enceladus and others.
Take a night to drive to a dark sky and find the glorious Andromeda galaxy. It’s the great spiral galaxy next door to the Milky Way, and the most distant object you can see with your eye alone. It’s best seen in the evening at this time of year. Most people find the galaxy by star-hopping from the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen, a very noticeable M- or W-shaped pattern on the sky’s dome.
But you can also find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from the star Alpheratz in the Great Square of Pegasus. Both methods will lead you to the galaxy. Check out the charts below and find your favorite.
Find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from Cassiopeia
Here’s the technique most people use to find the Andromeda galaxy. Just be sure you’re looking in a dark sky. First, look northward for the M- or W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. Next, locate the star Schedar in Cassiopeia. It’s the constellation’s brightest star, and it points to the Andromeda galaxy. Chart via EarthSky.
Find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from the Great Square
Here’s another way to find the Andromeda galaxy. The constellation Andromeda can be seen as 2 streams of stars extending from 1 side of the Great Square of Pegasus. See the star Alpheratz? It joins Pegasus to Andromeda. Now, notice the star Mirach, followed by Mu Andromedae. An imaginary line drawn through Mirach to Mu points to the Andromeda galaxy. Chart via EarthSky.
The importance of a dark sky
Just be aware … Bright moonlight or city lights can overwhelm the faint glow of the Andromeda galaxy. The single most important thing you need to see this object is a dark sky.
What does the galaxy look like to the eye? In a dark sky, it appears as a large fuzzy patch, bigger than a full moon in the sky but vastly fainter and more subtle.
Binoculars enhance the view
Binoculars are an excellent choice for beginners to observe the Andromeda galaxy, because they are so easy to point. As you stand beneath a dark sky, locate the galaxy with your eye first. Then slowly bring the binoculars up to your eyes so that the galaxy comes into binocular view. If that doesn’t work for you, try sweeping the area with your binoculars. Go slowly, and be sure your eyes are dark-adapted. The galaxy will appear as a fuzzy patch to the eye. Naturally, it’ll appear brighter in binoculars. And can you see that its central region is more concentrated?
With the eye, binoculars, or with a backyard telescope, the Andromeda galaxy won’t look like the images from famous telescopes and observatories. But it will be beautiful. Plus, it’ll take your breath away.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Osama Fathi at the Black Desert, Egypt, captured Comet Pons-Brooks, the Andromeda galaxy and a meteor on March 8, 2024! All in 1. Thank you, Osama.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Southold, New York, used a telephoto lens to capture this view of the Andromeda Galaxy with Comet 12P Pons-Brooks on on March 11, 2024. Steven wrote: “Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, sweeping past the view of Andromeda Galaxy. Although the comet is only 250 million kilometers from earth, with Andromeda 23 trillion kilometers distant, they are now sharing the same part of the sky.” Amazing shot. Thank you, Steven!
Bottom line: Our neighboring Andromeda galaxy – the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way – is visible on dark, moonless evenings from now until the beginning of northern spring. And there are two ways to find it.
Take a night to drive to a dark sky and find the glorious Andromeda galaxy. It’s the great spiral galaxy next door to the Milky Way, and the most distant object you can see with your eye alone. It’s best seen in the evening at this time of year. Most people find the galaxy by star-hopping from the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen, a very noticeable M- or W-shaped pattern on the sky’s dome.
But you can also find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from the star Alpheratz in the Great Square of Pegasus. Both methods will lead you to the galaxy. Check out the charts below and find your favorite.
Find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from Cassiopeia
Here’s the technique most people use to find the Andromeda galaxy. Just be sure you’re looking in a dark sky. First, look northward for the M- or W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. Next, locate the star Schedar in Cassiopeia. It’s the constellation’s brightest star, and it points to the Andromeda galaxy. Chart via EarthSky.
Find the Andromeda galaxy by star-hopping from the Great Square
Here’s another way to find the Andromeda galaxy. The constellation Andromeda can be seen as 2 streams of stars extending from 1 side of the Great Square of Pegasus. See the star Alpheratz? It joins Pegasus to Andromeda. Now, notice the star Mirach, followed by Mu Andromedae. An imaginary line drawn through Mirach to Mu points to the Andromeda galaxy. Chart via EarthSky.
The importance of a dark sky
Just be aware … Bright moonlight or city lights can overwhelm the faint glow of the Andromeda galaxy. The single most important thing you need to see this object is a dark sky.
What does the galaxy look like to the eye? In a dark sky, it appears as a large fuzzy patch, bigger than a full moon in the sky but vastly fainter and more subtle.
Binoculars enhance the view
Binoculars are an excellent choice for beginners to observe the Andromeda galaxy, because they are so easy to point. As you stand beneath a dark sky, locate the galaxy with your eye first. Then slowly bring the binoculars up to your eyes so that the galaxy comes into binocular view. If that doesn’t work for you, try sweeping the area with your binoculars. Go slowly, and be sure your eyes are dark-adapted. The galaxy will appear as a fuzzy patch to the eye. Naturally, it’ll appear brighter in binoculars. And can you see that its central region is more concentrated?
With the eye, binoculars, or with a backyard telescope, the Andromeda galaxy won’t look like the images from famous telescopes and observatories. But it will be beautiful. Plus, it’ll take your breath away.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Osama Fathi at the Black Desert, Egypt, captured Comet Pons-Brooks, the Andromeda galaxy and a meteor on March 8, 2024! All in 1. Thank you, Osama.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Bellavia in Southold, New York, used a telephoto lens to capture this view of the Andromeda Galaxy with Comet 12P Pons-Brooks on on March 11, 2024. Steven wrote: “Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, sweeping past the view of Andromeda Galaxy. Although the comet is only 250 million kilometers from earth, with Andromeda 23 trillion kilometers distant, they are now sharing the same part of the sky.” Amazing shot. Thank you, Steven!
Bottom line: Our neighboring Andromeda galaxy – the nearest large spiral galaxy to the Milky Way – is visible on dark, moonless evenings from now until the beginning of northern spring. And there are two ways to find it.
Komodo dragons only live on a few islands in Indonesia. Image via Charlotte Ellis/ Zoological Society of London/ Used with permission.
Komodo dragons have sharp, curved, serrated teeth they use to tear apart the flesh of their prey. How do their teeth stand up to such heavy use? On July 24, 2024, scientists said they’ve discovered the Komodo dragon’s teeth stay sharp thanks to a coat of iron. This new finding may also someday shed light on the feeding characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs, like Tyrannosaurus rex, which had similar teeth structures.
The scientists published these findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on July 24, 2024.
Komodo dragons, the largest lizards alive today
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest existing lizard species. Males measure around 8.5 feet (2.6 m) in length, while females tend to be a foot shorter. On average, they weight about 150 pounds (70 kg). Their powerful jaws hold sharp, curved, serrated teeth, suited for tearing off large pieces of flesh from their prey. And they use their forked tongue to smell and taste their surroundings.
These creatures live only on a few islands in Indonesia. Komodo is one of those islands, after which the lizard is named. In their natural habitat, Komodo dragons are the largest predator, hunting birds, other reptiles and mammals, such as deer and water buffalo. They are also carrion feeders.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Komodo dragons as endangered. As a result, the Indonesian government has set aside protected areas for these giant lizards, including Komodo National Park.
Teeth edges coated in iron
The researchers ran imaging and chemical analysis on Komodo dragon teeth kept at museums. They also studied teeth from a Komodo dragon that once lived at the London Zoo (that had to be euthanized due to severe illness).
Many reptiles have iron in their teeth, the scientists said. However, they discovered something unique about how that iron is distributed in Komodo dragon teeth. They found iron in the teeth enamel was concentrated in a thin layer at the teeth serrations and tips. In effect, the iron acted as a protective layer to keep the teeth razor-sharp. In addition, scientists could see the iron as orange-colored stains along the teeth edges.
A Komodo dragon tooth showing stains from iron concentrations along the edges. Image via Aaron LeBlanc. Used with permission.In this figure, the top image shows a Komodo dragon tooth. Note the orange stain on the tooth’s edge due to iron accumulations. At bottom is a cross-section view of the tooth. At the two serrated tips, you can see an orange tint due to iron. The inset images show a detailed map of iron distribution in those sections of the tooth. Image via Aaron LeBlanc. Used with permission.
What Komodo dragons tell us about carnivorous dinosaurs
Aaron LeBlanc, of King’s College London, is the lead author of the paper. He said:
Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs.
We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have eaten and if they used iron in their teeth the same way as the Komodo dragon.
Unfortunately, using the technology we have at the moment, we can’t see whether fossilized dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not. We think that the chemical changes which take place during the fossilization process obscure how much iron was present to start with.
What we did find, though, was that larger meat-eating dinosaurs, like tyrannosaurs, did change the structure of the enamel itself on the cutting edges of their teeth. So, while Komodo dragons have altered the chemistry of their teeth, some dinosaurs altered the structure of their dental enamel to maintain a sharp cutting edge.
With further analysis of the Komodo teeth we may be able to find other markers in the iron coating that aren’t changed during fossilization. With markers like that we would know with certainty whether dinosaurs also had iron-coated teeth and have a greater understanding of these ferocious predators.
Bottom line: A coating of iron keeps the curved, serrated teeth of Komodo dragons razor-sharp. This new finding may also shed light on the feeding characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs, like Tyrannosaurus rex, which had similar teeth structures.
Komodo dragons only live on a few islands in Indonesia. Image via Charlotte Ellis/ Zoological Society of London/ Used with permission.
Komodo dragons have sharp, curved, serrated teeth they use to tear apart the flesh of their prey. How do their teeth stand up to such heavy use? On July 24, 2024, scientists said they’ve discovered the Komodo dragon’s teeth stay sharp thanks to a coat of iron. This new finding may also someday shed light on the feeding characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs, like Tyrannosaurus rex, which had similar teeth structures.
The scientists published these findings in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on July 24, 2024.
Komodo dragons, the largest lizards alive today
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is the largest existing lizard species. Males measure around 8.5 feet (2.6 m) in length, while females tend to be a foot shorter. On average, they weight about 150 pounds (70 kg). Their powerful jaws hold sharp, curved, serrated teeth, suited for tearing off large pieces of flesh from their prey. And they use their forked tongue to smell and taste their surroundings.
These creatures live only on a few islands in Indonesia. Komodo is one of those islands, after which the lizard is named. In their natural habitat, Komodo dragons are the largest predator, hunting birds, other reptiles and mammals, such as deer and water buffalo. They are also carrion feeders.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies Komodo dragons as endangered. As a result, the Indonesian government has set aside protected areas for these giant lizards, including Komodo National Park.
Teeth edges coated in iron
The researchers ran imaging and chemical analysis on Komodo dragon teeth kept at museums. They also studied teeth from a Komodo dragon that once lived at the London Zoo (that had to be euthanized due to severe illness).
Many reptiles have iron in their teeth, the scientists said. However, they discovered something unique about how that iron is distributed in Komodo dragon teeth. They found iron in the teeth enamel was concentrated in a thin layer at the teeth serrations and tips. In effect, the iron acted as a protective layer to keep the teeth razor-sharp. In addition, scientists could see the iron as orange-colored stains along the teeth edges.
A Komodo dragon tooth showing stains from iron concentrations along the edges. Image via Aaron LeBlanc. Used with permission.In this figure, the top image shows a Komodo dragon tooth. Note the orange stain on the tooth’s edge due to iron accumulations. At bottom is a cross-section view of the tooth. At the two serrated tips, you can see an orange tint due to iron. The inset images show a detailed map of iron distribution in those sections of the tooth. Image via Aaron LeBlanc. Used with permission.
What Komodo dragons tell us about carnivorous dinosaurs
Aaron LeBlanc, of King’s College London, is the lead author of the paper. He said:
Komodo dragons have curved, serrated teeth to rip and tear their prey just like those of meat-eating dinosaurs.
We want to use this similarity to learn more about how carnivorous dinosaurs might have eaten and if they used iron in their teeth the same way as the Komodo dragon.
Unfortunately, using the technology we have at the moment, we can’t see whether fossilized dinosaur teeth had high levels of iron or not. We think that the chemical changes which take place during the fossilization process obscure how much iron was present to start with.
What we did find, though, was that larger meat-eating dinosaurs, like tyrannosaurs, did change the structure of the enamel itself on the cutting edges of their teeth. So, while Komodo dragons have altered the chemistry of their teeth, some dinosaurs altered the structure of their dental enamel to maintain a sharp cutting edge.
With further analysis of the Komodo teeth we may be able to find other markers in the iron coating that aren’t changed during fossilization. With markers like that we would know with certainty whether dinosaurs also had iron-coated teeth and have a greater understanding of these ferocious predators.
Bottom line: A coating of iron keeps the curved, serrated teeth of Komodo dragons razor-sharp. This new finding may also shed light on the feeding characteristics of carnivorous dinosaurs, like Tyrannosaurus rex, which had similar teeth structures.
On July 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket delivered 21 Starlink satellites to low-earth orbit from California. Image via SpaceX.
Upcoming SpaceX Starlink launches in August 2024
Starlink Group 10-6: August 2, 2024, 12:19 a.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | TIME AND DATE MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 11-1: August 4, 2024, 12:00 a.m. PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California | TIME AND DATE MAY CHANGE
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
On June 27, 2024, Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida. Image via SpaceX.
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting up to 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for August 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
On July 28, 2024, a Falcon 9 rocket delivered 21 Starlink satellites to low-earth orbit from California. Image via SpaceX.
Upcoming SpaceX Starlink launches in August 2024
Starlink Group 10-6: August 2, 2024, 12:19 a.m. EDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Kennedy Space Center, Florida | TIME AND DATE MAY CHANGE
Starlink Group 11-1: August 4, 2024, 12:00 a.m. PDT
Falcon 9 Block 5 | Vandenberg Space Force Base, California | TIME AND DATE MAY CHANGE
You can watch a livestream of the Starlink launches on SpaceX’s X account.
Watch this space for updates!
On June 27, 2024, Falcon 9 launched 23 Starlink satellites into orbit from Florida. Image via SpaceX.
After launch, look for a train of lights
Following every Starlink launch, the internet buzzes with people asking:
What’s that long line of lights in the sky that looks like a train?
What you’re seeing is the Starlink satellites moving into a higher orbit. You can check to see if they will pass over your area using the Find Starlink website.
Growing numbers amid controversy
According to Wikipedia, as of early March 2024, Starlink consists of over 6,000 mass-produced small satellites in low Earth orbit that communicate with designated ground transceivers. They provide internet access to more than 2 million subscribers.
Love ’em or hate ’em, these Starlink satellites are part of SpaceX’s vision for a global internet communication satellite constellation. They deliver high-speed internet service worldwide, mainly to locations where ground-based internet is unreliable, unavailable or expensive. The private company is well-known for launching batches back-to-back, several times a month, regularly lofting up to 60 satellites at a time. And SpaceX plans to build up to perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually.
Most thought it was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.
Because Starlinks are bright, astronomers say they’re photobombing astronomical images. Therefore, they have the potential to interfere with the professional astronomical observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos. And although SpaceX has tried to address the issue, they remain far from what astronomers say is acceptable.
Bottom line: Get a list of all the SpaceX Starlink launches for August 2024 from both the West and East Coasts. Find out how to watch the livestream, and get updates, too.
This diagram presents a cutaway of the donut-shaped Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth. The inner and outer belts (rainbow-hued in this diagram) are ever-present. But the middle belt formed due to May 2024’s big solar storm. Image via NASA.
May’s solar storm created a new ring around Earth
Remember the big solar storm on May 10 and 11, 2024, which sparked a major disruption in Earth’s magnetic field and thereby created widespread auroras? It featured an X2.9 flare on the sun, during a time of high sun activity overall (much like this week). On X (formerly Twitter) on July 31, 2024, @NASASun reported that the big May solar storm also created a new, temporary Van Allen radiation belt. It’s a new ring of charged, high-energy particles encircling Earth.
NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat discovered the new belt, which could last from months to years. The new belt is sandwiched between the already-existing inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts.
Remember the big solar storm in May?
Scientists have just discovered that, in addition to creating spellbinding auroras, the storm also made a new temporary ring of charged, high-energy particles encircling Earth. pic.twitter.com/fzogKWGH8X
Space scientist James Van Allen and his team at the University of Iowa were the first to discover the radiation belts, now also referred to as the Van Allen belts. For some, this scientific discovery was almost a postscript to a crucial space age first: the experiment that discovered the belts flew aboard the very first American satellite, Explorer 1. Explorer 1 launched into Earth’s orbit on a Jupiter C missile from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 31, 1958. It carried a micrometeorite detector and a cosmic ray experiment – a Geiger counter attached to a miniature tape recorder — designed by Van Allen and his graduate students.
Data from Explorer 1 and Explorer 3 (launched March 26, 1958) were used by the Iowa group to detect the existence of charged particle radiation trapped by Earth’s magnetic field — the inner radiation belt. Pioneer 3 (launched 6 December 1958) and Explorer IV (launched July 26, 1958) also carried instruments designed and built by Dr. Van Allen. These spacecraft provided Van Allen additional data that led to the discovery of a second, outer radiation belt encircling the inner belt.
Can we travel through the Van Allen belts?
The Van Allen belts consist of trapped high-energy radiation. They form donut-shape rings around our planet, trapped by our magnetosphere.
There are two ever-present Van Allen radiation belts circling Earth. The inner belt starts about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) up and extends to 8,000 miles (12,800 km). The radiation is a result of interactions of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere. Astronauts who travel to the International Space Station orbit below the inner belt.
But the outer belt extends from about 12,000 to 25,000 miles (19,300 to 40,200 km) above Earth. This ring of radiation is made of trapped particles that came from the sun. So astronauts traveling to the moon and back must travel through both radiation belts, twice, once going outward and once coming back. Some conspiracy theories about the Apollo moon landings claim that the Van Allen radiation belts made it impossible for astronauts to travel to the moon. But the Apollo astronauts had relatively low exposure to radiation from the belts, because they spent only a short flying through them. NASA had determined that a spacecraft could pass through the belts in 52 minutes with only 13 rads of exposure, which was considered safe.
It’s said that James Van Allen him, the scientist for whom the belts are named, wrote a letter confirming that claims of fatal radiation exposure during the Apollo missions were “nonsense.”
So the Van Allen belts do not prevent humans from traveling into space. And, in fact, they help protect Earth from deadly radiation from solar storms and the solar wind that would otherwise reach Earth.
This cutaway view shows the inner and outer Van Allen belts that surround Earth. Astronauts who travel to the moon and beyond must cross the Van Allen belts. They do this safely by doing it quickly! Image via NASA.
When will we next travel through the Van Allen belts?
A human has not encountered any of the Van Allen belts in more than 50 years. The last time was during Apollo 17, in 1972.
But some upcoming missions will bring humans to or through the Van Allen belts. The Polaris Dawn mission hopes to reach the outer edge of the inner Van Allen belt.
And Artemis – the mission that will carry the first humans back the moon – will travel through at least two of the belts, and possibly three depending on how long the new belt persists. The next Artemis test mission – Artemis 2 – will carry a 4-person crew to the moon, to circle around it and return, possibly as soon as September 2025.
About a year later, the Artemis 3 mission will land a crew on the moon, including he first woman and first person of color. Will the new Van Allen belt survive until then?
Bottom line: May’s solar storm added a new ring – a 3rd Van Allen radiation belt – to Earth. This new Van Allen belt might last from months to years. Will it be there when the Artemis 2 mission passes through the Van Allen belts, carrying the first astronauts back to the moon in more than 50 years?
This diagram presents a cutaway of the donut-shaped Van Allen radiation belts surrounding Earth. The inner and outer belts (rainbow-hued in this diagram) are ever-present. But the middle belt formed due to May 2024’s big solar storm. Image via NASA.
May’s solar storm created a new ring around Earth
Remember the big solar storm on May 10 and 11, 2024, which sparked a major disruption in Earth’s magnetic field and thereby created widespread auroras? It featured an X2.9 flare on the sun, during a time of high sun activity overall (much like this week). On X (formerly Twitter) on July 31, 2024, @NASASun reported that the big May solar storm also created a new, temporary Van Allen radiation belt. It’s a new ring of charged, high-energy particles encircling Earth.
NASA’s Colorado Inner Radiation Belt Experiment (CIRBE) CubeSat discovered the new belt, which could last from months to years. The new belt is sandwiched between the already-existing inner and outer Van Allen radiation belts.
Remember the big solar storm in May?
Scientists have just discovered that, in addition to creating spellbinding auroras, the storm also made a new temporary ring of charged, high-energy particles encircling Earth. pic.twitter.com/fzogKWGH8X
Space scientist James Van Allen and his team at the University of Iowa were the first to discover the radiation belts, now also referred to as the Van Allen belts. For some, this scientific discovery was almost a postscript to a crucial space age first: the experiment that discovered the belts flew aboard the very first American satellite, Explorer 1. Explorer 1 launched into Earth’s orbit on a Jupiter C missile from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 31, 1958. It carried a micrometeorite detector and a cosmic ray experiment – a Geiger counter attached to a miniature tape recorder — designed by Van Allen and his graduate students.
Data from Explorer 1 and Explorer 3 (launched March 26, 1958) were used by the Iowa group to detect the existence of charged particle radiation trapped by Earth’s magnetic field — the inner radiation belt. Pioneer 3 (launched 6 December 1958) and Explorer IV (launched July 26, 1958) also carried instruments designed and built by Dr. Van Allen. These spacecraft provided Van Allen additional data that led to the discovery of a second, outer radiation belt encircling the inner belt.
Can we travel through the Van Allen belts?
The Van Allen belts consist of trapped high-energy radiation. They form donut-shape rings around our planet, trapped by our magnetosphere.
There are two ever-present Van Allen radiation belts circling Earth. The inner belt starts about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) up and extends to 8,000 miles (12,800 km). The radiation is a result of interactions of cosmic rays with Earth’s atmosphere. Astronauts who travel to the International Space Station orbit below the inner belt.
But the outer belt extends from about 12,000 to 25,000 miles (19,300 to 40,200 km) above Earth. This ring of radiation is made of trapped particles that came from the sun. So astronauts traveling to the moon and back must travel through both radiation belts, twice, once going outward and once coming back. Some conspiracy theories about the Apollo moon landings claim that the Van Allen radiation belts made it impossible for astronauts to travel to the moon. But the Apollo astronauts had relatively low exposure to radiation from the belts, because they spent only a short flying through them. NASA had determined that a spacecraft could pass through the belts in 52 minutes with only 13 rads of exposure, which was considered safe.
It’s said that James Van Allen him, the scientist for whom the belts are named, wrote a letter confirming that claims of fatal radiation exposure during the Apollo missions were “nonsense.”
So the Van Allen belts do not prevent humans from traveling into space. And, in fact, they help protect Earth from deadly radiation from solar storms and the solar wind that would otherwise reach Earth.
This cutaway view shows the inner and outer Van Allen belts that surround Earth. Astronauts who travel to the moon and beyond must cross the Van Allen belts. They do this safely by doing it quickly! Image via NASA.
When will we next travel through the Van Allen belts?
A human has not encountered any of the Van Allen belts in more than 50 years. The last time was during Apollo 17, in 1972.
But some upcoming missions will bring humans to or through the Van Allen belts. The Polaris Dawn mission hopes to reach the outer edge of the inner Van Allen belt.
And Artemis – the mission that will carry the first humans back the moon – will travel through at least two of the belts, and possibly three depending on how long the new belt persists. The next Artemis test mission – Artemis 2 – will carry a 4-person crew to the moon, to circle around it and return, possibly as soon as September 2025.
About a year later, the Artemis 3 mission will land a crew on the moon, including he first woman and first person of color. Will the new Van Allen belt survive until then?
Bottom line: May’s solar storm added a new ring – a 3rd Van Allen radiation belt – to Earth. This new Van Allen belt might last from months to years. Will it be there when the Artemis 2 mission passes through the Van Allen belts, carrying the first astronauts back to the moon in more than 50 years?
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | EarthSky’s own Raúl Cortés, from Monterrey, Mexico, shared this image from July 30, 2024, and wrote: “It was cloudy, but the moon, Jupiter, Mars, the Pleiades and the Hyades were there just waiting for the clouds to break.” Thank you, Raul!
The last week of July has been a busy place in the eastern, predawn sky! The waning moon has been passing near planets, stars and star clusters in the morning sky. Jupiter is by far the brightest object you will see there, after the moon. The photos have been pouring in to EarthSky Community Photos. Here are some favorites.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Sudhir Sharma from Stormville, New York, shared this image on July 30, 2024, and wrote: “This morning’s partially cloudy skies show waning crescent moon, 25.7% illuminated, Mars on the right and Jupiter and Aldebaran in lower areas.” Thank you! Labels added by EarthSky.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Sweet Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, shared this image from the morning of July 29, 2024, when the moon was poised to begin sweeping past the predawn planets and stars. Steven wrote: “Moon with the [dipper-shaped] Pleiades, Mars, Jupiter and Aldebaran.” Also … see that V-shaped group of stars? That’s the Hyades; it forms the Bull’s face in Taurus. Thank you, Steven!
The moon and the 7 Sisters
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Adeel Shafiq from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, captured the moon and the Pleiades or 7 Sisters on July 30, 2024. Adeel wrote: “Tonight the waning crescent was in the Taurus constellation. The weather was tricky as there were clouds near the eastern horizon. But the moving clouds turned out to be helpful for imaging and created beautiful bands of lights.” Thank you, Adeel!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | As seen by Meiying Lee in Taipei, Taiwan, the moon occulted – or passed in front of – some of the stars of the Pleiades. She created this composite image of views from July 30, 2024, and wrote: “First, Merope entered the bright part of the moon and was occulted at 4:23 in the morning. Next, the Pleiades and the moon slowly approached, and at 5:08 AM, Alcyone also entered the bright part of the moon and was occulted. Unfortunately, it was already bright at this time, and we could no longer observe the phenomenon of them leaving the dark part of the moon.” Thank you, Meiying!
EXTRA: Evening planets
Venus and Mercury are back, too, low in the west after sunset now. Mercury will soon disappear again, but Venus will be visible in the western twilight through the end of this year. It’ll be farthest from the sunset in January 2025. Look for Venus in the bright evening twilight!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Gustavo Wilches-Chaux from Bogota, Colombia, captured this view of the sky on July 29, 2024, and wrote: “Mercury and Regulus in the top. Venus over the tip of the dark cloud in the bottom. This happened at the end of the amazing sunset.” Thank you!
Bottom image: The last week of July has been busy! The moon and Jupiter were surrounded by brigth planets and stars. Did you see them? Also, bonus! Venus is back after sunset! Here’s a gallery of images from the EarthSky Community, assembled just for you.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | EarthSky’s own Raúl Cortés, from Monterrey, Mexico, shared this image from July 30, 2024, and wrote: “It was cloudy, but the moon, Jupiter, Mars, the Pleiades and the Hyades were there just waiting for the clouds to break.” Thank you, Raul!
The last week of July has been a busy place in the eastern, predawn sky! The waning moon has been passing near planets, stars and star clusters in the morning sky. Jupiter is by far the brightest object you will see there, after the moon. The photos have been pouring in to EarthSky Community Photos. Here are some favorites.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Sudhir Sharma from Stormville, New York, shared this image on July 30, 2024, and wrote: “This morning’s partially cloudy skies show waning crescent moon, 25.7% illuminated, Mars on the right and Jupiter and Aldebaran in lower areas.” Thank you! Labels added by EarthSky.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Steven Sweet Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, shared this image from the morning of July 29, 2024, when the moon was poised to begin sweeping past the predawn planets and stars. Steven wrote: “Moon with the [dipper-shaped] Pleiades, Mars, Jupiter and Aldebaran.” Also … see that V-shaped group of stars? That’s the Hyades; it forms the Bull’s face in Taurus. Thank you, Steven!
The moon and the 7 Sisters
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Adeel Shafiq from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, captured the moon and the Pleiades or 7 Sisters on July 30, 2024. Adeel wrote: “Tonight the waning crescent was in the Taurus constellation. The weather was tricky as there were clouds near the eastern horizon. But the moving clouds turned out to be helpful for imaging and created beautiful bands of lights.” Thank you, Adeel!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | As seen by Meiying Lee in Taipei, Taiwan, the moon occulted – or passed in front of – some of the stars of the Pleiades. She created this composite image of views from July 30, 2024, and wrote: “First, Merope entered the bright part of the moon and was occulted at 4:23 in the morning. Next, the Pleiades and the moon slowly approached, and at 5:08 AM, Alcyone also entered the bright part of the moon and was occulted. Unfortunately, it was already bright at this time, and we could no longer observe the phenomenon of them leaving the dark part of the moon.” Thank you, Meiying!
EXTRA: Evening planets
Venus and Mercury are back, too, low in the west after sunset now. Mercury will soon disappear again, but Venus will be visible in the western twilight through the end of this year. It’ll be farthest from the sunset in January 2025. Look for Venus in the bright evening twilight!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Gustavo Wilches-Chaux from Bogota, Colombia, captured this view of the sky on July 29, 2024, and wrote: “Mercury and Regulus in the top. Venus over the tip of the dark cloud in the bottom. This happened at the end of the amazing sunset.” Thank you!
Bottom image: The last week of July has been busy! The moon and Jupiter were surrounded by brigth planets and stars. Did you see them? Also, bonus! Venus is back after sunset! Here’s a gallery of images from the EarthSky Community, assembled just for you.
