What’s that bright star by the moon? It’s not a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! You’ll see the moon and Venus pair closely together on 3 different evenings during the final months of 2024. Look southwest in the early evening hours of October 5, November 4 and December 4. The young waxing crescent moon will glow next to brilliant Venus. Chart by John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
What’s that bright star by the moon?
Anyone with a clear view to the western horizon on the evenings of October 5, November 4 and December 4 may wonder, “What’s that bright star by the moon?” But it isn’t a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! Venus is the brightest planet we see from Earth. The thick clouds on the closest planet to us make it especially reflective and bright. And when it pairs with a young waxing crescent moon, it’s quite the sight!
The moon and Venus are less than 5 degrees apart on October 5, 2024. By November, the closest pairing of the moon and Venus is on the 4th. Once again, they’re less than 5 degrees apart, or the amount of space that your three middle fingers block on the sky’s dome when held at arm’s length.
In the Northern Hemisphere, because we’re headed toward the winter solstice, the sun will be setting earlier each night. So by the time Venus and the moon are close again on December 4, they’ll be up in darkness for a bit longer. You may be able to spot some of the stars of Sagittarius and the shape of the Teapot before they set below the southwestern horizon.
For a precise view from your location, visit Stellarium.
Bottom line: What’s that bright star by the moon? It’s not a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! Venus is the brightest point of light in our night sky, and on three evenings in the fall sky, it pairs with the crescent moon after sunset. Learn more here.
What’s that bright star by the moon? It’s not a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! You’ll see the moon and Venus pair closely together on 3 different evenings during the final months of 2024. Look southwest in the early evening hours of October 5, November 4 and December 4. The young waxing crescent moon will glow next to brilliant Venus. Chart by John Jardine Goss/ EarthSky.
What’s that bright star by the moon?
Anyone with a clear view to the western horizon on the evenings of October 5, November 4 and December 4 may wonder, “What’s that bright star by the moon?” But it isn’t a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! Venus is the brightest planet we see from Earth. The thick clouds on the closest planet to us make it especially reflective and bright. And when it pairs with a young waxing crescent moon, it’s quite the sight!
The moon and Venus are less than 5 degrees apart on October 5, 2024. By November, the closest pairing of the moon and Venus is on the 4th. Once again, they’re less than 5 degrees apart, or the amount of space that your three middle fingers block on the sky’s dome when held at arm’s length.
In the Northern Hemisphere, because we’re headed toward the winter solstice, the sun will be setting earlier each night. So by the time Venus and the moon are close again on December 4, they’ll be up in darkness for a bit longer. You may be able to spot some of the stars of Sagittarius and the shape of the Teapot before they set below the southwestern horizon.
For a precise view from your location, visit Stellarium.
Bottom line: What’s that bright star by the moon? It’s not a star at all. It’s the planet Venus! Venus is the brightest point of light in our night sky, and on three evenings in the fall sky, it pairs with the crescent moon after sunset. Learn more here.
Here’s a view of dwarf planet Ceres in false color. This view makes it easy to see the bright spots on Ceres’ surface. What are these spots? They might be the remnants of a Ceres ocean that erupted onto the little world’s surface. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ UCLA/ MPS/ DLR/ IDA.
Was Ceres a muddy ocean world?
Ceres is the largest object in the main asteroid belt. Scientists now consider it a dwarf planet instead of an asteroid because it has enough mass to be round. On September 25, 2024, scientists from Purdue University and NASA said Ceres’ crust is probably made from 90% ice today. Using data from NASA’s Dawn mission, they found it was likely once a muddy ocean world.
Dawn orbited Ceres in 2016, coming within 233 miles (375 km) of its surface. Ceres looks a bit like Mercury or the far side of our moon, pockmarked with impact craters. Astronomers had long thought that because the dwarf planet is covered in craters, it must not be very icy.
But between the Dawn observations and computer simulations, the team of scientists was able to show that Ceres can maintain its cratered topography while also having an ice-rich crust. The journal Nature Astronomypublished the team’s peer-reviewed findings on September 18, 2024.
The team made their conclusions after running simulations of how Ceres’ crust evolved over billions of years. Mike Sori of Purdue University, one of the authors on the new paper, said:
We think that there’s lots of water-ice near Ceres’ surface, and that it gets gradually less icy as you go deeper and deeper. People used to think that if Ceres was very icy, the craters would deform quickly over time, like glaciers flowing on Earth, or like gooey flowing honey. However, we’ve shown through our simulations that ice can be much stronger in conditions on Ceres than previously predicted if you mix in just a little bit of solid rock.
So it’s not just ice, but dirty ice. And in the past it would have been warmer, forming an ocean, the scientists said. Sori continued:
Our interpretation of all this is that Ceres used to be an ‘ocean world’ like Europa (one of Jupiter’s moons), but with a dirty, muddy ocean. As that muddy ocean froze over time, it created an icy crust with a little bit of rocky material trapped in it.
How they did it
Ian Pamerleau, another author also from Purdue University, explained how they came to their conclusions:
We used multiple observations made with Dawn data as motivation for finding an ice-rich crust that resisted crater relaxation on Ceres. Different surface features (e.g., pits, domes and landslides, etc.) suggest the near subsurface of Ceres contains a lot of ice. Spectrographic data also shows that there should be ice beneath the regolith [crust] on the dwarf planet. And gravity data yields a density value very near that of ice, specifically impure ice. We also took a topographic profile of an actual complex crater on Ceres and used it to construct the geometry for some of our simulations.
Even solids will flow over long timescales, and ice flows more readily than rock. Craters have deep bowls which produce high stresses that then relax to a lower stress state, resulting in a shallower bowl via solid state flow. So the conclusion after NASA’s Dawn mission was that due to the lack of relaxed, shallow craters, the crust could not be that icy.
Our computer simulations account for a new way that ice can flow with only a little bit of non-ice impurities mixed in, which would allow for a very ice-rich crust to barely flow even over billions of years. Therefore, we could get an ice-rich Ceres that still matches the observed lack of crater relaxation. We tested different crustal structures in these simulations and found that a gradational crust with a high ice content near the surface that grades down to lower ice with depth was the best way to limit relaxation of Cerean craters.
How Ceres fits in our solar system
Sori summed up:
To me the exciting part of all this, if we’re right, is that we have a frozen ocean world pretty close to Earth. Ceres may be a valuable point of comparison for the ocean-hosting icy moons of the outer solar system, like Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Ceres, we think, is therefore the most accessible icy world in the universe. That makes it a great target for future spacecraft missions.
Some of the bright features we see at Ceres’ surface are the remnants of Ceres’ muddy ocean, now mostly or entirely frozen, erupted onto the surface. So we have a place to collect samples from the ocean of an ancient ocean world that is not too difficult to send a spacecraft to.
Ceres lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was the first asteroid discovered and the largest object we know of in the asteroid belt. However, it’s now considered a dwarf planet instead of an asteroid. Scientists at Purdue University and NASA said it may once have been a muddy ocean world. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ UCLA/ MPS/ DLR/ IDA/ Justin Cowart/ Wikipedia.
Bottom line: Ceres – a dwarf planet in the main asteroid belt – may once have been a muddy ocean world. That makes it a great target for future spacecraft missions.
Here’s a view of dwarf planet Ceres in false color. This view makes it easy to see the bright spots on Ceres’ surface. What are these spots? They might be the remnants of a Ceres ocean that erupted onto the little world’s surface. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ UCLA/ MPS/ DLR/ IDA.
Was Ceres a muddy ocean world?
Ceres is the largest object in the main asteroid belt. Scientists now consider it a dwarf planet instead of an asteroid because it has enough mass to be round. On September 25, 2024, scientists from Purdue University and NASA said Ceres’ crust is probably made from 90% ice today. Using data from NASA’s Dawn mission, they found it was likely once a muddy ocean world.
Dawn orbited Ceres in 2016, coming within 233 miles (375 km) of its surface. Ceres looks a bit like Mercury or the far side of our moon, pockmarked with impact craters. Astronomers had long thought that because the dwarf planet is covered in craters, it must not be very icy.
But between the Dawn observations and computer simulations, the team of scientists was able to show that Ceres can maintain its cratered topography while also having an ice-rich crust. The journal Nature Astronomypublished the team’s peer-reviewed findings on September 18, 2024.
The team made their conclusions after running simulations of how Ceres’ crust evolved over billions of years. Mike Sori of Purdue University, one of the authors on the new paper, said:
We think that there’s lots of water-ice near Ceres’ surface, and that it gets gradually less icy as you go deeper and deeper. People used to think that if Ceres was very icy, the craters would deform quickly over time, like glaciers flowing on Earth, or like gooey flowing honey. However, we’ve shown through our simulations that ice can be much stronger in conditions on Ceres than previously predicted if you mix in just a little bit of solid rock.
So it’s not just ice, but dirty ice. And in the past it would have been warmer, forming an ocean, the scientists said. Sori continued:
Our interpretation of all this is that Ceres used to be an ‘ocean world’ like Europa (one of Jupiter’s moons), but with a dirty, muddy ocean. As that muddy ocean froze over time, it created an icy crust with a little bit of rocky material trapped in it.
How they did it
Ian Pamerleau, another author also from Purdue University, explained how they came to their conclusions:
We used multiple observations made with Dawn data as motivation for finding an ice-rich crust that resisted crater relaxation on Ceres. Different surface features (e.g., pits, domes and landslides, etc.) suggest the near subsurface of Ceres contains a lot of ice. Spectrographic data also shows that there should be ice beneath the regolith [crust] on the dwarf planet. And gravity data yields a density value very near that of ice, specifically impure ice. We also took a topographic profile of an actual complex crater on Ceres and used it to construct the geometry for some of our simulations.
Even solids will flow over long timescales, and ice flows more readily than rock. Craters have deep bowls which produce high stresses that then relax to a lower stress state, resulting in a shallower bowl via solid state flow. So the conclusion after NASA’s Dawn mission was that due to the lack of relaxed, shallow craters, the crust could not be that icy.
Our computer simulations account for a new way that ice can flow with only a little bit of non-ice impurities mixed in, which would allow for a very ice-rich crust to barely flow even over billions of years. Therefore, we could get an ice-rich Ceres that still matches the observed lack of crater relaxation. We tested different crustal structures in these simulations and found that a gradational crust with a high ice content near the surface that grades down to lower ice with depth was the best way to limit relaxation of Cerean craters.
How Ceres fits in our solar system
Sori summed up:
To me the exciting part of all this, if we’re right, is that we have a frozen ocean world pretty close to Earth. Ceres may be a valuable point of comparison for the ocean-hosting icy moons of the outer solar system, like Jupiter’s moon Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Ceres, we think, is therefore the most accessible icy world in the universe. That makes it a great target for future spacecraft missions.
Some of the bright features we see at Ceres’ surface are the remnants of Ceres’ muddy ocean, now mostly or entirely frozen, erupted onto the surface. So we have a place to collect samples from the ocean of an ancient ocean world that is not too difficult to send a spacecraft to.
Ceres lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. It was the first asteroid discovered and the largest object we know of in the asteroid belt. However, it’s now considered a dwarf planet instead of an asteroid. Scientists at Purdue University and NASA said it may once have been a muddy ocean world. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ UCLA/ MPS/ DLR/ IDA/ Justin Cowart/ Wikipedia.
Bottom line: Ceres – a dwarf planet in the main asteroid belt – may once have been a muddy ocean world. That makes it a great target for future spacecraft missions.
Here’s an easy way to use the prominent M or W shape of Cassiopeia to locate the Double Cluster in Perseus.
Double Cluster in Perseus
The Double Cluster in Perseus consists of two open star clusters near each other on the sky’s dome. Amateur astronomers know them as h Persei and chi Persei. The two clusters reside in the northern part of the constellation Perseus, quite close to the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. If you have a dark sky and find Cassiopeia – which is easy, because the constellation has a distinctive M or W shape – be sure to look for Perseus, too. Then just scan between the two constellations with your binoculars for two glittering groups of stars. The Double Cluster – a breathtaking pair of open clusters, each containing supergiant suns – will be there.
These two star clusters are located about 7,500 light-years away. It’s amazing that we can see these stars at all across this great span of space. Plus, we know they must be bright stars, intrinsically, or we wouldn’t be able to see them. Each cluster contains a few hundred stars, and, indeed, these stars are young, hot supergiant suns that are many thousands of times more luminous than our sun.
Astronomers tell us that the Double Cluster lies within the Perseus arm of the Milky Way galaxy. However, our solar system resides in the inner part of the Orion arm. Therefore, looking at the Double Cluster, we are looking through our local spiral arm and all the way to the next spiral arm outward from the galactic center.
How to find the Double Cluster in Perseus
To locate the Double Cluster, find the W- or M-shaped constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. If your sky is dark enough, you will be able to see the graceful pattern of Perseus the Hero nearby. Then scan between them with binoculars to find the Double Cluster.
The Perseus Double Cluster is located between Cassiopeia and Perseus. Scan the area between them with binoculars and you’ll find the 2 glittering star clusters. Image via Stellarium.org. Used with permission.
Starting at mid-northern latitudes, the Double Cluster is circumpolar, so it’s above the horizon every night of the year at any hour of the night. If you are farther south (but still in the Northern Hemisphere), try looking for the Double Cluster on any clear autumn or winter night.
But remember, the Double Cluster is harder to see when it’s close to the horizon. If you can’t spot it between Cassiopeia and Perseus, wait until later at night. Or look later in the year, when it’s higher in the sky.
For general reference, the Double Cluster is high in the sky when the Big Dipper is low, and vice versa. Because the Big Dipper is lowest in the northern sky on late autumn and early winter evenings, the Double Cluster is highest in the northern sky at these times. As a matter of fact, the Double Cluster is pretty much always visible in the evening except in late spring and summer.
The Double Cluster in Perseus is visible to the unaided eye
The Double Cluster rates among the most magnificent deep-sky objects not to be included in the famous Messier catalog. Of course, Charles Messier (1730-1817) was looking for deep-sky objects that could be mistaken for comets. Maybe he thought nobody would see this pair of glittery clusters as a comet in the sky.
Although considered a deep-sky jewel, the Double Cluster is visible to the unaided eye in a dark country sky.
If you zoom in on them with binoculars or a wide view telescope, you’ll see them as two glorious star clusters. Also they’re an easy target through a telescope and will wow your friends!
The position of h Persei is Right Ascension: 2h 19m; Declination: 57o 9′ north
The position of chi Persei is Right Ascension: 2h 22.4m; Declination: 57o 7′ north
The Double Cluster from our EarthSky Community
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness in Newport Oregon, captured this telescopic view of the Double Cluster in the constellation Perseus on November 24, 2023. Jeremy wrote: “The Double Cluster is the beautiful pair of NGC 869 (h Persei) and NGC 884 (chi Persei), containing over 300 blue-white supergiants and a scattering of red supergiants. The cluster is also blue-shifted as it inches its way 24 miles [39 km] closer to earth every second. It is visible to the unaided eye and lurks near the distinct ‘W’ of Cassiopeia.” Thank you, Jeremy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured this telescopic view of the Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869 and NGC 884) on September 18, 2023. Mario explained this could be his favorite deep-sky object. Thank you, Mario!
Bottom line: On any autumn or winter evening, scan between Cassiopeia and Perseus for the magnificent Double Cluster in Perseus. The stars in these two clusters are young, hot supergiant suns that are many thousands of times more luminous than our sun.
Here’s an easy way to use the prominent M or W shape of Cassiopeia to locate the Double Cluster in Perseus.
Double Cluster in Perseus
The Double Cluster in Perseus consists of two open star clusters near each other on the sky’s dome. Amateur astronomers know them as h Persei and chi Persei. The two clusters reside in the northern part of the constellation Perseus, quite close to the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. If you have a dark sky and find Cassiopeia – which is easy, because the constellation has a distinctive M or W shape – be sure to look for Perseus, too. Then just scan between the two constellations with your binoculars for two glittering groups of stars. The Double Cluster – a breathtaking pair of open clusters, each containing supergiant suns – will be there.
These two star clusters are located about 7,500 light-years away. It’s amazing that we can see these stars at all across this great span of space. Plus, we know they must be bright stars, intrinsically, or we wouldn’t be able to see them. Each cluster contains a few hundred stars, and, indeed, these stars are young, hot supergiant suns that are many thousands of times more luminous than our sun.
Astronomers tell us that the Double Cluster lies within the Perseus arm of the Milky Way galaxy. However, our solar system resides in the inner part of the Orion arm. Therefore, looking at the Double Cluster, we are looking through our local spiral arm and all the way to the next spiral arm outward from the galactic center.
How to find the Double Cluster in Perseus
To locate the Double Cluster, find the W- or M-shaped constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. If your sky is dark enough, you will be able to see the graceful pattern of Perseus the Hero nearby. Then scan between them with binoculars to find the Double Cluster.
The Perseus Double Cluster is located between Cassiopeia and Perseus. Scan the area between them with binoculars and you’ll find the 2 glittering star clusters. Image via Stellarium.org. Used with permission.
Starting at mid-northern latitudes, the Double Cluster is circumpolar, so it’s above the horizon every night of the year at any hour of the night. If you are farther south (but still in the Northern Hemisphere), try looking for the Double Cluster on any clear autumn or winter night.
But remember, the Double Cluster is harder to see when it’s close to the horizon. If you can’t spot it between Cassiopeia and Perseus, wait until later at night. Or look later in the year, when it’s higher in the sky.
For general reference, the Double Cluster is high in the sky when the Big Dipper is low, and vice versa. Because the Big Dipper is lowest in the northern sky on late autumn and early winter evenings, the Double Cluster is highest in the northern sky at these times. As a matter of fact, the Double Cluster is pretty much always visible in the evening except in late spring and summer.
The Double Cluster in Perseus is visible to the unaided eye
The Double Cluster rates among the most magnificent deep-sky objects not to be included in the famous Messier catalog. Of course, Charles Messier (1730-1817) was looking for deep-sky objects that could be mistaken for comets. Maybe he thought nobody would see this pair of glittery clusters as a comet in the sky.
Although considered a deep-sky jewel, the Double Cluster is visible to the unaided eye in a dark country sky.
If you zoom in on them with binoculars or a wide view telescope, you’ll see them as two glorious star clusters. Also they’re an easy target through a telescope and will wow your friends!
The position of h Persei is Right Ascension: 2h 19m; Declination: 57o 9′ north
The position of chi Persei is Right Ascension: 2h 22.4m; Declination: 57o 7′ north
The Double Cluster from our EarthSky Community
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jeremy Likness in Newport Oregon, captured this telescopic view of the Double Cluster in the constellation Perseus on November 24, 2023. Jeremy wrote: “The Double Cluster is the beautiful pair of NGC 869 (h Persei) and NGC 884 (chi Persei), containing over 300 blue-white supergiants and a scattering of red supergiants. The cluster is also blue-shifted as it inches its way 24 miles [39 km] closer to earth every second. It is visible to the unaided eye and lurks near the distinct ‘W’ of Cassiopeia.” Thank you, Jeremy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured this telescopic view of the Double Cluster in Perseus (NGC 869 and NGC 884) on September 18, 2023. Mario explained this could be his favorite deep-sky object. Thank you, Mario!
Bottom line: On any autumn or winter evening, scan between Cassiopeia and Perseus for the magnificent Double Cluster in Perseus. The stars in these two clusters are young, hot supergiant suns that are many thousands of times more luminous than our sun.
Video of a northern sea robin “walking” on a sandy lab tank floor. Northern sea robins have sensory organs on their legs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Video via Anik Grearson/ ScienceX/ Phys.org/ YouTube.
Sea robins use leg-like extensions in their pectoral fins to “walk” on the seafloor.
The northern sea robin’s legs have taste receptors that guide them in finding and digging prey buried in the sand.
Not all sea robin species have specialized legs. In fact, many lack taste-sensing structures and do not exhibit the same digging behavior as the northern sea robin.
Sea robins are a type of fish with an unusual form of locomotion: they can “walk” on the seafloor. They use three leg-like extensions in front of each pectoral fin to scurry across the surface. Now, scientists say they have have discovered that one sea robin species, the northern sea robin, (Prionotus carolinus), has “legs” with sensory organs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Moreover, it can also dig into sand to catch shallowly buried food like mussels and worms.
The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in the journal Current Biology on September 26, 2024.
Nicholas Bellono of Harvard University is a paper co-author. He said in a statement published in EurekAlert!:
This is a fish that grew legs using the same genes that contribute to the development of our limbs and then repurposed these legs to find prey using the same genes our tongues use to taste food. Pretty wild.
Studying the sea robin more closely in a lab
Sea robins first piqued the scientists’ interest when they observed the fish in a tank during a visit to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. They learned that other fish followed sea robins around to take advantage of their ability to dig up prey hidden under the sand.
Intrigued, the researchers obtained some northern sea robins for further study in their laboratory. They confirmed these fish did indeed have a talent for detecting and digging up buried prey like shellfish. And in fact, they did so without any visual cues that the prey were hidden under the sand. The fish were even able to detect capsules filled with ground mussels and amino acids.
How did these fish do it? It turns out that northern sea robins have legs covered in papillae, or tiny projections. Those papillae have touch-sensitive nerve bundles and taste receptors that guide the fish in detecting and digging for buried prey.
In this image of the northern sea robin, 3 “legs” are visible on both side of the fish. Northern sea robins have sensory organs on their legs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Image via Anik Grearson/ The Harvard Gazette.
Not all sea robins taste with their legs
While studying sea robins in the lab, the scientists inadvertently received a similar-looking but different sea robin species from their original subjects. The striped searobin (Prionotus evolans) also has legs. But, the researchers noticed, it did not have the same digging behavior as the northern sea robin. In addition, the striped sea robin can’t find prey buried in the sand.
The striped sea robin, it turns out, does not have the same leg features as the northern sea robin. Rather, its legs are shaped like rods and don’t have taste-sensing papillae. The northern sea robins, in contrast, have shovel-shaped lower legs covered in papillae with taste receptors.
To investigate further, the scientists examined other sea robin species around the world. They found only a few species have leg papillae, and those were closely related to the northern sea robin. Indeed, many other species have simpler stick-like legs, similar to the striped sea robin.
With this in mind, the researchers suggested that sea robins first evolved leg features in their pectoral fins for locomotion. And those leg-like extensions started as stick-shaped structures. However, northern sea robins and several related species subsequently evolved a significant new capability: taste-sensing papillae on their legs. This enabled them to become more efficient hunters in their environment.
David Kingsley of Stanford University, a paper co-author, said:
We were originally struck by the legs that are shared by all sea robins and make them different from most other fish. We were surprised to see how much sea robins differ from each other in sensory structures found on the legs. The system thus displays multiple levels of evolutionary innovation from differences between sea robins and most other fish, differences between sea robin species, and differences in everything from structure and sensory organs to behavior.
A bit more about sea robins
Overall, there are about 125 species of sea robins found in tropical and temperate seas across the globe. They are primarily bottom-feeding fish, preying on mollusks and crustaceans. As mentioned before, they have three leg-like structures that are part of each pectoral fin, enabling the fish to “walk” on the seafloor.
The fish featured in this study – the northern sea robin – lives in coastal western Atlantic waters from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys. They can grow as large as 17 inches (43 cm) in length. Northern sea robins prefer sandy-bottomed seafloors, where they dig for shallowly buried prey such as mussels, crabs and worms.
A cool video of a northern sea robin “walking” on the seafloor. Video via Fish Guy Photos/ YouTube.
Bottom line: The northern sea robin has pectoral fins with three leg-like extensions. These legs have sensory organs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey.
Video of a northern sea robin “walking” on a sandy lab tank floor. Northern sea robins have sensory organs on their legs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Video via Anik Grearson/ ScienceX/ Phys.org/ YouTube.
Sea robins use leg-like extensions in their pectoral fins to “walk” on the seafloor.
The northern sea robin’s legs have taste receptors that guide them in finding and digging prey buried in the sand.
Not all sea robin species have specialized legs. In fact, many lack taste-sensing structures and do not exhibit the same digging behavior as the northern sea robin.
Sea robins are a type of fish with an unusual form of locomotion: they can “walk” on the seafloor. They use three leg-like extensions in front of each pectoral fin to scurry across the surface. Now, scientists say they have have discovered that one sea robin species, the northern sea robin, (Prionotus carolinus), has “legs” with sensory organs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Moreover, it can also dig into sand to catch shallowly buried food like mussels and worms.
The researchers published their peer-reviewed findings in the journal Current Biology on September 26, 2024.
Nicholas Bellono of Harvard University is a paper co-author. He said in a statement published in EurekAlert!:
This is a fish that grew legs using the same genes that contribute to the development of our limbs and then repurposed these legs to find prey using the same genes our tongues use to taste food. Pretty wild.
Studying the sea robin more closely in a lab
Sea robins first piqued the scientists’ interest when they observed the fish in a tank during a visit to the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. They learned that other fish followed sea robins around to take advantage of their ability to dig up prey hidden under the sand.
Intrigued, the researchers obtained some northern sea robins for further study in their laboratory. They confirmed these fish did indeed have a talent for detecting and digging up buried prey like shellfish. And in fact, they did so without any visual cues that the prey were hidden under the sand. The fish were even able to detect capsules filled with ground mussels and amino acids.
How did these fish do it? It turns out that northern sea robins have legs covered in papillae, or tiny projections. Those papillae have touch-sensitive nerve bundles and taste receptors that guide the fish in detecting and digging for buried prey.
In this image of the northern sea robin, 3 “legs” are visible on both side of the fish. Northern sea robins have sensory organs on their legs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey. Image via Anik Grearson/ The Harvard Gazette.
Not all sea robins taste with their legs
While studying sea robins in the lab, the scientists inadvertently received a similar-looking but different sea robin species from their original subjects. The striped searobin (Prionotus evolans) also has legs. But, the researchers noticed, it did not have the same digging behavior as the northern sea robin. In addition, the striped sea robin can’t find prey buried in the sand.
The striped sea robin, it turns out, does not have the same leg features as the northern sea robin. Rather, its legs are shaped like rods and don’t have taste-sensing papillae. The northern sea robins, in contrast, have shovel-shaped lower legs covered in papillae with taste receptors.
To investigate further, the scientists examined other sea robin species around the world. They found only a few species have leg papillae, and those were closely related to the northern sea robin. Indeed, many other species have simpler stick-like legs, similar to the striped sea robin.
With this in mind, the researchers suggested that sea robins first evolved leg features in their pectoral fins for locomotion. And those leg-like extensions started as stick-shaped structures. However, northern sea robins and several related species subsequently evolved a significant new capability: taste-sensing papillae on their legs. This enabled them to become more efficient hunters in their environment.
David Kingsley of Stanford University, a paper co-author, said:
We were originally struck by the legs that are shared by all sea robins and make them different from most other fish. We were surprised to see how much sea robins differ from each other in sensory structures found on the legs. The system thus displays multiple levels of evolutionary innovation from differences between sea robins and most other fish, differences between sea robin species, and differences in everything from structure and sensory organs to behavior.
A bit more about sea robins
Overall, there are about 125 species of sea robins found in tropical and temperate seas across the globe. They are primarily bottom-feeding fish, preying on mollusks and crustaceans. As mentioned before, they have three leg-like structures that are part of each pectoral fin, enabling the fish to “walk” on the seafloor.
The fish featured in this study – the northern sea robin – lives in coastal western Atlantic waters from Nova Scotia to the Florida Keys. They can grow as large as 17 inches (43 cm) in length. Northern sea robins prefer sandy-bottomed seafloors, where they dig for shallowly buried prey such as mussels, crabs and worms.
A cool video of a northern sea robin “walking” on the seafloor. Video via Fish Guy Photos/ YouTube.
Bottom line: The northern sea robin has pectoral fins with three leg-like extensions. These legs have sensory organs that can taste the seafloor to detect buried prey.
The bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer is our #1 choice for flashiest star on October evenings. That’s because Capella is bright, at magnitude 0.24. And it’s low in the northeastern sky in the evening at this time of year from the Northern Hemisphere. To be sure you’ve found the flashing star Capella, look for a little triangle of stars nearby. Capella is sometimes called the Goat Star, and this little asterism is called The Kids.
Northern Hemisphere autumn – around the month of October – is when people most often ask us:
What is that bright star twinkling with red and green flashes?
There are three bright stars you might notice flashing or twinkling fiercely on an October night. You might notice glints of color from all of these stars. They are: Capella in Auriga, Arcturus in Boötes and Sirius in Canis Major.
Capella is bright. It shines at magnitude 0.24, making it the 6th-brightest star in Earth’s sky, not including our sun. And it’s low in the sky, in the northeast direction, at nightfall or early evening as seen from mid-northern locations at this time of year. Just step outside this evening and look northeast. See a flashy star? It’s probably Capella.
If you could travel to this star in space, you’d find that Capella is really two golden suns, both with roughly the same surface temperature as our sun, but both larger and brighter than our sun. Capella is the brightest star in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer. But since antiquity it’s carried the name Goat Star. You might pick it out just by gazing northeastward from a Northern Hemisphere latitude during the evening hours in October. To be sure you’ve found Capella, look for a little triangle of stars nearby, an asterism called The Kids.
Why do stars flash colors?
The reality is that every star in the sky undergoes the same process as Capella to produce its colorful twinkling. That is, every star’s light must shine through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching our eyes. But not every star flashes as noticeably as Capella. The flashes happen because Capella is low in the sky in the evening at this time of year. And, when you look at an object low in the sky, you’re looking through more atmosphere than when the same object is overhead. The atmosphere splits or “refracts” the star’s light, just as a prism splits sunlight.
So that’s the source of Capella’s red and green flashes. Just know that they’re not from the star itself. The refraction of its light in Earth’s atmosphere causes them. When you see Capella higher in the sky, you’ll find that these glints of red and green will disappear. Why are these flashes of color so noticeable with Capella? The reason is simply that it’s a bright star.
Now here’s another bright flashy star you might notice in October:
Look northwest soon after sunset in October to find the star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes. Also nearby is the Big Dipper asterism. The curve in the Dipper’s handle always points to Arcturus, one of autumn’s 3 flashiest stars. Just be sure to look soon after nightfall. Unlike Capella, which ascends in the northeastern sky throughout the evening, Arcturus sets shortly after sunset.
Arcturus is a flashing star, too
Arcturus is in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. It’s an orange-colored star, in the northwest (from northerly latitudes) in the evening in October. You can always tell you’ve found Arcturus if you notice the Big Dipper nearby. The arc of the Big Dipper’s handle can be extended outward to Arcturus. See the chart above.
Arcturus is about the same brightness as Capella, but it’s not as noticeable for one big reason. On October evenings, Capella is ascending in the sky. Arcturus is descending. So Capella shines most of the night, while Arcturus sets not long after the sun.
And finally, our nomination for third flashiest star of October is …
Look southward before dawn to see the star Sirius in October. At this time of year, we get many, many questions about a multicolored star twinkling in the southeastern to southern sky after midnight. This star typically turns out to be Sirius, which is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog and is sometimes called the Dog Star. Notice that a line from Orion’s Belt points to Sirius.
Sirius is famous for its twinkling
Sirius in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog is the brightest star in the night sky. And this star is famous for twinkling in different colors. Sirius is now in the south before dawn, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere (higher in the sky before dawn for the Southern Hemisphere).
For example, Paula wrote in October:
This morning two of us got up early. We found a pulsing star straight down the sky below Orion’s Belt. It was pulsing the colors of green, yellow, blue and red like a strobe light. I will search for it every morning as it was so enchanting.
Questions about a flashing star
We get many, many questions every autumn about a multicolored star twinkling in the southeastern to southern sky after midnight. Sirius appears to flash different colors when it’s low in the sky. Really, all the stars are flashing different colors, because light is composed of all the colors of a rainbow, and the journey through our atmosphere breaks starlight into its component colors via refraction. But you don’t notice the colors of the other stars much, because they’re not as bright as Sirius (or Capella or Arcturus).
Since our atmosphere is causing the light to break into its colors, and since Sirius is often seen low in the sky now (where you are peering at it through a thicker layer of atmosphere than when it’s overhead), the flashing colors of Sirius are very obvious. When Sirius is higher in the sky – which it is close to dawn in the month of October – or in the evening sky in January and February – you’ll find that Sirius shines with a steadier, whiter light.
Want a specific view from your location on the globe? Visit Stellarium and enter your location.
Bottom line: We get many questions about bright, colorful, twinkling stars on these October nights. There are three stars we hear about most often: Capella, Arcturus and Sirius.
The bright star Capella in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer is our #1 choice for flashiest star on October evenings. That’s because Capella is bright, at magnitude 0.24. And it’s low in the northeastern sky in the evening at this time of year from the Northern Hemisphere. To be sure you’ve found the flashing star Capella, look for a little triangle of stars nearby. Capella is sometimes called the Goat Star, and this little asterism is called The Kids.
Northern Hemisphere autumn – around the month of October – is when people most often ask us:
What is that bright star twinkling with red and green flashes?
There are three bright stars you might notice flashing or twinkling fiercely on an October night. You might notice glints of color from all of these stars. They are: Capella in Auriga, Arcturus in Boötes and Sirius in Canis Major.
Capella is bright. It shines at magnitude 0.24, making it the 6th-brightest star in Earth’s sky, not including our sun. And it’s low in the sky, in the northeast direction, at nightfall or early evening as seen from mid-northern locations at this time of year. Just step outside this evening and look northeast. See a flashy star? It’s probably Capella.
If you could travel to this star in space, you’d find that Capella is really two golden suns, both with roughly the same surface temperature as our sun, but both larger and brighter than our sun. Capella is the brightest star in the constellation Auriga the Charioteer. But since antiquity it’s carried the name Goat Star. You might pick it out just by gazing northeastward from a Northern Hemisphere latitude during the evening hours in October. To be sure you’ve found Capella, look for a little triangle of stars nearby, an asterism called The Kids.
Why do stars flash colors?
The reality is that every star in the sky undergoes the same process as Capella to produce its colorful twinkling. That is, every star’s light must shine through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching our eyes. But not every star flashes as noticeably as Capella. The flashes happen because Capella is low in the sky in the evening at this time of year. And, when you look at an object low in the sky, you’re looking through more atmosphere than when the same object is overhead. The atmosphere splits or “refracts” the star’s light, just as a prism splits sunlight.
So that’s the source of Capella’s red and green flashes. Just know that they’re not from the star itself. The refraction of its light in Earth’s atmosphere causes them. When you see Capella higher in the sky, you’ll find that these glints of red and green will disappear. Why are these flashes of color so noticeable with Capella? The reason is simply that it’s a bright star.
Now here’s another bright flashy star you might notice in October:
Look northwest soon after sunset in October to find the star Arcturus in the constellation Boötes. Also nearby is the Big Dipper asterism. The curve in the Dipper’s handle always points to Arcturus, one of autumn’s 3 flashiest stars. Just be sure to look soon after nightfall. Unlike Capella, which ascends in the northeastern sky throughout the evening, Arcturus sets shortly after sunset.
Arcturus is a flashing star, too
Arcturus is in the constellation Boötes the Herdsman. It’s an orange-colored star, in the northwest (from northerly latitudes) in the evening in October. You can always tell you’ve found Arcturus if you notice the Big Dipper nearby. The arc of the Big Dipper’s handle can be extended outward to Arcturus. See the chart above.
Arcturus is about the same brightness as Capella, but it’s not as noticeable for one big reason. On October evenings, Capella is ascending in the sky. Arcturus is descending. So Capella shines most of the night, while Arcturus sets not long after the sun.
And finally, our nomination for third flashiest star of October is …
Look southward before dawn to see the star Sirius in October. At this time of year, we get many, many questions about a multicolored star twinkling in the southeastern to southern sky after midnight. This star typically turns out to be Sirius, which is in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog and is sometimes called the Dog Star. Notice that a line from Orion’s Belt points to Sirius.
Sirius is famous for its twinkling
Sirius in the constellation Canis Major the Greater Dog is the brightest star in the night sky. And this star is famous for twinkling in different colors. Sirius is now in the south before dawn, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere (higher in the sky before dawn for the Southern Hemisphere).
For example, Paula wrote in October:
This morning two of us got up early. We found a pulsing star straight down the sky below Orion’s Belt. It was pulsing the colors of green, yellow, blue and red like a strobe light. I will search for it every morning as it was so enchanting.
Questions about a flashing star
We get many, many questions every autumn about a multicolored star twinkling in the southeastern to southern sky after midnight. Sirius appears to flash different colors when it’s low in the sky. Really, all the stars are flashing different colors, because light is composed of all the colors of a rainbow, and the journey through our atmosphere breaks starlight into its component colors via refraction. But you don’t notice the colors of the other stars much, because they’re not as bright as Sirius (or Capella or Arcturus).
Since our atmosphere is causing the light to break into its colors, and since Sirius is often seen low in the sky now (where you are peering at it through a thicker layer of atmosphere than when it’s overhead), the flashing colors of Sirius are very obvious. When Sirius is higher in the sky – which it is close to dawn in the month of October – or in the evening sky in January and February – you’ll find that Sirius shines with a steadier, whiter light.
Want a specific view from your location on the globe? Visit Stellarium and enter your location.
Bottom line: We get many questions about bright, colorful, twinkling stars on these October nights. There are three stars we hear about most often: Capella, Arcturus and Sirius.
The GOES-19 satellite achieved first light on October 1, 2024. Here’s a look at Earth from the satellite’s vantage point. Image via CSU/ CIRA/ NOAA.
Earth-observing satellite GOES-19 achieves first light
The GOES-19 satellite launched from Cape Canaveral on June 25, 2024. The satellite is still in its beta phase, so GOES-19 data is preliminary and non-operational. But it has achieved first light and the views of our planet are stunning.
This is the 4th and final satellite in the GOES series, which monitors Earth’s environment. These satellites map weather on Earth, like lightning or hurricanes, and weather in space. NOAA explained:
GOES-19 orbits 22,236 miles above the equator at the same speed the Earth rotates. This allows the satellite to constantly view the same area of the planet and track weather conditions and hazards as they happen.
Looking at Earth in multicolor
The main instrument aboard GOES-19 is the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). It looks at Earth in different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. This range can provide a more in-depth view of Earth’s systems in the atmosphere, on land and in the ocean.
Scientists will use the data for weather forecasts and other hazards such as dust storms, volcanic eruptions, wildfire smoke and more.
Here’s a view of the U.S. from GOES-19’s 16 ABI channels. This view is from August 30, 2024. It includes 2 visible, 4 near-infrared and 10 infrared (in color, above) channels. Image via CSU/ CIRA/ NOAA.
A look at the capabilities of GOES-19
3, 2, 1, blastoff last June!
EarthSky photographer and friend Greg Diesel-Walck was on hand at Cape Canaveral in Florida in June when the GOES satellite – then called GOES-U – went to space.
GOES-U, the 4th and final member of NOAA’s GOES-R series of Earth- and spaceweather-observing craft, lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It's designed to provide data on earthly weather and climate, plus solar data. Read more: https://t.co/dVTIcoTvEg
? Greg Diesel Walck pic.twitter.com/9mmeF99hWc
— Greg Diesel Walck (@GregDieselPhoto) June 26, 2024
Bottom line: The GOES-19 satellite has achieved first light and now is in beta mode. This Earth-observing satellite is already sending back stunning views of our home planet.
The GOES-19 satellite achieved first light on October 1, 2024. Here’s a look at Earth from the satellite’s vantage point. Image via CSU/ CIRA/ NOAA.
Earth-observing satellite GOES-19 achieves first light
The GOES-19 satellite launched from Cape Canaveral on June 25, 2024. The satellite is still in its beta phase, so GOES-19 data is preliminary and non-operational. But it has achieved first light and the views of our planet are stunning.
This is the 4th and final satellite in the GOES series, which monitors Earth’s environment. These satellites map weather on Earth, like lightning or hurricanes, and weather in space. NOAA explained:
GOES-19 orbits 22,236 miles above the equator at the same speed the Earth rotates. This allows the satellite to constantly view the same area of the planet and track weather conditions and hazards as they happen.
Looking at Earth in multicolor
The main instrument aboard GOES-19 is the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI). It looks at Earth in different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. This range can provide a more in-depth view of Earth’s systems in the atmosphere, on land and in the ocean.
Scientists will use the data for weather forecasts and other hazards such as dust storms, volcanic eruptions, wildfire smoke and more.
Here’s a view of the U.S. from GOES-19’s 16 ABI channels. This view is from August 30, 2024. It includes 2 visible, 4 near-infrared and 10 infrared (in color, above) channels. Image via CSU/ CIRA/ NOAA.
A look at the capabilities of GOES-19
3, 2, 1, blastoff last June!
EarthSky photographer and friend Greg Diesel-Walck was on hand at Cape Canaveral in Florida in June when the GOES satellite – then called GOES-U – went to space.
GOES-U, the 4th and final member of NOAA’s GOES-R series of Earth- and spaceweather-observing craft, lifted off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It's designed to provide data on earthly weather and climate, plus solar data. Read more: https://t.co/dVTIcoTvEg
? Greg Diesel Walck pic.twitter.com/9mmeF99hWc
— Greg Diesel Walck (@GregDieselPhoto) June 26, 2024
Bottom line: The GOES-19 satellite has achieved first light and now is in beta mode. This Earth-observing satellite is already sending back stunning views of our home planet.
View larger. | Enhanced image of the “zebra rock” on Mars. NASA’s Perseverance rover took this photo on September 13, 2024. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU/ Kevin M. Gill/ Flickr.
The “zebra rock” is the latest of the unusual rocks on Mars, found by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rock has distinct dark and light stripes similar to those on zebras. It is all by itself, with no similar rocks nearby.
Scientists said the zebra rock might be volcanic in origin, formed from magma or by other processes involving heat and pressure below the surface. It may have rolled down the crater rim to its current location.
Perseverance also discovered a new Mars “face.” It’s a rock formation that looks like a face lying on its side.
A couple of weeks ago, NASA’s Perseverance rover came across an interesting rock. It was reminiscent of the coat of a zebra, with alternating black-and-white stripes. None of the rovers or previous landers had seen a rock quite like it before. Also, it was sitting all by itself, with no other similar rocks in the vicinity. How did it form, and how did it get there? NASA discussed the intriguing discovery in a new update on September 23, 2024.
Perseverance was traveling along a relatively flat stretch of pebbly terrain as it was beginning its ascent up the rim of Jezero crater. And that’s when it spotted the “zebra rock.” Even from a distance it looked unusual in the lower-resolution Navcam cameras. The mission team nicknamed it Freya Castle.
The rover moved closer and used its Mastcam-Z camera to get a better look. The black-and-white stripes were then easier to see. The rock itself was basically oval-shaped and about 1/2 foot, or 20 cm, long.
View larger. | Original image from the Perseverance rover showing the ‘zebra rock.’ Perseverance took this photo with its left Mastcam-Z camera on September 13, 2024. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.
What is it?
Of course, as soon as the images were released, people began speculating about the striped rock. What was it? How did it get there? As NASA noted:
The internet immediately lit up with speculation about what this “zebra rock” might be, and we’ve enjoyed reading your theories!
The rover only did some general observations of the rock before it had to move on. But it did find some intriguing hints. The science team thinks that igneous and/or metamorphic processes likely formed the rock. Indeed, other speculation suggested it might be a gneiss, a type of metamorphic rock with similar kinds of stripes. Igneous rocks form when molten rock, magma or lava, cools and then solidifies. Metamorphic rocks form when heat, pressure or reactive fluids (such as hot, mineral-laden water) change existing rocks.
But why is Freya Castle all by itself? NASA said it likely originated from somewhere else and was somehow deposited at its current location. It may have rolled downhill from higher up on the crater rim. With that in mind, the science team is hoping that Perseverance may find more rocks like it as it continues to climb higher up the crater rim.
View larger. | The Perseverance rover found this rock – nicknamed Cheyava Falls – on Mars in July 2024. The “leopard spots” are the small irregular whitish spots with black edges. NASA said they may be evidence for microbial life on Mars billions of years ago. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.
The new Mars face and other curious rocks
This is just the latest unusual rock that Perseverance has come across in its travels. Last July, the rover found a rock with weird leopard spots on it. The rock is in an old riverbed that cuts through the crater rim. Scientists said the spots might be related to ancient microbial life. Perseverance obtained samples of the rock that will one day be returned to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return program for further study.
And just in the past few days, the rover also came across a rock that looks a lot like a person’s face lying sideways on the ground. It’s a case of pareidolia, that is, seeing a meaningful pattern or image that isn’t actually there … But it does get your attention!
View full image. | Perseverance also just found this fun rock on September 27, 2024, that looks like a person’s face lying sideways on the ground. It’s a good example of pareidolia, but it gets your attention! Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.
Bottom line: NASA’s Perseverance rover has found an unusual striped “zebra rock” on Mars unlike any rocks seen before. How did it form and how did it get there?
View larger. | Enhanced image of the “zebra rock” on Mars. NASA’s Perseverance rover took this photo on September 13, 2024. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU/ Kevin M. Gill/ Flickr.
The “zebra rock” is the latest of the unusual rocks on Mars, found by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rock has distinct dark and light stripes similar to those on zebras. It is all by itself, with no similar rocks nearby.
Scientists said the zebra rock might be volcanic in origin, formed from magma or by other processes involving heat and pressure below the surface. It may have rolled down the crater rim to its current location.
Perseverance also discovered a new Mars “face.” It’s a rock formation that looks like a face lying on its side.
A couple of weeks ago, NASA’s Perseverance rover came across an interesting rock. It was reminiscent of the coat of a zebra, with alternating black-and-white stripes. None of the rovers or previous landers had seen a rock quite like it before. Also, it was sitting all by itself, with no other similar rocks in the vicinity. How did it form, and how did it get there? NASA discussed the intriguing discovery in a new update on September 23, 2024.
Perseverance was traveling along a relatively flat stretch of pebbly terrain as it was beginning its ascent up the rim of Jezero crater. And that’s when it spotted the “zebra rock.” Even from a distance it looked unusual in the lower-resolution Navcam cameras. The mission team nicknamed it Freya Castle.
The rover moved closer and used its Mastcam-Z camera to get a better look. The black-and-white stripes were then easier to see. The rock itself was basically oval-shaped and about 1/2 foot, or 20 cm, long.
View larger. | Original image from the Perseverance rover showing the ‘zebra rock.’ Perseverance took this photo with its left Mastcam-Z camera on September 13, 2024. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.
What is it?
Of course, as soon as the images were released, people began speculating about the striped rock. What was it? How did it get there? As NASA noted:
The internet immediately lit up with speculation about what this “zebra rock” might be, and we’ve enjoyed reading your theories!
The rover only did some general observations of the rock before it had to move on. But it did find some intriguing hints. The science team thinks that igneous and/or metamorphic processes likely formed the rock. Indeed, other speculation suggested it might be a gneiss, a type of metamorphic rock with similar kinds of stripes. Igneous rocks form when molten rock, magma or lava, cools and then solidifies. Metamorphic rocks form when heat, pressure or reactive fluids (such as hot, mineral-laden water) change existing rocks.
But why is Freya Castle all by itself? NASA said it likely originated from somewhere else and was somehow deposited at its current location. It may have rolled downhill from higher up on the crater rim. With that in mind, the science team is hoping that Perseverance may find more rocks like it as it continues to climb higher up the crater rim.
View larger. | The Perseverance rover found this rock – nicknamed Cheyava Falls – on Mars in July 2024. The “leopard spots” are the small irregular whitish spots with black edges. NASA said they may be evidence for microbial life on Mars billions of years ago. Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ MSSS.
The new Mars face and other curious rocks
This is just the latest unusual rock that Perseverance has come across in its travels. Last July, the rover found a rock with weird leopard spots on it. The rock is in an old riverbed that cuts through the crater rim. Scientists said the spots might be related to ancient microbial life. Perseverance obtained samples of the rock that will one day be returned to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return program for further study.
And just in the past few days, the rover also came across a rock that looks a lot like a person’s face lying sideways on the ground. It’s a case of pareidolia, that is, seeing a meaningful pattern or image that isn’t actually there … But it does get your attention!
View full image. | Perseverance also just found this fun rock on September 27, 2024, that looks like a person’s face lying sideways on the ground. It’s a good example of pareidolia, but it gets your attention! Image via NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ ASU.
Bottom line: NASA’s Perseverance rover has found an unusual striped “zebra rock” on Mars unlike any rocks seen before. How did it form and how did it get there?
