Widespread severe weather expected in east-central US today

Swaths of the U.S. are under a severe weather risk for March 30 and 31, 2025, with thunderstorms and tornadoes anticipated. This composite shows the evolution of a tornado. Image via Jason Weingart/ Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

According to the NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, more than 100 million people in east-central and mid-southern U.S. states face a risk of severe weather today, March 30, 2025. The organization announced yesterday:

A widespread/ substantial severe weather episode is forecast across an area centered on the Ohio/ Mid and Lower Mississippi/ Lower Missouri/ Tennessee River Valleys. Very large hail, damaging winds, and strong tornadoes are expected.

Cities including Indianapolis, Indiana; St. Louis, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; and Little Rock, Arkansas, face what the Storm Prediction Center calls an enhanced risk, the third of five risk levels. That means widespread or persistent storms are expected, along with numerous severe storms, which are those capable of producing inch-sized hail (2.5 cm), wind gusts of 58 miles per hour (93 kph) or tornadoes.

This area also faces the possibility of significant severe weather. This is when a storm is capable of producing hail of at least 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, wind gusts of 75 miles per hour (120 kph), or a tornado that produces damage that ranks at least 2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

This is the severe weather outlook for Sunday, March 30. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

When will the storms impact you?

Storm timing will vary depending on where you live. The first of two potential waves of thunderstorms is expected early Sunday morning for the western side of the at-risk areas. The line of severe storms could develop as early as late morning or early afternoon, before moving east through the afternoon into the evening. For more specific timing of when storms will impact you, visit the National Weather Service website and enter your location in the top left.

The at-risk areas could also see thunderstorms today. Image via Sebastian V./ Pexels.

What’s causing the severe weather?

A strong low pressure system with an associated cold front is moving across the middle of the United States. Cold air on its northern side is producing snow and freezing rain for South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, on the southern side of the low pressure system, warm, moist air is moving north from the Gulf.

As the low pressure gets stronger, a disturbance in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere will also move through. This, combined with a strong cold front moving into an area that is warm and muggy with the flow from the Gulf, will cause the severe weather. The storms are expected to develop along the cold front through Sunday afternoon and evening.

Continuing severe weather threat

The severe weather threat from this system will move east. On Monday, much of the U.S. south, Mid-Atlantic and northeast face a slight risk (level two out of five) for severe weather. Warm, moist air remains in place across this area, and a strong cold front will create the chance for severe weather as it progresses east.

Monday’s threat will mainly include damaging wind gusts, but isolated tornadoes are possible across the southern U.S. The weather will then likely remain unsettled, and the Storm Prediction Center has already outlined part of the Ohio Valley for the possibility of severe weather again on Wednesday, April 2nd.

On Monday, March 31, the severe weather will have moved east. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

Understanding severe weather outlooks

The Storm Prediction Center uses a five level risk category system when forecasting severe weather. The levels are marginal, slight, enhanced, moderate and high.

If your area is outlined in a marginal risk, expect isolated severe storms that are fairly short lived. A slight risk means severe weather is expected, but not widespread. An enhanced risk, which is what millions face today, means more widespread or longer-lasting severe storms are forecast. A moderate risk means widespread severe weather is likely, with storms that could be long-lived and intense, producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes. Finally, a high risk means long-lasting, very intense and widespread damage from severe weather is expected. This would include long-track tornadoes, devastating wind gusts and large hail.

View larger. | A breakdown of the severe thunderstorm risk categories. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

Watches vs. Warnings

During a risk for severe weather, watches and warnings are issued in order to keep people aware of dangerous weather that could impact them. But do you know the difference between a weather watch and a warning?

A watch is issued typically hours in advance of impending weather. It means conditions are right for a particular weather hazard to occur, but not that it’s currently occurring.

A weather warning means that particular weather hazard is expected to occur soon, or is already happening.

So if a tornado watch is issued, this means the weather conditions are right for a tornado to form during a severe thunderstorm. A tornado warning means that a tornado is expected to develop, or has already developed and been spotted. During a tornado watch you should immediately go to your safe space and wait for the threat to pass.

Chart via NOAA.

Severe Storm Safety

The safest place during a tornado is in a basement or storm shelter. If you don’t have a basement or storm shelter, locate an interior room or closet in the lowest, most central part of your home, away from all outside windows and walls. If you live in an apartment building or high-rise, go to the very bottom floor of your building and again, find an interior room or closet in the center of the building away from outside walls and windows.

If you’re driving, find the closest building to take shelter in, but do not take shelter under an overpass. An overpass can act as a wind tunnel and make the winds much stronger, and you will be at risk of flying debris.

If you live in a mobile home, get out. A mobile home, even with safety straps, cannot withstand winds from the strongest tornadoes and can easily be blown off its foundations. If your mobile home is in a community and has a community center, go there to take shelter. Otherwise, find a trusted neighbor, family member of friend that has either a basement or a safer place to shelter and stay there until the threat has passed. You can find more severe weather safety tips here.

An early severe weather outlook for Wednesday, April 2. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center

Bottom Line: Millions of Americans are under the threat for severe weather Sunday and Monday as a strong cold front moves across the middle part of the United States. Damaging wind gusts, large hail and significant tornadoes are all possible.

The post Widespread severe weather expected in east-central US today first appeared on EarthSky.

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Swaths of the U.S. are under a severe weather risk for March 30 and 31, 2025, with thunderstorms and tornadoes anticipated. This composite shows the evolution of a tornado. Image via Jason Weingart/ Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

According to the NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, more than 100 million people in east-central and mid-southern U.S. states face a risk of severe weather today, March 30, 2025. The organization announced yesterday:

A widespread/ substantial severe weather episode is forecast across an area centered on the Ohio/ Mid and Lower Mississippi/ Lower Missouri/ Tennessee River Valleys. Very large hail, damaging winds, and strong tornadoes are expected.

Cities including Indianapolis, Indiana; St. Louis, Missouri; Nashville, Tennessee; and Little Rock, Arkansas, face what the Storm Prediction Center calls an enhanced risk, the third of five risk levels. That means widespread or persistent storms are expected, along with numerous severe storms, which are those capable of producing inch-sized hail (2.5 cm), wind gusts of 58 miles per hour (93 kph) or tornadoes.

This area also faces the possibility of significant severe weather. This is when a storm is capable of producing hail of at least 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, wind gusts of 75 miles per hour (120 kph), or a tornado that produces damage that ranks at least 2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

This is the severe weather outlook for Sunday, March 30. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

When will the storms impact you?

Storm timing will vary depending on where you live. The first of two potential waves of thunderstorms is expected early Sunday morning for the western side of the at-risk areas. The line of severe storms could develop as early as late morning or early afternoon, before moving east through the afternoon into the evening. For more specific timing of when storms will impact you, visit the National Weather Service website and enter your location in the top left.

The at-risk areas could also see thunderstorms today. Image via Sebastian V./ Pexels.

What’s causing the severe weather?

A strong low pressure system with an associated cold front is moving across the middle of the United States. Cold air on its northern side is producing snow and freezing rain for South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, on the southern side of the low pressure system, warm, moist air is moving north from the Gulf.

As the low pressure gets stronger, a disturbance in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere will also move through. This, combined with a strong cold front moving into an area that is warm and muggy with the flow from the Gulf, will cause the severe weather. The storms are expected to develop along the cold front through Sunday afternoon and evening.

Continuing severe weather threat

The severe weather threat from this system will move east. On Monday, much of the U.S. south, Mid-Atlantic and northeast face a slight risk (level two out of five) for severe weather. Warm, moist air remains in place across this area, and a strong cold front will create the chance for severe weather as it progresses east.

Monday’s threat will mainly include damaging wind gusts, but isolated tornadoes are possible across the southern U.S. The weather will then likely remain unsettled, and the Storm Prediction Center has already outlined part of the Ohio Valley for the possibility of severe weather again on Wednesday, April 2nd.

On Monday, March 31, the severe weather will have moved east. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

Understanding severe weather outlooks

The Storm Prediction Center uses a five level risk category system when forecasting severe weather. The levels are marginal, slight, enhanced, moderate and high.

If your area is outlined in a marginal risk, expect isolated severe storms that are fairly short lived. A slight risk means severe weather is expected, but not widespread. An enhanced risk, which is what millions face today, means more widespread or longer-lasting severe storms are forecast. A moderate risk means widespread severe weather is likely, with storms that could be long-lived and intense, producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes. Finally, a high risk means long-lasting, very intense and widespread damage from severe weather is expected. This would include long-track tornadoes, devastating wind gusts and large hail.

View larger. | A breakdown of the severe thunderstorm risk categories. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center.

Watches vs. Warnings

During a risk for severe weather, watches and warnings are issued in order to keep people aware of dangerous weather that could impact them. But do you know the difference between a weather watch and a warning?

A watch is issued typically hours in advance of impending weather. It means conditions are right for a particular weather hazard to occur, but not that it’s currently occurring.

A weather warning means that particular weather hazard is expected to occur soon, or is already happening.

So if a tornado watch is issued, this means the weather conditions are right for a tornado to form during a severe thunderstorm. A tornado warning means that a tornado is expected to develop, or has already developed and been spotted. During a tornado watch you should immediately go to your safe space and wait for the threat to pass.

Chart via NOAA.

Severe Storm Safety

The safest place during a tornado is in a basement or storm shelter. If you don’t have a basement or storm shelter, locate an interior room or closet in the lowest, most central part of your home, away from all outside windows and walls. If you live in an apartment building or high-rise, go to the very bottom floor of your building and again, find an interior room or closet in the center of the building away from outside walls and windows.

If you’re driving, find the closest building to take shelter in, but do not take shelter under an overpass. An overpass can act as a wind tunnel and make the winds much stronger, and you will be at risk of flying debris.

If you live in a mobile home, get out. A mobile home, even with safety straps, cannot withstand winds from the strongest tornadoes and can easily be blown off its foundations. If your mobile home is in a community and has a community center, go there to take shelter. Otherwise, find a trusted neighbor, family member of friend that has either a basement or a safer place to shelter and stay there until the threat has passed. You can find more severe weather safety tips here.

An early severe weather outlook for Wednesday, April 2. Chart via the Storm Prediction Center

Bottom Line: Millions of Americans are under the threat for severe weather Sunday and Monday as a strong cold front moves across the middle part of the United States. Damaging wind gusts, large hail and significant tornadoes are all possible.

The post Widespread severe weather expected in east-central US today first appeared on EarthSky.

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The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in the spring

Look for the Big and Little Dipper high in the northern sky on spring evenings. This view is for the Northern Hemisphere. The 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. Chart via EarthSky.

The Big and Little Dipper

The Big Dipper is one of the easiest star patterns to locate in Earth’s sky. It’s visible just about every clear night in the Northern Hemisphere, looking like a big dot-to-dot of a kitchen ladle. As Earth spins, the Big Dipper and its sky neighbor, the Little Dipper, rotate around the North Star, also known as Polaris.

From the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, the Big and Little Dippers are in the sky continuously. In fact, they are always above your horizon, circling endlessly around Polaris. So given an unobstructed horizon, latitudes north of the 35th parallel (the approximate location of the Mediterranean Sea, Tennessee’s southern border and Kyoto, Japan) can expect to see the Big Dipper at any hour of the night every day of the year.

As for the Little Dipper, it’s circumpolar – always above the horizon – as far south as the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude).

If you can spot the Big Dipper, then you’re on your way to finding the Little Dipper and the North Star, Polaris, too.

The 2025 EarthSky lunar calendar makes a great gift. Get yours today!

The Big Dipper rotates around Polaris every night and changes by season

Just remember the old saying: spring up and fall down. So on spring and summer evenings in the Northern Hemisphere, the Big Dipper shines at its highest in the evening sky. Then, on autumn and winter evenings, the Big Dipper sweeps closer to the horizon.

This animation shows the Big Dipper by seasons from mid-northern latitudes. The Big Dipper is shown at the same time – mid-evening – on the days of the solstices and equinoxes. Charts via Stellarium. Animation by EarthSky. Used with permission.

Here’s how to find Polaris and the Little Dipper

Notice that the Big Dipper has two parts, a bowl and a handle. Next, look for the two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper. They are called Dubhe and Merak, and they’re known as The Pointers. An imaginary line drawn between them points to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris marks the end of the Little Dipper’s Handle. So, once you have Polaris, you can find the Little Dipper, too … if your sky is dark enough.

So why isn’t the Little Dipper as easy to pick out as the Big Dipper? That’s because the stars between Polaris and the outer bowl stars – Kochab and Pherkad – are rather dim. As a matter of fact, you’ll need a dark country sky to see all seven of the Little Dipper’s stars.

The Big and Little Dippers are not constellations

Also, the Big Dipper isn’t a constellation. It’s an asterism, or noticeable pattern of stars. The Big Dipper is a clipped version of the constellation Ursa Major the Greater Bear. And the stars of the Big Dipper outline the Bear’s tail and hindquarters.

The Little Dipper is also an asterism. These stars belong to the constellation Ursa Minor the Little Bear.

The Big Dipper will change over time

Astronomers sometimes speak of the fixed stars, but the stars aren’t truly fixed. Stars move in space. Thus the star patterns that we see today as the Big and Little Dippers will, slowly but surely, drift apart over time.

But even 25,000 years from now, the Big Dipper pattern will look nearly the same as it does today. Astronomers have found that the stars of the Big Dipper (excepting the pointer star, Dubhe, and the handle star, Alkaid) belong to an association of stars known as the Ursa Major Moving Cluster. These stars, loosely bound by gravity, drift in the same direction in space.

In 100,000 years, this pattern of Big Dipper stars (minus Dubhe and Alkaid) will appear much as it does today! But there will be some differences, as illustrated in the video below:

Star lore behind the Big and Little Dipper

In the star lore of the Mi’kmaq nation in northern Canada, the Big Dipper is also associated with a bear, but with a twist. The Mi’kmaq see the bowl of the Big Dipper as a Celestial Bear, and the three stars of the handle as hunters chasing the Bear. In the Mi’kmaq tale of the Celestial Bear, in autumn the hunters finally catch up with the Bear, and it’s said that the blood from the Bear colors the autumn landscape

In another version of the story, the Celestial Bear hits its nose when coming down to Earth, with its bloody nose giving color to autumn leaves. When the Celestial Bear is seen right on the northern horizon on late fall and early winter evenings, it’s a sure sign that the hibernation season is upon us.

In ancient times, the Little Dipper formed the wings of the constellation Draco the Dragon. But when the seafaring Phoenicians met with the Greek astronomer Thales around 600 BCE, they showed him how to use the Little Dipper stars to navigate. Thereby, Thales clipped Draco’s wings, to create a constellation that gave Greek sailors a new way to steer by the stars.

In Thales’ day, the stars Kochab and Pherkad (rather than Polaris) marked the approximate direction of the north celestial pole. That’s the point in the sky that is directly above the Earth’s North Pole.

To this day, Kochab and Pherkad are still known as the Guardians of the Pole.

Bottom line: You can find the Big Dipper and Little Dipper in the northern sky at any time of year. On spring evenings, the Big Dipper is high is in the sky. The North Star, Polaris, is located at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.

The post The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in the spring first appeared on EarthSky.

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Look for the Big and Little Dipper high in the northern sky on spring evenings. This view is for the Northern Hemisphere. The 2 outer stars in the bowl of the Dipper point to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris marks the end of the handle of the Little Dipper. Chart via EarthSky.

The Big and Little Dipper

The Big Dipper is one of the easiest star patterns to locate in Earth’s sky. It’s visible just about every clear night in the Northern Hemisphere, looking like a big dot-to-dot of a kitchen ladle. As Earth spins, the Big Dipper and its sky neighbor, the Little Dipper, rotate around the North Star, also known as Polaris.

From the northern part of the Northern Hemisphere, the Big and Little Dippers are in the sky continuously. In fact, they are always above your horizon, circling endlessly around Polaris. So given an unobstructed horizon, latitudes north of the 35th parallel (the approximate location of the Mediterranean Sea, Tennessee’s southern border and Kyoto, Japan) can expect to see the Big Dipper at any hour of the night every day of the year.

As for the Little Dipper, it’s circumpolar – always above the horizon – as far south as the Tropic of Cancer (23.5 degrees north latitude).

If you can spot the Big Dipper, then you’re on your way to finding the Little Dipper and the North Star, Polaris, too.

The 2025 EarthSky lunar calendar makes a great gift. Get yours today!

The Big Dipper rotates around Polaris every night and changes by season

Just remember the old saying: spring up and fall down. So on spring and summer evenings in the Northern Hemisphere, the Big Dipper shines at its highest in the evening sky. Then, on autumn and winter evenings, the Big Dipper sweeps closer to the horizon.

This animation shows the Big Dipper by seasons from mid-northern latitudes. The Big Dipper is shown at the same time – mid-evening – on the days of the solstices and equinoxes. Charts via Stellarium. Animation by EarthSky. Used with permission.

Here’s how to find Polaris and the Little Dipper

Notice that the Big Dipper has two parts, a bowl and a handle. Next, look for the two outer stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper. They are called Dubhe and Merak, and they’re known as The Pointers. An imaginary line drawn between them points to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris marks the end of the Little Dipper’s Handle. So, once you have Polaris, you can find the Little Dipper, too … if your sky is dark enough.

So why isn’t the Little Dipper as easy to pick out as the Big Dipper? That’s because the stars between Polaris and the outer bowl stars – Kochab and Pherkad – are rather dim. As a matter of fact, you’ll need a dark country sky to see all seven of the Little Dipper’s stars.

The Big and Little Dippers are not constellations

Also, the Big Dipper isn’t a constellation. It’s an asterism, or noticeable pattern of stars. The Big Dipper is a clipped version of the constellation Ursa Major the Greater Bear. And the stars of the Big Dipper outline the Bear’s tail and hindquarters.

The Little Dipper is also an asterism. These stars belong to the constellation Ursa Minor the Little Bear.

The Big Dipper will change over time

Astronomers sometimes speak of the fixed stars, but the stars aren’t truly fixed. Stars move in space. Thus the star patterns that we see today as the Big and Little Dippers will, slowly but surely, drift apart over time.

But even 25,000 years from now, the Big Dipper pattern will look nearly the same as it does today. Astronomers have found that the stars of the Big Dipper (excepting the pointer star, Dubhe, and the handle star, Alkaid) belong to an association of stars known as the Ursa Major Moving Cluster. These stars, loosely bound by gravity, drift in the same direction in space.

In 100,000 years, this pattern of Big Dipper stars (minus Dubhe and Alkaid) will appear much as it does today! But there will be some differences, as illustrated in the video below:

Star lore behind the Big and Little Dipper

In the star lore of the Mi’kmaq nation in northern Canada, the Big Dipper is also associated with a bear, but with a twist. The Mi’kmaq see the bowl of the Big Dipper as a Celestial Bear, and the three stars of the handle as hunters chasing the Bear. In the Mi’kmaq tale of the Celestial Bear, in autumn the hunters finally catch up with the Bear, and it’s said that the blood from the Bear colors the autumn landscape

In another version of the story, the Celestial Bear hits its nose when coming down to Earth, with its bloody nose giving color to autumn leaves. When the Celestial Bear is seen right on the northern horizon on late fall and early winter evenings, it’s a sure sign that the hibernation season is upon us.

In ancient times, the Little Dipper formed the wings of the constellation Draco the Dragon. But when the seafaring Phoenicians met with the Greek astronomer Thales around 600 BCE, they showed him how to use the Little Dipper stars to navigate. Thereby, Thales clipped Draco’s wings, to create a constellation that gave Greek sailors a new way to steer by the stars.

In Thales’ day, the stars Kochab and Pherkad (rather than Polaris) marked the approximate direction of the north celestial pole. That’s the point in the sky that is directly above the Earth’s North Pole.

To this day, Kochab and Pherkad are still known as the Guardians of the Pole.

Bottom line: You can find the Big Dipper and Little Dipper in the northern sky at any time of year. On spring evenings, the Big Dipper is high is in the sky. The North Star, Polaris, is located at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle.

The post The Big and Little Dipper: How to find them in the spring first appeared on EarthSky.

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Partial solar eclipse pics that you’ll love. See them here!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Iaroslav Kourzenkov in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Iaroslav wrote: “Witnessed a rare beauty this morning! Caught the stunning partial solar eclipse at sunrise and managed to snap a few photos.” Thank you, Iaroslav! See more great partial solar eclipse pics below.

Partial solar eclipse pics from March 29, 2025

On March 29, 2025, a partial solar eclipse was visible to observers in northeastern North America, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic Ocean, most of Europe and northwestern Russia. Did you miss it? You can still see its majesty in the fabulous photos shared by our EarthSky global community. Did you capture a great pic of your own? Submit it to us!

Photos from our global community

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Alexander Krivenyshev of WorldTimeZone.com captured these images of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025, from Manhattan. Thank you, Alexander!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kevan Hubbard in Seaton Carew, England, captured this shot of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thanks, Kevan!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Juan Manuel Pérez Rayego in Mérida, Spain, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thank you, Juan!

More great partial solar eclipse pics

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Adrian Hayward in Manea, Cambridgeshire, UK, captured this image of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Adrian wrote: “One of several taken through the eclipse transition. Cloudy skies prevailed throughout.” Thank you, Adrian!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Chapman in Seaforth, Nova Scotia, Canada, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. David wrote: “I drove to a coastal location northeast of Halifax to avoid the encroaching cloud bank. I observed a point-like green flash as the upper cusp of the crescent around 7:00 ADT. Photo is at peak eclipse and is a bit overexposed.” Thank you, David!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jan Forbrich in Oxford, UK, captured this shot of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thanks, Jan!

2 eclipses in 1 month

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Heiz caught both the eclipses this month. Andy wrote: “The view of the 2 March eclipses from New Paltz, New York. March 14 and March 29. The clouds covered the moon as the full eclipse was starting and cleared for a picture at sunrise.” Thank you, Andy!

Bottom line: See some beautiful partial solar eclipse pics from March 29, 2025, thanks to our global EarthSky community!

Read more about the March 29 partial solar eclipse

The post Partial solar eclipse pics that you’ll love. See them here! first appeared on EarthSky.

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View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Iaroslav Kourzenkov in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Iaroslav wrote: “Witnessed a rare beauty this morning! Caught the stunning partial solar eclipse at sunrise and managed to snap a few photos.” Thank you, Iaroslav! See more great partial solar eclipse pics below.

Partial solar eclipse pics from March 29, 2025

On March 29, 2025, a partial solar eclipse was visible to observers in northeastern North America, Greenland, Iceland, the North Atlantic Ocean, most of Europe and northwestern Russia. Did you miss it? You can still see its majesty in the fabulous photos shared by our EarthSky global community. Did you capture a great pic of your own? Submit it to us!

Photos from our global community

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Alexander Krivenyshev of WorldTimeZone.com captured these images of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025, from Manhattan. Thank you, Alexander!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Kevan Hubbard in Seaton Carew, England, captured this shot of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thanks, Kevan!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Juan Manuel Pérez Rayego in Mérida, Spain, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thank you, Juan!

More great partial solar eclipse pics

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Adrian Hayward in Manea, Cambridgeshire, UK, captured this image of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Adrian wrote: “One of several taken through the eclipse transition. Cloudy skies prevailed throughout.” Thank you, Adrian!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Chapman in Seaforth, Nova Scotia, Canada, captured the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. David wrote: “I drove to a coastal location northeast of Halifax to avoid the encroaching cloud bank. I observed a point-like green flash as the upper cusp of the crescent around 7:00 ADT. Photo is at peak eclipse and is a bit overexposed.” Thank you, David!

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jan Forbrich in Oxford, UK, captured this shot of the partial solar eclipse on March 29, 2025. Thanks, Jan!

2 eclipses in 1 month

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Andy Heiz caught both the eclipses this month. Andy wrote: “The view of the 2 March eclipses from New Paltz, New York. March 14 and March 29. The clouds covered the moon as the full eclipse was starting and cleared for a picture at sunrise.” Thank you, Andy!

Bottom line: See some beautiful partial solar eclipse pics from March 29, 2025, thanks to our global EarthSky community!

Read more about the March 29 partial solar eclipse

The post Partial solar eclipse pics that you’ll love. See them here! first appeared on EarthSky.

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How to watch a solar eclipse safely

Raúl Cortés – a co-author of EarthSky’s daily sun post – is the one on the top right in this photo. He lives in Mexico. But he and his family traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas, to place themselves in the path of the annular eclipse on October 14, 2023. Thank you, Raúl! Read tips below on how to safely watch a solar eclipse.

You learned long ago never to look directly at the sun. Gazing sunward without eye protection can permanently damage your eyes. But there are a variety of ways you can safely view the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse.

Sky viewing: Do NOT use these techniques

First, let’s cover what you shouldn’t do to look at the sun. Whatever you do, never look at the sun directly without a safe filter in place to protect your eyes.

Besides your unprotected eyeballs, here are some other things you should not use: Do NOT use sunglasses, polaroid filters, smoked glass, exposed color film, X-ray film, or photographic neutral density filters.

Fred Espenak created this self-portrait during a 2006 total solar eclipse. He’s using a small telescope equipped with a solar filter for observing the sun safely. Thank you, Fred! Used with permission. Read the ways to watch a solar eclipse – and the sun – safely, below.

DO use these techniques for observing the sun safely

Safe commercial solar filters for a telescope. If you have a ‘scope, you’ll need a safe solar filter on the sky end of it in order to search for sunspots or watch a solar eclipse safely. Do not use a filter on the eyepiece end of your telescope. There’s too much to say about solar filters to include in this article, so we refer you to Fred Espenak’s article on safe solar filters. If you don’t have a ‘scope, you still have plenty of options, such as …

A home-rigged, indirect viewing method. We recommend this article by the masters of do-it-yourself science at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Creating a pinhole camera is another great option. It lets your family and friends get a good view of the sun, too. You can make a DIY easy pinhole projector. With it, you can shine the sun’s image onto a flat surface and impress your friends and neighbors while giving everyone (including yourself) a cool experience.

Use handy things around the house. You can use a colander, a slotted spoon or even criss-cross your fingers and let the sun shine through them to see dozens of little eclipsed suns on the ground.

Use a colander as an easy pinhole projector to safely view a solar eclipse. Image via Marcy Curran.

Check out the ground below trees

The little pinholes in leaves on trees are a wonderful pinhole projector.

This young astronomer in Austin, Texas, is using solar binoculars, especially designed for watching eclipses and tracking sunspots. See the crescent suns at his feet? Those are projected images of the eclipsed sun. Image via EarthSky.

But wait, there’s more …

A commercial pinhole projector. There are several versions of this handy and unique device to safely project an image of the sun. The Sunspotter projects an enlarged image of the sun onto a piece of paper, and even shows all but the smallest sunspots. It’s easy to use, plus multiple people can safely watch the eclipse (or see sunspots) at the same time. Of course, for solar eclipses the advancing – and eventual retreating – of the moon’s shadow is easy to see and even photograph.

Commercial sun projection devices are available as well, such as this Sunspotter. They use lenses to project the sun on a piece of paper to safely watch solar eclipses and to view sunspots. Image via Marcy Curran.

Commercial solar eclipse glasses. You might find these online or at a local nature center or museum. Solar eclipse glasses – or eclipse viewers – are super easy to use, and they’re sort of cool-looking.

Certified eclipse glasses are a safe alternative for viewing.

Watch a solar eclipse with others

Local viewing at an astronomy club, park or nature center. We highly recommend this route for any kind of eclipse, any daytime solar viewing, or any nighttime astronomical event. If you watch among other amateur astronomers and casual sky gazers, you’ll have fun, learn about astronomy and get a great view of the objects and events going on in the sky.

The NASA Night Sky Network has a list of local astronomy clubs in the U.S. Here’s a search page from Go-astronomy.com which includes worldwide clubs. And here are astronomy clubs and societies affiliated with the Astronomical League, one of the most established confederations of amateur astronomers in the U.S.

Bottom line: Some tips for observing the sun safely during a solar eclipse here.

Read about the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse

The 2025 EarthSky lunar calendar makes a great gift. Get yours today!

The post How to watch a solar eclipse safely first appeared on EarthSky.

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Raúl Cortés – a co-author of EarthSky’s daily sun post – is the one on the top right in this photo. He lives in Mexico. But he and his family traveled to Corpus Christi, Texas, to place themselves in the path of the annular eclipse on October 14, 2023. Thank you, Raúl! Read tips below on how to safely watch a solar eclipse.

You learned long ago never to look directly at the sun. Gazing sunward without eye protection can permanently damage your eyes. But there are a variety of ways you can safely view the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse.

Sky viewing: Do NOT use these techniques

First, let’s cover what you shouldn’t do to look at the sun. Whatever you do, never look at the sun directly without a safe filter in place to protect your eyes.

Besides your unprotected eyeballs, here are some other things you should not use: Do NOT use sunglasses, polaroid filters, smoked glass, exposed color film, X-ray film, or photographic neutral density filters.

Fred Espenak created this self-portrait during a 2006 total solar eclipse. He’s using a small telescope equipped with a solar filter for observing the sun safely. Thank you, Fred! Used with permission. Read the ways to watch a solar eclipse – and the sun – safely, below.

DO use these techniques for observing the sun safely

Safe commercial solar filters for a telescope. If you have a ‘scope, you’ll need a safe solar filter on the sky end of it in order to search for sunspots or watch a solar eclipse safely. Do not use a filter on the eyepiece end of your telescope. There’s too much to say about solar filters to include in this article, so we refer you to Fred Espenak’s article on safe solar filters. If you don’t have a ‘scope, you still have plenty of options, such as …

A home-rigged, indirect viewing method. We recommend this article by the masters of do-it-yourself science at the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

Creating a pinhole camera is another great option. It lets your family and friends get a good view of the sun, too. You can make a DIY easy pinhole projector. With it, you can shine the sun’s image onto a flat surface and impress your friends and neighbors while giving everyone (including yourself) a cool experience.

Use handy things around the house. You can use a colander, a slotted spoon or even criss-cross your fingers and let the sun shine through them to see dozens of little eclipsed suns on the ground.

Use a colander as an easy pinhole projector to safely view a solar eclipse. Image via Marcy Curran.

Check out the ground below trees

The little pinholes in leaves on trees are a wonderful pinhole projector.

This young astronomer in Austin, Texas, is using solar binoculars, especially designed for watching eclipses and tracking sunspots. See the crescent suns at his feet? Those are projected images of the eclipsed sun. Image via EarthSky.

But wait, there’s more …

A commercial pinhole projector. There are several versions of this handy and unique device to safely project an image of the sun. The Sunspotter projects an enlarged image of the sun onto a piece of paper, and even shows all but the smallest sunspots. It’s easy to use, plus multiple people can safely watch the eclipse (or see sunspots) at the same time. Of course, for solar eclipses the advancing – and eventual retreating – of the moon’s shadow is easy to see and even photograph.

Commercial sun projection devices are available as well, such as this Sunspotter. They use lenses to project the sun on a piece of paper to safely watch solar eclipses and to view sunspots. Image via Marcy Curran.

Commercial solar eclipse glasses. You might find these online or at a local nature center or museum. Solar eclipse glasses – or eclipse viewers – are super easy to use, and they’re sort of cool-looking.

Certified eclipse glasses are a safe alternative for viewing.

Watch a solar eclipse with others

Local viewing at an astronomy club, park or nature center. We highly recommend this route for any kind of eclipse, any daytime solar viewing, or any nighttime astronomical event. If you watch among other amateur astronomers and casual sky gazers, you’ll have fun, learn about astronomy and get a great view of the objects and events going on in the sky.

The NASA Night Sky Network has a list of local astronomy clubs in the U.S. Here’s a search page from Go-astronomy.com which includes worldwide clubs. And here are astronomy clubs and societies affiliated with the Astronomical League, one of the most established confederations of amateur astronomers in the U.S.

Bottom line: Some tips for observing the sun safely during a solar eclipse here.

Read about the March 29, 2025, partial solar eclipse

The 2025 EarthSky lunar calendar makes a great gift. Get yours today!

The post How to watch a solar eclipse safely first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/1h9PmZ5

Curiosity Found New Carbon Molecules On Mars. What Does It Mean For Alien Life?

Curiosity Found New Carbon Molecules On Mars. What Does It Mean For Alien Life?

Nasa’s Curiosity Mars rover has detected the largest organic (carbon-containing) molecules ever found on the red planet. The discovery is one of the most significant findings in the search for evidence of past life on Mars. This is because, on Earth at least, relatively complex, long-chain carbon molecules are involved in biology. These molecules could actually be fragments of fatty acids, which are found in, for example, the membranes surrounding biological cells.

 

Scientists think that, if life ever emerged on Mars, it was probably microbial in nature. Because microbes are so small, it’s difficult to be definitive about any potential evidence for life found on Mars. Such evidence needs more powerful scientific instruments that are too large to be put on a rover.

Curiosity rover near the site of Mont Mercou on Mars. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

The organic molecules found by Curiosity consist of carbon atoms linked in long chains, with other elements bonded to them, like hydrogen and oxygen. They come from a 3.7-billion-year-old rock dubbed Cumberland, encountered by the rover at a presumed dried-up lakebed in Mars’s Gale Crater. Scientists used the Sample Analysis at Mars (Sam) instrument on the Nasa rover to make their discovery.

 

Scientists were actually looking for evidence of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins and therefore key components of life as we know it. But this unexpected finding is almost as exciting. The research is published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.

 

Among the molecules were decane, which has 10 carbon atoms and 22 hydrogen atoms, and dodecane, with 12 carbons and 26 hydrogen atoms. These are known as alkanes, which fall under the umbrella of the chemical compounds known as hydrocarbons.

 

It’s an exciting time in the search for life on Mars. In March this year, scientists presented evidence of features in a different rock sampled elsewhere on Mars by the Perseverance rover. These features, dubbed “leopard spots” and “poppy seeds”, could have been produced by the action of microbial life in the distant past, or not. The findings were presented at a US conference and have not yet been published in a peer reviewed journal.

 

The Mars Sample Return mission, a collaboration between Nasa and the European Space Agency, offers hope that samples of rock collected and stored by Perseverance could be brought to Earth for study in laboratories. The powerful instruments available in terrestrial labs could finally confirm whether or not there is clear evidence for past life on Mars. However, in 2023, an independent review board criticized increases in Mars Sample Return’s budget. This prompted the agencies to rethink how the mission could be carried out. They are currently studying two revised options.

 

Signs of life?

 

Cumberland was found in a region of Gale Crater called Yellowknife Bay. This area contains rock formations that look suspiciously like those formed when sediment builds up at the bottom of a lake. One of Curiosity’s scientific goals is to examine the prospect that past conditions on Mars would have been suitable for the development of life, so an ancient lakebed is the perfect place to look for them.

The Martian rock known as Cumberland, which was sampled in the study. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

The researchers think that the alkane molecules may once have been components of more complex fatty acid molecules. On Earth, fatty acids are components of fats and oils. They are produced through biological activity in processes that help form cell membranes, for example. The suggested presence of fatty acids in this rock sample has been around for several years, but the new paper details the full evidence.

Fatty acids are long, linear hydrocarbon molecules with a carboxyl group (COOH) at one end and a methyl group (CH3) at the other, forming a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

A fat molecule consists of two main components: glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an alcohol molecule with three carbon atoms, five hydrogens, and three hydroxyl (chemically bonded oxygen and hydrogen, OH) groups. Fatty acids may have 4-36 carbon atoms; however, most of them have 12-18. The longest carbon chains found in Cumberland are 12 atoms long.

Mars Sample Return will deliver Mars rocks to Earth for study. This artist’s impression shows the ascent vehicle leaving Mars with rock samples. Nasa/JPL-Caltech

 

Organic molecules preserved in ancient Martian rocks provide a critical record of the past habitability of Mars and could be chemical biosignatures (signs that life was once there).

 

The sample from Cumberland has been analyzed by the Sam instrument many times, using different experimental techniques, and has shown evidence of clay minerals, as well as the first (smaller and simpler) organic molecules found on Mars, back in 2015. These included several classes of chlorinated and sulphur-containing organic compounds in Gale crater sedimentary rocks, with chemical structures of up to six carbon atoms. The new discovery doubles the number of carbon atoms found in a single molecule on Mars.

 

The alkane molecules are significant in the search for biosignatures on Mars, but how they actually formed remains unclear. They could also be derived through geological or other chemical mechanisms that do not involve fatty acids or life. These are known as abiotic sources. However, the fact that they exist intact today in samples that have been exposed to a harsh environment for many millions of years gives astrobiologists (scientists who study the possibility of life beyond Earth) hope that evidence of ancient life might still be detectable today.

 

It is possible the sample contains even longer chain organic molecules. It may also contain more complex molecules that are indicative of life, rather than geological processes. Unfortunately, Sam is not capable of detecting those, so the next step is to deliver Martian rock and soil to more capable laboratories on the Earth. Mars Sample Return would do this with the samples already gathered by the Perseverance Mars rover. All that’s needed now is the budget.

 

By Derek Ward-Thompson, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Central Lancashire and Megan Argo, Senior Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Central Lancashire. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

sb admin Fri, 03/28/2025 - 13:12

Categories

Life Sciences

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Curiosity Found New Carbon Molecules On Mars. What Does It Mean For Alien Life?

Nasa’s Curiosity Mars rover has detected the largest organic (carbon-containing) molecules ever found on the red planet. The discovery is one of the most significant findings in the search for evidence of past life on Mars. This is because, on Earth at least, relatively complex, long-chain carbon molecules are involved in biology. These molecules could actually be fragments of fatty acids, which are found in, for example, the membranes surrounding biological cells.

 

Scientists think that, if life ever emerged on Mars, it was probably microbial in nature. Because microbes are so small, it’s difficult to be definitive about any potential evidence for life found on Mars. Such evidence needs more powerful scientific instruments that are too large to be put on a rover.

Curiosity rover near the site of Mont Mercou on Mars. Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

The organic molecules found by Curiosity consist of carbon atoms linked in long chains, with other elements bonded to them, like hydrogen and oxygen. They come from a 3.7-billion-year-old rock dubbed Cumberland, encountered by the rover at a presumed dried-up lakebed in Mars’s Gale Crater. Scientists used the Sample Analysis at Mars (Sam) instrument on the Nasa rover to make their discovery.

 

Scientists were actually looking for evidence of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins and therefore key components of life as we know it. But this unexpected finding is almost as exciting. The research is published in Proceedings of the National Academies of Science.

 

Among the molecules were decane, which has 10 carbon atoms and 22 hydrogen atoms, and dodecane, with 12 carbons and 26 hydrogen atoms. These are known as alkanes, which fall under the umbrella of the chemical compounds known as hydrocarbons.

 

It’s an exciting time in the search for life on Mars. In March this year, scientists presented evidence of features in a different rock sampled elsewhere on Mars by the Perseverance rover. These features, dubbed “leopard spots” and “poppy seeds”, could have been produced by the action of microbial life in the distant past, or not. The findings were presented at a US conference and have not yet been published in a peer reviewed journal.

 

The Mars Sample Return mission, a collaboration between Nasa and the European Space Agency, offers hope that samples of rock collected and stored by Perseverance could be brought to Earth for study in laboratories. The powerful instruments available in terrestrial labs could finally confirm whether or not there is clear evidence for past life on Mars. However, in 2023, an independent review board criticized increases in Mars Sample Return’s budget. This prompted the agencies to rethink how the mission could be carried out. They are currently studying two revised options.

 

Signs of life?

 

Cumberland was found in a region of Gale Crater called Yellowknife Bay. This area contains rock formations that look suspiciously like those formed when sediment builds up at the bottom of a lake. One of Curiosity’s scientific goals is to examine the prospect that past conditions on Mars would have been suitable for the development of life, so an ancient lakebed is the perfect place to look for them.

The Martian rock known as Cumberland, which was sampled in the study. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

 

The researchers think that the alkane molecules may once have been components of more complex fatty acid molecules. On Earth, fatty acids are components of fats and oils. They are produced through biological activity in processes that help form cell membranes, for example. The suggested presence of fatty acids in this rock sample has been around for several years, but the new paper details the full evidence.

Fatty acids are long, linear hydrocarbon molecules with a carboxyl group (COOH) at one end and a methyl group (CH3) at the other, forming a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

A fat molecule consists of two main components: glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is an alcohol molecule with three carbon atoms, five hydrogens, and three hydroxyl (chemically bonded oxygen and hydrogen, OH) groups. Fatty acids may have 4-36 carbon atoms; however, most of them have 12-18. The longest carbon chains found in Cumberland are 12 atoms long.

Mars Sample Return will deliver Mars rocks to Earth for study. This artist’s impression shows the ascent vehicle leaving Mars with rock samples. Nasa/JPL-Caltech

 

Organic molecules preserved in ancient Martian rocks provide a critical record of the past habitability of Mars and could be chemical biosignatures (signs that life was once there).

 

The sample from Cumberland has been analyzed by the Sam instrument many times, using different experimental techniques, and has shown evidence of clay minerals, as well as the first (smaller and simpler) organic molecules found on Mars, back in 2015. These included several classes of chlorinated and sulphur-containing organic compounds in Gale crater sedimentary rocks, with chemical structures of up to six carbon atoms. The new discovery doubles the number of carbon atoms found in a single molecule on Mars.

 

The alkane molecules are significant in the search for biosignatures on Mars, but how they actually formed remains unclear. They could also be derived through geological or other chemical mechanisms that do not involve fatty acids or life. These are known as abiotic sources. However, the fact that they exist intact today in samples that have been exposed to a harsh environment for many millions of years gives astrobiologists (scientists who study the possibility of life beyond Earth) hope that evidence of ancient life might still be detectable today.

 

It is possible the sample contains even longer chain organic molecules. It may also contain more complex molecules that are indicative of life, rather than geological processes. Unfortunately, Sam is not capable of detecting those, so the next step is to deliver Martian rock and soil to more capable laboratories on the Earth. Mars Sample Return would do this with the samples already gathered by the Perseverance Mars rover. All that’s needed now is the budget.

 

By Derek Ward-Thompson, Professor of Astrophysics, University of Central Lancashire and Megan Argo, Senior Lecturer in Astronomy, University of Central Lancashire. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

sb admin Fri, 03/28/2025 - 13:12

Categories

Life Sciences

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Massive Myanmar earthquake. Hundreds feared dead.

A strong 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in central Myanmar, formerly Burma, earlier today (overnight by clocks in the Americas). In Bangkok, hundreds of miles from the quake’s epicenter, an unfinished high-rise building collapsed with at least 81 construction workers inside (see the video above). Meanwhile, the epicenter was located 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the city of Sagaing in Myanmar, an important religious and monastic center, with numerous Buddhist monasteries. The BBC reports that:

Myanmar has been in political turmoil since a military junta seized power in a 2021 coup. Getting information on the ground is difficult.

But hundreds are feared dead in Myanmar with ‘enormous damage.’

Aftershocks are ongoing at this writing (11 UTC on March 28).

A BBC reporter in Bangkok witnessed the building collapse. 

Read more – with updates – from the BBC.

The Irish Mirror reported that, following the collapse of an unfinished building in Bangkok, people “struggled to stand up.” The collapse followed a huge 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, which happened at 1:20 UTC this morning (8:20 p.m. CDT on March 27), according to USGS.

Bottom line: The strong 7.7-magnitude Myanmar earthquake led to the collapse of an unfinished high-rise building in Bangkok, with at least 70 construction workers inside, earlier today.

The post Massive Myanmar earthquake. Hundreds feared dead. first appeared on EarthSky.

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A strong 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck in central Myanmar, formerly Burma, earlier today (overnight by clocks in the Americas). In Bangkok, hundreds of miles from the quake’s epicenter, an unfinished high-rise building collapsed with at least 81 construction workers inside (see the video above). Meanwhile, the epicenter was located 10 miles (16 km) northwest of the city of Sagaing in Myanmar, an important religious and monastic center, with numerous Buddhist monasteries. The BBC reports that:

Myanmar has been in political turmoil since a military junta seized power in a 2021 coup. Getting information on the ground is difficult.

But hundreds are feared dead in Myanmar with ‘enormous damage.’

Aftershocks are ongoing at this writing (11 UTC on March 28).

A BBC reporter in Bangkok witnessed the building collapse. 

Read more – with updates – from the BBC.

The Irish Mirror reported that, following the collapse of an unfinished building in Bangkok, people “struggled to stand up.” The collapse followed a huge 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, which happened at 1:20 UTC this morning (8:20 p.m. CDT on March 27), according to USGS.

Bottom line: The strong 7.7-magnitude Myanmar earthquake led to the collapse of an unfinished high-rise building in Bangkok, with at least 70 construction workers inside, earlier today.

The post Massive Myanmar earthquake. Hundreds feared dead. first appeared on EarthSky.

from EarthSky https://ift.tt/R1UPgYw

New tree is a towering East African giant of the rainforest

Newly described species Tessmannia princeps, a giant tree discovered in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in Eastern Africa, gets a hug. The new tree towers up to 130 feet (40 meters) above the rainforest canopy and is found in only two small, isolated areas. The trees’ main trunks are about 9 feet (2.7 m) in diameter, with another 10 feet (3 m) of buttresses. Image via Andrea Bianchi/ Phytotaxa.

New tree hidden from science for thousands of years

A team of African and European botanists said on March 20, 2025, that they’ve identified a new species of tree in the East African rainforests of Tanzania. And it is both massive and ancient. The new tree – Tessmannia princeps – is a towering giant that lifts its limbs more than 130 feet (40 meters) above the surrounding jungle canopy. Its enormous trunk spreads almost 20 feet (9 m) in diameter. Some of the 100 or so individual trees discovered so far are ancient and have possibly lived 3,000 years or more.

The team, led by Andrea Bianchi of the Muse Science Museum in Trento, Italy, published its peer-reviewed paper in the journal Phytotaxa on March 20, 2025. In it, the team described the newly identified species. It is a member of the Fabacaea family of plants, making it a relative of beans and peas.

2025 EarthSky lunar calendar is available. A unique and beautiful poster-sized calendar with phases of the moon for every night of the year. Get yours today!

Aloyce Mwakisoma, co-discoverer of Tessmannia princeps, a new tree of the East African rainforest, holds a sprig of the recently described plant. Image via Andrea Bianchi/ Phytotaxa.

Tessmannia princeps had local plant experts stumped

Bianchi and two local plant experts – brothers Aloyce and Ruben Mwakisoma – first encountered T. princeps while doing field research in 2019. They were cataloging plants in two village land forest reserves in the Udzungwa Corridor, a reforestation project area that Bianchi oversees.

The Mwakisoma brothers had never seen the new tree before. To Bianchi’s delight, that meant it was likely to be a new species. The botanist described his excitement to Ryan Truscott of Mongabay:

This was already quite a shiver-down-your-back moment because if they didn’t know (the species), it could have been something interesting.

It was something interesting. In 2019, Tessmannia contained only 13 examples, most of which grow on the other, western side of the African continent. This new tree was unknown to botanical science. And it is found only in the Boma la Mzinga and Uluti Village Land forest reserves. About 100 mature trees live high in a mountainous valley. But they grow nowhere else on Earth.

While this makes T. princeps vulnerable, the region is carefully managed. It is an area filled with similarly unique and isolated species. So the new tree may not be adapted to life outside this tiny ecosystem.

Artist’s rendering of the identifying characteristics of Tessmannia princeps. The new tree was discovered in 2019 and described in a recent paper. A. Mature tree. B. Branchlet and leaves. C. Leaflet adaxial lamina (top) and abaxial lamina (bottom) showing glands. D, E. Flower. F. Diagram of flower. G. Mature pod. H. Valve of pod after seed dispersal. I. Seeds. Image via Laura Tomasi/ Phytotaxa.

New tree is in the bean, pea and legume family

Some of the tallest princeps rival some of the shortest mature giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which are the world’s most massive trees. The name of the new tree – princeps – means foremost in Latin. Like the sequoia, princeps towers over the canopy of its rainforest home.

Both princeps and sequoias evolved in montane ecosystems, usually growing at high elevation on mountain slopes just below the tree line. The population of princeps grows at 4,250 to 5,000 feet (1,300 to 1,500 m) above sea level.

Its enormous trunk doesn’t branch low to the ground. The mature trees only stretch their limbs sideways high overhead. Gigantic buttressing vine-like limbs surround and support the main trunk. They droop down to the surface from limbs up to 65 feet (20 meters) above.

The new tree’s narrow leaves grow in clusters. This is much like other plants in the Fabaceae family, such as the hundreds of trees and shrubs in the closely related mimosa and acacia genera. Princeps‘ small, white and densely clustered flowers mature eventually into pods containing bean-like seeds.

Mighty T. princeps grows for millennia at a less-than-glacial pace

Working with a sample from a princeps that had fallen naturally, the botanical researchers tested the wood’s density to measure its age. Bianchi counted 12 to 15 rings in a sample less than 1/2 inch (1 cm) long. He said this means the tree takes more than 30 years to add 1 inch (2.54 cm) in width. By comparison, the average speed of a glacier is 10 inches (25 cm) a year.

Bianchi explained the significance of that measurement to Mongabay:

This would put the age of the bigger trees around 2,000 to 3,000 years.

The remaining examples of T. princeps are lucky to be alive. During the last 120 years, the region surrounding the new tree’s tiny home has been extensively logged. Yet the researchers have not found even isolated examples of princeps in regions with trees that grow alongside princeps elsewhere.

Still, the deforestation of the surrounding region, the researchers noted in their paper, likely wiped out other populations of Tessmannia princeps.

Bottom line: A recently described new tree species discovered in the rainforest of eastern Africa – Tessmannia princeps – is a towering giant that grows up to 130 feet (40 m) tall and 20 feet (6 m) wide.

Source: Tessmannia princeps (Fabaceae), a new rainforest tree from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

Via Mongabay

Read more: Save the giants, save the planet

The post New tree is a towering East African giant of the rainforest first appeared on EarthSky.

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Newly described species Tessmannia princeps, a giant tree discovered in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in Eastern Africa, gets a hug. The new tree towers up to 130 feet (40 meters) above the rainforest canopy and is found in only two small, isolated areas. The trees’ main trunks are about 9 feet (2.7 m) in diameter, with another 10 feet (3 m) of buttresses. Image via Andrea Bianchi/ Phytotaxa.

New tree hidden from science for thousands of years

A team of African and European botanists said on March 20, 2025, that they’ve identified a new species of tree in the East African rainforests of Tanzania. And it is both massive and ancient. The new tree – Tessmannia princeps – is a towering giant that lifts its limbs more than 130 feet (40 meters) above the surrounding jungle canopy. Its enormous trunk spreads almost 20 feet (9 m) in diameter. Some of the 100 or so individual trees discovered so far are ancient and have possibly lived 3,000 years or more.

The team, led by Andrea Bianchi of the Muse Science Museum in Trento, Italy, published its peer-reviewed paper in the journal Phytotaxa on March 20, 2025. In it, the team described the newly identified species. It is a member of the Fabacaea family of plants, making it a relative of beans and peas.

2025 EarthSky lunar calendar is available. A unique and beautiful poster-sized calendar with phases of the moon for every night of the year. Get yours today!

Aloyce Mwakisoma, co-discoverer of Tessmannia princeps, a new tree of the East African rainforest, holds a sprig of the recently described plant. Image via Andrea Bianchi/ Phytotaxa.

Tessmannia princeps had local plant experts stumped

Bianchi and two local plant experts – brothers Aloyce and Ruben Mwakisoma – first encountered T. princeps while doing field research in 2019. They were cataloging plants in two village land forest reserves in the Udzungwa Corridor, a reforestation project area that Bianchi oversees.

The Mwakisoma brothers had never seen the new tree before. To Bianchi’s delight, that meant it was likely to be a new species. The botanist described his excitement to Ryan Truscott of Mongabay:

This was already quite a shiver-down-your-back moment because if they didn’t know (the species), it could have been something interesting.

It was something interesting. In 2019, Tessmannia contained only 13 examples, most of which grow on the other, western side of the African continent. This new tree was unknown to botanical science. And it is found only in the Boma la Mzinga and Uluti Village Land forest reserves. About 100 mature trees live high in a mountainous valley. But they grow nowhere else on Earth.

While this makes T. princeps vulnerable, the region is carefully managed. It is an area filled with similarly unique and isolated species. So the new tree may not be adapted to life outside this tiny ecosystem.

Artist’s rendering of the identifying characteristics of Tessmannia princeps. The new tree was discovered in 2019 and described in a recent paper. A. Mature tree. B. Branchlet and leaves. C. Leaflet adaxial lamina (top) and abaxial lamina (bottom) showing glands. D, E. Flower. F. Diagram of flower. G. Mature pod. H. Valve of pod after seed dispersal. I. Seeds. Image via Laura Tomasi/ Phytotaxa.

New tree is in the bean, pea and legume family

Some of the tallest princeps rival some of the shortest mature giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), which are the world’s most massive trees. The name of the new tree – princeps – means foremost in Latin. Like the sequoia, princeps towers over the canopy of its rainforest home.

Both princeps and sequoias evolved in montane ecosystems, usually growing at high elevation on mountain slopes just below the tree line. The population of princeps grows at 4,250 to 5,000 feet (1,300 to 1,500 m) above sea level.

Its enormous trunk doesn’t branch low to the ground. The mature trees only stretch their limbs sideways high overhead. Gigantic buttressing vine-like limbs surround and support the main trunk. They droop down to the surface from limbs up to 65 feet (20 meters) above.

The new tree’s narrow leaves grow in clusters. This is much like other plants in the Fabaceae family, such as the hundreds of trees and shrubs in the closely related mimosa and acacia genera. Princeps‘ small, white and densely clustered flowers mature eventually into pods containing bean-like seeds.

Mighty T. princeps grows for millennia at a less-than-glacial pace

Working with a sample from a princeps that had fallen naturally, the botanical researchers tested the wood’s density to measure its age. Bianchi counted 12 to 15 rings in a sample less than 1/2 inch (1 cm) long. He said this means the tree takes more than 30 years to add 1 inch (2.54 cm) in width. By comparison, the average speed of a glacier is 10 inches (25 cm) a year.

Bianchi explained the significance of that measurement to Mongabay:

This would put the age of the bigger trees around 2,000 to 3,000 years.

The remaining examples of T. princeps are lucky to be alive. During the last 120 years, the region surrounding the new tree’s tiny home has been extensively logged. Yet the researchers have not found even isolated examples of princeps in regions with trees that grow alongside princeps elsewhere.

Still, the deforestation of the surrounding region, the researchers noted in their paper, likely wiped out other populations of Tessmannia princeps.

Bottom line: A recently described new tree species discovered in the rainforest of eastern Africa – Tessmannia princeps – is a towering giant that grows up to 130 feet (40 m) tall and 20 feet (6 m) wide.

Source: Tessmannia princeps (Fabaceae), a new rainforest tree from the Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

Via Mongabay

Read more: Save the giants, save the planet

The post New tree is a towering East African giant of the rainforest first appeared on EarthSky.

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