We’ve never needed good science more than we do right now. Support EarthSky in 2026 and help us keep it going strong.

Update: Amateurs have been tracking the rocket as it nears impact and sharing their observations. It’s tricky to track, because it’s:

spinning and changing brightness rapidly.

But Bill Gray, a prolific tracker of near-Earth objects, says the updated observations still put impact at 6:35 UTC (1:35 a.m. CDT), just a little farther northwest and therefore a little more beyond the limb than before. Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist and space sustainability analyst, said:

So it will be harder to see from Earth than previously thought.

But it’s still worth a look, especially if the plume gets as high as some predictions say.

Falcon rocket will hit the moon on August 5

In January 2025, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched two missions toward the moon. One was the Blue Ghost mission that went on to spend 14 days on the lunar surface. And the other was Hakuto-R, a private Japanese mission, which was meant to land on the moon, but failed. After the upper stage of the Falcon 9 completed its own mission to boost these two moonward, it became just another piece of space junk. But now the Falcon 9 rocket is going to the moon, too, to collide with it on August 5.

Current estimates are that the Falcon 9 upper stage will hit the moon at 6:35 UTC (1:35 a.m. CDT) on August 5, 2026. When it hits, it should send a huge cloud of dusty lunar soil a few miles into space above the impact site.

The rocket will strike near Einstein crater, close to the moon’s limb (edge) as seen from Earth. That crater is close to the moon’s western limb in lunar coordinates.

Gray estimates the space junk will hit the moon at about 1.51 miles (2.43 kilometers) a second. That equates to 5,400 miles (8,700 kilometers) an hour. Because the moon has no real atmosphere, there will be nothing to slow it down.

Will we be able to see the strike? Read on.

Will earthly observers see the strike?

The impact is unlikely to be visible from Earth with the unaided eye. However, space-based telescopes — and possibly some observatories in the Americas — could detect it. At that time, it will be nighttime across much of the Americas and the moon’s position in the sky will allow observatories in the region to monitor the impact. A recent paper said:

Potential observables from this event include the flash at the time of impact (likely lasting less than a second) and the ejecta plume (lasting minutes to tens of minutes).

Whether you’ll actually see anything from the Falcon 9 strike depends on several factors:

• Timing. The impact is predicted to occur at about 6:35 UTC (1:35 a.m. CDT) on August 5, although the predicted time could shift slightly as the trajectory is refined.
• Weather. Clear skies, of course, are essential.
• Your telescope. Binoculars won’t be enough. A medium- to large-aperture telescope, preferably equipped to record high-speed video, offers the best chance of catching a brief flash or dust plume.
• Lunar lighting. The impact site is expected to lie near the moon’s day-night boundary (the terminator). That geometry could make any dust plume easier to spot because sunlight would illuminate it against the darker lunar sky.

Professional astronomers will be watching

On July 27, 2026, a new paper came out on arXiv from researchers at University of Texas-Austin. Lead author William Jo contacted EarthSky to explain what the new paper details:

My group at UT Austin submitted a paper to Geophysical Research Letters modeling the physical processes … We predict the debris plume from the August 5 impact (6:35 UTC) will have the central ejecta spike reaching ~75 to 100 km (45-60 miles) altitude, the curtain ~15 to 20 km (10 to 12 miles), and spread 183 km (113 miles) laterally near the [moon’s] sunlit limb …

Our calculations suggest the plume should be several orders of magnitude brighter than the dark-sky background for the first few minutes after impact.

So the plume should be visible [through telescopes or special imaging equipment] …

A spent rocket stage is a hollow, human-made body, and there are very few impact models for objects like it. They seem to produce very different plumes than natural impactors (like asteroids or comets) do. Watching this one gives us a rare chance to open up ejecta-plume science and calibrate those models against a real event, which matters for every future thing we deliver to the moon. My concern is that most observers will stop at the sub-second flash and never track down the ejecta, which is the part that should actually be visible, and where the science is.

Our work shows that this impact may be worth a look [if you have the right equipment].

Read on for more about where and when to look!

What part of Earth will be facing the moon?

The moon will be close to last quarter phase on August 5, 2026. By 1:35 a.m. CDT, those in the Central Time Zone will be able to see the moon, as it will have already risen in the east. The planet Saturn will be nearby. If you’re farther west, check Stellarium to see if the moon will be above your horizon at the time of impact. The timing will favor people in the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada, plus much of South America.

On July 17, 2026, another paper came out with details on planning observations for the upcoming collision. This event provides scientists and nonscientists alike a perfect opportunity to record a lunar impact in real time. The data collected can help scientists better understand dust dynamics from impacts, the hazards of the resulting debris and more.

Gouging a new crater

In the July 17 paper, scientists used Bill Gray’s tracking data to show that the rocket body (39 feet or 12 meters long and 13 feet or 4 meters wide at a weight of around 8,800 pounds or 4,000 kilograms) will gouge a new crater into the surface.

The crater won’t be as large as one created by a solid object such as an asteroid, because the rocket body is largely hollow.

But still, the new crater should be around 66–98 feet or 20–30 meters wide.

Previous lunar impact

After the impact, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter might be able to get an image of the resulting crater. It’s happened before.

Back in 2022, Bill Gray also predicted a rocket impact with the moon. There was a little confusion about where the rocket came from, but the space junk did indeed hit the moon on March 4, 2022. And it left a mark, too. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took an image of the aftermath.

Tracking the Falcon 9 upper stage

There have been hundreds of Falcon 9 launches. The first stage (booster) returns to Earth and is reused. But the second stage (upper stage) does not return. It’s the upper stage of a Falcon 9 that’s going to strike the moon.

Most Falcon 9 upper stages orbit closely to Earth and eventually reenter our atmosphere. But some have gone on to orbit the sun. This one has spent most of its time farther out than average, around the distance of the moon. Asteroid surveys pick up objects like this as they scan for dangerous space rocks. As Gray said:

The asteroid surveys would actually prefer not to observe space junk. Time spent observing junk is time not spent finding rocks. But both the rocks and the high-altitude space junk are slowly moving points of light in their images; they aren’t easy to distinguish. So the asteroid surveys find this sort of junk whether they want to or not.

Gray provides software tools for astronomers that help them distinguish between space rocks and space junk. He also computes orbits for high-orbiting objects the military doesn’t track. And he’s been tracking this piece of space junk for months. He’s known since September 2025 that the upper stage was likely on a collision course with the moon. And as he told EarthSky, he wasn’t surprised:

I’ve been checking for such possible impacts for about 20 years, ever since we started having many large bits of junk in orbits that could hit the moon. In a way, the only real surprise is that only two objects have hit the moon.

Rocket will hit the moon despite tiny pushes from sunlight

Over the past months he’s continued to track the object. The reason it can change course a tiny bit is due to the gentle push of sunlight on objects. And that little bit of push is tricky to track. As Gray said:

As an object tumbles, it may catch more or less sunlight, and may reflect some of it sideways.

But, as Gray told EarthSky:

I was reasonably sure a month or two later, but was in no rush to say anything about it. I figured I’d wait until the impact location was well established. So it was something of a gradual process, with no ‘Aha! It’s gonna hit!’ moment.

Not a lot of tracking farther from Earth

Gray told EarthSky:

I am an astronomer working under contract with both asteroid and artificial object observers. I started out doing this for natural objects (asteroids, comets, moons of other planets) about 30 years ago. A few years later, the asteroid surveys started to notice the occasional artificial object and asked me if I could find orbits for them as well.

And as Gray explains on his website, various countries carefully track objects in low-Earth orbit because there are so many pieces of debris with risks of collision with military and science satellites. Farther from Earth, there is less tracking. Or, as Gray said:

Generally speaking, high-altitude junk goes ignored. (Except, it appears, by me.)

Gray works with asteroid hunters. As he said:

My ‘day work’ is for the asteroid-hunting community. … Most artificial objects are close to the Earth and move fast enough that there is no risk of mistaking them for an asteroid. But there are about a dozen ‘high-flying’ objects that can move slowly enough to look like a rock, at least briefly. For about 15 or 20 years now, I’ve taken these observations and computed orbits. Then, when the surveys find such objects, they can fairly quickly say ‘Never mind; it’s not a rock; it’s just another nuisance artificial object,’ and go back to looking for actual rocks.

Bottom line: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will hit the moon tonight, August 5, 2026. Who will see it? And what might they see? Answers here.

Source: Observational planning for the 2026 August 5 Falcon 9 Upper Stage lunar impact

Source: Predicted Ejecta Dynamics and Observability of the 2026 Falcon 9 Upper Stage Lunar Impact

Read more: Satellites swarm the night sky in this new video

Read more: Starlink satellite breaks up, scatters debris

The post A SpaceX rocket will hit the moon tonight! first appeared on EarthSky.

Science matters. Wonder matters. You matter. Join our 2026 Donation Campaign today.

A group of Dutch astrophysicists has discovered a set of giant “rings” on Venus. They’re not solid planetary rings (like Saturn’s). Instead, they are circular bands in Venus’ upper atmosphere that wrap around the planet. And they’re not visible to the eye, but can be seen in polarized light, which blocks some scattered light and enhances subtle patterns.

The rings are actually waves or ripples in Venus’ atmosphere, but very ring-like! The group discovered them while taking a second look at images of Venus captured in 2010 by the William Herschel Telescope.

The rings appear to be the result of differences in gas density above the cloud tops. A simulation of Venus’ atmosphere created for the study shows gravity waves could be driving the phenomenon. The same kind of gravity waves create the broad, expanding rings that spread across a pond after you toss in a stone. And gravity waves help shape weather and climate patterns on Earth.

A paper detailing the discovery was published on July 9, 2026, in the Planetary Science Journal of the American Astronomical Society.

Venus rings found high in its atmosphere

The announcement of rings in Venus’ atmosphere is recent, but the data was collected in 2010. The authors said they captured the images while waiting for the sky to darken enough to continue their hunt for exoplanets:

The Venus images we present here are truly serendipitous. They were captured using the 4.2-meter [14 feet] William Herschel Telescope … during a period of about 36 minutes in which we were waiting for the end of the astronomical evening twilight on May 24, 2010. We were waiting to start observations of circumstellar disks around exoplanets.

The Extreme Polarimeter (ExPo) was an instrument designed to detect circumstellar disks of gas and debris around distant stars. Signs of exoplanets are often hidden within these disks. ExPo has since been decommissioned and disassembled.

The giant rings on Venus are centered on a region downwind of the planet’s subsolar point — the moving spot on the planet where the sun appears directly overhead (at the zenith). This point shifts slowly across Venus’ surface because the planet takes 117 Earth days to complete one rotation.

Images of Venus rings are one-of-a-kind

At first, because they’re almost centered on the brightest point on the planet’s disk, the researchers thought the giant rings on Venus might be an artifact of the ExPo detector. But the tool for measuring the polarization of light waves was designed to avoid such errors. Six different kinds of filters were used to create six sets of images, and the rings only showed up in three of them.

The science team had no other explanation: the rings are really there. And these are the only pictures of them ever taken.

The images from ExPo were captured under the extremely dark skies above the Canary Islands during a night of exceptionally clear skies. Unfortunately, no more images of the rings can be taken because the instrument has been dismantled:

We have no other images of Venus with rings, as we did not have other opportunities to observe Venus under such advantageous seeing conditions and, due to the experimental nature of ExPo, the instrument has been taken apart and its optical components reused for other experiments. To the best of our knowledge, there are no other polarimeters available that combine imaging with ExPo’s high polarimetric sensitivity.

Upcoming mission to Venus to help explain ring mystery

The researchers, of course, want more observations to deepen our understanding of how and why these Venus rings form. They want both ground-based imagery, as well as measurements taken by space-based telescopes.

They might get an extremely close look from ESA’s EnVision mission. It includes plans to carry a high-resolution polarimeter into orbit around Venus. Launch is scheduled for 2032.

But who knows? The rings might not be there when the orbiter arrives. No one knows how often this atmospheric ring feature forms or how long it lasts.

And, despite not finding an error in the way ExPo collected the data, it’s still possible the rings are a false signal. While it looks like a newly discovered weather pattern, there isn’t enough information to be sure. The researchers said:

Moreover, ExPo was an experimental instrument that was not later reinstalled in an identical configuration and has since been dismantled. For these reasons, the present observations cannot by themselves establish a definitive detection of a new Venusian atmospheric phenomenon and should instead be viewed as a candidate signal that requires independent confirmation.

Still, what we see in the first ring images is enough to let the team speculate about how the rings came to be:

If the observed pattern is astrophysical rather than instrumental, one plausible explanation is spatial variation in the gas density above the hazes and clouds. Such planet-wide density variations could result from atmospheric waves emanating from the region close to the subsolar point.

Bottom line: New analysis of images taken in 2010 reveals giant Venus rings high in the planet’s atmosphere, hidden from normal view.

Source: Planet-wide, Concentric Density Waves in Venus’s Upper Atmosphere Revealed through Polarimetry? (DOI 10.3847/PSJ/ae7e6f)

Read more: New evidence of lava tube on Venus found in old radar data

The post Venus rings found high above the planet’s thick clouds first appeared on EarthSky.

EarthSky isn’t powered by billionaires. We’re powered by you. Support EarthSky’s 2026 Donation Campaign and help keep science accessible.

9 mind-blowing space facts that will shock you

Almost everything about outer space is amazing, from what we might find on Earth’s moon to the visible boundary of our universe … it can all leave you scratching your head. Here are nine truly mind-blowing facts about our Earth, sun, solar system and universe. Enjoy … and share (you’ll be a hit at your next dinner party).

1. There might be dinosaur fossils on the moon

Some 65 million years ago, an asteroid hurtled toward Earth. When it hit, it triggered a mass extinction, ending the rein of the dinosaurs. At that time, dinosaurs had already been around for some 200 million years. So, many generations had already died and their bones had become fossilized in earthly rocks.

And, when the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit Earth, it impacted so violently that some of the rocks jettisoned from the impact flew into space. And it’s possible some of those rocks with fossilized dinosaurs might have ultimately ended up on the moon, colliding with it in much the same way a SpaceX rocket is colliding with the moon tonight, August 5, 2026.

So there could be rocks with dinosaur fossils on the moon!

2. All the planets could fit between Earth and the moon

The distance between objects in space is vast. As an example of this, if you took all the other planets in the solar system, you could pack them tightly between Earth and the moon.

There are a couple of caveats here. First, we are stacking the planets pole to pole so we don’t have to worry about Saturn’s rings.

Second, we’re performing this feat during apogee, or when the moon is farthest away from Earth in its elliptical orbit.

3. If we could hear the sun, its noise would be deafening

Sound waves can’t travel through the vacuum of space. They need a medium (like air or water) to travel because they are vibrations of particles. Space is a vacuum with almost no particles, so sound cannot travel through it.

And while it might seem charming to not only see – but also hear the universe around us – mostly what we’d hear is the sound of the sun screaming.

If sound waves could travel through space, we’d hear the sun roaring. That roar would pound our ears at about 100 decibels. It’d be like standing next to Niagara Falls all day long. It’d only be as night fell, and we turned away from the sun, that we’d get some peace and quiet.

4. That roar would linger

But what if you could hear the sun, and it suddenly disappeared? In that case, the light from it would be gone in eight minutes. But the sound from the sun would continue for 13 years.

Light traveling from the sun to Earth takes 8 minutes to reach us. But light is more than 850,000 times faster than sound. So if sound could similarly travel through space, what we hear at this moment is really closer to 13 years old.

So it’d take eight minutes to see the sun wink out. But its roar would continue for 13 years.

5. The dinosaurs didn’t see the same constellations we do

Stars are born, evolve and die, just like humans. Some of the stars we see now didn’t exist during the age of the dinosaurs, from about 252 million to 66 million years ago.

So when the dinosaurs looked up at the night sky, they saw different stars and constellations than we see now.

Consider the constellation Orion the Hunter. Its famous bright blue star Rigel is just 8 million years old. And its famous red star Betelgeuse – marking Orion’s shoulder – is only 10 million years old.

If they ever looked up, the dinosaurs couldn’t have seen the figure of Orion. Likewise, they never saw the Big Dipper, or the Teapot of Sagittarius.

And, also, remember, our solar system is orbiting the center of our Milky Way galaxy. So during the height of the dinosaurs’ rein, Earth was on the opposite side of the galaxy from now.

6. Galaxies collide, but stars don’t (usually)

You might have already guessed it from mind-blowing fact number two, but there is a lot of space in space.

In fact, there’s so much space between things in our universe that even though the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies might merge one day, it’s unlikely that any of stars (or planets) will collide. Instead, they’ll pass through one another like ghosts.

The galaxies themselves won’t be unaffected, though. The interaction will distort their shapes. And collisions between clouds of gas and dust in the two galaxies are expected to ignite bursts of new star formation!

Source: EarthSky

The feature image represents Earth’s night sky in 3.75 billion years. The Andromeda galaxy (left) will fill our field of view as it gets closer to our Milky Way galaxy. Image via NASA/ ESA/ Z. Levay and R. van der Marel, STScI/ T. Hallas/ A. Mellinger.

7. There are countless galaxies packed into every patch of sky

If you’ve ever taken time to gaze at some of the deep-field images from our best telescopes, you already know the universe is absolutely packed with galaxies. From the Hubble Ultra Deep Field to the James Webb Space Telescope’s view of distant galaxies to the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s look at our distant universe, galaxies are everywhere we look. Brian Greene is a theoretical physicist at Columbia University and author of Until the End of Time. He said:

Hold your thumb at arm’s length against the night sky, and it will cover more than 10 million galaxies in the observable universe.

8. The observable universe is wider than light has had time to travel

So what is the observable universe? It’s all the light we can see in the universe.

And although light is speedy, it still has its limits. We can only see light that has had time to reach Earth since it was emitted.

So while the universe might be infinite, our view of it is not. Our view of the universe stretches in every direction around us for about 46.5 billion light-years. That means the total width of the observable universe from one side of us to the other is 93 billion light-years wide. But we measure the observable universe at nearly 14 billion years old, starting with the Big Bang.

So how can the observable universe be wider than the universe is old? It’s because the universe has been expanding throughout the time the light has been traveling.

Light from the most distant objects has been on its way for about 13.8 billion years. But, during that time, the space between those objects and us has stretched. As a result, those objects are now about 46.5 billion light-years away, even though their light has been traveling for only 13.8 billion years.

9. Most of the universe will move beyond our sight

If we look far, far into the future, our view from the Milky Way galaxy will become increasingly limited by the expanding universe. Astronomers call the ultimate boundary of what we can ever observe the cosmic event horizon. Because light travels at a finite speed and the expansion of the universe is accelerating, there are regions of space whose light will never reach us.

Over time, galaxies that are not gravitationally bound to our own will recede ever farther away. Eventually, the light from those galaxies will become so stretched and faint that we will no longer be able to see them. In fact, the universe’s expansion has been accelerating for about the last 5 billion years. As Katie Mack explains in her book The End of Everything:

As the expansion of the universe accelerates, galaxies that are currently inside our Hubble radius will be outside it. Eventually, no galaxies outside our Local Group will be visible.

Someday, every galaxy beyond our Local Group will disappear from view, leaving future astronomers with no direct evidence that the vast universe we see today ever existed.

Bottom line: Read nine mind-blowing space facts that will surprise and delight you. You’ll be a hit at your next dinner party!

Read our daily sun news

See a new map of the Andromeda Galaxy and its colossal ecosystem

The post 9 mind-blowing space facts that will shock you first appeared on EarthSky.

Join EarthSky’s Marcy Curran for your skywatching best bets for this week. Saturn is rising late at night and is visible through dawn. The moon visits Saturn early in the week and then passes by the famous Pleiades star cluster around August 7. See what’s in store in the night sky this week.

August 5 morning: Moon near Saturn and Pleiades

Read more: The Pleiades – or 7 Sisters – known around the world

Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Early August morning planets: Saturn, Mercury, Mars

Perseid meteor shower coming! Best viewing on August 12 and 13

Want to see more meteors? In 2026, the best time to watch the Perseid meteor shower is after midnight through dawn on August 12 and 13. You’ll have dark skies. And since the Perseids are often bright, you might see 50-100 meteors per hour. Remember, even one bright meteor can make your night! In this video, EarthSky founder Deborah Byrd shares 10 easy meteor-watching tips that can help you spot many more shooting stars. Whether you’re a first-time skywatcher or a seasoned observer, these simple techniques can make this year’s Perseid meteor shower unforgettable.

Read more: Perseid meteor shower: All you need to know in 2026

Solar eclipse coming! Watch a video

On August 12, 2026, the moon will pass directly in front of the sun, creating one of nature’s most breathtaking sights: a total solar eclipse. Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd for a preview of this extraordinary event. See where the path of totality will cross Earth and find out how long the eclipse will last, what observers can expect to see and why total solar eclipses are among the most awe-inspiring events in the sky.

Details here: The total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026

August is the best month for skywatching

August, the best month of the year for skywatching, is here! Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd for a tour of August’s best sky sights, including the glorious Milky Way, a total solar eclipse, Mars beside Orion the Hunter, Mercury’s morning appearance, and the side-by-side return of brilliant Sirius and Jupiter. Watch here or on YouTube.

August 6: Watch for the 3rd quarter moon

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

August 6 and 7: Moon near the Pleiades

August 8 and 9: Moon visits a trio of bright stars and Mars

August 10 and 11 mornings: Moon near twin stars and Mars

Read more: Meet Pollux: The brighter twin star of Gemini

August 12: New moon

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

August 14-15: Moon visits Venus as it reaches farthest from the sun

Read more: Venus greatest distance from the sun this week

August 15 morning: Close conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury

August 15 morning: Binocular view of Jupiter and Mercury

Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August 16 and 17 evenings: Moon near Venus and Spica

Read more: Virgo the Maiden represents a harvest goddess

Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August 20: 1st quarter moon

Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.

August 19 and 20 evenings: Moon near Antares

Read more: Massive ruby red Antares is the Scorpion’s Heart

Late August morning planets: Saturn, Mars, Jupiter

August 21: Moon hangs with Scorpius

August 22 and 23 evenings: Moon near Teapot

Read more: Teapot of Sagittarius points to Milky Way center

August 25 and 26 evenings: Moon near Capricornus

Deep partial eclipse overnight on August 27-28

Details here: Partial lunar eclipse of the August 27-28 full Sturgeon Moon

Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August 29 and 30 evenings: Moon near Saturn

August evening planet

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

August morning planets

August stars

If you’re out stargazing on any August evening, look for these stars and constellations overhead in the evening sky.

Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Have fun exploring the sky!

New to stargazing? Read more: Planisphere: Your friend to find stars and constellations

Sky dome map for visible planets and night sky

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps

Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more

Read more: Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.

Some resources to enjoy

For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.

Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!

Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.

Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.

Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.

Bottom line: EarthSky’s visible planets and night sky guide. Tomorrow morning, look for the last quarter moon between Saturn and the Pleiades star cluster.

The post Visible planets and night sky guide for August first appeared on EarthSky.

Sun news August 4: Several bursts of sun-stuff fired from our star

Today’s top story: Sun activity returned to very low levels in terms of flare production, with just one C (common) flare and two B (weak) flares fired over the past day. However, the solar disk still put on a show. Intense action from fiery filaments – long ropes of solar material – caused several eruptions.

Observers spotted several chunks of solar stuff, or coronal mass ejections (CMEs), soaring into space during these events. So far, specialists don’t foresee any major impacts to Earth, but modeling and analysis is ongoing. Stay with us and we will keep you updated.

Past 24 hours on the sun

(11 UTC August 3 – 11 UTC August 4)

Flare activity: Flare activity dropped to very low levels and production decreased overall. Our star produced only three minor flares: one C-class (common) and two B-class (weak) flares during the period.

• Strongest flare: A C1.4 from active region AR4498 at 11:33 UTC on August 3.
• Lead flare producer: AR4498 topped the list, firing two flares during this period: the C1.4 mentioned above, plus a B flare. Meanwhile, an incoming, as-yet-unnumbered region sparked the second B flare of the period.

Sunspot regions: Currently, the solar disk displays 6 numbered active regions on the side we see from Earth.

• AR4498 (beta-delta): This region kept its delta configuration. It also remained the largest and most magnetically complex on the visible disk. For now, it’s attracting all the attention.
• AR4496 (alpha): This sunspot region now sits over the west horizon, poised to depart to the far side. It showed stability with a simpler alpha configuration.
• AR4499 (beta): This region showed growth in its trailing spots.
• AR4500 (beta): This region produced no flare activity and shows some signs of decay.
• AR4501 (beta): This region showed the most growth during the period. Therefore, it warrants monitoring in the coming days.
• AR4502 (beta): This region showed significant growth over the past 24 hours.
• AR4492: All gone. It has fully rotated out of view.

Blasts from the sun? Observers spotted several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) during the past 24 hours, associated with lifting filament eruptions. So far, they have detected no clearly Earth-directed CMEs. Nevertheless, modeling and analysis continue.

Past 24 hours in space weather

Solar wind: Solar wind speeds averaged moderate-low levels during the whole period, as effects from the CME began to wane.

Bt, Bz and magnetic coupling: The total interplanetary magnetic field was moderate for most of the period. Meanwhile, the Bz component pointed mostly southward during the whole period. That orientation opened the door for significant energy transfer into Earth’s magnetosphere.

Earth’s magnetic field: The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels (Kp 2–4) during the period. Effects of the passing CME showed up as a Kp 4 level. Conditions first reached that threshold at 21 UTC on August 3. At the time of this writing, the Kp index sits at level 3, as CME enhancements continue to wane.

What’s ahead? Sun–Earth forecast

Flare activity forecast: Forecasters expect low levels of solar activity to continue through August 5, with C-class flares likely. A slight chance (20%) exists for M-class (moderate) flares. AR4498 and AR4499 are the primary candidates. AR4501, which showed the most growth this period, also bears watching. Meanwhile, the chance for X-class (strong) flares remains very low, at 1%.

Geomagnetic activity forecast:

• August 4: Expect mostly quiet to unsettled conditions (Kp 1–3) as CME influences fully diminish. Two weak CMEs from July 31 have model runs suggesting arrival around 8–14 UTC. However, Kp estimates of only 2–3 indicate these would produce at most unsettled conditions. A return to near-background solar wind levels is likely.
• August 5: Quiet conditions (Kp 0–2) should prevail, with no significant solar wind drivers forecast. Any residual effects from the July 31 CME arrivals should have fully subsided by then. Solar wind parameters should sit at background levels.

Sun news August 3: Big sun blast sparks geomagnetic storm and auroras

Earth’s magnetic field lit up yesterday from a huge blast of solar material and magnetic fields from the sun. A coronal mass ejection (CME) slammed into our planet’s magnetosphere around midday on August 2. Forecasters believe the impact was either a slow-moving CME launched on July 27, or a glancing blow from a July 30 eruption. Either way, it drove geomagnetic storm conditions to G2 (moderate) levels. As a result, auroral displays became possible across northern Scotland, Scandinavia, and similar high-latitude locations. Did you see them? Post your photo to our community page!

Past 24 hours on the sun

(11 UTC August 2 – 11 UTC August 3)

Flare activity: The sun itself took a breather over the past day. Flare production remained at low levels, with only minor C-class (common) or weaker flares recorded. Observers logged 2 C-class and 2 B-class (weak) flares during the period.

• Strongest flare: NOAA noted a C6.3 flare from an area around the northwest limb at 05:35 UTC on August 2 as the largest event of the broader 24-hour summary. But it fell just before our reporting window. Within the 11 UTC to 11 UTC window, the strongest flare was a C1.3 from sunspot region AR4492 at 14:41 UTC on August 2.
• In addition, sunspot region AR4498 fired a C1.0 flare at 00:39 UTC on August 3.

Sunspot regions: The Earth-facing solar disk displayed approximately seven to 10 numbered active regions during the period. The SIDC identified ten groups, while NOAA focused on the most significant ones.

• AR4498 (beta-delta): This region continued as the largest and most magnetically complex on the visible disk. It features a moderately large lead spot, plus a cluster of peripheral minor spots to the south that includes a weak delta configuration. As it approaches center disk, it remains the primary source for elevated flare potential.
• AR4499: Located just northeast of AR4498, this region drew the SIDC’s attention as the most magnetically complex (beta-delta). It also produced most of the minor flaring activity. But it showed overall weakening in recent imagery.
• AR4501 (beta): This region showed the most growth during the period. So it warrants monitoring in the coming days.
• AR4492: This region produced the C6.3 and C1.3 flares. But it now sits at the extreme northwest limb and is rotating out of view.
• Finally, a moderate-size bipolar region in the southwest quadrant, likely AR4496, provided some additional flare potential. Even so, it showed recent decay in its trailing portion. The remaining regions stayed relatively simpler, smaller and largely stable, with only minor changes.

Blasts from the sun? Observers spotted no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in available coronagraph imagery during the period. They did catalog one non-Earth-directed CME.

Past 24 hours in space weather

Solar wind: A CME-driven interplanetary shock dramatically reshaped solar wind conditions when it arrived at 11:29 UTC on August 2. Before the shock, solar wind speeds sat at a sluggish 290 km/s. The shock then drove speeds sharply to about 350 km/s. From there, they climbed unsteadily to a peak of 440 km/s by 17:17 UTC. Afterward, speeds eased below 400 km/s following 22:00 UTC. Solar wind density also jumped from 4 to 33 particles per cubic centimeter during the shock arrival.

Bt, Bz and magnetic coupling: The total interplanetary magnetic field jumped from 4 nT to about 14 nT at shock onset. It eventually peaked at a strong 22 nT around 15:00 UTC. Meanwhile, the Bz component initially dropped to –8 nT. Then it plunged to –17 nT at 15:02 UTC. That deeply southward orientation opened the door for significant energy transfer into Earth’s magnetosphere. By around 19 UTC, the Bz rotated northward and stayed mostly moderate in strength.

Earth’s magnetic field: The geomagnetic field stayed quiet (Kp 0–2) during the first half of the past day. Then it responded vigorously to the CME arrival. Conditions escalated rapidly, reaching G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm levels (Kp 6) between approximately 12:00–21:00 UTC on August 2. Across multiple three-hour synoptic periods, Kp ranged from 3–5, meaning active to G1 (minor) storm conditions. Notably, the peak storm interval coincided with the deeply southward Bz near 15:00 UTC. After the Bz rotated northward around 19:00 UTC, activity gradually subsided. Aurora may have appeared over locations such as Edinburgh, northern England and similar latitudes. However, short summer nights limited viewing opportunities.

The sun in recent days

Earlier sun images

Sun images from our community

More sun images from our community

We sometimes feature sun images obtained using hydrogen-alpha filters. Read why.

Bottom line: Sun news August 4, 2026: Flares dropped to very low levels, but filaments put on a show with several eruptions and coronal mass ejections.

Submit your photos here.

View community photos here.

The post Sun news: Several bursts of sun-stuff fired from our star first appeared on EarthSky.

Perseids peak mornings August 12 and 13

Predicted peak: The peak is predicted** for 14:53 UTC on August 13, 2026. So the mornings of August 12 and 13 are probably your best bets. August 14 might be good as well, but be aware that the Perseids tend to fall off rapidly after their peak.
When to watch: The moon will be a new moon during 2026’s peak of the Perseid meteor shower. So you’ll have dark skies for meteor viewing. This shower rises to a peak gradually, then falls off rapidly. And Perseid meteors tend to strengthen in number as late night deepens into the wee hours before dawn. The shower is often best just before dawn.
Radiant: The radiant rises late in the evening and is highest at dawn. See the chart above.
Nearest moon phase: The new moon falls at 17:37 UTC on August 12. In fact, those lucky enough to be observing the August 12 total solar eclipse, might see some Perseids during totality.
Duration of shower: July 14 to September 1. This time period is when we’re passing through the meteor stream in space!
Expected meteors at peak, under ideal conditions: Under a dark sky with no moon, skywatchers frequently report 90 meteors per hour, or more. In 2026, you’ll have a moonless sky to watch for Perseids. The August Perseid meteor shower is rich and steady, from early August through the peak. The meteors are colorful and many of them are bright. And they frequently leave persistent trains. All of these factors make the Perseid shower perhaps the most beloved meteor shower for the Northern Hemisphere.

Report a fireball (very bright meteor) to the American Meteor Society: it’s fun and easy!

Perseid meteor shower radiant point

Around the peak mornings, if you trace all the Perseid meteors backward, they seem to come from the constellation Perseus near the famous Double Cluster. Hence, the meteor shower is named in honor of the constellation Perseus the Hero.

Of course, there’s no real connection between the meteor shower radiant and the constellation Perseus. The stars in Perseus are many light-years distant, while these meteors burn up about 60 miles (100 km) above the Earth’s surface.

The Perseids’ parent comet

From the late, great Don Machholz (1952-2022), who discovered 12 comets …

The parent comet responsible for the Perseid meteor shower is a rather large comet called 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The comet orbits the sun approximately every 133 years. Lewis Swift of Marathon, New York, visually discovered it on July 16, 1862, using an 11-centimeter (4.3-inch) refractor lens telescope. He did not report it immediately, believing that he was observing Comet Schmidt, which was found two weeks prior. Then, three days later, Horace Tuttle picked it up from Harvard Observatory. Scientists calculated that the comet would return in 120 years. That is, that we would see it again in 1982.

So, 1982 came and went. And the comet didn’t show up. Oops! It was back to the drawing board, and this time, the appearance of a comet observed in 1737 was considered a possible early appearance of the comet. Now, the orbital period was more like 130 years. Brian Marsden published new orbital elements and an ephemeris as to where to find it for its 1992 return.

In the 1980s, many of us visual comet hunters would, from time to time, cover the part of the sky where the incoming comet was supposed to appear. The 1991 outburst of Perseid meteors indicated that the comet was probably on its way back. Another meteor outburst in 1992 seemed to confirm that.

On September 26, 1992, Tsuruhiko Kiuchi, an amateur astronomer and comet hunter, picked up the comet in the evening sky just north of the bowl of the Big Dipper. Knowing where to look, I observed this comet 16 hours later and made a brightness estimate 5 times brighter than the original report. Others then confirmed this. Later, Gary Kronk suggested that the comets observed in 69 BCE and 188 CE were also appearances of this comet, a theory later confirmed.

Do Perseid meteors ever hit the ground?

Meteors that hit the ground intact are called meteorites. But few – if any – meteors in annual showers become meteorites. That’s primarily because of the flimsy nature of cometary debris. Comets are made of ices. Most meteorites, on the other hand, are the remains of rocky or metallic asteroids.

In ancient Greek star lore, Perseus is the son of the god Zeus and the mortal Danaë. It was said that the Perseid shower commemorates the time when Zeus visited Danaë, the mother of Perseus, in a shower of gold.

So think of the ephemeral nature of meteors in meteor showers, as you stand outside watching for Perseids in 2025. Most meteors strike Earth’s atmosphere unseen. You can consider any Perseid meteor you do see in 2025 as there for your viewing pleasure!

By the way, 2023 was a fantastic year for the Perseids: Enjoy this gallery of Perseid meteor photos from around the world, 2023.

A few Perseid meteor shower photos from EarthSky’s community

More Perseid meteor shower photos from EarthSky’s community

Bottom line: The Perseid meteor shower will peak around the mornings of August 13 in 2026. And you’ll have dark skies to watch this year’s Perseid meteors.

**Predicted peak times and dates for meteor showers are from the American Meteor Society. Note that meteor shower peak times can vary.

EarthSky’s meteor shower guide

Meteor showers: Tips for watching the show

Learn how to shoot photos of meteors

The post Perseid meteor shower 2026: All you need to know first appeared on EarthSky.

• Tabby’s Star is known for its strange episodes of dimming. Astronomers found the dimmings “weird” and “mysterious.”
• The star made headlines a decade ago as a possible site where an advanced extraterrestrial civilization might be building a massive array of solar collectors, designed to harvest the star’s energy.
• An alternative explanation is a giant companion for Tabby’s Star. Now astronomers say they have evidence for the companion.

Your support = more science, more stars, more wonder. Donate to EarthSky and be part of something bigger.

A giant planet orbiting Tabby’s Star?

Remember Tabby’s Star? That’s the star that was experiencing weird dips in brightness of up to 20% or more. One idea was that an advanced extraterrestrial civilization might be building a Dyson swarm there: a massive array of solar collectors orbiting the star, designed to harvest its energy. Tabby’s Star been quiet as of late. But there is some new news.

A team of astronomers in the U.K. and France, led by Cristina Madurga-Favieres at the University of Warwick in the U.K., says that it has found evidence for a possible giant planet orbiting the star. The planet – or maybe a brown dwarf – if real, would be about nine times the mass of Jupiter and 1.7 times the radius.

A huge companion like that could help to explain the episodic dimmings of Tabby’s Star. But the companion hasn’t been confirmed yet.

A not-yet-peer-reviewed paper about the possible companion has been published as a preprint on arXiv.

Tabby’s star may have a companion about 9.4 times Jupiter’s mass. The possible object could help explain the star’s irregular dimming, but its orbit and presence still need confirmation. doi.org/hccw2x

— Science X / Phys.org (@sciencex.bsky.social) 2026-07-28T10:00:38-04:00

What TESS and other data revealed

The researchers analyzed data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission, as well as data from ground-based radial velocity measurements. The researchers used archival radial velocity data from the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), the ESO 3.6-m telescope, the Observatoire de Haute-Provence (OHP) and the Leonard Euler telescope. New, additional analysis was also conducted on the SOPHIE spectrograph data from the Observatoire de Haute-Provence.

Launched in 2018, and now in an “extended” mission, TESS explicitly seeks exoplanets orbiting bright stars relatively close to Earth. It has identified thousands of candidate exoplanets and hundreds of confirmed worlds, ranging from small, rocky Earth-sized planets to gas giants and super-Earths.

Tabby’s Star (officially named Boyajian’s Star or KIC 8462852) is located approximately 1,470 light-years from Earth, in the direction of the constellation Cygnus the Swan. It’s too dim to see with the eye (approximately 11th magnitude), but a modest-sized telescope can pick it up.

The new results for Tabby’s Star suggest the existence of a huge round companion object. Size-wise, the companion appears to be in the boundary region between a planet and a brown dwarf. The paper states:

This work presents a symmetric round-shaped transit found in the TESS data of KIC 8462852, suggesting the existence of a companion, either a giant planet or a brown dwarf, around the star.

The companion would be huge and massive

So just how large is the presumed companion? The researchers say it would be 1.7 times the radius of Jupiter and 9.4 times as massive. Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, with about 2.5 times the mass of all the other planets in our sun’s family combined. So 9.4 times that is pretty big!

And, if it exists, the companion would also be quite cool, at 268 Kelvin (-5 degrees Celsius or 23 degrees Fahrenheit). Plus, its orbit would be slightly eccentric (oval) with an average distance of 2.35 AU (astronomical unit) from the star. One AU = Earth’s distance from the sun.

Could the companion be flinging exocomets?

One theory about Tabby’s Star has been that groups of comets are causing the dimming. If there was a giant planet, it might be corroborating evidence for this earlier idea. That’s because a giant planet could fling comets around with its gravity.

And we do already know that exocomets exist around other stars. TESS found at least 30 of them around Beta Pictoris in 2022, for example.

The new paper on the possible companion states:

No transiting companion has ever been detected around this well-known star, so the potential evidence of a candidate presented in this work is significant, as its existence could explain the complexity of the system.

The strongest theory is that a group of exocomets or planetesimal fragments are responsible for the irregular and apparently non-periodic dips in the Kepler light curve of Tabby’s Star. The presence of a companion would explain why these bodies are driven to the vicinities of the star, breaking up, as it would orbitally perturb them.

Fingers crossed for more data

As always, the astronomers who wrote the new paper about a companion for Tabby’s Star speak to the need for further observations. These will be essential, they say, to finding out whether there actually is a giant planet or not. These new data could come from the James Webb Space Telescope or Hubble Space Telescope.

There is also the upcoming new data release from ESA’s great Gaia satellite, which completed its final science observations and was decommissioned in 2025. Gaia’s data release #4 (DR4) – currently expected in December 2026 – could shed more light on Tabby’s Star.

And as is normal in scientific inquiry and debate, there is some skepticism that a companion exists. For example, in a thread on the social media platform Bluesky, astronomer Jason Wright said:

Ummm… I've looked at a lot of RV curves over the years and Figure 9 of this paper does not show any evidence of a giant planet/BD companion. At best, I'd say they've done a lot of work and done a good job to *rule out* giant companions at various periods and the remaining parameter space is small.

— Jason Wright (@astrowright.bsky.social) 2026-07-25T18:52:44.669Z

Tabby’s Star is weird!

Tabby’s Star is well-known for its weird dimmings in brightness. Astronomers have proposed various hypotheses over the years. These include clouds of dust or groups of comets, or a melting exomoon.

A decade ago, astronomer Jason Wright proposed and helped popularize the idea of a Dyson swarm (or alien megastructure) as a hypothesis for Tabby’s Star. A Dyson swarm is a theoretical megastructure consisting of a vast network (or “swarm”) of independent, solar-powered satellites or collectors orbiting a star in a dense formation, with the goal of harvesting a large fraction – or all – of its energy. The data now make the Dyson swarm idea unlikely.

Tabby’s Star, also known as Boyajian’s Star, was named after its discoverer, astronomer Tabetha Boyajian.

Also, in 2021, astronomers found that the star is part of a binary pair of stars. The companion is a red dwarf star, about half the size and mass of the sun.

Bottom line: Astronomers in the U.K. and France say they might have found a giant planet orbiting Tabby’s Star. The star is famous for its weird dimmings in brightness.

Source: Evidence for a giant companion orbiting Tabby’s star

Via Phys.org

Read more: Could a melting exomoon explain Tabby’s Star?

Read more: Is dust what’s dimming Tabby’s Star?

The post Is a giant planet orbiting Tabby’s Star? Maybe first appeared on EarthSky.

Support science … support wonder. Donate to EarthSky and be part of something big.

3 lobes and a moon for asteroid Nysa?

The German-French astronomer Hermann Goldschmidt discovered asteroid Nysa (pronounced NYE-suh) back on May 27, 1857. It became the 44th known minor planet. Now, nearly 170 years later, we are still discovering the true nature of this rocky world in the asteroid belt.

On July 29, 2026, Lowell Observatory said astronomers using the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona and the Very Large Telescope in Chile have discovered that this world is likely made of three bodies that have stuck together.

What’s more, their observations also revealed a tiny moon circling the asteroid.

Nysa is unusual

Astronomers have previously found a number of asteroids that look like two rocky bodies collided and stuck together. These binary asteroids include Donaldjohanson and Torifune.

But Nysa – named after the mythical mountainous land of Nysa from Greek mythology – would be the first known trinary asteroid.

Lead author Kate Minker of Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, said:

The images reveal a remarkably unusual object. The most likely explanation is that Nysa is either a contact trinary, consisting of three connected components, or an extremely irregular coherent body unlike anything we’ve previously observed.

The researchers published their peer-reviewed paper on arXiv on July 28, 2026. It’s been accepted for publication by the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Al Conrad of the Large Binocular Telescope Observatory said:

In this paper, we’re finally unmasking the asteroid’s true nature, long after it was discovered.

Asteroid 44 Nysa

The new images of Nysa appear to show two depressions that wrap around the asteroid. These would be the connection points between the three previously separate objects. The astronomers call these colli, or neck-like connections between separate lobes.

Nysa’s composition suggests it formed close to the sun. Nysa is an E-type asteroid because it’s rich in a mineral called enstatite. That’s a mineral that reflect a lot of light, making Nysa one of the brightest asteroids. It shines at around magnitude 6.75. That’s within reach of a pair of 7×50 binoculars.

So how did it get its unique shape? Astronomers think it might have formed during a collision, even before it reached the asteroid belt. Three of the scattered pieces then slowly gravitated back together and stuck. Another possibility is the asteroid could have formed after a hit-and-run from another asteroid. These collisions can offer astronomers a peek at the conditions of the early solar system.

A mini moon for Nysa

The new imagery also shows a pretty clear moon orbiting the asteroid. It even has its own designation: S/2026 (44) 1. The researchers estimate the moon to be around a half mile (a little more than 1 km) in diameter. It has a separation from Nysa of about 100 miles (160 km). Nysa itself has a diameter of about 46 miles (75 km).

Bottom line: The asteroid Nysa might be the first-known three-lobed body. And the new observations also reveal a tiny moon orbiting the asteroid.

Source: Unmasking (44) Nysa: Evidence for a trilobate structure

Via University of Arizona

Via Lowell Observatory

The post Does asteroid Nysa have 3 lobes and a moon? first appeared on EarthSky.

Were you born in August? If so, you have a choice of three birthstones: crystalline green peridot; vibrant and colorful spinel; or striped sardonyx.

EarthSky isn’t powered by billionaires. We’re powered by you. Support EarthSky’s 2026 Donation Campaign and help keep science accessible.

August birthstone: peridot

Peridot is a gem-quality transparent variety of olivine, a mineral composed of magnesium-iron silicates. The color of olivine ranges from olive to lime green, sometimes with a brownish tinge. Small amounts of iron in the crystal give it the green color, while the brownish tinge indicates a higher iron content.

By the way, some of the finest peridot stones appear greener under artificial light and have the nickname evening emeralds.

Since ancient times, people produced and mined peridot on an island in the Red Sea named Zabargad, which means olivine in Arabic. It is a small, desolate island where nothing grows. There is no fresh water there, and it is scorchingly hot year-round except in the middle of winter. Gem crystals ranging from millimeters to several centimeters line fissures in the rock found in some locations on the island. Beaches near the deposits even have a greenish hue due to tiny green peridot crystals.

Norway, Brazil, China, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Australia, Mexico, and the Mogok district of Myanmar (Burma) also produce crystals of peridot. Additionally, the San Carlos Apache Reservation in Arizona is known to have small stones of peridot. Finally, even some meteorites contain peridot.

Peridot history

Because peridot is among the oldest known gemstones, it has a long history. In fact, peridot was the “topaz” on the breastplate of Aaron, high priest of the Hebrews in the Hebrew Bible. Plus, ancient Egyptians created beads from peridot, from around 1580 BCE to 1350 BCE. And peridot was in popular use by Greeks and Romans as intaglios, rings, inlays and pendants.

Peridot was also a revered symbol of the sun in ancient times. The Greeks believed that it brought royal dignity upon its wearer. During the Middle Ages, people wore pierced peridot strung on the hair of a donkey and attached to the left arm to ward off evil spirits. And the Crusaders thought that peridot stones were emeralds. So, they became featured as ornaments in churches back in Europe.

Furthermore, peridot was a prized gem late in the Ottoman empire (1299-1918). Turkish sultans collected probably the world’s largest peridot collection. The gold throne in Istanbul’s Topkapi museum contains 955 peridot cabochons (gems or beads cut in convex form and highly polished) up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) across. Plus, turban ornaments and jeweled boxes use peridots. However, the largest stone may be a 310-carat gem that belongs to the Smithsonian. A 192-carat stone of fine clear olive-green is part of the Russian crown jewels in the Kremlin.

August birthstone: spinel

A recent addition to the August birthstones is colorful spinel. Spinel has been in use for centuries and is available in multiple colors. You can find them in vibrant shades of pink, orange, red, gray, green, purple and blue. They are often confused with rubies and sapphires. They typically contain magnesium and aluminum, and their colors are from iron, chromium, vanadium, and cobalt. Spinel have a Mohs hardness of 8, making them suitable for daily wear in rings.

In fact, many well-known rubies turned out to be spinel. The 170-carat Black Prince Ruby in the English crown and the 361-carat Timur Ruby – another part of the English crown jewels – are really spinels.

It wasn’t until the late 1700s that spinel was identified as a unique mineral. Until then, spinels were called rubies. As a matter of fact, a red spinel and a red ruby placed side-by-side would look identical. So, it’s not surprising that deposits of spinels are found with corundum (rubies and sapphires). Sources include areas in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Afghanistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan.

Even though rubies command a premium price, spinel is rarer than ruby. Yet spinel is not as expensive as a ruby (or sapphire). However, their popularity – and pricing – may continue to rise.

Spinel lore

It’s thought spinel helps with healing conditions such as inflammation and blood diseases. Plus, it’s said it can bring the wearer comfort and peace by reducing negative thoughts and feelings.

August birthstone: sardonyx

Sardonyx is a variety of the silica mineral called chalcedony. This mineral contains stacked layers of tiny quartz fibers, giving it a banded appearance. Plus, the layers in these stones range from translucent to opaque. Also, sardonyx stones vary in color. They may be white, gray or other colorful shades.

Sardonyx stones usually contain flat white and brownish-red bands. Indeed, the word sardonyx comes from the Greek sard meaning “reddish brown” and onyx meaning “veined gem.” India produces the best stones. In addition, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Brazil, Uruguay, and the Lake Superior region and Oregon in the United States all have deposits of sardonyx.

Artists – both ancient and modern – often carve cameos and intaglios from sardonyx. Cameos are figures carved on a stone, where a white layer appears as relief and a colored layer is the background. Intaglios are the reverse of cameos. They are incised figures carved on the stone, through the dark layer to reveal the light layer.

Sardonyx is a relatively common and inexpensive gemstone. It was a favorite gemstone in ancient times, popular not only because it was attractive, but also because it was widely available. Unlike rare gemstones available only to royalty and nobility, less-wealthy people could obtain sardonyx.

Sardonyx lore

Roman soldiers wore sardonyx talismans, objects bearing a sign of astrological influence to guard from evil and bring good fortune, engraved with heroes such as Hercules or Mars, god of war. And people believed that the stone would make the wearer as brave and daring as the figure carved on it. During the Renaissance, people believed sardonyx brought eloquence upon the wearer, making it valued by public speakers and orators.

Perhaps the most famous sardonyx stone was set in a gold ring, carved with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth I of England. The queen gave it to the Earl of Essex as a token of friendship, and she assured him that she would always come to his aid if he ever requested it.

So when the earl went to prison for treason and was facing beheading, he tried to send the ring to his queen. But it fell into the hands of Lady Nottingham, whose husband was an enemy of the Earl of Essex. Thinking that the earl was too proud to ask for her mercy, the queen allowed his execution. Then, it was not until the deathbed confession of Lady Nottingham that the queen learned the truth, which left her heartbroken.

Birthstones for other months of the year

January birthstone
February birthstone
March birthstone
April birthstone
May birthstone
June birthstone
July birthstone
September birthstone
October birthstone
November birthstone
December birthstone

Bottom line: August babies have three birthstones to choose from: peridot, spinel, and sardonyx.

The post August birthstone: Peridot, spinel, or sardonyx first appeared on EarthSky.

We live in uncertain times. Look up! It’s peaceful. And please donate today to help EarthSky keep going.

The Andromeda Galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy, aka Messier 31 (M31), is the nearest large spiral galaxy to our Milky Way. It’s wider than our Milky Way and contains more stars. There are perhaps a trillion stars in the Andromeda Galaxy, in contrast to the Milky Way’s 100 billion to 400 billion stars.

And at about 2.5 million light-years away, the Andromeda Galaxy is the farthest object you can see with the unaided eye.

Plus, now is a good time to see it!

Use Cassiopeia to find the Andromeda Galaxy

So tonight, if you have a dark sky, try star-hopping to the Andromeda Galaxy from the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. If your sky is dark, you might even spot this hazy patch of light with no optical aid, as the ancient stargazers did before the days of city lights.

But what if you aren’t under a dark sky, and you can’t find the Andromeda Galaxy with the eyes alone? Well, some stargazers use binoculars and star-hop to the Andromeda Galaxy via this W- or M-shaped constellation.

During the northern summer, Cassiopeia appears in the sky above the northern horizon at nightfall and early evening, then swings higher in the sky as evening deepens into late night. Then in the wee hours before dawn, Cassiopeia is found high overhead. Note that one half of the W is more deeply notched than the other half. So this deeper V is your “arrow” in the sky, pointing to the Andromeda Galaxy.

To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.

Images of the Andromeda Galaxy

Members of the EarthSky community have captured gorgeous images of this neighboring spiral galaxy.

Finder chart for the Andromeda Galaxy

Binoculars enhance the view

Binoculars are an excellent choice for beginners to observe the Andromeda Galaxy, because they are so easy to point. As you stand beneath a dark sky, locate the galaxy with your eye first. Then slowly bring the binoculars up to your eyes so that the galaxy comes into binocular view. If that doesn’t work for you, try sweeping the area with your binoculars. Go slowly, and be sure your eyes are dark-adapted. The galaxy will appear as a fuzzy patch to the eye. Naturally, it’ll appear brighter in binoculars. And can you see its central region is brighter and more concentrated?

But remember, with the eye, binoculars, or with a backyard telescope, the Andromeda Galaxy won’t look like the images from famous telescopes and observatories. Still, it will be beautiful. Plus, it’ll take your breath away. And just think, you’re looking at a galaxy over 2 million light-years away. Wow!

Bottom line: You can find the Andromeda Galaxy using the constellation Cassiopeia as a guide. Remember, on a dark night, this galaxy will look like a faint smudge of light. And once you’ve found it with the unaided eye or binoculars, look at it with a telescope if you have one.

Read more: The Andromeda Galaxy: All you need to know

Read more: Andromeda Galaxy: Find it by star-hopping from Pegasus

Read more: Andromeda Galaxy stuns in new images and sounds!

The post Find the Andromeda Galaxy using Cassiopeia first appeared on EarthSky.