Dec 19 - 1st Image from Inside Sun's Atmosphere

December 19 1st Image from Inside Sun's Atmosphere by:

Parker Solar Probe acquired this image - 1st-ever taken from inside the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona - on December 8. The bright streak is a coronal streamer. The bright object near the center is the sun's innermost planet Mercury. The dark spots are a result of background correction. Image via NASA/Naval Research Laboratory/Parker Solar Probe. 1st image from inside sun's atmosphere NASA's Parker Solar Probe has now swept within the sun's corona. No other spacecraft has ever come this close to the sun's surface! And, it's going to get closer. Read more. Comet gives birth to a baby bow shock And a spacecraft sees it happen! Rosetta spacecraft data reveal an infant bow shock - similar to what forms at the bow of a ship - at the comet this craft explored for 2 years. It's the 1st seen forming anywhere in our solar system. Read more. December solstice starts shortest season Shortest season - between the December solstice and March equinox - is about 89 days. Longest season - June solstice to September equinox - is about 94 days. Read more. Did a supernova kill off the megalodon? A new study suggests that a tsunami of cosmic energy from a supernova killed off large ocean animals - including the huge megalodon shark - 2.6 million years ago. Read more. A shower of particles might have spelled doom for the megalodon. Image via University of Kansas

Your support helps EarthSky keep going. Thank you all! Kids tees, long sleeved tees, lunar phase posters, toys, and more. Your support means the world to us and allows us to keep going. Click here to shop.

Don't miss the Jupiter-Mercury conjunction You need an alarm clock and a clear sky to the east, the sunrise direction. Binoculars might come in handy. The 2 bright planets will come closer and closer, finally closest on December 21. Beautiful! More charts here.

See it! Jupiter and Mercury close Jose Lagos in Maastricht, Netherlands, caught Venus (top, far right), Mercury (towards horizon) and Jupiter (just rising over horizon) yesterday morning. "Beautiful way to start the day!" he wrote. More photos here from the EarthSky community. Submit your photo to EarthSky here! Did a friend forward EarthSkyNews to you? Click here to get your own subscription!

by:

update your profile | unsubscribe