What was the universe like moments after the Big Bang? Cosmologists probe the basic physics of that earliest time using particle accelerators. The biggest one in the world is the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, a tunnel 17 miles (27 km) in circumference, deep underground beneath the border of France and Switzerland. Researchers now say they've used this tool to investigate a specific kind of plasma present during the first millionth of a second - aka the first microsecond - of the Big Bang. They said this plasma was the first matter ever to be present in our universe. And, they said, it had liquid-like properties. Read more.
A picture is worth 1,000 words. These satellite images illustrate how fast Earth is changing, from sea level rise, to melting permafrost, to deforestation in the Amazon. Read more.
From NASA Earth Sciences ... The 2nd-largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century occurred at Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines on June 15, 1991. By far the largest eruption in the past 100 years to affect a densely populated area, Pinatubo produced high-speed avalanches of pyroclastic flows and a cloud of volcanic ash hundreds of miles across. Meanwhile, Typhoon Yunya brought cascading hazards such as flooding and fast-moving lahars when it arrived within 50 miles (75 km) of the volcano during the eruption’s peak activity. This post is a conversation with NASA Disasters associate program manager John Murray, who was there. Read more.
Are you prepared for warmer weather? Refresh your wardrobe with a new out-of-this-world shirt, or swap your beanie for a trucker cap to keep your eyes shaded from our neighborhood star. ☀️ Find space-themed tools, tees, accessories and more over at the EarthSky Store.
By Wednesday evening, the moon has moved past the bright star Regulus, but you can still find Regulus as the brightest star near the moon. See how Regulus marks the bottom of a backwards question mark of stars? That pattern - an asterism - is called The Sickle. Since the moon isn't so close to Regulus tonight, you'll probably be able to pick out The Sickle in the moonlit glare. Read more about Regulus.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mohd Nazam Anuar in Johor Baharu, Malaysia, captured this photo of the moon and the Beehive star cluster on Monday evening. Mohd wrote: “Beautiful moon and the Beehive star cluster.” Thanks, Mohd! See another photo of this week's moon and Beehive, along with Mars.
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