Tag: February

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Mars: Rust, Beaches, and (Maybe) Microbes!

Mars isn’t just a rusty desert—it’s a rusty, once-beachy desert! 🌊🔴 Scientists have discovered that Mars’ red color might come from wet rust, not dry oxidation, hinting at a past with more water than we thought. Meanwhile, China’s Zhurong rover has uncovered ancient Martian shorelines, suggesting liquid water stuck around for longer—which means more time for potential alien microbes to evolve. And where did all that water go? New research shows Mars’ soil can trap and hold water, preserving ice beneath the surface. Could this hidden water still support life? 🚀🔬

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Venus – the forgotten planet

Venus doesn’t capture a lot of press time as it’s often overshadowed by the more hospitable Mars and the more photogenic planets of Saturn and Jupiter. It’s not all quiet around Venus, as JAXA has Akatsuki orbiting Earth’s twin and sending back some great images and building our understanding of Venus.

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Objects appearing in February's night sky - the Beehive Cluster /Cancer the Crab, Gemini and the dog stars.

In February

February is full of observing highlights: Taurus and Sirius, Beehive swarms, doppelgänger clusters, and Jupiter ruling the night. Take a look at Moon timing, Globe at Night’s target, and the best planets and deep-sky objects for New Zealand observers.

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Three Siblings, Three Fates: Earth, Mars, and Venus

Life needs CHNOPS, the six essential elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulphur. Curiosity found them on ancient Mars, but a new study shows Earth was born without them. Only a lucky impact with Theia made our world habitable. In contrast, Venus never stood a chance. Meet the three planetary siblings and discover why only Earth became a cradle for life.

The Rocky Road to Mars

Mars’s mantle contains ancient fragments up to 4km wide from its formation—preserved like geological fossils from the planet’s violent early history.

Muon Detector

Cosmic Rays and Muons

Cosmic rays are hitting the atmosphere constantly. One of the products of the collisions is muons, and we can detect muons on the surface of the Earth to learn about the cosmic rays.