Photograph the Northern Lights, Another Impact at Jupiter, and NASA's Lucy Mission

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to read it on the Web.

Read news from the world of astronomy for the week of October 22, 2021.

Last Sunday, NASA launched its Lucy mission, which will explore Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. Plus, a group of Japanese astronomers spotted another possible impact at Jupiter. And NASA has chosen to develop the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) gamma-ray telescope as a part of its Small Explorer program.

NASA Selects Gamma-Ray Mission to Explore Positron Sources

The COSI mission will study the recent history of star birth, star death, and the formation of chemical elements.

China’s FAST Observatory Sees More Than 1,000 Radio Bursts from a Single Spot

The largest haul of fast radio burst observations ever recorded is helping astronomers understand what causes these fleeting cosmic phenomena.

Taking Dark Skies to the United Nations

The United Nations’ Office of Outer Space Affairs is considering issues of light pollution spanning from streetlights to satellites.

Observing Highlights

This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 22 – 30

The waning gibbous Moon shines in the east after dark this evening. You may need binoculars to pick out the Pleiades few degrees to its left. Much easier is bright Capella farther left of the Moon. Saturday night the waning Moon shines near Aldebaran.

Jupiter Whacked Again? Japanese Astronomers Record Possible Impact

A group of Japanese astronomers just discovered a potential new impact at the planet Jupiter.

October: Three Planets at Dusk

Take advantage of October’s crisp, clear evenings and early-arriving dawns to explore the nighttime sky with our audio guided tour.

Community

How to Photograph the Northern Lights

Follow these tips to help capture auroral displays.

STAY CONNECTED WITH S&T