NASA spacecraft around the moon photographs the crash site of a Japanese company's lunar lander

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft around the moon has photographed the crash site of a Japanese company's lunar lander.
NASA released the pictures Friday, two weeks after ispace's lander slammed into the moon .
The images show a dark smudge where the lander, named Resilience, and its mini rover crashed into Mare Frigoris or Sea of Cold, a volcanic region in the moon's far north. A faint halo around the area was formed by the lunar dirt kicked up by the impact.

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Washington Post

44 minutes ago

• Washington Post

A guide to sky-watching from summer to autumn

Now that we've marked the summer solstice, it's the shorter nights of the year for the Northern Hemisphere that usher in a variety of celestial delights for sky-watchers who don't mind staying up until the early morning hours. Between now and the autumnal equinox, we are treated to the ghostly beauty of the summer Milky Way, a spectacular conjunction of the two brightest planets in the sky and the annual display of the Perseids meteor shower. Astronomical summer begins with the summer solstice, which was officially marked on June 20 at 10:42 p.m. Eastern time. This moment marked the Sun's highest excursion into the Northern Hemisphere sky, and for residents in the northern half of the globe, it brings the shortest nights of the year. Here in Washington we experience 9 hours and 6 minutes between sunset and sunrise for a couple of days on either side of the 20th day. Due to the slightly elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around the sun, we have already experienced the year's earliest sunrise, but the latest sunset won't occur until June 27, when Old Sol slips below the horizon at 8:38 p.m. Eastern time. The summer solstice has been an important calendar marker for humans for thousands of years. Evidence of this is found in ancient monuments and sacred sites throughout the earliest recorded histories of early civilizations. Perhaps the most famous of these is Stonehenge in England, a site occupied and developed by neolithic people over the course of a thousand years. It began around 3100 B.C. as a simple circular trench cut into the chalk of the Salisbury plains, with a long trench pointing to the direction of midsummer sunrise. The stone structure that we now see was added over the next millennium, turning the site into a sophisticated astronomical computer to determine the equinoxes and solstices. From ancient Mesopotamia to the Desert Southwest of the United States and sites in Mesoamerica, the importance of observing the solstice and related phenomena was vital to the survival of our distant ancestors. There will be three full moons during this season. They will fall on July 10, Aug. 9 and Sept. 7. July's full moon is known as the buck moon since male deer and other related species begin to grow antlers for the fall mating season. It is also known as the thunder moon due to the typical weather of midsummer afternoons. August brings us the sturgeon moon, so named because of the great number of these large fish that are found in the Great Lakes at this time of the year. September's full moon is usually dubbed the harvest moon, but this year that title belongs to October's full moon, which occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. This year the full moon of September is the corn moon, a celebration of one of the most important crops in the annual harvest. The corn moon will offer residents of Europe, Africa and especially Asia a total lunar eclipse. Unfortunately this event won't be visible from any part of the United States, but we won't have to wait too long to see one from our shores — mark your calendars for the early morning hours of March 3, 2026. Summer begins with only one planet in the evening sky: Mars. The Red Planet is wending its way eastward among the stars of spring in the western sky. On the night of the solstice, Mars may be found just east of the bright star Regulus in the constellation of Leo, the lion. By mid-September it will be close to the bright blue star Spica in Virgo as evening twilight falls. Night owls will find Saturn rising in the east after midnight in late June. By mid-August, the ringed planet rises at the end of evening twilight and is the prominent yellow-hued glow below the 'great square' asterism of Pegasus. By the time of the equinox, Saturn will be an easy evening target for telescope owners. This is a particularly interesting time to view Saturn, as it underwent one of its own equinoxes back on May 6. This occurs twice in its 30-year trek around the sun, and when the sun crosses the plane of Saturn's rings, they effectively disappear. Through the telescope, the rings will appear as spikes on either side of the planet, gradually becoming thinner into the fall as Earth approaches their orbital plane. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, remain in the morning sky throughout the season. Venus rises at around 3:30 p.m. Eastern time and is a bright beacon in the gathering morning twilight. Jupiter enters the morning sky in early August to join Venus, and on the morning of Aug. 12, the pair are less than one degree apart. A week later, Mercury will appear low in the east below the bright pair. The morning hours of Aug. 12 will put on quite a show. In addition to the conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, Saturn will be just to the east of the waning gibbous moon. The latter puts something of a damper on the annual Perseids meteor shower, but if you're on vacation at a dark site — like the beach or the mountains — take some time to see if you can spot some of the shower's brighter members. Many of the Perseids are like fireballs that can appear as bright as Jupiter or Venus. You might have to wait about 10 to 15 minutes to see one, but when you do it's quite a show. The summer sky has a number of bright stars that form easily recognizable patterns. The easiest of these to spot are the members of the summer triangle, consisting of Vega, Altair and Deneb. Each of these stars lead their own constellations, with the most distinctive being Cygnus, the Swan, where Deneb marks its 'tail.' The Swan's 'head' is marked by a gold-hued star that lies almost in the middle of the triangle. This is Albireo, perhaps the most beautiful double star in the sky. It can be resolved with almost any telescope, and the color contrast between its blue and yellow components is striking. You'll notice the luminous band of the summer Milky Way piercing the heart of the triangle on a moonless night from a dark location. Follow it to the south to locate the constellation of Scorpius with its distinctive red star Antares. A clear southern horizon will reveal the constellation's namesake shape. To the east of the Scorpion, look for the 'teapot' asterism of the constellation Sagittarius, the Archer. Use binoculars to pan northward from the teapot's 'spout' to reveal star clusters and glowing gaseous nebulae — this is my favorite place to spend those summer nights.

Forbes

an hour ago

• Forbes

NASA Urges Public To Leave The City As Milky Way Appears — 15 Places To Go

A panoramic image of the Milky Way over the fromations of the Garden of Eden in Arches National ... More Park, Moab, Utah. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) When and where is the best place to see the Milky Way? The bright core of the Milky Way — the biggest and best sight at night — becomes visible in June in the Northern Hemisphere. Since it rises right after dark, NASA is advising people to get away from light pollution to see it arc across the night sky. When To See The Milky Way In 2025 The Milky Way is visible from the Northern Hemisphere all year, but its bright core only emerges in the southern sky after dark in late May and June. This bright core — the center of the galaxy — is the brightest and most impressive part of the Milky Way. It's home to many nebulae and star clusters that look fabulous in binoculars. The season to see the core is generally June through September from north of the equator. That's when the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius peek above the southern horizon, with the arc of the galaxy seen flowing into them from the Summer Triangle high in the southeast. With the solstice on June 20 this year, regions above about 50 degrees north — such as Canada and the U.K. — experience no absolute darkness, making July a better time to see the Milky Way. However, from anywhere south of that cut-off, such as the U.S. and Europe, late June is a great time to see it. However, whether you'll be able to see it at all is down to light pollution. the milky way over the grand canyon from the north rim Where To See The Milky Way In 2025 The collective brightness of up to 400 billion stars may seem easy to see, but the wonderous sight is blotted out by light pollution. The night sky's brightness increased by between 7% and 10% per year between 2011 and 2022, according to a study published in 2023. Hence this advice from NASA about seeing the Milky Way's core. "It is best observed from dark sky locations far from bright city lights and appears as a faint, cloud-like band arching across the sky toward the south," says Preston Dyches, Public engagement specialist at NASA, in a post. Imaging the Milky Way with a camera (or a newer smartphone, if it has "Night Mode") is a great way of seeing more. "Long-exposure photos make the Milky Way's bright stars and dark dust clouds even clearer," says Dyches. "However you observe it, getting out under the Milky Way in June is a truly remarkable way to connect with the cosmos." The Milky Way galaxy sets over Fajada Mesa at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico Best Places To See The Milky Way In June 2025 Dark rural skies are what you need, which you can find with the help of a light pollution map or by visiting a Dark Sky Place. Here are some of the best places to go in the U.S. and southern Europe: 1. Cherry Springs State Park International Dark Sky Park, Pennsylvania 2. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Maine 3. Gower National Landscape International Dark Sky Community, Wales 4. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park International Dark Sky Park, Florida 5. Fremont Indian State Park International Dark Sky Park, Utah 6. Morvan Regional Park International Dark Sky Reserve, Saint-Brisson, France 7. Grand Canyon National Park International Dark Sky Park, Arizona 8. Medicine Rocks State Park International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Montana 9. Middle Fork River Forest Preserve International Dark Sky Park, Illinois 10. Chaco Culture National Historical Park International Dark Sky Park, New Mexico 11. Great Basin National Park International Dark Sky Park, California/Nevada 12. Anholt Island International Dark Sky Park, Anholt, Denmark 13. Devils River State Natural Area — Del Norte Unit International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Texas 14. Geauga Observatory Park International Dark Sky Park, Ohio 15. Obed Wild and Scenic River International Dark Sky Park, Tennessee Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Gizmodo

an hour ago

• Gizmodo

​​How to Become a Backyard Naturalist With Just Your Smartphone

In the early days of summer, backyards come to life. Warmer temperatures transform spring buds into lush greenery, coax insects from their winter slumber, and invite newborn animals to explore their surroundings on wobbling legs or wings. With smartphones, documenting this emerging wildlife has never been easier. These days, all the tools you need to become a backyard naturalist fit right in the palm of your hand. And while June is an especially good time to start, you can use your phone to observe organisms, identify species, and record sightings any time of year, no matter your location. It's more than just a hobby—scientists can use your data to conduct important research, allowing you to make contributions as a citizen scientist. 'Twenty years ago, if a researcher wanted to understand an ecological pattern, the main way to do that was to go out and collect data,' said Corey Callaghan, a global change ecologist at the University of Florida. 'But now with this smartphone revolution over the last 20 years, the number of observations recorded by everyday people—whether they're really into birding or just interested in the animals in their backyard—has exponentially increased the amount of data available to use,' he said. How Birdwatching Got Me to Finally Log Off and Actually Go Outside Gillian Bowser, a wildlife ecologist at Colorado State University, also recalls a time when a lack of digital tools limited research in her field. 'The data now is so much more accessible because of the smartphone,' she said. These devices are particularly useful because they record the precise location of each sighting and allow users to easily upload data to open-source platforms, she said. Gizmodo turned to Bowser and Callaghan for expert advice on becoming a backyard naturalist. They shared their favorite apps, pro tips, and explained how researchers like them use the data you collect to support science. Numerous apps can help you document wildlife, but some are easier to use than others. For those who are just getting started as backyard naturalists, iNaturalist is 'a really good entry point,' Callaghan said. This free app is available for both iOS and Android. It allows you to record observations, identify species, and share your data with other naturalists all in one place. Unlike specialized apps such as eBird or Picture Insect, iNaturalist can document any kind of organism. Once you download it, all you have to do is set up an account with your email address. Now, you're ready to start snapping photos of plants, birds, pesky neighborhood squirrels, and even that weird-looking bug in your bathroom. You name it—the iNaturalist community can probably identify it. The app does this through crowdsourcing, which means users work together to identify species. This fosters collaboration among experts, novices, and everyone in between. For extra help identifying species, you can also download iNaturalist's free companion app, Seek. Also available for both iOS and Android, Seek uses artificial intelligence to analyze images and determine which species you observed. 'Simply point your phone—with Seek turned on—at whatever, and it'll identify it for you,' Bowser said. The app will also provide background information about the species, such as whether it's native to your area, she added. Both Bowser and Callaghan recommend getting comfortable with iNaturalist before you start playing around with less beginner-friendly apps like eBird, eButterfly, or iSpy. Building a knowledge base through iNaturalist will help you progress to more specialized apps, they said. Charge your phone, put on some sunscreen, and pull your socks up over your pants, because it's time to observe some wildlife. Don't worry, you don't have to go trekking into the wilderness. There are plenty of fascinating species to be found in your backyard, local park, or even your window box. iNaturalist and Seek work well anywhere, including dense urban jungles and indoor spaces. Rule number one: 'Don't be discouraged,' Callaghan said. When you're first starting out, it can be especially difficult to snap photos of small, fast-moving creatures like a field mouse or a dragonfly. 'Patience is one of my biggest tips,' he said. You may not be able to take a clear picture of a tiny bee buzzing by with your smartphone, but there's plenty of scientific value in documenting plants or larger, slower-moving animals, too. That said, there are things you can do to make sure that you're generating good data. To get as clear a photo as possible, make sure your shot is in-focus and well-lit. You can tap your finger on the screen to bring your subject into focus, use your backpack or your hand to shade it if the Sun is too bright, or use the flash to illuminate it—though this may scare off some animals. You'll also want to get as close as you can to your subject while still prioritizing safety. It's okay to get up close and personal with a daisy or an earthworm, but bears, tick-carrying deer, or nesting birds—not so much. When in doubt, stay farther away. If you can do so safely, try to photograph your subject from multiple angles to capture all of its features. Finally, add some field notes to your observation. Some examples include a specific description of where the sighting occurred, how a plant smells or feels, or the number of individuals you saw. The more information you provide, the easier it will be to identify the species. More details also give scientists more data points to use. This may sound challenging, but you don't have to go it alone. Callaghan recommends checking out events hosted by your local Audubon chapter, like nature walks. Bowser noted that iNaturalist also lets users join or organize group projects. This pools your observations with others under a common theme, helping you connect with users who share your interests or live in your area. If getting outside isn't possible for you, you can document the species living inside your home. There's even an iNaturalist project specifically for indoor observations called Never Home Alone: The Wild Life of Homes. There's great value in 'even just knowing what we share our everyday urban lives with,' Callaghan said. Bowser recommends iNaturalist 'because of its ability internally to get things to research.' When you upload an observation, it becomes data that scientists can use to answer questions like, 'Are butterflies declining in New York City?' she explained. By default, all images, audio recordings, and observation data you upload will be given a Creative Commons license that allows others to use your content for non-commercial purposes, as long as they credit you. It also lets iNaturalist export your data to research partners such as the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) so that scientists can access it. You can choose not to license some or all of your data, which means others will need your explicit permission to use it. To change the default licenses for your account, sign into the iNaturalist website and navigate to Account Settings, then Content & Display, and scroll down until you see Licensing. As ecologists, Bowser and Callaghan use citizen science data to understand biodiversity patterns in space and time. Anyone can collect data that helps scientists track and conserve species. You may even discover a new one. The iNaturalist Montana Moth Project, for example, has identified some 4,000 previously unknown species, according to Bowser. 'There are millions of species that are undefined,' she said. While conducting citizen science is incredibly valuable, Callaghan stresses that apps like iNaturalist are designed to be fun. 'Use them for what you want,' he said. 'Go out and learn about what we share our backyards with.'