Artist’s concept of exoplanet Osiris – aka HD 209458b – as it transits in front of its star. Note the illuminated crescent of the planet, where the colors illustrate the light spectra that – like a chemical fingerprint – let astronomers identify as many as 6 molecules in the planet’s atmosphere. “It’s the first time so many molecules have been measured and points to an atmosphere with more carbon than oxygen”, they said.

Space

EarthSky

Chemical fingerprint reveals a migrating exoplanet

Image via UK Met Office.Levels of climate-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane in the atmosphere continued to rise in 2020, with CO2 levels reaching their highest point in 3.6 million years, according to NOAA research, despite the economic slowdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic response.According to the NOAA report, released April 7, 2021, the global average for CO2 in the atmosphere in 2020 was 412.

Carbon dioxide levels now higher than at any time in past 3.6 million years

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Sohil Pothiawala in Singapore captured this photo of sunshine filtering through trees on April 7, 2021. He said the phenomenon is called “komorebi” (sunbeams) in Japanese. Thank you, Sohil!Submit your photo to EarthSky Community Photos!

trees

Sunlight through trees in Singapore

Artist’s illustration of the Pioneer Venus mission, which sent 4 small probes into Venus’ atmosphere in 1978. A new analysis of the data sent back supports the previous finding of phosphine, as well as other “biologically relevant chemicals” that seem to show a state of disequilibrium – a possible hallmark of life – in the planet’s atmosphere. Image via NASA/ The Planetary Society.

Possible life signs in the clouds of Venus

Beginning around April 13, 2021, watch for the waxing moon to appear higher each evening in the west after sunset. It’ll be sweeping in between the constellation Taurus the Bull’s two most prominent features: red Aldebaran, the Bull’s brightest star, and the dipper-shaped Pleiades star cluster.

In mid-April, look west after sunset for Mars and the moon

You’ll see Leo the Lion in the sky in 2 parts: the backwards question mark pattern represents Leo’s head, and the triangle at the back represents the Lion’s hindquarters. The bright star Regulus is part of the backwards question mark pattern, which is known as The Sickle. Image via Derekscope.Leo the lion is one of the easiest-to-see of the 13 constellations of the zodiac.

Leo? Here’s your constellation

Image via Unsplash/ Reza Shayestehpour.Earth has raindrops of water, while, on Venus, the rain is made of sulfuric acid. Jupiter rains droplets of helium. Saturn’s moon Titan rains methane. On Neptune and other gas giants, a diamond rain may fall. And, in the case of exoplanet WASP-76b, raindrops are thought to be made of superheated liquid iron.

Water

Raindrop sizes similar on Earth and alien worlds

The mock mirage and green flash image at the top of this post was taken by Jim Grant, an EarthSky friend on Facebook. He captured it on September 3, 2020, off the coast of Ocean Beach, California. Thank you, Jim!It’s not hard to see a green flash with the eye alone, when sky conditions are right, and when you’re looking toward a very clear and very distant horizon.

EarthSky

Stay current with all the latest news from EarthSky here and with perspectives from other news sources

TRENDING NOW

LATEST STORIES

HEADQUARTERS

TRENDING TOPICS

Get the weekly blindspot report right in your inbox and stay up to date with your bias blindspot.

EXPLORE MORE CURRENT TOPICS

Subscribe and get full access to Ground News

EXPERIENCE