What's Up? The Space Place

 Hey Space Placers! Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS photographed in color by Michael Jäger and Gerald Rhemann Via Spaceweather.com Get the story here about the image and COMET. I hope to image 3I/ATLAS myself this weekend if the weather is  clear. Sky Guy in VA

 Hey, Space Placers! An image of M61 as seen by Rubin, with a stream of stars extending from it and stretching out 170,000 light-years   (Image credit: Romanowsky et al. RNAAS (2025)) Via Space.com VRO is going to revolutionize how we see the Universe. This discovery is just the beginning . Sky Guy in VA

 Hey, Space Placers! Read the full story here. Another comet being monitored   by astronomers,     C/2025 K1 (ATLAS),  has  fragmented into three separate pieces. These are not visible to the unaided eye but are great telescope objects. Sky Guy in VA

 Hey, Space Placers! This is a VERY interesting story that indicates what space agencies returning to the Moon - to stay this time - need to start thinking about. Plans are being considered to develop and implement "Lunar Timekeeping" - giving the Moon its own time system, free from Earth. Houston was/is the time zone being used. NASA has moved Artemis III (first crewed moon landing) to 2028 because of SpaceX Starship delays. Sky Guy in VA

Hey, Space Placers! Get all the details here...... MY BEST LEONID Sky Guy in VA 

 Hey, Space Placers! LEONIDS RADIANT EARTHSKY.ORG LEONID GREG REDFERN Are you a night owl and/or an early riser who likes to look at the night sky?  Midnight tonight and tomorrow night into the hours before dawn is just the thing for you as the annual Leonid Meteor Shower  https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-leonid-meteor-shower/?mc_cid=bc82044c39&mc_eid=9aeb2a4318   is expected to peak during that time frame. And the moon will not interfere with the shower as it is a slender waning crescent moon. Our weather for DC looks to offer clear skies after midnight and towards dawn https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/WashingtonDCkey.html?1   . You can check the site for your own location. The Leonids were first seen in 902 A.D. and “storm” every 33 years producing 100’s to 1000’s of meteors an hour. The last Leonid storm was in 2001. This year a dark sky site should produce 10 to 15 Leonid meteors an hour. Each year at this time our pl...