A Glimpse into Cosmos

Stunning photo of Saturn's moons Rhea and Epimetheus by the Cassini Probe on March 24, 2010.

Credits: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute – P. Byrne

A Glimpse into Cosmos

The Universe fascinates me. I often look up at night to see the stars and planets visible to the naked eye. 

I occasionally gaze at Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion's constellation. "You're still there," I tell myself, knowing it could go supernova between now and the next 100,000 years.

It was different today. Would you like to know why?

I saw the crescent Moon, followed by two white spots, one shinier than the other. "There you are," I said to Jupiter and Venus, smiling.

They are easy to spot in the late afternoon twilight, low in the West after sunset. They are visible between this February 21 and March 1.

A Glimpse into Cosmos

On February 1st, the comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) made its 42 million-kilometre approach to Earth, visible with either a telescope, binoculars or even the naked eye if the sky was starry.

This rare green-tailed celestial body "passed" Earth approximately 50,000 years ago, during the Middle Paleolithic period.

Meanwhile, almost every night, I stare at another celestial body, the Moon, which is 4.51 billion years old.

Image Copyright: Dan Bartlett

A Glimpse into Cosmos

 The Hand of God

A Glimpse into Cosmos

 Jupiter, a failed star that binds us together.

 

Source: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute