Cosmic Conversations
Cosmic Conversations will be held on Tuesday November 18 from 7 7o 8:30 PM at the observatory and via Zoom. The Topic will be “Hot Stuff – Our Sun.”
Science
Join Erin at GeekGirlCon in Seattle!
Don’t have plans for the weekend of November 8th? Head on over to GeekGirlCon in Seattle to celebrate and honor the legacies of under-represented groups in science, technology, comics, arts, literature, game play, and game design!
The Winter BI Parks and Rec Catalog Is Coming Soon— And We’re In It!
We’re teaming up with Parks and Rec once again for out-of-this-world classes! Introduction to Astronomy 101 (ages 16+) is back with another fantastic lineup of classes to get you off to a great start in astronomy.
Keep an eye out on the BI Parks website for when they drop the winter catalog!
Would You Be Interested in a Women in Stem-Focused Book Club?
We’re thinking about starting a Zoom book club in January focused on biographies and memoirs about Women in STEM–and we’d love to know if you’d be interested in joining!
The Triangulum Galaxy (M33)
Credit: Chuck Wraith
The Triangulum Galaxy is a large spiral galaxy found in the Triangulum Constellation and is 3 million LYRs away from us.
The Keen-Eyed Vera Rubin Observatory Has Discovered a Massive Stellar Stream
The Vera Rubin Observatory’s first light images captured the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, highlighting the discovery of a massive 163,000-light-year-long stellar stream extending from the spiral galaxy Messier 61. This stream is likely the remnant of a dwarf galaxy or globular cluster torn apart by tidal forces.
Rapid Brightening of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS As It Nears Sun Surprises Scientists
An interstellar comet named 3I/ATLAS, only the third of its kind recorded, recently passed close to the sun, brightening at an unprecedented rate and appearing blue instead of the usual red. This unusual behavior has puzzled scientists, who monitored it using space-based solar observatories due to solar glare blocking Earth-based views. Researchers suggest the brightness surge may be caused by visible gas emissions as the comet neared perihelion.
A Study Has Found New Organic Molecules on Saturn’s Moon Enceladus. Scientists Say That Increases the Chance It’s Habitable
Scientists have discovered new organic compounds in icy geysers from Saturn’s moon Enceladus, suggesting it may have conditions suitable for life. Using data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft flyby in 2008, researchers analyzed young ice grains from the moon’s plumes, which collided with Cassini’s instruments at high speeds, revealing clearer chemical signatures. While Enceladus is considered habitable due to its subsurface ocean and water plumes, the presence of life remains unknown.