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This weekend, a full moon will shine in the night sky, so take a moment to appreciate its beauty and look for a wide, dark plain.
A feature of this surface is the Mare Tranquility, the site of Apollo 11’s landing on the afternoon of July 20, 1969.
The full moon won’t peak until 6:17 a.m. ET on Sunday, but the silvery orb They will be showing their best on Saturday, the 55th anniversary. NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to walk on the moon.
Now, as NASA and other space agencies plan for a more established human presence on the moon’s surface through the Artemis program, it turns out the Sea of Tranquility may hold unexplored treasures worth revisiting.
Moon Update
The scientists Underground Caverns of the Sea of TranquilityIn the future, the caves could provide shelter for astronauts on the moon.
Lunar caves, underground passageways formed by volcanic activity in the Moon’s early history, connect with depressions covering the Moon’s surface.
The long, wide cavern, discovered through a review of NASA’s archived data, could not only be used to protect astronauts from harsh radiation and extreme temperature changes, but it could also provide a new way to study moon rocks.
Other Worlds
Astronomers, An exoplanet with a cucumber-shaped orbit It may be changing into a different type of world.
This unusual orbit, in which TIC 241249530 b’s temperatures change from warm summer days to temperatures hot enough to melt titanium, could be a sign that the planet is getting closer to its star.
Astronomers estimate that in a few hundred million years, it will take just a few days, rather than six months, for the planet to orbit its star and become a hot Jupiter.
Meanwhile, the European Space Agency plans to send a spacecraft called Ramses on a safe flight to accompany the asteroid Apophis in April 2029, when it will fly safely past Earth (10 times closer than the Moon). Detecting earthquakes and landslides on space rocks This is because it is affected by the Earth’s gravity.
Amazing Creatures
If your pet has a flat face, like a French bulldog or Persian cat, or plump cheeks, like a Maine Coon, and you notice them squinting or exhibiting behavioral problems, they could be suffering from a painful condition called eyelid disease.
Some breeds of dogs and cats are genetically more likely to suffer from eyelid deformities that can cause their eyelashes to rub against the cornea.
But what humans call cosmetic surgery helps pets like Hamilton, a 4-year-old English bulldog. Overcoming the pain caused by eyelid deformation.
“These cosmetic procedures are not just cosmetic, they are extremely important to the health of the animal,” said Dr. Dana Varble, chief veterinary officer for the North American Veterinary Medical Association.
wonder
The Curiosity rover was entering a new part of Mars when it struck a rock, making the “most unexpected” discovery of the 12-year mission so far, mission scientists said.
Curiosity’s wheels confirmed that the rock’s interior was filled with yellow-green sulfur crystals, the like of which have never been seen before on the Red Planet. Those entire fields in ancient waterways It is carved into the side of Mount Sharp on Mars.
But scientists don’t know when, how or why sulfur formed on Mars, creating new mysteries for the rover team to solve.
Meanwhile, the newly established African Space Agency Launching satellites to improve the quality of life on EarthThis includes monitoring water quality and preventing illegal mining and fishing.
once upon a time
During the Cretaceous Period, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, sharks with unusual teeth swam the oceans.
Ptychodus sharks had rows of large, rounded teeth that they used to crush shelled prey, but because only teeth have been found, scientists can only speculate about what the predators looked like.
Paleontologists recently unearthed the nearly complete skeleton of an ancient shark in Nuevo Leon, Mexico. The mystery of the emergence of prehistoric fish.
Separately, Fossil of a giant armadillo-like creature The Argentine fossils reveal that humans butchered the animals more than 20,000 years ago, and that the Americas’ earliest people settled there earlier than expected.
expedition
Let’s take a closer look at some unexpected stories.
— Experts in New Zealand are trying to determine whether a creature that washed up on their shores is a spadetooth whale. It is almost mythical as no scientists have ever recorded a sighting..
— NASA’s Missy Elliott “Rain (Supah Doopah Fly)” About 158 million miles to VenusThis will be the first time a hip-hop song has been sent into space.
— In Cambodia, Siamese crocodile eggs hatch in record numbers It offered hope to an endangered species that was on the verge of extinction in the wild.
— This week, a flaming meteor streaked over New York City and disintegrated over New Jersey. Skywatchers captured the unusual phenomenon on video..
Have you read it and liked it? Ah, but there’s more to come. Register here Get the next issue of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN’s space science reporter, by email Ashley Strickland and Katie HuntThey marvel at the discoveries of planets and ancient worlds outside our solar system.
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