EarthSky News - Feb 23 - Wow! Nearby Star Has 7 Planets

February 23 Wow! Nearby Star Has 7 Planets by:

Wow! Nearby TRAPPIST-1 has 7 planets Big discovery! NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting a tiny star only 40 light-years away. Three of them are firmly in the habitable zone. What would life be like near TRAPPIST-1? The newly discovered exoplanets orbiting this nearby star are likely to be bathed in high-energy ultraviolet radiation. What would life be like there? An expert explains. This date in science: Supernova 1987A Supernova 1987A first appeared in earthly skies 30 years ago today. It was the closest observed supernova since 1604. Where's the moon? Waning crescent A waning crescent moon is sometimes called an old moon. It's seen in the east before dawn. Next new moon is February 26 at 14:58 UTC.

Order your EarthSky Planisphere today! A planisphere is virtually indispensable for beginning stargazers. Your support means the world to us.

Ice circles in Syracuse, New York You need slow-moving currents, moving in circular eddies, to form ice circles, and you need just the right air and water temperature. So they're rare!

Tonight …Where's the moon? Waning crescent Look for the waning crescent moon just above the place where the sun will rise. Photo by Jüri Voit. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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