EarthSky News - March 19 - Top Stories This Week

March 19 Top Stories This Week by:

When galaxies collide, black holes eat Galaxy collisions cause black holes to eat stars much faster than previously thought. Back-to-back Mars dust storms Two dust storms sprang up in Mars northern hemisphere, then blew up to continent-size upon shifting southward. Great Barrier Reef is dying A Nature story calls for immediate global action to reduce the magnitude of climate warming to secure a future for coral reefs. Real-life Hoth is disappearing The Norwegian ice cap - known to Star Wars fans as planet Hoth - is melting. Fastest sunsets near equinoxes We're talking about the amount of time needed for the body of the sun to sink below the horizon. Tomorrow is the March equinox 2017's vernal equinox comes March 20 at 10:29 UTC. Here's all you need to know ... Day and night equal at equinox? The sun is a disk, not a point of light. Plus Earth's atmosphere refracts sunlight. For both reasons, we have more than 12 hours of daylight on the day of an equinox.

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

Regulus is the Lion's heart Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo the Lion, is much larger than our sun.

Day and night equal at equinox? The sun is a disk, not a point of light. Plus Earth's atmosphere refracts sunlight. For both reasons, we have more than 12 hours of daylight on the day of an equinox. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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