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As humanity directs more of its technology toward the vast expanse of outer space, we're getting an unprecedented opportunity to witness breathtaking astronomical events. Some of these moments are anticipated and planned, while others come as complete surprises—occurrences we observe simply because we were looking in the right place at the right time. Below are 10 remarkable examples of recent astronomical events caught on camera.
10. Messier 82 Supernova Explosion
Messier 82, a cigar-shaped galaxy located in Ursa Major about 11 million light-years from Earth, became the site of a groundbreaking discovery on January 21, 2014. Astronomy students in London spotted the first young supernova visible from Earth in 27 years. By comparing images of Messier 82 with past photos, the students identified a new, bright star in the galaxy, marking the discovery of supernova 2014J. Such supernovas, visible in wavelengths we can observe, are rare, and this was the closest bright young supernova to be spotted since 1987, when supernova 1987A lit up the sky.
Astronomers had hoped that this supernova would continue to brighten until it was visible through binoculars, possibly even with the naked eye. Unfortunately, within weeks, the light began to fade, meaning that supernova 2014J will not become a new star in the night sky. However, if you miss this year's supernova, don't worry. Astronomers are confident that a star in our own galaxy will explode in a supernova within the next 50 years. Sadly, they also estimate that there's only a 20% chance it will be visible without a telescope.
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9. Solar Tornado Captured on the Sun's Surface
For two years, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has been transmitting stunning high-definition color videos of the Sun. On February 7-8, 2012, it captured something unprecedented: a solar tornado on the Sun's surface. Unlike tornadoes on Earth, which are driven by wind, solar tornadoes are powered by magnetic forces.
Solar tornadoes form within magnetic fields anchored to the Sun's surface at both poles. At one end of the magnetic field, a burst of superheated plasma shoots out from the Sun and spirals toward the other end, creating a tornado-like vortex. These planet-sized magnetic fields twist the plasma into the familiar corkscrew shapes of a Kansas tornado—except, of course, these tornadoes are not in Kansas, Toto.
8. The Little Comet That Couldn’t
Comets are the wandering travelers of our solar system, originating from far beyond the orbits of Neptune and Pluto in the Oort cloud. From this distant region, they journey toward the Sun, only to swing back out in vast elliptical orbits. The Oort cloud holds trillions of icy objects, many of which could become comets if they managed to head toward the Sun.
One such comet approached the Sun in August 2013. It may have passed through our solar system hundreds or even thousands of times before, safely orbiting the Sun and then returning to the Oort cloud. However, this time, it made a fatal dive straight into the Sun. Normally, such an event wouldn't have attracted any attention from astronomers, but this particular event was captured by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), which constantly monitors the Sun, its corona, and solar wind. The SOHO spacecraft recorded the comet's final approach, as it headed toward the Sun never to return.
7. Martian Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse on Earth is one of nature's most extraordinary spectacles. For a brief moment, the Moon passes directly in front of the Sun, blocking all but a sliver of its light and casting a shadow over the land during the day. It's a rare chance for observers to glimpse the Sun's outer corona. This phenomenon can also occur on other planets that have moons.
However, it wasn't until August 2013 that humans had witnessed a solar eclipse from another world. That changed when the Mars Curiosity rover directed its camera toward the Martian sky and, for the first time, captured the larger of Mars' two moons, Phobos, crossing in front of the Sun. Much like on Earth, the sky dimmed as the moon blocked the sunlight. The images taken by the rover show Phobos passing in front of the Sun, but unlike Earth’s eclipses, the moon doesn't cover the Sun's entire surface, giving this solar eclipse a unique, though equally stunning, appearance.
6. Watch an Asteroid Rotate as It Passes Earth
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), including comets and asteroids, follow regular orbits that bring them dangerously close to Earth. These objects are of great interest to scientists because they might contain the primal building blocks of the universe. However, they also pose a catastrophic threat to life on Earth if their orbits intersect with our planet's path. As a result, scientists are increasingly focused on locating and tracking these objects to better understand their movements.
In 2012, asteroid 4179 Toutatis made a close pass by Earth. Toutatis, a five-kilometer (3-mile) wide iron asteroid, was named after a Celtic god from a comic book series. While the name may seem unusual, it did adhere to naming conventions. During its flyby, the NASA Deep Space Network captured radar images of the asteroid from a distance of 6.4 million kilometers (4 million miles), roughly 18 times the distance from Earth to the Moon.
Toutatis is large enough to wipe out life on Earth if it were to collide with our planet. It completes an orbit every four years, meaning it could potentially cross paths with us again. Fortunately, astronomers have carefully tracked its orbit and can reassure us that it poses no threat for at least the next 400 years. Its next close approach will occur in 2069.
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5. Moonrise on Mars
Humans have been witnessing the Moon rise since the earliest days of civilization, but we’ve always had our view from Earth. Thanks to modern technology, we can now watch moons rise on other planets as well. On June 28, 2013, the Mars Curiosity Rover captured the Martian moon Phobos rising over the Martian horizon. The video condenses 27 minutes of the Martian moonrise into just 30 seconds. A halo in the sky is a lens artifact rather than a real phenomenon. While the moonrise is less dramatic on Mars due to the small size of Phobos compared to Earth's Moon, it is still an awe-inspiring sight, the first of its kind witnessed by humanity.
If humanity ever settles on Mars, they won’t just see one moon rise—they’ll witness two, as Mars has two moons. However, the second moon, Deimos, is even smaller than Phobos. It will be many years before humans witness a Martian moonrise, though. NASA plans to send astronauts to Mars by 2035, but this date remains uncertain. An even more ambitious project, Mars One, aims to send humans to Mars by 2023, but with one condition—those who go will not return. Despite this, tens of thousands of people have signed up for this one-way trip.
4. Photobombing Frog
This wasn’t some Photoshop trick—it was a real image of a frog leaping into the frame of a remotely triggered camera just as a rocket was launching from Wallops Island, Virginia. Given that rocket launches are essentially controlled explosions, this frog gave a whole new spin to the concept of ‘photobombing.’ To confirm that this was indeed a real frog, NASA issued an official press release about the incident. The scientists believe the frog was relaxing in one of the puddles near the launch pad, which was quickly turned to steam by the intense heat from the rocket engines, prompting the frog to make a dramatic, photogenic leap to safety.
The spacecraft featured in the image, the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE), was launched from Wallops Island, Virginia, and provided a stunning spectacle for viewers along the U.S. East Coast in September 2013. After completing its mission to study the Moon’s atmospheric conditions, NASA deliberately crashed the spacecraft into the Moon.
3. Birth of a New Moon
The Cassini spacecraft has captured countless breathtaking and significant images of Saturn throughout its mission. Recently, it added a remarkable new discovery to its collection: a new moon seemingly forming and emerging from Saturn's rings. This is the first time astronomers have ever observed the birth of a new moon. The moon, named 'Peggy,' measures only about 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) in diameter and appears to be coming into existence at the edge of Saturn's outermost 'A' ring.
Scientists believe that these moons are formed when icy particles in the rings are pushed outward, much like a droplet of water being pushed to the edge of a spinning disc. Some of these small moons then act as ‘shepherds’ of the rings, using their gravitational pull to help maintain the structure of the rings. Cassini is still too distant to capture detailed images of the new moon, but in 2016, it will come closer and take clearer pictures.
2. Earth From Mars and Saturn
On January 31, 2014, about an hour after sunset, the Mars Curiosity rover looked up and saw Earth and our Moon. Just as Mars appears red when viewed from Earth, Earth shows up as a pale blue dot from the surface of Mars. With slight magnification, our Moon can also be seen orbiting our planet. The distance between Earth and Mars at the time the photo was taken was 159 million kilometers (99 million miles).
On July 19, 2013, the Cassini spacecraft, orbiting Saturn, turned its camera back toward the center of our solar system and captured a stunning photograph of Earth from the far side of space. The spacecraft cleverly used Saturn's shadow to block out the Sun's rays, resulting in an awe-inspiring image. The photo was later stitched together into a mosaic that showcased the entire planet, its ring system, its moons, and neighboring planets.
The camera didn't just capture Earth, but also Mars and Venus at various points around Saturn's rings. This was the first time that Earth’s inhabitants were informed in advance that their planet was going to be photographed from space. NASA invited people to look toward Saturn and 'smile for the picture.' In the photo, Earth (and just to its lower right, our Moon) can be seen as a pale blue dot, positioned between Saturn’s E ring and its faint G ring, on the lower right-hand side of the image.
1. Eclipse Seen From Space
On April 29, 2014, a partial solar eclipse was visible from some of the most remote areas on Earth. A lucky few, such as those in Indonesia and Tasmania, had the chance to witness one of nature’s most remarkable spectacles: a 'Ring of Fire' annular solar eclipse. However, to see the event in its full glory, you would have had to be in a small region of Antarctica.
The European Space Agency's Proba-2 spacecraft had an even more incredible perspective, capturing the eclipse not just once, but four times. The spacecraft's images allow you to witness the Moon and Sun in their 'cosmic dance,' with each image showing a different part of the Sun being obscured as the Moon passes in front. Fortunately, you won't need to travel to Antarctica to witness the next partial solar eclipse of 2014. On October 23, 2014, most of Canada and the United States will have the opportunity to see this event.
