Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, which is located about 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.



The Eagle Nebula is one of the most iconic star-forming regions in our galaxy. It’s a vast cloud of gas and dust stretching roughly 70 light-years across. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillars-of-creation-nbsp">Pillars of Creation&nbsp;</h2>



What makes it especially famous is a portion of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 - an area called the "Pillars of Creation."&nbsp;



Some of these towering columns of gas are several light-years tall. The towers resemble sculpted fingers reaching out into space. Inside these pillars, new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/serpens-nebula-image-reveals-how-stars-are-born/">stars</a> are being born as gravity pulls material together into dense cores that eventually ignite nuclear fusion.



The Pillars of Creation are often cited as a poetic example of the cosmic cycle of birth and destruction - where new stars are born even as the surrounding material is slowly destroyed by radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-image-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



“This towering structure of billowing gas and dark, obscuring dust might only be a small portion of the Eagle Nebula, but it is no less majestic in appearance for it,” said <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/heic2507a/">ESA</a>.



“The new Hubble image is part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations. The cosmic cloud shown here is made of cold hydrogen gas, like the rest of the Eagle Nebula. In such regions of space new stars are born among the collapsing clouds.”&nbsp;



The hot, energetic stars emit intense ultraviolet light and powerful stellar winds that erode and sculpt the surrounding gas. The result is the creation of fantastical structures - like the narrow pillar with a blossoming head featured in the new image.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-and-shadow-in-the-eagle-nebula">Light and shadow in the Eagle Nebula</h2>



The thick material in the pillar blocks most light, appearing dark and heavy against the backdrop. However, its edges glow where light from the more distant nebula shines through.&nbsp;



The striking colors reflect the chemistry and physics at play: blues signal ionized oxygen, reds indicate glowing hydrogen, and orange shows where starlight has managed to pierce the dust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-structure-under-siege">A structure under siege</h2>



Just out of frame lie the very stars responsible for shaping this dramatic pillar. Their radiation and winds continue to batter the cloud, compressing the gas and potentially triggering the birth of even more stars within.



For now, the pillar holds firm, but this stability is temporary. Over time, the relentless energy from newly formed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">stars</a> will eventually erode the entire structure.



“While the starry pillar has withstood these forces well so far, cutting an impressive shape against the background, eventually it will be totally eroded by the multitude of new stars that form in the Eagle Nebula,” explained ESA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-of-the-milky-way">Life cycle of the Milky Way</h2>



The nebula’s location in the Sagittarius Arm - one of the Milky Way’s major spiral arms - places it in a zone bustling with similar star-forming regions. This highlights the role of the Eagle Nebula in shaping the structure and the future of our galaxy.



Studies of the Eagle Nebula have revealed that the region is rich in young, hot stars - some of which are only a few million years old. These stars are in various stages of development, providing a natural laboratory for astronomers to study stellar life cycles.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Evolution of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



Within the Eagle Nebula, there is a variety of stellar processes occurring in close proximity. Some stars are still forming within dense clouds of gas, while others have already matured and begun to emit powerful ultraviolet radiation.&nbsp;



The ongoing interaction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">young stars</a> and their environment drives the evolution of the nebula itself.&nbsp;



As newly formed stars heat and disperse the gas and dust around them, they trigger further waves of star formation - or in some cases, halt it altogether.&nbsp;



This feedback loop not only influences the pace of star birth in the Eagle Nebula but also contributes to the broader life cycle of matter within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-collision-may-change-everything-we-know-about-our-galaxy/">Milky Way</a>, enriching the galaxy with heavier elements forged in stellar cores.



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, K. Noll



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Eagle Nebula: Carving light from darkness

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a portion of the Rosette Nebula, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.



The Rosette Nebula is a vast cloud of gas and dust located in the constellation Monoceros, also known as the Unicorn.



Shaped like a blooming rose in deep space, it lies about 5,200 light-years from Earth and spans roughly 100 light-years in diameter.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-image-of-the-rosette-nebula">Image of the Rosette Nebula </h2>



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/35-years-of-hubble-the-telescope-that-changed-our-view-of-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble</a> zooms into a small portion of the nebula that is only four light-years across (the approximate distance between our Sun and the neighboring Alpha Centauri star system),” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“Dark clouds of hydrogen gas laced with dust are silhouetted across the image. The clouds are being eroded and shaped by the seething radiation from the cluster of larger stars in the center of the nebula.”&nbsp;



“An embedded star seen at the tip of a dark cloud in the upper right portion of the image is launching jets of plasma that are crashing into the cold cloud around it. The resulting shock wave is causing a red glow. The colors come from the presence of hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distinct-appearance-of-rosette">Distinct appearance of Rosette</h2>



Stellar winds and ultraviolet light are gradually carving out a cavity in the nebula’s center while simultaneously triggering new waves of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> along its dense edges.&nbsp;



The Rosette Nebula is often studied to understand the life cycle of stars and the complex interactions between radiation and interstellar material. 



Its intricate structure and visual appeal have made it a favorite target for both professional astronomers and astrophotographers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nebulae-that-are-similar-to-rosette">Nebulae that are similar to Rosette</h2>



Compared to other famous nebulae, the Rosette Nebula stands out for its symmetry and floral appearance, which give it a distinct, iconic look. It's often compared to the Orion Nebula, which is much closer to Earth at about 1,300 light-years away and far brighter in the night sky. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orion Nebula</a> is a bustling stellar nursery visible even to the naked eye, while the Rosette requires a telescope and is more diffuse and fainter despite being larger in actual size.



The Eagle Nebula, home to the famous "Pillars of Creation," shares a similar process of star formation and sculpting by radiation, but the Eagle has more dramatic, finger-like structures.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stellar-feedback-and-cosmic-evolution">Stellar feedback and cosmic evolution</h2>



The Lagoon Nebula and the Trifid Nebula, both in the constellation Sagittarius, also resemble the Rosette in that they are active star-forming regions, but they lie in a denser part of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> and are often surrounded by a rich starfield.



What makes the Rosette Nebula particularly interesting scientifically is the clear interaction between its central star cluster and the surrounding gas, offering a textbook example of how massive stars influence their environment. 



It may not be as visually iconic as the Orion or as dynamic as the Eagle, but it's a beautiful and instructive example of stellar feedback and cosmic evolution.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-of-the-rosette-nebula">History of the Rosette Nebula </h2>



The history of the Rosette Nebula, like many deep-sky objects, is a blend of observational discovery and increasing scientific understanding over time. 



Although it was likely spotted by earlier astronomers, its first documented observation was in the late 17th century by John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal of England.&nbsp;



However, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a> itself was not fully recognized as a distinct object until the advent of astrophotography and improved telescopes in the 19th and 20th centuries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-clusters-of-the-enormous-cloud">Star clusters of the enormous cloud</h2>



The central star cluster, NGC 2244, was cataloged separately by William Herschel in the 18th century. Over time, astronomers realized that this cluster was embedded in a much larger, complex nebular structure.&nbsp;



As telescope technology advanced, astronomers identified several parts of the Rosette Nebula and gave them separate designations, including NGC 2237, NGC 2238, NGC 2239, and NGC 2246 - essentially referring to different regions of the same enormous cloud.



Observations from space-based telescopes like Chandra (X-rays) and Spitzer (infrared) helped map the energetic processes inside the nebula, revealing how radiation and stellar winds from NGC 2244 are triggering the birth of new stars in its surrounding regions.



Image Credit: ESA



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Rosette Nebula: A flower blooming in deep space

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features UGC 5460, a spiral galaxy that is located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Ursa Major.&nbsp;



“This image combines four different wavelengths of light to reveal UGC 5460’s central bar of stars, winding spiral arms and bright blue star clusters. Also captured in the upper left-hand corner of this image is a far closer object: a star just 577 light-years away in our own galaxy,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“UGC 5460 has hosted two recent supernovae named SN 2011ht and SN 2015as. It’s because of these two stellar explosions that Hubble targeted this galaxy, collecting data for three observing programmes that aim to study various kinds of supernovae.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-core-collapse-supernova-nbsp">A core-collapse supernova&nbsp;</h2>



SN 2015as is an example of a core-collapse supernova. This type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> occurs when the core of a massive star - typically with more than 8 times the mass of the sun - can no longer support its own gravity after exhausting its nuclear fuel. 



This causes the core to collapse under its own weight, leading to an extremely violent explosion. The collapse triggers the release of an enormous amount of energy, expelling the outer layers of the star into space.



In the aftermath of the explosion, a dense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shockingly-bright-carbon-monoxide-detected-in-supernova-remnant/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">remnant</a> is created. This is often a neutron star or black hole, depending on the mass of the original star. Core-collapse supernovae are some of the most powerful events in the universe.



According to ESA, Hubble observations of SN 2015as will help researchers understand what happens when the expanding shockwave of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-dandelion-year-1181-leaves-behind-zombie-star-defying-death/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> collides with the gas that surrounds the exploded star.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-stars-with-large-eruptions-nbsp">Rare stars with large eruptions&nbsp;</h2>



“SN 2011ht might have been a core-collapse supernova as well, but it could also be an impostor called a luminous blue variable. Luminous blue variables are rare stars that experience eruptions so large that they can mimic supernovae,” noted ESA.



“Crucially, luminous blue variables emerge from these eruptions unscathed, while stars that go supernova do not. Hubble will search for a stellar survivor at SN 2011ht’s location, and the explosion’s identity may be revealed at last.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-spiral-galaxy">What is a spiral galaxy?</h2>



Spiral galaxies are some of the most recognizable and beautiful structures in the universe. They are known for their distinctive arms that spiral outward from a central bulge.&nbsp;



These galaxies are typically composed of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. The arms are often sites of intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>, where clouds of gas collapse to form new stars. 



In the center of a spiral galaxy lies a dense concentration of older stars and, often, a supermassive black hole.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structure-of-a-spiral-galaxy-nbsp">Structure of a spiral galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



The structure of a spiral galaxy is generally divided into three main components: the disk, the bulge, and the halo.&nbsp;



The disk is where the spiral arms are located and contains most of the galaxy's visible stars and interstellar medium.&nbsp;



The bulge is a tightly packed region of older stars at the core, and the halo consists of a sparse collection of stars and globular clusters that surround the galaxy.&nbsp;



Spiral galaxies can be classified into different types based on the tightness and number of their spiral arms, as well as the size of their central bulge.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-milky-way-galaxy">The Milky Way galaxy</h2>



Our solar system is located within a large spiral galaxy known as the Milky Way. The name refers to its appearance as a dim, milky band of light stretching across the night sky.&nbsp;



The term "Milky Way" comes from ancient Greek mythology, where it was associated the goddess Hera's milk spilling into the sky. In Greek, it was called "Galaxias Kyklos," meaning "milky circle."&nbsp;



Spanning about 100,000 light-years in diameter, the Milky Way is composed of stars, gas, dust, and dark matter. The galaxy has a distinct disk shape with spiral arms that wind outward from a central bulge, which houses a supermassive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-black-hole-unleashes-mysterious-flares/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>. 



Our sun is located in one of the spiral arms - known as the Orion Arm - positioned roughly halfway from the center to the outer edge.&nbsp;



The Milky Way is part of a small group of galaxies called the Local Group, which includes the Andromeda Galaxy and several smaller galaxies.



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Hubble views a spiral galaxy with stellar explosions

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Lake Chad in central Africa. The photograph was taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.



According to <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154407/lake-chads-water-wetlands-and-dunes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, Lake Chad once ranked among the largest natural lakes in the world. It was a critical resource for millions of people and animals, supporting agriculture and fishing across the region.&nbsp;



Lake Chad straddles the borders of Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon. The shallow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lakes-are-warming-toward-the-point-of-no-return/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lake</a> is primarily fed by the Chari River, which brings water from the Central African Republic. 



The water levels are also influenced by seasonal rainfall. The rainfall patterns vary significantly across the basin but generally follow a wet-dry seasonal cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-decline-and-shrinkage-nbsp">Environmental decline and shrinkage&nbsp;</h2>



From the 1960s to the early 2000s, the lake lost more than 90 percent of its surface area. It transformed from a vast expanse of open water into a patchwork of wetlands, reed beds, and scattered pools.&nbsp;



This environmental decline has had severe consequences for local communities, leading to food and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-water-security-relies-on-the-origins-of-rainfall/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">water insecurity</a>, loss of livelihoods, and increasing competition over scarce resources.



“Ongoing droughts and the rising demand for fresh water have shrunk the lake to less than a tenth of the area it covered in the middle of the last century,” noted NASA.



“Although the lake has experienced dry and wet periods for thousands of years, there has been a significant decline in the amount of lake water available since the 1960s.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conflict-culture-and-economy">Conflict, culture, and economy</h2>



Lake Chad is a geopolitical hotspot. The region has been affected by conflict, including the insurgency led by Boko Haram, which has displaced millions and further complicated efforts to manage and protect the lake’s fragile ecosystem.&nbsp;



Despite these challenges, regional governments and international organizations are working to restore and sustain the lake, including ambitious proposals to divert water from the Congo River basin.



Culturally and economically, Lake Chad remains vital. It is a hub for trade and social exchange among diverse ethnic groups and continues to provide fish and fertile land despite its reduced size.&nbsp;



The future of Lake Chad hinges on sustainable water management, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-alter-how-sunlight-travels-through-clear-lakes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a> resilience, and political cooperation across national boundaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-lake-chad-nbsp">Evolution of Lake Chad&nbsp;</h2>



According to NASA, the evolution of Lake Chad has been documented by astronaut photography over the past 60 years.&nbsp;



“During the Apollo 7 mission in 1968, an astronaut acquired an oblique <a href="https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=AS07&amp;roll=8&amp;frame=1932" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photograph</a> of the lake as one large body of water. In 1982, another <a href="https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=STS005&amp;roll=39&amp;frame=1022" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photo</a> from the space shuttle mission STS-5 recorded receding water levels and encroaching sand dunes.”



“A <a href="https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=ISS042&amp;roll=E&amp;frame=244403" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photo</a> taken in 2015 during space station Expedition 42 captured the lake’s remaining waters and wetlands in dark green, blue, and brown, contrasting with the sandy shades of the surrounding land.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-of-lake-chad">Wildlife of Lake Chad</h2>



Lake Chad still supports wildlife, though species diversity and abundance have declined significantly due to ecosystem degradation



The lake and its surrounding wetlands are home to several species of fish, including tilapia, catfish, and Nile perch, which are important both ecologically and economically.&nbsp;



These fish support a major regional fishing industry, although overfishing and changes in water conditions have put pressure on fish populations.



Birds are another key component of the ecosystem. The lake serves as a crucial habitat and stopover point for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migratory birds</a> traveling along the African-Eurasian flyway. 



Species such as herons, storks, ducks, and geese can be found in the region, especially during the wet season when parts of the lake flood and create rich feeding grounds.



Mammals that depend on the surrounding floodplains and wetlands include hippos and various antelope species, yet their numbers have declined.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-efforts-and-challenges">Conservation efforts and challenges</h2>



Reptiles like Nile crocodiles and turtles also inhabit the lake's waters and marshy areas. In the past, larger wildlife such as elephants and lions may have roamed the wider Lake Chad basin, but they are now mostly gone from the immediate lake area due to habitat loss and human activity.



Despite these challenges, Lake Chad remains an important, yet increasingly fragile, refuge for wildlife in a region where water and natural habitats are becoming more scarce.&nbsp;



Conservation efforts aim to balance the needs of people and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-freshwater-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildlife</a>, but the success of such efforts depends on managing the lake’s limited resources in the face of climate change, political instability, and population growth.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Lake Chad: A vanishing lifeline in Central Africa

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features NGC 5335 - a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. 



The photo was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. According to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/04/Barred_Spiral_Galaxy_NGC_5335" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, thousands of distant galaxies are speckled throughout the image in a variety of colors.&nbsp;



Hubble is revealing how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> form, grow, and evolve over cosmic time by capturing detailed images of galaxies at various stages of development, from the nearby universe to billions of light-years away. 



Hubble images have shown us that galaxies collide and merge, that star formation varies across different types of galaxies, and that supermassive black holes often lie at their centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-ngc-5335">Studying NGC 5335</h2>



The galaxy NGC 5335 lies approximately 160 million light-years from Earth. It is classified as an SB(s)bc type galaxy, indicating a well-defined bar structure across its center with less distinct spiral arms. The galaxy was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on May 13, 1793.&nbsp;



Like many galaxies of its type, NGC 5335 features active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>, especially in its spiral arms, where interstellar gas and dust provide the raw material for new stars.&nbsp;



Observations in different wavelengths, including infrared and ultraviolet, help astronomers study its stellar population and the dynamics of its central bar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-s-view-of-the-spiral-galaxy-nbsp">Hubble’s view of the spiral galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



“NGC 5335 is categorized as a flocculent spiral galaxy with patchy streamers of star formation across its disk. There is a striking lack of well-defined spiral arms that are commonly found among galaxies, including our Milky Way,” noted ESA.



“A notable bar structure slices across the center of the galaxy. The bar channels gas inwards toward the galactic center, fueling star formation.”&nbsp;



“Such bars are dynamic in galaxies and may come and go over two-billion-year intervals. They appear in about 30 percent of observed galaxies, including our Milky Way.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galactic-bar-in-the-milky-way-nbsp">Galactic bar in the Milky Way&nbsp;</h2>



The bar in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a> is a vast, elongated structure composed mostly of stars, stretching across the galaxy’s central region. It is a key feature of our galaxy’s architecture, spanning about 27,000 light-years and oriented at an angle relative to the galaxy’s spiral arms.&nbsp;



Astronomers believe the bar plays a crucial role in the dynamics and evolution of the Milky Way by funneling gas inward toward the galactic center. This can feed star formation and fuel the supermassive black hole at the core. 



The bar is thought to have formed from instabilities in the galactic disk and continues to influence the motion of stars and the overall gravitational balance of the galaxy.&nbsp;



Observations in infrared and radio wavelengths, which can pierce through the dust in the galactic plane, have helped scientists map the bar’s size, shape, and orientation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-virgo-nbsp">The constellation Virgo&nbsp;</h2>



Virgo is one of the most prominent and well-known constellations in the night sky, both astronomically and mythologically. It is the second-largest constellation by area and lies along the zodiac, making it one of the twelve constellations through which the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/team-creates-video-showing-the-sun-in-gamma-rays-over-a-14-year-period/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun</a> appears to move during the year.&nbsp;



Virgo is most visible in the evening sky in the Northern Hemisphere during spring, particularly in April and May. Its name means “virgin” in Latin.



Virgo is traditionally associated with various fertility and agriculture goddesses across different cultures, including the Greek goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone, as well as the Roman goddess Ceres.&nbsp;



In some myths, Virgo represents Astraea, the virgin goddess of justice who fled to the heavens during the corruption of mankind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astronomical-significance-of-virgo">Astronomical significance of Virgo</h2>



Astronomically, Virgo is situated between Leo to the west and Libra to the east. One of its most notable stars is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo and one of the brightest in the night sky.&nbsp;



Spica is a blue-white giant, located approximately 250 light-years from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/was-early-earth-a-purple-planet-scientists-say-its-possible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>. It has been important for navigation and agriculture for centuries, marking planting and harvest times in ancient calendars.



Virgo is also of great interest to astronomers because it hosts the Virgo Cluster, a massive cluster of galaxies about 65 million light-years away.&nbsp;



This cluster contains more than 1,000 galaxies, and it's part of the larger Virgo Supercluster, which also includes our own Local Group of galaxies. This makes Virgo a key area for studying large-scale structures in the universe.



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Barred spiral galaxy glows in the constellation Virgo

A fresh set of numbers is changing what scientists thought happens when a city‑sized slab of ice dissolves into the sea. The target was <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104028">mega‑iceberg</a> A‑68A, a floating platform roughly twice the area of Delaware that drifted toward South Georgia in early 2021.



“We think this is the first time measurements have been made so close to an iceberg,” said <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/profile/nacas/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Natasha Lucas of the British Antarctic Survey</a>, lead author of the new study. 



For the first time, researchers steered robotic vehicles to within 14 mi of such a iceberg and kept them there long enough to watch meltwater, temperature, and life interact in real time.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-the-a-68a-iceberg">Tracking the A-68A iceberg</h2>



A‑68A calved from the Larsen C Ice Shelf <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/iceberg-larsen-c-antarctica/">back in 2017</a>, then rode the currents of the <a href="https://www.asoc.org/learn/welcome-to-the-southern-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Southern Ocean</a> on a five‑year tour that ended near South Georgia. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/small-satellites-are-monitoring-ocean-conditions-from-space/">Satellites</a> could trace its general route, but ships kept their distance because the iceberg’s smaller rifts and spins defied prediction.



That standoff ended when a six‑foot‑long glider slipped off the deck of the <a href="https://noc.ac.uk/facilities/ships/rrs-james-cook" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research vessel RRS James Cook</a> and began diving and climbing through a 0.6‑mile‑deep column of water. 



Over 49 days it logged 265 vertical profiles, sending each packet of data to scientists piloting the craft from home offices locked down by COVID‑19 restrictions.



The adventure was not entirely smooth. One glider vanished in the melee of drifting growlers, and another spent 17 days wedged beneath the berg before currents spat it out, battery blinking but sensors intact. 



Still, the mission mapped a zone of ocean that had never been observed so closely or for so long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sensors-beneath-a-68a">Sensors beneath A-68A</h2>



The glider recorded a frosty cap of freshwater spreading across the top 30 ft of the sea. Right below, the instruments found a band of cold winter water that had lost its usual punch, a sign that melt‑driven turbulence had chewed away the seasonal layer separating surface and depth.



As that barrier thinned, nutrient‑rich deep water began sliding upward, carrying iron and silica shaved from the iceberg’s base. 



The upheaval altered local stratification, flipping the normal stack of density and temperature that keeps layers neatly in place during the Antarctic summer.



Salinity told the same story. At barely two miles from A‑68A, the profiles showed tongue‑shaped intrusions of water warmer and saltier than their neighbors, hallmarks of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-survived-when-earth-was-covered-in-ice-but-how/">meltwater</a> plumes that had raced up the iceberg’s base before fanning out sideways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-68a-fuels-ocean-life">A‑68A fuels ocean life</h2>



Plankton reacted almost immediately. Near the ice wall, the glider’s fluorometer logged low <a href="https://oceantracks.org/library/oceanographic-factors/chlorophyll" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chlorophyll</a> and high backscatter, evidence that meltwater diluted existing blooms while also dumping silt that clouded the light.



Farther away, a spike in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shifting-ocean-color-is-pushing-marine-life-toward-the-poles/">chlorophyll</a> flared about 36 hours after the iceberg’s passage, matching lab‑measured growth rates for the local phytoplankton community.



The burst hints that the same plume which first thinned the bloom later primed the water with micronutrients, a one‑two punch that temporarily shuffled who eats whom in the surface ocean.



Because upwelling also lifts dissolved carbon and heat, even short‑lived events like this matter to krill, fur seals, and the economy of South Georgia’s fisheries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-carbon-questions-on-a-cold-frontier">Carbon questions on a cold frontier</h2>



The carbon sink south of 35° S absorbs roughly 40 percent of humanity’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/creating-forests-cant-realistically-cancel-out-fossil-fuel-emissions/">fossil‑fuel emissions</a>. How that service will fare as calving accelerates remains uncertain.



The new findings show giant bergs can raise near‑surface stratification yet also stir the mid‑depths, two adjustments that tug carbon uptake in opposite directions. 



Recent model work argues current estimates may already overshoot Southern Ocean uptake by up to 0.4 Pg C yr‑1. Field evidence like the A‑68A data set will help sort winners from losers in that accounting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-risk-reward-and-remote-control">Risk, reward, and remote control</h2>



Flying a glider next to a iceberg the size of Los Angeles is an exercise in calculated gamble. Lucas and colleagues guided their craft from desks more than 7,500 miles away, relying on patchy satellite snapshots to dodge smaller ice.



When the glider went missing under the berg, frustration turned to nervous excitement, then relief as it resurfaced with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supergiant-gold-deposit-find-claims-to-be-the-worlds-largest-discovery-ever/">gold mine</a> of temperature and salinity profiles. 



That trove fixed the first real numbers on basal melt rate, pegging it at roughly 6.9 × 10^8 m³ per day, an estimate within a factor of two of satellite calculations derived from changes in the iceberg’s freeboard height.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-icebergs-preview-ocean-changes">Icebergs preview ocean changes</h2>



A‑68A is gone now, splintered into shards tracked only by radar, but younger cousins are lining up. The trillion‑ton A‑23A grounded off South Georgia this <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154022/iceberg-grinds-to-a-stop-off-south-georgia-island" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">March</a>, parking just 43 miles from the shore.



Researchers expect more deep‑drafted icebergs to exit West Antarctica as warming currents nibble ice shelves. 



Each one represents a floating lab, a hazard to shipping, and an agent of surprise for ecosystems that evolved around predictable cycles of light and nutrients.



The new study proves those labs are accessible with today’s tools. It also shows that a single iceberg can redraw local physics and biology in days, a reminder that climate change sends ripple effects far beyond melting ice.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-025-01659-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Geoscience</a>.



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Scientists measure marine environment near melting mega-iceberg for first time

A fresh set of numbers is changing what scientists thought...

Far beneath the Pacific, where the Philippine Sea Plate dives under Japan, researchers have finally caught a peculiar kind of earthquake in the act.



Instead of lurching violently, the shallow end of the Nankai Trough crept for weeks, shifting only millimeters at a time while instruments buried in the seabed recorded every move.



“It's like a ripple moving across the plate interface,” said Josh Edgington, who analyzed the data while completing his PhD at the <a href="https://ig.utexas.edu/">University of Texas Institute for Geophysics</a> (UTIG).



The event - technically a slow-slip earthquake - was first spotted in autumn 2015 and repeated in 2020. Each episode unzipped roughly 20 miles of the fault in slow motion, starting about 30 miles off Japan’s Kii Peninsula and migrating seaward toward the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-ocean-trenches-holding-water/">ocean trench</a>.



Onshore seismometers and GPS receivers were oblivious. Only a new network of borehole observatories, drilled hundreds of feet into the seabed, was sensitive enough to detect motion so subtle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-earthquakes-from-below">Detecting earthquakes from below</h2>



Those boreholes are part of Japan’s ambitious scientific-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drilling-hole-reveals-significant-presence-of-high-grade-gold-and-silver-navidad-deposit/">drilling</a> program, which set out to plug the blind spot in global earthquake monitoring.



Land-based arrays can pinpoint sudden jolts but cannot “listen” to the shallows of subduction zones - precisely the places where tsunami-spawning ruptures begin. Installed sensors measure fluid pressure, strain and tilt with exquisite precision, allowing scientists to see how strain accumulates and releases in real time.



For UTIG director Demian Saffer, who led the study, the advantage is obvious. Slow-slip signals, he said, give researchers a direct view of how the shallow plate boundary behaves between major quakes.



If this creeping zone regularly releases stress, it could limit the size of future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/650-foot-mega-tsunami-sends-seismic-waves-around-world-dickson-fjord-swot-mission/">tsunamis</a>. If not, the locked portion of the fault farther down-dip might still be primed for a magnitude-8 or 9 shock, similar to 1946, when a great Nankai earthquake leveled towns and killed more than 1,300 people.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-water-helps-faults-slip">Water helps faults slip</h2>



Both slow-slip events tracked by the borehole array unfolded in regions where pore-fluid pressures are unusually high.



That correlation supports a popular but difficult-to-prove theory: overpressured fluids lubricate faults, allowing sections to move quietly rather than break catastrophically.



In the Nankai data, the link is as clear as it has ever been, offering a new metric for judging the tsunami potential of similar faults worldwide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tsunami-signs-from-afar">Tsunami signs from afar</h2>



While parts of Nankai appear to “creak and groan” in slow motion, the equivalent shallow segment off the Pacific Northwest known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dangerous-part-of-this-west-coast-earthquake-fault-cascadia-subduction-zone/">Cascadia</a> may be silent. 



That worries scientists, because a silent, locked interface stores energy that can unleash one of Earth’s rare magnitude-9 megathrusts and the devastating tsunamis that follow.



“This is a place that we know has hosted magnitude 9 earthquakes and can spawn deadly tsunamis,” Saffer said.



“Are there creaks and groans that indicate the release of accumulated strain, or is fault near the trench deadly silent? Cascadia is a clear top-priority area for the kind of high-precision monitoring approach that we’ve demonstrated is so valuable at Nankai.”



Installing similar borehole observatories along Cascadia, Chile, and Indonesia - other corners of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” - could reveal whether those margins harbor their own stealthy slow quakes or remain locked tight to the trench. 



The answer would refine tsunami-hazard forecasts and perhaps buy coastal communities critical minutes of warning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-creeping-fault-limits-big-earthquakes">Creeping fault limits big earthquakes</h2>



Taken together, the 2015 and 2020 Nankai slow-slip episodes suggest the shallow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dangerous-part-of-this-west-coast-earthquake-fault-cascadia-subduction-zone/">fault</a> functions more like a tectonic shock absorber than a ticking bomb. By periodically releasing energy, it might reduce how much strain transfers to deeper, more dangerous segments.



Yet the scientists caution against complacency. The deeper Nankai interface and neighboring segments could still fail suddenly, as history shows.



For now, geophysicists are analyzing the rich new dataset to model how fluids, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/solar-heat-and-earthquake-activity-is-there-a-connection/">temperature</a>, and rock composition govern the transition from silent creep to violent rupture.



Each slow-slip event is another frame in an expanding time-lapse of the earthquake cycle - one that could eventually reveal when the next big snap is likely to occur.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hearing-earthquakes-before-they-roar">Hearing earthquakes before they roar</h2>



Catch a fault in the middle of a slow-motion glide and you learn a simple truth: not every earthquake shouts. Some only whisper, rippling quietly through kilometres of rock.



By wiring the seabed for sound, scientists have begun to hear those whispers and, with them, the hidden conversations that decide when Earth decides to roar.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads9715">Science</a>.



Image Credit: Japan Meteorological Agency 



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Scientists detect a rare slow-motion earthquake along Japan’s tsunami fault

Far beneath the Pacific, where the Philippine Sea Plate dives...

Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something we “know when we see it,” yet struggle to define.



A sweeping new investigation led by marketing scholars Todd Pezzuti of <a href="https://www.uai.cl/">Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez</a> and Caleb Warren of the <a href="https://www.arizona.edu/">University of Arizona</a> argues that the concept is far less mysterious than it seems.



Across twelve nations, nearly 6,000 participants independently picked out the same constellation of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-type-can-accurately-predict-your-relationship-status/">personality</a> traits when describing a cool person. 



The findings reveal not only what separates “cool” from “good” but also why cool people tend to become catalysts of social change.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-cool-across-12-nations">Mapping cool across 12 nations</h2>



Between 2018 and 2022, the research team collected online responses from adults in the United States, Australia, Chile, mainland China, Hong Kong, Germany, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, and Turkey.



Participants first confirmed that they understood the slang meaning of the word “cool,” then spent a few minutes imagining someone who embodied one of four labels: cool, uncool, good, or not good.



Afterward, volunteers evaluated that imagined person on a battery of personality dimensions drawn from psychology’s “Big Five” model and Schwartz’s theory of universal values.



Because all responses came from internet users in relatively urban settings, the sample leans toward technologically connected citizens. 



Still, it is one of the most culturally diverse datasets ever assembled to study reputational judgments. The result is a uniquely global snapshot of how people assign social prestige.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-cool-and-good-part-ways"><a></a>Where cool and good part ways</h2>



When the investigators compared ratings, they found considerable overlap: both cool and good people scored high on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-many-facial-expressions-seem-more-social-and-likeable/">likability</a>. Yet important divergences emerged.



In all the places they studied, people consistently perceived cool individuals as more extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous. 



Good people, by contrast, ranked as conforming, traditional, secure, warm, agreeable, universalistic, conscientious, and calm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-people-aren-t-always-good">Cool people aren't always "good"</h2>



In Pezzuti’s view, the cool profile evokes a kind of charismatic boundary-pusher: energetic, novelty seeking, and unapologetically self-directed.



That explains why cool individuals can inspire fashion trends or launch creative movements - roles that sometimes require bending social rules rather than following them.



“To be seen as cool, someone usually needs to be somewhat likable or admirable, which makes them similar to good people," said Warren. "However, cool people often have other traits that aren’t necessarily considered ‘good’ in a moral sense, like being hedonistic and powerful.”



The cool persona therefore straddles acceptance and transgression: admired enough to influence peers, rebellious enough to feel fresh.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cool-traits-go-global">Cool traits go global</h2>



In the mid-20th century, “cool” circulated in small countercultures - from Black jazz clubs to Beatnik cafés. Over the decades, fashion labels, record companies and Hollywood studios harnessed the aura of cool, broadcasting certain looks and attitudes to a worldwide audience.



The new study suggests that process may have standardized the meaning of the term. Even participants who live 10,000 miles apart now recognize the same signature <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/personality-traits-linked-to-willingness-to-volunteer-or-donate/">traits</a>. As the authors note, the meaning of cool has crystallized on a similar set of traits and values around the world.



Pezzuti does not see commercialization as a death knell. “Coolness has definitely evolved over time, but I don’t think it has lost its edge. It’s just become more functional,” he said.



“The concept of coolness started in small, rebellious sub-cultures, including Black jazz musicians in the 1940s and the beatniks in the 1950s. As society moves faster and puts more value on creativity and change, cool people are more essential than ever.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-coolness-matters">Why coolness matters</h2>



Because cool people display power and autonomy while earning admiration, the researchers argue that coolness helps establish informal hierarchies. Instead of relying solely on wealth or institutional authority, communities also elevate figures who embody daring and originality.



These individuals, in turn, shape cultural norms by modeling alternative ways to dress, speak, or live. As Pezzuti puts it, “everyone wants to be cool, or at least avoid the stigma of being uncool, and society needs cool people because they challenge norms, inspire change, and advance culture.”



That dual role - both aspirational and disruptive - makes the cool persona uniquely influential. Marketers know this instinctively when they cast charismatic musicians in sneaker ads. Activists harness it when they infuse protest art with edgy style.



The study provides empirical backing for those intuitions: people from Lagos to Los Angeles consistently associate coolness with adventurous independence.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coolness-in-the-digital-age">Coolness in the digital age</h2>



The team notes their study excludes rural and offline groups, whose ideas of cool may differ significantly. They also restricted the study to cultures already familiar with the English slang term, potentially narrowing linguistic nuance.



Future projects could test whether the six-trait profile - extraverted, hedonistic, powerful, adventurous, open, and autonomous - holds in additional societies or emerges in other languages.



Researchers are likewise curious about how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-media-pressure-is-straining-teen-friendships/">social media</a> platforms, which accelerate the spread of trends, might further synchronize or fragment global standards of cool. Does TikTok broaden identity through niche subcultures or reinforce the six-trait mold by favoring charismatic risk-takers?



For now, the evidence is striking: when people across five continents imagine someone undeniably cool, they picture remarkably similar qualities. 



Coolness, it turns out, may be one of the few cross-cultural constants - an unwritten code that transcends borders even as it keeps pushing boundaries.



The study is published in the <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Fxge0001799">Journal of Experimental Psychology: General</a>.



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What makes people cool? Scientists tracked down the traits

Being cool can feel elusive and almost mythic - something...

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