Subcategory / Daily archive

Astronomy news — August 1, 2026

Publications tagged with Astronomy published on August 1, 2026 (UTC). This is a fixed calendar-day archive.

22 publications

World Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:15 UTC
El Niño Brings Sharks, Snakes to California
El Niño, a climate pattern expected to be very strong this year, could push sharks, venomous snakes, and other unusual marine life towards the West Coast of the United States, particularly California. Scientists warn that this phenomenon may increase the risk of dangerous encounters with these creatures.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:14 UTC
Astronomers Discover Unusual Three-Lobed Asteroid with a Moon
Astronomers have discovered that asteroid (44) Nysa, previously thought to be elongated, is actually a remarkably unusual three-lobed object. The discovery was made using powerful ground-based telescopes, which also revealed a small moon orbiting Nysa. The asteroid's unique shape and the presence of its moon offer new insights into the early solar system's violent collisions and asteroid formation processes.
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World Weather Astronomy Public Health
Aug 1, 2026, 19:14 UTC
5.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Aomori, Japan
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 occurred off the coast of Aomori Prefecture, Japan, at around 11:48 am local time on August 1, with a hypocenter depth of 80 kilometers. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported the earthquake, which had a preliminary magnitude of 5.8. There was no tsunami alert issued following the earthquake.
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World Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:14 UTC
Earthquake of Magnitude 4 Hits Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate
An earthquake with a maximum intensity of 4 occurred in Hokkaido, Aomori Prefecture, and Iwate Prefecture. No tsunami warning was issued. The earthquake was felt in various cities and towns within these prefectures, including Hokkaido-Sapporo, Aomori Prefecture-Hirakawa Town, Oirase Town, and Noheji Town. The earthquake was recorded at 11:48 JST.
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World Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
Anxiety Over Aftershocks Drives Japanese Residents Out of Homes
Following a severe earthquake in Japan, tens of thousands of people are living without water or electricity in emergency shelters and cars due to fears of aftershocks. Rescue workers are searching for missing persons in collapsed buildings amidst rising temperatures.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
Juno Measures Heat Beneath Jupiter's Moon Io
NASA's Juno spacecraft has, for the first time, measured heat beneath Jupiter's fiery moon Io. The study is based on data collected during two close flybys of Io by Juno.
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World Asia India Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
R Ashwin Picks India Squad for 2027 ODI World Cup; Drops Pant, Samson
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has named his preferred India squad for the 2027 ODI World Cup, with notable exclusions including Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma. Ashwin's squad features experienced campaigners Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with young talents like Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan. He also surprisingly included veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, suggesting he should be given regular game time before the World Cup.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
Astronaut Shares Breathtaking View of Milky Way from Space
An astronaut has shared a stunning image of the Milky Way galaxy taken from space, describing it as one of his favorite photographs.
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World Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
Magnitude 5.8 Earthquake Off Aomori, Japan
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck off the coast of Aomori, northern Japan, on Saturday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The quake occurred at 11:48 a.m. local time, with an epicenter located at 41.3 degrees north latitude and 142.0 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 80 kilometers. It registered an intensity of four on Japan's seven-level seismic scale.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:13 UTC
Two Russian Cosmonauts Complete Detachment Work
Oleg Artemyev and Sergei Korsakov, two Russian cosmonauts, have completed their work in the cosmonaut detachment, according to Roscosmos. Artemyev, who joined the detachment in May 2003, has made three space flights and eight spacewalks. Korsakov, who flew into space in 2022, spent 195 days in orbit.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:12 UTC
Drifting SpaceX Rocket Collision Course with Moon
A SpaceX rocket, launched over a year ago, is now on a collision course with the moon. The rocket, which was carrying a pair of lunar landers, is expected to impact the moon's surface in March 2023. The collision is not expected to cause any significant damage or disruption.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:12 UTC
Moon to Align with Six Planets in August Morning Sky
In August, the Moon will appear alongside six planets of our Solar System - Neptune, Saturn, Uranus, Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter - in the morning sky. Additionally, residents of Earth can observe the peak of the Perseid meteor shower during this period.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 19:12 UTC
Astronomers Measure Largest Known Galaxy's Size
Astronomers have finally determined the full size of the largest known galaxy, Coma Berenices. The galaxy spans an astonishing 1.7 million light-years.
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Culture Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 14:51 UTC
Ancient Rome's Food Shortages Driven by Logistics, Not Climate
A new study reveals that food shortages in ancient Rome were primarily caused by logistical challenges in transporting grain to the capital, rather than climate factors like heat, cold, drought, or heavy rainfall. Researchers found no significant correlation between weather conditions and reported food shortages.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 14:36 UTC
Discarded SpaceX Rocket Collision Course with Moon
A discarded SpaceX rocket, launched over a year ago, is on a high-speed collision course with the Moon. The impact, expected to occur soon, is predicted to happen at speeds ranging from 5,400 mph to 8,700 kph (around 11.8 gigajoules of energy). Scientists are unsure about the exact outcome and impact on the Moon's surface.
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World China Astronomy Public Health
Aug 1, 2026, 10:14 UTC
India's Skyroot Aerospace Launches First Private Orbital Rocket
Skyroot Aerospace, an Indian private sector company, successfully launched Vikram-1, its first orbital rocket, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh. The rocket carried two symbolic payloads, 'Cosmic Bloom' and a small gold rocket with micro-carvings of three scientists, to a low Earth orbit at an altitude of 450 kilometers. This launch makes India the third country, after the US and China, to have a private company capable of launching an orbital rocket. The mission demonstrated several technologies such as propulsion and guidance systems and flight control systems. Skyroot Aerospace, founded in 2018, became India's first space startup to reach a billion-dollar valuation in May 2023. The launch of Vikram-1 is expected to boost India's ambitions in commercial space and attract more investments.
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World Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:50 UTC
Cat Escapes Moments Before Japan Earthquake
A cat was caught on camera fleeing its bed just seconds before a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto, Japan on Tuesday. The quake occurred at 16:27 local time (07:27 GMT), with its epicenter located about 10 kilometers deep under Kumamoto Prefecture on Japan's Kyushu island. The cat's quick reaction helped it avoid being injured by falling objects. The earthquake has resulted in 13 deaths so far and over 170 aftershocks.
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Sports Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:41 UTC
Military Pilot Mihai Vîrdol Dies in Motorcycle Accident
Lieutenant Commander Mihai Vîrdol, a military pilot at Base 90, has passed away after a motorcycle accident. He was known for saving lives at Colectiv and during the pandemic. The 36-year-old officer was in a coma for several days but could not be saved.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:39 UTC
Black Hole 'Blast' Reaches 300,000 Light-Years
A team of researchers has discovered that winds generated by supermassive black holes are 100 times more powerful than previously thought, carrying energy across distances of approximately 300,000 light-years. The discovery demonstrates that these explosive winds affect the vast expanse of space beyond the galaxies they inhabit.
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World Central Asia Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:35 UTC
Earthquake in Kumamoto Causes Temporary Communication Disruptions
An earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture on March 30 caused temporary communication disruptions. NTT Docomo, KDDI, and Rakuten Mobile experienced outages due to power outages at base stations and transmission line failures. SoftBank and NTT Docomo restored services by 1:00 PM, while KDDI and Rakuten Mobile were restored by 8:00 PM. Satellite communication networks like Starlink were used to restore normal voice and data communication.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:32 UTC
SpaceX Starship Floats for Five Days After Landing
SpaceX's Starship 40 successfully splashed down in the Indian Ocean, remaining afloat for five days. This marks a significant advancement for SpaceX's reusable rocket technology, as previous test flights resulted in failures and explosions upon landing. SpaceX is now sending a recovery ship to retrieve the intact Starship 40.
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Science Astronomy
Aug 1, 2026, 09:23 UTC
Betelgeuse's Companion Star Confirmed
After a century-long search, astronomers have finally confirmed the existence of Betelgeuse's elusive companion star using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. The companion, Betelgeuse B, is more massive than previously thought, with 2-3 times the mass of the Sun. This discovery has significant implications for understanding red supergiant evolution and the potential influence of a companion on Betelgeuse's eventual supernova explosion.
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