• Asteroid 2017 FJ101 to flyby Earth at 0.83 LD

    A newly discovered asteroid designated 2017 FJ101 will flyby Earth at a distance of 0.83 LD (~318 720 km / 198 034 miles) from the surface of our planet on Thursday, March 30, 2017. This is the 15th asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since January 9,…

  • Kambalny volcano erupts after 248 years of sleep, Russia

    A major eruption started at Kamchatkan Kambalny volcano at 21:20 UTC on March 24, 2017, prompting authorities to raise the Aviation Color Code to Orange. According to experts, the sharp intensification of the volcano was a complete surprise. Although there are…

  • Kaikoura earthquake, the most complex in modern history

    In November 2016, a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit New Zealand, causing significant damage and between 80 000 – 100 000 landslides. Now, an international team of scientists says the quake was so complex and unusual that it is likely to change how scientists…

  • After 30 years, new cloud types added to Cloud Atlas

    Celebrating the World Meteorological Day on March 23, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released its new, long-awaited, digitized International Cloud Atlas. The atlas is global reference for observing and identifying clouds, which are an essential part…

  • K-Cor promises earlier space weather warnings

    A new research instrument located on the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii – K-Coronagraph – showed the technique it uses to observe Sun's corona can be used to provide earlier warnings to astronauts when dangerous high-energy particles are blasted out of the…

  • Very large blue fireball illuminates sky over Sweden

    A very large blue fireball illuminated the sky over Sweden around 20:30 UTC (21:30 CET) on March 20, 2017. The event was so powerful that the whole sky lit up, Swedish All Sky Meteor Network astronomers said. Images of the event immediately started appearing on…

  • Happy Equinox

    The first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the southern hemisphere takes place on March 20, 2017. On this day, the Sun rises due east and sets due west. It will shine directly on the equator,…

  • Twister forms at Brisbane Airport, Australia

    A tornado has reportedly touched down near Brisbane Airport in Queensland, Australia on March 17, 2017, during a severe weather outbreak. Although BOM said evidence suggests the twister was a landspout, Higgins Storm Chasing group claims the phenomenon was actually…

  • Very rare, gigantic blue jet over Paraíba, Brazil

    Diego Rhamon managed to capture a gigantic jet (giant blue jet) taking place in Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil on March 13, 2017. It is the first recording of this elusive weather phenomenon in Brazil. According to Rhamon, the cumulonimbus cloud that…

  • Calbuco’s eruption expanded ozone hole to record size

    A new study argues that eruption of the Chilean volcano Calbuco on April 22, 2015 stretched the Antarctic Ozone Hole, the thinnest portion of the ozone shell that shields Earth from harmful radiation, to a record size nearly as large as Africa. It did so by ejecting…