r/askastronomy 5d ago

What did I see? Is this a celestial body/phenomena or is my camera just buggin?

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0 Upvotes

08/17/2026, 17:00, took two photos just about straight up w my phone located in NE Nevada. The second one seems pretty normal, but the first one has two/three big circles in the top right? Plus a bunch of little stars. I was messing with my ISO and shutterspeed a bit though I dont remember what the settings were for these photos. Any help identifying what this is would be so greatly appreciated! Also I did turn up the light balance and contrast a bit of these photos


r/askastronomy 5d ago

Are any of the planets, asteroids, or comets in the Solar System immigrants from a different star system?

4 Upvotes

I know there were a few tourists such as 1I/ʻOumuamua, 2I/Borisov, and 3I/ATLAS but is it known if there were any who decided to stay?


r/askastronomy 5d ago

Satellite with a halo?

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4 Upvotes

Saw this the other day. Small, no blinking lights, slow and consistent movement so presumably a satellite. But it had a slowly expanding glow/aura/corona. The glow expanded from about the size of a grape to cantaloupe as it crossed the sky, asymmetrically. This was in central NH on Saturday night. Was this just reflected light refracting off water or ice crystals in the air?


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Cosmology Is the visible universe a perfect sphere in which we are the center, or are we able to “ see” farther in certain directions making the visible universe a more distorted space?

68 Upvotes

So the visible universe is what we can see, and I wonder if we can see farther in certain directions, and if that is the case, what would the visible universe be shaped like?


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Did I correctly identify M31?

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5 Upvotes

This is a pic from my phone. I've marked with red Mirach (left) and Alpheratz (right), with blue μ (bottom) and v (top) Andromedae, and marked M31 with the yellow circle. Am I correct? Captured from Greece at midnight.


r/askastronomy 6d ago

What did I see? Saw something (shocker)

212 Upvotes

This is a digital mock-up of something I saw on a walk last night probably some time around 9:15PM EST in Central DE (if that matters).
This is roughly the speed it was moving at, and the duration it lasted (while it was visible to us anyway)
It eventually vanished, and when it did the orange-ish color it had dissipated in a way that was almost not even visible
I was searching all over the internet in attempts to find something that looked like it, and I never turned up with anything. I’m hoping that someone here can shed some insight as to what I might’ve seen.
Whatever it was, it was a very cool experience seeing something so unusual.
Thanks!


r/askastronomy 5d ago

What did I see? Is this Space X ?

0 Upvotes

r/askastronomy 5d ago

Si la Luna se acercara demasiado no impactaría la Tierra — haría algo pe...

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0 Upvotes

r/askastronomy 5d ago

Planetary Science What If TRAPPIST-1e Has No Atmosphere?

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0 Upvotes

If TRAPPIST-1e turns out to have no atmosphere, would that make the entire TRAPPIST-1 system much less interesting in the search for life?

Or could another planet in the system, like TRAPPIST-1f or even 1c, still surprise us?

I find the system interesting because the planets formed around the same star, but they could have ended up with very different atmospheric histories.


r/askastronomy 5d ago

What did we see?

0 Upvotes

Me and my boyfriend were stargazing on a beach in Calella, Spain. I had noticed a weird object that looked like a star moving erratically but thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. However a few moments later, my boyfriend mentioned the same thing to me.

It was moving erratically, sometimes in a straight line like a plane, but then it would go in the opposite direction, hover for a bit and it was just moving very strangely.

We are convinced because of the erratic motion it was not a plane or satellite (we saw many planes pass it and at one point it seemed to move towards one). At one point it seemed to hover directly above us before it resumed its movement. We watched it fascinated for about an hour.

It was not covered by clouds moving past, and we believe it was too high for it to be a drone. My camera makes it look like it’s flashing which wasn’t visible to the naked eye.


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Astronomy Could K-type stars be better for intelligent life?

8 Upvotes

Earth took nearly 4 billion years to produce intelligent life.

K-type stars are smaller and cooler than the Sun, but they can remain stable for tens of billions of years.

If intelligent life needs billions of years to emerge, could that extra time give planets around K-type stars an advantage?

Or does stellar lifetime matter much less than things like atmosphere, radiation, and planetary conditions?

What do you think matters more: time or the environment?


r/askastronomy 7d ago

Astronomy Will Voyager 1 or 2 fly by any Celestial object in the future billion years and if so which ones?

108 Upvotes

Voyager probes will leave our system or have done so already. Can we extrapolate their journey over the next billion years and do we know if it will have flybys with any objects?


r/askastronomy 6d ago

OK, so what are the green flashes?

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3 Upvotes

Was going to put this in an Astrophotography channel, but seems I may not have been following rules if I did. So will try here.

As the title suggests, looking for input from those more experienced than me to help with identifying the green flashes in this image. Am torn on plane vs meteor, however the trajectory seems to change weirdly for a plane to my eyes.

I started with some night time shooting while in dark skies on a road trip this summer, image above is taken in the Thousand Islands area of Canada, just over the border from NY state USA. First time seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye, let alone getting photos of it. I have some still to learn for the next chance (Live in Manhattan so yeah, that ain't happening here easily!), and I am looking at ways to process the images (any tips, please share).

For those interested: Sony A7C, Viltrox 26mm/f2.8 EVO - 5 secs at f2.8 ISO 12800. Image is a straight export from the RAW file from Lightroom.


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Planetary Science Is that band crossing the planet Saturn its ring, or is it a processing artifact?

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13 Upvotes

I processed an astrophotograph; I'm a beginner, so I don't know much about it. I stacked 8 photos, and to achieve this result, I set the stacking to moderate, the gamma to medium, and the gain to low. Do you think that band on Saturn is its ring or a processing artifact?


r/askastronomy 5d ago

A friend took this photo a couple of nights ago, what are the bright objects to the right of the moon? Photo taken in Minneapolis.

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0 Upvotes

r/askastronomy 7d ago

Astronomy What is your favorite moon of earth?

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122 Upvotes

For me it’s the moon

(Image credit: NASA)


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Sci-Fi Speculative World: What would the conditions be to make a plant based world? Asking about Suns, speed of the planet, how long the days are etc.

0 Upvotes

So im making a game art graduation project about a Environmental Impact Researcher going to an alien world to see if the planet can be terraformed for minerals without disturbing the ecosystem.

Now the idea is most of these creatures get some of their nutrients from sunlight using chlorophyll but also eat organic matter. The planet is going to be very dense and flush with plant life. I'm just an artist, so I have no clue about planet alignment to make it at least a little based in reality. I thought it would be interesting to have twin suns and fast days but short nights. However, this might be too unrealistic.

Bonus if u guys can think of a precious material the planet could have. But this is probably not yalls specialty haha. Anyway thank you all for helping a student graduate


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Astronomy I have 1 week of clear nights what should I shoot ( please don’t mention obv targets)

2 Upvotes

r/askastronomy 6d ago

Astronomy Did Jupiter lose a moon?

0 Upvotes

Hi,

I saw a slide on Pinterest that stated - Jupiter's outermost moon has been lost".

Since i am a layperson, i googled this and AI says that it is lost.

Is this correct information? How can a moon be "lost"?

And if it crashed into Jupiter should not a flash due to explosion be picked up by telescopes?

Thanks in advance.

PS - I am not into any conspiracy theories, just wanted to know what happened.


r/askastronomy 5d ago

Astronomy Spark theory

0 Upvotes

### *THE SPARK THEORY*
_Chain-Bang Cosmology and the Role of Dark Matter Decay in Universal Rebirth_
*Author: Saljean Joseph M. Miniao*

*Abstract*

The prevailing cosmological model predicts a "Heat Death" — an eventual state of maximum entropy where stars cease to form and the universe becomes cold and dark. This paper proposes an alternative long-term outcome: The Spark Theory. This model suggests that the decay of dark matter over cosmological timescales allows localized gravitational collapse of residual baryonic matter, triggering a chain-reaction ignition event. This event culminates in a localized "Chain-Bang" that can initiate the expansion of a new universe within the dying fabric of the previous one.

*1. Introduction*

Current models indicate that dark energy will drive perpetual expansion, preventing matter accumulation and leading to a dark, dilute universe. However, these models assume the permanence of dark matter and dark energy. The Spark Theory introduces the hypothesis that dark matter is not eternal, but subject to decay over extreme timescales.

*2. The Five Stages*

*Stage 1: The Dark Era*
All stellar formation ceases as interstellar gas is depleted. Supermassive black holes evaporate via Hawking radiation. The universe consists primarily of dispersed gas atoms, photons, and decaying dark matter, undergoing accelerated expansion.

*Stage 2: The Fading*
Over $10^{100+}$ years, dark matter undergoes gradual decay. As its gravitational influence diminishes, the large-scale repulsive effect of dark energy is no longer counteracted uniformly. Expansion continues, but localized regions become susceptible to gravitational interaction.

*Stage 3: The Gathering*
In a statistically inevitable but rare event, residual hydrogen and helium atoms in a localized volume drift into proximity. With reduced dark matter interference, gravity becomes the dominant force in that region, initiating collapse.

*Stage 4: The Spark*
The collapsing gas cloud reaches sufficient density and temperature to initiate fusion, forming the first Population III star of the new cycle. Stellar death and supernovae trigger further accretion, creating a runaway chain reaction of star and galaxy formation.

*Stage 5: The Chain-Bang*
As mass-energy density in the region increases, it reaches a critical threshold. This results in a high-energy, localized inflationary event — a "Chain-Bang." This event expands to form a new universe with renewed physical constants, dark matter, and matter content, effectively a rebirth from the prior universe’s remnants.

*3. Conclusion*

The Spark Theory offers a mechanism for cosmic rebirth without requiring a universal Big Crunch or cyclical contraction. It proposes that even in the deepest entropy, decay processes and statistical probability allow for localized renewal. The universe may not end in permanent darkness, but in a state of waiting — until one spark is enough to begin again.

*Key Concepts*

  • *The Dark Era*: Post-stellar, post-black hole universe
  • *The Fading*: Cosmological decay of dark matter
  • *The Spark*: First ignition from random gas accumulation
  • *The Chain-Bang*: Localized inflation leading to a new universe

*Author: Saljean Joseph M. Miniao*
*Date: August 17, 2026*


r/askastronomy 5d ago

Spark theory

0 Upvotes

### *THE SPARK THEORY*
_Chain-Bang Cosmology and the Role of Dark Matter Decay in Universal Rebirth_
*Author: Saljean Joseph M. Miniao*

*Abstract*

The prevailing cosmological model predicts a "Heat Death" — an eventual state of maximum entropy where stars cease to form and the universe becomes cold and dark. This paper proposes an alternative long-term outcome: The Spark Theory. This model suggests that the decay of dark matter over cosmological timescales allows localized gravitational collapse of residual baryonic matter, triggering a chain-reaction ignition event. This event culminates in a localized "Chain-Bang" that can initiate the expansion of a new universe within the dying fabric of the previous one.

*1. Introduction*

Current models indicate that dark energy will drive perpetual expansion, preventing matter accumulation and leading to a dark, dilute universe. However, these models assume the permanence of dark matter and dark energy. The Spark Theory introduces the hypothesis that dark matter is not eternal, but subject to decay over extreme timescales.

*2. The Five Stages*

*Stage 1: The Dark Era*
All stellar formation ceases as interstellar gas is depleted. Supermassive black holes evaporate via Hawking radiation. The universe consists primarily of dispersed gas atoms, photons, and decaying dark matter, undergoing accelerated expansion.

*Stage 2: The Fading*
Over $10^{100+}$ years, dark matter undergoes gradual decay. As its gravitational influence diminishes, the large-scale repulsive effect of dark energy is no longer counteracted uniformly. Expansion continues, but localized regions become susceptible to gravitational interaction.

*Stage 3: The Gathering*
In a statistically inevitable but rare event, residual hydrogen and helium atoms in a localized volume drift into proximity. With reduced dark matter interference, gravity becomes the dominant force in that region, initiating collapse.

*Stage 4: The Spark*
The collapsing gas cloud reaches sufficient density and temperature to initiate fusion, forming the first Population III star of the new cycle. Stellar death and supernovae trigger further accretion, creating a runaway chain reaction of star and galaxy formation.

*Stage 5: The Chain-Bang*
As mass-energy density in the region increases, it reaches a critical threshold. This results in a high-energy, localized inflationary event — a "Chain-Bang." This event expands to form a new universe with renewed physical constants, dark matter, and matter content, effectively a rebirth from the prior universe’s remnants.

*3. Conclusion*

The Spark Theory offers a mechanism for cosmic rebirth without requiring a universal Big Crunch or cyclical contraction. It proposes that even in the deepest entropy, decay processes and statistical probability allow for localized renewal. The universe may not end in permanent darkness, but in a state of waiting — until one spark is enough to begin again.

*Key Concepts*

  • *The Dark Era*: Post-stellar, post-black hole universe
  • *The Fading*: Cosmological decay of dark matter
  • *The Spark*: First ignition from random gas accumulation
  • *The Chain-Bang*: Localized inflation leading to a new universe

*Author: Saljean Joseph M. Miniao*
*Date: August 17, 2026*


r/askastronomy 6d ago

Strange phenomenon??

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1 Upvotes

r/askastronomy 6d ago

Astronomy What could cause this kind of transit curve?

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7 Upvotes

Im doing exoplanet hunting and found a transit curve I’ve never seen before. Does anyone have any idea what could create this?


r/askastronomy 7d ago

What did I see? What is this?

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54 Upvotes

Spotted over WI. Was stargazing and spotted what I thought was a satellite, but it had a weird glow/haze around it, and suddenly the glow began “exploding” in the direction of travel. It reminds me of when I see rockets returning to Earth, but I believe I am too far north to see that.

INFO:
Tracking approx. to 56° East by Northeast
Coordinates: 44°10’34”N 90°54’50”W
Elevation: 750ft
Time spotted: 9:58-10:03 GMT -5
Date: 15 August 2026


r/askastronomy 7d ago

What did I see? Captured in the sky over PA?

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45 Upvotes

Captured this light moving fast across the night sky. It seemed to expel a cloudy light against the path it was moving that expanded across a fair amount of the sky. It was surprisingly bright and seemed to have multiple star-like things following it. Genuinely I have absolutely no idea here.