THE SOVIET VENUS PROBE HAS RE-ENTERED: No one saw it happen, but Kosmos 482 is thought to have re-entered Earth's atmosphere today. ESA reports a positive radar detection from Germany at 6:04 UTC followed by a "no-show" at 7:32 UTC. The Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) says it splashed down in the Indian Ocean around 0624 UTC. Analysts are examining infrared satellite images for possible confirmation. Stay tuned.
COMPLETE PARHELIC CIRCLE: May 7th was a special day for atmospheric optics in England. First, John Dartnell of North Wiltshire looked up and saw an oval sun halo. Then, Andy Burns of Chippenham saw the same oval plus a complete parhelic circle. It's the giant ring at the top of this wide-angle photo:
Parhelic circles go completely around the sky--akin to the ring around a dirty bathtub--always at the same altitude as the sun. "This was a super halo, over 100 degrees wide," says Burns.
Like all sun halos, parhelic circles are formed by ice crystals in high clouds. However, these giant pale circles are unlike other halos in one important way: They rely on many kinds of reflections (internal, external, single, double, triple and more). "The parhelic circle appears simple, yet more ray paths contribute to it than in any other ice halo," notes atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley.
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CONSTELLATION CAT NIGHT LIGHT (CRYSTAL BALL): It's the most far-out feline night light ever--the Constellation Cat Crystal Ball. On April 23, 2025, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a giant helium balloon.
You can have it for $139.95. Outlined by stars in the style of an astronomical constellation, the laser-etched cat comes with an LED stand that produces a soothing glow for your bedside table. Also included: A unique greeting card shows the crystal ball in flight and tells the story of its journey to the edge of space.
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