About 1 trillion stars, located 21 million l-y away from us, and featuring a diameter 2.5 times larger than the Milky Way: this is M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy, and I can capture it, with total impunity, with a 103 mm off the shelf telescope. If this is not mind boggling, then what is?

#Astrodon #astronomy #astrophotography #nightsky #space #galaxy #outdoors

Today, over 20,000 bee species are buzzing for #WorldBeeDay🐝

Bees and other pollinators keep 80% of crops & wild plants alive.

Yet, 1 in 10 bee, hoverfly, and butterfly species are now at risk of extinction in the EU.

The New Deal for Pollinators aims to reverse this before 2030, by:

🌿Mitigating the impacts of pollution, including pesticides
🌼Restoring degraded ecosystems
🛡️Protecting habitats
🌾Taking action to protect the most threatened species

Over the last 50 years, temperatures have been warming across most land areas during the month of May. However, there is also some spatial variability (not too surprising).

Data from NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0 (ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-ba…).

"The Weather & Climate Livestream...

Starting Wednesday, May 28th, join meteorologists and climate scientists from across the US as we share our work, and show you what makes it so vital.

We will clarify the impact of the cuts on this research, and answer your questions about weather and climate research in the US. Information on how to watch is coming soon."

wclivestream.com/

100 years of average January-April temperature anomalies over land areas through this year... climate change and climate variability

Data provided by NOAAGlobalTemp v6.0.0 (ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-ba…)

Shoutout to all UK ocean scientists! This third FMRI podcast is the most interesting so far - really getting into the details of what the future could look like. This is going to affect ALL of us, so please do listen to the podcast and have your say. The fourth episode will be focussed on responding to your thoughts (we've got a bunch already but more is better), so do send your ideas, concerns, questions and comments!

This is also for anyone who uses UK marine research infrastructure - geologists, atmospheric scientists, polar scientists etc. Please do help spread the word, and feel free to post about your responses to the issues in the podcast - the aim of this is to stimulate discussion.

fmri.ac.uk/podcasts

Closer look at the recent record high global mean temperature over land areas (where we live) during the month of April... A clear climate change signal that impacts us all.

Data provided by ncei.noaa.gov/products/land-ba…

Now here's a map view of temperature departures averaged during the last 6 months. The largest anomalies were over the Arctic and into Eurasia.

🟥 [red] warmer than average
🟦 [blue] colder than average

Data from GISTEMPv4 (data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/)

"NOAA ends extreme weather database that has tracked cost of disasters since 1980"

cnn.com/2025/05/08/climate/noa…

Last month observed temperature anomalies more than 5°C above the 1981-2010 average across parts of Siberia. Elsewhere, most areas were also anomalously warm, except around the Fram Strait/Greenland Sea and Hudson Bay.

High resolution version updated monthly at zacklabe.com/arctic-temperatur….

Forest’s Scarlet Jewel

Here’s an image I captured yesterday morning—a northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) in mid-flight, taking off from a stand of trees. The way I’ve framed it gives the image a subtle 3D effect, adding depth and movement to the scene.
Explore stunning images of cardinals and other vibrant members of the Cardinalidae family by visiting my photo gallery here:

swede1952-photographs.pixels.c…

#photo #photography #photographer #photographylovers #wildlife #nature #bird #birds #birding #birdwatching #birdphotography #NorthernCardinal

May I present to you, the Potsdam Gravity Potato?

Areas of the earth where the gravitational field is mysteriously weaker (blue) or stronger (orange)

via @earthlymission
earthlymission.com/the-potsdam…