Tony Rice

Raleigh

Contributor at WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)

InfoSec data scientist by day, @NASAJPL Ambassador, contributor to @WRAL & @WeatherBrains on space topics by night. Supporter of Oxford commas & ISO8601 dates.

Featured in: Favicon

wral.com

wraltechwire.com Favicon

irishexaminer.com Favicon

belfasttelegraph.co.uk Favicon

irishnews.com Favicon

qantas.com Favicon

kbtx.com

techbeacon.com Favicon

exbulletin.com Favicon

newsfeeds.media + 2 more

Articles

Summer solstice is the longest day of the year, but not earliest sunrise or latest sunset

1 week ago | wral.com | Tony Rice

Astronomical summer begins tonight, June 20, at 10:42 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time — the moment of the June solstice. At that instant, the Sun will be directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, at a point in the Pacific Ocean due south of Japan. This marks the northernmost subsolar point of the year, when the Sun reaches its highest position in the sky for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.
See the Northern Lights: Why aurora might be visible Sunday night

3 weeks ago | wral.com | Tony Rice |NASA Ambassador

WRAL meteorologist Chris Michaels alerted us to possible auroa tonight (Sunday, June 1). A coronal mass ejection (CME) erupted from the surface of the Sun early Saturday morning, as observed by the LASCO instrument aboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. The halo, or "smoke-ring," effect indicated to forecasters that the CME was headed toward Earth, prompting a geomagnetic storm warning from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).
Bright meteors visible in Carolina skies, and behind WRAL anchors

1 month ago | wral.com | Tony Rice

A bright meteor was seen Tuesday night around 9:21 p.m. above eastern North Carolina. Seen by observers across Western Virginia to Wilmington, the meteor was first visible over Rocky Mount along a south western trajectory toward Tarborro. This wasn't the only meteor visible in the past 24 hours. Another streaked across our skies before sunrise Wednesday.
Soviet-era Venus probe has re-entered Earth's atmosphere

1 month ago | wral.com | Tony Rice

Space agencies tracked the reentry of the Soviet-era Kosmos 482 spacecraft, which descended along the paths shown near the center of impact window (COIW) off the west coast of Australia. (Image: European Space Agency)A spacecraft launched over half a century ago has finally returned to Earth. The Kosmos (Cosmos) 482 descent craft—originally designed to land on Venus—reentered Earth's atmosphere this week after spending 53 years in orbit due to a failed launch in 1972.
How to see the Eta Aquarid meteor shower 2025 peak early this week

1 month ago | wral.com | Tony Rice

In a photo from NASA, Halley's comet during its closest approach to the inner solar system in 1986. Meteor showers can light up night skies from dusk to dawn, and if you’re lucky you might be able to catch a glimpse. (NASA via The New York Times) -- FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLYThe Eta Aquarid meteor shower, peaks early this week. But it may be best known for its famed source: Halley's Comet.
The moon won't quite be smiling: Here's how reality compares the social meme

2 months ago | wral.com | Tony Rice |NASA Ambassador

Venus, Saturn, and the Moon will be far more separated during Friday April 25th "lunar smile" than is being depicted in social media. Social media has been a buzz this week about an event Friday morning before sunrise. The Moon will pass near Venus and Saturn. It will look pretty cool, but not that cool. In reality, Venus and Jupiter wont be close enough to each other or the Moon to match the images you have been seeing online.
Look up for the Lyrics beginning Sunday night

2 months ago | wral.com | Tony Rice

The 2025 Lyrid Meteor shower will be visible for the three nights around the peak on April 21 into the following morningThe Lyrid meteor shower peaks early this week begining Sunday evening and continues for three nights. Best viewing is expected around early Tuesday morning. The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, with records of sightings going back to 687 BCE.
Did you see it? Meteor streaks across central North Carolina early Saturday morning.

Mar 22, 2025 | wral.com | Tony Rice |NASA Ambassador

A meteor was seen streaking across the Carolina skies early Saturday morning. Residents across four states — from central Virginia to Charleston South Carolina and from eastern Tennessee to the outerbanks — reported seeing the space rock to the American Meteor Society. Based on triangulation of those reports, the meteor was first seen over Greensboro traveling nearly due south toward Asheboro.
Astronomers watch for zombie star to rise again

Oct 29, 2024 | wral.com | Tony Rice |NASA Ambassador

An artist's rendention of a red giant star and white dwarf orbiting each other steller material flows from the red giant to the denser white dwarf. (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center)About every 80 years, the T Coronae Borealis star system – or T CrB for short – explodes violently, relighting a long dead star. Earlier this year there were strong indications that T CrB was ready to create this new visible star for a few days. This hasn't happened yet, but history suggests it's just a matter of time.
Wednesday is best evening to see Comet C/2023 A3

Oct 15, 2024 | wral.com | Tony Rice

Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan (pronounced Choo-cheen-SHAHN) ATLAS recently survived its closest pass to the Sun and has moved from the morning to the more convenient evening skies. With mostly cloudy skies expected Tuesday evening, Wednesday is looking like the best time to see the comet. Look to the west beginning around 7:30 pm. The comet will appear above and to the right of Venus and to the left of the bright star Arcturus.