If you find yourself gazing at the sky tonight, you may notice the moon appears slightly smaller than normal. That’s because you’re looking at a micromoon, a term used to designate when the moon is at a quite distant location in orbit around Earth.
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More than 1,500 people were killed in Turkey and Syria today after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region. It’s the strongest earthquake the country has experienced in more than 100 years, according to the United States Geological Survey. Thousands of others were injured as buildings collapsed, sending residents running into the streets. The quake sent tremors across the two countries while residents were likely asleep and unprepared for the impact. More than a dozen aftershocks have been recorded, including at least seven with a magnitude above 5, the USGS said. Search and rescue operations are underway as Turkey’s disaster agency calls for assistance from the international community.
The US military shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon on Saturday after it drifted off the East Coast near the Carolinas, according to the Pentagon. New video shows the moment a missile fired by a US fighter jet hits the balloon and what appears to be surveillance equipment dropping into the Atlantic Ocean. President Joe Biden touted the mission as a success. China, on the other hand, expressed its “strong dissatisfaction and protest” against the decision, accusing the US of “overreacting” and “seriously violating international practice.” Meanwhile, another balloon spotted over Latin America belongs to China and was used for flight tests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing today.
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