Cosmonaut Photos: More Russian Kamchatka Volcanoes | International Space Station

Cosmonaut Photos: More Russian Kamchatka Volcanoes | International Space Station

These images were shared by Expedition 74 Station Commander and Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia aboard the International Space Station:"Kamchatka's volcanoes are so numerous and diverse that you should read about them in books . . . or better yet, go see them with your own eyes."

"If the view of volcanoes from space impresses you, rest assured, they will be just as impressive on Earth!"

These photos include: "one of the most active volcanic places on Earth–Klyuchevskoy Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

"There are 13 volcanoes here, four are active. Volcanoes are like people—they have their own stories and their own characteristics.

🏔Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest active volcano in Eurasia (~4,750 m). Here it is in the photo. The beautiful (and also young and very active, and therefore dangerous) cone is in the upper right corner. Always recognizable, even from space.

🏔Nameless—became famous for its unexpected, catastrophic eruption in 1956. Before that, it was considered dormant, but then, "bang!"—an explosive lateral eruption lowered the volcano by 200 meters, spewing ash several kilometers into the air, and simultaneously destroying forests over an area of ​​several hundred square kilometers. The photo shows Klyuchevskaya Sopka's lower neighbor with a rough cut on its side.

🏔Tolbachik—a volcano consisting of two parts: Sharp and Flat. If you look at it in the lower left corner of the photo, its distinctive shape makes it clear why it was given these names. Tolbachik is unusual not only in appearance but also in behavior. Tolbachik's eruptions created a unique "lunar" relief—vast ash fields where lunar rovers' chassis were once tested. Now they have become a tourist attraction, allowing you to briefly feel like an astronaut on the Moon.

🏔Ushkovsky is an unusual giant to the left of Klyuchevskoy. This volcano is unlike the others in Kamchatka. It is the continent's largest shield volcano. It is permanently capped by a thick ice cap, yet it remains active.

🏔Shiveluch is a powerful, most active volcano. It is separated from the main group and located to the north. It erupts constantly and regularly makes the news due to ash clouds that threaten air travel.

There are other volcanoes in these photos—Zimina, Udina, Kamen, and Krestovsky . . . Volcanoes are not just beautiful cones and impressive eruptions. They are clear evidence that our planet is alive and active, and that enormous power lies hidden within its depths."

The Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands, and Karaginsky Island constitute Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation. The Kamchatka Peninsula contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that form part of the Ring of Fire.

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Credit: Roscosmos/Sergey-Kud Sverchkov
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Geology #Stratovolcanoes #Volcanoes #KamchatkaPeninsula #KamchatkaKrai #Камчатка #PacificOcean #SeaOfOkhotsk #EastAsia #Cosmonauts #SergeyKudSverchkov #CosmonautPhotography #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Earth Beauty: The African Continent | International Space Station

Earth Beauty: The African Continent | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir: "The beauty of the Earth remained just as fresh after 205 days of my previous mission, and now fills me with awe once again. One of my favorite daytime passes is over Africa, yes the entire continent (the one continent I have not yet set foot upon!). The variety of colors and textures is astounding from coast to coast. A few shots from my first 2 weeks back on the International Space Station."

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers around 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area. With over 1.5 billion people, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents.

This is Jessica Meir's second spaceflight. After her arrival to the International Space Station, she joined Expedition 74/75, kicking off a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013. The Caribou, Maine, native earned a bachelor’s degree in biology Brown University, a master’s degree in space studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. 

On her first spaceflight, Meir spent 205 days as a flight engineer during Expedition 61/62, and she completed the first three all-woman spacewalks with fellow NASA astronaut Christina Koch, totaling 21 hours and 44 minutes outside of the station. Since then, she has served in various roles, including assistant to the chief astronaut for commercial crew (SpaceX), deputy for the Flight Integration Division, and assistant to the chief astronaut for the human landing system.

NASA Astronaut/Dr. Jessica Meir's Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-u-meir/

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/Jessica Meir
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Africa #Continents #EarthArt #OverviewEffect #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #AstronautPhotography #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Kitt Peak, Arizona

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Kitt Peak, Arizona

Astrophotographer Petr Horálek: "I was lucky this morning to capture the nice total lunar eclipse visible mostly from the western US. The almost 1-hour totality was nicely colorful, especially at the end, when a blue hint also appeared at the edge of the eclipsed Moon due to sunlight scattered by the ozone layer in the higher atmosphere. And by now, we need to wait for another total solar eclipse until 2028. A deep partial, however, will appear in the sky at the end of August."

Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Learn more: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/

Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Petr Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava)
Location: Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, USA

Image Details:  Nikon Z6III, 1000mm x 1,4 teleconverter, f10, ISO 2000, 4s exposures
Petr's website: https://www.petrhoralek.com
Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #KittPeakNationalObservatory #Arizona #UnitedStates #Astrophotography #PetrHorálek #Astrophotographers #Americas #STEM #Education

A Tour of The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

A Tour of The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This video features one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Credits:  
Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann  
Editing: Nico Bartmann  
Web and technical support: Enciso Systems  
Written by: Bethany Downer  
Footage and photos: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)
Duration: 1 minute, 13 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Journey to The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Journey to The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This video takes the viewer on a journey through space to one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula lies in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4 400 light years away.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov, G. Anselmi, E. Slawik, N. Risinger, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble), M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)
Duration: 1 minute, 30 seconds

Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Cat’s Eye Nebula—NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Close-up: Cat’s Eye Nebula—NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This is a Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov
Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Cat’s Eye Nebula: NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Cat’s Eye Nebula: NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This is a Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Image Description: Two images of a planetary nebula in space. The image to the left, labeled “Euclid & Hubble”, shows the whole nebula and its surroundings. A star in the very center is surrounded by white bubbles and loops of gas, all shining with a powerful blue light. Farther away a broken ring of red and blue gas clouds surrounds the nebula. The background shows many stars and distant galaxies. A white box indicates the center of the nebula and this region is the image to the right, labeled “Hubble”. It shows the multi-layered bubbles, pointed jets and circular shells of gas that make up the nebula, as well as the central star, in greater detail.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Infographics #STEM #Education

Close-up: The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a new Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away.

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope also expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots sculpted by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

A portion of this data was used in a previous image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, released in 2004. Previously unused data from ACS is combined with the latest processing techniques to create this new image, the sharpest so far.

Image Description: An image of the center of a planetary nebula. A blue star sits at the center within a series of overlapping, translucent bubbles of gas. The bubbles have a complex, filamentary structure. The two largest bubbles overlap halfway, creating an eye-like shape with the star at the center. Jets of high-speed gas point out of the top and bottom of the nebula. Faint, concentric circles of gas also surround the star, out beyond the bubbles.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Z. Tsvetanov

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a new Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away.

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope also expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots sculpted by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

A portion of this data was used in a previous image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, released in 2004. Previously unused data from ACS is combined with the latest processing techniques to create this new image, the sharpest so far.

Image Description: An image of the center of a planetary nebula. A blue star sits at the center within a series of overlapping, translucent bubbles of gas. The bubbles have a complex, filamentary structure. The two largest bubbles overlap halfway, creating an eye-like shape with the star at the center. Jets of high-speed gas point out of the top and bottom of the nebula. Faint, concentric circles of gas also surround the star, out beyond the bubbles.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Z. Tsvetanov
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Florida

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Florida

Photographer: "Total lunar eclipse of 3/3/2026 at Moonset over the Gulf, just before sunrise from Tarpon Springs, Florida." 

Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Learn more: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/

Image Credit: Barry Ollikkala

Image Details: Canon R7, RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 lens on iOptron Skyguider Pro star tracker, on Meade heavy-duty field tripod
Location: Tarpon Springs, Florida
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #TaerponSprings #Florida #Astrophotography #BarryOllikkala #Astrophotographers #Americas #STEM #Education

March 3, 2026 Lunar Eclipse Schedule by Time Zone: The Americas

March 3, 2026 Lunar Eclipse Schedule by Time Zone: The Americas

Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Central Standard Time (CST)

Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

Viewing a total lunar eclipse is as easy as looking up! Lunar eclipses are completely eye-safe, unlike solar eclipses. Feel free to enjoy this lunar eclipse with your naked eye!

The eclipse reaches totality at 6:04 a.m. Eastern Time/3:04 a.m. Pacific Time on the morning of Tuesday, March 3, 2026. ⬇️

On March 3, 2025, the Moon enters the Earth's shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first visible in the Americas since March 2025. This animation shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth's shadow, along with times at various stages. Celestial north is up in this imagery, corresponding to the view from mid-northern latitudes. Rotating the images by 180 degrees would create the south-up view for southern hemisphere observers.

The penumbra is the part of the Earth’s shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by the Earth. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden. The Moon's appearance is not affected much by the penumbra. The real action begins when the Moon starts to disappear as it enters the umbra at about 1:50 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. An hour and a half later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly copper color. The totally eclipsed Moon is 10 or more f-stops dimmer than a normal full Moon. During the eclipse, the Moon is moving through the constellation Leo.

Learn more here:
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/march-2026-total-lunar-eclipse-your-questions-answered/

Credits: NASA Goddard/Spaceweather[dot]com

Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #Americas #TimeZones #Infographics #STEM #Education

NASA's Crew-12: Home Planet Awe | International Space Station

NASA's Crew-12: Home Planet Awe | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot: "Throwback to one of the first pictures of Crew‑12 in space . . . and we were of course looking back at Earth from this orbital vantage point. First‑ and second‑time fliers united in their love for our home planet and their awe at its beauty. We were at a loss for words to describe how stunning Earth is—and how this view made us feel."

"This picture was taken on Saturday, February 14, during the 34 hours SpaceX Dragon Freedom spent chasing the Station before docking."

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/S. Adenot

Image Date: Feb. 14, 2026
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #OverviewEffect #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

How to Watch Lunar Eclipses | NASA

How to Watch Lunar Eclipses | NASA

Viewing a total lunar eclipse is as easy as looking up! Lunar eclipses are completely eye-safe, unlike solar eclipses. Feel free to enjoy this lunar eclipse with your naked eye!

We know space fans want to get the most out of seeing the Moon turn red, so we asked a lunar scientist for tips. This is our breakdown of how to enjoy the eclipse, reaching totality 6:04 a.m. Eastern Time/3:04 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow morning. ⬇️

On March 3, 2025, the Moon enters the Earth's shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first visible in the Americas since March 2025. This animation shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth's shadow, along with times at various stages. Celestial north is up in this imagery, corresponding to the view from mid-northern latitudes. Rotating the images by 180 degrees would create the south-up view for southern hemisphere observers.

The penumbra is the part of the Earth’s shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by the Earth. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden. The Moon's appearance is not affected much by the penumbra. The real action begins when the Moon starts to disappear as it enters the umbra at about 1:50 a.m. Pacific Sstandard Time. An hour and a half later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly copper color. The totally eclipsed Moon is 10 or more f-stops dimmer than a normal full Moon. This is captured in the animation by simulating an abrupt change of exposure near the start and end of totality. Totality lasts for about an hour before the Moon begins to emerge from the central shadow. During the eclipse, the Moon is moving through the constellation Leo.

Learn more here:
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/march-2026-total-lunar-eclipse-your-questions-answered/

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Duration: 28 seconds
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Dusty Surroundings of Orion and The Pleiades Star Cluster

The Dusty Surroundings of Orion and The Pleiades Star Cluster

This image contains a wide variety of astronomical objects, including the Pleiades star cluster, Barnard's Loop, the Orion Nebula, Aldebaran, Betelgeuse, Witch Head Nebula, Eridanus Loop, and the California Nebula. The 'tapestry' of our night sky has an extremely deep hidden complexity. This image shows a dusty starfield with intricate dust filaments all over. Red, blue, and brown nebulas fill the field.

View labeled version here: 
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260302.html

This composite image required 16 hours of  exposure in dark skies over Granada, Spain.

Image Credit & Copyright: Ignacio Fernández
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Aldebaran #Betelgeuse #PleiadesStarCluster #Nebulae #WitchHeadNebula #CaliforniaNebula #OrionNebula #BarnardsLoop #EridanusLoop #OrionConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #Astrophotography #IgnacioFernández

 #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #Granada #Spain #España #GSFC #STEM #Education #APoD

Cosmonaut Photos: Volcanoes of Russia's Kamchatka | International Space Station

Cosmonaut Photos: Volcanoes of Russia's Kamchatka | International Space Station

These images were shared by Expedition 74 Station Commander and Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia aboard the International Space Station: "There's a place in Russia where people experience volcanoes as a common and integral part of the landscape. This is the Kamchatka Krai! Unlike most of the peninsula's volcanoes, located in hard-to-reach areas, the home volcanoes are located just 25–35 kilometers from the city, and in clear weather, their cones dominate the view."

"So, meet the 🏔 'Home Group' of volcanoes in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (in order of decreasing distance from the coast):

🏔 Koryaksky Volcano (3,456 m)

The absolute dominant feature of the city's panorama. Thanks to its classic conical shape and impressive height, this beauty is visible from virtually anywhere in Petropavlovsk. One of the most picturesque volcanoes on the peninsula, its last eruption occurred in 2008–2009. 

🏔 Avachinsky Volcano (2,741 m)

A truly "working" volcano in Kamchatka is one of the most active and accessible for climbing. You can climb Avacha from Petropavlovsk and return in one day. This is perhaps the easiest way to experience true volcanic activity. (This is what I did.) Its crater regularly makes its presence known with steam and gas emissions. 

🏔 Kozelsky Volcano (~2,180 m)

The least noticeable member of this group, almost merging with Avachinsky, but no less significant. Its slopes are covered with glaciers and snowfields that do not melt even in summer. Of particular interest to climbers and lovers of glacial landscapes."

"Despite their beauty and the kind epithet bestowed upon them by locals, the 'home' volcanoes are active and remain formidable natural features. Keep this in mind when planning a climb."

The Kamchatka Peninsula is a 1,250-kilometer-long (777 mi) peninsula in the Russian Far East with an area of about 270,000 km2 (100,000 sq mi). The Sea of Okhotsk bounds the peninsula's western coastline on the Pacific Ocean.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands, and Karaginsky Island constitute Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation. The Kamchatka Peninsula contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that form part of the Ring of Fire.

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Credit: Roscosmos/Sergey-Kud Sverchkov
Release Date: Feb. 26, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Geology #Stratovolcanoes #Volcanoes #KamchatkaPeninsula #KamchatkaKrai #Камчатка #PacificOcean #SeaOfOkhotsk #EastAsia #Cosmonauts #SergeyKudSverchkov #CosmonautPhotography #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

What's Up for March 2026: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

What's Up for March 2026: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

Here are examples of skywatching highlights for the northern hemisphere in March 2026:

A total lunar eclipse blood moon takes center stage, Venus and Saturn cozy up for a conjunction, and we celebrate the vernal equinox. 

0:00 Intro

0:12 Total lunar eclipse

1:22 Venus + Saturn conjunction

1:57 Vernal equinox

2:39 March Moon phases

Blood Moons can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly or very closely aligned with Earth between the other two. During these rare events, the full Moon rapidly darkens and then glows red as it enters the Earth's shadow. A small amount of indirect sunlight is still reaching the Moon, passing through Earth's atmosphere, resulting in a reddish hue. This light appears reddish due to the Rayleigh scattering of blue light—the same reason sunrises and sunsets are more orange than during the day.

Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Planets #Venus #Saturn #Earth #Moon #BloodMoon #LunarEclipse #Stars #VernalEquinox #Nebulae #Galaxies #MilkyWayGalaxy #Skywatching #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video