Shenzhou-23 Crew Conducts EEG Tests, Other Experiments | China Space Station

Shenzhou-23 Crew Conducts EEG Tests, Other Experiments | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-23 crew aboard China's Tiangong Space Station has recently carried out in-orbit electroencephalogram (EEG) testing and other scientific experiments, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).

The three astronauts, Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Lai Ka-ying, used EEG acquisition equipment to conduct a series of experimental tests including space brain monitoring driven by brain network mapping and visual motion processing.

They also carried out experiments on the time-varying characteristics of space brain networks, in-orbit tactile perception and force control tests.

The data obtained will be used to study changes in astronauts' brain functional networks, tactile perception and fine motor control during long-term orbital flight.

In accordance with the experimental arrangements in the field of microgravity physical science, the crew completed the cleaning of samples in the containerless cabinet experiment chamber, replacement of experimental samples and maintenance of the electrode of the axial mechanism. They also inspected and maintained the two-phase system experiment cabinet.

Last week, the Shenzhou-23 crew completed inspections and tests of their in-cabin pressure suits as scheduled, and also carried out in-orbit emergency rescue training.

Meanwhile, the crew has been tending to the space station complex platform, completing work such as measuring the temperature and wind speed inside the cabin.

In-orbit health monitoring also continued. The astronauts conducted overall visual function measurements, intraocular pressure and fundus examinations, and transorbital ultrasound measurements.

They also used a "space scale" to measure their body mass to monitor physiological changes in the microgravity environment.

At present, the crew is in good physical and mental condition, and in-orbit missions are progressing efficiently, the CMSA said.

Shenzhou-23 Crew
Zhu Yangzhu 朱杨柱, Commander & Flight Engineer (second spaceflight)
Zhang Zhiyuan 张志远, Pilot (first spaceflight)

Lai Ka-ying/Li Jiaying 黎家盈, Payload Specialist (first spaceflight) [Hong Kong SAR]

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 37 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 8, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou23Mission #神舟二十三号 #Shenzhou23 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhuYangzhu #ZhangZhiyuan #LiJiaying #LaiKaying #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #MicrogravityExperiments #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA’s Proposed Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover | Artemis Program | JPL

NASA’s Proposed Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover | Artemis Program | JPL

NASA plans to send a nuclear-powered rover called the Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration (PROMISE), depicted in these renderings, to the Moon’s South Pole. The PROMISE concept was unveiled by NASA in June 2026; the agency announced on Nov. 7, 2026, it was moving ahead with the mission.

The rover will study the lunar surface and subsurface, prospect for resources, and gather data to support the establishment of a lunar outpost. It will be constructed largely from existing hardware—test-bed and flight-spare components—developed for NASA’s ongoing Mars rover missions, Curiosity and Perseverance. (The vehicle system test bed is shown at the opening of this video. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California manages those Mars missions, and it is also managing PROMISE on behalf of the agency’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate.

PROMISE will carry an extensive payload of science instruments and technology demonstrations. With a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator on board as a constant source of heat and power, PROMISE will be able to operate in the dark over the long lunar nights and in the Moon’s frigid permanently shadowed regions, where water ice is likely to be found. 

Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA.

Image Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Nov. 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Moon #ArtemisProgram #LunarExploration #LunarSouthPole #Geology #PROMISERover #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #Art #ArtistConcepts #Visualizations #STEM #Education

NASA’s Proposed Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover | Artemis Program | JPL

NASA’s Proposed Nuclear-Powered Moon Rover | Artemis Program | JPL

NASA plans to send a nuclear-powered rover called the Polar Rover for Observation, Mapping, and In-Situ Exploration (PROMISE), depicted in this rendering, to the Moon’s South Pole. The PROMISE concept was unveiled by NASA in June 2026; the agency announced on Nov. 7, 2026, it was moving ahead with the mission.

The rover will study the lunar surface and subsurface, prospect for resources, and gather data to support the establishment of a lunar outpost. It will be constructed largely from existing hardware—test-bed and flight-spare components—developed for NASA’s ongoing Mars rover missions, Curiosity and Perseverance. (The vehicle system test bed is shown at the opening of this video. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California manages those Mars missions, and it is also managing PROMISE on behalf of the agency’s Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate.

PROMISE will carry an extensive payload of science instruments and technology demonstrations. With a multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator on board as a constant source of heat and power, PROMISE will be able to operate in the dark over the long lunar nights and in the Moon’s frigid permanently shadowed regions, where water ice is likely to be found. 

Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages JPL for NASA.

Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Duration: 47 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Moon #ArtemisProgram #LunarExploration #LunarSouthPole #Geology #PROMISERover #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

U.S. Spacewalk 101: Menon & Kutryk | International Space Station

U.S. Spacewalk 101: Menon & Kutryk | International Space Station

Expedition 75 flight engineer and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk: "Feet dangling above the Earth at a speed of 28,000 km/h. Don’t look down!"

Expedition 75 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Anil Menon: "A common axiom in spaceflight is to treat every launch, spacewalk, and opportunity like it may be your last. I arrived at the International Space Station expecting to do zero space walks and hoping for one. I've been fortunate to work with the teams across far more than expected. Yesterday, was a peak moment full of unexpected challenges, real-time solution, and mission success. I feel blessed and thankful for this opportunity to make space a better place for us all. Thanks to the entire team for making it safe, making it fun, and getting it done! It will be the highlight of my career to work with you!"

During the six-hour, 59-minute spacewalk on November 5, 2026, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk installed and deployed the eighth and final International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) on the 3B channel of the space station, completing the power augmentation upgrades. Work to augment the station’s power generation began in February 2021. Since then, astronauts have completed 18 spacewalks to prepare power channel equipment and install the eight arrays. Together, the roll-out arrays increase the station’s power generation capacity from 160 kilowatts to approximately 215 kilowatts.

U.S. spacewalk 101 was Menon’s fifth and Kutryk’s second. It also was the 286th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Follow Expedition 75:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 75 Crew
Station Commander: Pyotr Dubrov 
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Anna Kikina, Sergey Teteryatnikov

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Flight Engineer: Joshua Kutryk

NASA Flight Engineers: Anil Menon, Jessica Watkins, Luke Delaney 

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.

Credits: NASA/JSC/A. Menon, CSA/J. Kutryk

Date: Nov. 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planets #Earth #Spacewalks #USSpacewalk101 #EVA #Astronauts #AnilMenon #JoshuaKutryk #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition75 #InternationalCooperation #CSA #Canada #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China Galactic Energy's Ceres-2 Commercial Rocket Launches Four Satellites

China Galactic Energy's Ceres-2 Commercial Rocket Launches Four Satellites

China's privately-developed commercial Ceres-2 Y3 carrier rocket sent four satellites into orbit on Saturday morning. The Galactic Energy rocket blasted off at 7:37am China Standard Time on November 7, 2026, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, successfully sending the satellites of Guanlan Shiyan, Yunyao-1 28, Zhongbei Daxue-1 and Juntian-1 06A into their planned orbits.

The launch marked the second flight of the Ceres-2 carrier rocket, developed Chinese space firm Galactic Energy (Beijing Galactic Energy Space Technology Co., Ltd.).

CERES-2 is a medium-class solid-fuel carrier rocket designed for flexible, truck-based launches. It has been developed through technological upgrades to CERES-1, and the earlier model has completed 21 launches and delivered 89 satellites into space.

CERES-2 combines solid-fuel propulsion in its first three stages with a liquid-fuel upper stage. The rocket has a liftoff weight of about 100 tons and can carry up to 1.6 tons to a 500-kilometer low-Earth orbit, or 1.3 tons to a Sun-synchronous orbit at the same altitude, according to the company's website.

The North University of China Satellite-1 (Zhongbei Daxue-1) plans to monitor natural mineral resources while providing early alerts for geological disasters with additional functions making it usable as a teaching tool. Development was led by the university with support from launch firm Orienspace3 and Beijing Maiya Technology Co. Ltd. 

Zhongke Xingtu Measurement and Control Technology Co. Ltd. launched its first satellite, Xingyan-01, manufactured by Beijing Juntian Aerospace Technology Co. Ltd. They gave it the additional designation Juntian-1-06A. It is a commercial space situational awareness satellite planned to track, catalog, and monitor the activities of other spacecraft and orbital debris after its systems are verified.

Led by Laoshan Laboratory was the ‘Guanlan Experimental Satellite', tasked with proving out new systems for all-weather, high-precision altimetry readings of global ocean surfaces using dual-frequency Ka and Ku bands and a co-aperture antenna configuration. The antenna was built by the Beijing Institute of Radio Measurement with satellite systems assigned to the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.

Alongside them was Yunyao-1-28 from Yunyao Aerospace. It is a commercial meteorology satellite joining an existing constellation. 

Today’s mission was the second for the Ceres-2 launch vehicle, the 26th flight of the Ceres family of launch vehicles (Ceres-1 and Ceres-2), and Galactic Energy’s 27th orbital launch attempt. This was also the 79th launch from China in 2026.

Image Credit: Galactic Energy

Article Credit: Jack C.
Date: Nov. 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #China #中国 #GalacticEnergy #CERES2Rocket #CERES2Y3Rocket #CommercialSpace #Meteorology #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #SatelliteTelemetry #OrbitalDebrisTracking #JSLC #InnerMongolia #STEM #Education

China Galactic Energy's Ceres-2 Commercial Rocket Launches Four Satellites

China Galactic Energy's Ceres-2 Commercial Rocket Launches Four Satellites

China's privately-developed commercial Ceres-2 Y3 carrier rocket sent four satellites into orbit on Saturday morning. The Galactic Energy rocket blasted off at 7:37am China Standard Time on November 7, 2026, from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, successfully sending the satellites of Guanlan Shiyan, Yunyao-1 28, Zhongbei Daxue-1 and Juntian-1 06A into their planned orbits.

The launch marked the second flight of the Ceres-2 carrier rocket, developed Chinese space firm Galactic Energy (Beijing Galactic Energy Space Technology Co., Ltd.).

CERES-2 is a medium-class solid-fuel carrier rocket designed for flexible, truck-based launches. It has been developed through technological upgrades to CERES-1, and the earlier model has completed 21 launches and delivered 89 satellites into space.

CERES-2 combines solid-fuel propulsion in its first three stages with a liquid-fuel upper stage. The rocket has a liftoff weight of about 100 tons and can carry up to 1.6 tons to a 500-kilometer low-Earth orbit, or 1.3 tons to a Sun-synchronous orbit at the same altitude, according to the company's website.

The North University of China Satellite-1 (Zhongbei Daxue-1) plans to monitor natural mineral resources while providing early alerts for geological disasters with additional functions making it usable as a teaching tool. Development was led by the university with support from launch firm Orienspace3 and Beijing Maiya Technology Co. Ltd. 

Zhongke Xingtu Measurement and Control Technology Co. Ltd. launched its first satellite, Xingyan-01, manufactured by Beijing Juntian Aerospace Technology Co. Ltd. They gave it the additional designation Juntian-1-06A. It is a commercial space situational awareness satellite planned to track, catalog, and monitor the activities of other spacecraft and orbital debris after its systems are verified.

Led by Laoshan Laboratory was the ‘Guanlan Experimental Satellite', tasked with proving out new systems for all-weather, high-precision altimetry readings of global ocean surfaces using dual-frequency Ka and Ku bands and a co-aperture antenna configuration. The antenna was built by the Beijing Institute of Radio Measurement with satellite systems assigned to the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.

Alongside them was Yunyao-1-28 from Yunyao Aerospace. It is a commercial meteorology satellite joining an existing constellation. 

Today’s mission was the second for the Ceres-2 launch vehicle, the 26th flight of the Ceres family of launch vehicles (Ceres-1 and Ceres-2), and Galactic Energy’s 27th orbital launch attempt. This was also the 79th launch from China in 2026.

Video Credit: CCTV

Article Credit: Jack C.
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: Nov. 7, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #China #中国 #GalacticEnergy #CERES2Rocket #CERES2Y3Rocket #CommercialSpace #Meteorology #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #SatelliteTelemetry #OrbitalDebrisTracking #JSLC #InnerMongolia #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Mars-bound Spacecraft Start Their Journey | NASA's ESCAPADE Mission

Mars-bound Spacecraft Start Their Journey | NASA's ESCAPADE Mission

Two spacecraft designed and built by Rocket Lab are about to execute a trans-Mars Injection (TMI) to propel themselves to Mars using Earth's gravity as a boost. The ESCAPADE Mission will help us better understand the Sun’s influence on Mars’ past and present. Its work could help protect human explorers from potentially dangerous space weather when they set foot on the Red Planet.

Since launch twelve months ago, the spacecraft we built for NASA and UC Berkeley's ESCAPADE Mission have been in space making small course corrections.

Now that Earth and Mars are aligned, they will ignite each of their engines for about 9 minutes each to begin their journey to the Red Planet to study its atmosphere. 

Want to make interplanetary history with us? 
Our Space Systems team is hiring: https://rocketlabcorp.com/careers/

ESCAPADE is led by the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory. It is responsible for mission management, systems engineering, science leadership, navigation, operations, the electron and ion electrostatic analyzers, plus science data processing and archiving.

Key partners are Rocket Lab USA (spacecraft), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (magnetometers), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (Langmuir probes), Advanced Space LLC (mission design), and Blue Origin (launch).

Learn more about the two identical spacecraft designed, built, integrated, and tested by Rocket Lab for the University of California Berkeley’s Space Science Laboratory and NASA's Mars Mission:
https://escapade.ssl.berkeley.edu

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/escapade

Video Credit: Rocket Lab
Duration: 3 minutes, 29 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Sun #SpaceWeather #Planets #Mars #TransMarsInjection #TMI #Magnetosphere #MartianAtmosphere #ESCAPADEMission #ESCAPADESpacecraft #RocketLab #PeterBeck #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #GSFC #SSL #UCBerkeley #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Wide-field view: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus

Wide-field view: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus

This wide-field image of the sky around the globular cluster Messier 30 was created from photographs forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2. Located about 27,500 light-years away from Earth, this cluster—a swarm of several hundred thousand stars—is about 90 light-years across. The field of view is approximately 2.9 degrees across.

Messier 30 formed 13 billion years ago and was discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. This globular cluster—a dense swarm of several hundred thousand stars—is about 90 light-years across.

The Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) is a ground-based imaging survey of the entire sky in several colors of light produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) through its Guide Star Survey group.

Although globular clusters such as this one are mainly populated by old stars, the crowded field of stars leads to old stars apparently reclaiming their youth in the form of blue stragglers.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Credit: NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)
Release Date: Dec. 23, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #DSS2 #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Journey to Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

Journey to Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

This video zooms in on Messier 30 (M 30) that formed 13 billion years ago. Located about 27,500 light-years away from Earth, this globular cluster—a dense swarm of several hundred thousand stars—is about 90 light-years across. The brilliant final image of Messier 30 was taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Messier 30 was discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. 

Although globular clusters such as this one are mainly populated by old stars, the crowded field of stars leads to old stars apparently reclaiming their youth in the form of blue stragglers.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Credit: Akira Fujii, Digitized Sky Survey 2, Bill Patterson and ESA/Hubble
Duration: 52 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 23, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #DSS2 #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

Close-up: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

This brilliant image of Messier 30 (M 30) was taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Messier 30 formed 13 billion years ago and was discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. Located about 27,500 light-years away from Earth, this globular cluster—a dense swarm of several hundred thousand stars—is about 90 light-years across.

Although globular clusters such as this one are mainly populated by old stars, the crowded field of stars leads to old stars apparently reclaiming their youth in the form of blue stragglers.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Credit: NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: 24 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 23, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble

This brilliant image of Messier 30 (M 30) was taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). Messier 30 formed 13 billion years ago and was discovered in 1764 by Charles Messier. Located about 27,500 light-years away from Earth, this globular cluster—a dense swarm of several hundred thousand stars—is about 90 light-years across.

Although globular clusters such as this one are mainly populated by old stars, the crowded field of stars leads to old stars apparently reclaiming their youth in the form of blue stragglers.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Credit: NASA/European Space Agency (ESA)
Release Date: Dec. 23, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Close-up: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus | Hubble Space Telescope

This Hubble Space Telescope image offers a lesson in galactic history. This sparkling collection of stars is named Messier 30 (M30) after Charles Messier, the French astronomer who cataloged M30 and other diffuse objects that might be mistaken for comets. M30 lies about 27,500 light-years away in the constellation Capricornus.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Hubble has observed M30 multiple times, A previously released image of M30 featured data from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. These data came from an observing program (#10775; PI: Sarajedini) that surveyed dozens of Milky Way globular clusters, observing red and near-infrared light that revealed stars down to just 20% of the mass of the Sun. A more recent program (#13297; PI: Piotto) returned to M30 and other globular clusters in our galaxy, this time observing the clusters with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and using three filters that captured bluer light. This program collected data that was critical for studying exotic objects like blue straggler stars as well as for investigating the multiple populations of stars that can inhabit a single globular cluster.

Most recently, Hubble viewed many of these globular clusters once more, aiming to detect how the stars in these clusters had moved over 15 years. This program (#16298, PI: Libralato) allowed astronomers to study how different populations of stars in globular clusters move—a feat only possible due to Hubble’s longevity and ability to discern fantastically small details in distant objects.

Image Description: A star cluster seen up close, filling the view with thousands of stars. Blue ones are scattered around the outskirts of the image with more towards the center. They are the majority in the bright core of the cluster. Yellow stars are present in the core, but make up most of the cluster outside it. A few orange stars are closer to us and appear noticeably larger.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Libralato, G. Piotto, A. Sarajedini
Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 5, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus: Galactic-level Lessons | Hubble

Globular Star Cluster Messier 30 in Capricornus: Galactic-level Lessons | Hubble

This Hubble Space Telescope image offers a lesson in galactic history. This sparkling collection of stars is named Messier 30 (M30) after Charles Messier, the French astronomer who cataloged M30 and other diffuse objects that might be mistaken for comets. M30 lies about 27,500 light-years away in the constellation Capricornus.

M30 is a globular cluster—a roughly spherical star cluster containing anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of stars. These clusters generally reside on the outskirts of galaxies, orbiting within a vast, diffuse region called the halo like a swarm of moths around a lightbulb. Our Milky Way galaxy has at least 150 globular clusters, the nearest of which is about 6,000 light-years away. These clusters are impressively ancient—astronomers have estimated their ages at 11.5 to 13.5 billion years, making certain globular clusters nearly as old as the Universe itself.

Globular clusters have long played an important role in helping us learn about our galaxy. More than a century ago, astronomer Harlow Shapley used observations of a particular type of variable star to measure the locations of and distances to dozens of globular clusters within our galaxy. This work showed that the Sun is not in the center of our galaxy, and that the galactic center lies instead toward the constellation Sagittarius. (His distance measurements were incorrect, however, and he concluded that our galaxy is about twice as large as it really is.)

Today, astronomers continue to learn about our galaxy by observing globular clusters. Because globular clusters are so ancient, they can give us clues about how our galaxy was assembled long ago. Globular clusters that formed within our galaxy can act as time capsules, preserving the original chemistry of our young galaxy. 

However, it is possible that not all globular clusters that orbit within our galaxy today formed there. Researchers have discovered that M30 and many other globular clusters orbit in the direction opposite from the way our galaxy spins. This may mean that these clusters did not form within our galaxy at all, but may instead have been captured by the Milky Way galaxy in the distant past.

Hubble has observed M30 multiple times, A previously released image of M30 featured data from Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. These data came from an observing program (#10775; PI: Sarajedini) that surveyed dozens of Milky Way globular clusters, observing red and near-infrared light that revealed stars down to just 20% of the mass of the Sun. A more recent program (#13297; PI: Piotto) returned to M30 and other globular clusters in our galaxy, this time observing the clusters with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and using three filters that captured bluer light. This program collected data that was critical for studying exotic objects like blue straggler stars as well as for investigating the multiple populations of stars that can inhabit a single globular cluster.

Most recently, Hubble viewed many of these globular clusters once more, aiming to detect how the stars in these clusters had moved over 15 years. This program (#16298, PI: Libralato) allowed astronomers to study how different populations of stars in globular clusters move—a feat only possible due to Hubble’s longevity and ability to discern fantastically small details in distant objects.

Image Description: A star cluster seen up close, filling the view with thousands of stars. Blue ones are scattered around the outskirts of the image with more towards the center. They are the majority in the bright core of the cluster. Yellow stars are present in the core, but make up most of the cluster outside it. A few orange stars are closer to us and appear noticeably larger.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Libralato, G. Piotto, A. Sarajedini
Release Date: Nov. 5, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #Messier30 #M30 #CapricornusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #NSF #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

'Atmospheric' Aurora with Starry Moonrise over Sweden

'Atmospheric' Aurora with Starry Moonrise over Sweden

Astrophotographer P-M Hedén: "I had a really spooky Aurora session with the Moon rising in the mist with Castor and Pollux above, beautiful!

Known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east.

Image Credit: P-M Hedén

P-M's website: https://www.clearskies.se
Location: Vallentuna, Sweden
Date: Oct. 31, 2026 

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #SolarSystem #Sun #Stars #Moon #Moonrise #Astrophotography #PMHedén #Astrophotographer #Vallentuna #Sweden #Sverige #STEM #Education

A Rare One-Armed Spiral: NGC 4725 in Coma Berenices | NASA Chandra

A Rare One-Armed Spiral: NGC 4725 in Coma Berenices | NASA Chandra

"The universe's most interesting galaxies are the ones that break the rules." NGC 4725 is a "one-armed" barred spiral galaxy surrounded by a prominent star-forming ring. Chandra's X-ray data (magenta) pinpoints several bright X-ray sources, likely caused by growing black holes, embedded within the sweeping optical disk (soft blue and white) captured with the Mount Lemmon Observatory. Galaxies with unusual single arms can help us study how the gravity from a passing galaxy can trigger bursts of star formation.

Distance from Earth: ~41 million light-years

Image Credits: 

X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO 

Optical: NASA/ESA/STScI/NAOJ/R. Gendler

Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare
Release Date: Aug. 25, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC4725 #StarburstGalaxies #InteractingGalaxies #ComaBerenicesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #NASAChandra #XrayAstronomy #CXC #MountLemmonObservatory #UA #Arizona #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China Long March 2C Rocket Launches New Remote Sensing Satellites

China Long March 2C Rocket Launches New Remote Sensing Satellites

The Long March 2C rocket blasted off at 11:58pm on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026, from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, sending the Yaogan-51 07-09 satellites into their preset orbits successfully. The satellites will mainly be used for scientific experiments and electromagnetic environment detection.

The Long March 2C (LM-2C), also known as the Chang Zheng 2C (CZ-2C), is a Chinese orbital launch vehicle, part of the Long March 2 rocket family. Developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), the Long March 2C made its first launch on September 9, 1982. It is a two-stage launch vehicle with storable N2O4/UDMH propellants. 

This launch was the 89th of the Long March 2C, and the 675th launch of the Long March rocket series. This was also the 78th launch from China in 2026.

Image Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC)

Date: Nov. 5, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Satellites #YaoganSatellites #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #Environment #China #中国 #RocketLaunches #LongMarch2CRockets #LM2C #CZ2C #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #CALT #中国运载火箭技术研究院 #SpaceTechnology #CommercialSpace #JSLC #酒泉卫星发射中心 #Spaceports #STEM #Education