NGC 4490 & NGC 4485: Dwarf Galaxies in Canes Venatici | Webb Telescope

NGC 4490 & NGC 4485: Dwarf Galaxies in Canes Venatici | Webb Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope has spied a pair of dwarf galaxies engaged in a gravitational 'dance.' These two galaxies are named NGC 4490 (left) and NGC 4485 (top right). They are located about 24 million light-years away in the constellation Canes Venatici (The Hunting Dogs). Aside from the Milky Way’s own dwarf companions (the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds), this is the closest known interacting dwarf-dwarf system where astronomers have directly observed a gas bridge and resolved stellar populations. Together NGC 4490 and NGC 4485 form the system Arp 269, featured in the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies. At such a close distance (and with Webb’s impressive ability to peer through dusty cosmic clouds) these galaxies allow astronomers to witness up close the kinds of galaxy interactions that were common billions of years ago.

Dwarf galaxies likely share many similarities with young galaxies in the early Universe: they are much less massive than galaxies like the Milky Way, they typically have small amounts of metals (what astronomers call elements heavier than helium), and they contain a lot of gas and relatively few stars. When nearby dwarf galaxies collide, merge, or steal gas from one another, it can tell us how galaxies billions of years ago might have grown and evolved. 

The nearby dwarf galaxies NGC 4490 and NGC 4485 form an intriguing pair. Nearly three decades ago, astronomers discovered a wispy bridge of gas connecting the two galaxies, showing that they have interacted in the past. Despite many studies with powerful telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope, the history between NGC4490 and NGC 4485 has remained mysterious.

Recently, Webb observed this curious galactic pair as part of the Feedback in Emerging extrAgalactic Star clusTers (FEAST) program (#1783; PI: A. Adamo). The FEAST program used Webb’s sensitive infrared eyes to reveal the formation of new stars in different types of nearby galaxies.

This image was developed using data from Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI), as well as a single narrow-band filter from Hubble (657N). It reveals NGC 4490 and NGC 4485 in never-before-seen detail and illuminates the bridge of gas and stars that connects them. NGC 4490 dominates the image as the larger object occupying the left side of the image, while NGC 4485 is the smaller galaxy that hosts the top-right portion of the image. By dissecting these galaxies star by star, researchers were able to map out where young, middle-aged, and old stars reside, and trace the timeline of the galaxies’ interaction.

Roughly 200 million years ago, these galaxies whirled close to one another before waltzing away. The larger galaxy, NGC 4490, ensnared a stream of gas from its companion, and this gas now trails between the galaxies like dancers connected by outstretched arms. Along the newly formed bridge of gas and within the two galaxies, this interaction spurred a burst of new stars. The concentrated areas of bright blue that appear throughout the field indicate highly ionized regions of gas by the recently formed star clusters. Just 30 million years ago, these galaxies burst alight with stars once more, with new clusters coalescing where the gas of the two galaxies mixed together.

By capturing the history of the galactic dancers NGC 4490 and NGC 4485, Webb has revealed new details in how dwarf galaxies interact, giving us a glimpse of how small galaxies near and far grow and evolve.

Image Description: This Webb image shows two interacting galaxies. NGC 4490 occupies the left side of the image, while NGC 4485 appears as a white glowing hue in the top right of the field. Both galaxies are connected by a bright stream of red stretching from the top left of the image, through the bottom center, and ending at the right under galaxy NGC 4485. There are regions of bright blue ionized gas visible in concentrated areas of the red stream. The background is black with multiple galaxies in various shapes throughout.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Adamo (Stockholm University), G. Bortolini, and the FEAST JWST team
Release Date: Dec. 2, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Galaxies #NGC4490 #NGC4485 #ARP269 #InteractingGalaxies #CanesVenatici #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #InfraredAstronomy #NIRCam #MIRI #SpaceTelescopes #ESA #CSA #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Russian Soyuz MS-28 Crew Spacecraft Arrival | International Space Station

Russian Soyuz MS-28 Crew Spacecraft Arrival | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Crew Emblem

The Russian Soyuz MS-28 crew spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of Russia approaches the International Space Station. Both spacecraft were orbiting 262 miles above the hot desert landscape of Western Sahara and the mountainous region in southern Morocco at the time of these photographs.

Follow Expedition 73:

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

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, 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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Date: Nov. 27, 2025
Release Date: Dec. 2, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Sahara #Africa #Spacecraft #SoyuzMS28 #SoyuzMS28Spacecraft #Astronauts #ChrisWilliams #Cosmonauts #SergeyKudSverchkov #SergeyMikaev #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #JSC #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Japan #JAXA #Expedition73 #Expedition74 #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-20 Spacecraft to Make Uncrewed Return to Earth | China Space Station

Shenzhou-20 Spacecraft to Make Uncrewed Return to Earth | China Space Station

After a potential space debris impact, the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft, currently docked with China's space station, will make an uncrewed return to Earth, according to Ji Qiming, a project spokesperson with the country's crewed space program.

Following a suspected debris strike on Shenzhou-20's viewport, the three astronauts originally scheduled to return to Earth aboard the spacecraft were redirected to Shenzhou-21, which brought them home safely on Nov. 14, 2025.

China launched the Shenzhou-22 on Nov. 25 to provide a new return vehicle for the orbiting crew— completing the first emergency launch in the history of its crewed space program.

During a subsequent spacewalk, the Shenzhou-21 crew, who are now undertaking a six-month orbital stay, may be tasked with inspecting the cracked viewport. They may also perform protective work on it using specialized devices delivered by the Shenzhou-22 launch—a procedure still being validated in ground tests, said Ji in a interview with China Media Group (CMG).

A day prior to their planned return on Nov. 5, the Shenzhou-20 crew spotted an anomaly on the viewport's edge—a triangular, paint-like mark. They photographed it from multiple angles and under different lights, while the station's robotic arm cameras were employed to take supplemental external pictures.

"We eventually reached a consensus: there must have been a crack, a penetrating one that had gone through the glass, from the inner surface to the outer surface," said Jia Shijin, chief designer of the crewed spacecraft system from the China Academy of Space Technology.

After this initial investigation, ground teams conducted extensive simulations and tests, and commissioned two research institutions to perform wind tunnel tests for independent verification, Jia revealed.

In a worst-case scenario, the cracks could spread, causing the outer pane to detach, with this leading to the failure of the inner pressure-sealing glass, resulting in cabin depressurization and the ingress of high-speed gases, Jia explained.

He said that further and more detailed investigation will be conducted after the return of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft.

"Through our initial assessment of the crack, we believe the space debris is less than one millimeter in size, but moving at a very high speed. The entire crack is over 10 millimeters in size. From one corner, it looks like it has been pierced through. But as the spacecraft is still in orbit, we can't see it with our own eyes. We may be able to observe it more closely after the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returns," Jia said.

Following the principle of astronaut safety first, China opted for the historic alternative return and emergency launch procedures.

Ji said that Shenzhou-20's uncrewed return mission will generate meaningful real-world experimental data for subsequent missions.

Four mice traveled to space aboard Shenzhou-21 spacecraft. They were initially scheduled for a 5-to-7-day experiment on orbit, but instead stayed for about two weeks before returning with the Shenzhou-20 crew, according to Wu Dawei from the China Astronaut Research and Training Center. All mice returned in healthy condition, Wu said.

With the emergency launch of Shenzhou-22, the development of subsequent spacecraft has been accelerated across the board. Shenzhou-23, originally scheduled for delivery in March next year, is expected to be completed two months ahead of schedule; Shenzhou-24 is also being pushed forward with full force, aiming for delivery next summer.

As the astronaut crew number usually matches with that of the spacecraft mission, the next crew will be named "Shenzhou-23 astronaut crew", meaning that the "Shenzhou-22 astronaut crew" will remain permanently vacant in the sequence.

"This serves as a reminder to the entire project: we should never assume our work is perfect. For crewed spaceflight, the work is never ending; perfection is our eternal goal, and we must continuously strive towards it. Even if we have done our utmost, there are still uncertainties from the space environment. I think this serves as a warning to everyone," he said.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: Dec. 2, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Earth #Shenzhou20Mission #神舟二十号 #Shenzhou20Spacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #DongfengLandingSite #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis III Moon Rocket Liquid Oxygen Tank for Core Stage | NASA Michoud

NASA Artemis III Moon Rocket Liquid Oxygen Tank for Core Stage | NASA Michoud

Move crews at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana, move the liquid oxygen tank for the core stage of the agency’s Artemis III mission into the facility’s vertical assembly building on Nov. 3, 2025. Teams with Space Launch System (SLS) prime contractor, Boeing, later lifted the tank into the production cell currently housing the intertank to mate the flight hardware together before capping them off with the forward skirt to complete the core stage forward join.

The propellant tank is one of five major elements that make up the 212-foot-tall rocket stage. The core stage, along with its four RS-25 engines, produce more than two million pounds of thrust to help launch NASA’s Orion spacecraft, astronauts, and supplies beyond Earth’s orbit and to the lunar surface for Artemis.

Over the course of about 30 days, the Artemis III astronauts will travel to lunar orbit, where two crew members will descend to the surface and spend approximately a week near the South Pole of the Moon conducting new science before returning to lunar orbit to join their crew for the journey back to Earth. Launch is currently scheduled for mid-2027.

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 
https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

NASA's Space Launch System (SLS)
https://www.nasa.gov/sls

NASA's Artemis III Mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-iii/

Read the Artemis Plan (74-page PDF Free Download): 
https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/artemis_plan-20200921.pdf

NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF)
https://www.nasa.gov/michoud-assembly-facility/

Image Credit: NASA/Michael DeMocker
Date: Nov. 3, 2025

#NASA #Space #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisIII #SLS #SLSRocket #CoreStage #LiquidOxygenTank #O2Tank #Boeing #CrewedMissions #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Science #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #MSFC #MAF #NewOrleans #Louisiana #UnitedStates #STEM #Education 

Moon Shadows on Planet Saturn | Hubble Space Telescope

Moon Shadows on Planet Saturn | Hubble Space Telescope

Saturn's wide, but very thin, rings are tilted with respect to its plane of orbit around the Sun. Once every 15 years, the rings are edge-on (perpendicular) to the Sun. During those times, Saturn's moons can cast shadows across the rings.

This time-lapse video shows the icy moons Enceladus, Mimas, Dione, and Tethys orbiting Saturn. Enceladus, seemingly chased by Mimas, is first to speed past the rings and in front of the planet. Both moons cast small shadows on the planet, but only Enceladus casts a shadow on the rings. The orbit of Mimas is inclined so that its shadow misses the rings. Dione is next, and its long shadow also tracks across the ring system. As the three moons move across Saturn's disk, the viewer catches a fleeting view of Tethys as it moves behind the planet on the right.

The 30-second movie is created from Hubble images taken over a 9½-hour span. The images were taken Nov. 17, 1995, with Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2. The video has a standard aspect ratio, but is presented within a widescreen frame—the black bars along the sides are normal.

Video Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
Duration: 48 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Saturn #Moons #Enceladus #Mimas #Dione #Tethys #SolarSystem #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #GSFC #STScI #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Mediterranean & Africa Flyover: History in Lights | International Space Station

Mediterranean & Africa Flyover: History in Lights | International Space Station

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit: "Orbiting the Mediterranean, from Europe into Africa. So much human history to see in the lights!"

This video from low-Earth orbit was captured by experienced NASA astronaut and former Expedition 71/72 flight engineer, Don Pettit. NASA astronaut Don Pettit returned to Earth on April 19, 2025, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station. Pettit spent 220 days in space, earning him a total of 590 days in space over the course of his four spaceflights. He orbited the Earth 3,520 times, traveling 93.3 million miles in low-Earth orbit.

Follow Expedition 73:

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

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, 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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/D. Pettit
Duration: 38 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 25, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Mediterranean #NorthAfrica #Africa #Europe #DonPettit #AstronautVideography #UnitedStates #Japan #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #Expedition72 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Stellar Pre-Winter Seasonal Offerings | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

Stellar Pre-Winter Seasonal Offerings | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

For many, nothing evokes fall more than fallen leaves. In this view of NGC 6334, glowing pockets of dust and gas in the nebula resemble leaves that have been picked up by a wind gust. This region is actually home to strong winds blowing from the young stars that have formed there. This image contains X-ray data from Chandra (blue, green, and yellow) that shows the effects of these winds, which have been combined with infrared data from the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope (red, brown), which shows the dust and gas that fuels the growing stars.

Credit:  X-ray: NASA/SAO/CXC; Infrared: NASA/JPL/CalTech/Spitzer; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/J. Schmidt

Born after a violent explosion of a star, this cosmic gourd is the supernova remnant G272.2-03.2. X-ray observations (orange and magenta) from Chandra provide evidence that G272 is the result of a Type Ia supernova explosion, where a white dwarf star pulls material from a companion star until it triggers a thermonuclear explosion and obliterates the star. The inside of the “pumpkin” is superheated gas that is filling the space cleared out by the explosion as it moves outward.

Credit:  X-ray: NASA/CXC/SA0; Optical: NOIRLab/DECaPS2; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare

Multiple telescopes teamed up to capture an image that looks like a cozy sweater with fuzzy arms. X-rays from Chandra and ESA’s XMM-Newton (purple), optical light data from Hubble and the Very Large Telescope in Chile (orange, red, and violet), and an optical image from astrophotographers Bob Fera and Steve Mandel (deep blue) combine to reveal R Aquarii. Nestled within the cozy ‘body’ of R Aquarii is a pair of stars where a white dwarf is pulling material from a much larger red giant companion. When enough material accumulates on the surface of the white dwarf, it triggers an outburst that sends a jet out into space. Over time, these jets twist and loop around each other weaving the structure seen today.

Credit:  X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; ESA/XMM-Newton; Optical HST: NASA/ESA/STScI; Optical Ground: Deep Space Remote observatories/B. Fera and S. Mandel; ESO/VLT; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare

A cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket that traditionally carries fruits and vegetables. There is nothing edible in this pair of galactic cornucopias but there are a bounty of stars, dust, and other ingredients than make up these two spiral galaxies, known as NGC 2207 (right) and IC 2163 (left), that we see face-on. This view of NGC 2207 and IC 2163 takes a James Webb infrared image (white, gray, and red) and adds the X-ray view from Chandra (blue). Together, it is quite an eye-catching result.

Credit:  X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/Webb; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare

Four images that one can imagine connections to fall have been released by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. The images are the star-forming region NGC 6334, supernova remnant G272.2-0.3, interacting spiral galaxies NGC 2207 and IC 2163, as well as R Aquarii. Each image contains X-rays from Chandra that have been combined with data from other telescopes that detect different types of light. Pareidolia is the phenomenon that allows people to see familiar patterns or shapes in data. Before fall gives way to winter in the northern hemisphere, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has several images that celebrate autumn and its many delights to share. In spirit of the season, this collection gathers Chandra data with those from its telescopic family including NASA’s James Webb, Hubble, and Spitzer Space Telescopes, plus others in space and on the ground.

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory is being canceled in NASA's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request, along with 18 other active science missions. NASA's science budget is being reduced by nearly 50%. NASA's total budget will become the lowest since 1961, after accounting for inflation.

Contact your representatives in the United States Congress, House and Senate, to express your concerns about severe budget cuts at NASA:

https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/

NASA's Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request (PDF): https://www.nasa.gov/fy-2026-budget-request/

Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Release Date: Nov. 24, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #NGC6334 #Stars #RAquarii #SupernovaRemnants #G2722032 #Galaxies #NGC2207 #IC2163 #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #ChandraObservatory #SpaceTelescopes #XrayAstronomy #MSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A First: All Docking Ports Used for Eight Spacecraft | International Space Station

A First: All Docking Ports Used for Eight Spacecraft | International Space Station

International Space Station Configuration on Dec. 1, 2025

For the first time in International Space Station history, all eight docking ports aboard the orbital outpost are occupied following the reinstallation of Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft to the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity module. The eight spacecraft attached to the complex are: two SpaceX Dragons, Cygnus XL, JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) HTV-X1, two Roscosmos Soyuz crew spacecraft, and two Progress cargo ships.

This milestone follows the reattachment of the Cygnus XL spacecraft, supporting the Northrop Grumman-23 commercial resupply services mission for NASA. It was removed last week by the robotics officer at the agency’s Mission Control Center in Houston using the space station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. The Cygnus XL movement was coordinated between NASA, Northrop Grumman, and Roscosmos to provide appropriate clearance for the arriving crewed Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on Nov. 27, 2025.

Cygnus will remain attached to the orbiting laboratory until no earlier than March 2026, when it is scheduled to safely depart and dispose of up to 11,000 pounds of trash and unneeded cargo when it harmlessly burns up in Earth’s atmosphere.

Three new residents are living aboard the space station following the arrival of the Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025. NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev will stay in space until July 2026, conducting advanced space research benefiting humans living on and off Earth.

On Dec. 8, the orbital outpost will return to seven members and become the Expedition 74 crew when NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky enter the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft, undock from the Prichal module, and parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan. Kim, Ryzhikov, and Zubritsky are nearing the end of an eight-month space science mission that began on April 8, 2025.

Follow Expedition 73:

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

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, 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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Earth #Spacecraft #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #JSC #UnitedStates #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #Expedition73 #Expedition74 #Infographics #STEM #Education

China Unveils Next-gen Space Situational Awareness Constellation for Space Debris

China Unveils Next-gen Space Situational Awareness Constellation for Space Debris

High above Earth, an estimated 140 million tiny debris fragments, a portion as small as 1 to 10 millimeters, race through orbit at several kilometers per second. And larger pieces, those over 10 centimeters, now number more than 50,000.

With tens of thousands of satellites going up, space is becoming crowded. 

Unlike ground-based radars or telescopes, this space-based constellation or EYESAT is not limited by geography or weather. Once they reach 156 satellites, they will be capable of monitoring the entire orbital environment, including orbits above remote regions like the South Pole. When fully deployed, EYESAT is expected to become one of the world's largest space-based debris-tracking systems. EYESAT will detect, track, identify and catalog on-orbit satellites, while also monitoring space debris. The data services for space traffic management from EYESAT will help safeguard near-Earth space and improve long-term sustainability.

EYESAT satellites are scheduled for launch beginning in the first half of 2026.

Credit: SMG
Duration: 1 minute, 47 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #Satellites #SatelliteConstellations #SpaceDebris #Earth #China #中国 #EYESAT #SpaceTrafficManagement #Spaceflight #CommercialSpace #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Stellar Pre-Winter Seasonal Offerings | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

Stellar Pre-Winter Seasonal Offerings | NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory

Before fall gives way to winter in the northern hemisphere, NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory has several images that celebrate autumn and its many delights to share. In spirit of the season, this collection gathers Chandra data with those from its telescopic family including NASA’s James Webb, Hubble, and Spitzer Space Telescopes, plus others in space and on the ground.

Here is a sample of the seasonal offerings that space has in store:

For many, nothing evokes fall more than fallen leaves. In this view of NGC 6334, glowing pockets of dust and gas in the nebula resemble leaves that have been picked up by a wind gust. This region is indeed home to strong winds blowing from the young stars that have formed there. This image contains X-ray data from Chandra (blue, green, and yellow) that shows the effects of these winds, which have been combined with infrared data from the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope (red, brown), which shows the dust and gas that fuels the growing stars.

Born after a violent explosion of a star, this cosmic gourd is the supernova remnant G272.2-03.2. X-ray observations from Chandra provide evidence that G272 is the result of a Type Ia supernova explosion, where a white dwarf star pulls material from a companion star until it triggers a thermonuclear explosion and obliterates the star. The inside of the “pumpkin” is superheated gas that is filling the space cleared out by the explosion as it moves outward.

A cornucopia is a horn-shaped basket that traditionally carries fruits and vegetables. There is nothing edible in this pair of galactic cornucopias but there are a bounty of stars, dust, and other ingredients that make up these two spiral galaxies, known as NGC 2207 and IC 2163, that we see face-on. This view of NGC 2207 and IC 2163 takes a James Webb infrared image and adds the X-ray view from Chandra. Together, it is quite an eye-catching result.

Multiple telescopes teamed up to capture an image that looks like a cozy sweater with fuzzy arms. X-rays from Chandra and ESA’s XMM-Newton, optical light data from Hubble and the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and an optical [PE1] image from an astrophotographer combine to reveal R Aquarii. Nestled within the cozy ‘body’ of R Aquarii is a pair of stars where a white dwarf is pulling material from a much larger red giant companion. When enough material accumulates on the surface of the white dwarf, it triggers an outburst that sends a jet out into space. Over time, these jets twist and loop around each other weaving the structure seen today.

Video Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Duration: 3 minutes, 23 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 24, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #NGC6334 #Stars #RAquarii #SupernovaRemnants #G2722032 #Galaxies #NGC2207 #IC2163 #Cosmos #Universe #NASAChandra #ChandraObservatory #SpaceTelescopes #XrayAstronomy #MSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

What's Up for December 2025: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

What's Up for December 2025: Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL

Here are examples of skywatching highlights for the northern hemisphere in December 2025:

The 3I/ATLAS comet makes its closest approach to Earth, the Geminid meteor shower sparkles across the sky, and the Moon and Jupiter get close for a conjunction. 

0:00 Intro

0:13 3I/ATLAS

1:24 Geminid meteor shower

1:57 Moon + Jupiter conjunction

2:31 December Moon phases

Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Skywatching #Comets #InterstellarComets #Comet3IATLAS #Planets #Jupiter #Earth #MeteorShowers #Geminids #Moon #Stars #SolarSystem #Nebulae #Galaxies #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Skywatching #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #Canada #Mexico #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video

United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Factory Tour in Alabama

United Launch Alliance (ULA) Rocket Factory Tour in Alabama

The Vulcan rocket's journey to space begins in Decatur, Alabama, USA, at the United Launch Alliance’s 2.2 million square foot rocket factory. Long before the path to orbit, the missions start on the factory floor.

United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an American launch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets. The company uses rocket engines, solid rocket boosters, and other components supplied by other companies.

ULA Website: https://www.ulalaunch.com

ULA Vulcan Rocket: 

https://www.ulalaunch.com/rockets/vulcan-centaur

Video Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Duration: 3 minutes, 43 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #VulcanRocket #ULA #LockheedMartin #Boeing #RocketFactories #Decatur #Alabama #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Tails of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: View from Texas

The Tails of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS: View from Texas

How typical is our Solar System? 

Studying 3I/ATLAS, a comet just passing through, is providing clues. Confirmed previous interstellar visitors include an asteroid, a comet, a meteor, and a gas wind dominated by hydrogen and helium. Comet 3I/ATLAS appears relatively normal when compared to Solar System comets, therefore providing more evidence that our Solar System is a somewhat typical one. For example, Comet 3I/ATLAS has a broadly similar chemical composition and ejected dust. The featured image was captured last week from Texas and shows a green coma, a wandering blue-tinted ion tail likely deflected by our Sun's wind, and a slight anti-tail, all typical cometary attributes. The comet, visible with a telescope, passed its closest to the Sun in late October and will pass its closest to the Earth in mid-December. Afterwards, it will return to interstellar space and never return.

Image Description: A starfield is shown around a comet. The green coma of the comet is on the lower left. A meandering blue-tinted tail goes off to the upper right. A slight anti-tail is seen from the coma toward the lower left.

Image Credit & Copyright: Victor Sabet & Julien De Winter
Julien De Winter's website: https://www.instagram.com/dwj85
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #InterstellarObjects #InterplanetaryBodies #InterstellarComet3I #Comets #Coma #CometaryTails #Planets #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #VictorSabet #JulienDeWinter #Astrophotographers #STEM #Education

Starburst Spiral Galaxy NGC 1792 in Columba | European Southern Observatory

Starburst Spiral Galaxy NGC 1792 in Columba | European Southern Observatory

Color composite image of the starburst spiral galaxy NGC 1792 obtained with the FORS1 and FORS2 multi-mode instruments (at the Very Large Telescope MELIPAL and YEPUN, respectively). It is located over 50 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba (the Dove).

The optical appearance of NGC 1792 is quite chaotic, due to the patchy distribution of dust throughout the disc of this galaxy. It is very rich in neutral hydrogen gas—fuel for the formation of new stars—and is indeed rapidly forming such stars. The galaxy is characterized by unusually luminous far-infrared radiation; this is due to dust heated by young stars. Note the numerous background galaxies in this sky field. North is up and East is to the left.

Learn more about the Very Large Telescope (VLT):
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/P. Barthel
Release Date: Dec. 19, 2003 

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC1792 #SpiralGalaxies #StarburstGalaxies #Columba #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #FORS2 #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1792 in Columba: A Storm of New Stars | Hubble

Spiral Galaxy NGC 1792 in Columba: A Storm of New Stars | Hubble

The subject of this Hubble picture is a stormy and highly active spiral galaxy named NGC 1792. Located over 50 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba (the Dove), the bright glow of the galaxy’s center is offset by the sparkling and feathery spiral arms swirling around it.

NGC 1792 is just as fascinating to astronomers as its chaotic look might imply. Classified as a starburst galaxy, it is a powerhouse of star formation with spiral arms rich in star-forming regions. In fact, it is surprisingly luminous for its mass. The galaxy is close to a larger neighbor, NGC 1808, and the strong gravitational interaction between the two is believed to be what has stirred up the reserves of gas in this galaxy. The result is a torrent of star formation, concentrated on the side where gravity has a stronger effect. It is a perfect target for astronomers seeking to understand the complex interactions between gas, star clusters and supernovae in galaxies.

Hubble provided an image of this galaxy in 2020. This image includes additional data collected throughout 2025, providing a deeper view of the tumultuous astrophysical activity taking place in the galaxy. Blossoming red lights in the arms mark out so-called H-alpha emission from dense clouds of hydrogen molecules. Stars form within these clouds and shine powerfully with ultraviolet radiation. They ionize the gas around them, causing the gas to emit a very particular red wavelength of light—a tell-tale sign of new stars.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, seen partly from the side, with a messy, turbulent appearance. Its disc is made of multiple patchy arms that contain numerous sparkling blue and glowing red regions—star clusters and star-forming nebulae. Thick clumps of dark reddish dust swirl through the disc. The glow of the disc extends out into the dark background, where both distant and nearby stars can be seen.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker, F. Belfiore, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2025

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Shenzhou-21 Astronauts Conduct Science Experiments & Drills | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Astronauts Conduct Science Experiments & Drills | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-21 crew members aboard China's Tiangong Space Station carried out multiple science experiments and their first full-system emergency response drills, among other tasks, in orbit over the past week.

The three astronauts—Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang—have been in orbit for a month as of Sunday, November 30, 2025.

Using laptops aboard the space station, the astronauts conducted microgravity experiments on intuitive physical behavior, collecting relevant behavioral data to explore the impact of long-term spaceflight on human's intuitive physical representations and the mechanisms of their recovery.

They used space Raman spectrometer to analyze metabolic components in urine samples. The collected information will be used for further refinement and improvement of the relevant characteristic metabolite indicator system and evaluation criteria.

Additionally, the crew completed the installation of new software for space medical experiments. In microgravity physics science, the crew completed scheduled tasks including replacing the high-speed image storage unit in the two-phase system experiment cabinet and disassembling and assembling experimental modules.

Additionally, per experimental schedule, they cleaned and replaced samples within the containerless cabinet's experimental chamber, cleaned window cover lenses and conducted other relevant mission tasks.

The crew also conducted their first full-system emergency pressure response drills in orbit as planned. This simulated the full emergency response process for an internal depressurization scenario, reinforcing and enhancing the crew's emergency handling capabilities and ground-space coordination.

In equipment inspection and maintenance, the crew performed patrols of the cryogenic storage units and the minus 80-degree space refrigerator, checked pressures in the environmental control gas cylinder, and conducted maintenance on the regenerative life support system equipment.

In station management, the crew organized supplies and cleaned the cabin, keeping their orbiting home tidy. In addition, they underwent multiple medical examinations, including non-invasive cardiac function tests, providing data for ground teams to closely monitor their health in orbit.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 29 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 30, 2025

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