Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Shenzhou-21 Astronauts Extend New Year Wishes | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Astronauts Extend New Year Wishes | China Space Station

China's Shenzhou-21 crew members extended their New Year greetings in a video released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on New Year's eve.

"This is my second mission aboard China's space station. Each time we fly over our motherland and look down at its vast landscapes and myriad city lights, two lines of a song always come to my mind—'I sing of every mountain, I sing of every river.' My heart is brimming with pride and affection. The strength of our country is the source of confidence and support for our journey into space. Here, I would like to extend New Year greetings to people across our country. May you carry dreams in your hearts and strength in your steps, and move steadily toward the vast sea of stars ahead," said commander Zhang Lu.

"Recently, we completed a new round of inspections of space facilities. Ensuring the stable operation of our space home is our responsibility and a solemn commitment to our country and people. From earth to sky, we celebrate together at the moment across the country. In 2026, I wish everyone a life as radiant as the rising sun, and a spirit as uplifting as a soaring rocket," said astronaut Wu Fei.

"Sending New Year wishes from space for the first time fills me with excitement. I never imagined that one day I would be conducting experiments in a space laboratory. We will spare no effort to complete every scientific task that embodies the wisdom and dedication of countless researchers. With stars shining together and heaven and earth sharing the same age, I wish people across our country a happy new year and the fulfillment of all their hopes," said astronaut Zhang Hongzhang.

"We are the Shenzhou-21 crew. We wish everyone a smooth journey illuminated by stars in the year ahead. Happy New Year!" the crew said.

On New Year's Day, ground staff at the Astronaut Center of China are remaining at their posts, maintaining constant contact with the astronaut crew on the space station.

China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft on Nov. 1, 2025, sending the three astronauts to its Tiangong Space Station for a six-month mission.

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: 2 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #NewYearWishes #HappyNewYear2026 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Views Earth Setting, Phobos Moon Rising

NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover Views Earth Setting, Phobos Moon Rising

Figure A: This shows the Curiosity rover's Mastcam image with the inset where Phobos is on the left and Earth is on the right. 
Figure B: The inset. Phobos is on the left and Earth is on the right. 

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover used its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, to capture this view of Earth setting while Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, is rising. It is the first time an image of the two celestial bodies have been captured together from the surface of Mars.

The image is a composite of five short exposures and 12 long exposures all taken on Sept. 5, 2024, the 4,295th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity's mission. An inset in the image shows Phobos on the left and Earth on the right. From the rover's perspective, the inset area would be about half the width of a thumb held at arm's length.

The image shows the sky over Texoli, a butte on lower Mount Sharp, a 3-mile-tall (5-kilometer-tall) mountain that Curiosity has been ascending since 2014.

Curiosity was built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It is managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California. JPL leads the mission on behalf of NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. Malin Space Science Systems in San Diego built and operates Mastcam.

For more about Curiosity, visit: science.nasa.gov/mission/msl-curiosity

For more information on NASA's Mars missions, visit: mars.nasa.gov

Celebrating 13+ Years on Mars (2012-2025)
Mission Name: Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
Rover Name: Curiosity
Main Job: To determine if Mars was ever habitable to microbial life. 
Launch: Nov. 6, 2011
Landing Date: Aug. 5, 2012, Gale Crater, Mars

Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
Release Date: Sept. 13, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Mars #Moons #Phobos #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #Sol4295 #MountSharp #Texoli #Butte #GaleCrater #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Happy New Year from Friends of NASA!

Happy New Year from Friends of NASA!

"Thank you for joining us on the journey this year. Here's wishing you success wherever your explorations take you in 2026." ✨

Friends of NASA (FoN) is an independent non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to building international support for peaceful space exploration, commerce, scientific discovery, and STEM education. 

FoN Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofNASA

FoN Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/21711227063

FoN Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/FriendsofNASA

FoN Website/Blog: https://www.FriendsofNASA.org

Friends of NASA LinkedIn Group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/110506

Friends of NASA LinkedIn Page: 
https://www.linkedin.com/company/2565566

FoN X (Twitter): https://x.com/FriendsofNASA 

We depend on public donations.
Become a monthly supporter on our website: https://www.friendsofnasa.org/p/friends-of-nasa.html

One-time Donations to Friends of NASA (PayPal) accepted here: https://www.paypal.me/FriendsofNASA


Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Earth #ISS #HappyNewYear #HappyNewYear2026 #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #Astronauts #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #InternationalCooperation #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

"Small Silhouette. Big Mission." | Artemis III Moon Landing Rocket at Michoud

"Small Silhouette. Big Mission." | Artemis III Moon Landing Rocket at Michoud

As we approach Artemis II launch, work continues for future missions as well. Here, a technician is seen in front of the liquid oxygen tank for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket core stage for the Artemis III mission as it was lifted into a production cell last month. It was then carried to another area of the factory where it was set atop the previously loaded inter tank. 

Over the course of about thirty 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


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/Steven B. Seipel
Image Date: Nov. 7, 2025
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025

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

Nebula NGC 6729 in Corona Australis Molecular Cloud

Nebula NGC 6729 in Corona Australis Molecular Cloud


NGC 6729, also known as Caldwell 68, is a reflection/emission nebula of the Corona Australis Molecular Cloud in the constellation Corona Australis. It was discovered by Johann Friedrich Julius Schmidt in 1861. This fan-shaped nebula opens from the star R Coronae Australis toward the star T CrA to the south-east. R CrA is a pre-main-sequence star in the Corona Australis molecular complex, one of the closer star-forming regions of our galaxy at a distance of 424 light years. NGC 6729 is a variable nebula. It shows irregular variations in brightness and in shape.


Image Credit: Ian Inverarity
Capture Location: Bendelby, South Australia
Release Date: Dec. 29, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #Nebula #ReflectionNebulae #EmissionNebulae #NGC6729 #Caldwell68 #CoronaAustralisMolecularCloud #CoronaAustralis #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #IanInverarity #Astrophotographer #Bendelby #SouthAustralia #STEM #Education

The Waterfall Nebula: Herbig-Haro 222 in Orion

The Waterfall Nebula: Herbig-Haro 222 in Orion

What created the Waterfall Nebula? 

The origin is still being researched. The structure, officially designated Herbig-Haro 222, appears in the region of NGC 1999 in the Great Orion Molecular Cloud complex. The elongated gaseous stream stretches about ten light years but appears similar to a long waterfall on Earth. Recent observations indicate that HH-222 is likely a gigantic gaseous bow shock, similar to a wave of water caused by a fast-moving ship. The origin of this shock wave is thought to be a jet outflow from the multiple star system V380 Orionis off the lower left of the frame. Therefore, gas does not flow along the waterfall, but rather the entire structure moves toward the upper right. The Waterfall Nebula lies about 1,500 light years away toward the constellation of Orion. The featured image was captured earlier this month from El Sauce Observatory in Chile.


Image Description: A starfield filled with a diffuse red glow has an unusual nebula on the lower left. The nebula has bright red filaments that curve down and appear to be reminiscent of a waterfall on Earth. 


Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Selby
Mike's website: https://throughlightandtime.com/about/
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Nebulae #WaterfallNebula #HerbigHaro222 #NGC1999 #GreatOrionMolecularCloud #V380Orionis #Orion #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #MikeSelby #Astrophotographer #ElSauceObservatory #Chile #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

Comet 24P Schaumasse: View from New Mexico

Comet 24P Schaumasse: View from New Mexico


Astrophotographer Rolando Ligustri: "Comet 24P between the galaxy M100 and the galaxy NGC 4312."

Comet Schaumasse is a Jupiter-family comet with an 8.2-year orbit around the Sun. On October 25, 2025, it passed about a degree from Jupiter. It next comes to perihelion (closest to the Sun) on January 8, 2026, with a solar elongation of 94 degrees and is expected to brighten to about magnitude 9. It is the first of three comets discovered by French astronomer, Alexandre Schaumasse. He found this comet in the year 1911.

New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also borders the state of Texas to the east and southeast, Oklahoma to the northeast, and shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the south.

Image Credit: Rolando Ligustri/New Mexico, Telescope Network
Image Details: Newtonian telescope 300/1140 CCD ASI2600MM in bin2 RGB=3x60s L=15x60s
Rolando's Website: https://www.facebook.com/astrottica
Image Date: Dec. 26, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #Comet24PSchaumasse #SolarSystem #Galaxies #M100 #NGC4312 #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #Astrophotography #DanBartlett #Astrophotographers #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA's X-59 Supersonic Research Team Reflects on Completing First Flight

NASA's X-59 Supersonic Research Team Reflects on Completing First Flight

After years of design, development, and testing, NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft took to the skies for the first time on Oct. 28, 2025, marking a historic moment for the field of aeronautics research and the agency’s Quesst mission. Now, hear from the team who helped make it happen, including test pilot Nils Larson, as they reflect on the accomplishment. 

For this initial flight, the aircraft flew at about 12,000 feet and slower than the speed of sound. These conditions allowed the team to conduct in-flight system and performance checks. Next, the X-59 will undergo a series of test flights where the plane will operate at higher altitudes and supersonic speeds to ensure it meets performance and safety expectations.

The X-59 aircraft builds on decades of supersonic flight research and is the centerpiece of NASA’s Quesst mission. The vast amount of data collected over the years has given designers the tools they needed to craft the shape of the X-59. The goal is to enable the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds and reduce a loud sonic boom to a quieter “sonic thump.” Follow the X-59 team as they take on the exciting journey of building the X-59 and working toward quiet supersonic flight.

Data gathered during X-59 research flights will be shared with the U.S. and international regulators to inform the establishment of new, data-driven acceptable noise thresholds related to supersonic commercial flight over land.

The X-59’s engine, a modified F414-GE-100, packs 22,000 pounds of thrust. This will enable the X-59 to achieve the desired cruising speed of Mach 1.4 (925 miles per hour) at an altitude of approximately 55,000 feet. It sits in a nontraditional spot–atop the aircraft—to aid in making the X-59 quieter.

The X-59's goal is to help change existing national and international aviation rules that ban commercial supersonic flight over land.

For more information about the X-59 and NASA's Quesst mission, visit www.nasa.gov/quesst


Credit: NASA
Duration: 1 minute, 19 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025


#NASA #Aerospace #SupersonicFlight #SupersonicAircraft #X59 #Sonicboom #QuietAviation #Aviation #QuesstMission #CommercialAviation #Science #Physics #Engineering #AerospaceResearch #AeronauticalResearch #FlightTests #LockheedMartin #SkunkWorks #NASAArmstrong #AFRC #Palmdale #Edwards #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory Rings in New Year with Champagne Cluster

NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory Rings in New Year with Champagne Cluster


Have a Happy New Year! Celebrate the New Year with the “Champagne Cluster,” a recently discovered galaxy cluster seen in this new image from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical telescopes.

Astronomers discovered this galaxy cluster on December 31st, 2020. This date, combined with the bubble-like appearance of the galaxies and of the superheated gas seen with Chandra data, inspired the scientists to nickname the galaxy cluster the Champagne Cluster, a much easier-to-remember name than its official designation of RM J130558.9+263048.4.

The new composite image shows that the Champagne Cluster is actually two galaxy clusters in the process of merging to form an even larger cluster. Multimillion-degree gas in galaxy clusters is usually shaped approximately like a circle in images, but in the Champagne Cluster it is more widely spread from left to right, revealing the presence of the two colliding clusters. There are also two clumps of galaxies towards the left and right of center, making up the two colliding clusters.

The hot gas outweighs the combined mass in all the hundred-plus individual galaxies in the newly forming cluster. There are also large amounts of unseen dark matter, the mysterious substance that pervades the universe, within the cluster.

In addition to the Chandra data, this new image contains optical data from the Legacy Surveys, which consists of three individual and complementary surveys from telescopes in Arizona and Chile.

The Champagne Cluster is a member of a rare class of merging clusters. This includes the well-known Bullet Cluster, where the hot gas in each cluster has collided and slowed down. As in the Bullet Cluster, there is a separation from the hot gas and the most massive galaxy in each cluster, which suggests that the collision between the two clusters was almost head on.

Researchers think by studying the Champagne Cluster further, they can potentially learn more about how dark matter reacts in a high-speed collision.

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:
Video Credit: NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory
Duration: 2 minutes, 36 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Galaxies #GalaxyClusters #ChampagneCluster #RMJ13055892630484 #Universe #NASAChandra #ChandraObservatory #SpaceTelescopes #XrayAstronomy #MSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Tuesday, December 30, 2025

The Himalayas: India & China | International Space Station

The Himalayas: India & China | International Space Station

The Himalayas—separating the moisture-laden portion of the Indian subcontinent from the arid geography of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China—are pictured from the International Space Station as it orbited 261 miles above Nepal. At upper right is one of two UltraFlex solar arrays that power the Cygnus XL cargo craft from Northrop Grumman.

The Himalayas or Himalaya is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. This range has examples of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than 100 peaks exceeding elevations of 7,200 m (23,600 ft) above sea level lie in the Himalayas.

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.

Follow Expedition 74:

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Mike Fincke (NASA)
JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Oleg Platonov, Sergey-Kud Sverchkov, Sergei Mikaev
NASA Flight Engineers: Zena Cardman, Chris Williams

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Image Details: Nikon Z 9, 14-24mm f/2.8G
Image Date: Dec. 13, 2025


#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planets #Earth #SouthAsia #India #BhāratGaṇarājya #China #中国 #TheHimalayas #AstronautPhotography #Astronauts #Japan #JAXA #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Zodiacal Light & Milky Way Galaxy: View from Death Valley, California

Zodiacal Light & Milky Way Galaxy: View from Death Valley, California

Astrophotographer Chris Cook: "Gazing at the western night sky on December evenings from a Bortle 1-2 location, you can see the setting summer Milky Way and the zodiacal light make a large letter ‘V’. The zodiacal light is the faint wedged shape glow of dust particles along the ecliptic that are being illuminated by the Sun."

What's that strange light? 
Dust orbiting the Sun. At certain times of the year, a band of sun-reflecting dust from the inner Solar System appears prominently just after sunset—or just before sunrise—and is called zodiacal light. Although the origin of this dust is still being researched, a leading hypothesis holds that zodiacal dust originates mostly from faint Jupiter-family comets and that it slowly spirals into the Sun.


Image Credit: Chris Cook
Image Details: Modified Canon 6D, Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 lens
Chris' website: https://www.cookphoto.com
Location: Death Valley, California, United States
Release Date: Dec. 11, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Sun #Planets #Earth #Sunlight #CosmicDust #ZodiacalLight #SolarSystem #DarkSkies #LightPollution #MilkyWayGalaxies #Galaxies #Astrophotographer #ChrisCook #Astrophotography #DeathValley #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

New Amateur Astronomer High-res Moon View from France: December 29, 2025

New Amateur Astronomer High-res Moon View from France: December 29, 2025

French amateur astronomer Philippe Tosi: "The seeing was very good." His 9-inch telescope revealed towering mountains, lava plains and impact craters—and hundreds of sunrise shadows marching along the rugged terminator. With this kind of clarity, you might even spot a meteor crashing.

Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, amateur astronomers can make contributions in citizen science, such as by monitoring variable stars, double stars, sunspots, or occultations of stars by the Moon or asteroids, or by discovering transient astronomical events, such as comets, galactic novae or supernovae in other galaxies.

Amateur astronomers do not use the field of astronomy as their primary source of income or support, and usually have no professional degree in astrophysics or advanced academic training in the subject. Most amateurs are hobbyists, while others have a high degree of experience in astronomy and may often assist and work alongside professional astronomers.


About French amateur astronomer Philippe Tosi
Born in March 1969, I began in astronomy at the age of 10. At 14 years old, I already began the construction of a telescope of 200 mm . . . Since then, I realized about fifty instruments of diameters, focal and of different optical configurations. Fascinated by photography, I was known by means of exhibitions and conferences. Regularly published in Ciel et Espace magazines, Astrosurf magazine, I also write numerous articles on the techniques of recording and on the construction of instruments.
I am at present scientific presenter in the Planetarium of Nîmes.

Image Credit: Philippe Tosi
Philippe's website: https://www.photoastro.com
Image Date: Dec. 29, 2025


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Moon #LunarNearSide #AmateurAstronomy #Geology #Geoscience #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #Astrophotography #Astrophotographer #PhilippeTosi #CitizenScience #CitizenScientists #Hobbyists #France #STEM #Education

NASA: Year 2025 Review & 2026 Preview

NASA: Year 2025 Review & 2026 Preview

 

Our Best Wishes for 2026! "In 2025, we stacked the Artemis II rocket, certified next-generation lunar spacesuits, celebrated 25 years on the International Space Station, and snapped the closest pictures ever taken of the Sun."

"We’re not just going back to the Moon in 2026—we’re paving the way to Mars, exploring the stars, and dominating the skies, setting the stage for a historic year ahead."


Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Duration: 2 minutes, 41 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Earth #Year2025 #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #Astronauts #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #CSA #Canada #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Our Alien Earth: Lava Tubes of Mauna Loa, Hawai’i | NASA

Our Alien Earth: Lava Tubes of Mauna Loa, Hawai’i | NASA


🌋 Could lava tubes hide signs of life on Mars? 

To find out, NASA researchers went deep beneath Hawai‘i’s volcanoes to study Earth’s own lava tubes—extreme places where life survives. 

Watch this new documentary, streaming now on NASA+: https://go.nasa.gov/3MPm9lV

Delve deep beneath the volcanoes of Hawai’i with four teams of NASA astrobiologists as they investigate how life might survive in the subsurface of other worlds. Inside cavernous lava tubes, these scientists search for microbial life in volcanic rock, analyze subsurface gases, and build an augmented reality model of the field site – all to help advance NASA’s future exploration of Mars and beyond.

Our Alien Earth Series | Episode 4
Program Length: 20 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 15, 2025
Topic: Solar System


Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Duration: 53 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 29, 2025


#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Hawaii #Scientists #PlanetaryScience #Geology #Volcanoes #LavaTubes #Astrobiology #Mars #Moon #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Calendario de Ciencia de la NASA 2026 (PDF)

Calendario de Ciencia de la NASA 2026 (PDF)


¡Bienvenido al Calendario de Ciencia de la NASA 2026! Descarga nuestro más reciente calendario y fondos de escritorio para tu computadora o dispositivo móvil, y descubre la fascinante ciencia que hay detrás de las imágenes destacadas de cada mes.




Calendar cover design: This NASA Science 2026 artwork commemorates America's 250th Anniversary. The illustration uses blue tones with warm pastel accents showing humanity's space exploration journey. An open history book at the bottom emits light with Earth emerging above it. A pathway extends from the book past the Moon, Mars, and Saturn into deep space, featuring spacecraft including NISAR, ISS, Parker Solar Probe, LRO, MRO, Dragonfly, NEO Surveyor, Webb, and Roman Space Telescope. An Artemis astronaut and robotic rover appear on opposite pages of the book, with the astronaut stepping onto the cosmic path—symbolizing how scientific discovery leads the way for human exploration in our journey beyond Earth.

Purchase a hard copy calendar from the U.S. Government Bookstore website: 
https://bookstore.gpo.gov/products/2026-nasa-science-calendar


Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Release Date: Dec. 5, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #Stars #StarClusters #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #NASAenespañol #español #UnitedStates #AdobePDF #PDF #FreeCalendar #Calendar2026 #STEM #Education

Monday, December 29, 2025

Dark Universe | NOIRLab

Dark Universe | NOIRLab


NSF NOIRLab, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), has played a central role in unraveling examples of the greatest mysteries in astronomy, but nothing more profound or unexpected than the discovery of the Dark Universe. This NOIRLab-produced film will take you on a journey of discovery as it showcases the breakthrough research on dark matter and dark energy taking place across multiple NSF NOIRLab Programs.

Dark Universe premiered on December 16, 2025 during the grand opening of the Windows on the Universe Center for Astronomy Outreach (Windows Center), a new public science center located inside the recently-retired McMath-Pierce Solar Telescope at NSF Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) in Arizona. The McMath’s unique interior has been retrofitted with interactive exhibits and educational programs focused on astronomy funded by the NSF. To experience the film in person, visit the Windows Center's new theater, where Dark Universe is screened continuously throughout the day.

This film features the U.S. Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera (DECam), a high-performance, wide-field CCD imager mounted at the prime focus of the NSF Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile. DECam was designed to carry out the Dark Energy Survey (DES) with the goal of revealing the nature of the mysterious dark energy. The 570-megapixel camera was built and tested at DOE’s Fermilab, and was operated by the DOE and NSF between 2013 and 2019. At present, DECam is utilized for programs covering a wide range of science. The DECam science archive is curated by the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC). CSDC and CTIO are Programs of NSF NOIRLab. 

Dark Universe also showcases the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Survey, an international experiment with more than 900 researchers from over 70 institutions. DESI is managed by DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), with primary funding from the Department’s Office of Science. The instrument is mounted on the NSF Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at KPNO.

The next era of research into the Dark Universe will be brought about by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a major new scientific facility jointly funded by the NSF and the DOE's Office of Science. Rubin Observatory is a joint program of NSF NOIRLab and DOE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, who will cooperatively operate Rubin. NOIRLab is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).


Credits: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Acknowledgements: 
Produced & Edited by: Ron Proctor 
Directed by: Lars Lindberg Christensen 
Executive Producer: Lars Lindberg Christensen 
Written by: Jenny Shipway, Lars Lindberg Christensen, & Nicole Kuchta
Narration: BJ Whimpey
Colorist and Post-Production Processing: Mahdi Zamani & Maral Kosari
Duration: 15 minutes
Release Date: Dec. 24, 2025
 
#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Astrophysics #DarkMatter #DarkEnergy #Stars #Nebulae #MilkyWayGalaxy #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #DOE #AURA #Arizona #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video