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What's Up: May 2025 Skywatching Tips from NASA | JPL
Here are examples of skywatching highlights for the northern hemisphere in May 2025?
Find a pair of planets in the sky in the evenings and mornings, have a look for the Eta Aquarid meteors, and join the watch for the brief and brilliant appearance of a "new star"—an anticipated nova explosion in the Corona Borealis constellation.
0:00 Intro
0:12 May planet viewing
1:03 Eta Aquarid meteor shower
1:48 Waiting for a nova
3:49 May Moon phases
Video Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Duration: 4 minutes Release Date: May 1, 2025
Shenzhou-19 Space Experiment Samples Delivered to Chinese Scientists
Samples from experiments in space, which returned to Earth on Wednesday with the crew of China's Shenzhou-19 space mission, have been transferred to scientists in Beijing for further research.
Shenzhou-19 astronauts brought back 22 types of experiment samples of space materials that are in four categories. These samples will be transported to Beijing together with the return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft.
They include tungsten high entropy alloy, high-strength steel, lunar soil reinforcement material, and gel composite lubricating material.
The Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences said that the studies of these experiment samples will promote the production and application of key materials including those for the next-generation aero-engine turbine blades and nano-electronic components.
"We have been using some characteristics of the space environment. For instance, multiple alloys can be well mixed together in space, which ensures high quality and purity with few defects. In this way, we can produce in space some urgently needed materials which are difficult to prepare on Earth. In addition, if we go further to the Moon and Mars in the future, can we use resources on them to produce materials we need? So the ongoing experiments onboard the space station will provide some solutions to us," said Zhang Wei, a researcher with the center.
Some of the space material samples had undergone in-orbit exposure experiments, which can reveal the mechanisms that caused damage to the samples' microstructures, their performance degradation, as well as functional failure in space.
According to relevant statistics, over 70 percent of the malfunctions of spacecraft were directly or indirectly caused by the space environment.
"Through research on these samples which had undergone exposures to the space environment outside of the space station, we will promote space applications of high-performance and durable lunar soil reinforcement materials, some large and foldable structural materials like flexible solar wings, and some high-performance and long-life lubricating materials. These will provide very important technical support for our deep space explorations and human space activities," said Ma Ping, a senior designer with the center.
The Shenzhou-19 mission generated over 102 samples of 13 types, which have been returned to Earth for in-depth analyses by scientists. These studies are expected to produce scientific outcomes in fundamental research, new materials, space radiation effects and hypomagnetic biological mechanisms.
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 28 seconds Release Date: May 1, 2025
The Shape of Taurus in Three Dimensions | Space Telescope Science Institute
This visualization reveals the stars of the Taurus constellation in three dimensions. Watch as the familiar pattern on the sky distorts into a whole new perspective.
The sequence begins by panning up to a view of Taurus in our night sky, accompanied by the constellation Orion to its left. Two of the nearest open clusters can be found in the region with the Hyades cluster at the center of Taurus and the Pleiades (also known as the Seven Sisters) to the right of it. The brightest star in this constellation is Aldebaran, a red giant.
As the camera starts its journey through interstellar space around Taurus, what used to represent a bull from Earth slowly takes on a completely different shape. Aldebaran, previously appearing to be close to the Hyades cluster, now reveals its actual position is much closer to Earth. The stars change their brightness markedly as they pass nearer or farther from the camera. The onscreen graphic depicts the direction, distance, and speed of the camera motion.
As the view reaches the opposite side of Taurus, the bright star Betelgeuse, a red supergiant in Orion, swoops through. The camera continues its journey and passes behind the Taurus Molecular Cloud, one of the closest star-forming regions at a distance of around 430 light years. At a similar distance, the Pleiades then reappears, providing a close look at the famous star cluster.
This visualization features over 11 million stars down to a magnitude of 13.5 across the sky. The positions, colors, and luminosities are based on the Gaia and Hipparcos star catalogs, complemented by the HYG Database, which includes data from the Yale and Gliese catalogs. Interstellar dust is visualized using the Edenhofer map out to a distance of 1.25 kiloparsecs (~4,000 light years) from the Sun. The rest of the Milky Way plane is recreated using simulated spiral galaxy data for stars and dust from the Horizon GalMer database.
Credits: Visualization: Christian Nieves, Frank Summers (STScI) Motion Graphics: Ralf Crawford (STScI) Data: Gaia DR3 – ESA/Gaia/DPAC Hipparcos Catalog – ESA HYG-Database (v4.1) – Astronexus CC BY-SA 4.0 Edenhofer et al (2023). A Parsec-Scale Galactic 3D Dust Map out to 1.25 kpc from the Sun -- Dataset for the 1.25 kpc 3D Dust Map and the 2 kpc 3D Dust Map (v1.0.2) [Data set]. Zenodo. Horizon GalMer Database – Chilingarian I. V., Di Matteo P., Combes F., Melchior A.-L., Semelin B., 2010, A&A, 518, A61
US Spacewalk 93 Animation: McClain & Ayers | International Space Station
An animation of U.S. spacewalk 93 taking place today, Thursday, May, 1, 2025. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers began a spacewalk at approximately 9:05 a.m. EDT to install a mounting bracket to prepare for the future installation of an additional set of International Space Station Rollout Solar Arrays, also called IROSA. The arrays will boost power generation capability by up to 30%, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts. The arrays will be installed on a future spacewalk following their arrival on a SpaceX Dragon commercial resupply services mission later this year. This animation was narrated by NASA flight director Diana Trujillo.
NASA Flight Engineers: Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Jonny Kim
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.
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: Exploring The Milky Way's Dynamic Heart
The heart of our Milky Way galaxy is a densely packed region full of wonders waiting to be discovered. NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will provide one of the deepest views ever into this complex region, making repeated observations that will reveal subtle changes.
Roman’s tracking of hundreds of millions of stars’ changes in brightness over time will reveal hundreds of thousands of distant worlds, including free-floating planets that do not orbit a star, as well as isolated black holes and brown dwarfs—intriguing, elusive celestial bodies that are more massive than a planet, but less bright and massive than a star.
Of course, a survey of the galactic center will also yield a wealth of information about stars themselves. Even after thousands of years of stargazing, astronomers still have many questions about how stars grow and change. The detailed information that Roman will gather about this crowded region will go a long way to understanding the variety and development of stars, including temporary, darkened “star spots” and stellar quakes.
Scientists will be able to determine the sizes and masses of thousands of distant exoplanets with the techniques known as microlensing and transit. With such a vast increase in the number of known exoplanets—planets outside our solar system—scientists will have new insight into how common different types of planets are, including the types found in our own solar system, and how their stars and environments influence them.
Astronomers expect Roman will greatly increase the number of exoplanets found via the transit method, when a planet passes in front of (“transits”) its star and briefly dims the star’s light. To date about 4,400 exoplanets have been found this way, and Roman is expected to bring the number as high as 200,000!
About an additional 1,000 planets are expected to be discovered with gravitational microlensing, when a planet’s gravitational field will temporarily visually increase the brightness of a background star. This will include planets that orbit their stars at a distance farther than Earth, a region where planets have been difficult to detect.
One of the best things about Roman’s surveys is that it will provide a big picture but also amazing detail. Roman combines a resolution equivalent to the Hubble Space Telescope’s infrared camera with a field of view 200 times larger, allowing it to capture huge amounts of high-quality data quickly. Scientists will identify hundreds of thousands of new planets and discover the characteristics of millions of individual stars. The data will be immediately available to astronomers to use for research, with the potential to fuel discoveries for many years to come.
Shenzhou-19 Crew Returns Largest Volume of Experimental Samples in Years
China's Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft successfully returned to Earth on April 30, 2025, after completing a six-month mission in space, bringing back the largest volume of experimental samples since the space station began its operational phase in late 2022, a researcher told China Central Television (CCTV).
The return capsule, carrying astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong, and Wang Haoze, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, marking the successful conclusion of their space expedition.
In the interview with the CCTV on the landing site, Jiang Yue, head of the landing site experimental team for the space utilization system at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), explained that the Shenzhou-19 mission brought back valuable samples from life science and material science experiments conducted in microgravity.
"The life science samples brought back this time include human bone cells, lung cells, 3D stem cells, protein crystals that naturally crystallized in microgravity, our adorable space travelers—fruit flies, and frozen embryo cells. The material science experimental samples mainly consist of container-less materials, high-temperature materials, and materials exposed to space conditions," Jiang said.
"The total weight of the samples is 37.25 kilograms, marking the largest quantity and weight of experimental materials returned during the space station's application and development phase," he said.
With the launch of the Shenzhou-15 mission in 2022, China's space station entered a new phase of application and development, set to last more than 10 years. A key focus of this stage is to conduct scientific experiments, and astronauts play a vital role in carrying out these missions.
Jiang also introduced special measures taken to ensure the safety and integrity of the precious experimental samples. Life science samples, in particular, require immediate laboratory processing upon their return.
"Life science experimental samples must be sent back to the laboratory for processing immediately upon landing. After completing their experiments in space, these samples are stored in a minus 80-degree Celsius freezer aboard the space station. They are only taken out a few hours before the return capsule leaves the station. Once we receive the samples from the return capsule, they will be immediately placed in a minus 20-degree recovery and transportation device, which has been specifically designed for the landing field environment," Jiang said.
"We ensure a cold-chain transport throughout the entire process. The samples will be swiftly transported to Beijing, where scientists are eagerly awaiting their arrival. Once the samples are received, they will immediately begin processing and analysis," he said.
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 18 seconds Release Date: April 30, 2025
NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 Member Portraits | International Space Station
The official crew portrait of NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 members. Front row, from left, are Pilot Mike Fincke and Commander Zena Cardman, both NASA astronauts. In the back from left, are Mission Specialists Oleg Platonov of Roscosmos (Russia) and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exporation Agency (JAXA).
The four crew members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-11 mission to the International Space Station are pictured inside SpaceX’s Hangar X at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. From left to right: Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov of Russia, NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui.
As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 Mission, four crew members from three space agencies will launch in the coming months to the International Space Station for a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory.
NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman and Pilot Mike Fincke, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Mission Specialist Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Oleg Platonov of Russia will join crew members aboard the space station no earlier than July 2025.
The flight is the 11th crew rotation with SpaceX to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The crew will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations to help prepare humans for future missions to the Moon, as well as benefit people on Earth.
Cardman previously was assigned to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, and Fincke previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA decided to reassign the astronauts to Crew-11 in overall support of planned activities aboard the International Space Station. Cardman carries her experience training as a commander on Dragon spacecraft, and Fincke brings long-duration spaceflight experience to this crew complement.
With 142 days in space, this will be Yui’s second trip to the space station. After his selection as a JAXA astronaut in 2009, Yui flew as a flight engineer for Expedition 44/45 and became the first Japanese astronaut to capture JAXA’s H-II Transfer Vehicle. In addition to constructing a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, he conducted a total of 21 experiments for JAXA. In November 2016, Yui was assigned as chief of the JAXA Astronaut Group. He graduated from the School of Science and Engineering at the National Defense Academy of Japan in 1992. He later joined the Air Self-Defense Force at the Japan Defense Agency (currently Ministry of Defense). In 2008, Yui joined the Air Staff Office at the Ministry of Defense as a lieutenant colonel.
The Crew-11 mission will be Platonov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, Platonov earned a degree in Engineering from Krasnodar Air Force Academy in Aircraft Operations and Air Traffic Management. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in State and Municipal Management in 2016 from the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok, Russia. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2021, he has experience in piloting aircraft, zero gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.
NASA Espacio A Tierra | Uno en un millón: 18 de abril 2025
Espacio a Tierra, la versión en español de las cápsulas Space to Ground de la NASA, te informa semanalmente de lo que está sucediendo en la Estación Espacial Internacional.
Shenzhou-19 Commander & Astronaut Cai Xuzhe after Landing | China Space Station
Chinese astronaut Cai Xuzhe, commander of the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission, has come out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft which landed back on the Earth earlier Wednesday, April 30, 2025.
Cai was the first of the three-member Shenzhou-19 crew to get out of the capsule after it touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Upon the landing, Cai and the two other crew members reported their good conditions to the Beijing Aerospace Control Center.
"In space, we gazed at the beautiful blue planet countless times. This is the common home for humanity and needs to be protected by all of us together. Especially, the vibrant red outside the space station's cabin wall, the brightest color in space, filled me with pride for our great motherland. On this mission, I led two people born in the 1990s. With the crew united as one and the assistance of the ground staff, we successfully completed the task entrusted by our country and the people. In the future, we will continue to maintain a diligent attitude, scripting new chapters for China's space industry in the new era," Cai said in an interview with CCTV shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.
The spaceship separated from the Tiangong space station combination at 04:00 (Beijing Time) on Wednesday, according to the CMSA.
The Shenzhou-19 crew was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 30, 2024. Prior to the return, the crew completed all planned tasks and handed over the space station to the Shenzhou-20 astronauts who got on board on April 25.
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 18 seconds Release Date: April 30, 2025
Shenzhou-19 Astronaut Wang Haoze after Landing | China Space Station
Chinese astronaut Wang Haoze, one of the crew members of the Shenzhou-19 mission, came out of the return capsule of the Shenzhou-19 spacecraft.
Wang was the third of the Shenzhou-19 crew to get out of the capsule after it touched down safely at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region earlier on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
She is also China's first female spaceflight engineer.
"It's good to be home, to be down to earth. I'm right on the land of the motherland now, and the words I most want to say are 'Motherland, your children have returned from a long journey.' The journey of 180-plus days in space is a test to the body and a practice of the mind. The mission empowers me to report to the motherland and the people that I'm confident and competent to undertake more challenging tasks. Please rest assured. Every time I gazed into the cosmos from the space station, I'm deeply convinced that we, the Chinese astronauts, will venture farther and farther, reaching into the vastness of space. Finally, I extend my best wishes for the continued advancement of China's space cause, and may our great motherland enjoy prosperity and our people live in harmony and peace, " Wang said.
The Shenzhou-19 crew was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 30, 2024. Prior to the return, the crew handed over the Tiangong Space Station to the Shenzhou-20 astronauts who got on board on Friday.
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 31 seconds Release Date: April 30, 2025
Shenzhou-19 Astronaut Song Lingdong after Landing | China Space Station
Chinese astronaut Song Lingdong, one of the three crew members of the Shenzhou-19 mission to the Tiangong Space Station, has come out of the return capsule.
Song was the second of the Shenzhou-19 crew who emerged from the capsule after it touched down safely at the Dongfeng Landing Site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 13:08 on Wednesday (Beijing Time), April 30, 2025.
"At this moment, I feel incredibly proud, happy, and full of anticipation. We've transformed the dedication and hard work of all our researchers into scientific research achievements, and we are very proud of that. And we are very proud of the three extravehicular missions that we've completed successfully. It is a blessing to serve my country in space, and being down-to-earth is also a source of happiness. Very soon, I will reunite with the family I've missed day and night, as well as the comrades and colleagues who have stood by us through this entire journey. We are truly looking forward to that. I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you. You've worked so hard! Next, I will promptly begin my post-mission recovery and adjust myself in time. I will be ready, as always, to dedicate my purest love to our motherland," said Song.
The Shenzhou-19 crew members were sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 30, 2024. Prior to their return, the crew members had completed all planned tasks and handed over the China Space Station to the Shenzhou-20 astronauts on Friday.
Video Credit: CCTV Duration: 1 minute, 14 seconds Release Date: April 30, 2025
Return Capsule Carrying Shenzhou-19 Crew Lands in North China
The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceflight mission returned to Earth on April 30, 2025, after completing their planned tasks aboard the Tiangong Space Station.
The return capsule, carrying Shenzhou-19 astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 13:08 (Beijing Time), according to the China Manned Space Agency. The returned astronauts are in good physical condition, according to the medical staff on site.
The Shenzhou-19 crew was sent into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct 30, 2024. Prior to the return, the crew handed over the space station to the Shenzhou-20 astronauts who got on board on Friday.
Shenzhou-19 Spacecraft Separates from China Space Station for Earth Return
China's Shenzhou-19 taikonauts—Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze—have started their journey back to Earth as their spacecraft separated from the Tiangong space station on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The Shenzhou-19 crewed spacecraft, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on October 30, 2024.
Shenzhou-19 Crew: Commander Cai Xuzhe (蔡旭哲) Mission Specialist Wang Haoze (王浩泽) Mission Specialist Song Lingdong (宋令东)
Video Credit: CGTN Duration: 41 seconds Release Date: April 29, 2025
How Are We Made of Star Stuff? We Asked a NASA Expert
How are we made of star stuff? Nearly all the elements in your body were forged in ancient stars long before Earth, the Sun or our galaxy even existed. When those stars exploded, they sent their material out into space, scattering elements like carbon, oxygen and iron across the universe. Billions of years later, those same ingredients came together to form everything we know—including you.
A NASA scientist explains how we really are made of star stuff and how telescopes like Hubble and Webb help us trace our cosmic origins.
Chinese Scientists Monitor Earth-threatening Asteroids for Planetary Defense
A global network of observers and telescopes work together to track near-Earth objects (NEOs) and protect our planet. China plays a key role in this effort. Join CGTN's Sun Ye in Jiangsu Province, where a critical telescope has discovered the largest number of near-Earth asteroids in the country and provides over 95 percent of China's observational data in the field.
Operated by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China's Purple Mountain Observatory is located near the city of Nanjing, Jiangsu—a coastal province in East China. The Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), established in 1934, is the first Chinese-owned modern astronomical research institution in China. The observatory’s PMO NEO Survey Program is credited with hundreds of discoveries. Near-Earth objects are comets and asteroids with orbits around the Sun that are at least partially closer than 1.3 astronomical units (AU; Sun–Earth distance) away from the Sun.
Video Credit: CGTN Duration: 2 minutes Release Date: April 26, 2025
