Journey to Exploding Star: Supernova 1987A in Dorado | ESO/Hubble

Journey to Exploding Star: Supernova 1987A in Dorado | ESO/Hubble

This video zooms into images of Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), located 168,000 light-years away in the neighboring Large Magellanic Cloud dwarf galaxy, as seen with European Southern Observatory telescopes, and finally fades into an artist’s impression that shows the distinct elements present in SN 1987A: two outer rings, one inner ring and the deformed, innermost expelled material.

Almost four decades ago, astronomers spotted one of the brightest exploding stars in more than 400 years. Since that first sighting, the doomed star, called Supernova 1987A, has continued to fascinate astronomers with its spectacular light show. The NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope is one of many observatories that has been monitoring the blast's aftermath.

SN 1987A has been a target of intense observations at wavelengths ranging from gamma rays to radio since its discovery in February 1987. 

The most prominent feature in the close-up of the Hubble image is a ring with dozens of bright spots. A shock wave of material unleashed by the stellar blast is slamming into regions along the ring's inner regions, heating them up, and causing them to glow. The ring, about a light-year across, was probably shed by the star about 20,000 years before it exploded.

Astronomers detected the first bright spot in 1997, but now they see dozens of spots around the ring. In the next few years, the entire ring will be ablaze as it absorbs the full force of the crash. The glowing ring is expected to become bright enough to illuminate the star's surroundings, providing astronomers with new information on how the star expelled material before the explosion.

The pink object in the center of the ring is debris from the supernova blast. The glowing debris is being heated by radioactive elements, principally titanium 44, created in the explosion. The debris will continue to glow for many decades.

The origin of a pair of faint outer red rings, located above and below the doomed star, is a mystery. The two bright objects that look like car headlights are a pair of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

The Hubble image was taken in December 2006 with its Advanced Camera for Surveys.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: Aug. 4, 2010

#NASA #ESO #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Supernovae #Supernova1987A #SN1987A #SupernovaRemnants #DoradoConstellation #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Cosmos #Universe #Chile #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #SD #Video

A String of 'Cosmic Pearls' Around an Exploding Star: Supernova 1987A | Hubble

A String of 'Cosmic Pearls' Around an Exploding Star: Supernova 1987A | Hubble

Almost four decades ago, astronomers spotted one of the brightest exploding stars in more than 400 years. Since that first sighting, the doomed star, called Supernova 1987A, has continued to fascinate astronomers with its spectacular light show. The NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope is one of many observatories that has been monitoring the blast's aftermath.

Supernova 1987A (SN 1987A), located 168,000 light-years away in the neighboring Large Magellanic Cloud dwarf galaxy, has been a target of intense observations at wavelengths ranging from gamma rays to radio since its discovery in February 1987. 

This image shows the entire region around the supernova. The most prominent feature in the image is a ring with dozens of bright spots. A shock wave of material unleashed by the stellar blast is slamming into regions along the ring's inner regions, heating them up, and causing them to glow. The ring, about a light-year across, was probably shed by the star about 20,000 years before it exploded.

Astronomers detected the first bright spot in 1997, but now they see dozens of spots around the ring. In the next few years, the entire ring will be ablaze as it absorbs the full force of the crash. The glowing ring is expected to become bright enough to illuminate the star's surroundings, providing astronomers with new information on how the star expelled material before the explosion.

The pink object in the center of the ring is debris from the supernova blast. The glowing debris is being heated by radioactive elements, principally titanium 44, created in the explosion. The debris will continue to glow for many decades.

The origin of a pair of faint outer red rings, located above and below the doomed star, is a mystery. The two bright objects that look like car headlights are a pair of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

The image was taken in December 2006 with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and R. Kirshner (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
Release Date: Feb. 22, 2007

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Supernovae #Supernova1987A #SN1987A #SupernovaRemnants #DoradoConstellation #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Cosmos #Universe #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Stratovolcano Mount Fuji in Japan by Moonlight | International Space Station

Stratovolcano Mount Fuji in Japan by Moonlight | International Space Station

Expedition 74 flight engineer and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kim Yui: "Let me introduce you to the freshly captured Mt. Fuji, the first one I photographed this year.  

I was deeply moved by its serene and majestic presence, standing quietly under the moonlight.  

The daytime Mt. Fuji is beautiful, but the nighttime Mt. Fuji has its own distinct charm, doesn't it?  

I took this photo hoping that it would bring happiness to everyone who sees it."

Mount Fuji is an active stratovolcano located on the Japanese island of Honshu with a summit elevation of 3,776.24 m (12,389 ft 3 in). It is the tallest mountain in Japan, the second-highest volcano located on an island in Asia and seventh-highest peak of an island on Earth. The mountain is located about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Tokyo and is visible from the Japanese capital on clear days. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone, usually covered in snow for about five months of the year, is commonly used as a cultural icon of Japan and is frequently depicted in art and photography, as well as visited by sightseers, hikers and mountain climbers. Mount Fuji last erupted between 1707 and 1708.

Follow Expedition 74:

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

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

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: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/K. Yui

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2025

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planets #Earth #Moon #Moonlight #MountFuji #Astronauts #UnitedStates #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #STEM #Education

The Little Beehive Star Cluster in Canis Major over Vera Rubin Observatory

The Little Beehive Star Cluster in Canis Major over Vera Rubin Observatory

The National Science Foundation and Department of Energy (NSF–DOE) Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Cerro Pachón in Chile is seen with its dome open during First Look observation activities in April 2025. Messier 41, the Little Beehive Cluster, can be seen over the telescope in this telelens photo. Cerro Pachón is a mountain in central Chile, located east of the city of La Serena in the Coquimbo Region.

Messier 41 (also known as M41 or NGC 2287) is an open cluster in the constellation Canis Major. Located approximately four degrees south of Sirius, it forms a roughly equilateral triangle with Sirius and Nu2 Canis Majoris, visible together in binoculars. The cluster spans an area comparable to the size of the full Moon and contains about a hundred stars, including several red giants and white dwarfs.

Learn more about the new Vera Rubin Observatory:

https://noirlab.edu/science/programs/vera-c-rubin-observatory

An Introduction to Vera Rubin:

https://rubinobservatory.org/about/vera-rubin

Credits: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/P. Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava)
Release Date: June 23, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #RubinObservatory #VeraRubin #Stars #StarClusters #LittleBeehiveCluster #Messier41 #M41 #NGC2287 #CanisMajorConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #Cosmos #Astrophotography #PetrHorálek #Astrophotographers #CerroPachón #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #DOE #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Little Beehive Star Cluster: Messier 41 in Canis Major

The Little Beehive Star Cluster: Messier 41 in Canis Major

Why are there so many bright blue stars? 

Stars are usually born in clusters, and the brightest and most massive of these stars typically glow blue. Less-bright, non-blue stars like our Sun surely also exist in this M41 star cluster but are harder to see. A few bright orange-appearing red giant stars are visible. The red-light filaments are emitted by diffuse hydrogen gas, a color that was specifically filtered and enhanced in this image. In a hundred million years or so, the bright blue stars will have exploded in supernovas and disappeared, while the slightly different trajectories of the fainter stars will cause this picturesque open cluster to disperse. Similarly, billions of years ago, our own Sun was likely born into a star cluster like M41, but it has long since drifted apart from its sister stars. The image was captured over four hours with Chilescope T2 in Chile.

Messier 41 (also known as M41 or NGC 2287) is an open cluster in the constellation Canis Major. Located approximately four degrees south of Sirius, it forms a roughly equilateral triangle with Sirius and Nu2 Canis Majoris, visible together in binoculars. The cluster spans an area comparable to the size of the full Moon and contains about a hundred stars, including several red giants and white dwarfs.

Chilescope T2 is one of the telescopes located at the remote observatory in the Chilean Andes, specifically in the southern part of the Atacama Desert. The observatory is known for its high-quality telescopes and its ability to provide astronomy on demand. The observatory's motto is "Astronomy on demand," aiming to provide access to top-quality equipment under dark skies with sub-second seeing in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Image Description: A starscape is shown with red filaments running diagonally from the lower left to the upper right. Many bright blue stars are visible across the center of the frame. 

Image Credit & Copyright: Xinran Li
Xinran's website: https://app.astrobin.com/u/Flying_Dutchman#gallery
Release Date: Feb. 25, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #LittleBeehiveCluster #Messier41 #M41 #NGC2287 #CanisMajorConstellation #Astrophotography #XinranLi #Astrophotographer #ChilescopeT2 #Chile #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

Matterhorn, Moon, Meteor & The Beehive Star Cluster

Matterhorn, Moon, Meteor & The Beehive Star Cluster

Fans of planet Earth probably recognize the Matterhorn in the foreground of this night skyscape. Famed in mountaineering history, the 4,478 meter Alpine mountain stands next to the totally eclipsed Moon. In spite of -22 degree C temperatures, this scene was captured on the mountains near Zermatt, Switzerland. Different exposures record the dim red light reflected by the Moon fully immersed in Earth's shadow. Seen directly above the famous Alpine peak, but about 600 light-years away, are the stars of the Praesepe or Beehive star cluster, also known as Messier 44. An added reward to the cold eclipse vigil, a bright and colorful meteor flashed below the temporarily dimmmed Moon, just tracing the Matterhorn's north-eastern climbing route along Hornli ridge. 

The Matterhorn is one of the highest summits in the Alps and Europe. It has been referred to as the "Mountain of Mountains" (German: Berg der Berge). It has become an emblem of the Alps and it is claimed to be the most photographed mountain in the world. The Matterhorn has four faces, each roughly oriented toward one of the four cardinal points. Three of these (north, east, and west) are on the Swiss side of the border and watershed, while the south face lies on the Italian side.

The Beehive Cluster (look above the Matterhorn) is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. One of the nearest open clusters to Earth, it contains a larger population of stars than other nearby bright open clusters holding around 1,000 stars. Under dark skies, the Beehive Cluster looks like a small nebulous object to the naked eye, and has been known since ancient times. Classical Greco-Roman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy described it as a "nebulous mass in the breast of Cancer".

Image Credit & Copyright: Stephane Vetter
Stephane's website: http://www.nuitsacrees.fr/

Image Date: Jan. 21, 2019
Release Date: Jan., 24, 2019

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Moon #LunarEclipse #Earth #Matterhorn #Alps #Europe #Meteors #Stars #StarClusters #BeehiveCluster #Messier44 #NGC2632 #CancerConstellation #Astrophotography #StephaneVetter #Astrophotographer #Switzerland #Italy #Italia #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

The Beehive Star Cluster—Messier 44: View from France

The Beehive Star Cluster—Messier 44: View from France

Astrophotographer Jean Jacquinot: "M44 and the beauty of star spikes. Difficult not to dream don't you think?"

The Beehive Cluster (also known as Praesepe (Latin for "manger", "cot" or "crib"), M44, NGC 2632, or Cr 189) is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. One of the nearest open clusters to Earth, it contains a larger population of stars than other nearby bright open clusters holding around 1,000 stars. Under dark skies, the Beehive Cluster looks like a small nebulous object to the naked eye, and has been known since ancient times. Classical Greco-Roman astronomer Claudius Ptolemy described it as a "nebulous mass in the breast of Cancer". It was among the first objects that Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei studied with his telescope.

Image Credit: Jean Jacquinot
Release Date: Feb. 25, 2017

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #BeehiveCluster #Messier44 #M44 #NGC2632 #CancerConstellation #Astrophotography #JeanJacquinot #Astrophotographer #AixenProvence #ProvenceAlpesCôtedAzur #France #STEM #Education

Orbits of Planets Mars & Venus cross Beehive Star Cluster | NOIRLab

Orbits of Planets Mars & Venus cross Beehive Star Cluster | NOIRLab

In 2025, Mars and Venus both made striking planetary conjunctions with the open star cluster Messier 44, also known as Praesepe, or the Beehive Cluster. The Beehive Cluster is located about 600 light-years away in the constellation Cancer and contains roughly a thousand stars within a core about 23 light-years across. This makes it one of the nearest and richest open clusters to Earth. The planetary apparitions are combined in this composite time-lapse image, created by Petr Horálek, NOIRLab Audiovisual Ambassador.

The traversing of Mars (above) in this image occurred from late April to early May in 2025. Its nightly positions were captured from observatories in Chile, Bolivia, and the Czech Republic. The site in Chile, Cerro Pachón, is home to four NOIRLab-operated telescopes, including Gemini South, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab. The passage of Venus (below) took place from late August to early September in 2025, when Venus briefly appeared during early morning twilight. 

The Beehive Cluster (also known as Praesepe (Latin for "manger", "cot" or "crib"), M44, NGC 2632, or Cr 189) is an open cluster in the constellation Cancer. One of the nearest open clusters to Earth, it contains a larger population of stars than other nearby bright open clusters holding around 1,000 stars. Under dark skies, the Beehive Cluster looks like a small nebulous object to the naked eye, and has been known since ancient times. Classical astronomer Ptolemy described it as a "nebulous mass in the breast of Cancer". It was among the first objects that Galileo studied with his telescope.

Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/P. Horálek (Instituto de Física de Opava)
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Planets #Mars #Venus #PlanetaryOrbits #Stars #StarClusters #BeehiveCluster #Messier44 #NGC2632 #CancerConstellation #Astrophotography #PetrHorálek #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #Chile #STEM #Education

A 'Happy New Year' Postcard from Mars | NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover

A 'Happy New Year' Postcard from Mars | NASA's Mars Curiosity Rover

The Curiosity rover is visible at the bottom right of this panorama image. The rover is at the top of a ridge referred to as a boxwork formation. The sky ahead of it is hazy; it is red on the left and blue on the right.

Team members working with NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover created this “postcard” by commanding the rover to take images at two times of day on Nov. 18, 2025, spanning periods that occurred on both the 4,722nd and 4,723rd Martian days, or sols, of the mission.

The panoramas were captured at 4:15 p.m. on Sol 4,722 and 8:20 a.m. on Sol 4,723 (both at local Mars time), then merged together. Color was later added for an artistic interpretation of the scene with blue representing the morning panorama and yellow representing the afternoon one. The resulting “postcard” is similar to ones the rover took in June 2023 and November 2021. Adding color to these kinds of merged images helps different details stand out in the landscape.

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

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

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date: Dec. 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Mars #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #Sol4722 #Sol4723 #MountSharp #GaleCrater #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

New Year 2026 Washington Monument Celebrations: NASA's Achievements Featured

New Year 2026 Washington Monument Celebrations: NASA's Achievements Featured

On December 31, 2025, Americans rang in the New Year by illuminating the "story of America," including reaching for the stars, and highlighting our achievements in space, on the Washington Monument.🚀🌑 Our Best Wishes for 2026!

Learn more about NASA's historic Apollo 11 Moon landing mission in 1969:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/apollo-11/

The primary objective of Apollo 11 was to complete a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961—perform a crewed lunar landing and return safely to Earth.

On July 4, 2026, America will celebrate the "most important milestone" in their country’s history—250 years of American Independence (1776-2026). 

The Washington Monument is a 555-foot (169 m) tall obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate George Washington, a Founding Father of the United States and the nation's first president. Standing east of the Reflecting Pool and the Lincoln Memorial, the monument is made of bluestone gneiss for the foundation and of granite for the construction.

Learn about NASA's Artemis Program: 
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis/

Read about the upcoming Artemis II Moon Mission. Launch is currently scheduled for "no later than April 2026":

NASA Artemis II Mission updates:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Learn more about NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: nasa.gov/sls

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Release Date: Jan. 1, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ApolloProgram #Apollo11 #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #ArtemisIII #America250 #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #WashingtonMonument #WashingtonDC #UnitedStates #History #STEM #Education

"Sky Tracks" of Starlink Communications Satellites over Inner Mongolia, China

"Sky Tracks" of Starlink Communications Satellites over Inner Mongolia, China

This picture features a cleverly overlayed time-lapse sequence of a group of satellites orbiting Earth together in June 2025. Specifically, these are Starlink communications satellites in low Earth orbit reflecting back sunlight before sunrise to Inner Mongolia, China. Although the satellites appear to the human eye as points, the 20-second-long camera exposures caused them to appear as short streaks. Currently, there are over 9,000 Starlinks in orbit, with more being launched nearly every week. Starlink satellites are currently in low Earth orbit at approximately 550 kilometers. Other satellite constellations are also being planned. 

"In 2025, Starlink connected more than 4.6 million new active customers and is now connecting 9.2 million people."

Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications provider that is a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to around 150 countries and territories.

Image Description: A star filled sky shows bands of green and purple sky glow. In the foreground is a grassy field with clouds on the horizon. Most remarkably, a series of short streaks appear from the horizon toward the upper left. 

Image Credit & Copyright: Wang Chao
Release Date: Dec. 30, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Satellites #SpaceX #Starlink #Earth #Sun #Sunlight #Astrophotography #TimelapsePhotography #WangChao #Astrophotographer #InnerMongolia #内蒙古自治区 #InnerMongoliaAutonomousRegion #China #中国 #STEM #Education #GSFC #UnitedStates #APoD

SPHEREx's First All-Sky Maps: Panorama | NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

SPHEREx's First All-Sky Maps: Panorama | NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

This panoramic video shows a 3D view of the universe using data from NASA’s Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer telescope (SPHEREx). The SPHEREx observatory looks out into space and maps the entire sky, like scanning the inside of a globe. It observes 102 infrared colors, just a few of which are shown here. The video transitions between one all-sky map featuring infrared colors emitted by hot hydrogen gas (represented by blue) and cosmic dust (red), and a second all-sky view showing infrared colors primarily emitted by stars and galaxies.

SPHEREx is NASA’s newest space telescope that “will observe hundreds of millions of galaxies and other objects during its two-year mission, mapping the cosmos in wavelengths invisible to the human eye”.

The SPHEREx mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data is being conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Data is processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The mission’s principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available at the NASA-IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

For more about SPHEREx, visit: 
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/

Credit: NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech
Duration: 50 seconds
Release Date: Dec. 17, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Galaxies #3DMapping #SPHEREx #SpaceTelescopes #InfraredAstronomy #Cosmos #Universe #JPL #Caltech #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

First All-Sky Infrared Maps | NASA's SPHEREx Space Observatory

First All-Sky Infrared Maps | NASA's SPHEREx Space Observatory

This figure features only the wavelengths emitted by the prominent red clouds of a type of cosmic dust known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and bubbles of hydrogen gas (blue). Both of these materials are a common ingredient in the formation of stars and planets.

This figure features wavelengths of light emitted by the millions of stars and galaxies SPHEREx can observe. The wavelengths emitted by the dust and hot gas are removed to make the stars and galaxies more visible.

NASA’s Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) observatory, the size of a compact car, utilizes a wide-field aluminum telescope. It recently completed its first infrared map of the entire sky in 102 colors using observations made between May and December 2025. A small selection of the 102 infrared colors the observatory can detect are featured in all-sky mosaics shown here.

Infrared colors are invisible to the human eye but are represented here in visible colors. The first image is dominated by infrared colors emitted by hot hydrogen gas (blue), and cosmic dust (red), but the image also includes infrared colors selected to highlight the presence of stars (blue, green, and white). The bright feature running through the middle of the images is the Milky Way galaxy, lit up by the billions of stars it contains. Most of the points of light above and below it are other galaxies.

In order to make the file sizes smaller, the spatial resolution of these images has been reduced to 0.1% of the full-resolution SPHEREx data images.

SPHEREx is NASA’s newest space telescope that “will observe hundreds of millions of galaxies and other objects during its two-year mission, mapping the cosmos in wavelengths invisible to the human eye”.

The SPHEREx mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. BAE Systems (formerly Ball Aerospace) built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data is being conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Data is processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The mission’s principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available at the NASA-IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

For more about SPHEREx, visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Release Date: Dec. 18, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Stars #Galaxies #3DMapping #SPHEREx #SpaceTelescopes #InfraredAstronomy #Cosmos #Universe #JPL #Caltech #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Xi's New Year Message Inspires Shenzhou-21 Astronauts | China Space Station

Xi's New Year Message Inspires Shenzhou-21 Astronauts | China Space Station

China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft on Nov 1, 2025, sending the three astronauts to its space station for a six-month mission. The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. These three astronauts serve as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, respectively, representing all three categories of Chinese astronauts currently being applied in the country's space endeavors.

The Shenzhou-21 crew members said that they will take practical actions and make new contributions to building China a space power.

"We watched President Xi's New Year message at the space station. He mentioned that 'we integrated science and technology deeply with industries, and made a stream of new innovations', which greatly inspired us and strengthened our aspirations and determination to explore the vast cosmos and build China into a space power. We will live up to our mission, forge ahead with courage, and make new contributions to building China a space power," said Zhang Lu.

"Over the past two months in orbit, we conducted our first extravehicular activity and have been advancing a series of space experiments. As an astronaut being in space for the first time, every day in space is a part of growth. In the remaining time in orbit, I will complete every task diligently and live up to the trust by my country and people," said Wu.

"For the first time, I'm welcoming the New Year in space. I'm always grateful to my great motherland when gazing at the blue Earth and the dazzling starry sky through the porthole. I will hone the tasks for excellence, ensuring absolute safety every day and every second in orbit, and write a proud new chapter in space exploration," said Zhang Hongzhang.

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, 22 seconds
Release Date: Jan. 2, 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

C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) & The Andromeda Galaxy: Wide-field View from Austria

C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) & The Andromeda Galaxy: Wide-field View from Austria

Can you spot the comet? 
Hint: Zoom-in on the upper portion of this high-resolution image to find it . . .

C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) is an Oort cloud comet first seen in May 2025. It is one of many comets discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) that was developed by the University of Hawaii and funded by NASA.

Image Credit: Georg Klingersberger

Capture Location: Kobernaußen, Upper Austria
Image Details: 20:17-21:07 UT., 74 x 30 sec., FSQ 106 ED F/3.6, Canon EOS RP Full ISO 3200, Moon 50%

Image Date: Dec. 27, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025K1ATLAS #Coma #CometaryTails #OortCloud #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #Astrophotographers #GeorgKlingersberger #Austria #Europe #STEM #Education

Comet C/2025 K1 ATLAS: View from New Mexico

Comet C/2025 K1 ATLAS: View from New Mexico

C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) is an Oort cloud comet first seen in May 2025. It is one of many comets discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) that was developed by the University of Hawaii and funded by NASA.

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

Image Details: Newton 300/1140 CCD ASI2600MM bin2 RGB=2x120s L=8x120s, New Mexico Telescope Network

Rolando's Website: 

https://www.facebook.com/astrottica

Image Date: Dec. 26, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #CometC2025K1ATLAS #Coma #CometaryTails #OortCloud #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #Astrophotographers #RolandoLigustri #NewMexico #USA #STEM #Education