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Friday, August 14, 2026

Fireball with Smoke Trail and Airglow over California

Fireball with Smoke Trail and Airglow over California

Astrophotographer Steven Friend: "On the night of Aug 12/13 while shooting the Perseid shower I caught a bright meteor that left a smoke trail. The trail was visible by the unaided eye for about 4 minutes and in the photos for over 17 minutes. I don't know if this was a Perseid as it came from a sharp angle (about 30 degrees) off of the radiant."

Final image: "While shooting the Perseid shower, I was able to see and bit of light to the north of me in the sky. I had seen a faint airglow in a few of my previous photos but it was very dim. It looked to be getting better so I took a photo. It was better than I thought."

In astronomy, fireballs, also known as bolides, are exceptionally bright meteors that, like all meteors, heat up when they enter Earth's atmosphere at high velocities and leave a trail of glowing material in the sky. Meteors are classified as fireballs when they shine brighter than the planets—an apparent magnitude of –4 or brighter.

Perseids: Fast Facts

Comet of Origin: 109P/Swift-Tuttle

Radiant Constellation: Perseus

Active: Through Aug. 24, 2026 (Peak nights: Aug. 12-13)

Observed Under Dark Skies: About 25 meteors per hour

Meteor Velocity: 37 miles (59 km) per second

Airglow, a faint emission of light caused by chemical reactions and interactions between ultraviolet radiation and gases in our atmosphere (unlike aurora caused by solar wind particles interacting with Earth’s magnetic field, airglow is present everywhere, all of the time).

California is a state in the Western United States that lies on the Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south.

Image Credit: Steven Friend
Location: Weaver Bally near Weaverville, California
Date: Aug. 13, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Stars #Planets #Earth #Meteors #PerseidMeteors #Perseids #MeteorShowers #Meteors #Fireballs #Bolides #Comets #Comet109PSwiftTuttle #PerseusConstellation #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Astrophotography #StevenFriend #Astrophotographers #WeaverBally #Weaverville #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Supernova Remnant DEM L249 in Mensa | Hubble Space Telescope

Supernova Remnant DEM L249 in Mensa | Hubble Space Telescope

These cosmic ribbons of gas have been left behind by a titanic stellar explosion called a supernova. DEM L249 is thought to be the remnant of a Type 1a supernova, the death of a white dwarf star. White dwarf stars are usually stable, but in a binary system—two stars orbiting each other—a white dwarf can gravitationally pull so much matter from its companion that it reaches critical mass and explodes.

DEM L249, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is an unusual supernova remnant. Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton found its gas was hotter and shone brighter in the x-rays than the remnant of a typical Type 1a supernova. Astronomers suspect DEM L249’s white dwarf star was more massive than expected—heavier stars expel more gas. This also means it would have died earlier in its lifecycle.

Hubble took this image while searching for surviving companions of white dwarf stars that went supernova in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and Y. Chou (Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Release Date: October 24, 2021

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #WhiteDwarfStars #Supernovae #SupernovaRemnants #DEML249 #SupernovaDEML249 #MensaConstellation #LMC #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescopes #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Thursday, August 13, 2026

Meir & Menon on spacewalk for power upgrade prep | International Space Station

Meir & Menon on spacewalk for power upgrade prep | International Space Station

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 flight engineer Anil Menon conducts a spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system. Menon helped build a modification kit on the station’s Starboard 6 truss segment where a roll out solar array is slated to be installed later this year.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir conducts a spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system. Meir helped build a modification kit on the station’s Starboard 6 truss segment where a roll out solar array is slated to be installed later this year.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir conducts a spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir (red stripes) and NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 flight engineer Anil Menon can be seen conducting a spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 commander Meir worked in the vacuum of space for six hours and 27 minutes with Expedition 75 flight engineer Anil Menon of NASA (out of frame) building a modification kit on the station’s Starboard 6 truss segment where a roll out solar array is slated to be installed later this year.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 flight engineer Anil Menon is pictured outside the International Space Station’s Quest airlock during a spacewalk, with his spacesuit’s helmet lights illuminating the worksite during an orbital night period.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 75 flight engineer Anil Menon conducts a spacewalk to prepare the International Space Station for future upgrades to its power system. Menon worked in the vacuum of space for six hours and 27 minutes with Expedition 75 commander Jessica Meir of NASA (out of frame) building a modification kit on the station’s Starboard 6 truss segment where a roll out solar array is slated to be installed later this year.

Expedition 75 commander, flight engineer, and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir: "Using our special spacewalk drill to install one of the struts for the mounting brackets, as captured by astronaut Anil Menon. And look, all of you are in this photo with me as well (Earth!)! That first spacewalk feeling! Congratulations to astronaut Anil Menon on his first spacewalk. Mission complete as we assembled the last of the mounting brackets that will hold another set of solar arrays to augment the International Space Station power supply."

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Anil Menon concluded their spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 3 p.m. EDT on August 6, 2026. It was Menon’s first spacewalk and Meir’s sixth. During the 6-hour, 27-minute spacewalk, Meir and Menon completed their primary objectives. They included preparing the 3B power channel. This work was necessary for the installation of roll-out solar arrays, called IROSA, to provide additional power for the orbiting laboratory, supporting critical systems and the safe, controlled deorbit of the space station.

This was the 281st spacewalk in support of space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Follow Expedition 75:

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

Expedition 75 Crew
Station Commander: Jessica Meir
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Anna Kikina, Pyotr Dubrov

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jack Hathaway, Anil Menon

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 Credits: NASA's Johnson Space Center/J. Meir/A. Menon
Image Date: Aug. 6, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planets #Earth #Astronauts #Spacewalks #EVA #JessicaMeir #AnilMenon #AstronautPhotography #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition75 #InternationalCooperation #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Planet Mars Images: Aug. 12-13, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: Aug. 12-13, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

MSL - sol 4982

MSL - sol 4980

Mars 2020 - sol 1947

MSL - sol 4982

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Celebrating 14+ Years on Mars (2012-2026)

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

Celebrating 5+ Years on Mars

Mission Name: Mars 2020

Rover Name: Perseverance

Main Job: Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of rock and regolith (broken rock and soil) for return to Earth.

Launch: July 30, 2020

Landing: Feb. 18, 2021, Jezero Crater, Mars

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

Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

Release Dates: Aug. 12-13, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Mars #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #MountSharp #GaleCrater #PerseveranceRover #Mars2020 #JezeroCrater #Robotics #SpaceTechnology #SpaceEngineering #MSSS #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #CitizenScience #KevinGill #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #STEM #Education

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: Views from Spain | NASA

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: Views from Spain | NASA

This composite image shows the progression of a total solar eclipse as the Sun sets from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.

A total solar eclipse is seen from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026.

These images show a total solar eclipse over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. A total solar eclipse swept across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. A partial eclipse was visible in parts of the U.S., most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwest Africa.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the face of the Sun.

San Millán de los Caballeros is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain.

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Peninsular Spain is bordered to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; to the east and south by the Mediterranean Sea and Gibraltar and Morocco, through its enclaves in North Africa; and to the west by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse2026 #TotalSolarEclipses #PartialEclipses #Europe #Portugal #SanMillánDeLosCaballeros #León #Spain #España #Greenland #Iceland #STEM #Education

Perseid Meteor Shower: View from Sweden

Perseid Meteor Shower: View from Sweden

Astrophotographer P-M Hedén: "After a very nice 80% solar eclipse, I went to the east coast and witnessed a nice Perseid meteor shower. Not the best I´ve seen but several bright and colorful ones. This shows two of them with the Milky way beside."

Perseids: Fast Facts

Comet of Origin: 109P/Swift-Tuttle

Radiant Constellation: Perseus

Active: Through Aug. 24, 2026 (Peak nights: Aug. 12-13)

Observed Under Dark Skies: About 25 meteors per hour

Meteor Velocity: 37 miles (59 km) per second

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

Image Credit: P-M Hedén
Location: Vallentuna, Sweden

Image Details: 16mm, Canon 6D
P-M Hedén's website: https://www.nattbilder.se
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Stars #Planets #Earth #Meteors #PerseidMeteors #Perseids #MeteorShowers #Meteors #Comets #Comet109PSwiftTuttle #PerseusConstellation #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Astrophotography #PMHedén #Astrophotographers #Vallentuna #Sweden #Sverige #STEM #Education

Eclipse Path of Totality over Europe | Eumetsat Meteosat-12 Weather Satellite

Eclipse Path of Totality over Europe | Eumetsat Meteosat-12 Weather Satellite

On Aug. 12, 2026, between 20:26 and 20:34 Central European Summer Time (CEST), parts of the Iberian peninsula experienced a total solar eclipse. This animation, composed of images from Eumetsat's Meteosat-12 weather satellite, previously known as the Meteosat Third Generation Imager (MTG-I1) satellite, caught the Moon’s dark shadow as it passed over Earth’s surface—converging with the advancing twilight shadow as dusk fell over Europe.

From its vantage point in geostationary orbit, Meteosat-12 keeps its imaging instruments focused on Europe and northern Africa from a distance of 36,000 km above Earth’s surface. This enabled it to track the Moon’s shadow, called the path of totality, as it swept first over Greenland and Iceland, then over a small part of northeastern Portugal and finally, Spain.

Mostly separated from the rest of continental Europe by the Pyrenees, the Iberian Peninsula includes Peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal. Together, they make up almost all of the region, as well as Andorra, Gibraltar, and a small part of Metropolitan France.

While the total eclipse itself lasted just a few minutes on mainland Europe, a partial eclipse was visible over a much wider area. Spectators were able to see the Moon partially covering the Sun’s disc as far apart as northern Canada, the Nordic countries and the western coast of Africa, as far south as Sierra Leone and Liberia.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, blocking the face of the Sun for a short period. During totality, a halo of light is visible around the Moon, known as the Sun’s corona.

There are more solar eclipses to come between now and 2028—watch out for updates on the European Space Agency’s solar eclipse activities.

The Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) mission is preparing to place its third satellite in orbit. MTG-I2 is scheduled for launch on August 26, 2026, on board flight VA270 on an Ariane 6 launcher, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Eumetsat

Duration: 4 seconds
Release Date: Aug. 13, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Eumetsat #Satellites #Meteosat12 #MTG-I1 #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse2026 #TotalSolarEclipses #PartialEclipses #Europe #Spain #España #IberianPeninsula #Greenland #Iceland #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

2026 Partial Solar Eclipse: International Space Station Transit | NASA

2026 Partial Solar Eclipse: International Space Station Transit | NASA

Twelve frames assembled in sequence show the International Space Station, a crew of seven onboard, in silhouette as it transits the Sun at roughly five miles per second during a partial solar eclipse, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, near Houlton, Maine. Onboard as part of Expedition 75 are: NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Anil Menon, and Jack Hathaway; European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot; and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov, Andrey Fedyaev, and Anna Kikina of Russia.

A total solar eclipse swept across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal.

A partial eclipse was visible in parts of the U.S., most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwest Africa.

In astronomy, a transit is the passage of a celestial body directly between a larger body and the observer. As viewed from a particular vantage point, the transiting body appears to move across the face of the larger body, covering a small portion of it.

Note: The sequence repeats three times.

Video Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Duration: 3 seconds
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #ISS #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #PartialSolarEclipses #PartialSolarEclipse2026 #Astrophotography #Astrophotographers #Houlton #AroostookCounty #Maine #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: View full cycle from Spain | NASA

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: View full cycle from Spain | NASA

This composite image shows the progression of a total solar eclipse over San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, on Wednesday, August 12, 2026. A total solar eclipse swept across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. A partial eclipse was visible in parts of the U.S., most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwest Africa.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the face of the Sun.

San Millán de los Caballeros is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: View from Spain | NASA

2026 Total Solar Eclipse: View from Spain | NASA

A total solar eclipse is seen from San Millán de los Caballeros, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026. A total solar eclipse swept across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. A partial eclipse was visible in parts of the U.S., most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwest Africa.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the face of the Sun.

San Millán de los Caballeros is a municipality located in the province of León, Castile and León, Spain.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

Total Solar Eclipse: View from Spain | NASA

Total Solar Eclipse: View from Spain | NASA

NASA: "We were lucky enough to experience the eclipse again, as we reach totality in León, Spain."

A total solar eclipse was visible across parts of Europe on August 12, 2026. The path of totality swept across Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small area of northeastern Portugal, while much of Europe will experience a partial eclipse.

A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, completely blocking the face of the Sun.

León is a city and municipality of Spain and the capital of the province of León located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, south of the Cantabrian Mountains in between the Bernesga and the Torío rivers.

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Duration: 56 seconds
Date: Aug. 12, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse2026 #TotalSolarEclipses #PartialEclipses #Europe #Portugal #León #Spain #España #Greenland #Iceland #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Partial Solar Eclipse Views—The State of Maine with Special Guest: The ISS | NASA

Partial Solar Eclipse Views—The State of Maine with Special Guest: The ISS | NASA

The International Space Station (ISS) with a crew of seven onboard is seen as it transits the Sun at approximately five miles per second during a partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.

A partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.
A partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.
A partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.
A partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.

A partial solar eclipse as seen near Hodgdon, Maine, USA.

On August 12, 2026, the Moon passed in front of the Sun, casting a shadow on parts of the Earth's Northern Hemisphere. These are views from the partical solar eclipse visible from the American state of Maine in the northeast. The images were captured in Hodgdon, a rural northeastern town in Aroostook County, Maine.

Maine is a state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, and shares a maritime border with Nova Scotia. It is the only state to border only one other state (New Hampshire). Maine is the largest state in New England by total area, almost as large as the combined area of the remaining five states.

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Location: Hodgdon, Maine, United States

Date: Aug. 12, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #ISS #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #PartialSolarEclipses #PartialSolarEclipse2026 #Astrophotography #Astrophotographers #Hodgdon #AroostookCounty #Maine #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Comet 10P/Tempel: View from Namibia

Comet 10P/Tempel: View from Namibia

Astrophotographer Gerald Rhemann: "Comet with dust trail and ion tails."

Comet 10P/Tempel, also known as Tempel 2, is a large Jupiter-family comet roughly 10 km in diameter with a 5.36 year orbit around the Sun. Jupiter-family comets (JFCs) are short-period comets with orbital periods under 20 years, whose orbits are strongly influenced by planet Jupiter’s immense gravity. 10P/Tempel was discovered on July 4, 1873 by Wilhelm Tempel. Perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) passage was on August 2, 2026. The nearest approach to Earth occurred on August 3, 2026, at a distance of 0.414 AU (61.9 million km). The comet should now be visible with binoculars.

Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the northeast, approximating a quadripoint, Zimbabwe lies less than 200 meters (660 feet) away along the Zambezi River near Kazungula, Zambia.

Image Credit: Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger
Location: Farm Tivoli, Namibia
Image Details: Telescope—ASA Astrograph 12" f3.6 Camera: ZWO ASI 6200 MM Pro Exp.Time: LRGB 36/12/12/12 min.
Date: Aug. 8, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #Comets #Comet10PTempel #CometTemple2 #JupiterFamilyComets #JFc #SolarSystem #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #GeraldRhemann #MichaelJäger #Astrophotographers #Namibia #STEM #Education

Earth Clouds: Crepuscular Rays | International Space Station

Earth Clouds: Crepuscular Rays | International Space Station

Expedition 75 commander, flight engineer, and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir: "These long shadows cast by cumulus clouds (crepuscular rays) at sunrise caught my eye, their straight lines a juxtaposition of sorts among the curves of Earth and its clouds. Mother Nature seems to prefer softer edges."

Follow Expedition 75:

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

Expedition 75 Crew
Station Commander: Jessica Meir
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Anna Kikina, Pyotr Dubrov

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jack Hathaway, Anil Menon

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/J. Meir
Release Date: Aug. 10, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planets #Earth #Atmospheres #CumulusClouds #Sunlight #CrepuscularRays #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #AstronautPhotography #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #Expedition75 #InternationalCooperation #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Edge-on Galaxy NGC 4710 in Coma Berenices | Hubble Space Telescope

Edge-on Galaxy NGC 4710 in Coma Berenices | Hubble Space Telescope

Still an astrophysical mystery, the evolution of the bulges in spiral galaxies led astronomers to the edge-on galaxy NGC 4710. When staring directly at the center of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal "X"-shaped structure. This feature that astronomers call a "boxy" or "peanut-shaped" bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy's bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge-on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC 4710.

This perspective allows astronomers to easily distinguish the central bulge of stars from its pancake-flat disk of stars, dust, and gas. The central bulge extends outside of the central disk like the yellow yolk on a fried egg.

Dark dust lanes—raw material for future generations of stars and planets—also appear confined to the central disk. What's striking in the image is a ghostly "X" pattern of stars. This is due to the inclined orbits of the stars in the galaxy's central bar-like structure.

NGC 4710 is located in the constellation Coma Berenices.

Distance from Earth: Distance: ~60 million light years

Credit: NASA & ESA
Release Date: Nov. 18, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Galaxies #NGC4710 #SpiralGalaxies #ComaBerenicesConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education