Meet European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot of France | εpsilon Mission

Meet European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot of France | εpsilon Mission

Born in France in 1982, Sophie Adenot is an engineer, helicopter test pilot, and colonel in the French Air and Space Force. Selected as an European Space Agency astronaut in 2022, she completed her basic training at the European Astronaut Center in 2024 and launched to the International Space Station on February 13, 2026, for her first mission, εpsilon.

Astronaut Sophie Adenot's Biography:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Sophie_Adenot

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, 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.

Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: 8 minutes, 37 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 21, 2026

    

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: Parts & Assembly | NASA Goddard

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope: Parts & Assembly | NASA Goddard

The Nancy Grace Roman observatory is slated to launch no later than May 2027 with the team aiming for as early as fall 2026. The mission will expand our understanding of the universe with its deep and sweeping views of space.

More than a thousand technicians and engineers assembled Roman from millions of individual components. Many parts were built and tested simultaneously to save time. Now that the observatory is assembled, it will undergo a spate of testing prior to shipping to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida in summer 2026.

Learn more about the assembly of Roman at: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/building-roman/

Learn about the Roman telescope and the discoveries it will enable: 
https://www.stsci.edu/roman

Learn more about Dr. Nancy Grace Roman: 
https://science.nasa.gov/people/nancy-roman/

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

Scott Wiessinger (eMITS): Producer/Writer/Editor

Ashley Balzer (eMITS): Science Writer
Jonathan North (eMITS): Animator
Duration: 2 minutes, 39 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #NASARoman #RomanSpaceTelescope #NancyGraceRoman #Exoplanets #Planets #SolarSystem #Stars #MilkyWayGalaxy #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Northern Lights over Finland

Northern Lights over Finland

Photographer Thomas Walter Steffen: "Just around midnight, a huge and strong aurora appeared over the sky of Äkäslompolo. The aurora was so strong, like a full Moon night."

Also known as the northern lights (aurora borealis) or southern lights (aurora australis), auroras are colorful, dynamic, and often visually delicate displays of an intricate dance of particles and magnetism between the Sun and Earth called space weather. When energetic particles from space collide with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere, they can cause the colorful glow that we call auroras.

Learn more about auroras: 
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/auroras/

Finland is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, opposite Estonia.

Image Credit: Thomas Walter Steffen
Location: Äkäslompolo, Finland
Date: Feb. 14, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #SolarSystem #Sun #Photography #ThomasWalterSteffen #Photographers #Äkäslompolo #Finland #Suomi #STEM #Education

City Lights of Italy Sparkle from Naples to Genoa | International Space Station

City Lights of Italy Sparkle from Naples to Genoa | International Space Station

The city lights of Italy sparkle from Naples to Genoa along the western coast and from Bari to Venice along the eastern coast in this photograph taken at approximately 12:53 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 262 miles above the Mediterranean Sea. 

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, 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: JAXA/Kimiya Yui
Date: Dec. 26, 2025

NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Planets #Earth #Italy #Italia #Naples #Napoli #Genoa #Genova #Bari #Bare #Venice #Venezia #Astronauts #UnitedStates #KimiyaYui #AstronautPhotography #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket on Launch Pad | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket on Launch Pad | Kennedy Space Center

Updates: NASA successfully fueled its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and demonstrated the launch countdown for Artemis II on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, during a wet dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  

Engineers loaded more than 700,000 gallons of liquid propellant into the rocket, sent a closeout crew to the launch pad to demonstrate closing the Orion spacecraft’s hatches, and completed two runs of terminal count—the final phase of the launch countdown. The Artemis II crew also observed part of the test from the Launch Control Center at NASA Kennedy. 

During the test, teams closely monitored liquid hydrogen fueling operations that proved challenging during previous tests. Hydrogen gas concentrations remained under allowable limits, giving engineers confidence in new seals installed in an interface used to route fuel to the rocket.  

Early in fueling operations, teams experienced a loss of ground communications in the Launch Control Center. Operators temporarily moved to backup communication methods to maintain safe propellant loading activities before normal communications channels were restored. Engineers isolated the equipment that caused the issue. 

While engineers review data from the test, the Artemis II crew is preparing to enter quarantine late Friday, Feb. 20, in Houston. Although NASA has not set a formal launch date, beginning the roughly 14-day quarantine to limit the crew’s exposure to illness before launch preserves flexibility in the March launch window. 

Over the next several days, technicians will use cranes to set up temporary access platforms on the mobile launcher. The platforms will allow them to reach the upper left and right segments of the SLS solid rocket boosters and core stage intertank to service the flight termination system and retest it to meet Eastern Range safety requirements. The platforms were developed based on lessons learned during Artemis I and enable NASA to complete end-to-end testing of the safety system while at the launch pad rather than rolling back to the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA Kennedy for retesting.  

The closeout crew also will practice closeout operations once more, adding to the team’s proficiency. 

Artemis II will pave the way for new U.S. crewed missions on the lunar surface in preparation to send the first astronauts to Mars. 

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

NASA Artemis II Mission page:
https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

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

Image Credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Date: Feb. 10, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #KSC #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education

Sierra Space Dream Chaser Completes Tow Testing | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Sierra Space Dream Chaser Completes Tow Testing | NASA's Kennedy Space Center

During tow testing at KSC and Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility, a Freightliner Cascadia truck towed Dream Chaser at high speeds to simulate critical dynamics and validate autonomous navigational parameters.

Dream Chaser also successfully demonstrated the ability to receive telemetry and distribute commands between the spacecraft and Mission Control in Louisville, Colorado over NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System network.  

The testing campaign concluded with a post landing recovery rehearsal.

Learn more: https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/sierra-spaces-dream-chaser-spaceplane-successfully-completes-critical-pre-flight-milestones/

Learn more about Dream Chaser: 
https://www.sierraspace.com/space-transportation/dream-chaser-spaceplane/

Video Credit: Sierra Space
Duration: 4 minutes, 38 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #CommercialCargo #CRS #SierraSpace #DreamChaser #ReusableSpacecraft #DreamChaserSpacecraft #CargoSpacecraft #Tenacity #VulcanCentaurRocket #ULA #Spaceflight #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #CommercialSpace #KSC #NASAKennedy #MerrittIsland #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

A Tour of Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 in Virgo | Webb Telescope

A Tour of Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 in Virgo | Webb Telescope

Two powerful instruments of the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope joined forces to create this scenic galaxy view. This spiral galaxy is named NGC 5134, and it is located 65 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.

Though 65 million light-years may seem like a huge distance—the light that Webb collected to create this image has been journeying to us from NGC 5134 since soon after Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct—NGC 5134 is fairly close by as far as galaxies go. Due to the galaxy’s relative proximity, Webb can spot incredible details in its tightly wound spiral arms.

Webb’s Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) collects the mid-infrared light emitted by the warm dust that speckles NGC 5134’s interstellar clouds, tracing clumps and strands of dusty gas. Part of the dust is composed of complex organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, featuring interconnected rings of carbon atoms and provide a way for astronomers to study the chemistry happening in interstellar clouds. Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) records shorter-wavelength near-infrared light, mostly from the stars and star clusters that dot the galaxy’s spiral arms.

Together, the MIRI and NIRCam data paint a portrait of a galaxy in constant ebb and flow. The gas clouds that billow along NGC 5134’s spiral arms are the sites of star formation, and each star that forms chips away at the galaxy’s supply of star-forming gas. When stars die, they recycle part of that gas back into the galaxy. Massive stars more than about eight times the mass of the Sun do so spectacularly, in cataclysmic supernova explosions that spread stellar material across hundreds of light-years.

Stars like the Sun give back a portion of their material as well, though more gently; these stars will balloon into bubbling red giants before shrugging off their atmospheres and sending them into space. Whether expelled by explosive supernovae or gentle red giants, this gas can then be incorporated into new stars.

Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy
Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann
Editing: Nico Bartmann
Written by: Bethany Downer
Footage and photos: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb)
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxy #NGC5134 #VirgoConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #NIRCam #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 in Virgo | Webb Telescope

Close-up: Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 in Virgo | Webb Telescope

Two powerful instruments of the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope joined forces to create this scenic galaxy view. This spiral galaxy is named NGC 5134, and it is located 65 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.

Though 65 million light-years may seem like a huge distance—the light that Webb collected to create this image has been journeying to us from NGC 5134 since soon after Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct—NGC 5134 is fairly close by as far as galaxies go. Due to the galaxy’s relative proximity, Webb can spot incredible details in its tightly wound spiral arms.

Webb’s Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) collects the mid-infrared light emitted by the warm dust that speckles NGC 5134’s interstellar clouds, tracing clumps and strands of dusty gas. Part of the dust is composed of complex organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, featuring interconnected rings of carbon atoms and provide a way for astronomers to study the chemistry happening in interstellar clouds. Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) records shorter-wavelength near-infrared light, mostly from the stars and star clusters that dot the galaxy’s spiral arms.

Together, the MIRI and NIRCam data paint a portrait of a galaxy in constant ebb and flow. The gas clouds that billow along NGC 5134’s spiral arms are the sites of star formation, and each star that forms chips away at the galaxy’s supply of star-forming gas. When stars die, they recycle part of that gas back into the galaxy. Massive stars more than about eight times the mass of the Sun do so spectacularly, in cataclysmic supernova explosions that spread stellar material across hundreds of light-years.

Stars like the Sun give back a portion of their material as well, though more gently; these stars will balloon into bubbling red giants before shrugging off their atmospheres and sending them into space. Whether expelled by explosive supernovae or gentle red giants, this gas can then be incorporated into new stars.

This give and take between gas and stars is the focus of the observing program (#3707). It aims to study 55 galaxies in the nearby Universe that are actively forming new stars and have been studied across a broad range of wavelengths. The new Webb data contribute a rich understanding of individual star clusters and star-forming clouds and have already been used to study the life cycle of tiny dust grains, the shape and properties of star-forming clouds, the links between interstellar gas and dust, and how newly formed stars reshape their surrounding environment.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, seen tilted diagonally. It has a blue-white, glowing spot at its core. Its oval-shaped disc glows faintly blue throughout with light from its many stars. The disc is filled with waves and strands of bright red dust that swirl around the core. At places there are holes torn in the dust, while elsewhere it forms dense clumps that glow orange. Several tiny, distant galaxies appear across the background.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxy #NGC5134 #VirgoConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #NIRCam #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Stellar Lifecycle in Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 | Webb Telescope

The Stellar Lifecycle in Nearby Spiral Galaxy NGC 5134 | Webb Telescope

Two powerful instruments of the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope joined forces to create this scenic galaxy view. This spiral galaxy is named NGC 5134, and it is located 65 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo.

Though 65 million light-years may seem like a huge distance—the light that Webb collected to create this image has been journeying to us from NGC 5134 since soon after Tyrannosaurus rex went extinct—NGC 5134 is fairly close by as far as galaxies go. Due to the galaxy’s relative proximity, Webb can spot incredible details in its tightly wound spiral arms.

Webb’s Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) collects the mid-infrared light emitted by the warm dust that speckles NGC 5134’s interstellar clouds, tracing clumps and strands of dusty gas. Part of the dust is composed of complex organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, featuring interconnected rings of carbon atoms and provide a way for astronomers to study the chemistry happening in interstellar clouds. Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) records shorter-wavelength near-infrared light, mostly from the stars and star clusters that dot the galaxy’s spiral arms.

Together, the MIRI and NIRCam data paint a portrait of a galaxy in constant ebb and flow. The gas clouds that billow along NGC 5134’s spiral arms are the sites of star formation, and each star that forms chips away at the galaxy’s supply of star-forming gas. When stars die, they recycle some of that gas back into the galaxy. Massive stars more than about eight times the mass of the Sun do so spectacularly, in cataclysmic supernova explosions that spread stellar material across hundreds of light-years.

Stars like the Sun give back a portion of their material as well, though more gently; these stars will balloon into bubbling red giants before shrugging off their atmospheres and sending them into space. Whether expelled by explosive supernovae or gentle red giants, this gas can then be incorporated into new stars.

This give and take between gas and stars is the focus of the observing program (#3707). It aims to study 55 galaxies in the nearby Universe that are actively forming new stars and have been studied across a broad range of wavelengths. The new Webb data contribute a rich understanding of individual star clusters and star-forming clouds and have already been used to study the life cycle of tiny dust grains, the shape and properties of star-forming clouds, the links between interstellar gas and dust, and how newly formed stars reshape their surrounding environment.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, seen tilted diagonally. It has a blue-white, glowing spot at its core. Its oval-shaped disc glows faintly blue throughout with light from its many stars. The disc is filled with waves and strands of bright red dust that swirl around the core. At places there are holes torn in the dust, while elsewhere it forms dense clumps that glow orange. Several tiny, distant galaxies appear across the background.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, A. Leroy
Release Date: Feb. 20, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxy #NGC5134 #VirgoConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #NIRCam #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education

Dwarf Galaxies NGC 147 & NGC 185 in Cassiopeia

Dwarf Galaxies NGC 147 & NGC 185 in Cassiopeia

Dwarf galaxies NGC 147 (left) and NGC 185 stand side by side in this deep telescopic portrait. The two are not-often-imaged satellite galaxies of M31, the great spiral Andromeda Galaxy, about 2.5 million light-years away. Their separation in the sky, less than one degree across a pretty field of view toward the constellation Cassiopeia, translates to only about 35 thousand light-years at Andromeda's distance, but Andromeda itself is found well outside this frame. Brighter and more famous satellite galaxies of Andromeda, M32 and M110, are seen much closer to the great spiral. NGC 147 and NGC 185 have been identified as binary galaxies, forming a gravitationally stable binary system. However, the recently discovered faint dwarf galaxy Cassiopeia II also seems to be part of their system, forming a gravitationally bound group within Andromeda's intriguing population of small satellite galaxies.

Image Credit & Copyright: Chuck Ayoub

Chuck's website:

https://www.youtube.com/chucksastrophotography
Release Date: February 13, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC147 #NGC185 #CassiopeiaConstellation #AndromedaGalaxy #Messier31 #M31 #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #ChuckAyoub #Astrophotographers #STEM #Education #APoD

Globular Star Cluster NGC 1854 in The Large Magellanic Cloud | Hubble

Globular Star Cluster NGC 1854 in The Large Magellanic Cloud | Hubble

This NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope image shows the globular cluster NGC 1854, a gathering of white and blue stars in the southern constellation of Dorado (The Dolphinfish). NGC 1854 is located about 135,000 light-years away, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of our closest cosmic neighbors and a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.

The LMC is a hotbed of vigorous star formation. Rich in interstellar gas and dust, the galaxy is home to approximately 60 globular clusters and 700 open clusters. These clusters are frequently the subject of astronomical research, as the Large Magellanic Cloud and its little sister, the Small Magellanic Cloud, are the only systems known to contain clusters at all stages of evolution. Hubble is often used to study these clusters as its extremely high-resolution cameras can resolve individual stars, even at the clusters’ crowded cores, revealing their mass, size and degree of evolution.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Release Date: June 20, 2016

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #GlobularClusters #NGC1854 #DoradoConstellation #Galaxies #LMC #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Sights to See on Orbital Maneuvers | International Space Station

Sights to See on Orbital Maneuvers | International Space Station

Former Expedition 74 flight engineer Zena Cardman and NASA astronaut: "The International Space Station rarely makes big changes to its orientation, but we were lucky to experience such maneuvers (flipping around to fly butt-first, then flipping back again) before and after each SpaceX CRS-33 reboost. This 60x speed timelapse was one of my favorites since it captures a little of everything—sunset, lightning storms, air glow, moon glint, stars, and sunrise—as we did one (actually very slow) orbital cartwheel from Atlantic to Pacific."

Follow Expedition 74:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center, Z. Cardman
Duration: 51 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 19, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #CargoDragonSpacecraft #CRS33 #Astronauts #ZenaCardman #AstronautVideography #UnitedStates #Japan #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Orion's Cradle: Stellar Nurseries

Orion's Cradle: Stellar Nurseries

Cradled in red-glowing hydrogen gas, stars are being born in Orion. These stellar nurseries lie at the edge of the giant Orion molecular cloud complex, some 1,500 light-years away. This detailed view spans about 12 degrees across the center of the well-known constellation, with the Great Orion Nebula, the closest large star-forming region, visible toward the lower right. The deep mosaic also includes, near the top center, the Flame Nebula and the Horsehead Nebula. Image data acquired with a hydrogen-alpha filter adds other remarkable features to this wide-angle cosmic vista: pervasive tendrils of energized atomic hydrogen gas and portions of the surrounding Barnard's Loop.

While the Orion Nebula and many stars in Orion are easy to see with the unaided eye, emission from the extensive interstellar gas is faint and much harder to record, even in telescopic views of the nebula-rich complex.

Image Credit & Copyright: Piotr Czerski

Piotr's website: 

https://app.astrobin.com/u/PiotrC#gallery
Release Date: Feb. 18, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #StellarNurseries #FlameNebula #NGC2024 #HorseheadNebula #Barnard33 #GreatOrionNebula #BarnardsLoop #Messier78 #OrionConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #PiotrCzerski #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #STEM #Education #APoD

Orbital Sunset through the 'Eye of a Dragon' | International Space Station

Orbital Sunset through the 'Eye of a Dragon' | International Space Station

NASA astronaut Don Pettit shared this photo. He returned to Earth on April 19, 2025, concluding a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station. Pettit spent 220 days in space, earning him a total of 590 days in space over the course of his four spaceflights. He orbited the Earth 3,520 times, traveling 93.3 million miles in low-Earth orbit.

Follow Expedition 74:

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

Expedition 74 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Andrey Fedyaev, Sergei Mikaev

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

NASA Flight Engineers: Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Chris Williams

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Sun #Sunset #SpaceX #DragonSpacecraft #Planets #Earth #Astronauts #DonPettit #AstronautPhotography #UnitedStates #Japan #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition71 #Expedition72 #STEM #Education

Planet Uranus: Auroral Activity | James Webb Space Telescope

Planet Uranus: Auroral Activity | James Webb Space Telescope

Uranus (January 2025)

Two bright auroral bands were detected near Uranus’s magnetic poles, together with reduced emission and ion density in part of the region between the two bands (a feature likely linked to transitions in magnetic field lines).

Uranus collage (January 2025, labeled version)

For the first time, an international team of astronomers have mapped the vertical structure of Uranus’s upper atmosphere, uncovering how temperature and charged particles vary with height across the planet. Using Webb’s NIRSpec instrument, the team detected the faint glow from molecules high above the clouds. These unique data provide the most detailed portrait yet of where the planet’s auroras form, how they are influenced by its unusually tilted magnetic field, and how Uranus’s atmosphere has continued to cool over the past three decades. The results offer a new window into how ice-giant planets distribute energy in their upper layers.

Two bright auroral bands were detected near Uranus’s magnetic poles, together with reduced emission and ion density in part of the region between the two bands (a feature likely linked to transitions in magnetic field lines).

L2 is one of the so-called Lagrangian points, discovered by mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange. Lagrangian points are locations in space where gravitational forces and the orbital motion of a body balance each other. Therefore, they can be used by spacecraft to 'hover'. L2 is located 1.5 million kilometers directly 'behind' the Earth as viewed from the Sun. It is about four times further away from the Earth than the Moon ever gets and orbits the Sun at the same rate as the Earth.

It is a great place observe the larger Universe. A spacecraft would not have to make constant orbits of the Earth that result in it passing in and out of the Earth's shadow and causing it to heat up and cool down, distorting its view. Free from this restriction and far away from the heat radiated by Earth, L2 provides a much more stable viewpoint.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, P. Tiranti, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
Release Date: Feb. 19, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #JWST #JamesWebb #WebbTelescope #NIRSpec #Planets #Uranus #Atmosphere #Aurora #SolarSystem #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #Europe #CSA #Canada #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Planet Uranus: Auroral Activity | Time-lapse Rotation | James Webb Space Telescope

Planet Uranus: Auroral Activity | Time-lapse Rotation | James Webb Space Telescope

This timelapse video is believed to be the only dataset to date that has continuously observed a full rotation of Uranus by a single telescope, facilitated by Webb’s uniquely positioned orbit at L2 that observed the planet for approximately 17 hours. This time-lapse video consists of over 1200 slices of multi-object spectroscopy data. These observations provide the most detailed view to date of Uranus’ vertical upper atmosphere, showing where temperatures and ion densities peak, and revealing clear auroral structures shaped by the planet’s unusual magnetic field.

L2 is one of the so-called Lagrangian points, discovered by mathematician Joseph Louis Lagrange. Lagrangian points are locations in space where gravitational forces and the orbital motion of a body balance each other. Therefore, they can be used by spacecraft to 'hover'. L2 is located 1.5 million kilometers directly 'behind' the Earth as viewed from the Sun. It is about four times further away from the Earth than the Moon ever gets and orbits the Sun at the same rate as the Earth.

It is a great place observe the larger Universe. A spacecraft would not have to make constant orbits of the Earth that result in it passing in and out of the Earth's shadow and causing it to heat up and cool down, distorting its view. Free from this restriction and far away from the heat radiated by Earth, L2 provides a much more stable viewpoint.

An international team of astronomers have now uncovered how temperature and charged particles vary with height across the planet. Using Webb’s NIRSpec instrument, the team detected the faint glow from molecules high above the clouds. These unique data provide the most detailed portrait yet of where the planet’s auroras form, how they are influenced by its unusually tilted magnetic field, and how Uranus’s atmosphere has continued to cool over the past three decades. The results offer a new window into how ice-giant planets distribute energy in their upper layers.

Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, STScI, P. Tiranti, H. Melin, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
Duration: 20 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 19, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #JWST #JamesWebb #WebbTelescope #Planets #Uranus #Atmosphere #Aurora #SolarSystem #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #Europe #CSA #Canada #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video