Europe's First Ariane 6 Rocket Launch with Four Boosters: Amazon Satellites | ESA

Europe's First Ariane 6 Rocket Launch with Four Boosters: Amazon Satellites | ESA

At 16:45 GMT/17:45 CET the first Ariane 6 rocket with four boosters lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on February 12, 2026, taking 32 Amazon Leo satellites to orbit. 

This is Ariane 6’s most powerful version yet. The new three-stage European rocket can be adapted according to each mission with either two or four boosters as well as the length of the fairing—the nosecone that splits vertically in two. This launch was the sixth Ariane 6 flight, the first to fly with four boosters and also the first with the long fairing.

Ariane 6 in its four-booster configuration, known as Ariane 64, doubles the rocket’s performance compared to the two-booster version that has flown five times including the inaugural flight in 2024. 

"The P120C boosters used by Ariane 6 are one of the most powerful one-piece motors in production in the world. Flying with four boosters takes Ariane 6 to a whole new class of rockets. With the extra thrust from two more boosters Ariane 6 can take around 21.6 tonnes to low Earth orbit, more than double the 10.3 tonnes it could bring to orbit with just two boosters."

Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)
Duration: 4 minutes, 25 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Amazon #CommercialSpace #Arianespace #Ariane6 #Ariane6Rocket #HeavyLiftRocket #RocketLaunch #MissionVA267 #GuianaSpaceCentre #KourouSpaceport #Kourou #FrenchGuiana #SouthAmerica #France #CNES #ArianeGroup #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Experts Hail China’s Successful Heavy-lift Moon Rocket & Crewed Spacecraft Tests

Experts Hail China’s Successful Heavy-lift Moon Rocket & Crewed Spacecraft Tests

China's successful tests of its new-generation heavy-lift rocket and next-generation crewed spacecraft mark a significant step forward for the country's crewed lunar program, space technology experts say.

A low-altitude demonstration and verification flight test for the Long March-10 carrier rocket and a maximum dynamic pressure abort flight test for the new-generation crewed spaceship system Mengzhou are successfully conducted at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan province on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.

It was the first ignition flight of the Long March-10 rocket, and saw the spacecraft power through Max Q—the most dangerous phase of ascent, when aerodynamic stress reaches its peak.

Both the return capsule and the rocket's first stage landed in their designated recovery zones.

It was also the first completion of a sea landing and recovery of Mengzhou's return capsule that will bring China's spacefarers back to earth.

Mengzhou, which means "Dream Vessel" in Chinese, is designed mainly for China's crewed lunar exploration but can also be used for space station operation. Its return capsule is capable of multiple reuses.

"We have successfully achieved a soft splashdown and retrieval from the sea. This marks a crucial and significant breakthrough in China's reusable carrier rocket technology and will also greatly promote the upgrading of China's carrier rocket technology," said Wang Zhifei, a researcher at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

Zhong Wen'an, who works at the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, said the mission laid a foundation for China to advance its crewed lunar exploration program.

"This laid the foundation for completing verification flights for the crewed lunar exploration program, and eventually, lunar landings. Efforts to build the equipment and facilities required for a comprehensive launch and test system are progressing as planned. It is estimated that by the end of this year, China will fully achieve testing and launch capabilities for the crewed lunar exploration program," said Zhong.

Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's manned space program, underscored the significance of Wednesday’s successful tests.

"This was a highly significant flight test, especially the retrieval technologies, which are entirely new to us. Achieving success on the very first attempt represents a leapfrog development," said Zhou.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 39 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Moon #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #CrewSpacecraft #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #RocketFirstStage #ReusableRockets #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CNSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #WSLC #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 Mission to the International Space Station

NASA's SpaceX Crew-12 Mission to the International Space Station

Four crew members are preparing to launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission to perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the orbiting laboratory.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia will lift off no earlier than 5:15 a.m. EST (1015 UTC) on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Launch coverage begins at 3:15 a.m. EST (0815 UTC).

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

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineer: Sergei Mikaev
NASA Flight Engineer: 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.Kennedy Space Center

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Duration: 1 minute, 14 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #CapeCanaveral #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Falcon 9 & Dragon Preflight | International Space Station

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 Falcon 9 & Dragon Preflight | International Space Station

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen on the launch pad at sunset at Space Launch Complex 40 as preparations continue for the Crew-12 mission, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at Cape Canaveral in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission is the twelfth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia are scheduled to launch at 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 13, from Space Launch Complex 40. 

Teams will continue to monitor weather → http://spacex.com/launches/crew12

Learn more about the mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineer: Sergei Mikaev
NASA Flight Engineer: 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.Kennedy Space Center

Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Date: Feb. 10, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #CapeCanaveral #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Red Aurora over Mongolia

Red Aurora over Mongolia

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/

Mongolia is a landlocked country in the East Asia region. Bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It is the second largest landlocked country after Kazakhstan, as well as the largest landlocked country that does not border an inland sea.

Aurora Colors According to Altitude

Above 150 miles: red, oxygen

Up to 150 miles: green, oxygen

Above 60 miles: purple or violet, nitrogen

Up to 60 miles: blue, nitrogen

The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)

https://www.nps.gov/articles/-articles-aps-v8-i1-c9.htm

Image Credit: Max Moreiras
Location: Ulaanbataar, Mongolia
Date: Jan. 20, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Mongolia #EastAsia #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #SolarSystem #Sun #Astrophotography #MaxMoreiras #Astrophotographers #Ulaanbataar #Mongolia #STEM #Education

China Long March 10 Reusable Moon Rocket: First Stage Sea Landing Test

China Long March 10 Reusable Moon Rocket: First Stage Sea Landing Test

🚀🌑Watch drone footage of reusable Long March 10 Moon rocket first stage sea landing beside the Ling Hang Zhe recovery ship.

Another critical China Moon program milestone has been achieved. China has successfully completed the maximum dynamic pressure escape test of the Mengzhou crewed Moon spacecraft and a key low-altitude verification flight test of the new-generation reusable Long March 10 launch vehicle system. After liftoff at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time (03:00UTC) on February 11, 2026, China completed the in-flight abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft. This critical safety demonstration is a major step forward for China's crewed lunar program.

Upon receiving the abort command, the spacecraft successfully executed separation and initiated its escape sequence. As planned, both the Long March 10 rocket's first stage and the spacecraft's return module achieved controlled and safe splashdowns within their designated maritime zones. The crew module and the first stage were then recovered.

In a future flight, the Long March 10's first stage recovery ship, Ling Hang Zhe, will perform a catch attempt. Meanwhile, the hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage deployed in this test before the splashdown as designed.

The Long March-10 rocket is a type of three-stage rocket with two boosters. It has a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 92.5 meters. It is responsible for launching China's crewed lunar spacecraft and lunar lander Moon missions.

The Long March-10A is a type of two-stage reusable rocket with a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 67 meters. Its first stage can be recycled and reused. It will support launches of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft for lunar missions and of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft for China's space station.

Video Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Duration: 42 seconds
Date: Feb. 11, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Moon #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #CrewSpacecraft #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #RocketFirstStage #ReusableRockets #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CNSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #WSLC #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Transforming Our Understanding of Star Formation | James Webb Space Telescope

Transforming Our Understanding of Star Formation | James Webb Space Telescope

How are stars born? 

We have long known the fundamentals—stars form from collapsing clouds of gas and dust—and decades of research have shown more of the mechanics. Now, with the NASA/European Space Agency/Canadian Space Agency James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers are peering more deeply into star-forming regions than ever before to reveal the nuances of the processes.

Since its science operations began in 2022, Webb has “supercharged” discoveries about star formation with its high-resolution images and data. The telescope’s near-infrared observations can pierce through dust, uncovering the properties of actively forming stars far more clearly. Webb’s mid-infrared observations complement this by detecting a lot more of the dust itself, which helps researchers study the environments surrounding young stars.

In this video, learn about some of the most exciting discoveries Webb has made to date.

 

Video Credit: Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Duration: 4 minutes

Release Date: Feb. 11, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarFormation #Heliophysics #Astrophysics #Cosmos #Universe #JWST #NIRCam #MIRI #InfraredAstronomy #SpaceTelescopes #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Recovers Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft after Launch Escape Test

China Recovers Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft after Launch Escape Test

🚀🌑Another critical China Moon program milestone has been achieved. China has successfully completed the maximum dynamic pressure escape test of the Mengzhou crewed Moon spacecraft and a key low-altitude verification flight test of the new-generation reusable Long March 10 launch vehicle system. After liftoff at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time (03:00UTC) on February 11, 2026, China completed the in-flight abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft. This critical safety demonstration is a major step forward for China's crewed lunar program.

Upon receiving the abort command, the spacecraft successfully executed separation and initiated its escape sequence. As planned, both the Long March 10 rocket's first stage and the spacecraft's return module achieved controlled and safe splashdowns within their designated maritime zones. The crew module and the first stage were then recovered.

In a future flight, the Long March 10's first stage recovery ship, Ling Hang Zhe, will perform a catch attempt. Meanwhile, the hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage deployed in this test before the splashdown as designed.

The Long March-10 rocket is a type of three-stage rocket with two boosters. It has a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 92.5 meters. It is responsible for launching China's crewed lunar spacecraft and lunar lander Moon missions.

The Long March-10A is a type of two-stage reusable rocket with a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 67 meters. Its first stage can be recycled and reused. It will support launches of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft for lunar missions and of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft for China's space station.

Video Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Duration: 40 seconds
Date: Feb. 11, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #CrewSpacecraft #CrewModule #RocketAbortSystem #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CNSA #国家航天局 #CMSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #WSLC #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Successfully Tests Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft Launch Escape System

China Successfully Tests Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft Launch Escape System

🚀Another critical China Moon program milestone has been achieved. China has successfully completed the maximum dynamic pressure escape test of the Mengzhou crewed Moon spacecraft and a key low-altitude verification flight test of the new-generation reusable Long March 10 launch vehicle system. After liftoff at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time (03:00UTC) on February 11, 2026, China completed the in-flight abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft. This critical safety demonstration is a major step forward for China's crewed lunar program.

Upon receiving the abort command, the spacecraft successfully executed separation and initiated its escape sequence. As planned, both the Long March 10 rocket's first stage and the spacecraft's return module achieved controlled and safe splashdowns within their designated maritime zones. The crew module and the first stage were then recovered.

In a future flight, the Long March 10's first stage recovery ship, Ling Hang Zhe, will perform a catch attempt. Meanwhile, the hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage deployed in this test before the splashdown as designed.

The Long March-10 rocket is a type of three-stage rocket with two boosters. It has a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 92.5 meters. It is responsible for launching China's crewed lunar spacecraft and lunar lander Moon missions.

The Long March-10A is a type of two-stage reusable rocket with a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 67 meters. Its first stage can be recycled and reused. It will support launches of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft for lunar missions and of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft for China's space station.

Video Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Duration: 1 minute
Date: Feb. 11, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #CrewSpacecraft #CrewModule #RocketAbortSystem #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CNSA #国家航天局 #CMSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #WSLC #Hainan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Successfully Tests Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft Launch Escape System

China Successfully Tests Mengzhou Crewed Moon Spacecraft Launch Escape System

🚀Another critical China Moon program milestone has been achieved. China has successfully completed the maximum dynamic pressure escape test of the Mengzhou crewed Moon spacecraft and a key low-altitude verification flight test of the new-generation reusable Long March 10 launch vehicle system. After liftoff at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time (03:00UTC) on February 11, 2026, China completed the in-flight abort test for the Mengzhou spacecraft. This critical safety demonstration is a major step forward for China's crewed lunar program.

Upon receiving the abort command, the spacecraft successfully executed separation and initiated its escape sequence. As planned, both the Long March 10 rocket's first stage and the spacecraft's return module achieved controlled and safe splashdowns within their designated maritime zones. The crew module and the first stage were then recovered.

In a future flight, the Long March 10's first stage recovery ship, Ling Hang Zhe, will perform a catch attempt. Meanwhile, the hooking arms of Long March 10 first stage deployed in this test before the splashdown as designed.

The Long March-10 rocket is a type of three-stage rocket with two boosters. It has a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 92.5 meters. It is responsible for launching China's crewed lunar spacecraft and lunar lander Moon missions.

The Long March-10A is a type of two-stage reusable rocket with a diameter of 5 meters and a maximum height of 67 meters. Its first stage can be recycled and reused. It will support launches of the Mengzhou crewed spacecraft for lunar missions and of the Tianzhou cargo spacecraft for China's space station.

Image Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)
Date: Feb. 11, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #CrewSpacecraft #CrewModule #RocketAbortSystem #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #CASC #中国航天科技集团有限公司 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #CNSA #国家航天局 #CMSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #WSLC #Hainan #STEM #Education

Revisiting The Egg Nebula in Cygnus | Hubble Space Telescope

Revisiting The Egg Nebula in Cygnus | Hubble Space Telescope

This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals a dramatic interplay of light and shadow in the Egg Nebula, sculpted by freshly ejected stardust. Located approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, the Egg Nebula features a central star obscured by a dense cloud of dust. Only Hubble’s sharpness can unveil the intricate details that hint at the processes shaping this enigmatic structure.

This newly processed image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope is the clearest view yet of the Egg Nebula. It is a preplanetary nebula, a structure of gas and dust created as a Sun-like star approaches the end of its life. The Egg that we see now will eventually hatch, revealing a white dwarf at its center and leaving its shell to become a spectacular planetary nebula.

Many preplanetary nebulae are relatively dim and hard to spot. They are made of layers of gas ejected by the star, but that star is not yet hot enough to ionize the gas and cause it to glow. The Egg Nebula is relatively unique, easily visible as a sparkling jeweled egg in space. Powerful beams of starlight blast out of the inner cloud, two a-side, giving a breathtaking illumination to this cosmic structure. Fast-moving outflows of hot molecular hydrogen also emerge from within the dust cloud, visible just at the base of the searchlight beams. These outflows glow with infrared light, shown in this image by orange highlights.

The central cloud of dust is surrounded by concentric rings, themselves made up from thin, faint arcs of gas. These were created by successive outbursts from the central star. It ejected a little more material from its outer surface every few hundred years. The beams of starlight are reflected by these layers of gas, creating an appearance like ripples on the surface of water. The way that gas molecules reflect and scatter light gives a bluish color to the arcs. The reflected starlight reveals important details about the central star. This is not possible to view directly in its dusty shell.

Credits:

Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann

Editing: Nico Bartmann

Web and technical support: Enciso Systems

Written by: Bethany Downer

Duration: 53 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 10, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PreplanetaryNebulae #EggNebula #RAFGL2688 #CRL2688 #CygnusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: The Egg Nebula in Cygnus | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: The Egg Nebula in Cygnus | Hubble Space Telescope

This stunning image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals a dramatic interplay of light and shadow in the Egg Nebula, sculpted by freshly ejected stardust. Located approximately 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, the Egg Nebula features a central star obscured by a dense cloud of dust. Only Hubble’s sharpness can unveil the intricate details that hint at the processes shaping this enigmatic structure.

This newly processed image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope is the clearest view yet of the Egg Nebula. It is a preplanetary nebula, a structure of gas and dust created as a Sun-like star approaches the end of its life. The Egg that we see now will eventually hatch, revealing a white dwarf at its center and leaving its shell to become a spectacular planetary nebula.

Many preplanetary nebulae are relatively dim and hard to spot. They are made of layers of gas ejected by the star, but that star is not yet hot enough to ionize the gas and cause it to glow. The Egg Nebula is relatively unique, easily visible as a sparkling jeweled egg in space. Powerful beams of starlight blast out of the inner cloud, two a-side, giving a breathtaking illumination to this cosmic structure. Fast-moving outflows of hot molecular hydrogen also emerge from within the dust cloud, visible just at the base of the searchlight beams. These outflows glow with infrared light, shown in this image by orange highlights.

The central cloud of dust is surrounded by concentric rings, themselves made up from thin, faint arcs of gas. These were created by successive outbursts from the central star. It ejected a little more material from its outer surface every few hundred years. The beams of starlight are reflected by these layers of gas, creating an appearance like ripples on the surface of water. The way that gas molecules reflect and scatter light gives a bluish color to the arcs. The reflected starlight reveals important details about the central star. This is not possible to view directly in its dusty shell.

Image Description: In the center, an opaque cloud of grey gas hides a star. Two strong beams of light from the star emerge from large holes in both sides of the cloud. The central cloud is surrounded by concentric, wispy shells of gas, illuminated by the star’s light. The shells reflect extra light where they are hit by the twin beams. A crowd of smaller stars with cross-shaped spikes over them surround the nebula on a black background.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, B. Balick (University of Washington), N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 10, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PreplanetaryNebulae #EggNebula #RAFGL2688 #CRL2688 #CygnusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) & Galaxy NGC 55: View from Chile

Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) & Galaxy NGC 55: View from Chile

Astrophotographer Daniele Gasparri: "There is a little-known comet, best seen from the Southern Hemisphere, putting on a beautiful show. On the night of February 9, it passed close to the bright galaxy NGC 55. Comet Wierzchos is not very bright and is not visible to the naked eye, but it displays a long, striking tail and it is a very beautiful telescopic object. This image captures the closest approach to NGC 55, taken from the Atacama Desert with my 20 cm Newtonian telescope. I had to deal with a huge amount of satellite tracks (on average 3-4 for each 120 seconds exposure), which almost ruined my attempt to image the comet and the galaxy. The photo is a two panel mosaic made to include the full extent of NGC 55. Even so, the field of view is not wide enough to show the full length of comet tail. Each panel is the average of 10X120 seconds exposures, aligned both on stars and the comet."

C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) is a hyperbolic Oort cloud comet, discovered on March 3, 2024, by Polish astronomer Kacper Wierzchoś. It reached perihelion on January 20, 2026, with apparent magnitude of around +6.5, visible in larger binoculars. It has a highly eccentric orbit with an inbound orbital period of millions of years and is expected to eventually be ejected from the Solar System. 

NGC 55, also known as the String of Pearls Galaxy, is a Magellanic type barred spiral galaxy located about 6.5 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor.

Image Credit: Daniele Gasparri
Location: Atacama desert region, Chile
Photographer's website: https://www.danielegasparri.com
Date: Feb. 9, 2026 

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Comets #C2024E1Wierzchoś #OortCloud #SolarSystem #NGC55 #SculptorConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #DanieleGasparri #Astrophotographers #AtacamaDesert #Chile #SouthAmerica #STEM #Education

Supernova AT2025ulz Detected in Host Galaxy | Gemini North Telescope

Supernova AT2025ulz Detected in Host Galaxy | Gemini North Telescope

A representative color image of the field around AT2025ulz, the candidate counterpart to gravitational wave event S250818k that was first reported on August 18, 2025, by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) collaboration. The host galaxy of AT2025ulz is at the center of the image. Clumpy star forming regions can be seen across the galaxy. The transient is visible close to the center of the host, though clearly offset from the nucleus. Early data suggested that AT2025ulz may be a kilonova, making it a promising candidate for the counterpart to S250818k. However, further investigation showed that it is a typical Type IIb supernova with early shock-cooling emission.

A Type IIb supernova is a supernova that occurs in the core-collapse phase of a massive star. These supernovae are characterized by the presence of hydrogen in their spectra. This distinguishes them from Type Ia supernovae that lack hydrogen. Type IIb supernovae typically arise from stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel and have lost their outer layers, leading to a rapid collapse of their cores. They are often observed in binary systems and are known for their strong helium absorption lines in their spectra. 

A kilonova (also called a macronova) is a transient astronomical event that occurs in a compact binary system when two neutron stars (BNS) or a neutron star and a black hole collide. The kilonova, visible over the weeks and months following the merger, is an isotropically expanding luminous afterglow of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized by—and then ejected from—the initial cataclysmic event. It is understood that the merger of two compact objects are a strong source of gravitational waves (GW).

This image was taken with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North telescope, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, funded in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation and operated by NSF NOIRLab. The data are reported in a paper titled “AT2025ulz and S250818k: Investigating early time observations of a subsolar mass gravitational-wave binary neutron star merger candidate” to appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Learn about the Gemini North Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-north/

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA
Acknowledgment: PI: B. O'Connor (Carnegie Mellon University)
Image Processing: J. Miller & M. Rodriguez (International Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab), M. Zamani (NSF NOIRLab)

Date: Dec. 29, 2025

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Supernovae #Stars #NeutronStars #BlackHoles #Kilonovas #AT2025ulz #GravitationalWaves #Galaxies #StellarMergers #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #STEM #Education

NASA's Crew-12 Suit up Practice: Ready for Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Crew-12 Suit up Practice: Ready for Launch | Kennedy Space Center

NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway, middle left, Jessica Meir, middle right, Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia, left, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France, right, wearing SpaceX spacesuits.

NASA astronauts Jack Hathaway, left front, Jessica Meir, right front, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France, back right, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia, wearing SpaceX spacesuits, are seen as they prepare to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is seen as she prepares to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France is seen as she prepares to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building

NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway is seen as he prepares to depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building

Update: Members of NASA's Crew-12 will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station no earlier than 5:15 a.m. EST on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, from Cape Canaveral’s Launch Complex 40.

Teams will continue to monitor weather → http://spacex.com/launches/crew12

Learn more about the mission:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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

Expedition 74 Crew
Station Commander: Sergey-Kud Sverchkov (Russia)
Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineer: Sergei Mikaev
NASA Flight Engineer: 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.Kennedy Space Center

Image Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani
Date: Feb. 9, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #NASAKennedy #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Flyover of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California

Flyover of NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in California

Four high-performance jets soar in tight formation over NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Three F/A-18s and one F-15B streak across the clear desert sky, showcasing precision flying and teamwork during a coordinated flyover above the historic center known for advancing aeronautics and spaceflight research.

Learn more about NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California:
https://www.nasa.gov/armstrong/

Video Credit: NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC)
Duration: 33 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 10, 2026

#NASA #Aerospace #Aeronautics #Aviation #Flyovers #JetAircraft #Boeing #FA18 #F15B #QuesstMission #CommercialAviation #Science #Physics #Engineering #AerospaceResearch #AeronauticalResearch #SpaceflightResearch #FlightTests #NASAArmstrong #AFRC #Edwards #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video