A Tour of The Crab Nebula in Taurus—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

A Tour of The Crab Nebula in Taurus—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This video highlights details in NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope images of the Crab Nebula. Hubble’s first observation of the full nebula began in 1999, and 25 years later it captured a new portrait. Hubble’s longevity and powerful instruments provide astronomers with an unparalleled opportunity to study a pulsar wind supernova remnant and how it evolves over time.

The newly processed image comes from data originally captured by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 and 2000. Updated image-processing technology allows for this archival image to be best compared with more recent data, including those captured by Hubble itself. Hubble received a new imaging instrument in 2009, the Wide Field Camera 3.

Nearly a millennium ago, astronomers witnessed a brilliant new star blazing in the sky—a supernova so bright it was visible in daylight for weeks. Today, its expanding remnant, the Crab Nebula, continues to evolve 6,500 light-years away. First linked to historical records by Edwin Hubble, the nebula has since been studied in exquisite detail by the Hubble Space Telescope that has now revisited this ancient explosion to trace its ongoing expansion and transformation.

A quarter-century after its first observations of the full Crab Nebula, the Hubble Space Telescope has taken a fresh look at the supernova remnant. The Crab Nebula is the aftermath of SN 1054, located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.

The result is an unparalleled, detailed look at the aftermath of a supernova and how it has evolved over Hubble’s long lifetime. A paper detailing the new Hubble observation has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.

The supernova remnant was discovered in the mid-18th century, and in the 1950s Edwin Hubble was among several astronomers who noted the close correlation between Chinese astronomical records of a supernova and the position of the Crab Nebula. The discovery that the heart of the Crab contained a pulsar—a rapidly rotating neutron star—that was powering the nebula’s expansion finally aligned modern observations and ancient records.

In its new image of the nebula, Hubble has captured extraordinary details of its filamentary structure, as well as the considerable outward movement of those filaments over 25 years, at a pace of 5.5 million kilometers per hour. Hubble is the only telescope with the combination of longevity and resolution capable of capturing these detailed changes.

For better comparison with the new image, Hubble’s 1999 image of the Crab was re-processed. The variation of colors in both of the Hubble images shows a combination of changes in local temperature and density of the gas as well as its chemical composition.

The science team has noted that the filaments around the periphery of the nebula appear to have moved more compared to those in the center and that rather than stretching out over time, they appear to have simply moved outward. This is due to the nature of the Crab as a pulsar wind nebula powered by synchrotron radiation. This is created by interactions between the pulsar’s magnetic field and the nebula’s material. In other well-known supernova remnants, the expansion is instead driven by shockwaves from the initial explosion, eroding surrounding shells of gas that the dying star previously cast off.

The new, higher-resolution Hubble observations are also providing additional insights into the 3D structure of the Crab Nebula that can be difficult to determine from a 2D image. Shadows of the filaments can be seen cast onto the haze of synchrotron radiation in the nebula’s interior. Counterintuitively, brighter filaments in the latest Hubble images show no shadows, indicating they must be located on the far side of the nebula.

Credits: 

Producer/Editor: Danielle Kirshenblat

Writers: Danielle Kirshenblat, Leah Ramsay

Science: Bill Blair

Special Thanks: Greg Bacon, Joseph DePasquale, Alyssa Pagan

Image: NASA, ESA, Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Akira Fujii, DSS

Duration: 2 minutes, 37 seconds
Release Date: March 23, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #CrabNebula #Supernovae #SN1054 #SupernovaRemnants #M1 #NGC1952 #TaurusA #TaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: The Crab Nebula in Taurus—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: The Crab Nebula in Taurus—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This newly processed image comes from data originally captured by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 and 2000. Updated image-processing technology allows for this archival image to be best compared with more recent data, including those captured by Hubble itself. Hubble received a new imaging instrument in 2009, the Wide Field Camera 3.

Nearly a millennium ago, astronomers witnessed a brilliant new star blazing in the sky—a supernova so bright it was visible in daylight for weeks. Today, its expanding remnant, the Crab Nebula, continues to evolve 6,500 light-years away. First linked to historical records by Edwin Hubble, the nebula has since been studied in exquisite detail by the Hubble Space Telescope that has now revisited this ancient explosion to trace its ongoing expansion and transformation.

A quarter-century after its first observations of the full Crab Nebula, the Hubble Space Telescope has taken a fresh look at the supernova remnant. The Crab Nebula is the aftermath of SN 1054, located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.

The result is an unparalleled, detailed look at the aftermath of a supernova and how it has evolved over Hubble’s long lifetime. A paper detailing the new Hubble observation has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.

The supernova remnant was discovered in the mid-18th century, and in the 1950s Edwin Hubble was among several astronomers who noted the close correlation between Chinese astronomical records of a supernova and the position of the Crab Nebula. The discovery that the heart of the Crab contained a pulsar—a rapidly rotating neutron star—that was powering the nebula’s expansion finally aligned modern observations and ancient records.

In its new image of the nebula, Hubble has captured extraordinary details of its filamentary structure, as well as the considerable outward movement of those filaments over 25 years, at a pace of 5.5 million kilometers per hour. Hubble is the only telescope with the combination of longevity and resolution capable of capturing these detailed changes.

For better comparison with the new image, Hubble’s 1999 image of the Crab was re-processed. The variation of colors in both of the Hubble images shows a combination of changes in local temperature and density of the gas as well as its chemical composition.

The science team has noted that the filaments around the periphery of the nebula appear to have moved more compared to those in the center and that rather than stretching out over time, they appear to have simply moved outward. This is due to the nature of the Crab as a pulsar wind nebula powered by synchrotron radiation. This is created by interactions between the pulsar’s magnetic field and the nebula’s material. In other well-known supernova remnants, the expansion is instead driven by shockwaves from the initial explosion, eroding surrounding shells of gas that the dying star previously cast off.

The new, higher-resolution Hubble observations are also providing additional insights into the 3D structure of the Crab Nebula that can be difficult to determine from a 2D image. Shadows of the filaments can be seen cast onto the haze of synchrotron radiation in the nebula’s interior. Counterintuitively, brighter filaments in the latest Hubble images show no shadows, indicating they must be located on the far side of the nebula.

Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, W. Blair (JHU). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI), N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 23, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #CrabNebula #Supernovae #SN1054 #SupernovaRemnants #M1 #NGC1952 #TaurusA #TaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Crab Nebula in Taurus: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

The Crab Nebula in Taurus: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This newly processed image comes from data originally captured by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope in 1999 and 2000. Updated image-processing technology allows for this archival image to be best compared with more recent data, including those captured by Hubble itself. Hubble received a new imaging instrument in 2009, the Wide Field Camera 3.

Nearly a millennium ago, astronomers witnessed a brilliant new star blazing in the sky—a supernova so bright it was visible in daylight for weeks. Today, its expanding remnant, the Crab Nebula, continues to evolve 6,500 light-years away. First linked to historical records by Edwin Hubble, the nebula has since been studied in exquisite detail by the Hubble Space Telescope that has now revisited this ancient explosion to trace its ongoing expansion and transformation.

A quarter-century after its first observations of the full Crab Nebula, the Hubble Space Telescope has taken a fresh look at the supernova remnant. The Crab Nebula is the aftermath of SN 1054, located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus.

The result is an unparalleled, detailed look at the aftermath of a supernova and how it has evolved over Hubble’s long lifetime. A paper detailing the new Hubble observation has been published in The Astrophysical Journal.

The supernova remnant was discovered in the mid-18th century, and in the 1950s Edwin Hubble was among several astronomers who noted the close correlation between Chinese astronomical records of a supernova and the position of the Crab Nebula. The discovery that the heart of the Crab contained a pulsar—a rapidly rotating neutron star—that was powering the nebula’s expansion finally aligned modern observations and ancient records.

In its new image of the nebula, Hubble has captured extraordinary details of its filamentary structure, as well as the considerable outward movement of those filaments over 25 years, at a pace of 5.5 million kilometers per hour. Hubble is the only telescope with the combination of longevity and resolution capable of capturing these detailed changes.

For better comparison with the new image, Hubble’s 1999 image of the Crab was re-processed. The variation of colors in both of the Hubble images shows a combination of changes in local temperature and density of the gas as well as its chemical composition.

The science team has noted that the filaments around the periphery of the nebula appear to have moved more compared to those in the center and that rather than stretching out over time, they appear to have simply moved outward. This is due to the nature of the Crab as a pulsar wind nebula powered by synchrotron radiation. This is created by interactions between the pulsar’s magnetic field and the nebula’s material. In other well-known supernova remnants, the expansion is instead driven by shockwaves from the initial explosion, eroding surrounding shells of gas that the dying star previously cast off.

The new, higher-resolution Hubble observations are also providing additional insights into the 3D structure of the Crab Nebula that can be difficult to determine from a 2D image. Shadows of the filaments can be seen cast onto the haze of synchrotron radiation in the nebula’s interior. Counterintuitively, brighter filaments in the latest Hubble images show no shadows, indicating they must be located on the far side of the nebula.

Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, W. Blair (JHU). Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)
Release Date: March 23, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #CrabNebula #Supernovae #SN1054 #SupernovaRemnants #M1 #NGC1952 #TaurusA #TaurusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China Smart Dragon-3 Commercial Rocket Sea Launch of 10 CentiSpace-2 Satellites

China Smart Dragon-3 Commercial Rocket Sea Launch of 10 CentiSpace-2 Satellites

🔥🚀Liftoff! China launched a Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket, also known as Jielong-3, from the waters near the city of Haiyang in east China's Shandong Province on Sunday, March 22, 2026, sending the satellite group CentiSpace-2 into the planned orbit with a total of ten satellites.

The launch marks the 10th flight mission of the Smart Dragon-3 carrier rocket model.

The offshore launch mission was carried out by the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center (TSLC).

The Smart Dragon-3 is a four-stage, solid-propellant carrier rocket designed primarily for commercial launch missions. It can be launched from sea and land.

Smart Dragon has the capability to deliver 1,560 kg to a 500 km Sun-synchronous orbit. Smart Dragon-3 has a length of approximately 31 meters with a weight of 140 tons at liftoff.

The Jielong-3 rocket was developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT), a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), the country’s state-owned main space contractor. The four-stage rocket is operated by China Rocket Co. Ltd., a commercial spinoff from CASC.

This commercial launch mission with multiple satellites onboard, showcases the Smart Dragon's core advantages in payload adaptability, application scenarios, and commercial service capabilities.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 22, 2026

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #China #中国 #SmartDragon3Rocket #Jielong3Rocket #捷龙三号运载火箭 #SolidFueledRocket #SeaLaunch #RocketLaunch #CALT #CASC #Spaceflight #SpaceTechnology #CentiSpace2Satellites #CommercialSpace #TSLC #Haiyang #Shandong #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1300 in Eridanus | Hubble Space Telescope

Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 1300 in Eridanus | Hubble Space Telescope

The NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope captured a display of starlight, glowing gas, and silhouetted dark clouds of interstellar dust in this image of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1300. It is considered to be prototypical of barred spiral galaxies. Barred spirals differ from normal spiral galaxies in that the arms of the galaxy do not spiral all the way into the center, but are connected to the two ends of a straight bar of stars containing the nucleus at its center.

Distance from Earth: 60 million light years

NGC 1300 is about 130,000 light-years across. It is a member of the Eridanus Cluster, a cluster of 200 galaxies, in a subgroup of 2-4 galaxies in the cluster known as the NGC 1300 Group. It was discovered by John Herschel in 1835.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Release Date: Jan. 11, 2005

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC1300 #SpiralGalaxies #BarredSpiralGalaxies #EridanusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Bright Aurora over Finland

Bright Aurora over Finland

Photographer Vesa Vauhkonen: "Auroras growing like 'a tree' in my backyard. So bright, so many colours."

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: Vesa Vauhkonen
Location: Rautalampi, Finland
Release Date: March 20, 2026

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

Galaxies NGC 1300 & NGC 1297 in Eridanus

Galaxies NGC 1300 & NGC 1297 in Eridanus

Spiral NGC 1300 and elliptical NGC 1297 are galaxies that lie on the banks of the southern constellation Eridanus (The River). At 70 million light-years distant or more, both are members of the Eridanus Galaxy Cluster. About 100,000 light-years across, at lower left in this sharp, galaxy group photo NGC 1300 is seen face-on with a prominent central bar and grand, sweeping spiral arms. 

Like other spiral galaxies, including our own barred spiral Milky Way Galaxy, NGC 1300 is thought to have a supermassive central black hole. A contrast in appearance and slightly more distant, NGC 1297 is the roughly spherical large elliptical galaxy near the top of the frame. With little active star formation, elliptical galaxies are composed of older populations of stars and are likely the result of multiple collisions and mergers with spirals.

Image Credit & Copyright: Dietmar Hager, Eric Benson

Dietmar & Eric's website: https://www.facebook.com/sternwerkstatt
Release Date: March 21, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #NGC1300 #SpiralGalaxies #NGC1297 #EllipticalGalaxies #EridanusGalaxyCluster #EridanusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #DietmarHager #EricBenson #Astrophotographers #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD

NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission: How to Dress for Space | Johnson Space Center

NASA's Artemis II Moon Mission: How to Dress for Space | Johnson Space Center

Before the crew launches on the Artemis II mission to the Moon, they will suit up in a bright orange spacesuit called the Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS). This spacesuit, worn inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft, helps protect the astronauts on launch day, in emergency situations, throughout high-risk parts of missions near the Moon, and during the high-speed return to Earth.

Managed by a team in the OCSS Lab at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, each suit is tailored to the crew member’s anatomy and includes systems for air, food, water, and waste management. In the event of an emergency, the OCSS suits are engineered to sustain life for up to six days. During Artemis II, the astronauts will practice donning and doffing the suit in weightlessness, experience its pressurized environment, and confirm its performance for long-duration survival. 

This is how the Artemis II crew will dress for space.

NASA’s Artemis II flight test will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth with launch opportunities beginning in April 2026.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Follow updates on the Artemis Program blog: 

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

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Writer: Erika Peters
Editor: Phil Sexton
Producers: Rad Sinyak, Erika Peters
Duration: 4 minutes, 20 seconds
Release Date: March 22, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #Spacesuits #OCSS #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #JSC #UnitedStates #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Releases First Set of Images from Fengyun-4C Meteorological Satellite

China Releases First Set of Images from Fengyun-4C Meteorological Satellite

The China Meteorological Administration on March 21, 2026, unveiled the first set of observation images captured by the Fengyun-4C satellite, a milestone marking China's establishment of independent and controllable real-time monitoring capabilities covering the Sun to Earth.

The satellite, launched on December 27, 2025 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, stands as the world's most capable single geostationary meteorological satellite in terms of comprehensive observation capability.

Tang Shihao, commander of the Fengyun 4 ground system, said the release of the first observation images confirms that the overall meteorological observation platform, including this satellite, is operating normally.

"The release of the first batch of images marks a critical phase for the satellite. Following its launch and entry into orbit, a series of processes—including image processing and data transmission—must be completed. Obtaining the first images confirms that all systems across the satellite platform are functioning as intended and that the ground-based data processing system is operating normally. Moreover, the image quality is exceptional, showing significant improvement over the previous satellite," he said.

The Fengyun-4C is equipped with six payloads that meet advanced international standards and are designed specifically to capture small- and medium-scale weather systems that are often responsible for sudden and severe storms.

Among them, the interferometric atmospheric vertical sounder provides highly refined spectral data capable of capturing the vertical structure of the atmosphere. The information is expected to supply additional observation data for Earth system numerical forecasting and improve weather prediction accuracy.

A lightning imager aboard the satellite has produced continuous observation animations that accurately depict lightning activity during severe convective storms, demonstrating its potential for monitoring extreme weather and providing early warnings.

Meanwhile, the multiband ionospheric ultraviolet spectrometer imager has conducted continuous observations of airglow phenomena over the Eastern Hemisphere. The instrument can map structural changes in Earth's ionosphere that may affect communication, navigation and positioning signals, the administration said.

In addition, according to the administration, a solar extreme ultraviolet imager, working together with solar X-ray and ultraviolet flux sensors, successfully captured image sequences and radiation changes during solar flare eruptions. This will help expand China's ability to track solar activity.

"The satellite carries six key meteorological payloads, enabling continuous observation spanning from Earth's atmosphere to the Sun. This capability plays a vital role in studying the Sun-Earth relationship and monitoring major meteorological disasters. The imagers aboard Fengyun-4C can conduct minute-level observations, maintaining high resolution for small to medium-scale areas both day and night. This marks the first time China has space-based capabilities to observe rapidly evolving severe weather phenomena—including intense rainfall and tornadoes—that evolve on a minute-by-minute basis," said Lu Feng, chief designer of the ground system of Fengyun 4's optical satellite.

"No other geostationary meteorological satellite currently in operation carries as many payloads as this one. More payloads mean greater detection capabilities, but they also impose higher demands on the satellite platform—including precision, stability, and thermal environment management. China has therefore overcome multiple key technological challenges, including calibration and positioning, in this process," said Tang.

According to meteorological authorities, the operational trial of the Fengyun-4C satellite will commence during this year's main flood season, improving the ability to monitor and provide early warnings for impending weather systems, particularly those that are small in scale and short in duration.

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: March 22, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Stars #Sun #Planets #Earth #Atmosphere #China #中国 #Meteorology #Weather #WeatherSatellites #Fengyun4CSatellite #风云卫星 #SolarActivity #Heliophysics #GeostationarySatellites #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Russian MS-33 Cargo Spacecraft: Soyuz Rocket Launch | International Space Station

Russian MS-33 Cargo Spacecraft: Soyuz Rocket Launch | International Space Station

The unpiloted Roscosmos Progress 94 cargo spacecraft is safely in orbit and headed to the International Space Station following its launch at 7:59 a.m. EDT (4:59 p.m. Baikonur time), March 22, 2026, on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Aboard Progress 94 is about three tons of cargo—including food, fuel, 52kg of scientific equipment, and 12kg of medical supplies for the orbiting laboratory.  

Following launch, one of the Progress spacecraft’s two KURS automated rendezvous antennas did not deploy as planned. All other systems are operating as designed, and Progress will continue toward its planned docking at 9:34 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, to the space-facing port of the station’s Poisk module. Roscosmos will continue troubleshooting the antenna issue. If the antenna cannot be deployed, Roscosmos cosmonaut and station commander, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, will manually pilot the spacecraft for rendezvous and docking using the Telerobotically Operated Rendezvous System (TORU). It is a control panel located in the Zvezda Service Module that can be used as a backup to the KURS automated system. 

The State Corporation for Space Activities "Roscosmos", commonly known as Roscosmos, is a state corporation of the Russian Federation responsible for space flights, cosmonautics programs, and aerospace research.

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: Roscosmos

Duration: 9 minute, 24 seconds
Date: March 22, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #ISS #Progress94 #ProgressCargoSpacecraft #SoyuzRocketLaunch #Kazakhstan #Қазақстан #Astronauts #UnitedStates #ESA #France #Europe #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout to Launch Pad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket Rollout to Launch Pad 39B | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they journey to and after arrival at Launch Pad 39B on Friday, March 20, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II flight test will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth with launch opportunities beginning in April 2026. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Artemis blog:

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

This was a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, can take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. At the pad, the stack will be secured and ground support systems will be connected in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Image Credits: United Launch Alliance (ULA), NASA/Brandon Hancock
Date: March 20, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #ULA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Galaxy UGC 12591 in Pegasus: A Remarkable Galactic Hybrid | Hubble

Galaxy UGC 12591 in Pegasus: A Remarkable Galactic Hybrid | Hubble

This NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope image showcases the remarkable galaxy UGC 12591. Classified as an S0/Sa galaxy, UGC 12591 sits somewhere between a lenticular and a spiral. It lies just under 400 million light-years away from us in the westernmost region of the Pisces–Perseus Supercluster, a long chain of galaxy clusters that stretches out for hundreds of light-years—one of the largest known structures in the cosmos.

The galaxy itself is also extraordinary: it is incredibly massive. The galaxy and its halo together contain several hundred billion times the mass of the Sun; four times the mass of the Milky Way. It also whirls round extremely quickly, rotating at speeds of up to 1.8 million kilometers per hour!

Observations with Hubble are helping astronomers to understand the mass of UGC 1259, and to determine whether the galaxy simply formed and grew slowly over time, or whether it might have grown unusually massive by colliding and merging with another large galaxy in its past.

Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA
Release Date: Feb. 27, 2017

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #HybridGalaxies #S0SaGalaxies #LenticularGalaxies #SpiralGalaxies #InteractingGalaxies #UGC12591 #PegasusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Planet Mars Images: March 19-21, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: March 19-21, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Mars 2020 - sol 1806

MSL - sol 4841

MSL - sol 4840

MSL - sol 4841

MSL - sol 4840

MSL - sol 4842

MSL - sol 4842

MSL - sol 4841

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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

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

Processing: Kevin M. Gill

Image Release Dates: March 19-21, 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 #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Launchpad Bound | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: Launchpad Bound | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they leave the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Friday, March 20, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II flight test will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth with launch opportunities beginning in April 2026. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Artemis blog:

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

This was a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, can take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. At the pad, the stack will be secured and ground support systems will be connected in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Dates: March 20, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #ULA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: VAB Departure | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Rocket: VAB Departure | Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, secured to the mobile launcher, are seen as they leave the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) between Thursday and Friday, March 19-20, 2026, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

NASA’s Artemis II flight test will take Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch from NASA, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), around the Moon and back to Earth with launch opportunities beginning in April 2026. 

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

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

Artemis blog:

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

This was a multi-hour trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39B. The four-mile journey on the crawler-transporter-2, at a careful speed of roughly 1 mile per hour, can take up to 12 hours. The massive crawler keeps the mobile launcher and rocket perfectly level throughout the trip, even on the gentle slopes of the crawlerway. At the pad, the stack will be secured and ground support systems will be connected in preparation for flight.

The crawler-transporters, formally known as the Missile Crawler Transporter Facilities, are a pair of tracked vehicles used to transport launch vehicles from NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) along the Crawlerway to Launch Complex 39. They were originally used to transport the Saturn IB and Saturn V rockets during the Apollo, Skylab and Apollo–Soyuz programs. They were then used to transport Space Shuttles from 1981 to 2011. The crawler-transporters carry vehicles on the mobile launcher platforms (MLPs) used by NASA, and after each launch return to the pad to take the platform back to the VAB.

The two crawler-transporters were designed and built by Marion Power Shovel Company using some components designed and built by Rockwell International at a cost of US$14 million (US$128.5 million in 2022) each. Upon its construction, the crawler-transporter became the largest self-powered land vehicle in the world. 

Image Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Dates: March 19-20, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrawlerTransporter2 #CrewedMissions #Astronauts #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #VAB #MerrittIsland #Florida #ULA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Valentine Rose Nebula—Sh2-174 in Cepheus: Wide-field view

The Valentine Rose Nebula—Sh2-174 in Cepheus: Wide-field view

Sh2-174 is an unusual ancient planetary nebula. A planetary nebula is created when a low-mass star blows off its outer layers at the end of its life. The core of the star remains and is called a white dwarf. Usually the white dwarf can be found very near the center of the planetary nebula. However, in the case of Sh2-174 it is off to the right. This asymmetry is due to the planetary nebula's interaction with the interstellar medium that surrounds it. 

Distance from Earth:  ~1,000 light-years

Credit: Alessandro Cipolat Bares

Image Details: Askar500 and ZWO ASI2600MC, ANTLIA ALP-T 3nm, 48x600"

Capture Location: Aosta Valley, Western Alps, Italy
Image Date: Feb. 27, 2026
Release Date: March 9, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #WhiteDwarfStars #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #Sh2174 #ValentineRoseNebula #CepheusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #AlessandroCipolatBares #Astrophotographer #Europe #STEM #Education