Furious February 2026 Solar Flares | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

Furious February 2026 Solar Flares | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

In early February 2026, the Sun emitted more than 50 flares including several X-class events. This is the most intense category of solar flares. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SD) watches the Sun 24/7 and captured these views of the Sun in multiple wavelengths of light.

The Sun’s activity, including flares, follows an approximately 11-year cycle that creates periods of high and low activity. After reaching the current cycle’s most active phase in 2024—known as solar maximum—the Sun remains in a heightened period of activity.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. 

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

For news of the recent flares: 
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/solar-cycle-25/

Credit: NASA
Producer: Joy Ng (eMITS)
Duration: 2 minutes, 48 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

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Meet NASA Astronaut Jack Hathaway: Crew 12 Pilot

Meet NASA Astronaut Jack Hathaway: Crew 12 Pilot

NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway is the pilot of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. This is his first spaceflight. After his arrival at the International Space Station, he will join Expedition 74/75, kicking off a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. He was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. The South Windsor, Connecticut, native holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and history from the U.S. Naval Academy and master’s degrees in flight dynamics from Cranfield University and national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College, respectively. 

Hathaway also is a graduate of the Empire Test Pilot’s School, Fixed Wing Class 70 in 2011. At the time of his selection, Hathaway was deployed aboard the USS Truman, serving as Strike Fighter Squadron 81’s prospective executive officer. He has accumulated more than 2,500 flight hours in 30 different aircraft, including more than 500 carrier arrested landings.

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
Duration: 2 minutes, 51 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #Crew12Pilot #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Meet Roscosmos Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev: Crew-12 Mission Specialist

Meet Roscosmos Cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev: Crew-12 Mission Specialist

Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia is a mission specialist for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. This is his second spaceflight. After his arrival at the International Space Station, he joined Expedition 74/75, kicking off a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. He was selected as a Roscosmos cosmonaut in 2012. He graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation Institute in 2004, specializing in aircraft operations and air traffic organization, and earned qualifications as a pilot engineer. Prior to his selection as a cosmonaut, he served as deputy commander of an Ilyushin-38 aircraft unit in the Kamchatka Region, logging more than 600 flight hours and achieving the rank of second-class military pilot. 

In 2023, he flew to the space station as a mission specialist during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission, spending 186 days in orbit, as an Expedition 69 flight engineer. For his achievements, Fedyaev was awarded the title Hero of the Russian Federation and received the Yuri Gagarin Medal.

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
Duration: 1 minute, 45 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Crew12MissionSpecialist #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Meet European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot: Crew 12-Mission Specialist

Meet European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot: Crew 12-Mission Specialist

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot of France is a mission specialist for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. This is her first spaceflight. After her arrival at the International Space Station, she joined Expedition 74/75, kicking off a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. She was selected as an ESA astronaut in 2022. Adenot earned a degree in engineering from ISAE-SUPAERO in Toulouse, France, specializing in spacecraft and aircraft flight dynamics. She also earned a master’s degree in human factors engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. After earning her master’s degree, she became a helicopter cockpit design engineer at Airbus Helicopters and later served as a search and rescue pilot at Cazaux Air Base from 2008 to 2012. She then joined the High Authority Transport Squadron in Villacoublay, France, and served as a formation flight leader and mission captain from 2012 to 2017. Between 2019 and 2022, Adenot worked as a helicopter experimental test pilot in Cazaux Flight Test Center with Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA)—the French Defence Procurement Agency. She has logged more than 3,000 hours flying 22 different helicopters.

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.

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center
Duration: 2 minutes, 19 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #Crew12MissionSpecialist #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Meet NASA Astronaut & Scientist Jessica Meir: Crew 12 Commander

Meet NASA Astronaut & Scientist Jessica Meir: Crew 12 Commander

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir is the commander of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-12 mission. This is her second spaceflight. After her arrival to the International Space Station, she joined Expedition 74/75, kicking off a long-duration science expedition aboard the orbiting laboratory. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013. The Caribou, Maine, native earned a bachelor’s degree in biology Brown University, a master’s degree in space studies from the International Space University, and a doctorate in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. 

On her first spaceflight, Meir spent 205 days as a flight engineer during Expedition 61/62, and she completed the first three all-woman spacewalks with fellow NASA astronaut Christina Koch, totaling 21 hours and 44 minutes outside of the station. Since then, she has served in various roles, including assistant to the chief astronaut for commercial crew (SpaceX), deputy for the Flight Integration Division, and assistant to the chief astronaut for the human landing system.

NASA Astronaut/Dr. Jessica Meir's Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/jessica-u-meir/

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 (JSC)
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Feb. 17, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #SpaceX #SpaceXCrew12 #CrewDragonSpacecraft #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #Crew12Commander #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #AndreyFedyaev #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #Expedition75 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Star Cluster NGC 6624—Age: 11.5-12.5 billion years old | Hubble Space Telescope

Star Cluster NGC 6624—Age: 11.5-12.5 billion years old | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a Hubble image of the ancient star cluster NGC 6624 in the constellation Sagittarius. The Cluster’s age has been estimated to be between 11.5-12.5 billion years old. This confirms that it formed when the Universe was only a fraction of its current age of about 13.8 billion years. 

Credits: Ivan King, University of California at Berkeley; and NASA/ESA
Release Date: Aug. 27, 1993

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #NGC6624 #SagittariusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiSouthTelescope #GeMS #GeminiObservatory #CerroPachón #Chile #OpticalAstronomy #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #UAA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Star Cluster NGC 6624—Age: 11.5-12.5 billion years old | Gemini South Telescope

Star Cluster NGC 6624—Age: 11.5-12.5 billion years old | Gemini South Telescope

This Gemini Observatory GeMS image of the ancient star cluster NGC 6624 in the constellation Sagittarius reveals individual stars to the cluster’s core. The Cluster’s age as determined with this study is between 11.5-12.5 billion years old. This confirms that it formed when the Universe was only a fraction of its current age of about 13.8 billion years. 

Learn about GeMS: 
https://www.gemini.edu/instrumentation/gems/

Gemini South Telescope:
https://noirlab.edu/public/programs/gemini-observatory/gemini-south/

Credits: Gemini Observatory/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA)
Composite Color Image: Travis Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage
Release Date: Oct. 12, 2016

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #StarClusters #NGC6624 #SagittariusConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiSouthTelescope #GeMS #GeminiObservatory #CerroPachón #Chile #OpticalAstronomy #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #UAA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Milky Way over ESO Auxiliary Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert

The Milky Way over ESO Auxiliary Telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert

The setting of this picture is the European Southern Observatory’s flagship facility—the Paranal Observatory, located in the Chilean Atacama Desert. One of the Auxiliary Telescopes of ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) is visible with its spherical dome closed. 

Description: The image shows an auxiliary telescope at the center of the picture. Blue, pink, and white stars are scattered across the image, with dark clouds stretching across the elongated accumulation of stars, creating an awe-inspiring scene.

In ancient times, people were not too sure what the Milky Way was. They named it after its appearance—a milky band in the night sky. It was Galileo Galilei that first pointed a self-built small telescope at that structure. He realized that the Milky Way was formed of countless stars—a key discovery!

Our understanding of the Milky Way has advanced considerably: around 100 to 400 billion stars of all ages, masses and colors belong to it. Located in a spiral arm, 25,000 light years away from the center, is our Sun, making the Milky Way our home galaxy. From this position, we can see the galactic center very well, as shown in this picture taken by Chilean astrophotographer Alexis Trigo. Large lanes of dark clouds are visible. These dark nebulae block the light from the stars behind them, creating the illusion of fewer stars in that region.

Viewing the glistening band of the Milky Way has been an incredible experience for ages. We have learned a lot about our home galaxy since then, but there is still so much more to uncover. It remains to be seen what new discoveries ESO’s upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) will bring us.

Credit: A. Trigo/ESO
Release Date: Feb. 16, 2026

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #MilkyWay #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophysics #AuxiliaryTelescope #VLT #ParanalObservatory #AtacamaDesert #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

"Lightning Strikes Up": Sprite over Hawaiian Volcano Maunakea | Earth Science

"Lightning Strikes Up": Sprite over Hawaiian Volcano Maunakea | Earth Science

The telescopes at Maunakea sit calmly beneath a sky filled with extraordinary light. Amongst these telescopes is Gemini North, the northern member of the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of National Science Foundation (NSF) NOIRLab. Gemini North sits at an altitude of around 4200 meters (13,800 feet). Not only does this altitude facilitate world-class astronomical observations, but Gemini North’s nighttime Cloudcams were able to capture the extraordinary light phenomena seen on the right side of the image.

The column of blue and red lights surrounded by a bright blaze of white light appears so otherworldly that it looks like it must be a special effect. This breathtaking image, however, is entirely real. It features the lightning phenomena named a red sprite.

Red sprites are distinctive because of their color, and also the direction where they strike. The red and blue lights are shooting down from 50-90 kilometers (31-56 miles) toward the top of the cloud deck. It is extremely rare to capture these phenomena on camera and even more so from this unique perspective.

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/A. Smith

Image Date: July 24, 2017
Release Date: Feb. 24, 2021

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Comets #CometLeonard #Planets #Venus #Saturn #Earth #Sprite #Cosmos #Universe #CloudCams #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #Maunakea #Hawaii #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Faces of The Sun: Coronal Holes | European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter

Faces of The Sun: Coronal Holes | European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter

The Sun is a ball of partially—fully ionized gas, rotating on its axies, generating magnetic field, that bubbles up to the surface, breaking through and causing a wide range of dynamics within the corona. We often talk about flares and solar eruptions, since they can pose a very real threat to electronics and humans alike. The most energetic of these are, more often than not, sourced from active regions. Tight concentrations of magnetic field that can get twisted up until equilibrium is no longer possible.

Elsewhere on the Sun, one could consider the conditions relatively quiet—far less prone to eruptions and generally appear somewhat 'fluffy' in comparison, given the more diffuse emission from the somewhat cooler plasma hosted there. In the extreme, regions known as 'coronal holes', plasma is so diffuse and the magnetic field so un twisted that the emission is significantly less—they could be defined as this exact absence of dynamics, comparatively.

These observations taken in April 2025 capture, in a single field-of-view, from left to right, the active, intermediate, quiet, and coronal hole conditions. Perfectly highlighting how the Sun manages to not only produce dramatically different conditions within the corona, but also positions them immediately next to one another in such a majestic way. These specific observations targeted this region as these strong changes in physical properties over such a short distance within the solar corona are understood to drive the solar wind. The solar wind that we measure in-situ from this region can tell us about what physically happened to the associated plasma.

Solar Orbiter will keep a close eye on the Sun—including its poles—for years to come. Its unique viewing angle will change our understanding of the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle and the workings of space weather.

Learn more about ESA's Solar Obiter:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Solar_Orbiter

Credit: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team - Emil Kraaikamp, Royal Observatory of Belgium & JHelioviewer
Duration: 5 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 16, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Stars #CoronalHoles #PolarRegions #Heliophysics #Astrophysics #SolarSystem #SolarWind #Planets #Earth #SpaceWeather #SolarOrbiter #Europe #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Comet, The Planets, and The Sprite | Gemini North Observatory

The Comet, The Planets, and The Sprite | Gemini North Observatory

This NOIRLab image was captured soon after sunset at Maunakea, Hawai‘i. It was taken by our Cloudcams at Gemini North, one half of the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) NOIRLab. Gemini North sits at an altitude of around 4200 meters (13,800 feet). Not only does this altitude facilitate world-class astronomical observations, but it also provides a phenomenal vantage point to spot exciting light phenomena and night-sky wonders. In just one shot, this scene captures several phenomena: the naked-eye Comet Leonard (left of center), a red sprite (right of center), faint red airglow (left), Venus (the brightest feature), and Saturn (top).

One of the rarest phenomena shown in the image, red sprites shoot down from a height of between 50 and 90 kilometers (30–55 miles) toward the top of the cloud deck over a lightning storm. It is uncommon to capture these phenomena on camera, but the uniquely clear sky and unique perspective from Maunakea increase the chances of capturing this flighty phenomenon.

C/2021 A1 (Leonard) was a long period comet that was discovered by G. J. Leonard at the Mount Lemmon Observatory on January 3, 2021 (a year before perihelion) when the comet was 5 AU (750 million km) from the Sun. It had a retrograde orbit. The nucleus was about 1.2 km (0.75 mi) across. It came within 4 million km (2.5 million mi) of Venus, the closest-known cometary approach to Venus.

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

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

Image Date: Dec. 20, 2021 
Release Date: Dec. 22, 2021

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Comets #CometLeonard #Planets #Venus #Saturn #Earth #Sprite #Cosmos #Universe #CloudCams #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #GeminiNorthTelescope #Maunakea #Hawaii #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-21 Crew Celebrates Spring Festival with Special Meal | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Celebrates Spring Festival with Special Meal | China Space Station

Though far from home, Chinese astronauts aboard the Tiangong Space Station hosted their own Chinese New Year's party in orbit with a traditional New Year's Eve dinner featuring tasty snacks and a hearty meal.

The Shenzhou-21 trio have decorated the space station with red lanterns, Chinese knots and paper-cut craft. They have also enjoyed the traditions they usually share with their families on Earth, such as eating dumplings and delicacies that stand for prosperity, peace and good fortune.

As the highlight of the Chinese New Year's Eve, the reunion dinner was thoughtfully prepared by ground support teams for the three astronauts. For Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, spending their first Spring Festival aboard Tiangong, the lavish space meal was especially exciting.

With kuaiban, a traditional Chinese performance art that combines rhythmic clapping with storytelling, performed by Zhang Hongzhang, the crew unveiled their festive menu: braised pork knuckles, pork with bamboo shoots, five-spice braised beef, and sweet and savory roasted pork. Each dish carried deep cultural symbolism, representing a wish for prosperity and good luck in the year ahead.

Boiled dumplings are also a must-have.

"Pork and daylily dumplings," mission commander Zhang Lu announced.

"We eat dumplings during the Spring Festival," said Wu Fei.

"Eating dumplings in the Year of the Horse brings fortune and blessings!" added Zhang Hongzhang.

Compared with their colleagues of previous missions, the Shenzhou-21 team has one more dish on their table—freshly-baked cakes made in the space oven.

Launched on Oct 31, 2025, the space journey of the Shenzhou-21 crew has already exceeded 100 days. All tasks including scientific experiments, equipment maintenance and health management are progressing smoothly, according to the space agency.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 31 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 16, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #SpringFestival2026 #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

European Southern Observatory Telescopes Saved from Industrial Project Pollution

European Southern Observatory Telescopes Saved from Industrial Project Pollution

Cerro Paranal and the Milky Way above it 

In a letter sent to the Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental, II Región de Antofagasta (SEA Antofagasta), Chile's Environmental Assessment Service, on February 6, 2026, AES Andes requested the withdrawal of the megaproject INNA from evaluation. This formally confirms that the project is not going ahead. The European Southern Observatory (ESO) welcomes this announcement. 

ESO Director General Xavier Barcons. “Due to its planned location, the project would pose a major threat to the darkest and clearest skies on Earth and to the performance of the most advanced astronomical facilities anywhere in the world.”

AES Andes, a subsidiary of the US company AES Corporation, announced on Friday, January 23, 2026, that they had decided to discontinue INNA, a green hydrogen and green ammonia project, to focus on their renewable energy portfolio instead. A detailed technical analysis by ESO last year revealed that INNA would cause severe, irreversible damage to the dark skies of Paranal and to the capacity of its facilities to operate as designed. The most significant impacts, affecting facilities such as the Very Large Telescope (VLT), the VLT Interferometer (VLTI), the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and CTAO-South, would be caused by light pollution, micro-vibrations, dust, and an increase of the air turbulence in the area.

“As we have said before, ESO and its Member States are fully supportive of energy decarbonization and initiatives that ensure a more prosperous and sustainable future. Green-energy projects—and other industrial projects that drive national and regional development—are fully compatible with astronomical observatories, if the different facilities are located at sufficient distances from one another,” says Barcons.

The INNA case and its proposed location highlight the urgent need to establish clear protection measures in the areas around astronomical observatories. Such measures are essential to allow astronomical observatories to continue operating, particularly in a region widely regarded as the best in the world for optical astronomy facilities, owing to the exceptional darkness of the skies over northern Chile.

“We will continue to work in close collaboration with local, regional, and national authorities to protect the dark skies of northern Chile, an irreplaceable natural heritage that is essential for advancing our understanding of the Universe and to enable world-class astronomy for the benefit of Chile and the global scientific community,” says Itziar de Gregorio-Monsalvo, ESO’s Representative in Chile.

“It has been incredibly reassuring to see so many people in Chile and around the world care deeply about, and actively speak up for, the protection of dark and quiet skies in the context of the INNA project,” says Barcons. “We are sincerely grateful for this engagement and solidarity. It gives us confidence that, by working together, we can continue to protect dark and quiet skies in Chile and elsewhere—for astronomy research and for humankind.” Since the project was submitted to SEA in December 2024, members of the astronomy community in Chile, in ESO’s Member States and beyond, political leaders and authorities at international, national, regional and local level, as well as countless members of the public, have made their voices heard in support of this shared goal.

ESO will continue to intensify its efforts to ensure that the pristine skies of Paranal remain the world’s best window to observe the Universe, and is also committed to the broader fight against light pollution and satellite interference, helping secure the natural heritage of dark and quiet skies around the world for future generations.

Read summary of technical report about the industrial project's risk to ESO facilities:
https://www.eso.org/public/archives/releases/pdf/eso2506a.pdf

Learn more about the European Southern Observatory and its major observatories:
https://www.eso.org/

Very Large Telescope (VLT): 
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/
Extremely Large Telescope (ELT):
https://elt.eso.org

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica. It shares borders with Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south.

Credits: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/A. Ghizzi Panizza
Release Date: Feb. 6, 2026

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #LightPollution #AirPollution #DustPollution #AESAndes #INNA #DarkSkies #Stars #MilkyWayGalaxy #AstronomicalObservatories #ExtremelyLargeTelescope #ELT #CerroArmazones #Technology #Engineering #VLT #ParanalObservatory #CerroParanal #AtacamaDesert #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

Shenzhou-21 Crew Counts Down to Spring Festival | China Space Station

Shenzhou-21 Crew Counts Down to Spring Festival | China Space Station

Red Spring Festival decorations now adorn the interior of the China Space Station! As the Year of the Horse draws near in China, the Shenzhou-21 crew is pressing ahead with their on-orbit tasks at full pace. The spacious cabin allows for conducting interactive experiments and collecting data. Their "home in space" is brimming with festive cheer, making the crew's work and life at the space station fulfilling and well-organized. 

The Shenzhou-21 crewed spacecraft was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct 31, 2025. The crew onboard completed their mission's first series of extravehicular activities on Dec 9.

Shenzhou-21 Crew
Zhang Lu (张陆) - Commander & Pilot - 2nd spaceflight
Wu Fei (武飞)  Flight Engineer - 1st spaceflight
Zhang Hong Zhang (张洪章) - Payload Specialist - 1st spaceflight

Video Credit: CGTN
Duration: 38 seconds
Date: Feb. 15, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #SpringFestival2026 #Shenzhou21Mission #神舟二十一号 #Shenzhou21 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #ZhangLu #WuFei #ZhangHongzhang #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #SpaceLaboratory #MicrogravityExperiments #CMSA #中国载人航天工程办公室 #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China Heavy-lift Moon Rocket & Crewed Spacecraft Tests: Crucial Steps

China Heavy-lift Moon Rocket & Crewed Spacecraft Tests: Crucial Steps

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 were 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 crewed 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: CGTN
Duration: 5 minute
Release Date: Feb. 14, 2026

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Planet Mars Images: Feb. 7-12, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Planet Mars Images: Feb. 7-12, 2026 | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers

Mars 2020 - sol 1765

Mars 2020 - sol 1769

Mars 2020 - sol 1769

Mars 2020 - sol 1770

Mars 2020 - sol 1770

MSL  - sol 4804

Mars 2020 - sol 1771

MSL  - sol 4805

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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 4+ 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: Feb. 7-12, 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