'Double Boomerang' Galaxy PKS 2014−55 | South Africa's MeerKAT Radio Telescope

'Double Boomerang' Galaxy PKS 2014−55 | South Africa's MeerKAT Radio Telescope

The detail provided in this radio image obtained with the MeerKAT telescope indicates that this galaxy's shape is best described as a ‘double boomerang’. Two powerful jets of radio waves, indicated in blue color, each extend 2.5 million light years into space (comparable to the distance between the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxy, our nearest major neighbor). Eventually, they are ‘turned back’ by the pressure of tenuous intergalactic gas. As they flow back towards the central galaxy, they are deflected by its relatively high gas pressure into the shorter, horizontal, arms of the boomerang. The background image shows visible light from myriad galaxies in the distant universe. 

Annotated image showing X-shaped giant radio galaxy PKS 2014-55, observed with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory’s MeerKAT telescope, indicating the old X-shaped radio jets, the younger jets closer to the central black hole, and the region of influence dominated by the central galaxy’s stars and gas. The curved arrows denote the direction of the backflow that forms the horizontal components of the X.

PKS 2014−55 is a Seyfert 2 elliptical galaxy presenting strong emission lines. It is an X-shaped radio galaxy discovered by the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa that is located 800 million light-years away from Earth. A radio galaxy is a galaxy with giant regions of radio emission extending well beyond its visible structure. These energetic radio lobes are powered by jets from its active galactic nucleus. This galaxy has jets extending 2.5 million light years across. Then the jets are “reversed” by the pressure of intergalactic gas, later deflected by gas pressure to form an “X” shape.

Many galaxies far more active than the Milky Way have enormous twin jets of radio waves extending far into intergalactic space. Normally, these go in opposite directions, coming from a massive black hole at the center of the galaxy. However, a few are more complicated and appear to have four jets forming an ‘X’ on the sky.

Several possible explanations have been proposed to understand this phenomenon. These include changes in the direction of spin of the black hole at the centre of the galaxy, and associated jets, over millions of years; two black holes each associated with a pair of jets; and material falling back into the galaxy being deflected into different directions forming the other two arms of the ‘X’. MeerKAT observations of one such galaxy, PKS 2014-55, strongly favor the latter explanation as they show material “turning the corner” as it flows back towards the host galaxy.

This work was carried out by a team from the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), the (US) National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), the University of Pretoria, and Rhodes University.

Previous studies of these unusual galaxies lacked the high quality imaging provided by the MeerKAT telescope. This telescope array consists of 64 radio dishes located in the Karoo semi-desert in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. Computers combined the data from these antennas into a telescope 8 km in diameter, and provided images in the radio band of unprecedented quality for PKS 2014-55 which enabled solving the mystery of its shape. 

The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research Foundation, is responsible for managing all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities in South Africa, including the MeerKAT radio telescope in the Karoo, and the geodesy and VLBI activities at the HartRAO facility. 

Learn more about MeerKAT: https://www.sarao.ac.za/science/meerkat/

Image Credit: South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)/NRAO/AUI/NSF/DES
Release Date: May 7, 2020

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Galaxies #EllipticalGalaxies #PKS201455 #BlackHoles #TelescopiumConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #MeerKATRadioTelescope #RadioAstronomy #SARAO #SouthAfrica #NRAO #AUI #NSF #DES #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Radio Astronomy: ALMA Antennas in The Atacama Desert of Northern Chile

Radio Astronomy: ALMA Antennas in The Atacama Desert of Northern Chile

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a powerful astronomical observatory located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile, consisting of 66 high-precision antennas at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) that study the universe in millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. ALMA antennas can be seen here on the Chajnantor Plateau (including after a snowstorm) during the Andean winter of 2026.

Radio telescopes look toward the heavens to view planets, comets, giant clouds of gas and dust, stars, and galaxies. By studying the radio waves originating from these sources, astronomers can learn about their composition, structure, and motion. Radio astronomy has the advantage that sunlight, clouds, and rain do not affect observations.

What is ALMA?
ALMA is an astronomical interferometer designed to observe electromagnetic radiation at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. It is composed of 66 radio telescopes situated on the Chajnantor Plateau at an altitude of 5,000 meters (16,400 feet), making it one of the highest astronomical observatories in the world. This location was chosen for its high elevation and low humidity, which are crucial for reducing atmospheric noise and improving signal quality. 

ALMA's primary goal is to study the cold, dark regions of the universe that are invisible to optical telescopes. It provides insights into various astronomical phenomena, including:

Star and Planet Formation: ALMA can penetrate dust clouds to reveal the processes involved in the birth of stars and planetary systems. 

Galaxy Evolution: The array allows astronomers to observe distant galaxies and understand their formation and development over cosmic time. 

Chemical Composition: ALMA helps in studying the complex molecules present in interstellar gas and dust, providing clues about the chemistry of the universe. 

Recent Discoveries
ALMA has been instrumental in significant astronomical discoveries, such as pinpointing the moment when planets began to form around stars beyond our solar system. It has also contributed to understanding the early universe by observing the first stars and galaxies that emerged after the cosmic "dark ages". 

ALMA is an international partnership that includes the European Southern Observatory (ESO), the U.S. National Science Foundation, along with institutions from Japan, Canada, South Korea, and Chile. With its advanced technology and favorable observing location, ALMA continues to be a leading facility in radio astronomy, providing valuable data that expands our understanding of the cosmos.

Learn more about ALMA: 
https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/

Image Credits: Sergio Otarola, Yerko Villalon
Dates: Feb. 3-26, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #RadioAstronomy #Science #Space #Nebulae #Stars #Planets #Asteroids #Comets #Galaxies #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #ALMA #ChajnantorPlateau #AtacamaDesert #Chile #ESO #Europe #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Aurora Australis: View from Western Australia

Aurora Australis: View from Western Australia

Photographer Trevor Dobson: "This is a rare (for me!) single shot image of the Aurora Australis taken during the worldwide aurora event of May 11, 2024."

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/

Image Credit: Trevor Dobson

Location: Stirling Dam, Western Australia
Image Details: Nikon d5500, 13mm, ISO 500, f/4, 30 seconds
Image Date: May 11, 2024
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Earth #Aurora #AuroraAustralis #Science #CitizenScience #Astrophotographer #TrevorDobson #Astrophotography #StirlingDam #WesternAustralia #Australia #STEM #Education

China Preps for 2030 Crewed Moon Landings, Confirms Human Spaceflight Progress

China Preps for 2030 Crewed Moon Landings, Confirms Human Spaceflight Progress

China has announced several milestones in its space program with six manned flights, four cargo resupply missions, and seven spacecraft returns completed. The Tiangong Space Station has hosted 18 astronauts for extended stays, completing 13 spacewalks and breaking world records for the longest single spacewalk by Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong on December 17, 2024.

Training for the fourth batch of ten astronaut candidates, including pilots and payload specialists from Hong Kong and Macau for the first time, began in late 2024 with participation in space station missions expected by 2026.

China is on track for its first crewed Moon landing by 2030 with progress on the Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou spacecraft, and Lanyue lunar lander. Meanwhile, the follow-up Chang'e-7 mission to the Moon, expected to be launched in August 2026, will search for water ice at the lunar south pole using a "hopping" probe.

An astronaut training agreement was also signed with Pakistan as part of China’s effort to promote international cooperation for its International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). China remains open to collaborative projects for its Tiangong Space Station. It could become the only one left when the NASA-led International Space Station retires between 2030 and 2032.

Video Credit: SMG
Duration: 1 minute, 16 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 28, 2026

#NASA #Space #Science #China #中国 #Moon #ILRS #MengzhouSpacecraft #梦舟 #Lanyuelunarlander #揽月 #CrewSpacecraft #LongMarch10 #长征十号 #ReusableRockets #ChinaMannedSpaceAgency #中华人民共和国 #HumanSpaceflight #LunarMissions #Taikonauts #Astronauts #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX CRS-33 Cargo Dragon Spacecraft Departure | International Space Station

SpaceX CRS-33 Cargo Dragon Spacecraft Departure | International Space Station

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft departed the International Space Station on February 26, 2026, carrying several thousand pounds of science experiments and lab hardware for return and analysis on Earth. Dragon completed a six-month stay attached to the Harmony module's forward port where it docked in August 2025 delivering over 5,500 pounds of new science, supplies, and hardware to resupply the orbital residents.

Dragon parachuted to a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 11:44 p.m. PST on Thursday where NASA and SpaceX support personnel awaited the science and cargo-packed spacecraft. This marked the completion of SpaceX’s 33rd Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-33) mission to the International Space Station.

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut: "A view of a (cargo) Dragon from a (crew) Dragon. The SpaceX cargo Dragon 33 vehicle departed from the International Space Station today. We’ve been busy packing it full of experiment samples, hardware, and items that need to be returned to Earth. Goodbye Dragon! Thanks for your hefty delivery to the ISS, you served us well!"

Learn more about NASA's Commercial Resupply Missions:
https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/commercial-resupply/

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

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

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

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

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

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/Jessica Meir
Date: Feb. 26, 2026

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Northern Lights over Finland

Northern Lights over Finland

Photographer Elmar Junker: "Best I ever saw. Dynamic, over whole sky. Samsung S23 in night mode."

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: Elmar Junker
Location: Äkäslompolo, Finland
Release Date: Feb. 14, 2026

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

China Preparing for Crewed Moon Landings by 2030

China Preparing for Crewed Moon Landings by 2030

China is gearing up for crewed Moon landings by 2030. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) says key projects, including the Long March 10 rocket, Mengzhou spacecraft, and Lanyue lander, are progressing smoothly.

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 Feb. 11, 2026.

Zhou Jianping, chief designer of China's crewed space program, underscored the significance of these 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.

"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.

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, meaning "Dream Vessel" in Chinese, is designed mainly for China's crewed lunar exploration but can also be used for space station operations. 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.

Video Credit: CGTN
Duration: 33 seconds
Release Date: Feb. 27, 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

New Expedition 74 Crew Photos: February 2026 | International Space Station

New Expedition 74 Crew Photos: February 2026 | International Space Station

Expedition 74 flight engineers Jessica Meir and Chris Williams, both NASA astronauts, collect frozen research samples from inside the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. The samples were stowed inside science freezers aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for retrieval and analysis on Earth.

European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sophie Adenot points a camera out a cupola window and photographs International Space Station solar arrays for inspection. The orbital outpost was soaring 260 miles above Venezuela at the time of this photograph.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams calls down to mission controllers during Crew Medical Officer training inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module. Williams trained to use medical hardware, including an automated external defibrillator, and reviewed procedures such as conducting eye exams and administering medicine.

European Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sophie Adenot wears personal protective equipment and conducts orbital plumbing maintenance inside the International Space Station's Tranquility module.

Expedition 74 flight engineers Jessica Meir and Chris Williams, both NASA astronauts, collect frozen research samples from inside the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. The samples were stowed inside science freezers aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for retrieval and analysis on Earth. 

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Jack Hathaway smiles for a portrait while pedaling on the exercise cycle inside the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory module.

European Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Sophie Adenot is pictured inside the International Space Station's Harmony module during cargo stowage activities.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams processes microbe samples inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox aboard the International Space Station. Williams was investigating the use of ultraviolet light as a method to disinfect spacecraft surfaces, inhibit microbial growth, and protect both crew health and space hardware.

Update: A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returned to Earth on February 26, 2026, filled with several thousand pounds of science experiments and lab hardware for retrieval and analysis completing a six-month stay at the International Space Station. The Expedition 74 crew now turns its attention toward March when two more cargo spaceships depart the orbital outpost and complete their resupply missions. Meanwhile, advanced space biology and technology research wrapped up the week in space.

Dragon parachuted to a splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California at 11:44 p.m. PST on Thursday where NASA and SpaceX support personnel awaited the science and cargo-packed spacecraft. Dragon had undocked from the station’s forward port on the Harmony module at 12:05 p.m. on Thursday where it had been moored since August 25, 2025.

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

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

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

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

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

Credits: NASA's Johnson Space Center/Sophie Adenot
Image Dates: Feb. 18-26, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Science #Earth #Astronauts #ChrisWilliams #JessicaMeir #JackHathaway #SophieAdenot #France #Europe #ESA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Multiple Green Flashes at Sunset: Chilean Mountaintop View

Multiple Green Flashes at Sunset: Chilean Mountaintop View

From the high altitude of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in Chile (2,200 meters or 7,200 feet), two astrophotographers captured the elusive sunset phenomenon known as the green flash. This stunning trick of light occurs at sunset and sunrise when light from the Sun travels through the thickest part of Earth’s atmosphere. Acting like a prism, Earth's atmosphere bends, or refracts, the light and separates it into its component wavelengths. Blue and violet light are scattered by the atmosphere, while red, orange and yellow are refracted below the solar disk below the horizon, leaving the green light the most visible during the few seconds that the Sun disappears below the horizon. 

Here, though, is another uncommon phenomenon. Distinct thermal layers above the Pacific Ocean led to a Fata Morgana mirage displaying several green flashes.

A Fata Morgana is a complex form of mirage visible in a narrow band right above the horizon. The term Fata Morgana is the Italian translation of "Morgan the Fairy" (Morgan le Fay of Arthurian legend). These mirages are often seen in the Italian Strait of Messina, and were described as fairy castles in the air or false land conjured by her magic. Fata Morgana mirages significantly distort the object or objects they are based on, often so that the object is completely unrecognizable. A Fata Morgana may be seen at sea or on land, in polar regions, or in deserts. It may involve almost any kind of distant object, including boats, islands, and the coastline. Often, a Fata Morgana changes rapidly. The mirage is made up of several inverted (upside down) and upright images stacked on top of one another. Fata Morgana mirages also show alternating compressed and stretched zones.

Mirages are optical illusions caused by the refraction of light rays through layers of air with varying temperatures and densities. They commonly occur in hot environments, such as deserts or over bodies of water, where the air near the ground is significantly warmer than the air above it.

Credit: CTIO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/T. Slovinský & P. Horálek (IoP Opava)
Release Date: March 28, 2023

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #SolarSystem #Sun #Planets #Earth #Atmosphere #AtmosphericRefraction #GreenFlashes #GreenRims #Mirages #FataMorganas #OpticalIllusions  #CerroTololoInterAmericanObservatory #CTIO #Chile #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A Green Flash and Partial Solar Eclipse over Hawaii's Maunakea Volcano

A Green Flash and Partial Solar Eclipse over Hawaii's Maunakea Volcano

This lucky shot of the rising Sun from Maunakea combines several natural light effects, rendering our closest star almost unrecognizable. This photo was taken near Gemini North, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, supported in part by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab.

The Sun usually looks spherical, but during a partial solar eclipse on October 2, 2024, the Moon’s shadow appears to take a bite out of our nearest star. While this sight is already strange, the Sun’s low position on the horizon distorts its appearance further. When the Sun is low on the horizon, light must travel through more atmosphere than when the Sun is directly above. Thanks to an effect called atmospheric refraction, the extra matter that the light travels through ‘squashes’ the Sun and, in this photo, the Moon’s shadow. Also in this image is a rare effect of atmospheric refraction known as a green rim, or green flash. In this image, the green rim is on the underside of the ‘bite’ of the Moon. Atmospheric refraction can separate white sunlight into its constituent wavelengths, and under the right conditions, the green color is visible. Sometimes it can be visible for a handful of seconds, just as the top of the Sun disappears below the horizon. The darker vertical spots and a portion of the horizontal spots on the Sun are sunspots distorted by the atmosphere.

Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Rodriguez (International Gemini Observatory/NSF NOIRLab)

Image Date: Oct. 2, 2024
Release Date: Feb. 18, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #SolarSystem #Sun #Sunspots #SolarEclipse #Planets #Earth #Moon #AtmosphericRefraction #GreenFlash #GreenRim #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #Maunakea #Hawaii #NOIRLab #NSF #AURA #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Helix Nebula: NGC 7293 in Aquarius | European Southern Observatory

The Helix Nebula: NGC 7293 in Aquarius | European Southern Observatory

The Helix Nebula (also known as The Helix, NGC 7293, or Caldwell 63) is a large planetary nebula (PN) located in the constellation Aquarius. Discovered by Karl Ludwig Harding, probably before 1824, this object is one of the closest to the Earth of all the bright planetary nebulae. The estimated distance is about 215 parsecs or 700 light-years. It is similar in appearance to the Ring Nebula, whose size, age, and physical characteristics are similar to the Dumbbell Nebula, varying only in its relative proximity and the appearance from the equatorial viewing angle. The Helix Nebula has sometimes been referred to as the "Eye of God" in pop culture.

Learn more about the European Southern Observatory 3.6-meter telescope:
https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/lasilla/36/

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)
Release Date: Dec. 3, 2009

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #HelixNebula #NGC7293 #Caldwell63 #AquariusConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #ESOTelescope #LaSillaObservatory #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

Sharpless 249 and The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443) in Gemini

Sharpless 249 and The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443) in Gemini

Normally faint and elusive, the Jellyfish Nebula is caught in this alluring telescopic field of view. Floating in the interstellar sea, the nebula is anchored right and left by two bright stars, Mu and Eta Geminorum, at the foot of the celestial twins. The Jellyfish Nebula itself is right of center, seen as a brighter arcing ridge of emission with dangling tentacles. In fact, this cosmic jellyfish is part of bubble-shaped supernova remnant IC 443, the expanding debris cloud from a massive star that exploded. Light from the explosion first reached planet Earth over 30,000 years ago. 

Like its cousin in astrophysical waters the Crab Nebula supernova remnant, the Jellyfish Nebula is known to harbor a neutron star, the ultradense remnant of the collapsed stellar core. An emission nebula cataloged as Sharpless 249 fills the field at the upper left. The Jellyfish Nebula is about 5,000 light-years away. At that distance, this image would be about 300 light-years across.

Image Credit & Copyright: Katelyn Beecroft

Katelyn's website:

https://app.astrobin.com/u/kates.universe#gallery
Release Date: Feb. 27, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Mu #EtaGeminorum #Nebulae #Sharpless249 #TheJellyfishNebula #IC443 #NeutronStar #SupernovaRemnants #GeminiConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotography #KatelynBeecroft #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #STEM #Education #APoD

The Sun: New High Resolution Image | European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter

The Sun: New High Resolution Image | European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter

The High Resolution Imager (HRI) telescope of the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) instrument on the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter ordinarily observes a small sub-field of the Solar atmosphere. However, it can be pointed in a mosaic sequence to build up a large composite image of the entire Sun. This is the result. The full size image at 12544 x 12544 pixels, represents the highest resolution image of the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) Sun ever taken, according to the European Space Agency (ESA).

The Solar Orbiter mission is a partnership between the European Space Agency and NASA, designed to observe the Sun and its inner heliosphere. The mission includes ten science instruments, all designed to provide unprecedented data about how our star operates. Solar Orbiter's unique position allows it to observe the Sun from within its perihelion, making it the first spacecraft to do so. Solar Orbiter was launched on February 10, 2020, and is planned to be operational until the end of 2026 with a potential extension until 2030. The spacecraft is equipped with a dedicated heat shield to protect it from the intense solar flux near perihelion (its closest approach to the Sun).

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

Image Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)
Release Date: Feb. 27, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Stars #Heliophysics #Astrophysics #SolarSystem #SolarWind #Planets #Earth #SpaceWeather #SolarOrbiter #HRI #EUI #Europe #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Introducing SpaceX Starship V3 | Starbase Texas

Introducing SpaceX Starship V3 | Starbase Texas

SpaceX Update: "The first Starship V3 has left the build site to begin prelaunch testing. 

Elon Musk: "Starship V3 SN1 headed for ground tests. I am highly confident that the V3 design will achieve full reusability."

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Learn more about Starship:

https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)
Image Date: Feb. 26, 2026

#NASA #SpaceX #Space #Earth #Mars #Moon #MoonToMars #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIII #Starship #StarshipSpacecraft #StarshipV3 #StarshipV3SN1 #ReusableSpacecraft #ElonMusk #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #CommercialSpace #SpaceExploration #StarbaseTexas #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

A Surprisingly Active Aurora over Scotland

A Surprisingly Active Aurora over Scotland

Photographer Alan C. Tough: "I wasn't too surprised to see an aurora on Saturday night but I didn't expect it to be so active."

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/

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. To the south-east Scotland has its only land border that is 96 miles (154 km) long and shared with England. The country is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and south, the North Sea to the north-east and east, and the Irish Sea to the west.

Image Credit: Alan C. Tough

Location: Elgin, Moray, Scotland, United Kingdom

Alan's website: https://www.flickr.com/photos/7776810@N07/
Date: Feb. 21, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #SolarSystem #Sun #Photography #Photographer #AlanTough #Elgin #Moray #Scotland #UnitedKingdom #UK #STEM #Education

Aurora Streams above Earth’s Atmospheric Glow | International Space Station

Aurora Streams above Earth’s Atmospheric Glow | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Chris Williams aboard the International Space Station shared this photo. An aurora streams above Earth’s atmospheric glow, blanketing the city lights of Europe and Russia in this photograph taken at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time from the International Space Station as it orbited 263 miles above Central Asia. 

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.

You will notice yellow and green airglow in this image. Airglow occurs when atoms and molecules in the Earth's upper atmosphere, excited by sunlight, emit light to shed their excess energy. Or, it can happen when atoms and molecules that have been ionized by sunlight collide with and capture a free electron. In both cases, they eject a particle of light—called a photon—in order to relax again. The phenomenon is similar to auroras, but where auroras are driven by high-energy particles originating from the solar wind, airglow is energized by ordinary, day-to-day solar radiation. 

Unlike episodic and fleeting auroras, airglow shines constantly throughout Earth’s atmosphere, and the result is a tenuous bubble of light that closely encases our entire planet. 

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

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

European Space Agency Flight Engineer: Sophie Adenot

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

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

Image Credit: NASA/Chris Williams
Image Date: Feb. 22, 2026 

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