Aurora & Star Trails over Australia

Aurora & Star Trails over Western Australia

Astrophotographer Trevor Dobson: "This is a 56-shot star trails image of last night's aurora display taken at Stirling Dam, 1.5 hours south of Perth in Western Australia. It is about 30 degrees latitude, a bit far from where the actual aurora activity was but still close enough to light up the whole sky. It was the first time witnessing an aurora after a few near misses. Though this particular night was perfectly calm, the moisture in the air was quite horrendous, soaking all of our camera equipment by night's end (which only lasted 4 hours)."

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/

The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)
https://www.nps.gov/articles/-articles-aps-v8-i1-c9.htm

Image Credit: Trevor Dobson
Image Details: Nikon d5500, 13mm, ISO 500, f/4, 56 x 30 seconds
Location: Stirling Dam, Perth, Australia
Image Date: May 11, 2024
Release Date: May 12, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planets #Earth #Aurora #AuroraAustralis #SouthernLights #Stars #Cosmos #Universe #CitizenScience #TrevorDobson #Astrophotographer #Astrophotography #Timelapse #SolarSystem #StirlingDam #Perth #WesternAustralia #Australia #STEM #Education

Planet Jupiter's Moon Ganymede | NASA's New Horizons Mission

Planet Jupiter's Moon Ganymede | NASA's New Horizons Mission

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured this look at Jupiter's moon Ganymede silhouetted against the planet's crescent

Planet Jupiter's moon Ganymede

Planet Jupiter's moon Ganymede in visible and infrared light

In March 2007, while en route to Pluto, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft captured these views of Jupiter's moon Ganymede, including one silhouetted against the giant planet's crescent. Today, NASA's Juno Mission orbits Jupiter, and Europa Clipper is on its way.

Ganymede is a natural satellite of Jupiter and is the largest and most massive moon in the Solar System. Like Saturn's largest moon Titan, it is larger than the planet Mercury, but has somewhat less surface gravity than Mercury, Io, or the Moon due to its lower density compared to the three. 

Ganymede is composed of silicate rock and water in approximately equal proportions. It is a fully differentiated body with an iron-rich, liquid metallic core, giving it the lowest moment of inertia factor of any solid body in the Solar System. Its internal ocean potentially contains more water than all of Earth's oceans combined. 

Ganymede is the only natural satellite in the solar system to possess an internally generated magnetic field. It is probably created by convection within its core, and influenced by tidal forces from Jupiter's far greater magnetic field.

Learn more about NASA's exploration efforts at Jupiter:

https://science.nasa.gov/jupiter/exploration/

NASA's Europa Clipper Mission:

https://europa.nasa.gov/

New Horizons successfully pulled off the first exploration of the Pluto system in July 2015, followed by the farthest flyby in history—and first close-up look at a Kuiper Belt object (KBO)—with its flight past Arrokoth on New Year’s Day 2019.

Follow New Horizons' historic voyage at:
http://pluto.jhuapl.edu

NASA's New Horizons mission is still active. New Horizons is expected to continue its mission until it exits the Kuiper Belt, anticipated to occur in either 2028 or 2029. The mission remains in excellent health with enough fuel and power to operate through the 2040s.

Image Credit: NASA, Johns Hopkins University/APL, Southwest Research Institute
Dates: March 2-4, 2007

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #NewHorizons #Planets #Jupiter #Moon #Ganymede #Pluto #KuiperBelt #Spacecraft #JPL #SolarSystem #MSFC #JHUAPL #APL #SwRI #SouthwestResearchInstitute #UnitedStates #SpaceExploration #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #Robotics #STEM #Education

China's LHAASO Edges Closer to Solving Cosmic Ray Mystery

China's LHAASO Edges Closer to Solving Cosmic Ray Mystery

China's Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO), a high-altitude cosmic ray observatory in Sichuan Province, is pushing the boundaries of astrophysics by bringing humanity closer to answering the century-long question of the origins of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays.

Completed in 2021, LHAASO sprawls across an area the size of 190 football fields. It is the world’s highest-altitude, largest-scale, and most sensitive observatory for detecting cosmic ray particles as they enter Earth’s atmosphere.

The project traces back two decades, when physicist Cao Zhen envisioned China taking a decisive role in this frontier of science.

"Each particle has the energy much higher than what we can produce on Earth. We don't know where it was produced. This is the fascinating question that has bothered people for 100 years already. First of all, (we) go to the high altitude—the higher [you go], the less the influence from the atmosphere. And then we decided to build such a large-scale experiment: the larger, you get more cosmic rays," said Cao Zhen, chief scientist at LHAASO and a researcher at the Institute of High Energy Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

LHAASO functions as a giant set of "eyes"—detectors that track cosmic ray particles invisible to the human eye. At its core lies a warehouse the size of 2.5 National Aquatic Centers, housing the world's most sensitive gamma-ray telescope.

Surrounding it are raised mounds—muon detectors engineered to absorb photons and electrons while allowing only highly penetrating muons to pass through. Scattered among them, 18 blue, container-shaped telescopes complete the vast array.

Despite the thin atmosphere at an altitude of over 4,400 meters, China completed the construction of LHAASO in under five years, showcasing a remarkable feat of human endurance.

"Some of our detectors work perfectly fine in the lab, but they might malfunction when installed here because of the high-altitude environment. During the day, with the sun, the humidity is only about 20 to 30 percent, but at night it rises rapidly, reaching 100 percent. In addition, the detectors are also affected by temperature, wind, and extreme weather," said Wang Yudong, a researcher at the Institute of High Energy Physics.

The effort quickly began to yield results. In 2020, even before the observatory was fully completed, scientists using LHAASO's partial array identified 12 ultra-high-energy gamma-ray sources. Two years later, in October 2022, the facility captured an extraordinary event: a millennial gamma-ray burst, a dazzling "cosmic firework" triggered by the collapse of a massive star some two billion years ago.

LHAASO is but one of 77 mega-science infrastructures now operating across China. Over the past five years, these facilities have propelled the country to the forefront of high-impact publications and patent applications, unraveling cosmic mysteries, advancing core technologies, and driving industrial progress along the way.

Learn more: 
https://lssf.cas.cn/en/facilities/pnp/lhaaso/

Video Credit: CCTV
Duration: 1 minute, 40 seconds
Release Date: March 4, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Astrophysics #Physics #CosmicRays #GammaRays  #China #中国 #LHAASO #AstronomicalObservatory #QinghaiXizangPlateau #Daocheng #Sichuan #SolarSystem #Stars #Galaxies #BlackHoles #Universe #SpaceResearch #InternationalScience #Technology #TechnologyinChina #Engineering #STEM #Education #HD #Video

A 'Cosmic Hawk' with 'Baby' Stars: Nebula RCW 36 in Vela (infrared) | ESO

A 'Cosmic Hawk' with 'Baby' Stars: Nebula RCW 36 in Vela (infrared) | ESO

This picture taken with the European Southern Observatory ’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), seems to have captured a "cosmic hawk" as it spans its "wings." While the dark clouds in the middle of the image make up the head and body of the "bird of prey", the filaments extending away from the body to the left and right compose its "wings". Below it, is a mesmerizing blue nebula with massive newly born stars. Their intense radiation make the gas around them glow brightly.

Altogether the image shows the RCW 36 nebula, located about 2,300 light-years away in the Vela constellation. Coincidently, this nebula, resembling a hawk, was also captured by a hawk—the HAWK-I instrument on the VLT. While the most apparent stars in this image may be the massive and bright baby stars, the astronomers behind this image are actually more interested in hidden, very dim stars called brown dwarfs—“objects unable to fuse hydrogen in their cores,” explains Afonso do Brito do Vale, a PhD student at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço, Portugal, and the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, France, and lead author of a new paper where this image was presented.

HAWK-I is perfectly suited for this task. It observes at infrared wavelengths, where these cold failed stars are more easily spotted, and it can correct atmospheric turbulence with adaptive optics, delivering sharp images like this one. Besides providing invaluable data to understand how brown dwarfs form, the study produced a striking image of “massive stars ‘pushing’ away the clouds of gas and dust around them almost like an animal breaking through its eggshell for the first time,” as do Brito do Vale describes. Who knows, perhaps the "cosmic hawk" is guarding his baby stars—watching over them as they “hatch”.

Image Description: A telescope image of a cosmic gas cloud. The cloud is full of wispy filaments that shine brightly in shades of pink and orange, especially in the lower-right part of the image, where there is a higher concentration of stars. Dark dust lanes partially block some areas of the nebula.

Credit: ESO/A. R. G. do Brito do Vale et al.
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #RCW36 #Stars #BrownDwarfs #VelaConstellation #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #HAWK1 #AdaptiveOptics #InfraredAstronomy #ParanalObservatory #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education

Cosmonaut Photos: More Russian Kamchatka Volcanoes | International Space Station

Cosmonaut Photos: More Russian Kamchatka Volcanoes | International Space Station

These images were shared by Expedition 74 Station Commander and Cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov of Russia aboard the International Space Station:"Kamchatka's volcanoes are so numerous and diverse that you should read about them in books . . . or better yet, go see them with your own eyes."

"If the view of volcanoes from space impresses you, rest assured, they will be just as impressive on Earth!"

These photos include: "one of the most active volcanic places on Earth–Klyuchevskoy Nature Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

"There are 13 volcanoes here, four are active. Volcanoes are like people—they have their own stories and their own characteristics.

🏔Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest active volcano in Eurasia (~4,750 m). Here it is in the photo. The beautiful (and also young and very active, and therefore dangerous) cone is in the upper right corner. Always recognizable, even from space.

🏔Nameless—became famous for its unexpected, catastrophic eruption in 1956. Before that, it was considered dormant, but then, "bang!"—an explosive lateral eruption lowered the volcano by 200 meters, spewing ash several kilometers into the air, and simultaneously destroying forests over an area of ​​several hundred square kilometers. The photo shows Klyuchevskaya Sopka's lower neighbor with a rough cut on its side.

🏔Tolbachik—a volcano consisting of two parts: Sharp and Flat. If you look at it in the lower left corner of the photo, its distinctive shape makes it clear why it was given these names. Tolbachik is unusual not only in appearance but also in behavior. Tolbachik's eruptions created a unique "lunar" relief—vast ash fields where lunar rovers' chassis were once tested. Now they have become a tourist attraction, allowing you to briefly feel like an astronaut on the Moon.

🏔Ushkovsky is an unusual giant to the left of Klyuchevskoy. This volcano is unlike the others in Kamchatka. It is the continent's largest shield volcano. It is permanently capped by a thick ice cap, yet it remains active.

🏔Shiveluch is a powerful, most active volcano. It is separated from the main group and located to the north. It erupts constantly and regularly makes the news due to ash clouds that threaten air travel.

There are other volcanoes in these photos—Zimina, Udina, Kamen, and Krestovsky . . . Volcanoes are not just beautiful cones and impressive eruptions. They are clear evidence that our planet is alive and active, and that enormous power lies hidden within its depths."

The Kamchatka Peninsula, the Commander Islands, and Karaginsky Island constitute Kamchatka Krai of the Russian Federation. The Kamchatka Peninsula contains the volcanoes of Kamchatka, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, that form part of the Ring of Fire.

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.

Credit: Roscosmos/Sergey-Kud Sverchkov
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Geology #Stratovolcanoes #Volcanoes #KamchatkaPeninsula #KamchatkaKrai #Камчатка #PacificOcean #SeaOfOkhotsk #EastAsia #Cosmonauts #SergeyKudSverchkov #CosmonautPhotography #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Earth Beauty: The African Continent | International Space Station

Earth Beauty: The African Continent | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir: "The beauty of the Earth remained just as fresh after 205 days of my previous mission, and now fills me with awe once again. One of my favorite daytime passes is over Africa, yes the entire continent (the one continent I have not yet set foot upon!). The variety of colors and textures is astounding from coast to coast. A few shots from my first 2 weeks back on the International Space Station."

Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers around 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surface area. With over 1.5 billion people, it accounts for about 18% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents.

This is Jessica Meir's 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.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center/Jessica Meir
Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #ISS #Planets #Earth #Africa #Continents #EarthArt #OverviewEffect #Astronauts #JessicaMeir #AstronautPhotography #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #HumanSpaceflight #InternationalCooperation #Expedition74 #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Kitt Peak, Arizona

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Kitt Peak, Arizona

Astrophotographer Petr Horálek: "I was lucky this morning to capture the nice total lunar eclipse visible mostly from the western US. The almost 1-hour totality was nicely colorful, especially at the end, when a blue hint also appeared at the edge of the eclipsed Moon due to sunlight scattered by the ozone layer in the higher atmosphere. And by now, we need to wait for another total solar eclipse until 2028. A deep partial, however, will appear in the sky at the end of August."

Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Learn more: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/

Credit: KPNO/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/Petr Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava)
Location: Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona, USA

Image Details:  Nikon Z6III, 1000mm x 1,4 teleconverter, f10, ISO 2000, 4s exposures
Petr's website: https://www.petrhoralek.com
Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #KittPeakNationalObservatory #Arizona #UnitedStates #Astrophotography #PetrHorálek #Astrophotographers #Americas #STEM #Education

A Tour of The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

A Tour of The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This video features one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Credits:  
Directed by: Bethany Downer and Nico Bartmann  
Editing: Nico Bartmann  
Web and technical support: Enciso Systems  
Written by: Bethany Downer  
Footage and photos: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble)
Duration: 1 minute, 13 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Journey to The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Journey to The Cat's Eye Nebula in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This video takes the viewer on a journey through space to one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula lies in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4 400 light years away.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov, G. Anselmi, E. Slawik, N. Risinger, N. Bartmann (ESA/Hubble), M. Zamani (ESA/Hubble)
Duration: 1 minute, 30 seconds

Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Cat’s Eye Nebula—NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Close-up: Cat’s Eye Nebula—NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This is a Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov
Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Cat’s Eye Nebula: NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

Cat’s Eye Nebula: NGC 6543 in Draco | Hubble & Euclid Space Telescopes

This is a Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away in the Draco constellation.

This time, Hubble is joined by ESA’s Euclid space telescope to create a new image of NGC 6543. The nebula is showcased through the combined eyes of Hubble and Euclid, revealing the remarkable complexity of stellar death in this object. Though primarily designed to map the distant Universe, Euclid captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula as part of its deep imaging surveys. In Euclid’s wide, near-infrared and visible light view, the arcs and filaments of the nebula’s bright central region are situated within a halo of colorful fragments of gas zooming away from the star. This ring was ejected from the star at an earlier stage before the main nebula at the center formed. 

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots formed by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

Image Description: Two images of a planetary nebula in space. The image to the left, labeled “Euclid & Hubble”, shows the whole nebula and its surroundings. A star in the very center is surrounded by white bubbles and loops of gas, all shining with a powerful blue light. Farther away a broken ring of red and blue gas clouds surrounds the nebula. The background shows many stars and distant galaxies. A white box indicates the center of the nebula and this region is the image to the right, labeled “Hubble”. It shows the multi-layered bubbles, pointed jets and circular shells of gas that make up the nebula, as well as the central star, in greater detail.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, ESA Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/Q1-2025, J.-C. Cuillandre & E. Bertin (CEA Paris-Saclay), Z. Tsvetanov
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #EuclidSpaceTelescope #EST #SpaceTelescopes #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Infographics #STEM #Education

Close-up: The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

Close-up: The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco—A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a new Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star—the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away.

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope also expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots sculpted by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

A portion of this data was used in a previous image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, released in 2004. Previously unused data from ACS is combined with the latest processing techniques to create this new image, the sharpest so far.

Image Description: An image of the center of a planetary nebula. A blue star sits at the center within a series of overlapping, translucent bubbles of gas. The bubbles have a complex, filamentary structure. The two largest bubbles overlap halfway, creating an eye-like shape with the star at the center. Jets of high-speed gas point out of the top and bottom of the nebula. Faint, concentric circles of gas also surround the star, out beyond the bubbles.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Z. Tsvetanov

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

The Cat’s Eye Nebula in Draco: A New View | Hubble Space Telescope

This is a new Hubble image of one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission place the nebula at a distance of 4,400 light years away.

Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864—examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules that is characteristic of a gas, distinguishing planetary nebulae from stars and galaxies.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope also expanded our understanding of planetary nebulae; its detailed images showed that the simple, circular appearance of a planetary nebula seen from the ground belies a very complex morphology. This was particularly true of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, where Hubble’s images in 1995 revealed never-before-seen structures that broadened our understanding of how planetary nebulae come to be.

This new Hubble image shows the nebula's core filled with billowing gas via the High Resolution Channel sub-instrument on its Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS). This instrument is optimized for capturing very sharp images of fine details in a small area, such as the complex features here. The data presents a mixture of concentric shells, jets of high-speed gas and dense knots sculpted by shock interactions. These structures are believed to record episodic mass loss from the dying star at the nebula’s center, creating a  record of its final stages.

A portion of this data was used in a previous image of the Cat’s Eye Nebula, released in 2004. Previously unused data from ACS is combined with the latest processing techniques to create this new image, the sharpest so far.

Image Description: An image of the center of a planetary nebula. A blue star sits at the center within a series of overlapping, translucent bubbles of gas. The bubbles have a complex, filamentary structure. The two largest bubbles overlap halfway, creating an eye-like shape with the star at the center. Jets of high-speed gas point out of the top and bottom of the nebula. Faint, concentric circles of gas also surround the star, out beyond the bubbles.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Z. Tsvetanov
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebulae #CatsEyeNebula #NGC6543 #Caldwell6 #DracoConstellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Florida

Lunar Eclipse March 3, 2026: View from Florida

Photographer: "Total lunar eclipse of 3/3/2026 at Moonset over the Gulf, just before sunrise from Tarpon Springs, Florida." 

Lunar eclipses occur at the full Moon phase. When Earth is positioned precisely between the Moon and Sun, Earth’s shadow falls upon the surface of the Moon, dimming it and sometimes turning the lunar surface a striking red over the course of a few hours. Each lunar eclipse is visible from half of Earth.

Learn more: https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/

Image Credit: Barry Ollikkala

Image Details: Canon R7, RF 200-800mm f6.3-9 lens on iOptron Skyguider Pro star tracker, on Meade heavy-duty field tripod
Location: Tarpon Springs, Florida
Release Date: March 3, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #TaerponSprings #Florida #Astrophotography #BarryOllikkala #Astrophotographers #Americas #STEM #Education

March 3, 2026 Lunar Eclipse Schedule by Time Zone: The Americas

March 3, 2026 Lunar Eclipse Schedule by Time Zone: The Americas

Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Central Standard Time (CST)

Eastern Standard Time (EST)

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

Viewing a total lunar eclipse is as easy as looking up! Lunar eclipses are completely eye-safe, unlike solar eclipses. Feel free to enjoy this lunar eclipse with your naked eye!

The eclipse reaches totality at 6:04 a.m. Eastern Time/3:04 a.m. Pacific Time on the morning of Tuesday, March 3, 2026. ⬇️

On March 3, 2025, the Moon enters the Earth's shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse, the first visible in the Americas since March 2025. This animation shows the changing appearance of the Moon as it travels into and out of the Earth's shadow, along with times at various stages. Celestial north is up in this imagery, corresponding to the view from mid-northern latitudes. Rotating the images by 180 degrees would create the south-up view for southern hemisphere observers.

The penumbra is the part of the Earth’s shadow where the Sun is only partially covered by the Earth. The umbra is where the Sun is completely hidden. The Moon's appearance is not affected much by the penumbra. The real action begins when the Moon starts to disappear as it enters the umbra at about 1:50 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. An hour and a half later, entirely within the umbra, the Moon is a ghostly copper color. The totally eclipsed Moon is 10 or more f-stops dimmer than a normal full Moon. During the eclipse, the Moon is moving through the constellation Leo.

Learn more here:
https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/moon/march-2026-total-lunar-eclipse-your-questions-answered/

Credits: NASA Goddard/Spaceweather[dot]com

Release Date: March 2, 2026

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #SolarSystem #Moon #Earth #LunarEclipse #Umbra #Penumbra #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #Americas #TimeZones #Infographics #STEM #Education

NASA's Crew-12: Home Planet Awe | International Space Station

NASA's Crew-12: Home Planet Awe | International Space Station

Expedition 74 Flight Engineer and European Space Agency Astronaut Sophie Adenot: "Throwback to one of the first pictures of Crew‑12 in space . . . and we were of course looking back at Earth from this orbital vantage point. First‑ and second‑time fliers united in their love for our home planet and their awe at its beauty. We were at a loss for words to describe how stunning Earth is—and how this view made us feel."

"This picture was taken on Saturday, February 14, during the 34 hours SpaceX Dragon Freedom spent chasing the Station before docking."

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.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/S. Adenot

Image Date: Feb. 14, 2026
Release Date: March 2, 2026

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