Serpent in the Sky: Nebula Sh2-54 (infrared) | ESO

Serpent in the Sky: Nebula Sh2-54 (infrared) | ESO

This image is dotted with countless stars that appear as shiny white dots of varying size and brightness against the black background of space. In the center of the image, there are more stars immersed in a violet cloud. Surrounding this is the Serpens nebula, which in this image appears as a faint, dark orange glow. Several stars are still visible through the cloud though.

Distance: 6,000 light-years

A myriad of stars is revealed behind the faint orange glow of the Sh2-54 nebula in this new infrared image. Located in the constellation Serpens, this stunning stellar nursery has been captured in all its intricate detail using the Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) based at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.

When the ancients looked up at the night sky they saw random patterns in the stars. The Greeks, for instance, named one of these “constellations” Serpens, because of its resemblance to a snake. What they would not have been able to see is that at the tail end of this constellation there is a wealth of stunning astronomical objects. These include the Eagle, the Omega and the Sh2-54 nebulae; the last of these is revealed, in a new light, in this spectacular infrared image.

Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust from which stars are born. Telescopes have allowed astronomers to identify and analyze these rather faint objects in exquisite detail. The nebula shown here, located about 6,000 light-years away, is officially called Sh2-54; the “Sh” refers to the US astronomer Stewart Sharpless, who cataloged more than 300 nebulae in the 1950s.

As the technology used to explore the Universe progresses, so too does our understanding of these stellar nurseries. One of these advances is the ability to look beyond the light that can be detected by our eyes, such as infrared light. Just as the snake, the namesake of this nebula, evolved the ability to sense infrared light to better understand its environment, so too have we developed infrared instruments to learn more about the Universe. 

While visible light is easily absorbed by clouds of dust in nebulae, infrared light can pass through the thick layers of dust almost unimpeded. The image here therefore reveals a wealth of stars hidden behind the veils of dust. This is particularly useful as it allows scientists to study what happens in stellar nurseries in much greater detail, and thus learn more about how stars form.

This image was captured in infrared light using the sensitive 67-million-pixel camera on ESO’s VISTA telescope at Paranal Observatory in Chile. It was taken as part of the VVVX survey—the VISTA Variables in the Via Láctea eXtended survey. This is a multi-year project that has repeatedly observed a large portion of the Milky Way at infrared wavelengths, providing key data to understand stellar evolution.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: Jan. 4, 2023

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebula #SerpensNebula #Sh254 #Serpens #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VISTA #Telescope #Infrared #VVVXSurvey #ParanalObservatory #Chile #Europe #Astronomer #StewartSharpless #STEM #Education

Osprey & Artemis I Moon Rocket Prepare for Flight at NASA's Kennedy Space Center

Osprey & Artemis I Moon Rocket Prepare for Flight at Kennedy Space Center

An osprey is seen in front of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

An osprey is seen in front of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard as launch preparations continued Friday, Sept. 2, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This photo was chosen by the NASA Headquarters photographers as one of the best from 2022. 

NASA's Artemis Program:

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis

Image Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber

Image Date: Sept. 2, 2022

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2023

#NASA #ESA #Space #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisI #Orion #Spacecraft #SLS #Rocket #Nature #Osprey #DeepSpace #Orion #Spacecraft #Astronauts #Mars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #SolarSystem #KSC #LaunchPad39B #Kennedy #Florida #UnitedStates #Europe #Photography #STEM #Education

Why is Venus Called Earth’s "Evil Twin"? We Asked a NASA Scientist

Why is Venus Called Earth’s "Evil Twin"? We Asked a NASA Scientist

Why is Venus called Earth’s evil twin? The two planets actually have a lot in common, but somewhere along the way Venus and Earth took two very different paths. NASA Director of Planetary Science, Dr. Lori Glaze, explains how Venus became a hot, hellish, and unforgiving place. 

Explore more about Earth’s “evil” cosmic next-door neighbor: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/venus

Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Producers: Jessica Wilde, Scott Bednar

Editor: Matthew Schara

Duration: 1 minute, 48 seconds

Release Date: Jan. 4, 2023

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Planet #Venus #Atmosphere #Climate #CO2 #GreehouseEffect #Clouds #SulfuricAcid #Geology #SolarSystem #Exploration #Scientist #LoriGlaze #Women #Leaders #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Apollo Astronaut Walter Cunningham Dies at Age 90

NASA Apollo Astronaut Walter Cunningham Dies at Age 90

NASA astronaut Walter Cunningham, Apollo 7 lunar module pilot, is photographed during the Apollo 7 mission (Oct. 11-22, 1968)

Astronaut R. Walter Cunningham (1964)

Prime crew of the first manned Apollo space mission, Apollo 7, stands on the deck of the NASA Motor Vessel Retriever after suiting up for water egress training in the Gulf of Mexico. Left to right, are astronauts Walter Cunningham, Donn F. Eisele, and Walter M. Schirra Jr. (1968)

Apollo-Saturn 7 crew members: Left to right, astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot; and Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot (1968)

Prime crew of the first manned Apollo space mission, Apollo 7 (Spacecraft 101/Saturn 205), left to right, are astronauts Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot, Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot (1968)

Apollo 7 astronauts, left to right, Donn F. Eisele, Walter M. Schirra Jr., and Walter Cunningham, after 12 days and 4.5 million miles later, return to meet with the employees and management at Cape Kennedy. On October 11, 1968, the three astronauts were launched aboard a Saturn 1B space vehicle from Launch Pad 34 for the first manned lunar orbital mission

Apollo 7 crew is welcomed aboard the USS Essex, the prime recovery ship for the mission. Left to right, are astronauts Walter M. Schirra Jr., commander; Donn F. Eisele, command module pilot; and Walter Cunningham, lunar module pilot (1968)

Apollo 7 lifts off from Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 34 at 11:03 A.M., EDT. The astronauts aboard, for the first manned lunar orbital mission, are Astronauts Walter M. Schirra,Jr. Commander; Donn F. Eisele, Command Module Pilot; and Walter Cunningham, Lunar Module Pilot (1968)

Former astronaut Walter Cunningham, who flew into space on Apollo 7, the first flight with crew in NASA’s Apollo Program, died early Tuesday morning, Jan. 3, 2022, in Houston. He was 90 years old.

“Walt Cunningham was a fighter pilot, physicist, and an entrepreneur – but, above all, he was an explorer. On Apollo 7, the first launch of a crewed Apollo mission, Walt and his crewmates made history, paving the way for the Artemis Generation we see today,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “NASA will always remember his contributions to our nation’s space program and sends our condolences to the Cunningham family.”

Cunningham was born March 16, 1932, in Creston, Iowa. He graduated from Venice High School, in Venice, California, before going on to receive a Bachelor of Arts with honors in physics in 1960 and a Master of Arts with distinction in physics in 1961 from the University of California at Los Angeles. He then completed a doctorate in physics with exception of thesis at the Advanced Management Program in the Harvard Graduate School of Business in 1974.

Former Astronaut Walt Cunningham's Official NASA Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/cunningham_walter.pdf

The Cunningham family offered the following statement: “We would like to express our immense pride in the life that he lived, and our deep gratitude for the man that he was – a patriot, an explorer, pilot, astronaut, husband, brother, and father. The world has lost another true hero, and we will miss him dearly.”

He joined the Navy in 1951 and served on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, retiring with the rank of colonel. He flew 54 missions as a night fighter pilot in Korea. He worked as a scientist for the Rand Corporation for three years. While with Rand, he worked on classified defense studies and problems related to the Earth's magnetosphere. Cunningham has accumulated more than 4,500 hours of flying time in 40 different aircraft, including more than 3,400 in jet aircraft.

Cunningham was selected as an astronaut in 1963 as part of NASA's third astronaut class.

“On behalf of NASA's Johnson Space Center, we are beholden to Walt's service to our nation and dedication to the advancement of human space exploration,” said Vanessa Wyche, center director. “Walt's accomplished legacy will continue to serve as an inspiration to us all.”

Prior to his assignment to the Apollo 7 crew, Cunningham was on the prime crew for Apollo 2 until it was cancelled and the backup lunar module pilot for Apollo 1. 

Cunningham was designated the lunar module pilot for the 11-day flight of Apollo 7, which launched on Oct. 11, 1968 and was the first human flight test of the Apollo spacecraft. With Walter M. Schirra, Jr. and Donn F. Eisele, he tested maneuvers necessary for docking and lunar orbit rendezvous using the third stage of their Saturn IB launch vehicle. The crew successfully completed eight tests, igniting the service module engine, measuring the accuracy of performance of all spacecraft systems, and providing the first live television transmission of onboard crew activities. The 263-hour, 4.5-million-mile flight splashed down Oct. 22, 1968, in the Atlantic Ocean.

Cunningham’s last assignment at NASA Johnson was chief of the Skylab branch of the Flight Crew Directorate. In this capacity, he was responsible for the operational inputs for five major pieces of manned space hardware, two different launch vehicles and 56 major experiments that comprised the Skylab Program.

Cunningham retired from NASA in 1971 and would go on to lead multiple technical and financial organizations. He served in senior leadership roles with Century Development Corp., Hydrotech Development Company, and 3D International. Cunningham also was a longtime investor and entrepreneur, organizing small businesses and private investment firms. He also was a frequent keynote speaker and radio talk show host.

His numerous awards include the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and NASA Distinguished Service Medal. For his service he was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame, International Space Hall of Fame, Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame, San Diego Air and Space Museum Hall of Fame, and Houston Hall of Fame. Cunningham and the Apollo 7 crew also earned an Emmy in the form of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Special Trustee Award.

Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2023

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Planet #Moon #Apollo #Apollo7 #WalterCunningham #Astronaut #Pilot #Astronauts #HumanSpaceflight #Artemis #Mars #Humanity #Technology #Engineering #Exploration #History #STEM #Education

The Eagle Nebula & Pillars of Creation: Understanding the Images | NASA

The Eagle Nebula & Pillars of Creation: Understanding the Images | NASA

 

A  team of astronomers walks you through image data for the Pillars of Creation and the surrounding Eagle Nebula. These expert astronomers explore what these objects are, where you can find them, and what different wavelengths reveal. The four experts we meet in this video are: Dr. Alberto Noriega Crespo, Dr. Marjorie Decleir, Dr. Paul Scowen, and Dr. Jesus Alberto Toala.

You can make your own image of this region using real astronomy data! Visit NASA’s Astrophoto Challenges to learn how:

https://mo-www.cfa.harvard.edu/OWN/astrophoto/

This project is part of NASA’s Universe of Learning: 

https://www.universe-of-learning.org

Credit: Universe Unplugged

Duration: 5 minutes, 48 seconds

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2023

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebula #EagleNebula #PillarsOfCreation #Infrared #SerpensCauda #Constellation #JamesWebb #Hubble #SpaceTelescope #JWST #Cosmos #Universe #UnfoldTheUniverse #ESA #Europe #CSA #Canada #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Galactic Birdwatching: Spiral Galaxy NGC 7496 in Grus | Hubble

Galactic Birdwatching: Spiral Galaxy NGC 7496 in Grus | Hubble

This image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope shows the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7496, which lies over 24 million light-years away in the constellation Grus. This constellation, whose name is Latin for crane, is one of four constellations collectively known as the Southern Birds. The others are Pavo, Phoenix and Tucana, which depict a peacock, phoenix, and toucan respectively. The rest of the night sky is also home to a flock of ornithological constellations, including an eagle (Aquilla), swan (Cygnus), crow (Corvus), and dove (Columba). 

This image comes from a collection of observations delving into the relationship between young stars and the cold, dense clouds of gas in which they form. In addition to observations with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys, the astronomers behind this project gathered data using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. 

As well as shedding light on the speed and efficiency of star formation in a variety of galactic environments, this project is also creating a treasury of data incorporating both Hubble and ALMA observations. This treasure trove of data from two of the world’s most capable observatories will contribute to wider research into star formation, as well as paving the way for future science with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team

Acknowledgement: J. Schmidt

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: June 10, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Hubble #Galaxy #NGC7496 #Barred #Spiral #Grus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Goddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #JudySchmidt #CitizenScience #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Galactic Birdwatching: Spiral Galaxy NGC 7496 in Grus | Hubble

Galactic Birdwatching: Spiral Galaxy NGC 7496 in Grus | Hubble

This image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope shows the barred spiral galaxy NGC 7496, which lies over 24 million light-years away in the constellation Grus. This constellation, whose name is Latin for crane, is one of four constellations collectively known as the Southern Birds. The others are Pavo, Phoenix and Tucana, which depict a peacock, phoenix, and toucan respectively. The rest of the night sky is also home to a flock of ornithological constellations, including an eagle (Aquilla), swan (Cygnus), crow (Corvus), and dove (Columba). 

This image comes from a collection of observations delving into the relationship between young stars and the cold, dense clouds of gas in which they form. In addition to observations with Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys, the astronomers behind this project gathered data using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. 

As well as shedding light on the speed and efficiency of star formation in a variety of galactic environments, this project is also creating a treasury of data incorporating both Hubble and ALMA observations. This treasure trove of data from two of the world’s most capable observatories will contribute to wider research into star formation, as well as paving the way for future science with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Credit: European Space Agency/Hubble & NASA, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team

Acknowledgement: J. Schmidt

Release Date: May 30, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Hubble #Galaxy #NGC7496 #Barred #Spiral #Grus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Goddard #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #JudySchmidt #CitizenScience #STEM #Education

Planet Mars: The Path Not Traveled | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Planet Mars: The Path Not Traveled | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

The objective of this orbital observation is to determine the nature of a layered butte on Mars that is surrounded by concentric fractures. This location is east of Tinjar Valles, which are an ancient set of outflow channels. This image was taken by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument.

Butte: "A steep-sided hill with a flat top, often standing alone in an otherwise flat area. A butte is smaller than a mesa."

This is a non-narrated clip featuring ambient sound. The image less than 5 km (3 mi) across the spacecraft altitude was 296 km (184 mi). 

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) is a spacecraft designed to study the geology and climate of Mars, to provide reconnaissance of future landing sites, and to relay data from surface missions back to Earth. It was launched on August 12, 2005, and reached Mars on March 10, 2006. 

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UArizona

Duration: 3 minutes, 33 seconds

Release Date: Jan. 3, 2023

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Mars #Planet #RedPlanet #Buttes #TinjarValle #Geology #Landscape #Terrain #MRO #HiRISE #Spacecraft #JPL #California #UA #UniversityOfArizona #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Mysterious Mars Crater Deposits | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

Mysterious Mars Crater Deposits | NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter

This false-color image taken by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) spacecraft’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) instrument on Oct. 23, 2022, of the northern plains of Arabia Terra shows craters that contain curious deposits with mysterious shapes and distribution. For instance, the deposits are located on the south sides of the craters, but not usually in the north, and are found only in craters larger than 600 meters in diameter. Scientists suspect that these features formed by sublimation of ice-rich material.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The HiRISE camera was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corporation and is operated by the University of Arizona.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona

Release Date: Dec. 29, 2022

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Mars #Planet #RedPlanet #Deposits #Craters #ArabiaTerra #Geology #Landscape #Terrain #MRO #HiRISE #Spacecraft #JPL #California #UA #UniversityOfArizona #UnitedStates #SolarSystem #STEM #Education

New Mars Images | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers + Ingenuity | JPL

New Mars Images | NASA's Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers + Ingenuity | JPL

Mars2020 - sol 650 - Mastcam-Z

Mars2020 - sol 662 - Mastcam-Z

Mars2020 - sol 657 - SuperCam

MSL - sol 3699 - MAHLI

MSL - sol 3699 - MAHLI

Mars2020 - SWC - sol 653 - Detail B

Mars2020 - sol 661 - Watson

Mars2020 - Ingenuity - ColorCam - sol 642 - Photo C

Celebrating 10 Years+ on Mars! (2012-2023)

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

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 possible return to Earth.

Mars Helicopter (Ingenuity)

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/Kevin M. Gill/PipploIMP

Image Release Dates: Dec. 10, 2022-Jan. 2, 2023

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Mars #RedPlanet #Planet #Astrobiology #Geology #CuriosityRover #MSL #MountSharp #GaleCrater #PerseveranceRover #Mars2020 #IngenuityHelicopter #JezeroCrater #Robotics #Technology #Engineering #JPL #UnitedStates #MoonToMars #CitizenScience #KevinGill #PipploIMP #STEM #Education

Was 2022 a Good Year for Chinese Space? | Dongfang Hour

Was 2022 a Good Year for Chinese Space? | Dongfang Hour

Dongfang Hour Host: Jean Deville 

"2022 has been a (very) eventful year for Chinese space. Let's review the main highlights, discussing launch, progress on reusability, constellations, the completion of the Chinese Space Station, and more."

"As this is the last video of 2022, Happy New Year! See you in 2023!"

If you would like to support me (Jean) to make more content, please consider signing up to our small Patreon community at: https://patreon.com/dongfanghour 

We also have some very cool space merch available at: 

https://shop.dongfanghour.com

00:00 Introduction

00:19 Record number of launches in 2022

01:17 New solid-fueled launch vehicles

02:38 Zhuque-2: the first methalox-fueled rocket

03:37 Long March 6A and Long March 8(A) 

04:18 Failure of the Hyperbola-1

04:48 Completion of the Chinese Space Station

05:28 Deployment of constellations

06:39 Progress on rocket reusability

08:14 2x Chinese spaceplanes

-----------------------

Credits for various visuals: Deep Blue Aerospace, iSpace, Landspace, Linkspace, Space Pioneer, Space Transportation, Galactic Energy, CASC, CASIC, CMSA, CNSA, SpaceX, CGSTL, Geespace, CAS Space, China Rocket, Expace.

Duration: 10 minutes

Release Date: Dec. 21, 2022

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Earth #Moon #LongMarch9 #Rockets #Reusability #Taikonauts #Tiangong #天宫 #ChinaSpaceStation #CASC #CNSA #CMSA #Satellites #Spacecraft #SpacePlanes #CommercialSpace #LEO #Technology #Engineering #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Panning across a Galactic Cherry Blossom: Galaxy NGC 1156

Panning across a Galactic Cherry Blossom: Galaxy NGC 1156

The galaxy NGC 1156 resembles a delicate cherry blossom tree flowering in springtime in this Hubble image. The many bright "blooms" within the galaxy are in fact stellar nurseries—regions where new stars are springing to life. Energetic light emitted by newborn stars in these regions streams outwards and encounters nearby pockets of hydrogen gas, causing it to glow with a characteristic pink hue.

NGC 1156 is located in the constellation of Aries (The Ram) around 25 million light-years from Earth. It is classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy, meaning that it lacks a clear spiral or rounded shape, as other galaxies have, and is on the smaller side, albeit with a relatively large central region that is more densely packed with stars. 

Some pockets of gas within NGC 1156 rotate in the opposite direction to the rest of the galaxy, suggesting that there has been a close encounter with another galaxy in NGC 1156's past. The gravity of this other galaxy—and the turbulent chaos of such an interaction—could have scrambled the likely more orderly rotation of material within NGC 1156, producing the odd behavior we see today.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble, NASA, R. Jansen

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: July 8, 2019

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Galaxy #NGC1156 #Dwarf #Irregular #Aries #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Panning across Globular Cluster NGC 6540 | Hubble

Panning across Globular Cluster NGC 6540 | Hubble

This scintillating image showcases the globular cluster NGC 6540 in the constellation Sagittarius. It was captured by the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 and Advanced Camera for Surveys. These two instruments have slightly different fields of view—which determines how large an area of sky each instrument captures. This composite image shows the star-studded area of sky that was captured in both instruments’ field of view. 

NGC 6540 is a globular cluster, a stable, tightly bound multitude of stars. The populations of these clusters can range from tens of thousands to millions of stars, all of which are trapped in a closely-packed group by their mutual gravitational attraction.

Distance: about 17,000 light years

The brightest stars in this image are adorned with prominent cross-shaped patterns of light known as diffraction spikes. These astronomical embellishments are a type of imaging artefact, meaning that they are caused by the structure of Hubble rather than the stars themselves. The path taken by the starlight as it enters the telescope is slightly disturbed by its internal structure, causing bright objects to be surrounded by spikes of light.

Hubble peered into the heart of NGC 6540 to help astronomers measure the ages, shapes, and structures of globular clusters towards the center of the Milky Way. The gas and dust shrouding the center of our galaxy block some of the light from these clusters, as well as subtly changing the colors of their stars. Globular clusters contain insights into the earliest history of the Milky Way, and so studying them can help astronomers understand how our galaxy has evolved.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, R. Cohen

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: August 15, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebula #Stars #NGC6540 #GlobularCluster #StarCluster #Sagittarius #Constellation #MilkyWay #Galaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Stargazing in Globular Cluster NGC 6355 | Hubble

Stargazing in Globular Cluster NGC 6355 | Hubble

The scattered stars of the globular cluster NGC 6355 are strewn across this image from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope. This globular cluster lies less than 50,000 light-years from Earth in the Ophiuchus constellation. NGC 6355 is a galactic globular cluster that resides in our Milky Way galaxy's inner regions.

Image Description: "A dense collection of stars covers the view. Towards the center the stars become even more dense in a circular region, and also more blue. Around the edges there are some redder foreground stars, and many small stars in the background."

Globular clusters are stable, tightly bound clusters of tens of thousands to millions of stars, and can be found in all types of galaxy. Their dense populations of stars and mutual gravitational attraction give these clusters a roughly spherical shape, with a bright concentration of stars surrounded by an increasingly sparse sprinkling of stars. The dense, bright core of NGC 6355 was picked out in crystal-clear detail by Hubble in this image, and is the crowded area of stars towards the center of this image. 

With its vantage point above the distortions of the atmosphere, Hubble has revolutionized the study of globular clusters. It is almost impossible to distinguish the stars in globular clusters from one another with ground-based telescopes, but astronomers have been able to use Hubble to study the constituent stars of globular clusters in detail. This Hubble image of NGC 6355 contains data from both the Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3.

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, E. Noyola, R. Cohen

Release Date: January 2, 2023

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Hubble #Space #Science #GlobularCluster #NGC6355 #Ophiuchus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

NASA's Artemis I Orion Moon Mission Spacecraft Returns to Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Artemis I Orion Moon Mission Spacecraft Returns to Kennedy Space Center

After its 1.4-million-mile mission beyond the Moon and back, the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission arrived back at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Dec. 30, 2022. The capsule splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Dec. 11, 2022, and was transported by truck across the country from Naval Base San Diego in California to Kennedy’s Multi Payload Processing Facility in Florida.

Now that Orion is back at Kennedy, technicians will remove payloads from the capsule as part of de-servicing operations, including Commander Moonikin Campos, zero-gravity indicator Snoopy, and the official flight kit. Orion’s heat shield and other elements will be removed for extensive analysis, and remaining hazards will be offloaded.

Artemis I was a major step forward as part of NASA’s lunar exploration efforts and sets the stage for the next mission of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion to fly crew around the Moon on Artemis II.

After launching atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Nov. 16, 2022, from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida, Orion spent 25.5 days in space before returning to Earth, completing the Artemis I mission.

The Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of NASA’s deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, the SLS rocket, and Kennedy Space Center's Exploration Ground Systems. 

This will provide the foundation to send humans to the lunar surface, develop a long-term presence on and around the Moon, and pave the way for humanity to set foot on Mars.

Learn more: https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis-i

Credit: NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC)

Image Date: Dec. 30, 2022

#NASA #ESA #Space #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisI #Orion #Spacecraft #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #KSC #KennedySpaceCenter #Florida #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

NASA's Parker Solar Probe Completes 14th Close Encounter with The Sun

NASA's Parker Solar Probe Completes 14th Close Encounter with The Sun

On Dec. 6, 2022, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe began the 14th of 24 planned close approaches to the Sun. The closest approach—called perihelion— occurred on Dec. 11, 2022, at 8:16 a.m. EST, during which the spacecraft traveled at 364,639 miles per hour—fast enough to fly from New York to Tokyo in just over a minute. 

During the encounter, which ends Dec. 16, 2022, the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, NASA’s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory-A (STEREO-A), and radar telescopes on Earth will view the Sun from the same angle as Parker at the beginning of the encounter. They will slowly progress to an approximately 90-degree angle from Parker on the inbound side of the encounter. 

The European Space Agency’s BepiColombo mission will start out viewing the Sun from the same angle as Parker and progress to observing the Sun from an approximately 90-degree angle from Parker on the outbound side of the encounter. This orientation could provide an opportunity to observe a solar event from all sides. 

Parker Solar Probe Mission Information:

Learn more: https://jhuapl.link/psp-wzk

Parker Solar Probe is humanity’s first mission to the sun. After launch, it will orbit directly through the solar atmosphere–the corona–closer to the surface than any human-made object has ever gone. While facing brutal heat and radiation, the mission will reveal fundamental science behind what drives the solar wind, the constant outpouring of material from the sun that shapes planetary atmospheres and affects space weather near Earth.

Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living With a Star Program to explore aspects of the connected sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society.

Video Credit: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab (APL)

Duration: 1 minute, 15 seconds

Release Date: Dec. 15, 2022

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