Mars Images: April 2024 | NASA Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers
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Mars Images: April 2024 | NASA Mars Curiosity & Perseverance Rovers
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The Helix Galaxy: NGC 2685 | Gemini North Telescope
The 8.1-meter diameter optical/infrared North Gemini Telescope is located on Hawaii‘s Maunakea as part of the international community of observatories built to take advantage of the superb atmospheric conditions on this long-dormant volcano that rises about 4,214 meters (13,825 feet) into the dry, stable air of the Pacific. The Gemini Observatory's international headquarters is located in Hilo, Hawai‘i at the University of Hawaii Hilo's University Park.
Since 2002 Gemini North has also been known as the Frederick C. Gillett Gemini North telescope. Dr. Gillett, who died in April 2001, was one of the primary visionaries of the Gemini telescopes. He was instrumental in assuring that the design of Gemini's twin 8-meter telescopes would make major scientific contributions to astronomy.
Learn more here: https://www.gemini.edu
Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/L. Bassino
Image Processing: J. Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Rodriguez (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), & M. Zamani (NSF’s NOIRLab)
Release Date: April 10, 2024
#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC2685 #LenticularGalaxy #PolarRingGalaxy #UrsaMajor #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #InternationalGeminiObservatory #GeminiNorthTelescope #Optical #NOIRLab #AURA #NSF #Maunakea #Hawaii #UnitedStates #STEM #Education
NASA Astronaut Loral O’Hara Post-Flight News Conference: April 15, 2024 | JSC
Event starts at 2 minute mark: After spending six-and-a-half-months aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara participates in a news conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
A look at some of the scientific activities O’Hara conducted during her mission: https://go.nasa.gov/43tVfUV
O’Hara ended her time in space with a parachute-assisted landing in the Soyuz MS-24 spacecraft on the steppe of Kazakhstan, southeast of the remote town of Dzhezkazgan on April 6, 2024.
O’Hara, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Russia, and cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus, began the journey back to Earth when the Soyuz undocked from the International Space Station earlier in the day.
O’Hara arrived at the International Space Station on Sept. 15, 2023, spending 204 days in low Earth orbit.
During her 204 days aboard the station, O’Hara experienced:
Approximately 3,264 orbits of Earth
Approximately 86,555,554 statute miles traveled
Eight spacecraft visiting the International Space Station, including two Roscosmos Progress cargo ships, one Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft, one Roscosmos Soyuz, two crewed SpaceX Dragons, and two uncrewed SpaceX Dragons.
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. The ISS has been the most politically complex space exploration program ever undertaken.
Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)
Duration: 22 minutes
Release Date: April 15, 2024
#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #SoyuzMS24Spacecraft #СоюзМС24 #Astronaut #LoralOHara #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #OlegNovitskiy #Russia #Россия #MarinaVasilevskaya #Belarus #Беларусь #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #Houston #Texas #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video
Near-Earth Asteroids Discovered to Date: April 2024 | NASA Planetary Defense
What do we know about the asteroids and comets in Earth's neighborhood? Planetary defense is part of NASA's mission. It includes finding, tracking, and characterizing near-Earth objects (NEOs).
Here is what we have found so far.
Learn more about Planetary Defense at NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/planetarydefense
Video Credit: NASA 360
Duration: 1 minute, 19 seconds
China Makes Progress in Developing Reusable Carrier Rockets
China successfully completed two consecutive ignition tests of a 130-tonne reusable liquid oxygen-kerosene engine on Friday, April 12, 2024, laying the foundation for maiden flights of reusable carrier rockets, said the Sixth Academy of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC).
Chinese engineers have overcome many technical difficulties in developing a new engine for reusable rockets. It underwent its 30th ignition test on Friday.
The engine is known as the heart of rocket that produces thrust for the lift-off. How to develop a reusable engine that can make the rocket land accurately, be more durable, and easier to repair are among the most daunting challenges facing Chinese researchers.
"First of all, it [the engine] has to be used for a long time or for multiple ignitions. The most important thing is that we must figure out the lifespan of every component and the entire machine after extremely accurate adjustment, which cannot be achieved through simulation. The only way is to have constant test runs," said Song Yaqing, who is in charge of digitalization for the liquid oxygen-kerosene engine at the 11th Institute of the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology (Sixth Academy) of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).
Another major problem the research team need to resolve is using what kind of materials and how to control the manufacturing process to produce an engine with high technical standards and reliable quality.
"Focusing on the requirement of technical indicators including repeatability, durability and reliability of the reusable engine, we have tackled a series of key issues and carried out a series of research projects. There were nearly 70 major research projects, which have greatly improved the technological level and stability of our engine's manufacturing process, and ensured the consistency and reliability of our products' quality," said Liu Chaofeng, a senior engineer at Xi'an Aerospace Engine Company of CASC Sixth Academy.
Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Duration: 1 minute
Release Date: April 14, 2024
#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #China #中国 #RocketEngineTests #ReusableEngines #ReusableCarrierRockets #ResusableRockets #LiquidPropellant #OxygenKerosene #SpaceTechnology #Science #Engineering #XianCity #ShaanxiProvince #NorthwestChina #CASC #STEM #Education #HD #Video
Spiral Galaxy NGC 3783 & Star HD 101274 in Centaurus | Hubble
Whilst the focus of this image is the spiral galaxy NGC 3783, the eye is equally drawn to the very bright object in the lower right part of this image. This is the star HD 101274. The perspective in this image makes the star and the galaxy look like close companions, but this is an illusion. HD 101274 lies only about 1,530 light-years from Earth, meaning it is about 85 thousand times closer than NGC 3783. This explains how a single star can appear to outshine an entire galaxy!
NGC 3783 is a type-1 Seyfert galaxy. This is a galaxy with a bright central region. Thus, it is particularly bright itself, as far as galaxies go. In this image it is recorded by Hubble in incredible detail, from its glowing central bar to its narrow, winding arms and the dust threaded through them, thanks to five separate images taken in different wavelengths of light. In fact, the galactic center is bright enough to Hubble that it exhibits diffraction spikes, normally only seen on stars such as HD 101274.
Image Description: A spiral galaxy, seen face-on to the viewer. The bright center of the galaxy is crossed by a glowing bar, and it is surrounded by tightly-wound spiral arms, forming a circular shape with relatively clear edges. Faraway galaxies can be seen around it, along with a few bright stars, on a dark background. One star to the right of the galaxy is very large and extremely bright with long diffraction spikes around it.
Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, M. C. Bentz, D. J. V. Rosario
Release Date: April 15, 2024
#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Hubble #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC3783 #Barred #Spiral #Type1Seyfert #Star #HD101274 #Centaurus #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education
Planetary Nebulae HFG1 & Abell 6 in Cassiopeia
Planetary nebulae like Heckathorn-Fesen-Gull 1 (HFG1) and Abell 6 in the constellation Cassiopeia are remnants from the last phase of a medium sized star like our Sun. In spite of their shapes, planetary nebulae have nothing in common with actual planets. Located in the bottom left part of the featured photo, HFG1 was created by the binary star system V664 Cas. It consists of a white dwarf star and a red giant star. Both stars orbit their center of mass over about half an Earth day. Traveling with the entire nebula at a speed about 300 times faster than the fastest train on Earth, V664 Cas generates a bluish arc shaped shock wave. The wave interacts most strongly with the surrounding interstellar medium in the areas where the arc is brightest. After roughly 10,000 years, planetary nebulae become invisible due to a lack of ultraviolet light being emitted by the stars that create them. Displaying beautiful shapes and structures, planetary nebulae are highly desired objects for astrophotographers.
Image Credit & Copyright: Julien Cadena & Mickael Coulon
Julien's website:
https://www.astrobin.com/users/JulienCadena/
Mickael Coulon:
https://www.instagram.com/p/C2ScF5tsmRT
Text: Natalia Lewandowska (SUNY Oswego)
Release Date: Feb. 12, 2024
#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Nebulae #PlanetaryNebula #HFG1 #Stars #V664Cas #BinaryStarSystem #Cassiopeia #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophotographers #JulienCadena #MickaelCoulon #Astrophotography #CitizenScience #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD
Planetary Nebula HFG1 in Cassiopeia | Mayall Telescope
This image was obtained with the wide-field view of the Mosaic camera on the 4-meter Mayall telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. HFG1 is a planetary nebula in the constellation of Cassiopeia. It was produced by a binary star system (V664 Cas) that is moving rapidly through our Galaxy. The star is moving towards the upper-right of the image. As HFG1 plows through the interstellar medium, a bluish bowshock is produced; and a red trail of gas is left behind in its wake. The image was generated with observations in the Hydrogen alpha (red) and Oxygen [OIII] (blue) filters. In this image, North is down and East is to the right.
Distance: ~3,100 light years
The Nicholas U. Mayall Telescope is a four-meter (158 inches) reflector telescope in Arizona named after Nicholas U. Mayall. It saw first light on February 27, 1973, and was the second-largest telescope in the world at that time.
Credit: T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage) and H. Schweiker (WIYN and NOIRLab/National Science Foundation (NSF)/Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy)
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks over California
In dark evening skies over June Lake, California, northern hemisphere, planet Earth, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks stood just above the western horizon on March 30, 2024. Its twisted turbulent ion tail and diffuse greenish coma are captured in this two degree wide telescopic field of view along with bright yellowish star Hamal also known as Alpha Arietis. Now Pons-Brooks has moved out of the northern night though, approaching perihelion on April 21. On April 8 you might still spot the comet in daytime skies. However, to do it, you will have to stand in the path of totality and look away from the spectacle of an alluring solar corona and totally eclipsed Sun.
12P/Pons–Brooks is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 71 years. It fits the classical definition of a Halley-type comet with an orbital period between 20 and 200 years. It is also one of the brightest known periodic comets, reaching an absolute visual magnitude ~5 in its approach to perihelion.
Comet Pons-Brooks was discovered at Marseilles Observatory in July 1812 by Jean-Louis Pons.
The greenish coma of this comet has become relatively easy to observe in small telescopes.
Image Credit & Copyright: Dan Bartlett
Dan's website: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2404/12P_Pons_Brooks_2024_03_30_JuneLake_DEBartlett.jpg
Location: June Lake, California
Capture Date: March 30, 2024
Release Date: April 4, 2024
#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Earth #Comets #Comet #Comet12PPonsBrooks #Perihelion #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #DanBartlett #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #JuneLake #California #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #APoD
How a Total Solar Eclipse Ends
How does a total solar eclipse end? Yes, the Moon moves out from fully blocking the Sun, but in the first few seconds of transition, interesting things appear. The first is called a diamond ring. Light might stream between mountains or through relative lowlands around the Moon's edge, as seen from your location, making this sudden first light, when combined with the corona that surrounds the Moon, look like a diamond ring. Within seconds other light streams appear that are called, collectively, Bailey's beads.
In the featured video, it may seem that the pink triangular prominence on the Sun is somehow related to where the Sun begins to reappear, but it is not. Observers from other locations saw Bailey's beads emerge from different places around the Moon, away from the iconic triangular solar prominence visible to all. The video was captured with specialized equipment from New Boston, Texas, USA on April 8, 2024.
Video Credit & Copyright: David Duarte
David's website:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidduarte_astro/
Location: New Boston, Texas, USA
Capture Date: Date: April 8, 2024
Release Date: April 13, 2024
#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Earth #Moon #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #TotalSolarEclipse #BaileysBeads #Canada #Mexico #Astrophotographer #DavidDuarte #CitizenScience #NewBoston #Texas #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video #APoD
The Story of NASA Astronaut John Herrington: First Native American in Space | PBS
We bring you the story of John Herrington, a trailblazing astronaut. When astronaut John Herrington made his voyage to space aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour’s STS-113 mission in 2002, he became the first Native American in space. An enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Herrington carried its flag on his 13-day trip to space, as well as several personal items with him. Among those items was this traditional flute.
Born in Wetumka, Oklahoma, into the Chickasaw Nation, Herrington built his career on service. He received his commission from Aviation Officer Candidate School in March 1984 and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1985. He was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996, after earning a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering in June 1995.
In July 2004, Herrington served as the commander of the NEEMO 6 mission, an analog mission that served as a field test in locations that have physical similarities to the extreme space environments. He and his crew lived and worked underwater for 10 days. Herrington retired from the Navy and NASA in July 2005.
Video Credit: PBS NewsHour
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Nov. 12, 2023
#NASA #Space #Earth #NorthAmerica #UnitedStates #NativeAmericans #FirstNations #AboriginalPeople #ChickasawNation #Oklahoma #Astronaut #JohnHerrington #Engineer #Pilot #NavalAviator #USNavy #STS113 #SpaceShuttle #History #STEM #Education #PBSNewsHour #HD #Video
Download Free NASA eBook "Hubble Focus: Dark Universe"
Download:
PDF Format (10 MB):
https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nasa-hubble-focus-dark-universe-2024-apr-v2.pdf
ePub Format (70 MB)
https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/nasa-hubble-focus-dark-universe-2024-apr-v2.epub
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope team has released a new downloadable, free e-book in the Hubble Focus series, called “Hubble Focus: The Dark Universe.” This e-book highlights the mission’s recent discoveries about two mysterious components of our universe, known as dark energy—an unexplained cosmic pressure that is speeding up the universe’s expansion—and dark matter, an invisible substance detectable only by seeing how it gravitationally influences visible matter.
This e-book is part of a series called Hubble Focus. It presents examples of Hubble's recent cosmic discoveries. Its cover, shown here, features the Abell S1063 galaxy cluster. A soft blue haze, called intracluster light, casts an otherworldly glow among innumerable galaxies. The stars producing this glow were thrown free of their home galaxies. These stars now live solitary lives, no longer part of a galaxy but aligning themselves with the gravity of the overall cluster. Astronomers using Hubble found that tracing intracluster light offers a good indicator of how invisible dark matter is distributed in the cluster.
“This new e-book is a wonderful summary of all the work that Hubble, in cooperation with other observatories on the ground and in space, has put into improving our understanding of two of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics today: the true nature and origin of dark matter and dark energy,” said Ken Carpenter, Hubble’s operations project scientist. “Much remains to be done, but this book will give you a front row seat to what’s been happening in this quest!”
A Cosmic Ghost Hunt
Dark matter is a phantom in the machinery of the universe. Though it makes up the vast majority of the universe’s bulk, dark matter would evade even the best “ghost hunters” because it is invisible, detectable only through its effects on normal matter. Its gravitational pull is the muscle of the cosmos, holding together both individual galaxies and galaxy clusters. Although scientists have long seen evidence of its existence, dark matter’s true nature remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern physics.
Hubble’s cosmic detective work offers clues by exploring the way matter, normal and dark, is structured and distributed throughout space. The mission’s observations have even tested theories about the type of particle that could make up dark matter. However, Hubble’s observations have not always matched predictions, hinting that our theoretical models still have several missing pieces.
Under Pressure
Shock waves of surprise rippled through the scientific community in 1998, when Hubble observations of supernovae in more distant galaxies helped show that the universe actually expanded more slowly in the past than it does today. This meant the expansion of the universe was not slowing down due to the attractive force of gravity, as many thought it should—it was speeding up.
Today, we still do not know the exact cause of this mysterious acceleration, but theoretical cosmologists coined the term “dark energy” to describe it. Dark energy is so weak that gravity overpowers it on the scale of humans, planets, and even within the galaxy, which is why it was unobserved for so long.
Dark energy is present in the room with you as you read, even within your body, but gravity is much stronger at smaller scales. This is why you do not fly out of your seat. It is only on an intergalactic scale that dark energy becomes noticeable—and since it is everywhere, it even overwhelms the dark matter! Hubble has helped gather very precise measurements of the universe's expansion rate, but its findings underscore a nagging discrepancy. The universe is expanding faster now than was expected from its trajectory seen shortly after the big bang, and no one yet knows why.
The perplexity surrounding dark energy and dark matter indicates that for all we have learned about the universe, we still do not know much about its underpinnings. Studying these mysteries opens the door to discovering exciting new physics.
“Hubble’s incredible scientific power continues to drive modern astronomy,” said Jennifer Wiseman, Hubble’s senior project scientist. “Dark matter and dark energy were not in mind when Hubble was first designed, and yet by detecting the impacts of these unseen cosmic phenomena, the Hubble Space Telescope is once again transforming our understanding of the universe.”
Scientists will expand upon Hubble’s insights about dark matter and dark energy with complementary observations from the European Space Agency’s Euclid mission that includes NASA contributions, along with NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and a variety of other space and ground-based telescopes. We have far more left to learn among the stars.
As the fifth edition of the series, this e-book builds on the wealth of information shared in previous renditions that focused on the solar system, galaxies, stars, and exoplanets. Upcoming editions will zoom in on other cosmic topics, such as black holes—astronomical objects with such strong gravity that nothing, not even light, can escape their clutches.
The new e-book is compatible with most electronic devices and can be downloaded in multiple formats for free from: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/multimedia/e-books
For more information about Hubble, visit: www.nasa.gov/hubble
Image Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Caption Credit: Ashley Balzer
Release Date: April 6, 2024
#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #eBook #ePub #PDF #Planets #Stars #Supernovae #BlackHoles #Galaxies #GalaxyClusters #DarkEnergy #DarkMatter #Cosmos #Universe #Astrophysics #SpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education
Studying Planet Earth's Oceans from Space | NASA Goddard
NASA's exploration of our planet's oceans from space spans a rich history. Delving into the depths of Earth's oceans unveils the mysteries of our home planet. Therefore, NASA remains steadfast in leading the way in oceanic research.
Learn more about NASA's PACE Earth Mission:
Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)/Scientific Visualization Studio
Grace Weikert (AMA): Lead Producer
Katie Jepson (KBR): Lead Writer
Kathleen Gaeta (AMA): Support
Jefferson Beck (MORI): Support
Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET): Technical Support
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: April 12, 2024
#NASA #Space #Satellite #Science #Earth #Planet #Atmosphere #Oceans #Phytoplankton #Land #PACEMission #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #Weather #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #GSFC #UnitedStates #History #STEM #Education #Visualization #HD #Video
U.S. Weather Satellites View Total Solar Eclipse | NOAA
On April 8, 2024, the Moon moved directly between the Earth and Sun, completely blocking the Sun’s light and causing a total solar eclipse. During this event, the Moon’s shadow passed over parts of Mexico, the United States, and Canada, and millions of people were treated to a celestial show where the sky darkened as if it were dawn or dusk throughout its path of totality.
Credits: NOAA, NASA, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)
Additional imagery courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)
Total Solar Eclipse Photo: NASA/Jordan Salkin
Partial Solar Eclipse Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky
Annular Solar Eclipse Photo: NASA/Jim Spann
2024 Eclipse Fly around visualization: NASA/SVS
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: April 12, 2024
#NASA #NOAA #Space #Science #Satellite #Sun #Moon #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #Earth #Planet #Atmosphere #GOESEast #GOES16 #CIRA #Geocolor #Mexico #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthAmerica #CentralAmerica #SouthAmerica #AtlanticOcean #PacificOcean #Weather #Meteorology #RemoteSensing #EarthObservation #STEM #Education #HD #Video
Following the Total Solar Eclipse Shadow | This Week @NASA
Week of April 12, 2024: Following the shadow of the total solar eclipse, a NASA astronaut returns safely from the International Space Station, and our lunar-roving robot gets some new hardware . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!
Video Credit: NASA
Video Producer & Editor: Andre Valentine
Narrator: Emanuel Cooper
Release Date: April 13, 2024
#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Science #Earth #Moon #VIPER #Sun #SolarEclipses #SolarEclipse #SolarEclipse2024 #Astronauts #LoralOHara #Cosmonauts #Russia #Россия #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Expedition70 #HumanSpaceflight #JSC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video
First Human in Space: Celebrating Yuri Gagarin's April 12, 1961 Spaceflight
Yuri Gagarin is pictured here before his historic April 12, 1961 launch, with Kirill Moskalenko (Army Marshal of the Soviet Union) and head engineer Sergei Korolyov. Note: Yuri's helmet features the abbreviation CCCP, standing for the Central Committee of the Communist Party (CCCP) of the Soviet Union to identify his nationality. Korolyov was the lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer during the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union in the 1950s and 1960s.
Schematic diagram of Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 spacecraft
Vostok 3KA (1:3 scale model) A Vostok 3A spacecraft carried Yuri Gagarin and other Vostok cosmonauts of the Soviet Union into space during the early 1960s.
(Source: Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum)
Headline in The Huntsville Times newspaper in the U.S. state of Alabama on April 12, 1961
U.S. President John F. Kennedy's Letter of Congratulations to Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), after Yuri Gagarin's historic 1961 spaceflight. (Source: JFK Library)
Yuri Gagarin surrounded by a crowd of children, circa 1961.