Astronauts of China's Shenzhou-18 Mission Meet the Press | China Space Station

Astronauts of China's Shenzhou-18 Mission Meet the Press | China Space Station

Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu, the three Chinese astronauts for the upcoming Shenzhou-18 spaceflight mission to the China Space Station, met the press on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Their Shenzhou-18 crewed spaceship is scheduled to lift off at 20:59 Thursday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) announced.

Shenzhou-18 Crew

Ye Guangfu (commander)

Li Cong

Li Guangsu

"As evaluated and decided by the mission headquarters, the Shenzhou-18 spaceship is scheduled to be launched at 20:59 on April 25 Beijing Time. Crew members are astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu, with Ye Guangfu as the mission commander. Astronaut Ye Guangfu has participated in the Shenzhou-13 manned space flight mission, while Li Cong and Li Guangsu are among the country's third batch of astronauts and will carry out a space flight for the first time," said Lin Xiqiang, deputy director of the CMSA.

After reaching the space station, the trio will be greeted by the Shenzhou-17 crew currently aboard the Tiangong space station. The Shenzhou-17 crew has been on the space station since Oct 26 last year and will return to Earth after completing in-orbit rotation.

The upcoming mission marks China's 13th manned spaceflight mission since the launch of the manned space program and represents the first manned mission to the space station this year.

China's Tiangong space station will continue its normal operation, with plans outlined for two cargo spacecraft missions and two manned spaceflight missions in 2024. The Tianzhou-7 cargo supply mission was successfully completed in January this year.

The Shenzhou-18 spaceship, sitting atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, was transferred to the launching area on April 17, with pre-launch function checks and joint tests conducted to ensure the spaceship's readiness.

Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 2 minutes, 25 seconds

Release Date: April 24, 2024

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Rocket #LongMarch2FY18 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #CrewSpacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #YeGuangfu #LiCong #LiGuangs #SpaceLaboratory #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #CMSA #国家航天局 #Science #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China's Shenzhou-18 Crew Mission: Ready for Launch | China Space Station

China's Shenzhou-18 Crew Mission: Ready for Launch | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-18 crewed space mission completed its last joint practice on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, before launch, with all systems in good condition and ready for the mission.

Shenzhou-18 Crew

Ye Guangfu (commander)

Li Cong

Li Guangsu

With the unified dispatch of the Beijing Aerospace Flight Control Center, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Xi'an Satellite Control Center and the mission's various sub control stations coordinated a comprehensive simulation of technical states and work processes during launch preparation, launch, and flight of the Shenzhou-18.

The final joint rehearsal is the one with all the necessary procedures in place, making it the most accurate simulation of the actual process before the launch.

"Currently, our spacecraft system is functioning normally with all performance indicators within expected parameters. The interface with the rocket and the data from various systems and equipment within the spacecraft are all normal, and the environmental control and health protection system are also operating as expected. We have completed all necessary preparations for the launch," said Luo Guqing, a researcher of the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

April is typically the windiest and sandiest month at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The meteorological staff at the launch site have analyzed April's wind speed data over the past 10 years and mapped out multiple contingency response plans.

The rocket system has also worked out protective measures.

"To address the windy and sandy conditions, we've mapped out specific measures. If the weather forecast predicts strong winds and sandstorms, we'll block and wrap the exposed parts before the launch pad opens. This ensures that the launch can proceed smoothly despite challenging weather conditions," said Gu Mingkun, a researcher of the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology under the CASC.

Currently, facilities and equipment at the launch site are in good condition, and the site is set to proceed with the scheduled rocket propellant filling and launch. Meanwhile, the emergency response team for the rocket's ascent phase is fully prepared and making necessary arrangements.

The air detachment has conducted over 10 specialized flight training sessions involving flight, maintenance, and support personnel, and both personnel and equipment are currently in optimal conditions.

Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 1 minute, 29 seconds

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #China #中国 #Rocket #LongMarch2FY18 #Shenzhou18 #神舟十八 #CrewSpacecraft #Taikonauts #Astronauts #SpaceLaboratory #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #中国空间站 #TiangongSpaceStation #CMSA #国家航天局 #Science #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Success & Preparation | NASA's Artemis I Mission & Beyond

Success & Preparation | NASA's Artemis I Mission & Beyond

At 1:47 a.m. EST (6:47 UTC) on Nov. 16, 2022, NASA’s Orion spacecraft launched atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket from historic Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on a path to the Moon, officially beginning the Artemis I mission. 

Over the course of 25.5 days, Orion performed two lunar flybys, coming within 80 miles (129 kilometers) of the lunar surface. At its farthest distance during the mission, Orion traveled nearly 270,000 miles (435,000 kilometers) from our home planet. NASA’s Orion spacecraft successfully completed a parachute-assisted splashdown in the Pacific Ocean at 9:40 a.m. PST (12:40 p.m. EST) as the final major milestone of the Artemis I mission. 

Artemis I set new records of performance, exceeded efficiency expectations, and established new safety baselines for humans in deep space. This is a prelude to what comes next—following the success of Artemis I, human beings will fly around the Moon on Artemis II. 

Learn more about Artemis I: 

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

Credit: NASA 

Writer and Director: Paul Wizikowski 

Director of Photography & Editor: Phil Sexton 

Producers: Lora Bleacher & Lisa Allen

Duration: 12 minutes

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Space #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisGeneration #ArtemisI #Orion #Spacecraft #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Science #Engineering #Technology #Exploration #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #UnitedStates #Europe #International #STEM #Education #HD #Video

European & Australian Astronaut Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony | ESA

European & Australian Astronaut Class of 2022 Graduation Ceremony | ESA

The European Space Agency's astronaut class of 2022, including Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber, and Australian Space Agency's Katherine Bennell-Pegg during their graduation ceremony at ESA’s European Astronaut Centre on April 22, 2024. Receiving certification marks their transition from candidates to fully qualified astronauts eligible for space missions. Selected in November 2022, the group began their training in April 2023. Basic astronaut training covers spacecraft systems, spacewalks, flight engineering, robotics, life support systems, survival, and medical training, followed by pre-assignment and mission-specific training, setting the stage for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.

Australian Space Agency astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg Biography

https://www.space.gov.au/Katherine-Bennell-Pegg

ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan (UK) Biography

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Rosemary_Coogan

ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot (France) Biography

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Sophie_Adenot

ESA astronaut Pablo Álvarez Fernández (Spain) Biography

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Pablo_Alvarez_Fernandez

ESA astronaut Marco Sieber (Switzerland) Biography

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Marco_Alain_Sieber

ESA astronaut Raphaël Liégeois (Belgium) Biography

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Astronauts/Raphael_Liegeois

Credits: ESA - P. Sebirot

Image Date: April 22, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Earth #Europe #Astronauts #AstronautCandidates #AstronautTraining #ISS #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceExploration #France #UK #Spain #Switzerland #Suisse #España #Belgium #Belgique #België #EAC #Cologne #Germany #Deutschland #Australia #AustralianSpaceAgency #STEM #Education

A Tour of The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

A Tour of The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

In celebration of the 34th anniversary of the launch of NASA's legendary Hubble Space Telescope on April 24, 1990, astronomers took a snapshot of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. Also known as Messier 76, M76, or NGC 650/651, it is composed of a ring, seen edge-on as the central bar structure, and two lobes on either opening of the ring. The entire nebula is expected to vanish in about 15,000 years.

The Little Dumbbell Nebula is located 3,400 light-years away in the northern circumpolar constellation Perseus. The photogenic nebula is a favorite target of amateur astronomers.

M76 is classified as a planetary nebula. This is a misnomer because it is unrelated to planets. However, its round shape suggested it was a planet to astronomers who first viewed it through low-power telescopes. In reality, a planetary nebula is an expanding shell of glowing gases that were ejected from a dying red giant star. The star eventually collapses to an ultra-dense, hot white dwarf.

For more information, visit https://nasa.gov/hubble

Credits:

Video – Danielle Kirshenblat

Image – NASA, European Space Agency and Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)

Duration: 2 minutes, 35 seconds

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebula #M76 #Messier76 #DumbbellNebula #Star #WhiteDwarf #Perseus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #HST #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Hubble's 34th Anniversary Image: The Little Dumbbell Nebula | NASA Goddard

Hubble's 34th Anniversary Image: The Little Dumbbell Nebula | NASA Goddard

On April 24, 2024, the Hubble Space Telescope celebrated its 34th year in orbit by premiering a never-before-seen view of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. The entire nebula is expected to vanish in about 15,000 years.

Hubble’s Senior Project Scientist Dr. Jennifer Wiseman takes us on a tour of this stunning new image, describes the telescope's current health, and summarizes some of Hubble's contributions to astronomy during its 34-year career.

The Little Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Messier 76, M76, or NGC 650/651) is located 3,400 light-years away in the northern circumpolar constellation Perseus. The photogenic nebula is a favorite target of amateur astronomers.

M76 is classified as a planetary nebula. This is a misnomer because it is unrelated to planets. But its round shape suggested it was a planet to astronomers who first viewed it through low-power telescopes. In reality, a planetary nebula is an expanding shell of glowing gases that were ejected from a dying red giant star. The star eventually collapses to an ultra-dense, hot white dwarf.

For more information, visit https://nasa.gov/hubble

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Paul Morris: Lead Producer 

Jennifer Wiseman: Narrator

Duration: 3 minutes, 33 seconds

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebula #M76 #Messier76 #DumbbellNebula #Star #WhiteDwarf #Perseus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #HST #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Zoom into The Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

Zoom into The Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

This video takes the viewer on a journey to the 34th anniversary image of the launch of the legendary NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope: the Little Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Messier 76, M76, or NGC 650/651). The object is located 3,400 light-years away in the northern circumpolar constellation Perseus. This photogenic nebula is a favorite target of amateur astronomers.

Video Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, A. Pagan (STScI)  

Acknowledgment: D. Crowson, A. Fujii, Digitized Sky Survey.

Duration: 38 seconds

Release Date: April 16, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebula #M76 #Messier76 #DumbbellNebula #Star #WhiteDwarf #Perseus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #HST #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

The Little Dumbbell Nebula (M76) | Hubble

In celebration of the 34th anniversary of the launch of the legendary NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers took a snapshot of the Little Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Messier 76, M76, or NGC 650/651) located 3,400 light-years away in the northern circumpolar constellation Perseus. The photogenic nebula is a favorite target of amateur astronomers.

M76 is classified as a planetary nebula. This is a misnomer because it is unrelated to planets. But its round shape suggested it was a planet to astronomers who first viewed it through low-power telescopes. In reality, a planetary nebula is an expanding shell of glowing gases that were ejected from a dying red giant star. The star eventually collapses to an ultra-dense, hot white dwarf.

M76 is composed of a ring, seen edge-on as the central bar structure, and two lobes on either opening of the ring. Before the star burned out, it ejected the ring of gas and dust. The ring was probably sculpted by the effects of the star that once had a binary companion star. This sloughed-off material created a thick disc of dust and gas along the plane of the companion’s orbit. The hypothetical companion star is not seen in the Hubble image, and so it could have been later swallowed by the central star. The disc would be forensic evidence for that stellar cannibalism.

The primary star is collapsing to form a white dwarf. It is one of the hottest stellar remnants known at a scorching 120,000 degrees Celsius, 24 times our Sun’s surface temperature. The sizzling white dwarf can be seen as a pinpoint in the center of the nebula. A star visible in projection beneath it is not part of the nebula.

Pinched off by the disc, two lobes of hot gas are escaping from the top and bottom of the ‘belt’ along the star’s rotation axis that is perpendicular to the disc. They are being propelled by the hurricane-like outflow of material from the dying star, tearing across space at two million miles per hour. This is fast enough to travel from Earth to the Moon in a little over seven minutes! This torrential ‘stellar wind’ is ploughing into cooler, slower-moving gas that was ejected at an earlier stage in the star’s life, when it was a red giant. Ferocious ultraviolet radiation from the super-hot star is causing the gases to glow. The red color is from nitrogen, and blue is from oxygen.

The entire nebula is a flash in the pan by cosmological timekeeping. It will vanish in about 15,000 years.

Image Description: A Hubble image of the Little Dumbbell Nebula. The name comes from its shape. It is a two-lobed structure of colorful, mottled glowing gases that resemble a balloon that has been pinched around a middle waist. Like an inflating balloon, the lobes are expanding into space from a dying star seen as a white dot in the center Blistering ultraviolet radiation from the super-hot star is causing the gases to glow. The red color is from nitrogen, and blue is from oxygen.

Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, A. Pagan (STScI)

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebula #M76 #Messier76 #DumbbellNebula #Star #WhiteDwarf #Perseus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #HST #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Earth & Space Views: Shenzhou-17 Crew | China Space Station

Earth & Space Views: Shenzhou-17 Crew | China Space Station

A set of high-resolution pictures taken by the Shenzhou-17 crew in orbit, was released recently by the China Manned Space Engineering Office.

The three Shenzhou-17 astronauts have nearly completed their six month long-duration mission on China's Tiangong Space Station. The Shenzhou-17 crew launched to the station on October 26, 2023. Shenzhou-17 is the sixth spaceflight to the station. The Shenzhou-18 replacement crew will launch soon.

Shenzhou-17 Crew:

Hongbo Tang (Commander)

Shengjie Tang (Mission Specialist)

Xinlin Jiang (Mission Specialist)

Video Credit : CCTV Video News Agency/China Manned Space Engineering Office

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: April 23, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Shenzhou17 #神舟十七号 #Taikonauts #Astronauts #HongboTang #ShengjieTang #XinlinJiang #SpaceLaboratory #CSS #ChinaSpaceStation #TiangongSpaceStation #中国空间站 #CMSA #国家航天局 #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Earth Day 2024: Water Touches Everything | NASA Earth Science

Earth Day 2024: Water Touches Everything | NASA Earth Science

NASA Science Mission Directorate's Art Director, Jenny Mottar, talks about the inspiration behind the 2024 Earth Day poster.

Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

Visit: https://science.nasa.gov/multimedia-galleries/earth-day-2024-poster

(English/Español + PC/Mobile)

The ocean holds about 97 percent of Earth's water and covers 70 percent of our planet's surface. According to the United Nations, the ocean may be home to 50 to 80 percent of all life on Earth. Even if you live hundreds of miles from a coast, what happens in the ocean is fundamental to your life.

The 2024 NASA Earth Day poster is composited with real satellite imagery from NASA's Terra, Aqua, and Landsat missions. Download the poster and learn more about the imagery below.

Learn more about NASA Earth Science: https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: April 15, 2024

#NASA #Planet #Earth #NASAenespañol #español #Science #Space #Satellites #AquaMission #TerraMission #LandsatMission #Environment #Oceans #Climate #ClimateChange #GreenhouseEffect #GlobalHeating #EarthDay #EarthDay2024 #EarthDayPosters #Art #STEM #Education #HD #Video 

Download Free NASA Earth Day 2024 Posters & Virtual Backgrounds

Download Free NASA Earth Day 2024 Posters & Virtual Backgrounds

Celebrate Earth Day Every Day!

Visit: https://science.nasa.gov/multimedia-galleries/earth-day-2024-poster

(English/Español + PC/Mobile)

The ocean holds about 97 percent of Earth's water and covers 70 percent of our planet's surface. According to the United Nations, the ocean may be home to 50 to 80 percent of all life on Earth. Even if you live hundreds of miles from a coast, what happens in the ocean is fundamental to your life.

The 2024 NASA Earth Day poster is composited with real satellite imagery from NASA's Terra, Aqua, and Landsat missions. Download the poster and learn more about the imagery below.

Image Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

#NASA #Planet #Earth #Science #Space #Satellites #AquaMission #TerraMission #LandsatMission #Environment #Oceans #Climate #ClimateChange #GreenhouseEffect #GlobalHeating #EarthDay #EarthDay2024 #EarthDayPosters #STEM #Education

Earth from Orbit: Celebrating Earth Day with U.S. Weather Satellites | NOAA

Earth from Orbit: Celebrating Earth Day with U.S. Weather Satellites | NOAA

Happy Earth Day 2024! | America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): "Throughout history, humans have wondered what Earth looked like from above. The advent of satellites changed our perspective dramatically, though early imagery was often blurry and lacked detail. Today, thanks to decades of technological advancements and innovation, the quality and resolution of satellite imagery has significantly improved. Satellites from NOAA and other organizations around the world capture vital information that help us stay safe, while also sharing the beauty of our planet from afar. For us, every day is Earth Day!" 

"As we celebrate Earth Day, let us marvel at the wonders of our planet and reflect on our responsibility to cherish and protect it. Together, let’s ensure that the view from space remains a symbol of hope and inspiration for generations to come."

Credits: NOAA, NASA, Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA)

Additional imagery courtesy of Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS)

Duration: 2 minutes

Release Date: April 19, 2024

#NASA #NOAA #Planet #Earth #EarthDay #EarthDay2024 #Science #Space #Satellite #GeostationarySatellites #Weather #Meteorology #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #GlobalWarming #GlobalHeating #GOESSatellites #GSFC #UnitedStates #NorthAmerica #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Highlights of Basic Astronaut Training | European Space Agency

Highlights of Basic Astronaut Training | European Space Agency

The European Space Agency's newly graduated astronauts reach the end of one year of rigorous basic astronaut training. Watch the key moments during the journey of Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber, and Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg. Selected in November 2022, the group began their training in April 2023.

Basic astronaut training provides the candidates with an overall familiarization and training in various areas, such as spacecraft systems, spacewalks, flight engineering, robotics and life support systems as well as survival and medical training. They received astronaut certification at European Space Agency's European Astronaut Centre on April 22, 2024.

Following certification, the new astronauts will move on to the next phases of pre-assignment and mission-specific training—paving the way for future missions to the International Space Station and beyond.

Video Credit: European Space Agency / NASA / Royal Netherlands Air Force

Duration: 3 minutes

Release Date: April 22, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Earth #Europe #Astronauts #AstronautCandidates #AstronautTraining #ISS #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceExploration #France #UK #Spain #Switzerland #Suisse #España #Belgium #Belgique #België #EAC #Cologne #Germany #Deutschland #Australia #AustralianSpaceAgency #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Panning across Spiral Galaxy ESO 422-41 in Columba | Hubble

Panning across Spiral Galaxy ESO 422-41 in Columba | Hubble

This picture depicts the spiral galaxy ESO 422-41. It lies about 34 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba. The patchy, star-filled structure of the galaxy’s spiral arms and the glow from its dense core are laid out in intricate detail here by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. Images of this galaxy have, however, a decades-long history.

The name ESO 422-41 comes from its identification in the European Southern Observatory (B) Atlas of the Southern Sky. In the times before automated sky surveys with space observatories, such as the European Space Agency’s Gaia, many stars, galaxies and nebulae were discovered by means of large photographic surveys. Astronomers used the most advanced large telescopes of the time to produce hundreds of photographs, covering an area of the sky. They later studied the resulting photographs, attempting to catalogue all the new astronomical objects revealed.

In the 1970s, a new telescope at ESO’s La Silla facility in Chile performed such a survey of the southern sky. It still had not been examined in as much depth as the sky in the north. At the time, the premier technology for recording images was glass plates treated with chemicals. The resulting collection of photographic plates became the ESO (B) Atlas of the Southern Sky. Astronomers at ESO and in Uppsala, Sweden collaborated to study the plates, recording hundreds of galaxies—ESO 422-41 being just one of those—star clusters, and nebulae. Many were new to astronomy.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, with a brightly shining core and two large arms. The arms are broad, faint overall and quite patchy, and feature several small bright spots where stars are forming. A few foreground stars with small diffraction spikes can be seen in front of the galaxy.

Astronomical sky surveying has since transitioned through digital, computer-aided surveys, such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Legacy Surveys, to surveys made by space telescopes including Gaia and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. Even so, photographic sky surveys contributed immensely to astronomical knowledge for decades, and the archives of glass plates serve as an important historical reference for large swathes of the sky. Several are still actively used today, for instance to study variable stars through time. The objects that these surveys revealed, including ESO 422-41, can now be studied in depth by telescopes, such as Hubble. 

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick

Duration: 30 seconds

Release Date: April 22, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO42241 #SpiralGalaxy #Columba #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Spiral Galaxy ESO 422-41 in Columba | Hubble Space Telescope

Spiral Galaxy ESO 422-41 in Columba | Hubble Space Telescope

This picture depicts the spiral galaxy ESO 422-41. It lies about 34 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Columba. The patchy, star-filled structure of the galaxy’s spiral arms and the glow from its dense core are laid out in intricate detail here by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. Images of this galaxy have, however, a decades-long history.

The name ESO 422-41 comes from its identification in the European Southern Observatory (B) Atlas of the Southern Sky. In the times before automated sky surveys with space observatories, such as the European Space Agency’s Gaia, many stars, galaxies and nebulae were discovered by means of large photographic surveys. Astronomers used the most advanced large telescopes of the time to produce hundreds of photographs, covering an area of the sky. They later studied the resulting photographs, attempting to catalogue all the new astronomical objects revealed.

In the 1970s, a new telescope at ESO’s La Silla facility in Chile performed such a survey of the southern sky. It still had not been examined in as much depth as the sky in the north. At the time, the premier technology for recording images was glass plates treated with chemicals. The resulting collection of photographic plates became the ESO (B) Atlas of the Southern Sky. Astronomers at ESO and in Uppsala, Sweden collaborated to study the plates, recording hundreds of galaxies—ESO 422-41 being just one of those—star clusters, and nebulae. Many were new to astronomy.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, with a brightly shining core and two large arms. The arms are broad, faint overall and quite patchy, and feature several small bright spots where stars are forming. A few foreground stars with small diffraction spikes can be seen in front of the galaxy.

Astronomical sky surveying has since transitioned through digital, computer-aided surveys, such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Legacy Surveys, to surveys made by space telescopes including Gaia and the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer. Even so, photographic sky surveys contributed immensely to astronomical knowledge for decades, and the archives of glass plates serve as an important historical reference for large swathes of the sky. Several are still actively used today, for instance to study variable stars through time. The objects that these surveys revealed, including ESO 422-41, can now be studied in depth by telescopes, such as Hubble. 

Credit: European Space Agency (ESA)/Hubble & NASA, C. Kilpatrick

Release Date: April 22, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #ESO42241 #SpiralGalaxy #Columba #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #SpaceTelescope #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Star Diary: The Lyrid Meteor Shower Reaches its Peak: April 22-28, 2024

Star Diary: The Lyrid Meteor Shower Reaches its Peak: April 22-28, 2024

The full Moon will wash out the dimmer meteors, but fortunately there are plenty of other stargazing highlights in this week’s stargazing podcast guide, Star Diary, April 22 to 28, 2024.

Transcript: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/podcasts/star-diary-22-apr-2024

Video Credit: BBC Sky at Night Magazine

Duration: 18 minutes

Release Date: April 21, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #Moon #Planets #SolarSystem #MeteorShowers #Comets #Stars #Planets #Constellations #StarClusters #MilkyWayGalaxy #Galaxies #Universe #Skywatching #BBC #UK #Britain #Europe #UnitedStates #Canada #NorthernHemisphere #STEM #Education #HD #Video