Our Active Sun: A Week of Rapid-Fire Solar Flares | NASA

Our Active Sun: A Week of Rapid-Fire Solar Flares | NASA

From May 3 through May 9, 2024, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) observed 82 notable solar flares. The flares came mainly from two active regions on the Sun called AR 13663 and AR 13664. This video highlights all flares classified at M5 or higher with nine categorized as X-class solar flares.

A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation, or light, on the Sun. Flares are our solar system’s most powerful explosive events. Light only takes about 8 minutes to travel from the Sun to Earth, so that is how long it would take the energy from a flare to reach our planet. 

Solar flares are rated into different classes based on their strength, or energy output, and the effect a flare will have on Earth depends on what class it is (B, C, M, and X classes, with X being the most intense). Earth’s atmosphere absorbs most of the Sun’s intense radiation, so flares are not directly harmful to humans on the ground. However, the radiation from a flare can be harmful to astronauts outside of Earth’s atmosphere, and it can affect the technology we rely on.

Stronger solar flares—those rated class M5 or above—can have impacts on technology that depends on Earth’s ionosphere (our electrically charged upper atmosphere), like high-frequency radio used for navigation and GPS. 

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)

Producer: Beth Anthony (eMITS)

Writer: Abbey A. Interrante (ADNET Systems, Inc.)

Writer: Joy Ng (National Institutes of Aerospace)

Duration: 3 minutes, 16 seconds

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #SpaceWeather #Sun #Star #Solar #SolarFlares #GeomagenticStorms #G4GeomagenticStorm #G4Alert #Ultraviolet #Plasma #MagneticField #Heliophysics #Physics #Spacecraft #Satellites #SDO #SolarSystem #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Aurora over Switzerland

Aurora over Switzerland

Astrophotographer Role Bigler: "Aurora Borealis Emmentalensis. Aurora borealis over the Emmental (Switzerland). Not an everyday occurrence."

On Earth, auroras are mainly created by particles originally emitted by the Sun in the form of solar wind. When this stream of electrically charged particles gets close to our planet, it interacts with the magnetic field, which acts as a gigantic shield. While it protects Earth’s environment from solar wind particles, it can also trap a small fraction of them. Particles trapped within the magnetosphere—the region of space surrounding Earth in which charged particles are affected by its magnetic field—can be energized and then follow the magnetic field lines down to the magnetic poles. There, they interact with oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the upper layers of the atmosphere, creating the flickering, colorful lights visible in the polar regions here on Earth.

Earth auroras have different names depending on which pole they occur at. Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, is the name given to auroras around the north pole and Aurora Australis, or the southern lights, is the name given for auroras around the south pole.

The Colors of the Aurora (U.S. National Park Service)

https://www.nps.gov/articles/-articles-aps-v8-i1-c9.htm

Image Credit: Role Bigler

Image Date: May 10, 2024

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Planet Earth Aurora Forecast | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Planet Earth Aurora Forecast | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Northern Hemisphere

Southern Hemisphere

This is a short-term forecast of the location and intensity of the aurora. The two maps show the North and South poles of Earth respectively. The brightness and location of the aurora is typically shown as a green oval centered on Earth’s magnetic pole. The green ovals turn red when the aurora is forecasted to be more intense. The sunlit side of Earth is indicated by the lighter blue of the ocean and the lighter color of the continents. Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise. The aurora is not visible during daylight hours. The aurora does not need to be directly overhead but can be observed from as much as a 1000 km away when the aurora is bright and if conditions are right. 

The aurora is an indicator of the current geomagnetic storm conditions and provides situational awareness for a number of technologies.  The aurora directly impacts HF radio communication and GPS/GNSS satellite navigation.  It is closely related to the ground induce currents that impact electric power transition.

For many people, the aurora is a beautiful nighttime phenomenon that is worth traveling to arctic regions just to observe. It is the only way for most people to actually experience space weather. 

Earth auroras have different names depending on which pole they occur at. Aurora Borealis, or the northern lights, is the name given to auroras around the north pole and Aurora Australis, or the southern lights, is the name given for auroras around the south pole.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. 

Geomagnetic storms involve powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft, including satellites and astronauts.

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Image Credit: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Forecast Source: https://www.spaceweather.gov

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #NOAA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #AuroraAustralis #SouthernLights #SpaceWeather #Sun #Solar #SolarFlares #GeomagneticStorms #G4GeomagenticStorm #G4Alert #MagneticField #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #SolarSystem #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Alert | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Alert | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. 

Geomagnetic storms involve powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft, including satellites and astronauts.

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Image Credit: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #SpaceWeather #Sun #Star #Solar #SolarFlares #GeomagenticStorms #G4GeomagenticStorm #G4Alert #Ultraviolet #Plasma #MagneticField #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Physics #Spacecraft #Satellites #SDO #SolarSystem #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun | NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun | NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 2:54 a.m. ET on May 10, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured an image of the event. SDO watches the Sun constantly.

Image Description: The bottom right area of the Sun, shown in gold and against a black background. There are loops cascading off the Sun. Toward the middle is a bright white area—the solar flare.

This image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares. It is colorized in gold.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare is classified as an X3.9 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. 

NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

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

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #SpaceWeather #Sun #Star #Solar #SolarFlares #Ultraviolet #Plasma #MagneticField #Astrophysics #Heliophysics #Physics #Spacecraft #Satellite #SDO #SolarSystem #NASAGoddard #GSFC #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA Hubble Servicing Mission 4: 15th Anniversary Celebration (2009-2024)

NASA Hubble Servicing Mission 4: 15th Anniversary Celebration (2009-2024)

Fifteen years ago, a remarkable mission unfolded above the Earth. The Hubble Space Telescope, humanity's eye on the universe, received an unprecedented upgrade during its fifth and final Servicing Mission.

In May 2009, a brave team of astronauts embarked on a daring journey aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis. Their mission? To breathe new life into Hubble, ensuring its legacy of discovery could continue for years to come.

Space Shuttle Atlantis carried two new instruments to the Hubble Space Telescope, the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph and the Wide Field Camera 3. The mission also replaced a Fine Guidance Sensor, six gyroscopes, and two battery unit modules to allow the telescope to continue to function. The crew also installed new thermal blanket insulating panels to provide improved thermal protection, and a soft-capture mechanism that would aid in the safe de-orbiting of the telescope by a robotic spacecraft at the end of its operational lifespan.

The crew of STS-125 included three astronauts who had previous experience servicing Hubble. Scott Altman visited Hubble in 2002 as commander of STS-109, the fourth Hubble servicing mission. John Grunsfeld, an astronomer, has serviced Hubble twice, performing a total of five spacewalks on STS-103 in 1999 and STS-109. Michael Massimino served with both Altman and Grunsfeld on STS-109, and performed two spacewalks to service the telescope.

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

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

Paul Morris: Lead Producer 

Duration: 1 minute, 15 seconds

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #HubbleServicingMission4 #SpaceShuttle #Astronauts #ScottAltman #JohnGrunsfeld #MichaelMassimino #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #History #HD #Video

City Lights of China | International Space Station

City Lights of China | International Space Station

City lights illuminate the country of China to the East China Sea in this nighttime photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 258 miles above the Asian nation.

Follow Expedition 70 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Release Date: May 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #ISS #Stars #Planet #Earth #Atmosphere #Airglow #China #中国 #Cities #Night #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #Roscosmos #Роскосмос #Russia #Россия #HumanSpaceflight #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

NASA's Space to Ground: Preparing for Guests | Week of May 10, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground: Preparing for Guests | Week of May 10, 2024

NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are targeted to launch aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the orbital lab no earlier than 6:16 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 17, 2024.

Follow Expedition 71 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 71 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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.

Starliner launch updates: 

https://www.ulalaunch.com/missions/next-launch/atlas-v-starliner-cft

For more info on Starliner, visit: 

boeing.com/starliner

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: 

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Learn more about the important research being operated on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/iss-science 

For more information about STEM on Station:

https://www.nasa.gov/stemonstation

Video Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Duration: 2 minutes, 33 seconds

Release Date: May 10, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #ISS #Boeing #Starliner #CST100 #AtlasVRocket #CommercialCrewProgram #CFT #Astronauts #SuniWilliams #BarryWilmore #HumanSpaceflight #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #LaunchAmerica #NASAKennedy#Florida #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Expedition71 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Crew Interview Ahead of All-civilian Spacewalk | NBC TODAY Show

Polaris Dawn Crew Interview Ahead of All-civilian Spacewalk | NBC TODAY Show

Polaris Dawn crew members Jared Isaacman, Sarah Gillis, Scott Poteet, and Anna Menon joined the TODAY show to share details about their upcoming historic mission as they get ready to attempt the first all-civilian spacewalk. The 5-day private mission is set to launch early summer on SpaceX’s Dragon X where they will also be testing out brand new spacesuits.

At ~700 km above Earth, the extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit will support the Polaris Dawn crew in the vacuum of space during the first-ever commercial astronaut spacewalk. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Polaris Dawn mission from Florida. Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to five days in orbit. This Dragon mission will take advantage of Falcon 9 and Dragon’s maximum performance, flying higher than any Dragon mission to date by reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown. Orbiting through portions of the Earth's Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health.

Evolved from the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suit, the EVA suit provides greater mobility, a state-of-the-art helmet Heads-Up Display (HUD) and camera, new thermal management textiles, and materials borrowed from Falcon’s interstage and Dragon’s trunk.

Building a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will require millions of spacesuits. The development of this suit and the execution of the spacewalk will be important steps toward a scalable design for spacesuits on future long-duration missions as life becomes multiplanetary.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn about the Polaris Dawn Mission:

https://polarisprogram.com/dawn/

Video Credit: NBC TV

Release Date: May 6, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #SpaceX #ElonMusk #SpaceXDragon #Spacecraft #PolarisProgram #PolarisDawn #PolarisDawnCrew #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuit #HumanSpaceflight #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #MoonToMars #UnitedStates #CommercialSpace #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope: Northrop Grumman-Built

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope: Northrop Grumman-Built

"Northrop Grumman led the industry team for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the largest, most complex and powerful space telescope ever built. The Webb Telescope fundamentally alters our understanding of the universe."

"Northrop Grumman ensured that this once unthinkable achievement became a reality." 

Learn more: 

https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/james-webb-space-telescope

https://jwst.nasa.gov/content/about/index.html

Video Credit: Northrop Grumman

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: May 9, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #NorthropGrumman #Stars #Nebulae #Galaxies #Cosmos #Universe #NASAWebb #JWST #Infrared #SpaceTelescope #ESA #CSA #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Polaris Dawn Crew: Testing New Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Spacesuits | SpaceX

Polaris Dawn Crew: Testing New Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Spacesuits | SpaceX

A member of the Polaris Dawn Crew wearing their new EVA spacesuit in a Crew Dragon mock-up at SpaceX Headquarters in Hawthorne, California

The Polaris Dawn crew wearing their new EVA spacesuits in a Crew Dragon mock-up at SpaceX Headquarters in Hawthorne, California

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Scott Poteet, Polaris Dawn Mission Pilot

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

At ~700 km above Earth, the extravehicular activity (EVA) spacesuit will support the Polaris Dawn crew in the vacuum of space during the first-ever commercial astronaut spacewalk. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Polaris Dawn mission from Florida. Dragon and the Polaris Dawn crew will spend up to five days in orbit. This Dragon mission will take advantage of Falcon 9 and Dragon’s maximum performance, flying higher than any Dragon mission to date by reaching the highest Earth orbit ever flown. Orbiting through portions of the Earth's Van Allen radiation belt, Polaris Dawn will conduct research with the aim of better understanding the effects of spaceflight and space radiation on human health.

Evolved from the Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suit, the EVA suit provides greater mobility, a state-of-the-art helmet Heads-Up Display (HUD) and camera, new thermal management textiles, and materials borrowed from Falcon’s interstage and Dragon’s trunk.

Building a base on the Moon and a city on Mars will require millions of spacesuits. The development of this suit and the execution of the spacewalk will be important steps toward a scalable design for spacesuits on future long-duration missions as life becomes multiplanetary.

Polaris Dawn Crew

Jared Isaacman - Mission Commander

Scott Poteet - Mission Pilot

Sarah Gillis - Mission Specialist

Anna Menon - Mission Specialist & Medical Officer

Learn about the Polaris Dawn Mission:

https://polarisprogram.com/dawn/

Image & Caption Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Release Date: May 5, 2024

#NASA #Space #Earth #SpaceX #ElonMusk #SpaceXDragon #Spacecraft #PolarisProgram #PolarisDawn #PolarisDawnCrew #EVA #Spacewalk #Spacesuit #HumanSpaceflight #Science #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #MoonToMars #UnitedStates #CommercialSpace #STEM #Education

SpaceX Dragon Endeavour Spacecraft Relocation | International Space Station

SpaceX Dragon Endeavour Spacecraft Relocation | International Space Station

The SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, with four crew members, backs away from the International Space Station. Dragon switched ports moving from the Harmony module's forward port to its space-facing port during the relocation maneuver.

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, Expedition 71 crew members NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin of Russia, entered the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and relocated it to another port to make room for the upcoming arrival of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Starliner spacecraft. Dragon undocked from the Harmony module’s forward-facing port at 8:57 a.m. EDT and autonomously redocked to the module’s space-facing port at 9:46 a.m. 

Follow Expedition 70 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: May 2, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #SpaceX #CrewDragonSpacecraft #DragonEndeavour #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceTechnology #UnitedStates #Russia #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #SpaceResearch #UnitedStates #Expedition70 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Illuminated Waning Gibbous Moon | International Space Station

Illuminated Waning Gibbous Moon | International Space Station

An illuminated waning gibbous Moon contrasts with the deep black of space as the International Space Station soared 270 miles over the Southern Ocean.

Follow Expedition 70 Updates: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 70 Crew

Station Commander: Oleg Kononenko (Russia)

Roscosmos (Russia): Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin (Russia)

NASA: Tracy Dyson, Matthew Dominik, Mike Barrett, Jeanette Epps

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.

Image Credit: NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Image Date: April 26, 2024

#NASA #Space #Science #ISS #Planet #Earth #Moon #WaningGibbous #ArtemisProgram #Astronauts #Cosmonauts #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceTechnology #UnitedStates #Russia #Роскосмос #SpaceLaboratory #SpaceResearch #UnitedStates #Expedition70 #InternationalCooperation #STEM #Education

Key Factors for China's Chang'e-6 Far Side Moon Polar Landing Site Revealed

Key Factors for China's Chang'e-6 Far Side Moon Polar Landing Site Revealed

China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe is the first human mission designed to collect and return samples from the far side of the Moon to Earth. Chang'e-6 arrived in lunar orbit on May 7, 2024. The landing location must consider the scientific significance and the engineering challenges involved. The Chang'e-6 lander relies on solar panels for power generation. Therefore, engineers must take into account the solar illumination available on the far side of the Moon to ensure mission success.

Chang'e-6's pre-selected landing area is located in the southern part of the Apollo basin in the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin (43°±2° south latitude, 154°±4° west longitude). The SPA basin is a large impact crater on the far side of the Moon. At roughly 2,500 km (1,600 mi) in diameter and between 6.2 and 8.2 km (3.9–5.1 mi) deep, it is the largest, oldest, and deepest basin recognized on the Moon.

"Our spacecraft depends on solar illumination for power generation, and this illumination varies with latitude. For this mission, we have selected a landing site in a region with moderate latitude. We chose the South Pole-Aitken Basin due to its adequate solar illumination and reliable communication signals, meeting the engineering standards," said Lu Yuntong, an engineer of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC).

"Globally, more than ten missions collecting and returning samples have been conducted from the near side of the Moon. However, there may exist even more ancient lunar soil on the far side. Thus, whatever samples we collect from the Moon's far side hold high scientific significance," said Lu.

The Chang'e-6 mission features scientific payloads from France, Italy, Sweden, and Pakistan. The international scientific payloads carried by the Chang'e-6 mission include the French radon gas detector (CNES), the European Space Agency/Swedish ion analyzer, and the Italian laser corner reflector (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana), as well as the Pakistani ICUBE-Q cube satellite. The mission will last about 53 days. 

In 2020, Chang'e-5 was the first lunar sample-return mission since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976. The mission made China the third country to return samples from the Moon after the United States and the Soviet Union.

Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: May 9, 2024

#NASA #CNSA #CASC #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #FarSide #SouthPole #Queqiao2Satellite #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #InternationalCooperation #France #CNES #Italy #ASI #Sweden #Pakistan #STEM #Education #HD #Video

China's Yutu-2 Far Side Moon Rover Continues 5-year Record of Operations

China's Yutu-2 Far Side Moon Rover Continues 5-year Record of Operations

China's Yutu-2 lunar rover has been working on the far side of the Moon for over five years, traveling a distance of more than 1,596 meters (1 mile) as part of the China Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP). Yutu-2 is currently operational as humanity's longest-lived lunar rover and the first lunar rover traversing the far side of the Moon. Yutu-2 is the robotic lunar rover component of the China National Space Administration's Chang'e 4 Mission to the Moon, launched on December 7, 2018. Chang'e 4 soft landed on the far side of the Moon on January 3, 2019. 

Yutu-2 has a radioisotope heater unit to maintain its subsystems during long and cold lunar nights. Electrical power is generated by the rover's solar panels during daylight.

Yutu-2 communicates with Earth via China's Queqiao-1 relay satellite in a halo orbit around the Moon. Queqiao-1 was launched in advance back in May 2018. Queqiao-1 is the first ever communication relay and radio astronomy satellite at the Moon. It was joined by China's second Earth-Moon relay satellite, Queqiao-2, in March 2024.

Direct communication with Earth is impossible on the far side of the Moon, since transmissions are blocked by the Moon. Communications must pass through a communications relay satellite, placed at a location that has a clear view of a landing site and the Earth.

Image Credit: China National Space Administration (CNSA)

Release Date: May 4, 2024

#NASA #CNSA #Space #Astronomy #Science #China #中国 #Moon #FarSide #Yuyu2 #玉兔二号#LunarRover #Robotics #Change4Mission #LunarLander #Queqiao1Satellite #SpaceTechnology #Engineering #HumanSpaceflight #History #STEM #Education

Planets Venus and Mars: The View from Italy

Planets Venus and Mars: The View from Italy

Shown here is the early morning conjunction of Venus and Mars on February 21, 2024, as observed from the village of San Martino al Cimino in central Italy. A conjunction occurs when two astronomical objects appear close to each other in the sky. In this image, Venus and Mars are separated by less than one degree, among the tree branches (above and to the right of the bench) that overlook Lake Vico—brighter Venus is at top. This photo was snapped at 6:39 am local time.

Lake Vico (from the Latin Lacus Ciminus) is surrounded by the Cimini Mountains This scenic lake boasts the high-altitude record among large Italian lakes—1,663 ft (507 m) above sea level.

Technical Details: Nikon Z9 camera; 100 ISO; 1/15 seconds exposure; Nikon Z14-24/2.8S lens; at 16.5 mm; stopped at f/5

 

Image & Caption Credit: Marco Meniero

Location: San Martino al Cimino, Italy Coordinates: 42.366667, 12.116667

Marco's Website: https://www.meniero.it

Image Date: February 21, 2024

Release Date: May 8, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Sun #Planets #Earth #Venus #Mars #Conjunction #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #MarcoMeniero #Astrophotographer #CitizenScience #SanMartinoalCimino #Italy #Italia #Europe #STEM #Education #EPoD