The Northern Lights at Étretat, France

The Northern Lights at Étretat, France

Astrophotographer Julien Looten: "So here is a panorama composed of 25 images. Stitching the panorama was not an easy task, given the rapid movement of the auroral pillars and the difficulty in finding landmarks between photos. The panorama spans from southwest (left) to northeast, covering 180 degrees, once again demonstrating the magnitude of the aurora at that time. The colors range from pink to purple, through blue, while a greenish band is visible lower towards the horizon. In the upper right corner, you can also see the Milky Way (our galaxy) and the constellation of Cygnus. The greenish glows to the right are due to the light pollution from Étretat. The foreground corresponds to the cliffs of Étretat, one of the natural wonders of the French territory (latitude 49.43). On the left, another photographer is at work."

Étretat is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of Northwestern France. It is located on the coast of the Pays de Caux area. Étretat is best known for its chalk cliffs, including three natural arches and a pointed formation called L'Aiguille or the Needle, which rises 70 metres (230 ft) above the sea.

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

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

Technical details: "The panorama consists of 25 images, taken with an exposure of 4 seconds, an aperture of f/2, with a Sigma 28mm lens mounted on a Canon 6D Astrodon. The stitching was done using Autopano/Hugin/Photoshop software."

Image Credit:  Julien Looten

Image Date: May 12, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planet #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #MilkyWayGalaxy #MagneticField #Magnetosphere #SolarWind #Sun #Star #Astrophotography #JulienLooten #Astrophotographer #Étretat #Normandy #France #Europe #STEM #Education

Exploring Planet Uranus | NASA Goddard

Exploring Planet Uranus | NASA Goddard

In one of the least explored regions of our solar system, there is an ice giant that scientists believe can help us unlock some of the remaining mysteries of our universe. This video takes us on a journey there to explore planet Uranus, as well as its rings and moons, highlighting many fascinating features.

We also look back on what was discovered by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft, as well as subsequent findings by ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope. The ongoing search for ocean worlds and life beyond Earth makes Uranus an exciting target for the James Webb Space Telescope and for future up-close exploration.

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Video Produced, Edited and Narrated by: David Ladd (Abacus Technology Corp)
Animations by NASA’s CI Labs:
Animators – Krystofer Kim (Rothe); Jenny McElligott (Rothe)
Art Director – Michael Lentz (ARES)
Manager – Walt Feimer (Rothe)
Duration: 3 minutes, 16 seconds
Release Date: May 13, 2024 

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #SolarSystem #Planet #Uranus #IceGiant #Rings #Atmosphere #Moons #UranianSystem #Voyager2Spacecraft #HST #JWST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #CSA #Canada #STEM #Education #Animation #HD #Video

Madrid Deep Space Network Reaches NASA's Voyager 1 across 24 billion kilometers

Madrid Deep Space Network Reaches NASA's Voyager 1 across 24 billion kilometers

"By Their Powers Combined": This April 20, 2024, image shows a first—all six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex in Spain, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft (1977-2024) at the same time.

Combining the antennas’ receiving power, or arraying, lets the DSN collect the very faint signals from faraway spacecraft. Voyager 1 is over 15 billion miles (24 billion kilometers) away, so its signal on Earth is far fainter than any other spacecraft that the DSN communicates with. It currently takes Voyager 1’s signal over 22 ½ hours to travel from the spacecraft to Earth. To better receive Voyager 1’s radio communications, a large antenna—or an array of multiple smaller antennas—can be used. A five-antenna array is currently needed to downlink science data from the spacecraft’s Plasma Wave System (PWS) instrument. As Voyager gets further way, six antennas will be needed.

The twin Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft are still operating and traveling where no spacecraft—or anything touched by humanity—has gone before. As we celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Voyager 1 launch later this year, we will again reflect on the vision that inspired the mission, its greatest achievements, and its enduring legacy.

Image Description: In a nighttime landscape of rolling grasses and trees, six large off-white satellites face to the right. Each satellite has bright spotlights near it, but the surrounding area remains mostly dark.

Image Credit: MDSCC/INTA, Francisco “Paco” Moreno

Release Date: May 1, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Science #Space #VoyagerSpacecraft #Voyager1 #Planets #Jupiter #Saturn  #SolarSystem #Interstellar #MilkyWayGalaxy #SpaceExploration #RadioTelescopes #DSN #Madrid #Spain #España #JPL #Caltech #California #History #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

China's Chang'e 6 Science Mission Successfully Deploys Pakistan's Moon CubeSat

China's Chang'e 6 Science Mission Successfully Deploys Pakistan's Moon CubeSat

Pakistan's Lunar CubeSat iCUBE-Q was successfully deployed into lunar orbit at 1314 hrs on May 8, 2024 from China's Chang'e 6 Moon Mission spacecraft. Pakistan is now the sixth Earth nation to orbit the Moon. After deployment, the satellite is performing as per the design specifications. All subsystems' health data is excellent. The other good news is that the optical imaging payload is also functional. Over the next few days thorough in-orbit testing of the satellite will be conducted. We look forward to receiving lunar surface images.

Pakistan launched its groundbreaking lunar mission aboard China's Chang'e-6 lunar probe on May 3, 2024. The Chinese probe blasted off atop a Long March-5 Y8 carrier rocket from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, according to the China National Space Administration (CNSA).

The iCUBE-Q CubeSat satellite, designed and developed by Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology (IST) in collaboration with China's Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) and Pakistan's national space agency, SUPARCO, represents a milestone in space cooperation.

The iCUBE-Q is among the first nano-satellites to travel into deep space. It is also the first satellite collaboration mission between Pakistan and China as well as the universities.

"Collaboration with China is really significant, it signifies global cooperation," said Syed Azish Ali Bukhari, a communication engineer and a research fellow at the IST.

"It truly gives a big boost to our young people so that they can look forward to such projects and even more complex and bigger projects in the future," said Qamar Ul Islam, director of the Space System Lab of IST.

CubeSats, renowned for their compact design and versatility, have transformed space exploration, empowering universities, research institutions, and commercial ventures to participate in cutting-edge missions at a fraction of the cost.

This collaborative endeavor underscores the deepening ties between Pakistan and China in the pursuit of scientific discovery beyond Earth's bounds.

The Chang'e-6 mission's primary objective is to gather samples from the far side of the moon, marking humanity's first-ever attempt to gather samples from this region of the moon.

Image Credits: China National Space Administration (CNSA)/Pakistan's Institute of Space Technology

Release Date: May 8, 2024

#NASA #CNSA #ESA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #China #中国 #Moon #Change6 #嫦娥六号 #LunarSampleReturn #FarSide #SouthPole #Pakistan #iCUBEQ #CubeSat #SpaceTechnology #SpaceExploration #SolarSystem #InternationalCooperation  #STEM #Education اسلامی جمہوریہ پاكستان

Lenticular Galaxy NGC 4753 in Virgo | Hubble

Lenticular Galaxy NGC 4753 in Virgo | Hubble

In this new image from the NASA/European Space Agency's Hubble Space Telescope is a nearly edge-on view of the lenticular galaxy NGC 4753. These galaxies have an elliptical shape and ill-defined spiral arms.

This image is the object's sharpest view to date, showcasing Hubble’s resolving power and ability to reveal complex dust structures. NGC 4753 resides around 60 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by the astronomer William Herschel in 1784. It is a member of the NGC 4753 Group of galaxies within the Virgo II Cloud. It is made up of roughly 100 galaxies and galaxy clusters.

This galaxy is believed to be the result of a galactic merger with a nearby dwarf galaxy roughly 1.3 billion years ago. NGC 4753’s distinct dust lanes around its nucleus are believed to have been accreted from this merger event. 

It is now believed that most of the mass in the galaxy lies in a slightly flattened spherical halo of dark matter. Dark matter is a form of matter that cannot currently be observed directly, but is thought to comprise about 85% of all matter in the Universe. It is referred to as ‘dark’ because it does not appear to interact with the electromagnetic field, and therefore does not seem to emit, reflect or refract light.

This object is also of scientific interest to test  theories of formation of lenticular galaxies, given its low-density environment and complex structure. Furthermore, this galaxy has been host to two known Type Ia supernovae. These types of supernovae are extremely important as they are all caused by exploding white dwarfs which have companion stars, and always peak at the same brightness—5 billion times brighter than the Sun. Knowing the true brightness of these events, and comparing this with their apparent brightness, gives astronomers a unique chance to measure distances in the Universe.

Image Description: Lenticular galaxy NGC 4753 is featured with a bright white core and surrounding defined dust lanes around its nucleus, that predominantly appear dark brown in color. A variety of faint stars fill the background of the image.

Image Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Kelsey

Release Date: May 13, 2024

 

#NASA #ESA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #NGC4753 #LenticularGalaxy #GalacticMergers #DarkMatter #VirgoIICloud #Virgo #Constellation #Cosmos #Universe #HST #HubbleSpaceTelescope #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education 

Shenzhou-18 Crew Conducts Scientific Experiments | China Space Station

Shenzhou-18 Crew Conducts Scientific Experiments | China Space Station

The Shenzhou-18 astronaut crew have been carrying out a series of tasks and science experiments aboard China's Tiangong Space Station, according to a video released by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

The crew installed adapter cables of a combustion solenoid valve, an observation device for the study on fluid mixing in a microgravity environment, and a unit for nucleic acid experiments.

The video also showed the astronauts transferring and unpackaging supplies, doing physical exercises and receiving cognitive ability tests.

The three Chinese astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu were sent to the orbiting Tiangong space station for a six-month mission on April 25, 2024.

During their stay in space, the Shenzhou-18 astronauts will carry out more than 90 experiments, two to three extravehicular activities (EVAs), and implement six cargo outbound deliveries via the station's cargo airlock module. 

The trio will witness the arrival of the Tianzhou-8 cargo craft and later welcome the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship to the space station.

Shenzhou-18 Crew:

Ye Guangfu (叶光富, commander)

Li Cong (李聪, mission specialist)

Li Guangsu (李广苏, mission specialist)

Video Credit: China Central Television (CCTV)

Duration: 1 minute, 32 seconds

Release Date: May 12, 2024

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

China Completes Construction of its First Space Weather Radio Telescope

China Completes Construction of its First Space Weather Radio Telescope

China has completed the construction of its first interplanetary scintillation observation telescope, a device used for studying space weather, on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Xilingol League, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Interplanetary scintillation (IPS) refers to random fluctuations in the radio intensity of distant celestial objects over time. IPS telescopes can be used to measure both the solar wind speed and the micro-turbulence spectrum of interplanetary plasma.

The solar wind is created by the outward expansion of plasma (a collection of charged particles) from the Sun's corona (outermost atmosphere). This plasma is continually heated to the point that the Sun's gravity cannot hold it down. It then travels along the Sun's magnetic field lines that extend radially outward. As the Sun rotates (once every 27 days), it winds up its magnetic field lines above its polar regions into a large rotating spiral, creating a constant stream of "wind."

Video Credit: China Global Television Network (CGTN)

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: May 11, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Earth #China #中国 #CAS #InnerMongolia #XilingolLeague  #RadioTelescopes #IPS #SpaceWeather #Sun #Star #Solar #SolarWind #SolarFlares #CME #Plasma #MagneticField #Heliophysics #Physics #Spacecraft #Satellites #SolarSystem #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission: Orion Spacecraft Testing | Kennedy Space Center

NASA Artemis II Moon Mission: Orion Spacecraft Testing | Kennedy Space Center

In these images, the Orion spacecraft crew module for NASA’s Artemis II Moon Mission is viewed by crane operator Rebekah Tolatovicz as it is transferred across the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, April 27, 2024, following a series of electromagnetic compatibility and interference testing. This puts the spacecraft through conditions as close as possible to the environment it will experience in the vacuum of deep space.

Four astronauts will venture around the Moon in the Orion spacecraft on Artemis II. It will be the first crewed mission on NASA's path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through the Artemis campaign.

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Image Credit: NASA/Amanda Stevenson

Image Date: April 27, 2024

#NASA #ESA #CSA #Space #Moon #ArtemisProgram #ArtemisIIMission #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #DeepSpace #Astronauts #VictorGlover #ChristinaKoch #JeremyHansen #ReidWiseman #MoonToMars #Science #SpaceExploration #HumanSpaceflight #KSC #NASAKennedy #Florida #UnitedStates #Canada #Europe #STEM #Education

Sun Releases 2 Strong Flares: May 10-11, 2024 | NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory

Sun Releases 2 Strong Flares: May 10-11, 2024 | NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory

The Sun emitted two strong solar flares, peaking at 9:23 p.m. ET on May 10, 2024, and 7:44 a.m. ET on May 11, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured images of the events. It watches the Sun constantly. The flares are classified as X5.8 and X1.5-class flares, respectively. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

Image Description: A side-by-side image of two solar flares that erupted on May 10-11, 2024. The images show close-ups of one edge of the Sun, with bright flashes (the flare) towards the center of the image. The images show a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlight the extremely hot material in flares created from a mixture of SDO’s AIA 193, 171 and 131 channels.

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.

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 11, 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

A New Launch Date for Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test | This Week @NASA

A New Launch Date for Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test | This Week @NASA

Week of May 10, 2024: A new target launch date for our Boeing Crew Flight Test, making progress on major hardware for the Lunar Gateway, and presidential honors for helping to advance NASA’s mission . . . a few of the stories to tell you about—This Week at NASA!

Launch updates: 

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

For more info on CFT and Starliner, visit: 

boeing.com/starliner

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program works with the American aerospace industry to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

Learn more about NASA’s Commercial Crew Program at: 

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

Video Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Video Producer: Andre Valentine

Video Editor: Haley Reed 

Narrator: Emanuel Cooper

Duration: 2 minutes, 46 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 #ULA #ArtemisProgram #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

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

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Planet #Earth #Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights #MagneticField #Magnetosphere #SolarWind #Sun #Star #Astrophotography #RoleBigler #Astrophotographer #Switzerland #Suisse #Svizzera #Schweizerische #Europe #STEM #Education

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