Spiral Galaxy IC 3225: Celestial 'Cannonball' in Virgo | Hubble Space Telescope

Spiral Galaxy IC 3225: Celestial 'Cannonball' in Virgo | Hubble Space Telescope

The spiral galaxy appearing in this Hubble picture is named IC 3225. It looks remarkably like it has been launched from a cannon, speeding through space like a comet with a tail of gas streaming from its disc behind it. Appearances can be deceiving with objects so far from Earth—IC 3225 itself is about 100 million light-years away. However, the galaxy’s location suggests causes for this active scene, because IC 3225 is one of over 1,300 members of the Virgo galaxy cluster. The density of galaxies in the Virgo cluster creates a rich field of hot gas between them, the so-called ‘intracluster medium’. The cluster’s extreme mass has galaxies careening around its center in very fast orbits. Ramming through the thick intracluster medium, especially close to the cluster’s center, places an enormous ‘ram pressure’ on the moving galaxies that strips gas from them as they go.

IC 3225 is not so close to the cluster core right now. Nevertheless, astronomers have deduced that it has undergone this ram pressure stripping in the past. The galaxy looks as though it has been impacted by this. It is compressed on one side and there has been noticeably more star formation on this leading edge, while the opposite end is stretched out of shape. Being in such a crowded field, a close call with another galaxy could also have tugged on IC 3225 and created this shape. The sight of this distorted galaxy is a reminder of the forces at work on astronomical scales. It can move and reshape entire galaxies,

Image Description: A spiral galaxy. Its disc glows visibly from the center, and has faint dust threaded through it. A spiral arm curves around the left edge of the disc and is noticeably more dense with bright blue spots, where there are hot and new stars, than the rest. Opposite, the disc stretches out into a short tail where it covers a distant background galaxy. Around it, other distant galaxies and nearby stars are visible.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, M. Sun

Release Date: Oct. 21, 2024

#NASA #Hubble #Astronomy #Space #Science #Galaxies #Galaxy #IC3225 #SpiralGalaxy #Virgo #Constellation #VirgoCluster #GalaxyCluster #RAMPressure #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #ESA #Europe #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Putting The Jewel Box Star Cluster into Perspective (composite image)

Putting The Jewel Box Star Cluster into Perspective (composite image)

This composite image serves as a still "zoom-in", showing the rich star field where NGC 4755 nestles and then moving in to the detailed Hubble Space Telescope image of the Kappa Crucis Cluster, or Jewel Box, itself.

The range of images begins with a very wide-field view of the sky surrounding NGC 4755. The images then progressively "zoom in" to reveal a "close-up" of the Jewel Box, featuring several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars.

Distance: 6,500 light years

The picture on the top left was taken from the ground with a 35-mm camera. The next image is from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), a large digital atlas of the sky. Next is a very sharp image from the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory

The first image (left) on the bottom row was taken by the FORS1 instrument on the European Southern Observatory  Very Large Telescope at Paranal Observatory. The last image (at bottom right) is the one taken by the legendary (and now retired) WFPC2 instrument aboard Hubble.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO), NASA/European Space Agency (ESA), Digitized Sky Survey 2 and Jesús Maíz Apellániz (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Spain)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Star #Mimosa #Nebulae #Nebula #CoalSackNebula #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #KappaCrucisCluster #SouthernCross #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #DSS2 #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #Infographic #STEM #Education

The Region around The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | Digitized Sky Survey 2

The Region around The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | Digitized Sky Survey 2

A wide-field ground-based image of the region around The Jewel Box star cluster (NGC 4755) constructed from Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2) data. The bright star is Mimosa, one of the main four stars in the Southern Cross (Crux). The darkness towards the bottom of the image is part of the Coal Sack nebula—a vast area with obscuring dust easily visible to the unaided eye. 

Distance: 6,500 light years

The Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) is a ground-based imaging survey of the entire sky in several colors of light produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute through its Guide Star Survey group.

The field of view is approximately 2.8 degrees x 2.9 degrees.

Credit: ESO, European Space Agency/Hubble and Digitized Sky Survey 2

Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Star #Mimosa #Nebulae #Nebula #CoalSackNebula #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #KappaCrucisCluster #SouthernCross #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #DSS2 #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Wide-field View of The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | ESO

Wide-field View of The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | ESO

This image of the well-known NGC 4755 open star cluster or Jewel Box was taken with the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy-ESO 2.2-meter telescope at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory. It highlights the cluster and its rich surroundings in all their multicolored glory. 

Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars are visible in the image, as well as many much fainter ones, often with intriguing colors. The huge variety in brightness exists because the brighter stars are 15 to 20 times the mass of the Sun, while the dimmest stars are less than half the mass of the Sun.

Distance: 6,500 light years

The field of view is 20 arcminutes across. The picture is based on images obtained through B, V and I filters.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #KappaCrucisCluster #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #MPGESOTelescope #LaSillaObservatory #AtacamaDesert #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | European Southern Observatory

The Jewel Box Star Cluster: NGC 4755 | European Southern Observatory

The FORS1 instrument on the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) at its Paranal Observatory was used to take this exquisitely sharp close up view of the colorful Jewel Box cluster, NGC 4755.

Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars are visible in the image, as well as many much fainter ones, often with intriguing colors. The huge variety in brightness exists because the brighter stars are 15 to 20 times the mass of the Sun, while the dimmest stars are less than half the mass of the Sun.

Distance: 6,500 light years

The Very Large Telescope's huge mirror allowed very short exposure times—just 2.6 seconds through a blue filter, 1.3 seconds through a yellow/green filter and 1.3 seconds through a red filter. The field of view spans about seven arcminutes.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #KappaCrucisCluster #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #VLT #FORS1 #ParanalObservatory #AtacamaDesert #Chile #Europe #STEM #Education

Journey to NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster | Hubble

Journey to NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster | Hubble

The initial view in this zoom shows the rich star field where NGC 4755 nestles and then moves in to the detailed Hubble image of the Kappa Crucis Cluster, or Jewel Box, itself. The final image is a "close-up' view from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope of NGC 4755, or the Jewel Box cluster. 

Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars are visible in the image, as well as many much fainter ones, often with intriguing colors. The huge variety in brightness exists because the brighter stars are 15 to 20 times the mass of the Sun, while the dimmest stars are less than half the mass of the Sun. This is the first image of an open galactic cluster with imaging extending from the far ultraviolet to the near-infrared.

Distance: 6,500 light years

Video Credit: European Southern Observatory/Y. Beletsky/European Space Agency/Hubble

Duration: 56 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #KappaCrucisCluster #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Panning across NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster | Hubble

Panning across NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster | Hubble

This image is a "close-up' view from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope of NGC 4755, or the Jewel Box cluster. Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars are visible in the image, as well as many much fainter ones, often with intriguing colors. The huge variety in brightness exists because the brighter stars are 15 to 20 times the mass of the Sun, while the dimmest stars are less than half the mass of the Sun. This is the first image of an open galactic cluster with imaging extending from the far ultraviolet to the near-infrared.

Distance: 6,500 light years

Credit: NASA/European Space Agency and Jesús Maíz Apellániz (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Spain)

Duration: 31 seconds

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster Close-up | Hubble Space Telescope

NGC 4755: The 'Jewel Box' Star Cluster Close-up | Hubble Space Telescope

This image is a "close-up' view from the NASA/European Space Agency Hubble Space Telescope of NGC 4755, or the Jewel Box cluster. Several very bright, pale blue supergiant stars, a solitary ruby-red supergiant and a variety of other brilliantly colored stars are visible in the image, as well as many much fainter ones, often with intriguing colors. The huge variety in brightness exists because the brighter stars are 15 to 20 times the mass of the Sun, while the dimmest stars are less than half the mass of the Sun. This is the first image of an open galactic cluster with imaging extending from the far ultraviolet to the near-infrared.

Distance: 6,500 light years

Credit: NASA/European Space Agency and Jesús Maíz Apellániz (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Spain)

Release Date: Oct. 29, 2009

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #StarClusters #StarCluster #NGC4755 #Crux #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #SpaceTelescope #STScI #GSFC #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS & NASA's Europa Clipper on SpaceX Falcon Heavy

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS & NASA's Europa Clipper on SpaceX Falcon Heavy

NASA's Europa Clipper is now headed toward this ocean world around Jupiter. The large spacecraft is tucked into the payload fairing atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in this photo taken at Kennedy Space Center in Florida the day before the mission's successful October 14, 2024, launch. 

Europa Clipper's interplanetary voyage will first take it to Mars, then back to Earth, and then on to Jupiter on gravity assist trajectories that will allow it to enter orbit around Jupiter in April 2030. Once orbiting Jupiter, the spacecraft will fly past Europa 49 times, exploring a Jovian moon with a global subsurface ocean that may have conditions to support life. 

Posing in the background next to the floodlit rocket is Comet Tsuchinsan-ATLAS, about a day after the comet's closest approach to Earth. A current darling of evening skies, the naked-eye comet is a visitor from the distant Oort cloud.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a comet from the solar system's Oort cloud discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory east of Nanjing, China, on January 9, 2023, and independently found by the automated Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa on February 22, 2023. ATLAS is funded by NASA's planetary defense office, and developed and operated by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy. C/2023 A3 passed perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) at a distance of 0.39 AU (58 million km; 36 million miles) on September 27, 2024.

The Oort cloud is theorized to be a vast cloud of icy planetesimals surrounding the Sun at distances ranging from 2,000 to 200,000 AU (0.03 to 3.2 light-years). The concept of such a cloud was proposed in 1950 by the Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, in whose honor the idea was named. Oort proposed that the bodies in this cloud replenish and keep constant the number of long-period comets entering the inner Solar System—where they are eventually consumed and destroyed during close approaches to the Sun.

Learn more about NASA's Europa Clipper Mission:

https://europa.nasa.gov/

Image Credit & Copyright: Ben Cooper

Ben's website: http://www.launchphotography.com

Caption Credit: NASA

Image Date: Oct. 13, 2024

Release Date: Oct. 17, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Planets #EuropaClipper #EuropaClipperSpacecraft #Jupiter #Europa #Moon #OceanWorlds #Earth #MerrittIsland #Florida #KSC #UnitedStates #Comets #CometTsuchinshanATLAS #C2023A3 #OortCloud #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #Astrophotographer #BenCooper #China #中国 #SouthAfrica #STEM #Education #APoD

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) with "Anti-Tail" over Arizona

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) with "Anti-Tail" over Arizona

On October 14, 2024, it was challenging to capture a full view of Comet C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS. Taken after the comet's closest approach to our planet, this evening skyview almost does it. With two telephoto frames combined, the image stretches about 26 degrees across the sky from top to bottom, looking west from Gates Pass, Tucson, Arizona. Due to the Earth crossing the comet's orbital plane, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS also has a pronounced antitail. The antitail is composed of dust previously released and fanning out away from the Sun along the comet's orbit. It is visible as a needle-like extension below the bright coma toward the rugged western horizon.

C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) is a comet from the solar system's Oort cloud discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory east of Nanjing, China, on January 9, 2023, and independently found by the automated Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in South Africa on February 22, 2023. ATLAS is funded by NASA's planetary defense office, and developed and operated by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy. C/2023 A3 passed perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) at a distance of 0.39 AU (58 million km; 36 million miles) on September 27, 2024.

The Oort cloud is theorized to be a vast cloud of icy planetesimals surrounding the Sun at distances ranging from 2,000 to 200,000 AU (0.03 to 3.2 light-years). The concept of such a cloud was proposed in 1950 by the Dutch astronomer Jan Oort, in whose honor the idea was named. Oort proposed that the bodies in this cloud replenish and keep constant the number of long-period comets entering the inner Solar System—where they are eventually consumed and destroyed during close approaches to the Sun.

Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block

Adam's website: www.adamblockphotos.com

Caption Credit: NASA

Release Date: Oct. 18, 2024

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #SolarSystem #Planet #Earth #Arizona #UnitedStates #Comets #CometTsuchinshanATLAS #C2023A3 #AntiTail #OortCloud #SolarSystem #Astrophotography #Astrophotographer #AdamBlock #China #中国 #SouthAfrica #STEM #Education #APoD

NASA Europa Clipper Spacecraft Science Instrument Overview | JPL

NASA Europa Clipper Spacecraft Science Instrument Overview | JPL

Europa Clipper Spacecraft Diagram

Beyond Earth, Jupiter’s moon Europa is considered one of the solar system’s most promising potentially habitable environments. After an approximately 1.8-billion-mile journey, Europa Clipper will enter orbit around Jupiter in April 2030, where the spacecraft will conduct a detailed survey of Europa to determine whether the icy world could have conditions suitable for life.

Europa Clipper's three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon's icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission's detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

Europa Clipper's science instruments include cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and an ice-penetrating radar. These instruments will study Europa’s icy shell, the ocean beneath, and the composition of the gases in the moon’s atmosphere and surface geology, and provide insights into the moon’s potential habitability. The spacecraft also will carry a thermal instrument to pinpoint locations of warmer ice and any possible eruptions of water vapor.

To conduct its detailed investigations of Jupiter's icy moon Europa, NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft carries a suite of 9 science instruments and a gravity experiment that uses its telecommunications system.

Europa Clipper Magnetometer (ECM)

The magnetometer investigation aims to confirm that Europa’s ocean exists, measure its depth and salinity, and measure the moon’s ice shell thickness. It will also study Europa’s ionized atmosphere and how it interacts with Jupiter’s ionized atmosphere.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/ecm/

Plasma Instrument for Magnetic Sounding (PIMS)

Europa’s ionosphere, and plasma trapped in Jupiter’s magnetic field, distort magnetic fields near Europa. PIMS Faraday cups will distinguish those distortions from Europa’s induced magnetic field, which carries information about Europa’s ocean.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/pims/

Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON)

Ice-penetrating radar will probe Europa’s icy shell for the moon’s suspected ocean and study the ice’s structure and thickness. It will also study the moon’s surface elevations, composition, and roughness, and search the moon’s atmosphere for plumes.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/reason

Gravity/Radio Science

Europa and its gravity field flex as the moon’s non-circular orbit carries it closer, then farther, from Jupiter. Measuring Europa’s gravity at various points in the moon’s orbit will show how Europa flexes and help reveal its internal structure.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/gravity-radio-science/

Europa Imaging System (EIS)

A wide-angle camera and a narrow-angle camera, each with an eight-megapixel sensor, will produce high-resolution color and stereoscopic images of Europa. They will study geologic activity, measure surface elevations, and provide context for other instruments.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/eis

MAss Spectrometer for Planetary EXploration/Europa (MASPEX)

The mass spectrometer will analyze gases in Europa’s faint atmosphere and possible plumes. It will study the chemistry of the moon’s suspected subsurface ocean, how ocean and surface exchange material, and how radiation alters compounds on the moon’s surface.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/maspex/

SUrface Dust Analyzer (SUDA)

Tiny meteorites eject bits of Europa’s surface into space, and a subsurface ocean or reservoirs might vent material into space as plumes. The dust analyzer will identify that material’s chemistry and area of origin, and offer clues to Europa’s ocean salinity.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/suda/

Mapping Imaging Spectrometer for Europa (MISE)

The mission’s infrared spectrometer will map the distribution of ices, salts, organics, and the warmest hotspots on Europa. The maps will help scientists understand the moon’s geologic history and determine if Europa’s suspected ocean is suitable for life.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/mise/

Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System (E-THEMIS)

The thermal imager uses infrared light to distinguish warmer regions on Europa where warm liquid water may be near the surface or might have erupted onto the surface. It will also measure surface texture to understand the small-scale properties of the surface.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/e-themis

Europa Ultraviolet Spectrograph (Europa-UVS)

By collecting ultraviolet light with a telescope, and creating images, the mission’s ultraviolet spectrograph will help determine the composition of Europa’s atmospheric gases and surface materials. It will also search near Europa for signs of plume activity.

https://europa.nasa.gov/spacecraft/instruments/europa-uvs

Find more information about Europa here:

https://europa.nasa.gov/

Image Credits: NASA//JPL-Caltech

Release Date: Oct. 11, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #EuropaClipper #EuropaClipperSpacecraft #ScienceInstruments #Jupiter #Europa #Moon #OceanWorlds #Geology #Astrobiology #Biosignatures #Radiation #Habitability #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #Infographic #STEM #Education

NASA Europa Clipper Mission Art & Infographic Collection | NASA/JPL

NASA Europa Clipper Mission Art & Infographic Collection | NASA/JPL

Scientists think that under the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa a saltwater ocean exists that may contain more than twice as much liquid water as all of Earth's oceans combined. This artist's concept (not to scale) depicts what Europa's internal structure could look like: an outer shell of ice, perhaps with plumes of material venting from beneath the surface; a deep, global layer of liquid water; and a rocky interior, potentially with hydrothermal vents on the seafloor. The true nature of Europa's inner structure will be examined by NASA's Europa Clipper mission, which is scheduled to arrive at Jupiter in 2030.

This illustration depicts scientists' findings about what the interior of Jupiter's moon Europa may look like: an iron core, surrounded by a rocky mantle believed to be in direct contact with a vast, internal ocean. New research and computer modeling show that volcanic activity may have occurred on the seafloor of Jupiter's moon Europa in the recent past – and may still be happening. The new work shows how internal heat produced by tides—warping of Europa's shape as it changes distance from Jupiter during its orbit—could partially melt its rocky layer, a process that could feed volcanoes on the ocean floor. The recent modeling of how this internal heat is produced and transferred is the most detailed and thorough examination of the effect this heating has on the moon.

Radiation from Jupiter can destroy molecules on Europa's surface. Material from Europa's ocean that ends up on the surface of Europa will be bombarded by radiation. The radiation breaks apart molecules and changes the chemical composition of the material, possibly destroying any biosignatures, or chemical signs that could imply the presence of life. To interpret what future space missions find on the surface of Europa we must first understand how material has been modified by radiation.

This artist's concept illustrates how NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft will use radar to peer beneath Europa's ice crust to reveal the structure underneath. Europa Clipper will carry an instrument called the Radar for Europa Assessment and Sounding: Ocean to Near-surface (REASON) that can penetrate beneath the Jovian moon's surface layer, revealing potential pockets of water, cracks, or other features not visible from the outside.

On its journey to the Jupiter system, NASA's Europa Clipper will take a path that swings past Mars, then Earth, using the gravity of each planet as a slingshot to boost the spacecraft's speed. All told, the journey will take about 5½ years, covering a distance of about 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers). In this diagram, the orbits of Jupiter, Mars, and Earth are shown as concentric rings. 

NASA's Europa Clipper is tasked with up-close study of Jupiter's enigmatic moon Europa. It orbits the gas giant within a band of powerful radiation generated by the planet's strong magnetic field. The relative intensity of Jupiter's radiation bands is illustrated in this diagram, along with the orbits of Jupiter's three other largest moons: Io, Ganymede, and Callisto.

To limit the damaging effects of radiation on the spacecraft, Europa Clipper will orbit Jupiter elliptically, dipping in for dozens of close flybys of Europa. Between each pass, the spacecraft will retreat to a safer distance where it can safely transmit the science data it collects back to Earth.

Europa Clipper explores an icy ocean world (Artist's Concept)

NASA's Europa Clipper Mission was successfully launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on Monday, October 14, 2024. The Europa Clipper spacecraft plans to fly by Mars in February 2025, then back by Earth in December 2026, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum. With help of these “gravity assists,” Europa Clipper will achieve the velocity needed to reach Jupiter in April 2030.

Beyond Earth, Jupiter’s moon Europa is considered one of the solar system’s most promising potentially habitable environments. After an approximately 1.8-billion-mile journey, Europa Clipper will enter orbit around Jupiter in April 2030, where the spacecraft will conduct a detailed survey of Europa to determine whether the icy world could have conditions suitable for life.

Europa Clipper's three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon's icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission's detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.

Europa Clipper's science instruments include cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and an ice-penetrating radar. These instruments will study Europa’s icy shell, the ocean beneath, and the composition of the gases in the moon’s atmosphere and surface geology, and provide insights into the moon’s potential habitability. The spacecraft also will carry a thermal instrument to pinpoint locations of warmer ice and any possible eruptions of water vapor.

Find more information about Europa here:

https://europa.nasa.gov/

'Dreaming of Europa' Posters and Wallpaper (phone and desktop)

Full-size downloads: https://go.nasa.gov/3ZIDxgu

Image Credit: NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/Michael Carroll

Release Date: Oct. 11, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #EuropaClipper #EuropaClipperSpacecraft #Jupiter #Europa #Moon #OceanWorlds #Geology #Astrobiology #Biosignatures #Habitability #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #JPL #Caltech #UnitedStates #Infographics #Art #STEM #Education

NASA Europa Clipper Ocean Moon Mission Liftoff | SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket

NASA Europa Clipper Ocean Moon Mission Liftoff | SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. 

Europa Clipper Mission Emblem

NASA's Europa Clipper Mission was successfully launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, October 14, 2024. After launch, the Europa Clipper spacecraft plans to fly by Mars in February 2025, then back by Earth in December 2026, using the gravity of each planet to increase its momentum. With help of these “gravity assists,” Europa Clipper will achieve the velocity needed to reach Jupiter in April 2030.

Beyond Earth, Jupiter’s moon Europa is considered one of the solar system’s most promising potentially habitable environments. After an approximately 1.8-billion-mile journey, Europa Clipper will enter orbit around Jupiter in April 2030, where the spacecraft will conduct a detailed survey of Europa to determine whether the icy world could have conditions suitable for life.

Europa Clipper is the largest spacecraft NASA has ever developed for a planetary mission. It carries a suite of nine instruments along with a gravity experiment that will investigate an ocean beneath Europa’s surface, which scientists believe contains twice as much liquid water as Earth’s oceans.

Europa Clipper's science instruments include cameras, spectrometers, a magnetometer, and an ice-penetrating radar. These instruments will study Europa’s icy shell, the ocean beneath, and the composition of the gases in the moon’s atmosphere and surface geology, and provide insights into the moon’s potential habitability. The spacecraft also will carry a thermal instrument to pinpoint locations of warmer ice and any possible eruptions of water vapor. Strong evidence shows the ocean beneath Europa’s crust is twice the volume of all the Earth’s oceans combined.

For more information on the mission, visit: https://europa.nasa.gov/

'Dreaming of Europa' Posters and Wallpaper (phone and desktop)

Full-size downloads: https://go.nasa.gov/3ZIDxgu

Image Credits: SpaceX/JPL-Caltech

Capture Date: Oct. 14, 2024

#NASA #Astronomy #Space #Science #EuropaClipper #EuropaClipperSpacecraft #SpaceX #FalconHeavyRocket #Jupiter #Europa #Moon #Ocean #Astrobiology #Biosignatures #Habitability #Radiation #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #JHUAPL #MSFC #GSFC #JPL #KSC #Spaceport #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

Aurora Australis with Large & Small Magellanic Cloud Galaxies over Argentina

Aurora Australis with Large & Small Magellanic Cloud Galaxies over Argentina

Astrophotographer Carlos Di Nallo: "On May 11, 2024, I was taking wide-field, night sky photographs in Catamarca Province, Argentina, in hopes of glimpsing auroras which had been widely reported in the Northern Hemisphere. As you can see . . . my curiosity and patience were rewarded. The red coloration of the aurora australis, resulting from the very strong solar activity the day before, was stunning. I was really surprised because at my latitude (27.5 degrees south of the Equator), it's extremely rare to be able to observe the aurora phenomenon."

"The Milky Way stretches across the top of the photo; the Southern Cross is at top right-center, and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds are at bottom right-center. South (south magnetic pole) is toward the bottom of the photo."  

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

Earth auroras have different names depending on the pole where they occur. 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.

Photo Details: Canon 6D camera; Canon 16/35 lens; 16 mm; f2.8; ISO 3200; 20 second exposure.

Image Credit: Photographer: Carlos Di Nallo

Location: Cortaderas, Catamarca Province, Argentina Coordinates: -27.5591667, -68.1463888

Image Date: May 11, 2024

Release Date: October 18, 2024

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China's Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) Nears Completion

China's Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) Nears Completion

Beneath the city of Jiangmen in China's southern Guangdong province lies a large research infrastructure project that is specifically designed to study neutrinos. Neutrinos are the oldest and most primitive elementary particles that have existed since the beginning of the universe. Understanding neutrinos opens the door to understanding the universe and existing matter in the world. CGTN's Liu Jiaxin paid a visit to this large detector, the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), before it is officially put into operation in November 2024.

With a wall thickness of 120 mm and a weight of more than 600 tons, the plexiglass spherical structure's production and construction are unprecedented. Upon completion, it will be filled with 20,000 tons of liquid scintillator, the target substance for capturing neutrinos. Liquid scintillation counting is the measurement of radioactive activity. It uses the technique of mixing an active material with a liquid scintillator and counting the resultant photon emissions. It will be used at JUNO for the detection of cosmic neutrinos.

Neutrinos are fundamental particles that far outnumber all the atoms in the universe, but rarely interact with other matter. Astrophysicists are particularly interested in high-energy neutrinos that have energies up to 1,000 times greater than those produced by the most powerful particle colliders on Earth. They think the most extreme events in the universe, like violent galactic outbursts, accelerate particles to nearly the speed of light. Those particles then collide with light or other particles to generate high-energy neutrinos. The first confirmed high-energy neutrino source, announced in 2018, was a type of active galaxy called a blazar.

Learn more about the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory: 

http://juno.ihep.cas.cn

Video Credit: CGTN
Duration: 3 minutes
Release Date: Oct. 15, 2024

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SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Landing in Indian Ocean: Buoy Cam View

SpaceX Starship Fifth Flight Test Landing in Indian Ocean: Buoy Cam View

Watch SpaceX's Starship "flip maneuver and landing burn on its fifth flight test. Vehicle improvements ensured flaps were protected from high heating, resulting in a controlled entry and high accuracy splashdown at the targeted area in the Indian Ocean."

"Starship executed another successful hot-staging separation, igniting its six Raptor engines and completing ascent into outer space. It coasted along its planned trajectory to the other side of the planet before executing a controlled reentry, passing through the phases of peak heating and maximum aerodynamic pressure, before executing a flip, landing burn, and splashdown at its target area in the Indian Ocean. The flight test concluded at splashdown 1 hour, 5 minutes and 40 seconds after launch."

"The entire SpaceX team should take pride in the engineering feat they just accomplished. The world witnessed what the future will look like when Starship starts carrying crew and cargo to destinations on Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond."

Watch the full fifth flight test and review the mission summary here:

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=starship-flight-5

"Starship is essential to both SpaceX’s plans to deploy its next-generation Starship system as well as for NASA, which will use a lunar lander version of Starship for landing astronauts on the Moon during the Artemis III mission through the Human Landing System (HLS) program."

Key Starship Parameters:

Height: 121m/397ft

Diameter: 9m/29.5ft

Payload to LEO: 100 – 150t (fully reusable)

Download the Free Starship User Guide (PDF):

https://www.spacex.com/media/starship_users_guide_v1.pdf

Video Credit: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX)

Duration: 21 seconds

Capture Date: Oct. 13, 2024

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