https://skyandtelescope.com

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This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 20 – 29 -

Orion now rises in twilight, seemingly enlarged by the Moon illusion. Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars span the evening sky. And here comes another weird pattern of Jupiter's moons.

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No Magma Ocean For Io, Jupiter’s Volcano-Covered Moon -

Io, the innermost of Jupiter’s four largest Galilean moons, is covered with hundreds of volcanoes, some shooting lava fountains dozens of miles high. But what kind of interior could drive […]

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Meet the Taurus Constellation: The Ancient Bull -

Taurus, the Bull, is a constellation that has been around for centuries, possibly even millennia.

The post Meet the Taurus Constellation: The Ancient Bull appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3) Kicks off the New Year — What to Expect -

The Southern Hemisphere should get a good show of Comet ATLAS (C/2024 G3). Mid-northern latitude observers not so much.

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Perseverance Reaches Rim of Jezero Crater -

It’s been a long upward climb for NASA’s premier rover. But the commanding view — and the geology — were worth it.

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The Webb Telescope Reveals a "Featherweight Giant" Planet -

When JWST looked at what was supposed to be a hot Jupiter, it found something else instead: a fluffy, shrinking planet that’s more like Neptune.

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This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 13 – 22 -

The full Moon will line up with Jupiter and Aldebaran . . . but how well for you? Saturn gets right (angled) with Fomalhaut and Venus. Saturn's two largest moons will form a double star, and three of Jupiter's moons will triangulate.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 13 – 22 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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See NASA's Lucy Mission Fly Past Earth Tonight -

NASA’s Lucy mission makes another visit to Earth Thursday night, en route to explore the Trojan asteroids.

The post See NASA's Lucy Mission Fly Past Earth Tonight appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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Don't Let the Bright Moon Ruin Your Geminids -

Strategies for making the most of this week's Moon-soaked Geminid meteor shower.

The post Don't Let the Bright Moon Ruin Your Geminids appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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New Webb Telescope View Shows Unexpectedly Crowded Asteroid Belt -

A new view of archival Webb telescope data reveals small asteroids in the main asteroid belt are more numerous than we thought.

The post New Webb Telescope View Shows Unexpectedly Crowded Asteroid Belt appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

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https://spaceflightnow.com

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SpaceX launches Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission on Falcon 9 rocket from California - This is the second batch of customer satellites that SpaceX will launch to a mid-inclination orbit. Liftoff from pad 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base happened at 3:34 a.m. PST (6:34 a.m. EST, 1134 UTC).

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Mid-ignition issue forces a scrub of Falcon 9 launch with Astranis’ MicroGEO satellites - The mission, dubbed ‘Astranis: From One to Many,’ includes the company’s new UtilitySat, which is designed to relocate within geostationary Earth orbit over its life to respond to different mission objectives. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is set for Sunday, Dec. 22, at 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC).

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Space Force says first national security Vulcan launch now anticipated in spring 2025 - The first mission for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket as part of the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 contract will be USSF-106. ULA began stacking the rocket that will support this mission in October 2024.

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SpaceX launches first two SES O3b mPOWER satellites with upgrades to address power issues seen on earlier spacecraft - This is will be the fourth pair of O3b mPOWER satellites launched to a medium Earth orbit. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A is set for 5:26 p.m. EST (2226 UTC).

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U.S. Space Force launches expedited GPS mission using Falcon 9 rocket - The U.S. Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) and the Space Operations Command (SpOC) shifted the GPS 3 Space Vehicle 07 spacecraft to a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from a United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket due to delays in Vulcan’s certification.

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SpaceX launches Starshield satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from California for the NRO - The NROL-149 mission is scheduled to be the sixth and final mission of the year supporting the agency’s proliferated architecture. Liftoff from pad 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base is set for 5:19 a.m. PST (8:19 a.m. EST, 1319 UTC).

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SpaceX launches RRT-1 mission from Cape Canaveral - The payload onboard hasn’t been officially confirmed by a customer or the spacecraft manufacturer. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is set for Monday, Dec. 16, at 7:51 p.m. EST (0051 UTC).

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SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from California - The launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base came on the heels of leaders from the U.S. Space Force gathering to discuss how to adjust to a rapidly increasing launch cadence for both the Eastern Range and Western Range. Liftoff happened at 1:55 p.m. PST (4:55 p.m. EST, 2155 UTC).

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Jared Isaacman makes first public remarks since nomination for NASA Administrator - Isaacman spoke before the Space Force Association’s Spacepower Conference on Wednesday. While not directly addressing the nomination, his comments will become part of the record scrutinized by senators during the confirmation process.

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SpaceX launches 23 Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral - The Starlink 12-5 mission includes 13 satellites featuring Direct to Cell capabilities. Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station happened at 12:12 a.m. EST (0512 UTC).

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https://www.space.com

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Planes, drones or UFOs: What are people seeing in the New Jersey sky? - Recent sightings of unidentified aircraft in New Jersey and other states have triggered another round of unanswered questions — and fueled conspiracy theories.

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This Week In Space podcast: Episode 141 —Holiday Special 2024 - On Episode 141 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq are joined by producer Anthony and Ant Pruitt to celebrate the end of the year.

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Every upcoming 'Star Wars' movie officially announced - After years of only new Star Wars shows, the franchise is ready to return to the big screen. But which upcoming Star Wars movies should you watch out for?

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Winter solstice 2024 brings shortest day of the year to Northern Hemisphere today - The winter solstice marks the official start of the astronomical winter, as the sun reaches its most southerly point in the sky as seen from Earth. This seasonal change occurs on Dec. 21, 2024.

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Astronauts on NASA's moon-orbiting Gateway space station will wear smart undershirts to stay healthy - Smart undershirts and AI algorithms will keep astronauts healthy on NASA's planned Gateway moon-orbiting space station.

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SpaceX launches 30 satellites on Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission (video) - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 30 payloads as part of the Bandwagon-2 mission launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024.

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Space2Sea Antarctica: A student journalist's expedition to bottom of the world begins - Space2Sea Antarctica: A student journalist's expedition to bottom of the world begins

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Dreaming of a white Christmas? Snow is likely in these US states according to NOAA climate data - According to climate data from NOAA, you might not have to only dream about having a white Christmas this year in some parts of the United States.

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Abort! SpaceX calls off launch of 'MicroGEO' satellites at last second (video) - A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ignites each its engines just as an abort is called at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2024.

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Axiom's private space station is coming sooner than we thought - Axiom Space has decided to change up the method for assembling its commercial space station, meaning the outpost could be free-flying as soon as 2028.

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Watch NASA's Artemis Orion moon spacecraft blow its top during testing (video) - NASA's Orion spacecraft recently completed an 11-month test campaign, during which it was subjected to extreme conditions of a launch abort scenario and electromagnetic effects of lightning strikes.

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NASA Mars probe spies dusty, retired Insight lander from orbit (photo) - Photos of the dormant InSight lander captured from Mars orbit are providing researchers new data on how dust accumulates and evolves over time on the Red Planet.

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Rocket Lab scrubs Strix radar satellite launch for Synspective over 'sensor data' - A new exact launch date for the Strix satellite launch by Rocket Lab has yet to be announced.

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Hubble's 'impossible' planet explained? Gas giants may have formed fast in early universe - An ancient exoplanet dated at 12.7 billion years old could have formed over a long period in a giant disk of gas, according to new JWST observations.

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NASA's Hubble and Chandra telescopes discover a strange 'sideways' black hole in a cosmic crime scene (image) - Using the NASA space telescopes Hubble and Chandra astronomers have discovered a strange black hole that has been knocked on its side in a cosmic crime scene.

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The Ursid meteor shower peaks this weekend. Here's what to expect from the final 'shooting stars' of 2024 - The last meteor shower of the year peaks in the early morning hours of Dec. 22.

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US Space Force 5 years later: What has it accomplished so far, and where does it go from here? - As the U.S. Space Force celebrates its fifth anniversary, the service's leadership looked back on its accomplishments so far while looking ahead to the future.

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Watch Rocket Lab launch a private Earth-imaging satellite - Rocket Lab plans to launch a radar satellite for the Earth-observation company Synspective, and you can watch it live when the time comes.

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Russian cosmonauts install X-ray detector, jettison trash on spacewalk outside ISS - Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner installed an X-ray detector and jettisoned trash during a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024.

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SpaceX inks deal with Vast to launch 2 astronaut missions to the ISS - California-based company Vast Space has booked two crewed flights to the ISS with SpaceX, though the missions still must be approved by NASA.

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NASA space telescopes give Christmas Tree Cluster a festive makeover (photos) - The James Webb Space Telescope used a galaxy as a cosmic magnifying glass to find transient objects in the "Christmas Tree" cluster, a Winter Wonderland of even more galaxies.

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Looking back at '2010', the criminally-underrated sequel to '2001: A Space Odyssey' - Forty years ago, this lesser-known sequel attempted to explain the mysteries of one of sci-fi's greatest movies.

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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the 1st fantastic trailer for James Gunn's 'Superman!' - Krypto saves the day in this heroic look at the Man of Steel's new reboot from the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' Trilogy director

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BepiColombo spacecraft flies by Mercury, sees volcanic plain and impact craters - The BepiColombo spacecraft has captured the 1st mid-infrared portrait of Mercury.

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SpaceX will launch Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander to the moon in mid-January with these 10 NASA payloads - NASA and SpaceX are targeting mid-January for the launch of Firefly Aerospace's Ghost Riders in the Sky mission to the lunar surface.

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'Missing link' black hole found? Not so fast, new study says - A "missing link" black hole in Omega Centauri is still missing. What appeared to be an intermediate-mass black hole was a cluster of stellar-mass black holes.

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Did the 'Lower Decks' finale just set up an exciting new 'Star Trek' spin-off? - 'The New Next Generation' is the last-ever episode of 'Lower Decks', but it almost feels like a backdoor pilot for a new 'Star Trek' show.

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Watch Russian cosmonauts install new X-ray detector during ISS spacewalk today (video) - Russian cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner will perform a six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk on Dec. 19 to install new equipment outside the ISS. Watch it live here, courtesy of NASA.

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This baby exoplanet is made of different stuff than its birth cloud - Investigating a young exoplanet called PDS 70b in its cocoon of natal gas and dust has shown that planets don't always resemble the environments they form in.

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Puffy white dwarfs could shed light on mysterious dark matter. Here's how. - Astronomers just took a big step toward a better understanding of white dwarfs, a discovery that could shed light on mysterious dark matter.

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Double moon mission! SpaceX to launch 2 private lunar landers in January - Firefly Aerospace and Japanese company ispace are putting their moon landers on the same SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which is scheduled to lift off in January.

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Private Japanese rocket explodes after liftoff in its 2nd launch failure of 2024 (photos) - Japanese startup Space One lost its second Kairos 2 rocket shortly after liftoff due to an unknown failure.

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Space2Sea Voyage of Legends in Antarctica: Join William Shatner, Neil deGrasse Tyson, former NASA astronauts and more in free webinar on space and science - Tune into a live webinar on Dec. 19 as several cultural and scientific icons will answer questions about mysteries of the universe and space travel from an Antarctica-bound luxury expedition vessel.

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James Webb Space Telescope catches monster black hole napping after 'overeating' in the early universe - The James Webb Space Telescope has caught a napping monster black hole in the early universe. The cosmic giant is slumbering after a massive meal like a reveller on Christmas Day.

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Potentially habitable planet TRAPPIST-1b may have a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere - The innermost Earth-like planet in the famous TRAPPIST-1 system might be capable of supporting a thick atmosphere after all, according to new research.

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'Exodus' looks like a next-gen Mass Effect, but with armored space bears (trailer) - Archetype Entertainment's Matthew McConaughey-led sci-fi RPG adventure is looking alright alright alright.

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The Imperial Probe Droid is one of the best Lego Star Wars sets we have reviewed and you can now pick it up for a low price - This impressive Lego set would make a fantastic Christmas present for any Star Wars fan.

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The moon may be 100 million years older than we thought - The moon may have received a volcanic facelift, making it more than 100 million years older than rocks collected from its surface might suggest, a new study finds.

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Hubble trouble or Superbubble? Astronomers need to escape the 'supervoid' to solve cosmology crisis - The disagreement in the rate of expansion of the universe, the Hubble tension, could arise from the fact Earth sits in an under-dense supervoid region of space.

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Watch the sun unleash 'extremely rare' solar storm in explosive eruption (video) - All three eruptions were not Earth-directed.

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'Star Wars: Skeleton Crew' episode 4: What happened on At Achrann? - Still from Star Wars: Skeleton Crew TV series. A disheveled girl with long hair is wearing a long-sleeved shirt and some shoulder armor. She is holding a T-shaped piece of metal.

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China launches 1st set of spacecraft for planned 13,000-satellite broadband constellation (photo) - A Long March 5B rocket launched 10 big broadband satellites to orbit on Dec. 16, beginning the assembly of China's Guowang ("national network") megaconstellation.

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Chinese astronauts perform record-breaking 9-hour spacewalk outside Tiangong space station (video) - Two Chinese astronauts spent more than nine hours outside the nation's Tiangong space station on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17, beating the old EVA duration record by 10 minutes.

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Human artifacts abandoned on Mars should be cataloged to track our migration beyond Earth - Just as Homo sapiens once exploded out of Africa to colonize the Earth our influence is spreading in the solar system. New research says we must track the cosmic migration to Mars.

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Boeing Starliner astronauts will return to Earth in March 2025 after new NASA, SpaceX delay - NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will stay in space an extra month, until March 2025, giving SpaceX more time to complete a new Crew Dragon capsule.

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SpaceX's Starship Flight 7 test flight gets FAA launch license. But when will it fly? - The FAA issued a launch license for SpaceX's upcoming Starship Flight 7, clearing the way for the company's next launch of the world's largest rocket from South Texas.

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SpaceX wants Starbase to become an official city in Texas - SpaceX is hoping to officially make its Starbase launch site a new city in South Texas.

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SpaceX test-fires Starship spacecraft again ahead of Flight 7 launch (video) - SpaceX test-fired the upper stage of its seventh Starship megarocket again recently, practicing an in-space engine burn.

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You ain’t seen nothing yet! 'The Outer Worlds 2' gets wild new trailer at The Game Awards - A new trailer for Obsidian Entertainment's "The Outer Worlds 2" was released at TGA 2024

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Webb mail: US Priority Mail stamps to again star deep space images in 2025 - The universe of U.S. postage stamps featuring James Webb Space Telescope imagery is set to expand again in 2025. The U.S. Postal Service revealed its Priority Mail and Express flat rate stamps.

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https://www.nasa.gov

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NASA Ames Astrogram – December 2024 - 2024 Year in Review – Highlights from NASA in Silicon Valley by Tiffany Blake As NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley enters its 85th year since its founding, join us as we take a look back at some of our highlights of science, engineering, research, and innovation from 2024. Ames Arc Jets Play Key […]

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NASA Exhibit Puts Visitors in Test Conductor Seat - NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is helping the Artemis Generation learn how to power space dreams with an interactive exhibit at INFINITY Science Center. The engine test simulator exhibit at the official visitor center of NASA Stennis provides the chance to experience the thrill of being a NASA test engineer by […]

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NASA Selects Four Commercial Companies to Support Near Space Network - NASA has selected multiple companies to expand the agency’s Near Space Network’s commercial direct-to-Earth capabilities services, which is a mission-critical communication capability that allows spacecraft to transmit data directly to ground stations on Earth. The work will be awarded under new Near Space Network services contracts that are firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts. Project timelines span from […]

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NASA’s New Deep Space Network Antenna Has Its Crowning Moment - Deep Space Station 23’s 133-ton reflector dish was recently installed, marking a key step in strengthening NASA’s Deep Space Network. NASA’s Deep Space Network, an array of giant radio antennas, allows agency missions to track, send commands to, and receive scientific data from spacecraft venturing to the Moon and beyond. NASA is adding a new […]

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NASA Welcomes Liechtenstein as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory - Liechtenstein signed the Artemis Accords Friday during a ceremony hosted by NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, becoming the 52nd nation to commit to the responsible exploration of space for all humanity. “Today, as Liechtenstein signs the Artemis Accords, we take another step forward together, united by the promise of […]

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NASA’s Ames Research Center Celebrates 85 Years of Innovation - Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley pre-dates a lot of things. The center existed before NASA – the very space and aeronautics agency it’s a critical part of today. And of all the marvelous advancements in science and technology that have fundamentally changed our lives over the last 85 years since its founding, one aspect […]

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NASA’s Terra Satellite Captures 2015 Eclipse Shadow - During the morning of March 20, 2015, a total solar eclipse was visible from parts of Europe, and a partial solar eclipse from northern Africa and northern Asia. NASA’s Terra satellite passed over the Arctic Ocean on March 20 at 10:45 UTC (6:45 a.m. EDT) and captured the eclipse’s shadow over the clouds in the […]

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Station Science Top News: Dec. 20, 2024 - A method for evaluating thermophysical properties of metal alloys Simulation of the solidification of metal alloys, a key step in certain industrial processes, requires reliable data on their thermophysical properties such as surface tension and viscosity. Researchers propose comparing predictive models with experimental outcomes as a method to assess these data. Scientists use data on […]

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2024: NASA Armstrong Prepares for Future Innovative Research Efforts - NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, is preparing today for tomorrow’s mission. Supersonic flight, next generation aircraft, advanced air mobility, climate changes, human exploration of space, and the next innovation are just some of the topics our researchers, engineers, and mission support teams focused on in 2024. NASA Armstrong began 2024 with the […]

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NASA’s Webb Reveals Smallest Asteroids Yet Found in Main Asteroid Belt - NASA’s powerful James Webb Space Telescope includes asteroids on its list of objects studied and secrets revealed.  A team led by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge repurposed Webb’s observations of a distant star to reveal a population of small asteroids — smaller than astronomers had ever detected orbiting the Sun in the main […]

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https://astronomynow.com

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Catch Mercury’s end of year pre-dawn show - Mercury ends the year on a high as a pre-dawn object during primarily the second half of December.

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Brilliant Jupiter rides high in Taurus - The observing year comes to a close with a bang as brilliant Jupiter comes to opposition on 7 December. Across the whole of the month the dominant gas giant planet offers its best observing circumstances of the year.

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Venus is a dazzling evening ‘star’ - Brilliant and beautiful Venus is an increasingly conspicuous sight soon after sunset.

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The Dark Tower - This eerie, dark silhouette is a cometary globule designated GN 16.43.7.01. Despite their name, cometary globules have nothing to do with comets, beyond having a similar shape of a dusty head with a tail.

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Legendary star lacks evidence for large planet formation - In the 1997 movie "Contact," adapted from Carl Sagan's 1985 novel, the lead character, scientist Ellie Arroway, takes a space-alien-built wormhole ride to the star Vega. She emerges inside a snowstorm of debris encircling the star – but no obvious planets are visible. It looks like the filmmakers got it right.

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Going south in Sculptor - The innocuous visual appearance of the southern constellation of Sculptor, even at far southerly climes, sharply contrasts its true nature as home to some great galaxies, including the magnificent Silver Coin Galaxy.

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‘Blood-soaked’ eyes: Webb and Hubble examine galaxy pair - By teaming up, these two space telescopes have delivered the highest resolution image of IC 2163 and NGC 2207 to date in a combination of mid-infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light.

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Messier 103: one of Cassiopeia’s rich retinue of clusters - Messier 103 is an impressive object located in Cassiopeia, Autumn’s home for outstanding open clusters.

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A trio of elusive Local Group galaxies - The mighty Andromeda and Triangulum galaxies dominate deep-sky observer’s view of our Local Group of Galaxies. If you’re looking for more of a Local Group challenge however, check out Cassiopeia’s IC 10, NGC 147 and NGC 185.

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Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) emerges bright in UK’s evening sky - Following month’s of speculation, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has emerged into the UK’s evening sky as a bright comet in the afterglow of the setting Sun.

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https://www.marsdaily.com

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Evidence exists for hidden water reservoirs and rare magmas on ancient Mars - Houston TX (SPX) Dec 20, 2024
A new study explores how variations in Mars' crustal thickness during its ancient history may have influenced the planet's magmatic evolution and hydrological systems. The research, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, suggests that the thick crust of Mars' southern highlands formed billions of years ago generated granitic magmas and sustained vast underground aquifers, challenging

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Frosty landscape captured at Mars' South Pole - Paris, France (SPX) Dec 20, 2024
The latest image from ESA's Mars Express offers a stunning glimpse of Mars' south pole, resembling a winter wonderland with its icy hilltops and snow-like layers. However, this scenic view belies the reality of summer on Mars, where the Sun's heat drives the retreat of seasonal ice formations. A closer examination of the left side of the image reveals dark areas where the carbon dioxide ic

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NASA Mars Orbiter captures dust-covered InSight Lander - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 17, 2024
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) recently captured an image of the retired InSight lander, offering insights into dust accumulation on Mars. Taken on Oct. 23 using the orbiter's High-Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera, the image reveals InSight's solar panels now share the same reddish-brown hue as the Martian surface. InSight, which landed in November 2018, was

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University of Houston scientists solving meteorological mysteries on Mars - Houston TX (SPX) Dec 20, 2024
A groundbreaking achievement by scientists at the University of Houston is changing our understanding of climate and weather on Mars and providing critical insights into Earth's atmospheric processes as well. The study, led by Larry Guan, a graduate student in the Department of Physics at UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, under the guidance of his advisors, Professor Liming

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NASA honours Algerian parks with Martian namesakes - Algiers (AFP) Dec 19, 2024
NASA's mapping of Mars now bears the names of three iconic Algerian national parks, Algerian physicist Noureddine Melikechi, a member of the US space agency's largest Mars probe mission, has told AFP. The Tassili n'Ajjer, Ghoufi and Djurdjura national parks have found their Martian namesakes after a proposition by Melikechi, which he sought as both a tribute to his native Algeria and a call

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Anthropologists urge preservation of human artifacts on Mars - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 17, 2024
Are the spacecraft, rovers, and debris from human exploration of Mars merely trash cluttering the Red Planet, or are they invaluable artifacts chronicling humanity's steps into interplanetary exploration? University of Kansas anthropologist Justin Holcomb contends these items deserve preservation and cataloging to document this significant phase of human history. Holcomb's new study, title

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New study questions the potential for liquid brines on Mars - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 17, 2024
More than a century after astronomer Percival Lowell speculated about water canals on Mars, researchers continue to grapple with the question of liquid water on the red planet. Liquid water is essential for habitability, but Mars' low temperatures, minimal atmospheric pressure, and limited water vapor make its presence unlikely under current conditions. Dark surface features called recurri

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NASA Outlines Latest Moon to Mars Plans in 2024 Architecture Update - Washington DC (SPX) Dec 16, 2024
As NASA develops a blueprint for space exploration throughout the solar system for the benefit of humanity, the agency released several new documents Friday updating its Moon to Mars architecture. The roadmap sets NASA on course for long-term lunar exploration under the Artemis campaign in preparation for future crewed missions to Mars. Following an Architecture Concept Review, the 2024 up

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NASA performs first aircraft accident investigation on another world - Pasadena CA (JPL) Dec 13, 2024
Engineers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and AeroVironment are completing a detailed assessment of the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's final flight on Jan. 18, 2024, which will be published in the next few weeks as a NASA technical report. Designed as a technology demonstration to perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, Ingenuity was the first aircraf

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NASA rover surmounts Jezero crater rim to begin next science campaign - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2024
NASA's Perseverance rover has successfully climbed to the top of Jezero Crater's rim, reaching a landmark location called "Lookout Hill." This achievement follows months of challenging terrain navigation and marks the beginning of an exploration phase into an entirely new region on Mars. The ascent, which spanned 3 0.5 months and climbed 1,640 vertical feet (500 meters), included traversin

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Mars dust storms may be linked to warming weather patterns - Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 10, 2024
A team of planetary scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder has shed new light on the dynamics behind Mars' infamous dust storms. These events, which sometimes enshroud the entire planet in fine particles, may be triggered by warmer and sunnier conditions on the Martian surface. Lead researcher Heshani Pieris emphasized the importance of understanding these storms for the safety

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Liquid on Mars was not necessarily all water - Boston MA (SPX) Dec 05, 2024
Dry river channels and lake beds on Mars point to the long-ago presence of a liquid on the planet's surface, and the minerals observed from orbit and from landers seem to many to prove that the liquid was ordinary water. Not so fast, the authors of a new Perspectives article in Nature Geoscience suggest. Water is only one of two possible liquids under what are

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PSI researchers confirm new main-belt comet - Tucson AZ (SPX) Dec 05, 2024
A mysterious object discovered in the main asteroid belt in 2021 was determined to be a main-belt comet by Planetary Science Institute Senior Scientist Henry Hsieh, Scott Sheppard of the Carnegie Institution for Science and Audrey Thirouin of Lowell Observatory. Main-belt comets are icy objects found in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter - rather than the cold outer Solar System wh

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Purdue scientist expecting new world to reveal itself to Mars rover - West Lafayette IN (SPX) Dec 04, 2024
NASA's Mars 2020 rover mission and Purdue University planetary scientist Briony Horgan are approaching a new phase in the search for details about the red planet's history and potential for previously hosting life. The mission's Perseverance rover is only weeks away from emerging from the 28-mile-wide Jezero Crater to explore new terrain. It's a point in the mission Horgan set her sights o

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China's Tianwen-1 probe reveals new insights into Martian internal gravity waves - Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 03, 2024
Internal gravity waves, key drivers of energy and momentum transfer within planetary atmospheres, significantly shape atmospheric dynamics on Mars. These waves, which propagate vertically from the lower to the upper atmosphere, influence global processes like dust storm formation and polar vortex behavior. Recent research published in Earth and Planetary Physics by Professor Cunying Xiao's

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